Le Marais is the most cosmopolitan and modern district in the city of Paris.It is where Gus Van Sant filmed Paris, je t’aime. Let us take you on a tour of some of the most iconic places, shops, restaurants and cafés in this part of town.

The Saint Martin Canal is one of links between the Ourcq Canal and the River Seine and is somewhere that always has a great atmosphere: young people, street artists, cycle paths, cafés and terraces for enjoying some food and drink beside the canal. It’s a great place for a walk, a cycle ride or a spot of rollerblading. More than 2 of the total 4.5 kilometres are underground, while the rest of the journey also crosses metal walkways and bridges.

Located in the centre of Paris, the Comptoir General is a shared work space for social entrepreneurs spanning 650 m2 with a capacity for 200 people. Its mission: to welcome all the events that relate to sustainable development, social progress, the spread of cultures from around the world, illumination and inspiration.

Chez Prune is a popular restaurant with views of the Saint-Martin Canal where you can choose to eat one of their four daily specials: fish, meat, salad or a vegetarian dish. By night, it is the perfect place to have a drink in a relaxed and truly Bohemian atmosphere.

Pop In is one of the best bars in Paris, with a great atmosphere, concerts and exhibitions. The place truly stands out because of its atmosphere and permanent offer of art and culture.
The bar is on the ground floor. There is a first floor room with comfortable sofas that look like small living rooms in which to enjoy moments of privacy and another room for the concerts and theme nights organised by the venue.
Of course, despite the name of the place, they don’t only listen to pop music here! Pop In offers a range of musical styles from glam, pop rock and garage to punk for a young and cool clientele!

However, the most fashionable part of Paris has now relocated to Rue Vieille du Temple and surrounding streets with a large offer of galleries, shops and such modernist bars and restaurants as La Perle; the most chic place in town at the moment. This charming establishment enables patrons to watch the world go by and is always full of the chic crowd.

At the heart of Marais, you will find this tea room with its Bohemian and nostalgic atmosphere. The 70s posters and furniture give the place a slightly chaotic but cosy feel.

Another of the most fashionable restaurants is Derrière. With its eclectic décor, Derrière looks just like an enormous apartment. On the ground floor, for example, you will find a ping-pong table for enjoying a quick game between courses. Another room looks like an office with piles of paper everywhere and there is even a living room for a perfect TV dinner. You really get the feeling that you are eating in someone’s house. Heading upstairs, you will find a bedroom with an enormous bed that doubles as a dining room.

The art galleries include Gayte Lyrique, a place dedicated to digital culture and modern music, and Le Bal de Foto, which is dedicated to the representation of reality through image in all its forms: photography, video, cinema and the new means of communication.

If you want to buy books in Paris, we recommend Shakespeare & Co and OFR. Shakespeare and Company appears in the Woody Allen film “Midnight in Paris” and can be found in the Latino district. It was founded by the eccentric US bibliophile George Whitman in 1951 and still has that chaotic spirit and a sense of being somewhere special for filling your rucksack with books.

For going shopping, there is nothing like the legendary Colette or, better still, the Merci – a store concept located in sombre, industrial surroundings. Kiliwatch is a true temple for the lovers of vintage but they also sell new clothes and books. You’ll always find something to take away with you!

When night falls, one of the best places to go out for a dance or a few drinks is the Social Club, where you’ll discover new bands and artists. We were told by Liset Alea (singer with Nouvelle Vague) that this is one of her favourite places. A strange and eclectic night out.

Image: Marimarina

Why not take a trip to París? Have a look at our flights here! 

Hamburg is the city where John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best first started out, where they met and made their first recording. By walking through the streets of Hamburg, you can find numerous references to the time they spent in the city.

The time spent by the Beatles in Hamburg spans a period from August 1960 to December 1962. Back then, the city was the third largest port in the world and a bad reputation hung over it like a dark cloud. It was known as a city of vice, crime and prostitution. There’s no wonder why the parents of the English teenagers at the time did everything they could to convince them not to go.

Their first performance was at the el Indra club. The place has almost kept the same name but is now called “Indra, where the Beatles played first”. Find it at 64 Große Freiheit. A plaque by the door commemorates that event on 17 August 1960. Because nobody had heard of The Beatles back then, no record remains of their time at the venue.

When Indra had to close due to complaints from the neighbours, the Beatles moved on to playing at theTop Ten Club.Feeling very put out, the owner of Indra reported Harrison to the police (who was a minor at the time) and he was deported. One week later it was the turn of McCartney and Best to be deported for starting a fire after burning a condom in their room.

The city has also paid its own unique tribute to the time spent here by the Beatles with the Beatles Platz, a city square, but circular, meant to represent a vinyl record and where you’ll find statues of the five Beatles, including Stuart Sutcliffe who died on 10 April 1962 from a brain haemorrhage. On the floor of this square are inscribed the titles of some of the most successful singles released by the Beatles.

