Imagine, for example that we have a few free days to escape to any of our destinations Vueling. So why not visit Minsk?

The capital of Belarus is maybe one of the most unknown destinations that we could choose. However, it is a mesmerizing town, full of culture that will surprise almost everyone, quite sure!

Minsk is the cultural epicenter of the country. Its first theaters and libraries were built in the mid nineteenth century and today we find eleven theaters, museums sixteen, nine libraries - among which is found the National Library of Belarus- and a wide range of concert halls.

The best way to get around the city is using its modern metro, which was built in the 80s and that consists of two lines that connect the center with the periphery of Minsk. Or using a still current transport as trolleybus or tram to quietly contemplate the city and feel like the protagonist of a film set in the Cold War. Remember also that Minsk is considered one of the cleanest and safest cities in Europe.

For dining, Minsk has a strong influence both Ukrainian and Russian. Undoubtedly, the typical dish of the city are mushrooms combined with many sauces as you can imagine. Plus Borsch, beetroot soup served with a sour cream called smetana with pieces of meat. Special mention to typical local fish like herring, or the more expensive and luxurious product from sea world: caviar. On the other hand, the Vodka, the Bela-Cola and Kefir are the most common drinks.

Let's review some of the most emblematic places of the city, that you should visit if you are in the Belarusian capital city:

1.-Victory Square

Minsk's main square. Located in the city center and dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. It is the place where the most important events in the capital are celebrated, as well as parades and concerts. In the center there is an 40 meters high obelisk . It is prism-shaped and on the bottom there is an eternal flame in honor of the soldiers of the Soviet Army and the partisans of Belarus.

2.-National Museum of History and Culture

Issuing the largest collection of material and spiritual culture of the Belarusian people, from 40,000 BC to this day. There we can see from ancient manuscripts, archaeological finds, to costumes and heraldic collections.

3.-Cathedral of the Holy Spirit

Built between 1633 and 1642, it is one of the few historic buildings of the city. Currently works as an art gallery and includes a superb collection of Orthodox icons such as Mother of God, discovered in the sixteenth, that work is thought by San Lucas.

4.-Island of Tears

Across the river Svisloch we find a small island where stands a monument dedicated to Belarusians soldiers killed in Afghanistan. It consists of four altars with the names of the 771 soldiers engraved on them. According to tradition, the newlyweds of Minsk should visit the monument.

5.-National Library of Minsk

It is certainly one of the most modern architectural projects of the city. A building of 72 feet tall and 22 floors diamond-shaped, modernist and futurist. At night, becomes one of the most emblematic of the city thanks to its dramatic lighting.

6.-Museum of Great Patriotic War

Second World War Museum was the first museum to open during the course of the war commemorating the German-Soviet battle after the end of the Nazi occupation. Inside we can see from a model of concentration camp until a section devoted to the Belarusian resistance. 7.- Park Chelyuskinites The Amusement Park of Minsk. Its appeal lies in the essential conservation thereof, dated 1932 In addition to all kinds of attractions, you can also enjoy the beautiful botanical garden next to it.

Imagen de Monk - Ihar Mahaniok

Por Jordi Herrero

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

Some areas of the Mallorcan coast have been hit by the touristic boom, the one that has sown it merciless with large buildings and beachfront resorts. Luckily, others have been carefully conserved and have protected the environment.

This is the case of the Serra de Tramuntana, one of the most beautiful and emblematic landscapes of Mallorca, located northwest of the island. Of its relief the peaks over 1,000 meters stand out -like the majestic Puig Major, the highest peak of the Balearic Islands with 1447 meters- and the different landscapes that you will discover traveling the road that runs through it and running from Andratx to Pollença going by some of the most beautiful villages of the island as Bañalbufar, Estellencs, Deià, Pollença, Lluc, Fornalutx or Valldemossa.

An excellent area for practice hiking, caving and canyoning with spectacular views through valleys, cliffs and gorges.

Sóller

The town of Sóller offers various attractions: it concentrates a large number of modernist buildings such as the Banc de Sóller or the Can Brunera mansion -that now houses a museum-, the old church of San Bartolomé and a picturesque harbor with two beaches.

In addition, it is said that the ensaimadas from Soller are the best, with the garrovetes del papa, its typical sweet, or the oranges used to prepare juice and ice-creams. You can find these local products and traditional crafts in "Es Mercat" which is held every Saturday.

