Marseille is full of surprises, or at least that’s the feeling you get when venturing into the city. This gateway to the Mediterranean has much more to offer than what is apparent at first sight. For starters, it has two harbours – the Vieux Port (Old Port), enclosed and fortified, a vestige of times when the coastline was invaded by pirates and hostile nations. And, the new – and larger – harbour which opens out to the sea and is a symbol of contemporary times. The elegant buildings lining the city’s streets have an unkempt, decadent yet inspiring air, while the fishing quarters smack of new trends in the guise of art galleries and cafés, and avant-garde spaces such as the MuCEM (Museum for the Civilisations of Europe and the Mediterranean) and the Villa Méditerranée, attesting to Marseille being much more than just a port city. And, in the midst of all this stands the highlight of this article, one of the works which prompts many architects to pilgrimage to Marseille –Le Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse.

This huge building, recently designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, together with 16 other architectural works by Le Corbusier, is one of the essential icons of modern architecture and one of the artificer’s major achievements. In this massive and equally beautiful colossus in concrete, the precursor of Brutalist art and ideologue behind architecture as we know it today successfully shaped the vertical city he had dreamed of, which he named the Unité d’habitation (Housing Unity). This was the first in a succession of similar residential buildings which were subsequently erected in Nantes-Rezé (1955), Berlin-Westend (1957), Briey (1963) and Firminy (1965).

Cité Radieuse, known locally as La Maison du Fada (The Nutter's House), is a large apartment block located in the south of Marseille on the Boulevard Michelet. It was designed in 1945 and built from 1947 to 1952. It is made up of 337 duplex apartments distributed over twelve storeys. Apart from its residential function, Le Corbusier also incorporated amenities into the design, including a commercial area on the seventh and eighth floors, gardens, a paddling pool, a gym, a theatre and a nursery on the spectacular rooftop. The edifice was built in rough-cast concrete and its standout feature are the supporting pilotis or piers, as well as the polychromed decoration on the balconies which set up a rhythm across the facade.

Most of the apartments are now private property, although sightseers are allowed to visit the common areas of the building. On the seventh and eighth floors you can see how most of the commercial units have been turned into design and architects studios. An exception to this is La Ventre de l’Architecte, a luxury restaurant affording splendid views of Marseille and the coast. The crowning touch is provided by another communal area, the rooftop, an area of surprises where architectural forms have been turned into spectacular sculptures affording views over the city. A pilot apartment can be visited as part of a guided tour, but be sure to book in advance with the Marseille Tourist Office. Those who would like to broaden their experience of the Cité Radieuse can stay overnight at the Hotel Le Corbusier, housed in the building itself.

Don’t miss the chance to visit Marseille and its architectural jewel, the Cité Radieuse. Book your Vueling here!

Text and photos by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

• Rumba Catalana. This musical genre was developed by the Catalan gypsy community in Barcelona from the 50′s in Raval (calle de la Cera), Gracia and Hostafrancs neighborhoods.

When you first stand before the huge structures rising from this unique “Eden”, you would be forgiven for thinking you’ve stepped into a sci-fi movie from the 50s, 60s or 70s. Here, by the judicious use of special effects, the complex conveys the vision of an unusual future, charged with scientific advances. Nowadays those films may raise more than one smile, peopled as they were by the odd alien, or depicting some disaster that had obliterated mankind from the face of the earth. Lee Tamahori, who directed the James Bond movie, Die Another Day,in 2002, must have had a similar impression when he chose to shoot some of the action-packed scenes from this 007 classic on this site. But, what exactly is the Eden Project and what makes it imperative for you to head to Cornwall to see it?

The Eden Project – Nature and Sustainable Development

Located in Cornwall, two kilometres from St Blazey and five kilometres from St Austell, the Eden Project was the brainchild of Tim Smit. It was designed by the architect, Nicholas Grimshaw, and the engineering firm, Anthony Hunt and Associates, inspired by nature and sustainable development. Unveiled in March 2001, this unique, spectacular garden has two leading lights – its Biomes with their futuristic appearance. A biome is defined as the ecological unit into which the biosphere is divided in terms of a number of climatic and geological factors that determine the types of prevailing fauna and flora. Within each Biome is a specific bioclimatic landscape and its corresponding ecosystem.

