Santiago’s zone of influence stretches through a score of municipalities, ranging from A Coruña to Pontevedra, all articulated around the river Ulla, while various branches of the Road to Santiago run nearby, too.

Hardly 10 km from the city lies a magical spot – Pico Sacro, a legendary hill as far as Galician culture and the Jacobean tradition are concerned. Located south-east of the city, its unusual outline rises sharply to a height of 533 metres. Santiago and the skyline of its Cathedral towers are visible in the distance from its summit.

Galicia is green, and the city of Santiago is also surrounded by green. Nature lovers can go on outings from the city to such amazing spots as the Fervenzas do Toxa, or to Insua; to unique forests like the Fraga de Catasós, with chestnut trees towering over thirty metres, or to mountain ranges like O Candán, with its ancient landscapes and great open spaces.

In a radius of just fifty kilometres you can discover the monumental wealth of such historic towns as Padrón or Melide, both directly related to the Road to Santiago; pazos (country homes) like the Pazo de Santa Cruz de Ribadulla, noteworthy for its camellias and centuries-old olives trees, and even places of quiet and repose like the Carboeiro Monastery, surrounded by splendid natural scenery.

Needless to say, being Galicia, it is also worth planning outings to try the delicious and abundant cuisine in Santiago’s environs, characterised by the use of fresh produce in season. Be sure to try the Padrón peppers, trout and lamprey, cocido (stew), beef, cheeses, melindres (honey fritters), filloa crêpes, almendrados (macaroons) and rosquillas (a ring-shaped pastry), and to end your trip by toasting with a local spirit.

Come and discover all these gems for yourself! Check out our flights here.

For further information on Santiago: www.santiagoturismo.com

For further information on the environs of Santiago: www.areasantiago.es

In Madrid, drinking beer is more than just a tradition, it’s almost an obligation.

When the working day is done, people go out for a beer. If it’s been a while since you saw someone, you meet them for a beer. Any excuse for a lager!

The beer is always perfectly poured and accompanied by some form of tapas. In Madrid there’s no other way of doing things.

Here we recommend one possible bar crawl if you fancy a few beers in Madrid but any bar in the Spanish capital is a good place to cañear (a verb that the Spanish have invented from the noun caña, meaning a small beer, and that is used to refer to the action of going out for a few beers).

We begin our bar crawl in the city centre, with three bars that come highly recommended: El Tigre,Cervantes and Kruger on Calle Princesa.

El Tigre is known for being a typical Spanish bar and for always being full. It specialises in cider and your drinks always come with tapas.

Kruger, on the other hand, is not like other Spanish bars. It is, in fact, a small slice of Germany in the centre of Madrid. Located near the Plaza España, this bar serves a wide variety of beers, ham hocks, salads and sausages.

Cervantes bar is close to the Parliament buildings, between the Sevilla and Antón Martín metro stations. Like all good bars, it’s always full and you’re guaranteed a perfectly poured beer and accompanying tapas.

Since there is also life beyond the city centre, let us also recommend the perfect place to go for a beer in other parts of Madrid.

Cazorla: This bar in the Salamanca district boasts quality, good service and generous tapas.

Fass: At this German restaurant you can purchase German products and, of course, enjoy a great beer.

Beer’s Corner: This bar is quite a distance from the city centre (in Ciudad Lineal) but it has one feature that many will find quite quirky. Whilst having a few beers here you can play on the Playstation with your friends, since there is one at every table.

Now do you feel like visiting Madrid? Check out our flights here !

Leipzig is known as the capital of German music, classic music artists such as Strauss, Wagner or Bach were closely attached to the city. Nevertheless, is also known for being part of an important moment in history, playing a key role on the fall of the Berlin wall, reason why the city is considered as the birthplace for the Peaceful Revolution.

On October 9th 1989, 70.000 Leipzig citizens demonstrate carrying candles around the Leipziger Ring calling for freedom to the Federal Republic of Germany. Despite several threats by the police to open fire, the demonstrations were peaceful and became an important milestone on the way to the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification.

From that date, every October 9th the Festival of Lights is celebrated to remember that important date, taking history to reality by using audio, video and light. On 2014, the 25th anniversary for the Pacific Revolution is celebrated and, as every year, the Festival of Lights in Leipzig sets the start for a long weekend were many cultural organizations dedicate events, exhibitions and concerts to remember the events on 1989. On 2009, for the 20th anniversary, almost 150.000 people joined a great parade around the city centre and Leipzig became a sea of lights. For 2014, numerous activities are expected around the festival.

Furthermore, on October 9-13th, 2014, Leipzig will celebrate a long week of cultural events and, throughout the year, visitors can follow the steps of these historical events and visit places such as the museum and the bunker in Stasi or the exhibition “Freiheit! Einheit! Denkmal!” (Freedom, unity, monument) – from September 24th, 2014 to January 4th, 2015 – in the Leipzig City Museum, where the historical memory remains to debate the future monument to freedom and unity.

Under the slogan “Fall 89 – Democracy arrival” Leipzig will transform the streets one more year in a light show and cultural celebration that you shouldn’t miss if you’re planning to visit the city.

Image from Philipp

Perfect plan to go with friends! Check our flights and sign up!

Snow White, Cinderella, Hansel & Gretel, Dauntless Little John, Sleeping Beauty or Tom Thumb are some of the famous characters from the fairytales written by the Grimm Brothers. We all know these tales; we have read or hear them when we were kids, they blew up our imagination to distant places where kindly fairies, handsome princes and princesses or evil queens lived.

Now you can live your own adventure again following the Fairytales route in Germany, which will make your childhood dreams come true.

About 600 kilometers, from Bremen to Hanau, through charming villages and enchanted forests that will take you to an atmosphere from the 19th century and the landscapes where the main characters from the fairy tales lived adventures and misadventures.

The route follows emblematic sites like Hanau, the city where Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm, the worldwide famous writers who create the most well known fairytales, were born. At the center of the Market Square, in Hanau, there is a significant monument in their honor.

The trip also passes by Kassel, the route’s main village, where many of the fairytales take place and you can also find a museum dedicated to the Grimm brothers, the Sababurg castle in Hofgeismar – linked to the Sleeping Beauty’s tale -, Bremen – from Town Musicians of Bremen -, the city of Polle – where the story of Cinderella takes place – or the city of Hamelin, where the famous flutist enchanted kids and rats with his music.

This route is especially recommended for families but also to grownups that retain their childhood’s spirit. Get ready to this magic trip that starts with a “Once upon a time…”

Picture by Christoph Runge

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