A walk around Rennes, the capital of Brittany, takes you back to medieval times. A large number of houses with wooden framing are still preserved in the streets of the historic centre. Wood was a popular building material in this region until the mid-17th century, when it was replaced by stone after the large fire of 1720 that burnt down more than 900 houses in the city centre. However, these old wooden buildings can be seen in the streets running from Rue de Chapitre and Champ-Jacquet square, with a statue of John Leperdit, the mayor of Rennes during the French Revolution.

Rennes has some beautiful spots, one of my favourite being the Place des Lices, where terrace cafés are jam-packed with the arrival of the good weather. In summer, evenings in Brittany are endless and the sun doesn't go down until after 10 p.m. Some centuries ago, this place was the setting of medieval jousts. Nowadays, its market is the second most important in France, bringing together more than 300 local and regional producers.

Two of the symbols of Rennes' medieval past are the Duchesne tower and the Mordelles Gates –Portes Mordellaises– which were part of the city walls in the 15th century. The Neoclassical Cathedral of Saint-Pierre is close by, as is the Basilica of Saint-Sauveur, both landmarks of the city's religious architecture.

The fires of the early 18th century marked a turning point in Rennes' urban design. After that, constructions were built in stone, notably the city hall, by the royal architect – Jacques Gabriel – who designed it to be immortal.

Another must-see is the Palace of the Parliament of Brittany, with lavishly decorated rooms representative of 17th-century French pictorial art. This building is an emblem of the historical region of Brittany, which has a culture and a language of its own. Some street names in Rennes are in Breton, as well as in French, the former being the only surviving Celtic language outside the British Isles.

Contemporary art has a notable presence in Rennes. Examples of this are the Parmiggiani fountain, the Cap Mail building, by the prestigious Jean Nouvel, Quai Ouest by Christian Hauvette, and Champs Libres by Christian de Portzamparc. The Champs Libres premises are divided into three areas: the Musée de Bretagne – with a surface area of 2,000 square metres – a six-floor library, and an area devoted to science, with a planetarium. Rennes also has a great art gallery in the Museum of Fine Arts, an old university palace designed by Vincent Boullé, featuring works by Rubens, Veronese and Picasso, among others. In music, the city is well known for Les Transmusicales de Rennes, a festival that has been offering new and eclectic music for its last 32 editions.

Finally, Thabor Park, a very pleasant spot, is one of the most important green areas of the Breton capital. This 10-hectare French-style garden, which used to belong to the monks of Saint-Melaine– features a rose garden, an aviary, statues and greenhouses, amongst other attractions. Musical comedy and dance performances are held here on Sundays in the months of May and June; many people attend these entry-free events.

Rennes is a city with lots of charm and can be easily discovered in a single weekend! Check out our flights here.

Text by María Jesús Tomé

Images by María Jesús Tomé / Oficina de Turismo de Rennes

Apart from such irresistible cities as Venice and Verona, which tend to hog all the tourists’ gazes and flashes, Veneto also has other jewels to be seen and discovered and places which will quench your wanderlust. Not far from one of the leading lights of the region lies the Brenta Canal, linking Venice to Padua. It is well worth getting off the beaten track to discover it.

The river Brenta, which rises in the province of Trentino and flows into the Adriatic, was channelled between Venice and Padua in the 16th century to facilitate travel and the flow of goods between the two cities. Noble Venetian families then started building grand villas along the banks of the river. They served both as the agricultural headquarters of farming estates and as leisure resorts where their owners arrived in the summer months and where lavish parties were held. Over time, the canal became known as the “Riviera del Brenta”, where aristocrats flitted from party to party in luxury barges called burchiellos.All this splendour came to an end with the arrival of Napoleon, but those opulent villas, some of which have priceless gardens, have survived to the present and become a tourist draw in the area.

The best way of touring the Brenta Canal is obviously by barge. This will enable visitors to see first-hand the unusual system of locks, as well as the villas that are still standing, which number about eighty in all. You can take a barge either from Padua or the Venice ferry terminal and some of them include villa tours on the ride. Here, then, are the the standout villas, among those open to the public:

Villa Foscari

This beautiful villa, the work of Andrea Palladio, is nicknamed “La Malcontenta” because legend has it that Elisabetta Dolfin, the wife of Nicolò Foscari, was confined there allegedly for being an adulteress. Built from 1555 to 1560 on the Brenta riverside, it is noteworthy for the huge pedestal it is set on and its spectacular portico in the form of a classical pronaos, surmounted by a pediment, reminiscent of an ancient temple. The interior boasts some magnificent frescoes depicting mythological themes executed after 1566, the work of Giovanni Battista Zelotti.

Villa Pisani

Built in the 18th century and commissioned by the Pisani family, this spectacular villa with a certain Versaillesque air is an obligatory visit. Among the marvels to be seen in its interior is Tiepolo’s Glory of the Pisani family, which adorns the ceiling of the Dance Hall. Other highlights of this building include the enormous gardens, with ponds and a large maze which invites visitors to get lost in search of its Minerva statue, which crowns the belvedere. The stables, too, are worth visiting.

Villa Widmann Rezzonico Foscari

This villa was built in the early-18th century by the Scerimanns, a family of Venetian nobles of Persian extraction. The simple lines of its exterior strike a contrast with the richly ornate interior, decorated with French-inspired frescoes and Rococo stuccowork.

Book your Vueling to Venice to see the wonders of the Brenta Canal and its spectacular villas.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

After a long day visiting some of Madrid’s wonderful museums, delighting in its magnificent monuments, strolling along its streets (and getting lost) or just doing some shopping, we can certify that the best way of taking a breather – now that the good weather has arrived – is by taking in the views from the city’s heights while sipping on a refreshing beverage and savouring a culinary speciality. Here is our selection of some of the city’s best roof terraces to round off a long day’s work or sightseeing and to “kiss the Madrid sky”.

Círculo de Bellas Artes Rooftop

Currently all the rage, it is a must for anyone visiting Madrid. Just a few steps away from the Calle Alcalá, the marvellous views afforded by its rooftop are one of its major claims to fame – it is well worth the 4-euro admission fee. You can also indulge in their Tartan Roof culinary delicacies, crafted by their chef, Javier Muñoz-Calero.

Cibeles Terrace

Very near the Círculo de Bellas Artes, in Cibeles Square itself, stands the former Palacio de Telecomunicaciones which since 2011 is home to the Madrid City Hall and the CentroCentro cultural centre. For a 2-euro admission fee you can go up to the 8th-floor observation platform which offers 360° views of the city, with signs located at various spots on the terrace pinpointing Madrid’s major landmarks. Your visit can be enhanced by also stopping off on the sixth floor to access the Terraza Cibeles, where you can enjoy luxury cocktails accompanied by culinary delicacies while soaking up the splendid views. Be warned, though – the experience comes at a price (30 euros per head), and you are advised to book ahead.

Sabatini Terrace

Located on the rooftop of the Jardines de Sabatini Apartosuites, right opposite the Royal Palace, make a point of visiting their terrace merely to delight in the spectacular sunset extravaganza, with the palace in the background. You can embellish this stunning picture by ordering some delicious tapas and portions prepared by the chef, Chema de Isidro, and pair them with one of their wonderful cocktails. Advance booking is recommended.

El Viajero

In the heart of La Latina, right next to the popular Plaza de la Cebada, stands this two-storey bar-restaurant with a rooftop affording striking views of the Church of San Francisco. Their mojito is the star of the evening and you can accompany it with tasty pinchos and portions. This is the ideal spot to end off a long day’s sightseeing in the city and work up an appetite for the Madrilenian night.

Terraza del Urban

The icing on the cake of the luxury Hotel Urban – a five-star located in the Carrera de San Jerónimo – is this fantastic terrace, a summer classic in Madrid. Suitable for lovers of chic, you can also dip your feet in the pool while you savour some of their superb cocktails. While a bit on the expensive side, it is well worth the experience.

The Roof

Another hotel, the ME Hotel Madrid, is home to our next recommendation – The Roof. The roof terrace of this magnificent Modernist building is the perfect place to have a drink and enjoy the music while taking in some stunning views of the city backdrop.

Casa de Granada

Our last recommendation is situated next to the Plaza Tirso de Molina. To reach the roof terrace, you have to call on the intercom and go up in a narrow lift, but the ride ends with a reward – a splendid terrace offering finger-licking tapas in an interior with classical decor.

Now that you know where to secure some of the best views of Madrid, take a Vueling and experience them for yourself.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Ángela Ojeda Heyper

You’ve spent the whole day traipsing about the city, tracking down the legacy of the Habsburgs in Vienna, soaking up its architectural gems, like Schönbrunn Palace, and visiting such splendid museums as the Albertina. The heat is oppressive – recall that it is not always cold in Vienna and in summer it bears its brighter side, as long as it doesn’t rain. You are also starting to become fatigued. Maybe it’s time to take a breather and chill out on your visit to Europe’s “musical capital”. You have heard a lot about the city’s magnificent cafés and the weighty tradition surrounding them, but what increasingly draws your attention is the sheer number of ice-cream parlours scattered about the Austrian capital. Time to check out whether Viennese ice-creams have anything on the popular Italian ice-creams. And, you are amazed to find that the Italian fare has found a stiff competitor in Vienna!

In a nutshell, this could be the experience of many tourists or other travellers passing through the city on discovering the Viennese penchant for this refreshing confectionery. You might wonder how ice-creams ever arrived here in the first place, and how they got to be so good. After doing a bit of research into the history of ice-cream, the first thing you realise is how muddled are the references when it comes to establishing a place and time when that creamy delight first appeared on the scene. However, it transpires that it first came to light in Mesopotamia around 4,000 BC in the form of boiled rice mixed with spices and milk, all wrapped in snow. This is one of the diverse forms the original recipe seems to have acquired. It was the Italians who spread it across Europe, while the French started adding some fresh ingredients to the blend. What all the sources consulted coincide in is that ice-cream reached Vienna in the 19th century, brought here by northern Italians, and that the city played an important role in applying new techniques to ice-cream making. It would not be amiss to conclude that the Viennese flair for crafting confectionery, added to the skills of the Italians when making ice-cream, inevitably led to such a successful final outcome.

So, if you’re planning to escape to Vienna, be sure to add to your to-do list the task of venturing into the heart of its myriad ice-cream parlours and trying out their refreshing delicacies. The city is said to have the largest concentration of ice-cream parlours in Europe. Among the most popular venues are Eissalon am Schwedenplatz (located in the Schwedenplatz), Zanoni & Zanoni,which is at Lugeck 7, and the Gelateria Hoher Markt,on Hoher Markt. Another well-known chain of parlours is Paolo Bortolotti, which has three venues on Mariahilferstrasse. And if, in addition to getting tasty ice-cream, you would like it served up in an ambience charged with design, then Eis Greissler is your spot. When it comes to choice, there are even vegan ice-creams to be had – the place to go is Veganista, located in the Seventh District.

Incidentally, for those of you who are fans of Empress Elisabeth – better known asSissi,whose presence is one of the leading draws on any visit to Vienna – one snippet of her lifestyle claims that, as part of her unusual and limited diet, she regarded violet ice-cream as one of her few favourite foods. So, you might want to try that original flavour.

Venture on a getaway to Vienna to savour their tempting ice-creams. Book your Vueling here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS