There must be something in the icy, snowbound winters with their short days, or the endless daylight and mild temperatures of summer that sparks so much creativity in the Scandinavian countries. Or, might the source of inspiration be the vast, leafy forests and myriad lakes? Whatever lies behind the secret, the fact is that the visitor to Stockholm never fails to be stunned by the sheer reach and quality of design there. It is present in the architecture, the apparel, the decoration in shops, bars and restaurants, hotel interiors and the privacy of people’s homes. It is all-enveloping and exerts a fascination on the traveller. Their flair for creating soothing environments based on simple, yet warm lines never ceases to be a source of wonder. In a nutshell, it can be defined in just three words – modern, simple and functional.

Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair

Needless to say, Stockholm hosts one of the leading design fairs in Europe, the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair, where the latest trends in Scandinavian design are rolled out. This year it will be held from 9 to 13 February and will feature all kinds of relevant activities. As with previous years, the lounge in the main entrance will be designed by an international designer or studio. On this occasion, the Britons Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby will do the honours, as well as chairing a mass seminar for all atendees at the Stockholm Design Talks. Among the novelties at this year’s edition is Established, a section dedicated to promoting designers and studios with small-scale production, also known as makers.Young designers and design schools have also been addressed at this fair, as they have their own section, Greenhouse, a display window produced by the studio, Form Us With Love.

Stockholm Design Week

Stockholm Design Week will be held from 8 to 14 February, overlapping the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair. It will involve all kinds of design-related activities, including lectures, presentations, events and inaugurations, to be hosted in a wide variety of showrooms and other venues in the city. Check out the full programme here.

Still More Design!

If you’ve still got the energy after so much activity, or you aren’t able to attend the fair, you can always steep yourself in design by touring some of the city’s leading districts and even pick up the odd souvenir. Following are some pointers:

Östermalm is Stockholm’s most exclusive district, where you are best positioned to find the major upmarket brands. There, everything is distributed by areas. If you’re looking for the best fashion labels, you would head for Biblioteksgatan and Bibliotekstan. If, on the contrary, you’re hunting for the big international brands, and stores specialising in design, fashion and jewellery, the best places are Birger Jarlsgatan and the area around Stureplan. If antiquities are your thing, then pay a visit to  Arsenalsgatan and Nybrogatan, where you will also come across some of Stockholm’s major auction houses. Lastly, the area ringed by Sibyllegatan, Östermalmstorg, Karlavägen, Stureplan and Strandvägen boasts some of the best interior design stores in the city.

Then there is Södermalm, on the South Island. It is more of a small hipster town than a district. It goes without saying that vintage fashion and design are the all rage here, as are long beards (albeit well trimmed) and organic cuisine. Everything is centred around Götgatan, Skånegatan and the area known as SoFo, the abbreviated form of “south of Folkungagatan”. Finally, there are a number of craft shops near Slussen and in Hornsgatan.

To wind up, in contrast to the aforementioned areas, you should make a point of visiting Gamla Stan to find out what the city was like before the design craze set in. Gamla Stan, the old city, is one of Europe’s largest and best preserved medieval cities and one of Stockholm’s major landmarks. This is where the city was founded in 1252. Indeed, the whole district is from a wholly different era. You will, of course, come across tourists but, unless you get caught up with the flow, and if you pay attention, you will have the odd pleasant surprise in the form of a traditional Swedish craft shop.

Ready to soak up good design in Stockholm? Choose your flight here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair

When you think of nightlife and dancing to indie music until the early hours, Rome doesn’t normally spring to mind. The nightlife in Rome is perhaps not among the most popular in Europe but it does have its own charm and venues where you can enjoy indie music.

In order to give you an idea before you set out into the night around Rome, you need to know that the bars usually close at midnight in winter and stay open until 02:00 in summer. Another important factor to consider is that the price of drinks can range from € 2 for a glass of house wine at a bar to € 12 for a long drink in a night club.

We have taken a tour of the most indie bars and discos in the city. Why not check them out if you happen to be in the Italian capital and miss the indie sound of the clubs back home.

Let’s start the night at Micca Club. Here, you can have a bite to eat while listening to good music and enjoying the first drink of the evening. It can be found in the Esquilino district and it is worth seeing a place like Micca before heading over to the Pigneto district where you will find most of the bars and clubs you are looking for.

Once you get to Pigneto, why not have a drink in Necci. They say it was a favourite of Pasolini and the 1960s style decoration is well worth a visit.

On the same street, at number 101, you will find Fanfulla 101. Cheap drinks, good DJ sessions and maybe an interesting exhibition.

After those first drinks, the time has come to dance and keep all that alcohol from going straight to your head. If you get there early, Init is a great place. It’s small and cosy with good music.

To end the night, there is nothing better than dancing at Circolo Degli Artisti. If you go in summer, you can even take a dip in their swimming pool.

