Love Hanover
By Tensi Sánchez from actitudesmgz.com
If Grimm brothers continue writing fairy tales, they might dedicate a special mention for the moors which hosts the enchanted city of Hanover , the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony; a city that has been rebuilt with the passing of time, but today it still retains that magical air so typical of small German towns.
The eclectic style of the city is present at every step, the center of the city called Stadtmitte has the peculiarCentral Station – Haupbtbahnhof , a key point for connecting for surrounding area trains and focal point of the life of the Germans, because in its interior there is a large underground shopping area full of exotic restaurants and many shops that extend to Kröpcke station , an amazing shopping gallery beneath the streets of Hanover. It is definitely the perfect place to eat very economically, do not hesitate to try the gastronomic variety Back Factory : the famous pretzel, the wide variety of snacks or sweets Sedans, plus in this shopping area you can visit its unusual shops and store underground for boys and girls One Green Elephant .
In the center of the city, we can find several commercial galleries such as Ernst-August- Galeri or Galeria Kaufhof leading the most exclusive streets of the German city, full of shops and fancy restaurants. Among downtown streets, you can find an exquisite women fashion store known as Zöe where you’ll discover the womenswear collections not suitable for all pockets!. You should not miss the stock shop T•k•maxx where you will access to large firms for men, women and children at unbelievable prices.
Around Kröpcke, we discover Hussel Chocolates, a real chocolate heaven, where we can choose from a wide variety of chocolates in all flavors: pralines, truffles, chocolate with orange … Ideal for gourmands!. Very close to Hussel, we find Butlers, a design shop, full of these curious objects that make our lives more fun: mugs, magnets, posters and postcards …
Not only can you enjoy the wonders that Hanover offers during the day, but at night the city dresses in fashion for a few drinks in the best pubs. To begin the evening, a move to to taste Loretta’s Biergarten’sdishes, as, for instance, their delicious goat cheese wrapped in bacon or tagliatelle with venison, together with an authentic German beer in their spectacular garden terrace. After dinner and if you feel like a night out, the best option is to go to the trendiest nightclub in Hanover, Osho Disco, three floors where you can dance to the latest music.
A few blocks southwest lies the old city, Altstadt, undoubtedly the favorite place to find small boutiques, antique shops and enticing restaurants. In the surroundings of the Market Church, we may find made-in-Hannover small boutiques as the women’s clothing store Spitzl Anette, Marie Jo’s boutique or BBP Prêt à Porter’s designs .
Continuing along Knochenhauerstraße, we discover a piece of Mallorca in Hanover. Here it is Ein Stück Mallorca, a jeweler with pieces made of gold and silver with inlaid minerals, authentic artwork. Not only we have a “little piece” of Mallorca but also very close to this street you can find a small bakery in true French style, we talk about Glücksmoment, a very intimate and welcoming place to find endless varieties of muffins, cupcakes, chocolates, French macaroons … Exquisite!
On Kramerstraße street, there is a wide variety of small shops and antiquarians as Antiquitäten or Jordan, where you may find used books, pieces of glassware, pottery jars, vintage posters and the most diverse objects from the past, certainly the most charming part of the city immersed in Old Germany’s classic buildings.
Continuing through old town streets we find Balhofplatz, a wide and centenary square, the idyllic place to relax and have a nice cup of tea on the terrace of Tee Flubehen or enjoy a lovely German meal in the very authentic Restaurant Silver & Gold, both adjacent and near Leine river, on whose banks are held old Town trail on Saturdays.
One of the most beautiful landscapes you will see in Hanover is Maschsee Lake, a huge artificial lake. Take a sunset stroll along the bank of the lake to Yachtschule Hanover landing, where you can rent boats to sail or dinner amidst one of the best and most incredible views of the city.
To round off this German experience, do not miss the opportunity to visit the Gardens Herrenhausen, just minutes from the city center by public transport. You’ll come to one of the greatest and beautiful Baroque gardens in Germany. Next to them is located the English-style botanical garden Berggarten.
To see the video click this link.
Do not wait to book Vueling
¡We love Hanover!
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Stockholm in Five Museums
The lively city is a hatchery of new trends in music, technology and design, innovations which often go viral around the world. Its art centres –museums, galleries, spaces for creation– are the places for taking the city’s pulse and feeling its spirit. Let’s visit the most emblematic venues, each of them a world unto itself, and immerse ourselves in the city’s contemporary art, photography, decorative arts, and music.
Stockholm boasts a rich, thousand-year-old cultural heritage, with wonderful architecture, museums, the Royal Palace, and the perfectly preserve medieval city centre, the Gamla Stan. Here, trendy bars and fine restaurants mingled with historic cafés and pubs. Similarly, modern shopping streets and malls feature all the major international brands, along with a stunning variety of local boutiques unusual shops, and the city’s museums range from the classic Vasa Museum to ABBA The Museum, and Fotografiska. In Stockholm there are more than a hundred cultural and recreational attractions to choose from. Here’s our choice of just five:
The Vasa Museum
The Vasamuseet features the Vasa, the world’s sole surviving, almost fully intact 17th C. ship, a real artistic treasure. More than 95% of the ship is original, and it is adorned with numerous carved wooden sculpture. The 69-metre-long, 64-gun warship sank on her maiden voyage in 1628, and was salvaged 333 years later, in 1961. Nearly fifty years were spent restoring the ship to her original splendour. Her three masts tower above the building that now houses the Vasa. The museum is today the most popular in all Scandinavia, and receives more that a million visitors each year. Ten separate exhibits illustrate different aspects of the ship, including what life aboard was like. Children are admitted gratis.
Royal Palace
The 600-room Royal Palace or Kungahus, still the residence of the Swedish royal family, is one of Europe’s largest palaces. It is open to the public and houses no fewer than five museums. It was built in the Italian baroque style in the 18th C. on the site of the 13th C. Tre Kronor (Three Crowns) palace which burned to the ground in 1697. Visitors first see the splendid reception halls whose breathtaking furnishings and adornments date from the 18th and 19th centuries. Next is the Rikssalen (Hall of State) with the silver throne used by Queen Christina (1629-1689). Also worth seeing are the Ordenssalarna (apartments of the orders of chivalry), the Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquities, the Kronor Tre Museum, and the Treasury.
The Royal Palace also houses the Armoury, with its marvellous collection of royal costumes and body armour, the coronation carriages, and the magnificent horses in the Royal Stables. The colourful changing of the guard ceremony can be watched at 12:15 h. on weekdays and at 13:15 h. on Sundays and holidays.
Fotografiska
One of the world’s largest photography museums, Fotografiska stages as many as four major and twenty smaller exhibitions each year. It shows the works of Swedish and foreign photographers, both established and emerging. The new restaurant in the museum is run by master chef Paul Svensson and has already won awards for its seasonal and ecological dishes. From the café on the top floor visitors can enjoy some of the best views of Stockholm.
Moderna Museet
Here we find one of Europe’s most important contemporary art collections, with works dating from the early 20th C. to the present, including masterpieces by Picasso, Dali, Matisse, and Sweden’s own Siri Derkert. Its permanent collection and its temporary exhibitions make it a must for visiting art lovers. The Moderna Museet is located on Stockholm’s fairytale Skeppsholmen island in a spectacular building by the Spanish architect Rafael Moneo. Its restaurant affords lovely views Djurgården park and Strandvägen boulevard.
ABBA The Museum
Music, clothing, lyrics, videos, and interactive displays concerning Sweden’s most celebrated pop group ABBA can be seen and heard in this museum on the island of Djurgården. The famous quartet, founded in 1970, sold more than 378 million records before is disbanded in 1983. Its biggest hit, “Waterloo”, reached the top of the charts in 1974. The 1994 musical “Mamma Mia” revived interest in the group.
The vibe in Stockholm is open, easy-going, and welcoming. Diversity and innovation are prized. Stockholm is a place the whole world should visit. So, what are you waiting for? Check out our fares here!
Text: Isabel y Luis Comunicación
Illustrations: Visit Stockholm, Ola Ericson
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A Thousand and One Asturias
The allure of Asturias ranges from high mountains to beaches on the best preserved coastline in all Spain, and cutting-edge artwork alongside traditional craft and Palaeolithic art listed as World Heritage. All crammed into a territory accounting for just 2% of Spain’s land area. But, we have to give you some specific pointers, so here goes…
For those planning for family holidays, make sure you head for the Dinosaur Coast, especially now that they are in limelight on the silver screen. In Asturias you can see and touch actual footprints of fossilised dinosaurs in the rock at La Griega beach, under the Tereñes cliffs, on a really incredible stretch of Asturian coastline by any account. To crown your dinosaur tour, you should visit the Jurassic Museum of Asturias, a building sited in a privileged spot featuring exhibits as meticulously presented as they are playful. The museum offers a host of activities and children’s workshops.
For couples looking to get away from it all, Asturias boasts places where time stands still, including Taramundi and Oscos-Eo, where traditional craftworkers are still highly active and you can even try your hand at some trade. Care to be a ferreiro (blacksmith) for a day? Here you will find villages that take you back to bygone eras, such as Os Teixois and Mazonovo, which boast hydraulic devices that convert water power into energy using a system of mills, forges and fulling mills. Moreover, you can’t fail to switch off in any of our six UNESCO-listed Biosphere Reserves, or on the tranquil beaches, with small, secluded coves far removed from overcrowding.
For die-hard urbanites seeking to articulate a city of 800,000 inhabitants through various towns, each with its own culture and outlook on life, situated less than a 20-minute drive from one another, you have cosmopolitan Gijón, monumental Oviedo, dynamic Avilés, mining Langreo and Mieres. This is the centre of Asturias which features a string of varied urban proposals set in a nature paradise, within minutes of listed biosphere reserves.
For the more adventurous, whether in groups, couples or families, Asturias offers a thousand and one options for active tourism, from canyoning down its rivers to paragliding, mountain biking, trekking, surfing, sailing, caving and gold-panning. All accompanied by the top professional guides to guarantee you get the most out of your experience.
For those hankering after authenticity, in summer Asturias bursts into hundreds of fiestas in praise of nature, local heritage and the joy of living of a people who on these occasions open up and become more gregarious than ever, inviting one to participate in ebullient festivities. Some festivals are devoted to local produce, such as the Natural Cider Festival in Navas; other events, to sport and nature, such as the International Descent of the River Sella, or the patron saint celebrations in the towns – San Agustín, in Avilés, Begoña in Gijón and San Mateo in Oviedo.
For treasure-hunters, Asturias boasts a peerless heritage, including Europe’s most homogeneous early-medieval architectural complex, embodied in its pre-Romanesque art, and cave paintings from the Upper Palaeolithic, both UNESCO-listed as World Heritage. But, treasure-hunters in the strict sense of the word should head to Navelgas (Tineo), where they can pan for (and find) gold nuggets in the river. In early August, the World Gold Panning Championship is due to be held here, attracting gold panners from all over the world.
For those looking for good food, Asturias is a veritable banquet, both in terms of quality and quantity. What’s more, you can delve into the secrets behind our local produce, such as the cheese maturation caves in the Picos de Europa, while admiring the incredibly sheer slopes dotted with vineyards that yield Cangas wine, and follow our cider-making process in traditional cider presses. In Asturias, you can enjoy our gastronomy with all five senses.
In addition, accommodation is in plentiful supply here, from hotels to rural tourism homes, campsites and apartments, while summer is not overbearing, with mild temperatures to ensure a salutary rest in the company of the inherently hospitable Asturian people. What more could you ask for?
How to go about discovering this all? Visit the turismoasturias website where all the resources Asturias has to offer are one click away. And, to get there, what better than a direct flight? Check out our flights here.
Bologna, the 'sauciest' Italian
By Belén Parra and Carme Gasull
Characterised and recognised due to its age-old attributes, we suggest approaching Bologna from the perspective of all there is to see (Rossa), to get to know (Dota) and, above all, to taste (Grassa) in this city, which is also the capital of Emilia Romagna, the epicentre of an Italy that is always rich when it comes to gastronomy.
ROSSA (tourist spots to SEE and get to know)
The traveller's eyes bulge at its kilometres of porticos and the range of colours in its buildings. That is exactly why we advise looking around it on foot. Visiting at the weekend has the added value that the whole historic quarter is closed to traffic and it is a pedestrian area for two days.
Bologna is marked out in a way by its 5 gates, which are both an entrance to the historic quarter and also let you get to know the 'other city'. Get away to this green lung made up of its gardens and its hills to see it from a height.
You'll find few squares more beautiful than the Delle Siete Chiese, especially when it is lit up. A stronghold for romantics, bohemians and nostalgics.
Like a good Italian, Bologna is also tremendous. The Due Torri, Santa Maria Maggiore and Neptuno are impressive. But you will also come across neverending avenues, the Galerías Cavour (Via Luigi Carlo Farini, 40) to ‘stay fashionable’ and the historical palazzi or buildings restored for cultural purposes, such as the old Town Hall with its marvellous public library called Salaborsa (Piazza Nettuno, 3) - ideal for trips with children.
DOTA (curiosities, warnings and things worth KNOWING)
They say that Bologna is the oldest city in the oldest country in the world. And the truth is that it has the oldest University in Europe, which not only students from all over Italy want to attend, but also from all over Europe - especially Erasmus students - and ones from further afield. Note: get a place in Law or Fine Arts. In the streets and bars, don't be surprised to hear more than one or two languages at a time. It's not only the tourists but also the people who have chosen to study and live in this city. Because there is lots of Italy beyond Rome, Venice and Florence...
The capital of Emilia Romagna is eminently a city of fairs, and it houses one of the most modern and functional trade fair venues of old Europe, BolognaFiere.
With good connections, the bicycle is the preferred form of local transport, but the bus is the quickest way to move around ‘fuori porte’. But be aware that paying for a ticket on board is a little more expensive than purchasing it in advance at a newsagents. There are a few places where you can learn the art of making homemade pasta but two stand out: the Vecchia Scuola Bolognese (Via Galliera, 11) and La Bottega Due Portici (Via Independenza, 69).
GRASSA (where and what to EAT and drink)
In Italy you can't really eat badly anywhere, but it's a fact that in Bologna you eat especially well. Its title of città del cibo (food) is as right as it is true.
The pasta that identifies this land is the tortellini, and the sauce, ragù. To try some of the best dishes from Bologna, go to the Trattoria AnnaMaria ( Via delle Belle Arti, 17/a), one of the most traditional premises in the city. All the photographs on its walls are evidence of the hundreds of performers and celebrities that have eaten at its tables.
The crescentina or crescenta is the best local bread. Spongy and tasty if it is homemade. And if you accompany it with local mortadela salami and regional parmesan cheese, then you've got a meal. In this regard, a trip through the Salsamenteria Tamburini (Via Caprarie, 1) is a must - a unchangeable classic that has know how to adapt to times and demand. In fact, its wine cellar is the corner that is most in demand and is also the cosiest of the whole establishment.
Very nearby you also have the Osteria del Sole (Vicolo Ranocchi, 1/d) - a unique premises wherever it is. You are only asked to drink here because you can bring your own snacks even from home. Nevertheless, people usually arrive with their piadine, focaccie and cold meats to share them with the whole table. If you don't mind drinking one thing or another, we recommend that you try the homemade beer while you're here. The birra is a must.
For wine tastings, pass by Alla Porta Vini (Via Castiglione, 79/a). Every day, they open a few bottles of wine for tasting. Amongst their preferences, those from the Southern Alps and from small producers.
La Osteria al Cappello Rosso (via dè Fusari, 9/b) is another of those delightful places where you will also want to eat everything you see. Local products used in traditional recipes and served in generous portions. Don't miss its selection of cold meats or its Lambrusco (a source of pride for the region) or its 'torta bolognesa', the typical cake of the city made from rice.
If you feel like an ice cream, don't hesitate to choose La Sorbetteria Castiglione (Via Castiglione, 44) or Il Gelatauro (Via San Vitale 98/b). And if instead you prefer a creamy ice-pop (on a stick), go to the Cremeria Sette Chiese (Via Santo Stefano, 14/a).
The Mercato delle Erbe (Via Hugo Bassi, 25) will charm your senses, above all those of sight and taste. Although there are many shops with good, fresh products. There is also the seafood. See for yourself at the Pescheria del Pavaglione (Via Pescherie Vecchie, 14) where, besides buying, you can taste an original Aperyfish - which doesn't need to be translated.
Also go to Paolo Atti & Figli (Via Caprarie, 7), a shop with traditional gastronomy known for the quality of its breads, cakes and fresh pasta.
Elegant and refined, Zanarini (Piazza Galvani, 1) is the historic café of the city and one of the preferred places for locals to have breakfast, a good cup of coffee and a better cake, and, of course, to see and be seen.
And another very special place, leaving the centre of the city behind: Il Cerfoglio, a restaurant committed to organic produce and km 0 in light, healthy and well made dishes (Via John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 11, San Lazzaro).
We’ll be there. If you want to come too, check out our flights here.
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