By Marlys Schuermann Easy Hiker

Nantes is one of the many charming and interesting small French towns you have to discover. You can easily spend a leisurely week-end there and keep yourself busy sight-seeing the town, either on foot or renting a Bicloo (the equivalent of a Velib in Paris.)

What to See and Where to Go

1. The Castle of the Dukes of Brittany and Nantes, which is now a museum. If the weather is fine, you can even settle yourselves on the grassy moat surrounding the castle, either to picnic, play or just to soak in the sun.

2. Make sure you go inside the castle and perhaps look into that well and make a wish.

3. The gothic Cathedral, famous for being the most beautifully restored cathedral in France.

4. Enjoy a stroll at the Place Royale, where right and left, you will find open-air cafes for your coffee break.

5. Bike to or take the tramway line no. 1, to the Gare Maritime to catch a Navibus (river boat) to bring you to the old fishing village of Trentemoult.

6. There are no more working fishermen in Trentemoult but it is worth the while to see the quaint houses and ruelles still surviving.

7. The Ile de Nantes, where “Le Jardin des Machines” is located, is one destination you cannot and would not want to miss, mainly to see and perhaps take a ride on its most popular attraction, the Giant Mechanical Elephant.

To savour the spectacle, I would recommend for you to stay on the ground and just watch the mechanical pachyderm trumpet out steam and slowly stroll around the park.

8. After all that excitement with this circus, you can go back to the mainland and visit the Passage Pomeraye, a 3-level 19th century shopping arcade.

9. See the objects the chocolatiers of Maison Larnicol created out of chocolate – a lady’s stiletto, a handbag, two giant lipsticks and a replica Jaguar.

10. Right near Nantes central train station is the famous Tour de LU. It was in Nantes that the biscuit factory of LU had its main site but has since been turned into a theatre/museum.

On your visit to the old fishing village Trentemoult, you must have seen their sign, too.

11. And where to eat when in Nantes? At the Brasserie La Cigale, of course (4, Place Graslin.) This restaurant has served good food for almost 115 years. Be part of their history. Best to reserve if going for dinner or go after 14h00 to be sure of getting a table. They’re open all day (07h30-00h30)

To help you go and see more of Nantes, check out their Tourism Bureau’s advice HERE.

Image: Dyhorus

By Marlys SchuermannEasy Hiker

Somewhere well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

La Palma is one of the most beautiful islands in the Atlantic. Unlike its sisters in the Canary Island archipelago, it is blessed with a highly fertile ecosystem endowed with outstanding natural traits, making this an idyllic island. Indigenous fauna and flora are an integral part of its spectacular scenery. Its well-kept natural environment is ideal for enjoying an alternative, exciting holiday, doing all kinds of sports and indulging in activities close to nature.

This authentic Eden for ramblers offers a host of options for hikers. Before setting out, you are advised to check the weather forecast and to avoid walking alone. Let someone know what route you are taking and the time you are due to return. You need to take a small back-pack with a warm jacket, a raincoat, food and plenty of water and don’t forget essentials such as a hat, sunblock and sunglasses, as well as a mobile phone with the battery charged, a map and, if possible, a compass. Observe the signposting along the route and keep to the track and, above all, make sure you wear proper hiking boots. You are also advised to check the gradient, walking distance and duration of the hike on the website, www.senderosdelapalma.com. Of all the various routes, we have made a selection of three, with different difficulty ratings, which will allow you to admire the aforementioned scenic diversity of "The Beautiful Island":

Puerto de Tazacorte – Roque de Los Muchachos

This itinerary has a high difficulty rating and is intended for experienced sportspeople. The main difficulty lies in the pronounced gradient. You are urged to avoid the hike in summer or on particularly hot days, while in winter, take into account that it rises to high altitudes and you may even encounter snow and ice on the Roque de los Muchachos. The route covers a distance of 17.16 kilometres, with an accumulated slope of 2,600 m. The route starts at Puerto de Tazacorte, at sea level. From there, it rises steadily for 3.8 kilometres as far as El Time. It then runs past Hoya Grande and Risco de las Pareditas, where it is wise to stop to regain your strength and take in the marvellous scenery at an altitude of 1,500 metres. There are still nearly 7 kilometres to go before reaching the end of the route, after passing through Hoya del Estrabito, Pinos Gachos and Degollada de Las Palomas, where the slope is gentler up to the finish. The high points of this route are the stunning views of the Barranco de las Angustias gorge and those of the Caldera de Taburiente from the Roque de los Muchachos.

Cubo de la Galga

This trail has a low difficulty rating and is therefore suitable for taking children along. Signposted as the GR 130, it starts and finishes at La Galga, Puntallana, at the intersection with the GR 130. The overall walking distance is 12.4 km, with an accumulated slope of 750 metres, and the estimated walking time is 3 hours 45 minutes. The route takes you through the Parque Natural de Las Nieves, a protected nature reserve so spectacular you are unlikely to switch off your camera. The trail is negotiated in two sections – one is a circular itinerary, which takes you through the most interesting area, the Cubo de la Galga temperate laurel forest, a warm, humid forest with some frost, featuring huge trees,guaco and lianas, with leaves similar to those of the laurel, hence the name. The other section connects this route to the main road orguagua, as well as to La Galga mountain, where you simply must stop off at the Somada Alta viewpoint, and the GR 130, with the option to continue on to Puntallana or Los Sauces. You can also continue down the PRLP5 footpath to the district of El Pósito, on the main road. 

Valencia – Pico Bejenado – Valencia

This is ideal for visitors hiking with the family. The route is circular and, if you complete it, covers a total of 10 km, rising from 1,100 to 1,800 metres. The estimated walking time for the circuit is three hours and the whole trail is confined to the limits of  La Caldera de Taburiente National Park. You can drive up to the end of the dirt road in the Valencia district. From there, you set out on foot along the PRLP 13.3 footpath as far as El Bejenado. The ascent to the summit of this mountain follows a winding trail through pine forest and takes an hour and a half. The route affords some superb views, both of the interior of La Caldera de Taburiente and towards the Route of the Volcanoes and the whole of the Aridane Valley. Also, don’t forget to sign the visitors’ book when you get there.

The above are but three of the multiple routes possible, each with a different difficulty rating, designed to take in a maximum of the island’s scenic diversity and lead us past the most emblematic spots – Pinar, Parque Nacional, Angustias, Laurisilva, Puerto Tazacorte, volcanoes, dragon trees, village where time stands still almond trees in blossom, coastal cliffs, etc. For further information, see the Patronato de Turismo de La Palma.

Don’t wait to discover La Palma – the Beautiful Island! Check out our flights here.

Text and photos by Patronato de Turismo de La Palma

Cantabria’s mining past remains alive in the 750 hectares of reddish landscape which is home to the Cabárceno Nature Park. Situated just 15 kilometres from Santander, its proximity is inversely proportional to the feeling of being in a wholly different part of the planet. Here, around one hundred animal species from the five continents roam in semi-freedom, including African elephants, gorillas, the ankole-watusi, the addax, llamas and sea lions.

The open-air tracts of land are spacious and immensely beautiful. The flora lives out its natural cycle during the four annual seasons, so you see a different park in the spring, summer, autumn and winter. The structures left behind from the area’s mining past have been re-used to appoint the various enclosures in Cabárceno. Animals are kept on land which resembles their natural habitat as closely as possible, as here the terrain is accommodating. A number of lookouts bring home the immensity of the panoramic landscape and allow visitors to spot herds of Somali asses, water buffalo, Grevi zebra and ostriches. The karst relief characterised by water’s fickle erosive force makes for fascinating observation and enhances the act of animal spotting.

Nature is allowed to run its course in the park. There are fights between members of the same species, the rutting season unfolds and dominant males abound. Man only intervenes in the event of illness, wounds, a life-threatening situation for some specimen and to feed the animals. That is when the park provides its Wildlife Visit. From 10 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon, a single vehicle seating 4 occupants drives through various areas inhabited by rhino, bears and giraffes. The tour costs €400, which includes a brunch in the park restaurant. Escorted by a ranger, visitors can get to see certain animals close up, as well as touch and feed them. This contact enables them to learn the traits and curiosities of each animal or species.

That is how you discover the three elegant giraffes that come running up to you because they see you arriving with a bag of carrots. All three are male and they get along well precisely because there are no females. Or you learn the amazing story of Jums, a 39-year-old African elephant that came from England and recognised one of its offspring that had been living in Cabárceno.

During the Wildlife Visit, guests are told about the rituals and training sessions conducted with some of the animals to get them accustomed to the presence of people for the sole purpose of enabling a vet to treat a wound or give them a medical check-up whenever necessary. This is a difficult task as wild animals retain their survival instinct and are thus wary of people, but it is gratifying to see how the staff’s daily work and their affection for the animals can work a miracle, as can an apple or a carrot!

