Any traveller stopping over at the city on the river Túria has their sightseeing venues cut out for them – The City of Arts and Sciences, The Cathedral, El Miguelete, The Silk Exchange, The Central Market, Torres de Serrano, Torres de Quart, The Port, The Bioparc – if you have kids in tow –  and, of course, The Albufera. Needless to say, all this should be accompanied by a good paella for lunch, and an horchata for afternoon tea.

But, Valencia is a lot more than this. Indeed, locals delight in a practice which is almost a religion – what is known here as the esmorçaret, a mid-morning sandwich with freshly baked bread, accompanied by a dish of olives or nuts, a beer and coffee… all for less than five euros.

Here is a our recommendation of 8 must-visit bars where you will gradually become adepts of that healthy practice which is usually indulged in between ten and twelve o’clock in the morning.

For Omelette Lovers

Bar Alhambra. Every day Benito, the owner of this small bar in the Juan Llorens area, prepares an average of six, two-and-a-half-kilo omelettes. The main kind is the potato omelette, but you can also choose between potato and onion, as well as potato and spring garlic, potato and sobrasada, (a spicy, pork sausage) and potato and morcilla (blood sausage),among others. Another of their finger-licking specialities is the apaleao (dry-cured pork loin).

Bar Rojas Clemente. Hidden in one of the city’s smallest markets, its bar counter provides a spectacle of myriad types of omelette, scrambled eggs, sausage and savoury pies, a local classic. Be sure to try the goat’s-milk cheese, candied-tomato and spinach omelette.

Under the Valencian Sun

Kiosco La Pérgola. Located in the tranquil, sought-after Paseo de la Alameda, this is one of the city’s classic venues, both for its food and sunny terrace. The “bombón” is the star bite – with pork loin, mushrooms, cheese and a special sauce. You can also elect to order the sandwich with just mushrooms, or with grouper or liver, which in La Pérgola is a whole delicacy.

Size Rules

Bodega La Pascuala. All the rage among elevenses devotees, this venue is located in the seafaring quarter of El Cabañal, just a stone’s throw from La Malvarrosa Beach. Their star performer is the “Súper”, an oversize sandwich comprising a whole stick of bread, with horse meat, onion, bacon, cheese and typical Catalan tomato bread. The peanuts and olives are on the house.

Michelin-Starred Brunch

Central Bar. A Michelin-starred elevenses is also doable. Run by the acclaimed chef, Ricard Camarena, this bar is in the amazing Central Market in El Carmen District, the city’s historic centre. The star sandwich is named after Ricard Camarena himself and features pork fillet, onion, cheese and mustard – a festival of flavours!

A Classic – Calamari Sandwich

Casa Mundo. Founded in 1953 by a football player and Valencia CF’s greatest ever goal-scorer, Edmundo Suárez “Mundo”, this bar in the city centre has held out admirably against the invasion of franchises. Noteworthy is their famous calamari sandwich, but also the blanco y negro (black and white) with broad beans, as well as the chivito (steakburger) and pepito de pisto (ratatouille meat sandwich), which has been made to the same recipe for over 50 years.

La Piulà. A wealth of sandwiches with juicy, crisp, homemade batter-fried calamari. The optional condiment is a mild mayonnaise. Also well worth trying is their ciclista, made of ham, omelette and tomato as the main ingredients.

Hidden in the Historic City

Tasca Ángel. The last stop on our route is a secluded venue near the Mercat Central (Central Market), a few metres away from La Lonja (Silk Exchange). This bar features what are possibly the best sardines in town – their great draw and speciality – but they have other delicacies worth trying, too. From griddled vegetables to tapas you’d be hard put to find elsewhere, notably the riñoncitos (kidneys) and lleterola (gizzard), a favourite in the Horta Valenciana rural district. Oh, and don’t pass up theirajo arriero(salt cod, potato and garlic paste).

Check out your Vueling here and join the culture of the “esmorçaret”.

Text by Laura Llamas for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

About an hour’s journey from Paris lies the Loire Valley, an area of vital importance in France’s history and one of the country’s fortes when it comes to tourism. The valley played a vital strategic role in the past – while it was there that, in the Middle Ages, defence works were first erected to contain the Vikings, centuries later it was the setting for the bloody battle between the English and French during the Hundred Years’ War. The reign of Charles VII marked a turning point for this beautiful valley as it was then that it reached its moment of maximum splendour and became the favourite haunts of the French nobility. They embarked on a spectacular spree of castle building on rural lands, the castles becoming veritable recreational grounds for giving free rein to their hedonistic urges. Subsequently, the French Revolution wrought havoc among most of them, leading to the loss of a considerable portion of the area’s heritage. The castles were later restored with a view to recovering their bygone splendour and they have now become one of France’s leading tourist attractions.

According to the association, “Châteaux de la Loire, Vallée des Rois” (Castles of the Loire, Valley of the Kings), which is tasked with managing the Loire Valley’s heritage, the region boasts some 70 listed sites which, in addition to castles, also include abbeys, churches and museums. Clearly, it would be madness to attempt seeing it all in one go. Visitors usually make a selection of sites to see before their tour. Here, then, are some of the standout castles:

Château de Chambord – This former hunting lodge of King Francis I is one of the kingpins of the French Renaissance in which the medieval tradition blends seamlessly with classical Italian structures. It is one of the largest and most popular castles on the route. The forest of chimneys towering over the rooftop and the double spiral staircase in the interior are absolutely stunning.

Château de Cheverny – Belonging to the Hurault family, is also dates from the Renaissance and is noteworthy for its interior decoration. Curiously enough, the building was the source of inspiration for Hergé, the creator of Tintin, when he drewChâteau de Moulinsart(Marlinspike Hall).

Château de Chenonceau – Also known as “The Ladies’ Chateau”, it is a veritable icon on the Loire châteaux route and one of the most widely visited. Built in the 16th century, one of its most striking features is its location, spanning the river Cher.

Château de Blois – The official residence of the French Kings during the Renaissance. Of the many tales that arose around it is one that claims Joan of Arc was blessed in its chapel before leading her army out to relieve the besieged city of Orleans. It now operates as a museum.

Château d'Amboise – Originally a medieval fortress, it was turned into a royal residence during the reigns of Charles VIII and Francis I. Its claim to fame is that Leonardo da Vinci was buried here after spending the last three years of his life in the castle.

Château de Langeais – Regarded as the oldest fortress in France, much of its medieval charm remains intact, including the drawbridge, which strikes a marked contrast with the Renaissance style of the west facade.

Château de Chaumont – One of its numerous owners was Catherine de Medici who counted Nostradamus among the many guests she entertained there. The garden, designed by Henri Duchêne, is where an annual International Garden Festival is currently hosted from late April to mid-October.

Five days is considered to be the minimum amount of time you need to spend on a Loire Valley itinerary. You can plan a linear route, starting from a point nearest Paris and ending on the far side (or the other way around), or stay in one of the major cities along the route, like Orleans, Blois and Tours, and make sorties from there to various landmark sites you have chosen. The most comfortable way to get around is by car, although there are other alternatives, including availing yourself of the many bus tours to be had, and combining them to suit your agenda. The fittest among you can opt to tour these lands by bicycle, taking advantage of the comparatively flat terrain.

Be sure to take a flight to Paris and head for one of these valleys with their pedigree collection of castles.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Frédérique Voisin-Demery, Thomas Steiner, Benh LIEU SONG, MFSG, Jean-Christophe BENOIST

Scotland offers many reasons for visiting – beautiful scenery, like in the Highlands, and beautiful lakes, like Lochs Lomond, Tummel, Duich and Ness, the latter with monster included. Not to mention such cultural events as the Edinburgh Festival, during which the city is filled with theatre, music and dance, and the chance to discover its writers, notably Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson and Irvine Welsh. And – you guessed it – the land’s magnificent whisky. Celtic in origin, this distillation is the epitome of Scottish identity traits – bagpipes and kilts notwithstanding. Scotch is also one of the country’s greatest moneyspinners and stands out as a major attraction for visitors to this land. Newcomers will have the opportunity to make their whisky debut in style, while connoisseurs have the unique occasion to become experts while treating themselves to the huge gamut of tastes and aromas.

Known as uisge beatha (water of life) in Gaelic, whisky is made from the distillation of fermented malt, generally barley, although other grains such as wheat, rye and corn can also be used. The distillation is aged in an oak cask for at least three years. Scotch is classified into the following types – single malt, vatted malt (or pure malt), blended and single grain, single malt being the most highly valued.

A good way of coming to grips with everything related to this popular Scottish beverage is by heading for Edinburgh to visit the Scotch Whisky Experience, a centre located in the Old Town, adjacent to Edinburgh Castle, where you can learn all the ins and outs of scotch. Once you have mastered the basics, you are ready to venture into one of the myriad distilleries scattered about the country. To help get your bearings, you should know that Scotland is divided into five whisky-producing regions. And, as in the case of wine, each region has its own characteristics.

In the region of the Lowlands, in the south of the country, the whisky they produce is mild, light and unsmoky, making it ideal for blends. As it lacks the malt character of the other regions, it is less popular and is produced by a fewer number of distilleries.

Speyside, named after the river Spey which traverses it, is the leading whisky-producing region and the venue for most organised distillery tours. The world’s most popular malts are produced here. One of the must-visit distilleries is Cardhu, located near Archiestown and founded by the whisky smuggler John Cumming in 1824. Glenfiddich, situated in Dufftown, is the only distillery where the distillation, ageing and bottling processes take place on the same premises. At Craigellachie we find the Macallan distillery, which also dates from 1824. Here, the whisky was originally aged in Spanish sherry casks. It set the record for having produced one of the most expensive bottles of liquor ever sold when it fetched $54,000 at an auction. Lastly, the Glenlivet distillery near Ballindalloch is considered to produce one of the finest malts in the region.

The largest region in terms of size and whisky output is the Highlands, situated in the north of Scotland. One of our favourite distilleries here is Oban, located in picturesque Oban Bay, opposite the seafront, which has been producing its excellent malt since 1794. Still in this area, we come to the sub-region known as The Islands which is worth visiting for two gems – the Jura distillery, sited on the island of the same name – an eminently family concern, which has been producing excellent malt whisky since 1810 – and Talisker, located on the priceless island of Skye.

Campbeltown, a region which once boasted up to thirty distilleries, now has only three distilleries in operation.

Lastly, we come to the region of Islay, located on Scotland’s west coast, which is known above all for its smoky whiskies. We recommend a visit to Bowmore, which has one of the first distilleries to be set up on the island, and where the malt is still produced using traditional methods, and Port Ellen, home to the Lagavulin distillery, built in 1816.

Now that you know some of the best whisky distilleries in Scotland, book your Vueling to Edinburgh and get to experience them first-hand.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Cls With Attitude, Sem Shnaider, Rob Schulze, Kkonstan, Stephane Farenga, lynjardine, 82Gab

Berlin clearly lived through one of its most bizarre periods during the Cold War. Bizarre, in that erecting a wall dividing a city into two parts, separating families and neighbours and setting them in opposing universes, is an Orwellian experience to say the least.

Each part of the city obviously developed in a very different way. On the one hand, East Berlin stagnated within a system based on obsessive control by the regime, a pattern shared by the rest of the communist bloc. West Berlin, for its part, evolved in similar fashion to the rest of the capitalist world.

West Berlin – From the Mecca of the Underground to Hedonistic House

From the seventies on, in line with the new trends in England and the United States, a new musical scene began to gain currency in Berlin, based on creative freedom and the aesthetic of a clean break with the past. Berlin became one of the leading centres of punk and all its subsequent ramifications. Their outsider and underground art culture sediment attracted performers of the calibre of David Bowie, Brian Eno, Keith Haring and Lou Reed throughout the seventies. By then, a good number of bands were feeding such exciting circuits as those of London and Sheffield.

At the end of the seventies, the music of Joy Division and dabblers in electronic and industrial music were adopted as icons of the flourishing alternative scene of an open Berlin. Unlike the British or American varieties, German post-punk was characterised by a tension between politics and culture and aesthetically owes much to krautrock, as many of its themes are endless repetitions at a heady pace, notably Geld/Money by the arty band, Malaria, or the early recordings of DAF.

As of 1980, the exciting Berlin scene was always on the move, spawning an inexhaustible string of bands like Einstürzende Neubauten– headed by the controversial Blixa Bargeld – Die Unbekannten, Nina Hagen, Die Krupps, Mekanik Destrüktiw Komandoh, Die Tödliche Doris, Geile Tiere and Die Arztewith their punk funk distinguished by sarcastic lyrics.True to say, the scene was not made up of musicians alone, but by film stars and directors, writers, philosophers, artists and photographers, too. By the mid-eighties a process of disintegration had set in. Music became ever more commercial and groups began to sign up with multinationals. However, it was not long before a new sound revolution arose which had a marked impact on the city – the advent of acid house and techno. Recall that Berlin’s Love Parade was the first mass parade of electronic music in the world. The first Love Parade was in 1989. The event started out as a clamour for peace and mutual understanding through music. Just a few months later, the Wall came down and West Berlin was consigned to history.

The legendary SO36 was still going strong at that time. The club, located on the Oranienstrasse near Heinrichplatz in the Kreuzberg district, took its name from the area’s famed postal code – SO36. The district of Kreuzberg is historically the home of Berlin punk, and of other alternative German subcultures. SO36 was initially dedicated mainly to punk music. As of 1979 it attempted a crossover between punk, new wave and visual art. In those days the club rivalled New York’s CBGB as one of the world’s leading new wave spots. Others on the Berlin circuit included Metropol, the disco, Kino, the club 54 Kantstrasse and the Sputnik alternative cinema, where the cult film Christiane F. premiered.

Period Document on the Big Screen

The 13th Beefeater In-Edit Festival will be held in Barcelona from 29 October to 8 November. Prominent among the many films to be shown is B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989, a documentary directed by Jörg A. Hoppe, Heiko Lange and Klaus Maeck on music, art and chaos in the Wild West of Berlin in the decade of the 1980s, the walled city that became a creative crucible for a special type of pop subculture which attracted brilliant dilettantes and world-famous celebrities of all kinds. However, prior to the fall of the Iron Curtain, artists, squatters, poets, music creators and hedonists came together to enjoy a highly unconventional lifestyle in Berlin. They all knew it would be short-lived but, who’s worried about tomorrow? It was a case of living for the here and now.

Featuring mostly unreleased television material and original footage, photos and interviews, B-Movie chronicles life in a divided city, a cultural interzone where anything seemed possible – a place different from anywhere else in Europe. It is a fast-moving collage of stories about a frenzied but creative decade starting with punk and ending with the Love Parade, in a city where days are short and nights are interminable.

Berlin is currently experiencing a youthful resurgence in terms of cultural activity – and music, too! Why wait to discover it all? Check out our tickets here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by B-Moviem, SO36