There are other alternatives but at a distance from this part of the city. However, we do recommend Piper Club for being the spiritual home of all lovers of the 1960s sound in the Italian capital or Palalottomattica for being the largest indie club in Rome.
Palalottomattica

We hope you enjoy your indie night in Rome. Have a look at our flights here!

Image: Aaron Logan 

The English discovered Pau in the mid-19th century, fell in love with its mild climate and turned it into one of their favourite summer resorts. This is borne out by the well preserved oldest golf course in Europe outside the United Kingdom. The capital of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques Département, well known as a city of art and history, offers visitors generous helpings of history, cuisine and fine wine, in addition to an adrenalin rush in the watersports available to all-comers at the Pau-Pyrénées Whitewater Stadium.

Pau – A City with History

The historic centre of Pau is distributed around its castle, the birthplace of Henry IV of France (and III of Navarre), known as "Good King Henry", France’s first king of the Bourbon dynasty. The hallmark of this castle is its architectural diversity and, like all national museums in France, admission is free every first Sunday of the month. Opposite the castle stands the Parliament of Navarre, set up in the mid-17th century after the edict of unification between France and the historical region of Bearn. It is now the seat of the General Council of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

The old town features a number of interesting sights, including such emblematic buildings as the Church of Saint-Martin and the Maison Sully, a 17th-century mansion. Touching its doorknocker is said to bring good luck, so you are advised to go through this ritual before leaving the city, just in case.

The Boulevard des Pyrénées – A Balcony Overlooking Nature

One of the landmark spots in Pau is the Boulevard des Pyrénées, designed as a replica of the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. It connects the castle to the Beaumont Palace and affords beautiful views of the mountain range separating France and Spain. A pastime very much in vogue among locals and, by extension, among many visitors too, is to sit at one of the terrace cafés and soak up the fabulous mountain views.

Several museums are open to sightseers in Pau, notably the Bernadotte House, the birthplace of Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, a French general who ascended to the throne of Sweden, and the Fine Arts Museum, which houses a collection of paintings by Victor Galos, as well as works by local artists and even Degas and Rubens.

Cuisine and Sports in Pau

Pyrenean cuisine, with its standout local sausage and tasty cheeses, is another of the major attractions in the capital of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. One highly popular dish is poule au pot (casseroled chicken), an icon of traditional Bearnese cuisine. Prominent among local wines is Jurançon, which comes in two flavours – dry and sweet. Lastly, to burn up the calories ingested, watersports come highly recommended, notably rafting and hydrospeed. And, they can both be done at the nearby white-water stadium which in 2017 will be hosting the Canoe World Championships.

Be sure to visit this beautiful city – book your flight here.

Text and images by Tus Destinos

Images by Jean Jacques BROCHARD, Alban GILBERT

Turin is Piedmont Capital town, and the first historical capital of Italian unified nation, in 1861. The city is surrounded by green charming hills, fascinating all types of tourist.
Easy to be reached, positioned into the heart of Europe, Turin is the perfect short break destination, as well as an unmissable stop along a tour of Piedmont or Italy.

Museums for all tastes

Turin is a friendly and surprising town, with more than 40 museums, from ancient history to contemporary arts, from natural and environmental sciences to the “seventh art”, from car-history to culture of food.
“Mole Antonelliana” – the building, symbol of the town- with its 167m of height, hosts the Cinema Musuem. The Egyptian Museum, with its set-up by Oscar awarded scenographer Dante Ferretti, is second only to the Cairo one.

Lingotto former FIAT factory, hosts Pinacoteca Giovanni y Marella Agnelli, with its unvaluable Canaletto, Modigliani, Balla and Matisse masterpieces.
XIX Century and contemporary Art addicted, will certainly visit GAM – Modern and Contemporary art Gallery- and Rivoli Castle.
And last but not least, National Automobile Museum, with Françoise Confino set-up, and National Italian Risorgimento Museum

Royal Residences “Crown of Delights”

Savoy Court dinasty left the magnificent Royal Residences, UNESCO world heritage. Royal Palace and Madama Palace, flanking the majestic Piazza Castello, Valentino castle, built on Po riverside , and some other castles in the boundaries of the town, form the “Crown of Delights”. Among these, the Royal Palace of Venaria, structured achitecture complex, surrounded by La Mandria Park and its gardens, and Stupinigi hunting residence, are the most significant.

What to taste in Turín

A travelling in Turin is also a trip through food culture. Aperitivo is a must: a glass of wine or a cocktail, with some snacks, tastings and salads, in one of the trendy bars is a modern habit with an ancient origin. Vermouth has born in Turin in 1757 and Martini & Rossi still has its main base close to town.

Historical Cafès, with their vintage atmosphere, are beautiful places for tasting local delis: such as Bicerin- traditional Turin drink, made with coffee, chocolate, and cream – hot chocolate with cream, or the liquour flavoured Sabayòn, and the “Gianduiotti”( chocolate candy with hazelnuts).

Picture: Hpnx9420

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