One of the fun trips you can do from Sóller is to take the Sóller train that connects the town with Palma de Mallorca. A trip to the past in their wooden wagons and with the rattling of a line that opened in 1912 and runs between the beautiful landscapes of the Tramuntana mountains and fields full of almond, olive and carob trees.

Fornalutx

Just above the village of Sóller there is Fornalutx, chosen as one of the "most beautiful in Spain" a couple of times. Their houses are finely restored and perfectly ordered despite the uneven, the flowers on the balconies, the cobbled streets and ancient tradition of painted tiles-present in many of the houses- make it a dream place.

Walkers have here many interesting routes ranging from Sóller to Fornalutx, like the one leading to Mirador de Ses Barques or the Cami de Sa Figuera.

Sa Calobra and other beaches and coves

In the same mountain range of tramuntana there is Sa Calobra, a cove created at the mouth of the River Torrent de Pareis where the sea, forest and cliffs converge in a natural setting of stunning beauty.

The access is complicated because you must go through 800 sinuous curves along 4 kilometers, including the convoluted 360 degrees curve known as the Nus de la Corbata (tie knot).

From Sa Calobra you can reach to the Torrent de Pareis Creek, where they celebrate each year the "Concert in Sa Calobra" every first Sunday of July. The canyon walls exert natural amphitheater, creating a unique and unrivaled sound.

Throughout the area you can find pristine beaches like Cala d'Egos in Andratx, Es Port des Canonge in Banyalbufar, the Cala de Valldemossa or Llucalcari in Deià, and although sometimes you have to walk a few miles down steep rocks or drive on narrow roads with impossible curves, it is worth the effort, to be rewarded at the end with a wonderful beach less frequented by tourists.

The Sanctuary of Lluc

The origin of its name comes from lucus, meaning "sacred forest". Here is the Virgen de Lluc "La Moreneta", patron saint of Mallorca; a small, dark-skinned virgin, that, according to the legend, found a shepherd in the mountains. The virgin was reluctant to leave the place and that is why a small chapel was built and with time, it became this beautiful sanctuary.

There are are some bars and restaurants around the architectural complex.

Picture Sa Calobra by Hugin | picture Sóller by jpm2112 | picture Serra Tramuntana by Carlos Delgado

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

Menorca's lighthouses are part of the island's environment and its rugged coastline. That is why they are located in some of the most beautiful and wild areas, turning your route into an encounter with Menorca's nature and its diverse landscapes. Beyond the first function to point the way to the boats, they form a unique postcard in the already beautiful coast of Menorca.

All lighthouses are managed by the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands and on their website you can find the technical specifications of each.

Favàritx Ligthouse
Its location in the natural setting of the Natural Park of s’Albufera des Grau, the wettest part of Menorca, about 20 miles north of Mahon, makes it one of the most visited.
Key Point of the Island’s Biosphere’s Reserve, here we find a variety of waterfowl and raptors such as the osprey, the kite or the booted eagle

Cavalleria Lighthouse
About 14 kilometers from Es Mercadal, at the southernmost tip of the island, this impressive lighthouse stands on a cliff over 80 meters and with fantastic views over the sea.
If you visit the lighthouse of Cavalleria you will observe a curiosity: a few piles of stones facing the sea will surprised you. They are build by the tourists who come to the lighthouse because, according to tradition, who creates these forms and expresses the desire to return to Menorca to the Lighthouse, will see their wish come true.

Punta Nati Lighthouse
Opened in 1913, its creation comes from a tragic accident. And it is because in this area of ​​strong winds and ocean currents the modern French Général Chanzy steam was wrecked by a big storm three years before.

Days with strong wind from the north you can enjoy a natural spectacle when the crack near the lighthouse ejects water with great force, in a sort of bufador lambasting the headlight, which sometimes has been damaged by the pressure.

Illa de l'Aire Lightouse
On Mahon’s south, in the town of Sant Lluis, there is the touristic Platja de Punta Prima. From here you can observe perfectly Illa de l'Aire and its lighthouse’s silhouette surrounded by turquoise waters and rich marine life.
One feature of the island is to house an endemic species of Menorca and Mallorca: black lizard. But not only the small reptile inhabits the island, it also houses numerous birds on their migratory path.

