Donostia-San Sebastián is a city in constant change. Perhaps its effervescence can partly be accounted for by the prevailing impetuous climate changes and, above all, by the ceaseless wind there. Coinciding with the forthcoming change of season, we recommend you visit this charming coastal city to delight in the chromatic variations of its bay – La Concha – or the crashing waves at Chillida’s Peine del Viento.

San Sebastián is currently abuzz with creative activity, now more heated than usual. The fact is that this city in Guipúzcoa will be Europe’s culture capital for the whole year, a title it shares with the city of Wrocław in Poland. Throughout 2016 there will be concerts, stage plays, talks, book presentations and a long list of miscellaneous cultural activities.

The Year’s Major Cultural Event

This is Donostia 2016, an event that does not set out to dazzle with great names on the international scene, or exorbitant investments in infrastructure. Instead, it is pioneering a new model based on experimentation, learning and developing close-knit audiences, with a view to the legacy all this will leave behind in the city as of 2017. That accounts for the programme being grounded in local tradition, albeit with an international projection.

The fact is that Donostia is no newcomer to organising events. Let’s not forget that for years the city has been hosting such long-standing festivals as Zinemaldi, the Musical Fortnight and Jazzaldi.

Activities of all kinds will be held throughout the year in various areas of the city. Like those billed to be staged in Cristina Enea Park. This beautiful park is the city’s largest and is located hard by the Estación del Norte. August will see the independent music festival, Glad is the Day, a tribute to Gladys, a local heroine among social movements. The Dabadaba and Le Bukowski clubs, in collaboration with San Sebastián 2016 and Tabakalera, will be hosting this project with the aim of putting the Egia district onto the map of the city’s summer cultural festivals. The daytime event is admission-free and will feature eight performances at two venues – Anari, Los Tiki Phantoms, Chiquita y Chatarra and The Saurs at the main venue; and AWWZ, Telmo Trenor, Kino Internacional and Javi P3Z at the electronic venue.

Donostia Goes Hipster

Modernity and culture go hand in hand in the Egia quarter. We embark on a tour of the area through some of its most emblematic spots.

Tabakalera

Unveiled last September after 10 years of renovation. Tabakalera, a new, spectacular centre of international contemporary culture is housed in a former tobacco factory covering an area of 37,000 square metres. It consists of two exhibition halls, a cinema, an art media library, creation labs, a hotel for resident artists, micro-theatre shows, concerts, two cafés, a restaurant and a roof terrace with superb views of the city.

The Egia Quarter

The renewal of two venues, namely the Victoria Eugenia Theatre and the Koldo Mitxelena Kulturenea, belonging to the Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa (Guipúzcoa’s provincial administration), has helped shift the city’s hub to the other side of the Urumea. No wonder that this area is known as the Donostiarra Brooklyn, as it has become the city’s centre of modernity and culture.

Dabadaba

Currently one of San Sebastián’s most active venues. Concerts, festivals, exhibitions, DJ sets, flea markets and screenings are hosted in Dabadaba, a multi-purpose centre. Apart from musical and cultural events, on weekday mornings it also offers breakfast, shakes and natural fruit juices. This venue is up with the latest trends, such as a revival of interest in beer – a varied and growing selection of commercial and craft beers are featured on its menu.

Le Bukowski

Le Bukowski is another major night-time meeting point in the Egia quarter. It might lack the sophistication of the Victoria Eugenia Theatre, or the modernity of Rafael Moneo’s Kursaal Auditorium. But, what does that matter if what you want is to listen to good rock or dance music? This is the yardstick club in Donostia, both for live and DJ music. It has been active for three decades and not for nothing is it as fresh as the day it first opened.

Gazteszena

A space in the Egia quarter which has been operating as a multi-purpose venue since 1998. This year it will be hosting the Mojo Workin festival on 18 and 19 March, an event dedicated to rhythm and blues and soul which will be featuring international artists and DJs.

Donostia is always on duty for the traveller. Come and visit its trendiest quarter in a particularly exciting year. Check out our flights here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Donostia 2016, Dabadaba

The Nuremberg trials and the paintings by Dürer have made the German city of Nuremberg famous worldwide . The Palace of Justice is still there to remember where the members of Hitler’s political party were judged as well as Albert Dürer’s house, the most important painter in Germany, but there are other reasons to visit Nuremberg beyond the usual past related to the justice and their illustrious painter.