One area at the site features a Rainforest Biome, with a hot, humid atmosphere, divided into four rainforest environments – Tropical Islands, Southeast Asia, West Africa and Tropical South America. Another area is dedicated to the Mediterranean Biome with its warm, temperate climate and drier atmosphere, showcasing the typical landscapes of the Mediterranean, South Africa and California. There are also gardens outside the Biomes which reflect the temperate regions of planet Earth.

The goal of this grand project is none other than to educate – the site has an educational centre known as The Core– and to make us aware of the biodiversity that characterises our planet. Children visiting this magnificent site will be enthralled, as will most adults who come here, too. You will be stunned by the sheer size of the vegetation and are sure to discover various aspects of nature you never knew about.

Before visiting the Eden Project, we recommend you first check out What’s On, as another added value of this site – where you get the growing impression of being in an amusement park – is the huge number of activities hosted there, directed at audiences of all ages. One of the events, for instance, which has been held annually since 2002, are the Eden Sessions, a series of concerts at which star performances have been given by the likes of Amy Winehouse, Muse, Lily Allen, Oasis, Pulp, Elton John and a long etcetera of great bands and musicians.

Book your flight to Cardiff and venture into this special garden of Eden in southwest England.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Eden Project

We’ve often been asked by friends and acquaintances to recommend a getatable romantic destination for some special celebration with their partner. We always give them the same answer – the Amalfi Coast, in Italy’s Campania region. Indeed, you cannot help but fall in love with this slice of coastline, bathed by the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, with winding roads concealing some of Italy’s sublimest, most picturesque villages.

The best spot to start out on your itinerary is Sorrento. While not strictly on the coastal route, it is still a charming destination whose luxury hotels have attracted the big names in opera, notably Enrico Caruso and Luciano Pavarotti, acclaimed for his memorable interpretations of Torna a Surriento, one of the best known Neapolitan songs in the world. The balconies so characteristic of the seafront of this Neapolitan town afford some of the best views of Mt Vesuvius, a volcano which has scored the history of this land with fire.

Positano is the first village we come to on the Amalfi Coast or Costiera Amalfitana. Before driving into it, there are some wonderful viewpoints affording vistas of the village, with its houses clinging to the hillside, providing one of the most elegant and iconic picture postcards in Italy. Picturesque and unique, Positano is a must-visit spot on the Amalfi Coast and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997. Its steep streets are lined with fashion boutiques and shops selling typical products, while some of its “almost affordable” hotels are veritable backwaters of peace and quiet where many a couple have uttered their “Yes, I do”. This is the case with the Hotel Poseidon, run by the Aonzo brothers, who pamper their guests as if they were true friends.

We still recall how Marco kindly let us use one of his collector cars, a crimson red Alfa Romeo Spider, which we drove like celebrities of the Italian Neorealism to visit other legendary villages on the Amalfi Coast –Amalfi and Ravello. The former, after which this stretch of coastline in the Gulf of Salerno is named, is noteworthy for its flamboyant Piazza del Duomo and the staircase leading up to the Cathedral. Amalfi is the ideal place for shopping along its crowded streets, as well as for sitting down in some secluded restaurant with sea views to lunch or dine on some of the local specialities, notably fish in acqua pazza, washed down with a fine white Fiano di Avellino wine. The final gastronomic flourish is provided by the local queen of liqueurs, limoncello, made from the large, aromatic lemons grown in this area.

Another renowned village on the Amalfi Coast is Ravello, which has a gem in its Villa Cimbrone gardens, which are open to the public, and the marvellous Villa Rufolo, a spot that has enchanted poets, artists and musicians and has helped turn this part of the Italian coastline into one of the ideal places to get married.

Book your Vueling to Naples and make a tour of the Amalfi Coast.

Text by Tus Destinos