Venice is a city in north-eastern Italy made up of 118 little islands separated by canals and joined by bridges. It is famous because of the beauty of its setting, and its architecture, and its art. This is why the whole city, including the famed lagoon, has been designated a World Heritage Site.

It is named for the ancient Veneti people who inhabited the region in the tenth Century before Christ. The city is known variously as La Dominante, la Serenísima, the Queen of the Adriatic, the City of Water, the City of Masks, and the Floating City. In a piece inThe New York TimesLuigi Barcina described it as "the most beautiful city ever built by man”. It is universally regarded as one of Europe’s most romantic cities, where visitors can enjoy the waterway, gondolas, palazzos, old treasures, and delicious cuisine, as the water laps ceaselessly against the walls of fabulous churches and other ornate buildings. A boat ride down the Grand Canal makes you feel like a figure in an old painting.

Venice is an open-air museum. Its architecture, monuments, and buildings reflect its Byzantine heritage, and nowhere more strikingly than in the mosaics of the Basilica de San Marcos. Very near the Piazza de San Marcos (St. Mark’s Square),we find the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace), where the city’s ruler once dwelled, and which exemplifies the ostentation of the Renaissance period. Visitors may descend to the gloomy palace dungeons, and then get some fresh air on the famous Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs), where prisoners often caught their last glimpse of the Adriatic.

The city’s main street isn’t a street at all, but the celebrated Grand Canal. This is a good place to buy a City Pass, the most economical option for moving around Venice on its vaporetto water buses, with many stops along the Grand canal.

One of the numerous mansions along the canal is the sumptuous, 14^th C. Palazzo de Santa Sofia; better known as the Ca d’oro, (house of gold), because the abundant gilt in the polychrome and white marble exteriors that once made this lovely Gothic building shine like a jewel. There is also the famous Rialto bridge, which retains all the elegance that made it such a sensation when it was completed in 1591, 400 years after the first pontoon bridge was built on the site.

A city’s true character is often to be found in its markets, and Venice has two that should not be missed by visitors. One is the Erbaria product and fish market in the Rialto district, where you should check out the local asparagus and artichokes. Then there is La Pescheria for a dazzling variety of mainly local fish and seafood.

For connoisseurs of Italian cuisine, the Riva del Vinis the place to find the café or restaurant of your dreams in a quiet riverbank setting. Other excellent restaurant districts are Campo Santa Margherita, with its floating terraces, Zattere, where you can watch the sun set over the Laguna Veneto, and the streets near the fashionable Campo Giacomo di Rialto,where many Venetians take their “aperitivi” in the late afternoon. Try a Spritz and a snack of delicious codfish. The classic Venetian recipe for Spritzes, by the way, is 1/3 dry wine like Prosecco, 1/3 soda or bubbly mineral water, and 1/3 sweet Aperol or bitter Campari.

Outstanding amongst the city’s numerous museums is the Guggenheim, with possibly the continent’s best collection of European and American art from the first half of the 20^th C, housed in the old Palazzo Venier dei Leoni on the Grand Canal, where it was opened in 1980 to show Peggy Guggenheim’s personal collection, masterpieces from the Gianni Mattioli collection, a garden of sculptures by Nasher, and temporary exhibitions.

To view the city in all its splendour from a distance you can take a number 42 vaporetto at the San Sacaria stop in St. Mark’s Square to the island of Murano, passing the Fondamento Nuove and stopping to visit the San Michelle cemetery, a “cemetery island”, where you can see the graves of such luminaries as Igor Stravinsky, Joseph Brodsky, Sergei Diaghilev, Ezra Pound, and Luigi Nono.

If all the water makes you hanker for a beach, there’s the legendary,Lido –a 7-mile long sandbar in the lagoon– with its many stylish cafes and restaurants.

To really discover Venice, you need to get lost there, so use the vaporettos freely and get off at any stop –the streets are safe even after dark. And a night-time visit to St. Mark’s Square is an experience you will always treasure.

Venice. There’s simply nothing like it. However often you visit, the surprises keep coming! Now’s the time to book a flight there with Vueling. Check out our prices here!

Photos: Fernando Sanz
Text: Tensi Sánchez de actitudesmgz.com

Like many other Italian cities, the capital of art and culture is so vast you can never get to see it all, no matter how often you go back to the city. The Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi, the Galleria dell’Accademia, the Palazzo Pizzi and the churches are must-visit landmarks if you want to soak up the beauty of Florence. But, beware – trying to see it all in one go can bring on the Stendhal syndrome (also known as the Florence syndrome) or a mental block that can end up ruining your trip.

So, to make sure you go about calmly and enjoy things leisurely, we propose 6 essential venues which will help you come to grips with Florence without losing your nerves.

Uffizi Gallery – A Must-See Classic

One of the finest art galleries in the world, its collection of Renaissance art is peerless worldwide. Housed in a 16th-century administrative building, the Uffizi brings together some of the best works by Sandro Botticelli, Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Your museum visit could take from three to four hours and it is worth lingering in the uncrowded rooms to discover some lesser known but equally interesting artists. To avoid having to queue up at the ticket office for over an hour, we recommend you book in advance.

Il Grande Museo del Duomo – a 21st-Century Museum

This is one of the newer attractions in the city. The museum showcases treasures from the Duomo, the Campanile and the Baptistery. Here you can see the original Baptistery doors, a masterpiece by Ghiberti, the relief work in the Campanile and the sculptures on the old Duomo facade. In fact, you can actually see a life-size reconstruction of the original facade, with sculptures by Arnolfo di Cambio and Donatello, in the Room of the First Facade. Other highlights of the museum include the Pietà, which Michelangelo sculpted at the age of 80, and Brunelleschi’s death mask. Artworks are prominently displayed in this museum, geared to showcasing the past using the technology of the future.

Basilica di Santo Spirito – The Advent of theQuattrocento

While the churches of Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce are among our favourites, if you’re pressed for time in Florence and fancy seeing a church studded with chapels featuring retables from the Quattrocento, the “Basilica of the Holy Spirit” is the place to be. This church, designed by Brunelleschi, lies in the heart of the lively Oltrarno. It boasts no less than 38 chapels and such paramount artworks as the Madonna of the Relief, by Domenico di Zanobi, and Madonna with Child and Saints, by Filippino Lippi.

Boboli Gardens and Bardini Garden – A Romantic Walk

One of the most fascinating art galleries in Florence is housed in the Palazzo Pitti. But, today, instead of entering the famous palace designed by Brunelleschi, we take a stroll around its sumptuous gardens. The Boboli Gardens, dating from the 16th century, acted as the leisure resort for the city’s rulers. It stretches right up the slope of the Palazzo Pitti and is noteworthy mainly for the rose garden at the top, with spectacular views over the Tuscany countryside. A five minute-walk away, using the same entrance, lies the Bardini Garden, with splendid views over the city. The best vantage point is the restaurant set in the garden, La Leggenda Dei Frati, a stone gallery which affords a panoramic view of the city you will never forget.

Brancacci Chapel – For Specialists Only

Still in Oltrarno, the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine houses one of the loveliest chapels in the city, the Brancacci Chapel. Here, paintings by Masolino da Panicale, Masaccio and Filippino Lippi are perfectly preserved within the space of a few metres. The frescoes by Masaccio, depicting the life of St Peter, are regarded among his finest works. They reveal a clean break between Gothic art and the early Renaissance. Only 30 visitors are allowed in the chapel at any one time, but it is well worth the wait.

Palazzo Vecchio – Discovering Florence By Night

In summer, the Palazzo Vecchio stays open until midnight from Friday to Wednesday. It makes for a great alternative and quiet visit to one of the city’s most emblematic landmarks. Designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, it was once the seat of municipal power. Its rooms are adorned with outstanding frescoes, while the most prominent room is the Salone dei Cinquecento, notable for its sheer size and opulent decoration. The ceiling of the Green Room or Sala Verde features paintings by Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio, while still open to the public are the chambers of Giovanni de’ Medici, the son of Lorenzo the Magnificent and future Pope Leon X.

 Be sure to visit these marvels of Florence – check out our flights here.

 Text by Aleix Palau for  Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Christine und Hagen Graf

Christmas in Tenerife is characterised by the mild climate and the lively, festive street atmosphere in all corners of the island. Cities like La Laguna and Santa Cruz are decked out in colourful poinsettias and Christmas decorations, endowing the streets with a special flamboyance. A host of cultural activities are scheduled for the season, including concerts, exhibitions, theatre plays, traditional celebrations, crib displays, craft fairs, etc. Among the standout events is the Christmas concert on 25 December at Puerto de Santa Cruz, performed by the Symphonic Orchestra of Tenerife. As is to be expected, the festive season also features a host of activities for the little ones, notably the Parque Infantil de Tenerife (Tenerife Children’s Park). To round off the experience, make a point of trying the traditional confectionery on sale at this time of year. Here are some of the features that make this season one of the year’s most engaging in Tenerife.

Activities for Children

Youngsters have a range of activities to choose from at Christmas time, but the one everyone waits for with baited breath is the PIT (Parque Infantil y Juvenil de Tenerife) (Tenerife Children’s and Juvenile Park), a genuine amusement park which is hosted in The Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses from mid-December until the beginning of January.

The PIT first opened in 1989 and has staged innovative and extremely entertaining activities ever since. It is usually divided into forty-five entertainment and game areas where a team of 200 people chaperone visitors every day. Dozens of activities are hosted in this park, all of them designed for children or youngsters, although families will also find places where they can have a great time.

Another of our proposals is located in Puerto de la Cruz, specifically in the church of Peña de Francia, where the Children’s and Juvenile Choral Assembly is organised by the Reyes Bartlet Choir around this time each year.

And, lastly, in the south of Tenerife, in one of Spain’s most cutting-edge buildings, the Magma Arte & Congresos on the Costa Adeje, you can have a great time on the skating rink – 720 square metres of a 5-star ice rink where you feel as if you were opposite the Rockefeller Center in New York, the Natural History Museum of London or the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. A unique attraction for all the family which you should make a point of visiting. Take note!

Customs and Traditions

Needless to say, Christmas in Tenerife is charged with customs and tradition, involving theatre plays, masses, parades, etc. Many of the events that are held here have been celebrated year after year for centuries.

The misas de la luz (light masses) are one of the most popular religious events in the Canary Islands. They date from 1768, according to the last will and testament of the nobleman, Alonso de Medina. Running from 16 to 25 December, they are held at various points in the archipelago. Hundreds of people in the congregation gather just before six in the morning, when mass is due to start, and sing Christmas carols at the church entrances. One of the most exciting moments occurs on 23 December, when the retinue files through the towns and villages and takes part in communal singing and dancing.

Another long-standing tradition on the island is Christmas crib-making. A profusion of highly original cribs are displayed in numerous public and private buildings around Tenerife. Among the most famous of them is the one in the headquarters of CajaCanarias, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, or the one hosted at El Cabildo, also in the island’s capital, in addition to those exhibited in town halls and other public buildings.

Christmas Confectionery

The islands boast a huge variety of sweets and at Christmas the vast array of confectionery focuses on more specialised offerings. Homemade Christmas candies can be savoured in numerous corners of the archipelago and the most popular ingredients are millo (corn), almonds, honey and fruit.

One of the most typical Christmas candies on the island are the so-called truchas, although they can be found all year around. They consist of patties filled with sweet potato, angel’s hair pumpkin and, sometimes, custard. Their preparation is straightforward and they are usually made in all homes.

Get going and enjoy a Christmas getaway to Tenerife – book your Vueling here.

Text and photos by Turismo Tenerife

Belgium is a comparatively small land which has nevertheless made an inestimable contribution to the world of gastronomy – chips, waffles, chocolate and, very especially, beer. Here, over 450 varieties are made, whether by trusted traditional methods or using new technologies, yielding flavours that range from the classical to the most exotic. While the barley brew is a religion in Belgium, for beer enthusiasts Brussels is the hideout of some of the best taverns – and veritable places of pilgrimage – on the old continent.