The animals’ daily routine is not affected by the fortunate participants in the Wildlife Visit – book ahead, as there is a waiting list – and regular feeding times are strictly adhered to. The only enclosure where visitors are not allowed to get out of the car is that of the brown bears. However, a group of bears can be comfortably observed munching on a piece of bread or chicken through the car window just a few metres away. There are around 70 specimens in a 35-hectare space, which gives you some idea of how big the park is.

The Cabárceno Nature Park is dotted with natural lakes, and the 14 resident elephants relish bathing in waters up to 8 metres deep. The hippo enclosure here, rumoured to be the best in the world, is sited in the Lago Sexta, and a cableway is slated to run above this lake as of March 2016.

A one-day admission ticket to the Cabárceno Nature Park costs €25, and €15 for small children. However, we recommend you check out all the various types of admission, as there are discounts for families and “friends of Cabárceno”. Your ticket allows you to drive around the 20 kilometres of tracks in your own vehicle through all the areas. But, you are urged to observe the speed limit and safety precautions. Unfortunately, this unaccompanied drive-through does not allow you to touch or feed the animals; firstly, for safety reasons, as you will not be escorted by a ranger to guide you and, secondly, as each species has a specific diet at regular hours. A map is given to visitors at the entrance – the routes are clearly marked and you can download a mobile app which provides information on what you are seeing at all times. Park facilities include picnic areas for you to have a packed lunch at your leisure, and there are also cafés, restaurants and gift shops. Your ticket permits you to leave the park and re-enter later on. You are also allowed to make the tour in a camper van.

Your day trip will fly past as you observe the antics of fallow deer, red deer, gorillas, camels, displays of birds of prey and their types of flight, and sea lions cavorting about. (Don’t let them catch you calling them seals with ears – they don’t take kindly to being confused!) Whatever your age; if you like animals, this is where you will have a whale of a time!

Make haste to discover all this wildlife. Check out our flights to Santander here.

Text and images by Planeta Dunia

The Hay Festival of Literature & Arts, to be held this year from 21 to 31 May, has its origins in the small Welsh town of Hay-on-Wye, some 50 kilometres from Cardiff. An annual event, it brings together writers, musicians, film-makers and other leading lights of the art world. The main goal of the festival is to open up channels of dialogue between the various cultural fields, an idea which has been exported to other countries and has prompted similar events in England, Spain, Colombia, Kenya, India, Mexico, the Lebanon and Hungary. Featuring over 900 activities spread over a ten-day period, its participants include some of the world’s finest intellectual talent.

Not Only Letters

The festival does not live by letters alone. It also hosts conferences and workshops on painting, social activism, medicine, sport and architecture. Notable, too, is the music scheduled for this year, offering live performances by London’s King Charles, a winner of the International Songwriting Competition, the Glasgow group Texas, whose twenty-five-year career is marked by the release of their disc, “Texas 25”, and the Touareg musical ensemble, Tinariwen, among many others.

A Festival For Children and Families

Hay Fever is the name by which the children’s version of the festival is known. Noteworthy scheduled activities include story-telling, illustration workshops tutored by the world’s leading story illustrators, puppet theatre and children’s concerts. Check out the varied programme for all ageshere.Hay-on-Wye is located in the Brecon Beacons National Park. It is the ideal starting point for viewing its stunning natural beauty and participating in open-air activities, like embarking on a panoramic cruise down the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canalor hiring a canoe to paddle along it with the whole family.

Hay-on-Wye – the Town of Books

Hay-on-Wye, the original, authentic town of books, has a charm all its own, as evinced in its houses and cottages. The town is packed with delightful bookshops, their shelves crammed with second-hand books. But, how did it actually become a magnet for book-lovers? It all started when Richard Booth, a bibliophile and Oxford graduate, turned up one day in this small town on the border between Wales and England with the firm intention to establish it as a world literary landmark. He purchased the fire station and castle and set up second-hand bookshops on the premises. The idea caught on quickly and other bookshops joined in, turning the town into a tourist destination for book enthusiasts. Hay-on-Wye, with a population of under 2,000 inhabitants, is currently estimated to house up to a million books.

Richard Booth still has his two bookshops in Hay-on-Wye. The largest of them, Richard Booth’s Bookshop, at 44 Lion Street, is a charming timber store including a cinema and cafe. The other one, Hay Castle Bookshop, is located in Hay Castle. One of its towers houses the large bookshop run by Booth’s wife, and there are umpteen metres of shelves crammed with books in the garden, too. Here, there are no shop assistants – you choose the book you want and put your money into the so-calledhonesty boxes.

Are you rearing to go? Check out our prices here!

Text: Scanner FM

Images: Stephen Cleary | Hannah Swithinbank