Scarcely an hour’s flight away from Barcelona, Bordeaux is the perfect spot for a short getaway. This is an “easy” city to visit – it’s small, pedestrianised centre invites you to stroll among its stone buildings which exude the same leisurely character as its inhabitants. Well-pleased with its wines, its new Herzog & de Meuron stadium, its future venue as the City of Wine Civilizations and the advent of Joël Robuchon (with his 26 Michelin stars, next after La Grande Maison), Bordeaux gives off its touristic charm nonchalantly, in its defining elegant, bourgeois fashion. Here are some gourmet guide pointers:

1. L’Intendant – A Stunning Wine Shop

Four storeys linked by an architectural spiral staircase houses some 15,000 bottles and 600 epitomes of Bordeaux wine. The ground floor contains the labels of small producers, while the most expensive ones are accommodated on the top floor. The dearest of all – Yquem, at €6,000. Here are some good wines for far less – just allow yourself to be guided by the experts.

2. Taste Initiation at Le Boutique Hotel Wine Bar

The bar à vins (wine bar) at this charming, 27-room hotel offers excellent tastings for venturing into the world of French wines, and their sommelier, Martín Santander, speaks Spanish to wit. His “Tour de France” blind wine tasting features five bottles, prompting guests to ascertain the different French types and varieties. This is the only venue in the city that specialises in natural wines.

3. Where to Have Some Wine – the CIVBBar à Vins

The headquarters of the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bordeaux boasts a wonderful wine bar. The bar counter dates from the 19th century and the stained-glass windows from the 20th, while the design is 21st century. You can only order wine by the glass from the wine list, at very reasonable prices – most average between €2 and €3.50, with the odd €8 option from among the Grand Cru.

4. Alliance in a Fashionable Restaurant – Garopapilles

Designer wines and cuisine in one. The chef, Tanguy Laviale, and the wine connoisseur, Gaël Morand, hold out promise of a great experience in this pretty locale, where food and drink form an inseparable tandem. The wine bar is in the entrance, while the intimate, magical restaurant is concealed at the back. In a sole, surprise, deftly combined tasting menu, the chef deploys his imagination in dishes such as foie gras on a bed of cabbage and shiitake, or velvet crab consommé. Highly recommendable haute cuisine sans tablecloth. The menu, without wine, works out at €32 at lunchtime and €62 for dinner.

5. The Best Fish – Le Petit Commerce

A fish restaurant and genuine bistro, unpretentious but with the sort of French charm that captivates. What’s more, here the lunch menu costs just €14. The cuisine of the restauranteur, Fabien Touraille, has become so popular that, with his three restaurants, he’s taken over Parlament Saint Pierre street. His goal – to popularise fish; his fish is even good on Mondays.

6. Hipster Organics – Darwin

These once derelict barracks have been transformed into a top-notch complex of sustainable, creative co-working firms, a large organic restaurant, a sports centre and soon… an eco-lodge.

7. Tempting Chocolateries – Saunion, Cadiot-Badie, La Maison Darricau

It is worth visiting at least these three vintage localities for their great chocolatier tradition – at Saunion, do try Le Gallien (caramel and praliné) and the Guinettes (fresh cherries with alcohol syrup and fondant). A speciality of Cadiot-Badie is Le Diamant Noir (grape ganache), in addition to chocolate shoes and wine bottles which make the perfect souvenir. At La Maison Darricau, don’t miss out on the Pavé (praliné, wine, sugar and cinnamon).

8. The Canelé Tradition – Baillardran

A typically Bordelais confectionery made of flour, egg yolk and vanilla which is crunchy on the outside and smooth inside. The Baillardran chain, which you’ll come across everywhere, makes them on a daily basis.

9. Hotel, Drinks and Brunch – Mamma Shelter

The affordable design chain, which has the famous Philippe Starck as a partner, features a hotel in the centre of Bordeaux. An excellent choice for accommodation; otherwise, at least drop in and have a drink in this locale at night, or brunch on Sunday – it is very cool and all the rage. Rooms from €69.

10. Street Food – Chartrons Market

This open-air market is held every Sunday on the banks of the Garonne. You have a large choice of food stalls where you can have a casual meal. Our favourite were the oyster stalls, where the price was €6.50 for half a dozen oysters.

