The Croatian capital has a lively nightlife. On the streets Preradoviceva, Tkalčićeva and Kozarska of Gornji Grad- Upper City-and at the central square you may find many bars, pubs and breweries to start the night, from the most chic and stylish venues to the most alternative ones. You can start from one of the most legendary such as Skola or Hemingway and end up in the Jarun lake area, where there are some of the most prestigious clubs in Zagreb, such as Aquarius Club, Gallery or Maison Club.
Summer nights are especially buzzing in the capital. In Zagreb you have an extra incentive with the celebration of of one of the most prestigious festivals in Europe, INmusic Festival which brings the best international bands each year !

Spunk/ Prostor Do

Spunk has recently been extended with the bar next to it, the Prostor Do -which literally means next door- to form this great and popular venue full of students. Evenings tend to be enlivened by performances by young musicians who have here the first oportunity to get noticed. Do not miss the detail of the walls Spunk / Prostor Dor, with the works of the famous Croatian artist Igor Hofbauer.
Spunk/ Prostor Do
Hrvatske bratske zajednice b.b., 10 000 Zagreb 

Vintage Industrial Bar

Another unique venue to start the night is Vintage Industrial Bar, an old button factory with a marked industrial look, as indicated by its descriptive name. Rustic furniture and a long bar that runs the premises from end to end. You can attend its lively parties and concerts at very affordable prices.
Vintage Industrial Bar
Savska cesta 160, 10000 Zagreb

Kino Europa

As it happens in all cities, the arrival of multiplex cinemas have led to the closure of the smaller rooms. The Cinema Europe – Kino Europa- has taken advantage of the opportunity to be reconverted into a multipurpose venue in which film festivals as well as other parties and DJ sessions are organized. Now this old space has become a very attractive place and a must for the Croatian youth.
Kino Europa
Varšavska 3, 10000 Zagreb

Sokol Klub

Its downtown location, has made of Sokol one of the busiest clubs for over 20 years. A place where you can forget about everyhting and live the real night in Zagreb. With an easy dress-code and capacity for 400 people, you will meet all kinds of people at Sokol Klub. It was a must from the golden age of Croatian dance scene and nowadays you can enjoy a dance evening with local music
Sokol Klub
Marshal Tito Square 6, Zagreb

Aquarius

By the Jarun Lake’s surroundings are located some of the most exclusive clubs in the city. One of the most renowned is the Aquarius Klub, with good international DJ sessions and good atmosphere. The night of Thursday to Friday are mainly hip-hop, R&B, while Saturday and Sunday are dedicated to local and international hits.
Aquarius Klub
Aleja Matije Ljubeka b.b., Zagreb

Gallery

Gallery lies a little further, along the lake. It is normal to find the city’s celebrities between models and footballers. A two-floor building with a capacity of 2000 people in which you ensure long dancing nights. Fridays are dedicated to hip hop and r’n'b while Saturday are for house music..
Gallery
Aleja Matije Ljubeka, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

Tvornica Kulture

Great rock and pop concerts are held in this big multicultural venue. Renovated in 2011 to become one of the major concert halls and much more. It works as a cafeteria during the day and weekend’s nights offer dance and visual sessions
Tvornica Kulture
Šubićeva 2, 10000 Zagreb

Makes you want to go, right? Do it! Check out our prices here!

Strategically located by the Baltic Sea, between Lithuania and Poland, in Kaliningrad there is a mixture of the Soviet influences and the German roots, when Kaliningrad was the capital city of East Prussia and it was one of the major cities in Europe, better known as Köningsberg.

In 1945, during World War II, the red army occupied Köningsberg, which name changed to Kaliningrad in the memory the president of the Supreme Soviet until 1946, Mikhail Kalinin.

The city was rebuilt after the destruction during the war, creating and odd mixture of elements. Kaliningrad is a Russian setting far from its capital and 600 kilometres far from Pskow, the closest Russian city.

Baltic region is known as the biggest amber site and the most important mines are in Kaliningrad. This valuable material has reputation worldwide for its beauty and the healing properties, also magic, which are given to it.

There is a legend that says they are tears from Yurati, Goddess of the Sea, who wasn’t allowed to be in love with a mortal and was chained to the seabed, next to the castle, crying that sorrow. This romantic story tells that amber teardrops reach the sea bay but, actually, it is made from the solidified resin of tropical trees that used to be in the area.

Fishermen town

Amber is a fragile material but that can be easily modified by the masterfully of local artists and jewellers who used this valuable good. There are many objects made from this precious organic stone at an affordable price in the old buildings at the port, which are nowadays used as workshops.

This fishermen town is made of many buildings that look like a German old historic quarter, pretty different to the rest of Kaliningrad, with red roofs and colourful facades. You can reach the highest point of the drawbridge or start here a boat trip along the Pregolya river. Furthermore, from this area there is a magnificent view of the city and a great walk to the Cathedral, one of the main attractions in the city, by several restaurants and cafés.

Amber museum

In Kaliningrad an Amber museum was built at the Dohna tower, with a unique collection of more than 6.000 pieces, with insects and plants encapsulated inside, hand-made products or a huge pip of 4.280 kg, occupying 28 rooms.

The building is already a beautiful castle made of red bricks, raised by the Teutonic Knights, who had here one of the main headquarters.

Another building of the Teutonic Knights was the Köningsberg castle, which was one of the main symbols for the city. The castle was destroyed during Köningsberg bombings and now there is the Central Square and the Soviets House.

From the previous castle, there are still underground tunnels that made the ground unstable. This was called “the Prussians revenge” and it has cost lots of money and time to fix it.

In Kaliningrad region there are about forty more beautiful medieval castles, an interesting architectural route following the path of the Teutonic Knights.

Other interesting places

Kant’s tomb

The most distinguished character from the city is Immanuel Kant, philosopher, who was born and buried in Kaliningrad. The tomb is outside the cathedral, with a plaque quoting, in Russian and German, the "Conclusion" from Critique of Practical Reason: “there are two things that fill my mind with an ever new and enhanced wonder and amazement, even they at continuously reflect on them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.”

The fortresses

The city is surrounded by a large number of fortresses from the 19th century. The Germans used them as a defence. Even they are abandoned, there is a route to visit the ruins.

Zelenogradsk - Cranz

24 kilometres north from Kaliningrad there is an spa area, a holidays resort where locals and tourists arrived attracted by the beaches, thermal waters and cultural heritage, with over seven centuries of history.

Fishing village by Anton Zelenov | Baltic Amber by Michal Kosior

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

Set in the middle of a triangle comprising the cities of Toulouse, Montpellier and Barcelona is this spectacular walled city, a captivating sight for all who visit it. Fittingly, it was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. It is one of the leading tourist magnets in the Languedoc region and the whole of France, attracting around 4 million visitors each year. Here are the reasons why Carcassonne has become a must-visit destination.

Important Strategic Enclave

The city’s strategic location, set as it is on a hillside overlooking the Aude river valley, made it the perfect vantage point for surveilling such important routes as the one linking the Iberian Peninsula to the rest of Europe, and the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. Thus, Carcassonne became a key city for centuries. In Roman times it was already an important trading post and was coveted by Gauls, Romans – who built the first walled fortifications – Visigoths and Moors, until it ended up becoming a French royal army garrison.

A Walk Through the Cité

Vestiges of that illustrious past as a strategic bulwark can be seen in the upper city of Carcassonne, now known as the Cité, site of the old walled fortifications. Sightseers touring the interior of this huge walled precinct are immediately transported to a bygone era. The Cité is fortified by two concentric walls – the innermost ring was erected in the times of the Gauls, Romans and Visigoths, while the outer, far sturdier ring with four towers was added from the 13th century onwards. Once inside, visitors are encouraged to stroll through the city streets and soak up the medieval atmosphere that pervades the complex. The major landmarks here are the Château Comtal (Castle of the Counts), in the west of the fortified city and attached to the wall, and the Romanesque Basilica of Saint-Nazaire. Be sure to also visit the Pont Vieux (Old Bridge) which crosses the Canal du Midi and links the Cité to the lower part of Carcassonne.