Artrutx Lighthouse
With carachteristic thick black and white stripes, the lighthouse Artrutx is 7 kilometers from Ciutadella. It was built in the mid nineteenth century, in 1858, and at first, it worked with oil until 1930 that electricity came to the lighthouse. Now the Artrutx Lighthouse it is part of the historical heritage of Menorca.
Near the lighthouse there are the coves den Bosch and Son Xoriguer, one that has the greater waves and therefore enables windsurfing.

Sa Farola
It is located on the seafront of Sa Farola so you can get there calmly strolling about 30 minutes from the center of Ciutadella. During the trip you can enjoy the beautiful scenery or a swim in the Caleta es Frares with its platforms for the bathers located halfway.

Sant Carles or Mahon Lighthouse
Considered to be the first lighthouse on the island, it was built in 1852 on the ruins of Castell de Sant Felip, on the tip of Sant Carles. After some discussion about its location, it was replaced by a metal tower of black and white stripes.
Near the lighthouse there is Fort Marlborough, a unique hexagonal shape building surrounded by a trench dug in the ground and built by the British between 1710 and 1716, with galleries that you can visit.

Pictures by www.portsdebalears.com

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

In times when being a tourist has become so passé – the learned traveller wisely tries to avoid crowded places when seeking out the heart of a city – you could do worse than hunt for cinemas with character when visiting another country. Traditional cinemas have vanished in many places. I am referring to the ones with just a single auditorium – or two at most – which are not owned by some international conglomerate. Architecturally quaint buildings where cinema-goers felt like pilgrims going to a special place.

Berlin is a cinema lover’s capital in itself. Directors such as Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Wim Wenders were obsessed with it. Indeed, Wenders immortalised the city in his Wings of Desire and Faraway, So Close! (a sequel to the former), which have spawned articles and tours that point up the importance of Berlin’s architecture and real landmarks from the films – the Victory Column, Brandenburg Gate and Staatsbibliothek, designed by Hans Scharoun. With such a cinema tradition behind it, no wonder the city has so many movie theatres to choose from. More so, those that pamper their appearance and their movie listings. Following is our choice of five of the best which, to wit, offer some added value, such as screening films in English or featuring subtitles in that language. So, if you’re a devotee of the seventh art with a smattering of English, or merely wish to visit the buildings and their cafés, this rundown is for you.

Ladenkino

One of the city’s most prestigious cinemas, which screens original-version movies. It comprises three, small but well-equipped auditoriums, as well as a bar-café and a video library with a large selection of films on DVD and Blu-ray. The interior is amazing – some of the rooms look like a set from a film by David Lynch. Ladenkino is located in the Friedrichshain district, very near Boxhagener Platz, where a well-known open-air flea market is held every Sunday.

Odeon

Located in Schöneberg, one of Berlin’s most charming quarters –Marlene Dietrich and Helmut Newton were both born here – the area is also celebrated for its attractive culinary offerings. The Odeon captivates from the outset, prominently featuring a green neon light and an old-school awning displaying screening times, and witty phrases and questions, setting the scene for cinema-goers. Their forte is signature films and independent cinema.

Kino Central

The punkiest cinema in this list, wholly in tune with Berlin’s industrial imagery, artistically speaking. They have two auditoriums and a highly varied programme based on American and English films far removed from all grandiose Hollywood blockbusters, save for the odd exception. Located a few metres from Hackescher, a beautiful square in Berlin’s Mitte quarter which also hosts a market. Kino Central is one of the city’s film lovers’ secret haunts.

Babylon Kreuzberg

The cradle of Berlin’s punk movement, the Kreuzberg district boasts a healthy culture scene, so be sure to visit the legendary SO36 club, where Iggy Pop and David Bowie were regular clients in the seventies. The Babylon cinema is one of its nerve centres and features two auditoriums in a three-storey building with a history, which offers a bit of everything, from Indie cinema to the re-screening of classics and also horror movies (a festival of this genre is held every October).

Kino International

“Spectacular” is the word that best defines this small palace, seemingly a throwback from former times. In effect, its history stretches back several decades and both the auditorium and other facilities are markedly vintage. This is a peerless setting for raising the cinema experience to another level. It is sited in an awesome location, hard by the legendary Alexanderplatz, which makes it a compulsory landmark for any inquiring sightseer.

Fire up and discover these temples for movie lovers – book your Vueling here.

Text by Xavi Sánchez for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS