Bayonne, capital of the French Basque Country, is one of the most surprising cities in the new French region of Aquitaine-Lemosín-Poitou-Charentes. Basque from head to toe, this city located at the confluence of the rivers Nive and Adour is well worth strolling through, as you will discover buildings that stand out for their colourful facades and traditional half-timbering. This reveals the Basque influence and indeed Bayonne is part of the historical territory of Labourd – Lapurdi, in Basque. One of the most widely visited spots in the city is the Basque Museum, which features one of the most important ethnographic collections in southern France. Their culture is present in some local businesses, such as the shops selling typical Basque fabric, in such sports as pelota – very popular among the Bayonnais – and in the language, as French and Basque coexist in Bayonne.

Bayonne, in the department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, has long been unjustly upstaged by the thermal baths and glitter of neighbouring Biarritz, located less than 10 kilometres away. The historic centre of this locality in Aquitaine is made up of three quarters – Grand Bayonne, Petit Bayonne and Saint-Esprit. Prominent in the first of these is the Cathedral of Sainte-Marie de Bayonne, with its wonderful 13th-century cloister, the Château-Vieux (Old Castle), built in the 12th century by the Viscounts of Lapurdi, and the Spanish Gate, which the old main road leading to the border once passed through. In the Grand Bayonne you can also make out the three walls that encircled the city in former times – one, of Roman origin, a second from the period of King Francis I (early 16th century) and the last one designed by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban in the second half of the 17th century.

Petit Bayonne, for its part, is a secluded quarter presided over by the Château-Neuf (New Castle), built by Charles IV in the 15th century. Sited in this area is the aforementioned Basque Museum, on the Nive riverbank, housed in a 16th-century palace known as the Maison Dagourette. Inaugurated in 1922, it is a veritable ethnographic gem, boasting displays ranging from traditional burial sites to houses, furniture and craftwork. Lastly, on the far side of the river lies Saint-Esprit, with the citadel and train station as its major landmarks. That is where Spanish and Portuguese immigrant Jews lived after fleeing from the Inquisition.

Gastronomy in Bayonne

Bayonne market is an ideal place for trying the city’s typical dishes, like the tasty Gâteau Basque,in addition to cured ham, accompanied by peppers from the neighbouring town of Espelette, and chocolate, brought here by the Jews from the Iberian Peninsula who settled in Bayonne. Apart from the market, one of the streets treasured by lovers of the cocoa derivative is Rue Port Neuf,home to a number of craft workshops such as L’Atelier du Chocolat, where a delightful spicy chocolate is made, and Chocolats Cazenave, an establishment which has been running for one and a half centuries and counts among its specialities water-based chocolate and mousse.

Bayonne Mini-Guide

Sleep at…

The Hôtel & Restaurant Les Basses Pyrénées, a central hotel located just a few minutes from the Cathedral and Spanish Gate.

For a meal, be sure to visit…

La Karafe (25, Quai Jaureguiberry), with typicalpinchosand sausage.

Brasserie du Trinquet (4, Rue du Jeu de Paume), sited next to a court where Basque pelota is played on Thursdays.

You can shop at…

Tissage de Luz (3, rue Port de Castets) who sell tablecloths, bags and bedclothes bearing the typical Basque hallmark, as well as other more modern types in bright colours.

The airport of San Sebastián lies 40 kilometres from Bayonne. Book your Vueling here and discover it for yourself!

Text by Tus Destinos

Images by B. BLOCH - CRTA y tuvemafoto-OT Bayonne 

What do cities like Cannes, Berlin,Venice, San Sebastián or Locarno have in common? Well, they all host long-standing film festivals and, for a number of days and at different spots in town, all feature both screenings and parallel events as a tribute to the seventh art. Visiting these cities during a festival reveals a different side to them. Instead of the conventional tourist escapade, it involves experiencing the city from a cultural viewpoint like any of its residents. To the above-mentioned cities we should add Rotterdam, famous for having one of the largest maritime harbours in the world. It is also an industrial centre and a capital of football, with three teams in the Dutch top-flight Eredivisie – Feyenoord, Sparta and Excelsior. Over and above that, however, Rotterdam is privileged to host a highly potent film festival which turns the city into one of the leading world cinema hubs for a period of twelve days.

This time around, the International Film Festival Rotterdam (its official name) will take place from 25 January to 5 February 2017, and the programme is dedicated to art house films, both European and international, and the leading figures of independent cinema. This year is dedicated to a retrospective of Jan Němec, one of the paramount filmmakers in Czech cinema, who died a few months ago. A tribute to his figure will involve screening his best known films, as well as a posthumous film, The Wolf from Royal Vineyard Street. The official festival lineup will feature the latest movies by Jim Jarmusch, Paterson and Gimme Danger, in addition to the long-awaited film, Jackie, by Pablo Larraín, starring Natalie Portman.