Some Extras On the Way

The counterpoint to this journey into the past, which takes you through the streets of medieval Carcassonne, finds its ideal complement in a culinary break in one of the restaurants you will come across on your tour. Treat yourself to a good glass of wine, preferably Corbieres, the local Designation of Origin, accompanied by duck confit or cassoulet (a local bean stew). The best way to round off your visit to this city.

Viollet-le-Duc – The Other Great Protagonist of Carcassonne

Much of Carcassonne’s appeal revolves around the figure of French architect, archaeologist and writer, Viollet-le-Duc and the “restoration”, as unique as it was controversial, which he carried out on the Cité in the mid-19th century. The fact is that, following the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659,  the fortified precinct of Carcassonne was abandoned altogether and gradually deteriorated with the implacable passage of time. Indeed, it was so derelict that some voices called for its wholesale destruction. However, by popular request, it was earmarked for refurbishment, a task which was commissioned to one of the leading figures of the moment, Viollet-le-Duc.

Rather than what would now be considered a refurbishment, visitors currently find themselves before a full-blown reconstruction of the old city, including the odd flourish of a Romantic bent added by Viollet-le-Duc himself. He actually applied what was very much in vogue in restoration work at the time, although his endeavours have subsequently drawn considerable criticism from the experts. However, the result admittedly hangs together rather well and achieves the effect of immersing the visitor in a medieval past which the architect purposely set out to reinterpret.

Book your Vueling to Toulouse, which lies less than 100 kilometres from Carcassonne, and travel back in time behind the walls of that wonderful fortified precinct in Languedoc.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Tournasol7

Cinema, glamour and luxury could well define this wonderful city on the French Riviera. Any mention of the name Cannes conjures up some of the media highlights of the year, like their film festival, when the city is decked out in all its finery and peopled with the most famous faces of the seventh art, as well as many a socialite eager not to miss such a worthy spectacle. But, cinema is not everything and Cannes is much more than film stars and millionaires to be gawked at. We urge you to discover both facets of this fantastic city.

Strolling Along the Promenade de la Croisette is De Rigeur

This boulevard, once known as the Chemin de la Petite Croix (Road of the Little Cross), as it had – and still has – a small cross, could well be rechristened the “Promenade of the Stars”. Replete with haute couture stores, luxury restaurants and fantastic hotels, and thronging with all kinds of celebrities, it is the perfect place for wandering about and soaking up the glitter of everything that’s going on. On your walk you will come across such iconic hotels as the InterContinental Carlton, housed in an elegant palace dating from 1911, the Art Deco Hôtel Martinez and the Majestic, before finally reaching the legendary Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. As you may have guessed, this is where the Cannes Film Festival is held each year. Those eager to see the facilities where such a prodigious event is hosted can satiate their curiosity by booking a guided tour of the premises. Another classic on La Croisette is theChemin des Étoiles,located opposite the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, which features the handprints of numerous great film stars, directors and other prominent figures from the world of cinema.

In addition to the foregoing, remember that this promenade runs along the seafront, so be sure to visit the beaches and delight in the panoramic views of the bay – it is well worth seeing. What you should know, however, is that most of the beaches lining the promenade are private; that is, the space is taken up by deck chairs belonging to luxury hotels, although you can of course rent them. There is also a small public beach near the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès.

Discover the “Other Cannes” in the Vieux Port and Le Suquet

As we intimated in the introduction, apart from the cinema scene, Cannes offers a lot to see and do that will surprise you, albeit on a far grander scale. To this end you should head for the Vieux Port where, in addition to big luxury yachts, you will come across the locals going about their daily business. From here, we recommend venturing into Le Suquet, the city’s old quarter, characterised by narrow streets and charming public squares. One of the best views of Cannes is to be had in this area, from the vantage point of the Castre Museum, located in the Place de la Castre. You will not regret the climb to the top when you see the panoramic view of La Croisette and the Palais des Festivals stretching out at your feet.

Book your Vueling to Nice, which lies just 33 kilometres from Cannes, and discover one of the most glamourous cities in the Mediterranean.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Daniel70mi Falciola