The musical career of the Beatles began here in St. Pauli. The composer, songwriter, orchestra conductor and producer from Hamburg, Bert Kaempfert *16.10.1923 +21.06.1980 and the music editor and lawyer from Hamburg Alfred K. Schacht *23.01.1916 +23.10.1990 discovered this band of young musicians at the Top-Ten-Club: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best and Tony Sheridan. They signed them up and, on 22 and 23 June 1961, the first vinyl recordings of the Beatles were released: MY BONNIE . THE SAINTS . WHY . CRY FOR SHADOW . AIN’T SHE SWEET…

Another of the venues where the Beatles performed during their time in Hamburg is the Star Club, also on Große Freiheit, and only a few metres from Beatles Platz. The place is no longer there but a plaque remains to commemorate the passage of the boys from Liverpool. It’s a little hard to find because you have to turn down one of the side streets leading off the main road.

The Star Club helped lift the band to stardom and was where the young group began to shine.

One day, back in 1960, five young musicians from Liverpool walked out on stage here at “Kaiserkeller” on Großen Freiheit. They were still young and rather rough around the edges, but Pete Best, George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Stuart Sutcliffe would soon become world famous as the Beatles. Sutcliffe died in 1962 and Ringo Starr took over from Pete Best in the same year. At the TOP-TEN club and STARCLUB, the Beatles were able to set out on a career path that would never be repeated.

The plaque was presented on 23 February 1990 to celebrate a party held here to remember those early performances by the group 30 years before.

Purely by chance, we headed over to Zwick at 1 Millerntorplatz for a hamburger. This place forms part of a chain of rock bars in Hamburg. Inside, they have a collection of very interesting photographs and posters featuring the Beatles. They play live music at Zwick and the place is decorated with a whole host of guitars in all shapes and sizes hung on the walls and in display cases.

Beatlemania was around until only very recently. The Hamburg Beatles Museum, with its thousand pieces and memories spread throughout the five-story building, closed at the end of June due to falling visitor numbers.

Do you fancy experiencing the Beatles Route around Hamburg? Book your flights here!

The seventeenth edition of Primavera Sound will be held in Barcelona from 31 May to 4 June. The main centre of operations is the Parc del Fòrum, but concerts will also be hosted at other points in town (check out the festival website for these extra concerts and ticket availability). Barcelona will actually become the world’s music capital for five days. This year the line-up is headed by a wide variety of top-notch artists, notably Van Morrison, Grace Jones, Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Frank Ocean, The xx, Aphex Twin, Slayer and Solange, as well as a number of highly interesting b-series artists, including The Damned, Wild Beasts, Angel Olsen, The Magnetic Fields, Marie Davidson, Julie Dorion and Mac Demarco, among others.

Apart from treating visitors to myriad musical offerings, Primavera Sound also gives you the chance to see the city. Barcelona is a comparatively compact city, so you can tour it in a short space of time. Here, then, are some tips on how to do it at your convenience.

Room Wanted

Barcelona is a tourist resort and, as such, offers a host of hotel accommodations. Then again, that makes it difficult to decide on an option. Here are three quite different proposals to help you make your choice. The first is Hostel Generator, located on Calle Córcega, well placed in terms of the city centre, the Gràcia district and the Verdaguer metro stop where you can get Line 4 straight to the Fòrum. Another interesting option is Melon District Marina, a student residence which also accepts bookings for just a few days, located halfway between downtown Barcelona and the main Primavera Sound venue (it’s just a fifteen-minute ride by either Metro or Trambaix to the Parc del Fòrum). Lastly, if you’re on a shoestring budget, you could always check out the Couchsurfing Barcelona website to find free accommodation.

Affordable Snacks

Barcelona’s culinary array is also endless. Here, we focus on a few reputable restaurants serving a Mediterranean diet and, more importantly, at reasonable prices. Let’s begin at Urretxu, a Basque restaurant near the Olympic Village which serves up market cuisine – ideal for a quick meal before any of the concerts. It is close to several stops on Line 4 and just a stone’s throw from the Fòrum. More centrally located – specifically, on Calle Diputación – is Gelida, with its typically Catalan culinary offerings which will suit all pockets. They do not have a house menu, but the list of dishes based on fresh products is great. Winding up these recommendations is the Bacoa hamburger chain, with several outlets scattered about the city. You can sit down to a meal of their organic meat hamburgers in any of their establishments, or opt for a takeaway, a good choice if you’re looking to get to the festival grounds as early as possible.

Hunting For Vinyl

If you’re left with any spare time after the flurry of activity generated by Primavera Sound, why not drop in on some of the city’s most venerable record shops? It’s worth embarking on that quest for the vinyl you’ve been seeking out for some time in the Calle Tallers, right next to Barcelona’s Rambla. There you will find the two stores owned by Discos Revolver, who celebrated their thirty-fifth anniversary just a short while ago. Another place of pilgrimage for music lovers which you should make a point of visiting is Ultra-Local Records, located on Calle Pujades, just a few metres from the line 4 metro stop of Llacuna (three stops from the Fòrum). Another way of “searching for the lost record” on the Sunday hangover morning is by visiting Mercat de Sant Antoni, an emblematic second-hand street market where, apart from vinyls, you can pick up all sorts of collectibles at very reasonable prices.

Book your Vueling to Barcelona and gear up to revel in the Primavera Sound festivities.

Text by Xavi Sánchez Pons

Famous for its white silhouette and for being the city with the largest collection of buildings inspired by the Bauhaus (over 4,000), it is also renowned for its Mediterranean light, its multicultural, cosmopolitan milieu and its high standard of living. However, what is not so well known is that young Tel Aviv, founded in 1909, is a fantastic family resort where both the young and old can have a lot of fun. Why? The high birthrate – over three children per family – has prompted a large number of children’s facilities to be built in the city. Here are some ideas:

1. Kids might get bored with stone, the major feature of the old port of Jaffa, founded in 700 BC, which forms the original nucleus of present-day Tel Aviv. But you’re sure to win them over if you tell them it was here that Noah’s ark came to rest when the Flood subsided. This maze of well-preserved, winding streets has been exquisitely restored as part of a complete makeover. It throngs with craft shops, art galleries, cafes and artists’ studios, including the rehearsal premises of Mayumaná, a group known for its unusual way of making music using non-musical objects, such as rubbish skips, recycled objects, etc. If you start hearing weird sounds while out strolling there, they are obviously engaged in a full-blown rehearsal. Before leaving, make sure you take some amusing photos of Jaffa, like hugging the “hanging” olive tree or in front of the whale that swallowed Jonah. If you happen to be out walking at dusk, have a look at Tel Aviv’s skyline and the fishermen seeing out the day on the wharf.

2. Jaffa is the site of a pleasant Tel Aviv promenade, the Tayelet.The walk, which stretches for fourteen kilometres, starts at the old, millenary harbour and crosses Tel Aviv in a northbound direction. It can be done on foot, or by jogging, skating, skateboarding or cycling – municipal bicycles can be hired all over the city. All you need is a credit card, and that’s it! Don’t worry if you get tired of pedalling – we recommend a stop-off at one of the cafes opposite the beach, or having an ice-cream while seated on one of the benches along the promenade, where you can sun yourselves and soak in the atmosphere.

3. Tel Aviv is a coastal city with beaches where you can enjoy the warm Mediterranean climate. They are clean and lively and provide all the services – changerooms, showers, playgrounds and swings! All designed for soaking up the seaside, as here they can boast of over 300 days of sun a year. The family favourites are two in particular – Metzitzim, in the north, perhaps the beach of choice among locals, and the Jerusalem beach, which affords a perfect view of the Jaffa skyline. For interest’s sake, Hadatiyim is the beach where religious people go, while Hilton beach is preferred by surfers and homosexuals. To get into the swing of things, buy some typical wooden racquets called markot and get ready to spend hours playing on the beach.

4. A stroll down the Rothschild Boulevard is a must. Make sure to stop off at number 45, the domain of the Max Brenner Chocolate Bar. This is the Mecca of chocolate in all its shapes, colours and textures and their prices are well worth paying. The menu is so tantalising and so mouth-watering that the whole family is sure to give in to the temptation at any time of day.

5. Talking of food… somewhat less traditional are the products to be had at the Carmel Market, the best place for imbibing exotic flavours and aromas and discovering fruit, vegetables, sweets, multi-coloured spices, fresh fish, meat hanging from gigantic hooks and prepared food unrecognizable for many westerners. Strange aromas, sounds from voices and electronic devices, music and hubbub mingle in the air. Of course, the question most often heard is – What is this? Startled expressions at the new flavours are guaranteed, as are the smiles on realising that you can also find sweets in Israel! Even though they are a bit strange. But, don’t leave Carmel without tasting a pomegranate and orange juice… Mmm!

6. The Ramat Gan Zoological Center is a locally popular nature reserve where you can see exotic animals like giraffes and lions in the semi-wild. The park tour, measuring one square kilometre, is done by car, as if on a short safari. Be warned, though – the size is deceptive. The circuit is so well designed that it seems bigger than you imagine. If you don’t have your own car, you can hire one.

7. Hayarkon Park is a replica of New York’s Central Park in all respects, including appearance and size – it stretches over four square kilometres. We recommend taking a bicycle ride along the riverbank and having a picnic and, for dessert, a game of cricket – a popular game in Israel. There is also a lake where you can hire a boat, several ponds with ducks and even a climbing wall where you can try out your skills as a rock climber.

A place worth visiting with the family! Check out our prices here.

Text and images by Nani Arenas