The focal point of the festival will be De Doelen, a venue with an eventful history in downtown Rotterdam. Its location gives you plenty of time to stroll around and discover the city between screenings. De Doelen was built in 1966 and is both a convention centre and the primary venue of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. The other cinemas providing screenings are also in the city centre, in such charming theatres as Oude Luxor and the Pathé Schouwburgplein. They are relatively near some museums which are well worth visiting, including the Maritime Museum, devoted to the importance of maritime culture and various aspects of sailing. Apart from the exhibition space, it features a canal in the surrounding area offering all types of parallel activities. The Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum is Rotterdam’s stellar art museum with an amazing collection, a dream come true for any painting enthusiast. Its exhibits include works by Salvador Dalí, Tintoretto, Hubert van Eyck, Willem Heda and Pieter Bruegel, among others, but it doesn’t stop there – the museum also covers other art disciplines (industrial design, installations, graffiti) and itinerant exhibitions that are refreshed each month. By the way – the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum is just a stone’s throw away from Museumpark, one of the city’s lungs and most beautiful parks.

Apart from the aforementioned films and cycles, the International Film Festival Rotterdam also hosts a number of out-of-the-ordinary special screenings. One of the most prominent is a whole, day-long session dedicated to children. This year it falls on Sunday 29 January and features a selection of films which the little ones can enjoy in the company of their parents. Other events worth mentioning include two short marathons to be hosted on 4 February. Lasting six hours each, they will be held in the Kino Rotterdam, a cinema where you can also have dinner or a drink, if you wish. Check out the rest of the festival events here.

Be sure to discover Rotterdam through the prism of its cinema festival – book your Vueling here.

Text by Xavi Sánchez for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

In this part of France two cities hog most of the visitors – Strasbourg, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in France, and Colmar, capital of the wine-producing region. However, the little known jewel in the newly created region of the Great East is Mulhouse, once an independent republic, located where three counties meet – France, Germany and Switzerland. Possibly on account of that privileged position, Mulhouse is now one of France’s most active cities in terms of creativity and culture, also partly driven by its importance in the 19th century as a textile centre, which has endowed the city with an interesting industrial heritage.

Mulhouse is the City of Art and History, the first city in the Alsace to be awarded this distinction. One of its major reference points is the Place de la Réunion, the heart of its historic centre, where the easily recognisable standout feature is the pink-coloured old Town Hall. Another landmark in the square is the Protestant Church of Saint-Étienne, with a campanile affording stunning views of the city. Permission is required to go up it.

Mulhouse was one of the first major centres of the textile industry in France. This is attested in the Museum of Printed Textiles, which each year hosts a thematic exhibition linked to some well-known designer. Likewise, the Wesserling Park - Textile Ecomuseum which offers dramatized tours and fashion shows. Other major draws include the examples of industrial architecture (reconditioned former brickwork factories), and the street art and contemporary art to be had in the city centre.

Another venue worth visiting is the Cité de l’Automobile (featuring the Schlumpf Collection), situated just five minutes from downtown Mulhouse. Considered one of the leading automobile museums in the world, it showcases over 400 vehicles, prominent among which is a large collection of Bugattis. The Automobile City, divided into five distinct areas, is a truly interactive museum. Interesting audiovisuals about the automobile industry are screened, while a number of simulators enable visitors to experience what it feels like to drive a racing car.

On the outskirts of Mulhouse, the town of Ungersheim is home to the Alsace Ecomuseum, the largest of its kind in France. Here you can learn about the traditional divisions of the Alsace, what their schools used to be like and what the leading trades were. The most important craftsmen were blacksmiths, cartwrights and potters. It is also amazing to see how they used to cook in earlier times, and how they distilled local spirits. Additionally, you can taste some authentic, traditional dishes like celery gelatine, potatoes with nettles and basil sorbet.

Lastly, if you want to try Alsatian cuisine, we recommend you head for a winstub, the equivalent of a pub in the Alsace – the Restaurant Le Cellier is an ideal example. There you can taste such local specialities as fleischschnakas, an exquisite dish of noodle dough stuffed with meat, flammkuchen or tarte flambée, thinly rolled out bread dough with a topping of raw onion, bacon and single cream, and sauerkraut, accompanied by delicious Alsace wines. And, the best place to go for a drink at night is Le Gambrinus where the atmosphere is welcoming and the craft beer is excellent (bière du Bollwerk).

Mulhouse lends itself to a weekend tour. The EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, shared by France, Germany and Switzerland, is just 30 minutes away from the city centre. More information on the flights here.

Text by Tusdestinos.net

Covering an area of 1,572 square kilometres and hosting a total of 32,000 performances a year, London features an endless roster of venues. Indeed, the culture of live performances is more rooted in the city than anywhere else in Europe. In pubs, for instance, apart from having a pint and eating fish and chips, it is customary to listen to live music. And, this is nothing new. They’ve been doing it for decades and have never had to struggle against any municipal edict forcing them to keep noise levels down by installing limiters. The fact is that in London music is regarded as a cultural asset, on a par with Shakespearean theatre or a painting by Turner. That’s the long and the short of it.

So, in London, there is no end to the number of music venues. You can go out any day of the year and you are sure to find an interesting concert. If you pick up any music magazine – like Mojo, Uncut or NME, which is now free-of-charge – and peruse the listings, you are likely to balk at the myriad offerings. On a single night out, you can go and see anything from an emblematic 60s jazz band to a Jamaican ska combo from Tokyo, a gathering of a legendary 80s heavy metal band and all of the “next best things” on offer. In other words, there is everything for everybody.

One advantage that London has over other cities, particularly in southern Europe, is the concert times. There they start earlier, which is to be commended if you want to get home at a reasonable hour on a weekday. Before attending a concert, Londoners have to first pass through “Go” which, in this instance, means the pub. So, we recommend you wet your whistle at one of the pubs adjoining the concert halls, even though British beer is usually lukewarm.

For All Tastes

Here, then, is a selection of the venues that really got our attention on recent visits to London. See if you concur with us!

1. Eventim Apollo

If there is a classic venue it is the legendary Eventim Apollo. Designed by Robert Cromie in Art Deco, it opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace and was renamed the Hammersmith Odeon in 1962. Until very recently, it was known as the Hammersmith Apollo. It is located in West London and its acoustics are up with the great odeons, prompting many groups to record live there, notably Duran Duran, Dire Straits and Kate Bush. Seating capacity is flexible, an arrangement dating from 2003, although it can hold up to 5,000 people for some concerts.

2. O2 Academy Brixton

Also known as the Brixton Academy, this is another spot which is all the rage in London. For many musicians this is undoubtedly the best concert hall in the world. It opened in 1929 as the Astoria and went down in history as the venue for the last concert performed by The Smiths, on 12 December 1986. Currently, it also operates as a disco and comedy club. Upcoming event – Faithless (18/8).

3. Bush Hall

It is not one of the oldest venues, as it opened in 2001, but clearly one of the most appealing ones in town. Located in Hammersmith, Bush Hall is a very small venue, almost a classical type of private theatre. Apart from hosting concerts, they also hold dinners, photographic shoots and have even had Kate Moss parading through. Among the artists that have given concerts here are the illustrious Mark Knopfler, Nick Cave and Amy Winehouse.

4. Electric Ballroom

Camden is more seasoned as a venerable leisure-spot district, particularly since the 1960s. But, Electric Ballroom goes back even further. In fact, it has been open since the 1930s, although it was initially known as The Buffalo Club and operated as a pub. Of medium size, it is celebrated for its excellent acoustics. During the golden age of punk it hosted the likes of Sid Vicious and The Clash, in addition to big names in other genres such as U2, Paul McCartney, The Killers, The Smiths and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

5. Koko Club

Still in Camden, we also put in an appearance at Koko, a former theatre and the centre for BBC theatre programming after World War II. In the 1970s it was reconditioned as a concert hall. The building was known as Camden Palace from 1982 to 2004, but changed to its current name when it was taken over and completely restored by Oliver Bengough and Mint Entertainment.

6. Jazz Café

Jazz Café is undoubtedly one of the meccas of black music in London. Here you will find the best in jazz, hip-hop and more current trends like grime and trap. Take note of their programme, which is awesome. Here are the numbers due to be hosted on their premises in upcoming weeks: Sugarhill Gang (3/9), Pete Rock & CL Smooth (5/9), The Real Thing (24/9), Imagination (30/9) and The Herbaliser (14/10) – quite a treat!

7. Roundhouse

This erstwhile train engine shed has become one of the most important venues for concerts and the performing arts in London. Located in Chalk Farm, it is a Grade II listed building, that is, considered to be particularly important of or special interest. It was built in 1847 and, after the Second World War, was converted into a performing arts venue. The Roundhouse has gone down in history as the only place where The Doors performed in the United Kingdom, in 1968.

8. Heaven

Heaven is one of the greatest draws among London clubs at present. It is located under the Villiers Street arches in the heart of the city. The Feeling, Hurts, John Grant and Miles Kane are but a few of the groups that have been hosted in this club. Heaven opened in the 1970s, imbued with disco culture from the USA. It soon became a roller disco and subsequently a dance music club. There are several rooms on the premises and hetero-friendly gay parties have now become frequent.

9. Union Chapel

Located in Islington, Union Chapel is a huge surprise. This church reconditioned as a multi-space venue has amazing acoustics. Apart from gigs, concerts are also hosted. Performances are stylistically far more open. In the coming weeks you can see The AKA Trio (23/9) – on the occasion of the African Music Festival – Lloyd Cole (3/11) and Billy Bragg & Joe Henry (7 y 8/11).

10. The Camden Assembly

The club will be inaugurated in September this year, on the same premises where the legendary Barfly stood for years, a small, dark locale where it became frequent to get the soles of one’s footwear stuck to the floor. The new venue has not yet disclosed its genre affiliation, but it will clearly be one of the pleasant surprises of the season.

Tired of the poor acoustics at open-air festivals? Make haste and check out our flights to London, the cradle of live music shows.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Wikipedia Commons, Ewan Munro, Jamie Barras