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

“It turns out that in 1917, Einstein, Lenin and Joyce coincided in Zürich.There, Einstein lectured at the ETH, Lenin busied himself preparing the Russian revolution, while Joyce wrote Ulysses. The city is growing on me every day.”

These lines were posted in the Facebook profile of a Spanish friend living in Switzerland’s largest city. She also writes, and is somewhat revolutionary. She doesn’t lecture, that we know of, but it’s early days still. What is such a Mediterranean girl doing in a place like that? The moment we arrived there we had our answer. You can enjoy the vibrant cultural scene, its restaurants, its lake, the river Limmat, its parks, the silence and its modest size as cities go, meaning you can cross it by tram, or be tempted to cycle or walk around it.

Did you know that what the Swiss miss most when they travel is bread? That the owner of the legendary Café Odeon was able to build it thanks to the money he won on the Spanish lottery? That muesli was invented by the physician, Maximilian Bircher-Benner, from Zürich University, and that the historic Opfelchammer restaurant, a favourite of the local novelist, Gottfried Keller, allow you to carve your name on the beams if you drink enough wine? You imagine there is a luxurious city awaiting you, having forgotten that the Protestant Reformation started precisely here 500 years ago and that all ostentation was banned. Like filled chocolates, Zürich holds out surprises. You never know what you’re likely to come across.

Zürichis not an economical destination, but there are ways of reining in your expenditure. Before setting out to discover the city, buy a ZürichCARD. It permits you to catch the train from the airport to the city, where you can take all the tram lines and gain free (or discounted) entry to over 90 establishments.

If you fancy dining at a traditional – yet modern – spot, make sure you head for Haus Hiltl, Europe’s longest surviving vegetarian restaurant, dating from 1898. It offers a buffet with a choice of over 100 specialities – you pay according to how much you fill your plate – in addition to a bookshop, store, culinary studio and bar lounge.

If you’re into the eclectic, you should drop in on Les Halles, an erstwhile warehouse which doubles as a restaurant and market and is famous for its moules frites (mussels with fries). There, you can also buy and eat sausage, cheeses, wines and other delicacies from the old Europe.

If you prefer to dine in a formal atmosphere, make your way to La Salle. They serve a fine steak tartare, various fresh pasta dishes and a classic, homemade meat pie with red wine and mashed potato sauce which you really must try.

You can while your way into the night at numerous bars and clubs, such as the Nietturm Bar, located on the top floor above La Salle. This stylish locale serves the Hugo cocktail (prosecco, elderflower syrup, sparkling water, mint, lime and ice), or you could order a glass of local Zürich wine while taking in the breathtaking views over the city.

If the weather turns nasty or you’re numbed by the cold, go on a cruise around Lake Zurich. And, while you’re at it, enjoy a Swiss brunch – with cheese, bread, salmon, jam, fruit and pastries – while vineyards and fairytale houses parade before your eyes as you drift soothingly along. The brunch-cruise only operates on Sundays and you must book beforehand through Zürichsee Schifffahrt.

If, on the contrary, what you fancy is hoofing it as much as you can, go for their street food. You can wolf down the sausages at Sternen Grill, a hot soup at La Zoupa and marroni (roast chestnuts) at the street stalls. If your stay takes in more than just the weekend, make sure you try their looped pretzels and the other bäckerei (bakery) specialities in season at Vohdin (Oberdorfstrasse, 12), a shop front that has been open since 1626.

If you can afford it, take up lodgings on the 10th floor of the Sheraton Zürich Hotel, located in Zürich–West, the in district. The rooms are spacious, bright and comfortable; wifi is free-of-charge and there are two culinary options – the Route Twenty-Six restaurant (from the 26 Swiss cantons), featuring sumptuous breakfast buffets, and the Café & Bar Nuovo,ideal for afternoon coffee or a nighttime Qüollfrisch naturtrüb beer.

If you fancy bringing back a genuine souvenir in your suitcase, head for a local supermarket and get yourself a mini fondue of Gerber cheese and a bag of Frey chocolates, two historic brands that will sit sweet on the palate. Although – be warned – it will never be the same as having a fondue at Adler’s Swiss Chuchi or hot chocolate at Péclard.

Make haste and savour the Swiss delights of Zürich! Check out our flights here.

Text by Carme Gasull (Gastronomistas)
Photos by Mireia Aranda and Zurich Tourism

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

Realising that you are walking in one of the oldest cities on earth is awe-inspiring. Here are ten pointers to understanding and enjoying this fascinating yet complex city, bearing in mind that biblical, epic and historical landmarks are a constant in this metropolis, where religion has pulsated since time immemorial.

1. To get a feel for the size and layout of Jerusalem, we shall start our tour on the Mount of Olives, affording one of the best panoramic views of the city – the old city, the new city, the walls, tombs… thousands of years of history at a simple glance.

2. On the way down, stop off at Gethsemane and stroll through the groves of millennial olive trees. Then, visit the Church of All Nations, built on the rock where Jesus prayed before being arrested.

3. To come to grips with Jerusalem, it is essential to understand it is “thrice-holy”; that is, sacred to the three great monotheistic religions. Judaism, Christianity and Islam have part of their roots in these backstreets. The Wailing Wall, the Al-Aqsa mosque and the Holy Sepulchre are three landmarks you should not fail to visit, whatever your beliefs. Let’s start with the Wailing Wall or Western Wall, the only remaining vestige of Jerusalem’s Second Temple, the holiest of Jewish places, which was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70. You have to pass through several security checks on the way in. Once inside, men on one side and women on the other. Men must also cover their heads with a Jewish kippah or skullcap.

You are met by a unique, striking setting – hundreds of people facing the wall and rocking to and fro as they pray. If you look up, you see the Esplanade of the Mosques, another privileged vantage point with Jerusalem at your feet. Here, the two striking landmarks are the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, the latter built on the spot where it is believed that Muhammad rose into paradise. Its crowning gold dome has become a veritable symbol. The esplanade is also a reference point for both Jews and Christians as it was here that Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, Isaac. For Christians the holiest place is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Built on Mount Golgotha (Calvary), this is the spot where Jesus died on the Cross. It is also the site of his sepulchre or burial place, where he was resurrected on the third day. Also preserved is the Stone of Anointing, where Christ’s lifeless body rested. Many landmarks and endless queues; you need to be patient.

4. But, not everything is religion. Jerusalem also features examples of the avant-garde and some upmarket shopping precincts. If you walk along Mamilla Mall, judging by the brands on display there, you could easily be in London or Paris. Access to the mall is via the Jaffa Gate – have your visa ready!

5. The Mamilla is also Jerusalem’s first designer hotel, and a sanctuary for sybarites who relish sleeping against the backdrop of the old city walls and David’s Tower. Mamilla Hotel is a blend of the eternal and the avant-garde – millennial stone walls and metal headboards and, as a plus, a miraculous spa and a gourmet restaurant with privileged views.

6. Those with classical taste will perhaps prefer the King David, the epitome of a grand hotel. Once the headquarters of the British Mandate, the hotel now excels as a luxury establishment which has seen such illustrious overnighters as King Felipe and Queen Letizia, the Prince of Wales, Barack Obama, Nicolas Sarkozy and Margaret Thatcher and, from the world of celebrity fame, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Richard Gere and Madonna. The sober exterior of the hotel contrasts with the elegant, modern interior and the comfortable rooms. Prices are in keeping with the standing of its prestigious customers.

7. We head back to the old city to tour the Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Armenian quarters. In all these precincts the shops are well-stocked – food, a variety of souvenirs, perfumes, confectionery, religious objects, T-shirts and antiquities worth thousands of euros, including Roman coins, vessels from Christ’s time… If you can’t afford them, that shouldn’t put you off soaking up the charm of these alleyways and their people from all religions, races and cultures. Jerusalem’s old city is a melting pot thronging with Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews, Arabs, Christians, Westerners, Asians… Where bells chime and muezzins call to prayer.

8. A colourful and more affordable alternative is the local Mahane Yehuda market but, be warned – don’t go there on Shabbat (the Sabbath) as it is the Jewish holy day. The city comes to a standstill at sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday, an important detail to remember when planning your trip.

9. Before leaving Jerusalem, make sure you visit at least two of its museums. Yad Vashem is the Holocaust memorial, a world centre of documentation, research, education and commemoration, while the Israel Museum is where the Dead Sea Scrolls are on display, the oldest biblical manuscript in the world, as is an amazing mock-up of historical Jerusalem, which will help you understand the city.

10. To round off your trip, make your farewell from Mount Scopus where, in addition to viewing the skyline of the old city, you will also see the waters of the Dead Sea, another of those places worth visiting at least once in a lifetime.

What more could you ask for? Check out our flights here.

Text and images by Nani Arenas