The Bordeaux Tourist Office organises excursions to some of the quaint viticultural châteaux, as well as other activities.

Come and discover Bordeaux for yourself! Check out our flights here.

Text by Isabel Loscertales / Gastronomistas

Photos by Isabel Loscertales / Gastronomistas

Here are some pointers to discover and delve into this surprising city on the Adriatic.

1. A Meeting of Cultures

Any mention of Trieste conjures up an idea of cultural blending, thanks to its geographical location in the far north of Italy, on the Adriatic coast and very near the border with Slovenia. It has long been coveted by its neighbours for its strategic position, as attested by this titbit: although it now belongs to Italy, from 1382 to 1918 it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Hence, although we find ourselves in Italy, it is not unusual for visitors to feel as if they are in Austria, partly on account of the buildings, or because of touches in the local cuisine. A case in point is Borgo Teresiano, built in the mid-18th century during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa, traversed by the prominent Canal Grande.

This meeting of cultures was characterised by coexistence between various religious groups living in harmony, including the Greek Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Jewish, Lutheran and Helvetic denominations. No wonder, then, that among the religious buildings worth viewing we find the Byzantine-style Cathedral of St Justus, the formidable Neoclassic Synagogue on the Via San Francesco, and the Serbian Orthodox Church of the Santissima Trinità e San Spiridione (Holy Trinity and St Spyridon).

2. Trieste and the Sea

One hallmark of this city is its siting on the sea; indeed, throughout its history it has been one of the leading ports in the Mediterranean. During the Middle Ages it vied with a well-known neighbouring city – Venice – for hegemony over maritime trade, while nowadays it is Italy’s major seaport.

One of the best spots to savour the Adriatic Sea and the Gulf of Trieste is the marvellous Piazza dell’Unità d’Italia, one of the city’s major landmarks. Located between the Borgo Teresiano and Borgo Giuseppino, it has the honour of being the largest sea-facing square in Europe. Rectangular in shape, it is fronted by 19th-century public buildings and palaces in the Neoclassic and Viennese styles. A noteworthy example is the Prefettura or seat of government, and the Palazzo Stratti.

3. Roman Past

Needless to say, the seaport’s strategic potential did not go unnoticed by the Romans, who wasted no time in adding Trieste to their colonies. Dating from that period are a number of vestiges, including the Roman Theatre, from the 2nd century AD, and the Arco di Riccardo (Richard’s Arch), from the 1st century AD. The latter is named after Richard the Lionheart and was once an entrance gate into the old city.

4. The Historic Cafés

A visit to some of Trieste’s historic cafés comes highly recommended. Dating from the city’s age of splendour, these were the haunts of such illustrious writers and poets as James Joyce, Italo Svevo and Umberto Saba, who met to chat, deliver literary readings and exchange ideas. Some of the most renowned cafés are Caffè Tommaseo, Caffè degli Specchi, Caffè San Marco and Caffè Torinese.

5. Refined Cuisine

Triestini cuisine is heir to a blend resulting from the aforementioned cultures. Mediterranean-style dishes, like those based on fish, can be found side by side with predominantly meat-based Central-European recipes. Among the most typical dishes we find jota (a soup of beans, cabbage, bacon and potato), which is Slavic in origin, bolliti di maiale (various boiled pork cuts) and sardoni in savòr (sardines marinated in vinegar), of Venetian origin.

6. A Wind Known as Bora

Another characteristic feature of Trieste is a wind known as the Bora, which blows into the Gulf from the continental mass further north. It can reach sustained speeds of around 120 km/hr, with gusts of nearly 200 km/hr. It has the effect of drying out the atmosphere and clearing the sky of any cloud cover. Pavements in the city are fitted with ropes for people to hold on and avoid being carried off when the Bora blows. For those wishing to inquire further, we recommend a visit to the Bora Museum.