Let me tell you about five things born in Nuremberg and so will never be remembered, though its value is incalculable. Shall we begin?

1 – Christmas Cookies

In Nuremberg the first Christmas cookies known as Lebkuchen were invented in the XIIIth century. Sure you can try these traditional Christmas sweets in German markets such as the Nuremberg Christmas market. Do not worry if you are traveling when it is not Christmas as HauptMarket‘s activity lasts throughout the year. A must for curious travelers and lovers of good living market.

2 – the MP3

Here it was invented the famous audio file compression standardized as mp3 in 1995. It was in the laboratories of Fraunhofer IIS in Erlangen-Nuremberg University. Visit the university may not have much interest to music lovers who have mp3 support a way of listening to as much music as ever they had imagined but it is interesting to visit the record store Artphoenix Vinyl, they boast of having one of the best record collections vinyl world.

3 – Sweets against cough

The German chemist Dr. Carl Sodan developed in 1899 in his Nuremberg’s pharmacy the first recipes for sweets for dry throat and cough suppressants based eucalyptus and menthol. In 1923 Sodan produces the now famous candies Em-Eukal sold, today, in more than 20 countries. Approaching a pharmacy is not the main attraction of a city like Nuremberg but visiting one of the most important commercial areas of the city itself is. In Breite Gasse, plus pharmacies that sell these candies, you’ll find a thousand and one ideas for a gift back home. Breite Gasse is Nuremberg’s commercial center and you may find from smaller surfaces to famous trademarks stores.

4 – The first clarinet

Johann Christoph Denner built in 1700 the first clarinet. Who was going to tell Woody Allen that this German guy was going to give him many pleasures in life thanks to this instrument?

Keep calm. We will not recommend you visit a clarinets factory or visit where Denner was born in Nuremberg. We recommend that you pay a visit to Jazzstudio, one of the first live jazz venues in Germany. Founded in 1954, the jazz club on Planierplastz street has seen playing on its stage young talents, regional stars and big international names. Concerts are usually at 20:00 and 21:00 on Friday and Saturday.

5 – The globe

Did you know that in 1492 another resident of Nuremberg, Martin Behaim constructed the first globe? As built in 1492, the American continent does not appear yet. You can see it in the Germanic National Museum, along with other curiosities such as the Brothers Grimm‘s desktop and other Cultural and Heritage jewels. And since you are in the museum you will see works by Dürer because one can not leave the German city without seeing Dürer.

1- Hauptmarket: Hauptmarkt 18, 90403 Nuremberg, Germany, +49 911 23360, L-S 9:00 a 18:00

2- ArtPhoenix: Irrerstrasse 18, 90403 Nuremberg, Germany +49 911 96048765

3- Breite Gasse

4- Jazzstudio: Paniersplatz 27, 90403 Nuremberg, Germany +49 911 364297

5 – Museo Nacional Germano: +49 91113310 M-D 10 a 18 h.

So you feel like visiting Nuremberg, do you? Book your flights here!

A walk around Rennes, the capital of Brittany, takes you back to medieval times. A large number of houses with wooden framing are still preserved in the streets of the historic centre. Wood was a popular building material in this region until the mid-17th century, when it was replaced by stone after the large fire of 1720 that burnt down more than 900 houses in the city centre. However, these old wooden buildings can be seen in the streets running from Rue de Chapitre and Champ-Jacquet square, with a statue of John Leperdit, the mayor of Rennes during the French Revolution.

Rennes has some beautiful spots, one of my favourite being the Place des Lices, where terrace cafés are jam-packed with the arrival of the good weather. In summer, evenings in Brittany are endless and the sun doesn't go down until after 10 p.m. Some centuries ago, this place was the setting of medieval jousts. Nowadays, its market is the second most important in France, bringing together more than 300 local and regional producers.

Two of the symbols of Rennes' medieval past are the Duchesne tower and the Mordelles Gates –Portes Mordellaises– which were part of the city walls in the 15th century. The Neoclassical Cathedral of Saint-Pierre is close by, as is the Basilica of Saint-Sauveur, both landmarks of the city's religious architecture.

The fires of the early 18th century marked a turning point in Rennes' urban design. After that, constructions were built in stone, notably the city hall, by the royal architect – Jacques Gabriel – who designed it to be immortal.

Another must-see is the Palace of the Parliament of Brittany, with lavishly decorated rooms representative of 17th-century French pictorial art. This building is an emblem of the historical region of Brittany, which has a culture and a language of its own. Some street names in Rennes are in Breton, as well as in French, the former being the only surviving Celtic language outside the British Isles.

Contemporary art has a notable presence in Rennes. Examples of this are the Parmiggiani fountain, the Cap Mail building, by the prestigious Jean Nouvel, Quai Ouest by Christian Hauvette, and Champs Libres by Christian de Portzamparc. The Champs Libres premises are divided into three areas: the Musée de Bretagne – with a surface area of 2,000 square metres – a six-floor library, and an area devoted to science, with a planetarium. Rennes also has a great art gallery in the Museum of Fine Arts, an old university palace designed by Vincent Boullé, featuring works by Rubens, Veronese and Picasso, among others. In music, the city is well known for Les Transmusicales de Rennes, a festival that has been offering new and eclectic music for its last 32 editions.

Finally, Thabor Park, a very pleasant spot, is one of the most important green areas of the Breton capital. This 10-hectare French-style garden, which used to belong to the monks of Saint-Melaine– features a rose garden, an aviary, statues and greenhouses, amongst other attractions. Musical comedy and dance performances are held here on Sundays in the months of May and June; many people attend these entry-free events.

Rennes is a city with lots of charm and can be easily discovered in a single weekend! Check out our flights here.

Text by María Jesús Tomé

Images by María Jesús Tomé / Oficina de Turismo de Rennes

Toulouse is the university city par excellence in France and that makes ita great place to go out in at night. Toulouse is one of the cities where the night is youngest, busiest, most active and most frenetic. Here is a list of 10 best places for experiencing the night life in Toulouse.

Place de St. Pierre:

This square is the starting point for countless students on a night out. It is located next to the River Garonne and here is where you will find many bars for a few beers before starting the night and a number of discos for ending it. Whether on the banks of the river or on the lawn area, seeing a group of students who have brought their own drinks with them is not an uncommon sight.

Le Bar Basque: this is a popular bar among young people and among all fans of rugby. It has two rooms and closes at 02:00, except on Saturdays when it closes at 05:00. There is a great atmosphere and a wide selection of beers and spirits.

Le Saint des Seins: A concert hall and disco. Good concerts by indie bands from Europe and America and good music until 02:00 on weekdays and 04:00 at weekends. A young vibe and a terrace for smokers.

Rue Gabriel Peri:

This is the area around the Jean Jaures metro station, famous among Erasmus university students and with an excellent atmosphere at night.

Café Populaire: This Toulouse café is famous among Erasmus students for being very cheap, especially on Mondays when practically the entire university crowd gathers here for a good time.

La Maison: This is a perfect bar for chatting with friends while enjoying a beer, wine or anything else. Low lighting, relaxed conversation and an atmosphere that dodges the frenetic vibe of the university city.

Le Purple: the most fashionable disco in the area. The place is always full but the decoration and numerous settees make this almost essential stop off for any night out in Toulouse.

Centre of Toulouse:

Le Rex: An authentic cabaret in Toulouse. Le Rex offers a variety of shows with singers, dancers, comedians and even drag artists. If you want to re-live the days of Sylvie Varthan and the French cabaret shows, this is the place for you.

Canals:

There is a wide selection of bars and discos to be found on the boats moored along the canals.

Le Cri de la Mouette: On Allee de Barcelone (Canal de Brienne), with concerts almost every night and music afterwards at weekends until 5 in the morning.

Le Love Boat: A disco boat located at 56 Port Saint Sauveur.

Outskirts:
The university area par excellence. If you are looking for places where you can dance until sunrise with students from all over the world, you should definitely check out the places we suggest below.

Le Bikini: You will find this place in the outskirts, to the south-east of Toulouse, and it is particularly recommendable on Thursday nights.

Le Ramier: Located on an island in the River Garonne, near the Palais de Justice metro station, Le Ramier is another of the large discos and concert halls in Toulouse.

Image: Le Purple

A great idea for a night out with friends! Check out our flights here and join in!