A La Mort Subite
(Rue Montagne-aux-Herbes Potagères, 7)

Opened in 1910, A La Mort Subite is one of those spots oblivious to the passage of time. It boasts an exquisite beer selection, but I can recommend the one named after the establishment, Mort Subite, with its raspberry aroma. Its appearance and elegance on the palate have earned it the sobriquet of “the beer world’s pink champagne”.

Delirium Café
(Impasse de la Fidélité, 4)

This is Brussels’ beer cellar par excellence, a must-visit place of pilgrimage for any beer toper worth his or her salt. It started off as a tiny cellar on the Impasse de la Fidélité, but today it has taken over most of the street. Here you will find the whole range, from typical Belgium abbey beers to exotic beverages from the outer reaches of the planet. They need loads of storage space to house the more than five thousand types of beer on offer.

Le Cirio
(Rue de la Bourse, 18-20)

In the very heart of the Belgian capital, Le Cirio is located in the side street of the Bourse. Although not on account of its siting, the café is packed with guided tour parties. Le Cirio is a veritable institution in Brussels’ tavern guild. Rather than a venue for downing a pint, this spot, which still has its original centenary decor intact, is the ideal place for trying local cuisine, washed down – naturally – with a good indigenous beer.

Le Poechenellekelder
(Rue du Chêne, 5)

Hanging from its flea-market-like ceiling you will find anything from puppets to lavatory seats. Le Poechenellekelder is undoubtedly one of the bars with the most character in Brussels. This small venue, ideally located next door to the famous Manneken Pis, has a sizeable variety of mainly Trappist beers, crafted for the most part by monks.

Le Roy d’Espagne
(Grand Place, 1)

A seat on the terrace in the Grand Place is a privileged vantage point for viewing the bustle of the city. If, in addition, you are savouring steamed mussels, a helping of chips and, for instance, a 9° proof Chimay Bleue grand reserve, the experience is complete. The proposal might conjure up images of a rubberneck in flip-flops and socks, but there are certain pleasures one cannot – or should not – pass up, as clichéd or hackneyed as they may be.

Moeder Lambic
(Place Fontainas, 8)

Pils, Trappists, triples, doubles, wittes, IPAs, pale ales, stouts… you will find them all in the Moeder Lambic, a stunning place with its 40 taps arrayed behind an endless bar counter. While you’re there, make sure to try the beer they make themselves in a brewery just two blocks away. Fermented in the open air, the fruity taste of their Moeder Lambic Original is highly seductive.

Nuëtnigenough
(Rue du Lombard, 25)

A small brasserie always packed with locals, an unmistakeable sign of success. They offer excellent cuisine at more than reasonable prices and an array of beers that will meet the expectations of even the most seasoned beer connoisseurs. This is one of the hidden gems all cities seem to have, but guard the secret jealously!

Toone
(Rue du Marché aux Herbes, 66)

Our route ends with what is likely the quaintest bar in Brussels. The Toone, concealed between the buildings separating the Impasse de Sainte Pétronille from the Marché aux Herbes, is a brasserie which doubles as a puppet theatre. Between performances, customers drink amid puppets and a number of other fabled creatures.

Beer Weekend

The Belgian Beer Weekend is held the first weekend in September each year in Brussels’ Grand Place, where a host of brasseries sell their wares and regale visitors with activities relating to countless methods of brewing and different beer flavours.

Belgian Brewers Museum

The Maison des Brasseurs, a majestic stone building located in the Grand Place, is home to the Belgian Brewers Museum. It opens every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission costs 5 euros.

Brussels Beer Tours

Being highly specialised in beer, Brussels is understandably criss-crossed by an endless list of thematic tours of the city, notably Beertrips, Belgian Beer Me, Global Beer, Podge Beer and Bier Mania.

Text by Oriol Rodríguez for ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

images by Bill Smith, ^CiViLoN^,Daniel Lobo, GD Preston, lhongchou's photography, Kmeron, Bernt Rostad, Foam, Ana Gasston