Now that you have the keys to unlock the city of Trieste, book your Vueling and embark on a trip of discovery.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Stephen Colebourne, John W. Schulze , stefano Merli , Xenja Santarelli

By Ferran Imedio from gastronomistas

Amsterdam has dozens of attractions for the visitor. Without doubt, the most important are the 'must sees and dos'; the canals (a cruise is a 'must do'), the Red Light district and the museums. Taken on its own, the city's gastronomy doesn't hold a great deal of appeal, unless it is combined with a 'must see'. Here we have created a sort of food-museum fusion, without the pretension or high prices. As Miguel Brugman, chef of the Foam Cafe points out, “A short time ago, museum cafes and restaurants only served sandwiches, cakes and tea. Things are finally changing.” The Dutch are faithful museum-goers and it's true that culinary offerings in cultural places have changed for the better. We found this out for ourselves. Here are our recommendations.

Foam Café

Foam Cafe is situated on the ground floor of the prestigious Foam Museum, the city's temple of contemporary photography (a small but very interesting show titled 'Under Construction', featuring young North American artists is on until December). You won't find anything too challenging here. On the contrary, the dishes are direct, simple and engaging. The menu has Mediterranean influences, lots of salads, lots of organic olive oil, plenty of vegetables and pulses, pitas, soups, scrambled eggs (you get the idea). It’S healthy and reasonably priced, with all dishes under 10 euros.

Foam functions as a restaurant from noon to 3pm. Before and after that (it opens at 10am and closes at 6pm) it's a café, serving cakes and the iconic saucijzen broodje (a pastry stuffed with a pork sausage, here prepared with organic ingredients) amongst other things.

On Thursdays, between 6pm and 9pm, the museum offers guided tours that end with supper in the restaurant; a set menu that consists of a tapa (hummus or perhaps marinated octopus) and a main dish (meat, fish or a vegetarian option) costing 19.50 euros. If you don't take the tour, the tapas is priced between 4-6 euros and the main courses 16.50 euros. On Fridays, also between 6pm and 9pm, Foam Cafe puts on 'Frozen Fridays' when they serve snacks (5 euros) and cocktails (6 euros).

Keizersgracht, 609
http://foam.org

Eye Bar-Restaurant

Overwhelming. That is the only word to describe the architecture of the Eye Film Museum. Inside, Holland's national film museum hosts four cinemas as well as an exhibition space. There is also a restaurant that looks like a cinema, with large steps looking onto a panoramic window resembling a cinemascope screen. It leads onto a terrace and affords views across the River Ij to the centre of the city and Central Station, which is next to the free ferry terminal. The restaurant offers French-influenced cuisine with nods to other parts of Europe. Midday sees a more simple menu of soups and salads whilst at night you can enjoy fillet steak and steak tartar, turbot, seafood bisque and mushroom risotto.

The price for the midday menu is 20 euros and in the evening the bill is generally under 40 euros. The restaurant is open 10.30am to 10.30pm (or 11.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays).

Ij Promenade, 1
www.eyefilm.nl

De Plantage

De Plantage is recently opened and contemporary. A natural light comes pouring through the large, welcoming dining room via huge vintage windows. Da Plantage serves Mediterranean food, of high quality and at reasonable prices. It's situated right next door to the entrance of he city's zoo; one of the oldest in the world and the most visited attraction in Amsterdam. The same building hosts a permanent exhibition called 'Micropia'; millions and millions of insects that inhabit the planet and can only be seen under a microscope. In the near future, it will also accommodate the Museum of Natural History.

De Plantage's dishes are well presented, aromatic and healthy; salads, raviolis, pork terrine, fried artichokes, risotto and fish. The kitchen is open from 10am to 4pm and 5.30pm to 10.30pm daily, and in-between times breakfasts and snacks are served. At lunchtime, it costs around 17 euros (drinks not included) and in the evenings around 35 euros. During the autumn months, an evening set menu is offered, consisting of three courses and costing 32.50 euros (drinks not included).

Plantage Kerklaan, 36
www.caferestaurantdeplantage.nl

Rijksmuseum

The enormous, majestic hall that exhibits art from the gothic to contemporary periods (and between November and January, 20th century photography in the show called 'Modern Times') also has an agreeable and tranquil café. The only beer served here is Dutch and in fact all ingredients in the (mainly cold) dishes are be local too. Sandwiches cost between 5 and 9 euros, salads between 12 and 16 and cakes from 2 to 5 euros. Note the chocolates that are shaped like the museum's facade.

The café is open from 9am to 5pm. If you visit the Rijksmuseum from November onwards, you can also eat at the restaurant, where a well-known international chef will take up residence for two or three months at a time - just like a temporary exhibition.

Museumstraat, 1
https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/es

Still hungry? You can always seek out some of the city's more or less conventional restaurants. In Amsterdam, there is a wide gastronomic offering, although you are better off avoiding traditional Dutch cuisine. Even locals agree with this statement, and generally only eat it at home.

Raïnaraï

This pleasant, modern restaurant serves traditional Algerian food (taureg is speciality). It is situated in the Westergasfabriek park, an old industrial zone whose gigantic gas tanks now accommodate dozens of restaurants, clothing shops and art galleries. There are 14 dishes on the menu and they change daily, but all are prepared with organic ingredients. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, noon to 10pm. Expect to pay between 30 and 40 euros and 7.50 for cocktails.

Polonceaukade, 40

REM Eiland

A petroleum platform that was also used to transmit pirate radio and TV has been converted into a two-story restaurant (one accommodates a terrace, and is only open during the summer). It is simply spectacular. Climbing the steep metal staircase or skirting behind the security rails can produce a sense of vertigo. The cuisine served here is international; simple and direct at lunchtime whilst a night two set menus are offered for 31 euros (3 courses) and 37 euros (four courses), drinks not included. They include dishes such as turbot tartar, bulgur with peppers, avocado and red onion salad, grilled solomillo, and large raviolis filled with pumpkin, mushrooms, carrot and asparagus in the Parmesan sauce. It's opened daily, for lunch from noon and dinner from 5pm.

Haparandadam, 45-2
www.remeiland.com

Sky Lounge

Sky Lounge is a terrace restaurant with views located the 11th floor of the Double Tree Hotel. At night, it's a great place to partake in a cocktail with the entire city laid at your feet and a DJ providing the soundtrack. Whether day or evening, snack food from all four corners of the globe is served; nachos, sushi, sandwiches, fish and chips, hamburgers, pasta, edamamen and gyozas. It's open every day from 11am to 1am (to 3am Fridays and Saturdays).

www.skyloungeamsterdam.com

Brasserie Halte 3

An old tram garage and workshop that stood empty for 16 years has been colonised by two restaurants, a gastro zone with 21 stands offering all types of food (open daily 11am to 8pm, 4 to 8 euros per plate), a cinema, an art gallery, a book and bicycle shop, TV studios and a hotel. Altogether, the complex is called De Hallen. One of the restaurants, the recently opened Brasserie Halte 3, is a French-style bistro whose steak tartar is superb. Other offerings include oysters and lamb chops. Like most restaurants in Amsterdam, the midday menu is more pared down.

Open daily 11am to 10pm. Lunch: 10 euros, dinner: 25-30 euros.

Bellamyplein, 51
www.halte3.nl

Meat West

Also situated inside De Hallen, Meat West is only open for dinner. (7.30pm to 10.30 pm, 11.30pm Thursday to Saturday). Ninety- year old tram tracks decorate the floor and the menu specialises in prime cut meat, mostly steak, which features in hamburgers, entrecotes, chops and steaks.

Expect to pay between 40 and 50 euros (without drinks).

Bellamyplein, 51
www.meatwest.com

Blue Spoon

This restaurant, inside the Hotel Andaz, is one of the most interesting in the city. The French-influenced cuisine is made with local ingredients without the song and dance. The result is KM0, seasonal dishes dressed with herbs that are grown in the restaurant's garden. If you are staying at the hotel, there is a dining room for guests only with canal views, where you can have a snack or glass of wine for free during the day. You can also dine at the chef's table. Expect to pay between 35 and 45 euros without drinks. The 'family' menu, for 6 people, includes the best entrees and fish of the day and costs 56 euros per head. Open noon to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm.

