• 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.

Some myths about European cities could do with an upgrade. One of these has Hamburg labelled as an eminently professional destination associated with the work sector. While there is some truth to that, it would be a crass error to reduce Germany’s second largest city to the sole status of business haven. Indeed, under the hood of that metropolis, which forms its own federal state (it covers an area of 755 square kilometres), seethes a cultural scene which is well worth venturing into. This nerve centre of Germanic arts also boasts a highly prominent music scene.

Any fan of The Beatles knows that Hamburg is the place where the group hatched their plot to rise to stardom. There are even routes which take you to the spots trodden by the Fab Four. But, far from aiming to live off the past and beatlemania,Hamburg features a powerful network of concert halls with highly varied programmes, both in terms of live music and DJs eager to blast out any kind of sound. Hamburg is a cosmopolitan capital and this comes out in their open-mindedness about all artistic activity.

A tour of these live music clubs might start at III&70, a venue on Schulterblatt street which spotlights upcoming artists. From singer-songwriters to rock groups, electronic music and jam sessions (the most crowded nights of the week).III&70 also has a café famed for its generous breakfasts and an outdoor terrace with some fabulous table football.

Still in the Schulterblatt area, a short walk away we come to Kleiner Donner, the hub of Hamburg’s hip hop scene. While small, this basement locale packs a punch. Here, DJs and MCs eager to make their mark combine explosive scratches with freakish rhythms. This is one of the city’s coolest clubs – be sure to get there early at the weekend; otherwise you are likely to get shut out, as their capacity is rather limited.

Pressing on with the itinerary as far as Nobistor street, in the city centre, we stop off at Molotow, one of the most respected concert halls in Hamburg. Inaugurated in 1990, in the run-up to the times of alternative rock fever, such groups as The White Stripes and At The Drive -Inhave graced their stage. Their current offerings are headed by punk, as well as independent pop and rock bands. Like Kleiner Donner, this is a basement venue which acts as a pressure cooker when crowded. A hundred per cent rock and roll.

Let’s leave behind the “modern” styles and venture into the world of jazz and swing – the latter on the up and up of late. Indeed, Hamburg’s Cotton Club is a living history of live music in Germany. In fact, it is the oldest venue is in town devoted to jazz – in 2009 they celebrated their fiftieth anniversary. Located near Planten un Blomen, a park and botanical gardens in the heart of Hamburg – their own Central Park, to be sure – Cotton Club offers live music all days of the week. And, their gigs are reinforced by an exquisite array of house cocktails.

Another historic place of mandatory pilgrimage is Logo, sited next door to Universität Hamburg. Opened in 1974, its small stage was honoured by the likes of Echo & The Bunnymen, The Jayhawks, Peaches, Modest Mouse, Rammstein, Blink 182, Ben Folds Five, Dillinger Escape Plan, Phoenix and Oasis before their rise to stardom. Nowadays they feature established groups interspersed with upcoming talent touting to make a name for themselves in pop and rock. Logo also offers an appealing programme of tribute bands.

Fire up and discover Hamburg’s musical scene – book your Vueling here.

Text by Xavi Sánchez for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

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

By Michael Schurmann from easyhiker.co       

There is no shortage of attractive hiking destinations for day trips near Munich where you are during the Oktoberfest. Both the Goldsteig and the Altmühl-Panoramaweg “top trails” are just a train ride away, and of course, there are always the Alps.
But Lake Starnberg tops the list of day trip destinations because it is by far the easiest to reach and is the scene of a titillating piece of German royalty history. (More of that if you promise to read through.)

You can go there by City Rail (the S-Bahn) in 30 minutes from Munich Central Station, and the round trip is covered by the Munich day pass which gives you unlimited access to all the city’s public transport facilities (a steal at €20 for up to five persons).

Another reason why Lake Starnberg tops that list: it won’t take you long to reach it from Starnberg station.

On a clear day, you can even see the Alps at the far end.

This far end, it must be said, is quite a long way away. Lake Starnberg is about 20 km long, and although it is quite narrow (never more than 5 km wide), the whole tour around the big pond may easily come to about 50 km.

“Road leading to Possenhofen hiking trail in Starnberger See near Munich”

For a day trip, this is clearly off the scale. But thankfully, there are plenty of alternatives.

On the right side of the lake, for example, there are two more S-Bahn stations further down the track (Possenhofen and Tutzing), so in theory, you could take the train there and walk back to Starnberg (7 km and 14 km respectively).

This was, in fact, our original plan: a walk to Possenhofen, the childhood home and favourite retreat of the star-crossed empress Sissi.

But the road to Possenhofen was so busy (even used by trucks) and so far away from the actual lake – it was practically lined with residential homes, gardens and boat houses – that we broke off our trip after app. 1 mile and returned to Starnberg.

Fortunately for us, we then discovered that the “left” (or western) side of the lake provides a much more pleasant ambiente.

A recognized hiking trail, the “König Ludwig Weg”, runs down the entire length of the lake’s west bank. That should, at the very least, ensure that you are safe from truck traffic.

No S-Bahn trains circulate down this side of the lake, but ferries take you to several of the small towns that are scattered around, including Seehausen at the lake’s southern tip.
If you have a full day, this is what you could do: Hike all the way to Seehausen and return by boat.

We only had the time for one section of this trail, however, and decided to walk the 6 km from Starnberg to the town of Berg.

Out of the station and standing in front of the lake, turn left.

The first half mile takes you past a mix of residential and recreational buildings: homes, gardens, boat houses and a public swimming pool.

After the first of two wooden bridges, however, the scenery becomes far more idyllic: swans in the lake, groups of sturdily built Bavarian women training their Nordic walking skills, young families and students skipping a boring lecture.

When you return to the asphalted road, in the outskirts of Berg, you will see some of the most expensive real estate in Germany.

Lake Starnberg, so pretty and so near to Munich, Germany’s richest city, is very much the Alpine version of the Cote d’Azur (or Beverly Hills).

After walking about 15 minutes, you will find the boat pier on your right.

“Sign leading to Koenig Ludwig Weg hiking trail in Starnberger See in Munich”Check the arrival and departure times, because the traffic back to Starnberg is infrequent and somewhat irregular, and if you miss one boat, you may have to wait a couple of hours for the next one.

If you can, make time for an excursion to the Votivkapelle (just follow the signs) another 30 minutes away.

This chapel was erected to commemorate one of the great unsolved mysteries of German history.
It stands very near the place where the mad King Louis II of Bavaria, (builder of Neuschwanstein Castle and generous supporter of Richard Wagner’s operatic works), explored Lake Starnberg in a vertical direction. (A wooden cross in the water marks the spot.)

Was it an accident? Did he commit suicide? Or was some sort of jiggery pokery involved? (For a full round-up of events, go HERE.)

On the way to the chapel, you will come across a plaque on a boat house where it says that Ludwig often set out from there to meet with his “soul mate” Sissi on the other side of the lake.

I found it strange and almost touching to see that after all these years, the Bavarians still can’t quite seem to cope with the fact that their beloved “Kini” did not fancy girls all that much.

For a less shamefaced account of the king’s life, watch Ludwig II, directed by Luchino Visconti and featuring the male model Helmut Berger as the eponymous royal, one of the campiest movies ever made: the thinking man’s Wizard of Oz.

If you do not have the time to experience Mr. Visconti’s Magnum Opus in its full Wagnerian languor of 247 minutes, do yourself a favour: sample the director’s operatic ambition here.

The latter section also features here a must-watch Bavarian-style gay orgy with folk dancing, zither music and much mutual groping.

No wonder the locals hated the film so much that they tried to have it banned when it was first released in 1972.)

Now, return to the pier where – if there is still time – you can have a coffee or a beer on the terrace of the Hotel Berg before taking the boat back to Starnberg.
If you have started your day before 12, you can still be back at your favourite Oktoberfest beer tent before the evening rush begins – and won’t miss any of the action.

Why not take a trip to Munich? Have a look at our flights here!

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