A city underground. This idea was developed by Emir Kusturica – filmmaker born in Bosnia, raised on Islam, later converted to Christianity and self-proclaimed Serbian – in the movie Underground (1995), which showed the eventful recent history of the former Yugoslavia in a tragicomic point of view, with the protagonists create their own world underground to protect their interests, forgetting about the events above the ground. This is some kind of Plato’s cave where they live isolated while about the Nazis invade the territory, later Tito regime during the Cold War and finally the Yugoslavian war.

Located strategically between western and eastern territories, at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and by the Adriatic, Aegean and Black seas, probably is the European city that has been devastated and rebuilt again the most. Serbian capital has been occupied about 38 times in the past 300 years. Austrians, Serbians and Germans have created all kind of structures in the territory that Belgrade occupies.

The insides - a tangle of tunnels, shafts, caves and bunkers - have always been there, preserved during all these wars and also created because of them. Most of the historical center is on archaeological sites and hundreds of meters of tunnels were built for many reasons, during thousands of years.

Since 2012, some of these secrets can be revealed in Belgrade - even most of them still remain closed to the public – in a trip through subterranean routes. Total, there are about 140 structures certified officially nowadays, which are allowed to be visited.

But for now is almost impossible to know how many elements can be found underground. One person that knows this well is Zoran Nikolic, cowriter of Beograd ispod Beograda (‘Belgrade under Belgrade’) where he reveals the secrets that he now also shows as specialized guide around this area.

Under the library in Belgrade

By the start of Knez Mihailova street the City Library can be found, located in a building that used to be the most famous hotel in Belgrade. In the underground floors there is the Roman room, with well-conserved rests of an old fortress and a collection of Roman sculptures and graves. The room is used for lectures, music concerts and other cultural events.

Under the Belgrade fortress

Kalemegdan, the great Fortress of Belgrade, is one of the seven fortifications that stand by the Danube, along Serbia and at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. Here is where, according to the legend, Attila was buried. The fortress along to the Kalemegdan Park, become the most relevant historic-cultural complex in Belgrade.

Under the ground there is Barutana cave, a former Austrian military warehouse now used as archaeological museum, including pieces from Singidunum, the antique Roman city that used to be where Belgrade is now, including sarcophagi, tombstones and altars.

Bellow the park there is also a fascinating bunker, from the last days of the Soviet Union. Josip Broz Tito, Yugoslavian head of state, wanted to built a bunker after World War II to protect Belgrade of a possible Russian invasion.

Near the fortress, artificial caves where used as food warehouses. Nowadays, restaurants and cellars are located here, where there is never a need for air-conditioned.

Under Tašmajdan park

One of the most significant parts of the route is under the centric park of Tasmajdan, right bellow the Serbian Parliament. Bellow asphalt and concrete layers there are caves built by the Romans that were used centuries after for many purposes: during the Great War they were a warehouse for bombs and during World War II they were used as hidden headquarters by the Germans.

Picture from wikimapia.org

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

Like clogs, windmills and bicycles, the tulip as a symbol is intimately linked to one’s image of Holland. This bulb, which originated in Anatolia and the Middle East, reached Europe in the 16th century and was met with marked admiration, particularly in the Low Countries. There, just one century later, it sparked a phenomenon that came to be known as “tulip mania”. As a result, the flower became a veritable cult object, fetching exorbitant prices and eventually being listed on the stock exchange. This ended up triggering the first recorded economic bubble in history, on account of the speculation that emerged around this product.

Nowadays, tulips inundate the Dutch countryside each spring, turning it into a genuine explosion of colour. It is well worth a getaway to the Netherlands just to contemplate it. For those eager to savour this priceless flower to the full, we have put together a selection of places you can’t fail to include on your must-see list.

Keukenhof, a Park With Over 7 Million Flower Bulbs
Keukenhof is located in Lisse, between Amsterdam and The Hague, in the heart of what is known as the “Bulb Region”. Here you will encounter an amazing 7 million plus flower bulbs, the sight of which is overpowering. This is a must-visit site for flower lovers and nature devotees in general. But, Keukenhof is not celebrated just for its huge number of flowers, but also for its landscape design, featuring lakes, fountains, walkways and windmills, making up a surprisingly heady ensemble. The only drawback is that this marvellous garden is only open to the public at the time of the tulip blossom; that is, from mid-March to the end of May and, owing to the large crowds that flock here, it is advisable to book well in advance.

En Route Through Bollenstreek, The Bulb Region
The area known as the Bulb Region (Bollenstreek, in Dutch) is another destination you should make a point of visiting in spring. Situated 30 kilometres south-west of Amsterdam, between Haarlem and Leiden, the area is characterised by the presence of clayey earth which, in conjunction with the prevailing maritime climate, makes for perfect tulip-growing conditions, in addition to other bulbs, notably crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths. The time of year to come here is in April, when the tulips reach their maximum splendour. Touring this land by car or bicycle is a veritable delight on the eyes, as you come across field after field of myriad tulips in all shapes and colours – an astonishing sight for any visitor to behold. Organised tours from Amsterdam ply a fairly comprehensive circuit through the towns in Bollenstreek.

Tulip Museum
If you are eager to know the history and all the ins and outs of this popular, highly prized bulb, make a point of visiting Amsterdam’s Tulip Museum before you leave Holland. Located in the Jordaan district, hard by the Anne Frank house museum, it is an essential resource for learning the thrilling history of this priceless flower.

Book your Vueling to Amsterdam and gear up to savour spring in Holland.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Photos by Robert Lyle Bolton

Tenerife as a destination has options for a variety of holidays in an enviable climate. Its 22°C mean annual temperature, which virtually blurs the borderline between summer and winter, is one of its major assets, but not its only one. Another is its scenery and natural surroundings, ranging from dense laurel forest (similar to the vegetation that covered Europe in the Tertiary Age, some 20 million years ago) to beaches, coves, charcos (natural pools) and – why not? – the Teide National Park.

Tenerife No Limits – Land Sports

Healthy lifestyles have caught on in recent times and Tenerife has acquired added value as a holiday resort also offering outdoor sport and activities. Indeed, Tenerife is practically one huge outdoor gym, open 365 days a year. Its climate, landscapes and natural setting makes it a veritable paradise for both professional and amateur sportspeople. In hardly half an hour you can go from working out at sea level to doing so at an altitude of 2,000 metres. Following is a rundown of some of the many possibilities for doing land sports and other activities in natural surroundings, apart from those in the sea or air:

Hiking. The island boasts some 1,500 kilometres of walking trails, both official ones and those pending approval. They traverse Tenerife’s 43 protected natural spaces, accounting for almost half (48%) the island’s surface area. Each trail is unique, distinct from the next. One of the most striking is the Gran Recorrido 131 (part of the E-7 long-distance footpath), which comes from the European continent and crosses the island from north to south, a route stretching 83 kilometres that runs through all kinds of landscape, including Mt Teide.

Caving. The island features Europe’s largest volcanic pipe, known as the Wind Cave. It is 27,000 years old and 17 kilometres long, if we add up the tunnels at all levels. The tour lasts about two hours and immerses the visitor in a fascinating, dark and mysterious realm.

Climbing. Tenerife is also a paradise for rock climbers, with its myriad volcanic rock faces to be scaled. There are options for everyone, from beginners to experts.

Mountain biking. Lovers of this sport can enjoy some 200 kilometres of bike trails crossing the island. Most of these paths run across the heights of Tenerife, but set primarily in the Corona Forestal Nature Park. This is a comprehensive network of trails, many of which have parking areas, transport and services at their start and finish.

Cycling. The island is covered by a broad road network in very good condition. Many of the roads go though areas with little traffic, well suited to cycling. You can cycle at altitudes of up to 2,000 metres, at the foot of Mt Teide, or at sea level. Hundreds of world-class cyclists come to Tenerife to train for such races as the Tour de France, the world championships and even the Olympic Games.

Tennis and paddle tennis. Over eleven sports complexes are available to enthusiasts of the racket and paddle on all types of surface – clay court, Plexicushion and synthetic. There are also ample facilities for playing pelota and squash.

Golf. Eight top-notch golf courses, designed by golfers of the calibre of Severiano Ballesteros and Dave Thomas, make this island one of the destinations to seriously consider for playing this sport.

Accessible sport. Here, too, there are facilities for playing accessible sport. The island is one of the training centres for local, national and international Paralympics, featuring such complexes as Tenerife Top Training.

If you’d like further information on all these sports and activities, or on accommodation and specialised schools and companies, check out the offerings at Tenerife No Limits.

And, to discover the island first-hand, you have to see it for yourself. Check out our flights here.

Text and images by Turismo de Tenerife

This piece of land bathed by the Mediterranean harbors is one of the most beautiful places of Greece. Its spectacular beaches combine with cultural attractions, where modernity and comfort have learned to respect the tradition of one of the oldest cultures of mankind.

The capital has the same name as the island: Corfu and stands out as the largest Greek medieval city and one of the most beautiful in the Mediterranean. Let's get lost in nooks and crannies ...

Spianada

One of the must see places of Corfu is certainly Spianada Square, one of the largest in Greece in extent and meeting place for visitors and tourists.

The most prominent building in the square is the Ribbon, whose beautiful arcades provides a good shadow to take shelter from the sun. In northern Spianada stands the Palacio de San Miguel and San Jorge, which dates from the early British occupation (1814-1824) and in the east we found a Venetian fortification of the fifteenth century.

In the same square, we also find the New Fortification, the council (s XVII), the Ionian Academy and the Ionian Parliament. The Reading Company, the oldest cultural foundation of modern Greece and Ancient Prefecture, Kapodistrias old building that now houses the offices of the Ionian University.

The Corfu neighborhoods: Kampielo, Mouragia, Mantouki and Ombriaki

Getting into the bowels of the capital, we find a maze of cobbled streets. We are in the neighborhood Kampielo, the oldest and one of the Corfu that retain the charm. Following the route, we arrive at Mouragia neighborhood, an authentic coastal beauty surrounded by walls, where each photograph becomes a spectacular postcard. Down to the sea, we stumbled upon the Mantouki, in inmeiaciones the new port and the old Jewish quarter, known as the Ombriaki.

Arriving to Corfu town, find the square Soroko, landmark of modern island life and a good stop on the way to regain strength.

The art in Corfu

As we would expect, an archipelago full of history, the island of Corfu hosts three museums. The Archaeological Museum, which contains remains of excavations in situ; the Byzantine and post-Byzantine Museum of Art; and the Asian Art Museum.

The Corfu beaches

No doubt about it! We are in a privileged place to enjoy the sun and the beach. In this little slice of Mediterranean paradise, we found some spectacular beaches.

Maybe the beaches of Corfu do not enjoy the popularity of its neighbors, but we are among the best in the Mediterranean.

On the east coast, the most beautiful are Kerasia, Kouloura, Nisaki, Barbati, Dasia, and the tourist resort of Komeno, Agios Ioannis, Peristeron, Benitses... While in the north, we highlight Achavari, Sidari and Peroulades. But if we have to choose one, our favorite is Arilas, perhaps one of the most beautiful on the island, with fine sand and an assortment of small islands that give it its quaint touch.

Also nice are Paleokastrina, Ermones, Mirtiotisa and Glyfada, that has become a massive resort.

After this stop on your journey to Ithaca, we are confident that Ulysses scored on its agenda as a must to return to.

By Nadia Polo

Corfu by Bogdan Giuşcă | Corfu by Dr K | Fortaleza Frourio in Kerkyra by Tasoskessaris | Monasterios de Pondikonisi y Vlajerna en la isla de Pontikonisi by StefanosKozanis | Talon de Aquiles by Tasoskessaris | Palacio Achilleion by Thomas Schoch

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