Prinsengracht, 587
amsterdam.prinsengracht.andaz.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/Bluespoon.html

The Lobby

One of the most highly recommended restaurants in Amsterdam, not only for its location (two minute's walk from the monumental Damplatz) but also quality-price ratio. Every day, the kitchen opens from noon to 4pm and 6 to 10pm (Friday and Saturday cocktails are served to 3am) although you can also pop in for breakfast from 7am. Don't leave without trying the flammkuchen, a typical Alsatian pizza, thin and crunchy and topped with all manner of ingredients. Otherwise, local produce is prepared into international dishes. A set evening menu is offered for 34.50 euros (3 courses, no drinks). The fish dishes work extremely well, like the elegant sea bass. Also consider the exciting octopus with pancetta, and above all, pork neck cooked at low temperature.

Nes, 49
www.thelobby-amsterdam.nl

Gebr. Hartering

Brothers Paul and Nick Hartering are at the helm of this charming, creative cuisine restaurant on the banks of a canal. It has two floors, a plank over the water and even a little boat that acts as a terrace in good weather. Only tasting menus are served, one consisting of 6 courses (50 euros, without drinks) and another of 9 courses (75 euros, without drinks). Plates, designed to be shared, are placed centre table. The chefs work with local produce and are influenced by classic French cuisine with no mod cons. The wine list, naturally, features a very large selection of French wines.

Open Tuesday to Sunday, 6pm to 11pm.

Peperstraat, 10
www.gebrhartering.nl

Makes you want to go, right? Do it! Check out our prices here!

Santa Catalina is now Palma’s fashionable quarter. Located just outside the erstwhile walled city west of Palma, in recent years it has undergone a facelift, turning it into a more spacious, more integral, must-visit district of the city.

Owing to its proximity to the harbour, it was originally a fishing quarter. In the 18th century some industrial activity emerged in the area, as evinced by the iconic Es Jonquet windmills and the aptly named Calle Industria. However, it reached the peak of its industrial expansion and development in the late-19th and early-20th century. Dating precisely from that period are the Modernist-style houses spread across the district, some of which were built by the Indianos on their return from Cuba.

Santa Catalina is a district of one- or two-storey houses, with balconies and Majorcan blinds, and small interior gardens or patios. A stroll through its quiet streets attests to an unusual mix of people, including a good number of foreigners that have succumbed to this quaint old fishermen’s quarter and have decided to settle there.

The hub of the area is the Santa Catalina Market, a veritable neighbourhood meeting point. Housed in a building dating from 1920, it preserves much of its original charm and is the ideal place for shopping for fresh, seasonal produce, most of which is sourced locally.

One of the claims to fame of Santa Catalina is the large number of restaurants that have opened there in the last few years, making it the perfect spot for ending a day’s sightseeing through Palma with a rewarding culinary experience. Among the standout venues we find:

Cantina Patrón Lunares. Located on the premises of the mutual benefit society, Montepío del Arrabal, it features highly poetic interior design in which the maritime and industrial past merges to perfection with vintage furniture and craft objects. The restaurant offers traditional island cuisine enhanced with seafood dishes from further afield.

Restaurante Duke. Here, the menu faithfully reflects the taste of the owners, who are great travellers, as it is characterised by dishes from all over the planet. The small interior is decorated with surfing motifs and photos of their journeys and is the perfect spot for eating wholesome food based on original recipes in a peaceful setting. We recommend ending off the meal with a mojito, which are mouth-watering.

Restaurante Hanaita. Despite the plain, rather dowdy decor of this small venue, it is undoubtedly one of the best Japanese restaurants in Palma, featuring excellent quality dishes.

Restaurante Xoriguer. Located on the Calle Fábrica, this is one of Palma’s classics. It also features some excellent, traditional Basque cuisine, and a wide variety of splendid meat dishes, including the best Kobe and Black Angus beef.

Gin Burger. As its name suggests, this cosy, modern locale offers delicious hamburgers which you can wash down with a magnificent gin tonic – they carry a large variety of gins. The venue is suitable for all guests, including vegetarians and celiacs, who have also been catered for on the menu.

Apart from its culinary offerings, Santa Catalina has also become a hub of the city’s artistic activity, which is centred around the Teatro Mar i Terra.

Now that you’re genned up about Palma’s trendiest district, all that’s left is for you to book your Vueling and enjoy it.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Fabian Walden, Cantina Patrón Lunares, Fernando Vesga