After a long day visiting some of Madrid’s wonderful museums, delighting in its magnificent monuments, strolling along its streets (and getting lost) or just doing some shopping, we can certify that the best way of taking a breather – now that the good weather has arrived – is by taking in the views from the city’s heights while sipping on a refreshing beverage and savouring a culinary speciality. Here is our selection of some of the city’s best roof terraces to round off a long day’s work or sightseeing and to “kiss the Madrid sky”.

Círculo de Bellas Artes Rooftop

Currently all the rage, it is a must for anyone visiting Madrid. Just a few steps away from the Calle Alcalá, the marvellous views afforded by its rooftop are one of its major claims to fame – it is well worth the 4-euro admission fee. You can also indulge in their Tartan Roof culinary delicacies, crafted by their chef, Javier Muñoz-Calero.

Cibeles Terrace

Very near the Círculo de Bellas Artes, in Cibeles Square itself, stands the former Palacio de Telecomunicaciones which since 2011 is home to the Madrid City Hall and the CentroCentro cultural centre. For a 2-euro admission fee you can go up to the 8th-floor observation platform which offers 360° views of the city, with signs located at various spots on the terrace pinpointing Madrid’s major landmarks. Your visit can be enhanced by also stopping off on the sixth floor to access the Terraza Cibeles, where you can enjoy luxury cocktails accompanied by culinary delicacies while soaking up the splendid views. Be warned, though – the experience comes at a price (30 euros per head), and you are advised to book ahead.

Sabatini Terrace

Located on the rooftop of the Jardines de Sabatini Apartosuites, right opposite the Royal Palace, make a point of visiting their terrace merely to delight in the spectacular sunset extravaganza, with the palace in the background. You can embellish this stunning picture by ordering some delicious tapas and portions prepared by the chef, Chema de Isidro, and pair them with one of their wonderful cocktails. Advance booking is recommended.

El Viajero

In the heart of La Latina, right next to the popular Plaza de la Cebada, stands this two-storey bar-restaurant with a rooftop affording striking views of the Church of San Francisco. Their mojito is the star of the evening and you can accompany it with tasty pinchos and portions. This is the ideal spot to end off a long day’s sightseeing in the city and work up an appetite for the Madrilenian night.

Terraza del Urban

The icing on the cake of the luxury Hotel Urban – a five-star located in the Carrera de San Jerónimo – is this fantastic terrace, a summer classic in Madrid. Suitable for lovers of chic, you can also dip your feet in the pool while you savour some of their superb cocktails. While a bit on the expensive side, it is well worth the experience.

The Roof

Another hotel, the ME Hotel Madrid, is home to our next recommendation – The Roof. The roof terrace of this magnificent Modernist building is the perfect place to have a drink and enjoy the music while taking in some stunning views of the city backdrop.

Casa de Granada

Our last recommendation is situated next to the Plaza Tirso de Molina. To reach the roof terrace, you have to call on the intercom and go up in a narrow lift, but the ride ends with a reward – a splendid terrace offering finger-licking tapas in an interior with classical decor.

Now that you know where to secure some of the best views of Madrid, take a Vueling and experience them for yourself.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Ángela Ojeda Heyper

After a long day wandering around Birmingham, visiting its museums, discovering its industrial past and browsing in its shops, it is time to take a breather and enjoy the other side of the city – the more playful side, given over to flavours and experiences and to meeting its people. Not to be outdone by other destinations, Birmingham has many watering holes that break with the conventional, whether in their decoration, menu or location. Here is a selection of some of those which are well worth stopping at to replenish.

The Rose Villa Tavern
(172 Warstone Lane, Jewellery Quarter)

Located in the Jewellery Quarter, a must-see district, as it concentrates the largest number of jewellery stores in Europe. This pub is the perfect marriage between tradition and modernity. The interior is decorated with stained-glass windows, strikingly coloured floor tiles and the classical collection of wooden fixtures and vintage furniture charmingly highlighted in coloured tinges. The menu features traditional American food, accompanied by homemade beer and magnificent cocktails.

The Jekyll and Hyde
(28 Steelhouse Lane)

Endowed with two distinct personalities and, to do its name proud, this bar contains two well differentiated areas. The interior, distributed on two floors, is a classic Victorian-era pub. Hidden at the back of the first floor is a small outside patio with decoration that cannot fail to catch your attention, as it is inspired by Alice in Wonderland. But, there is more. In the afternoon you can have tea and a selection of homemade sandwiches and cakes. If, however, you are inclined towards stronger stuff, you can go for the cocktails served in unusual vessels. On Fridays they open the upstairs Gin Parlour, which features a large variety of gin brands and gin cocktails.

The Plough
(21 High St, Harborne)

The Plough is an inviting, modern bar. The interior is decorated with a profusion of details, many of vintage inspiration, such as the lamps, tables and floor tiles. The other forte is their patio which, weather permitting, you should not fail to visit. This is the perfect spot for having a brunch based on gourmet hamburgers, homemade pizzas or just some beer, while soaking up the patio ambience.

The Victoria
(48 John Bright Street)

This 19th-century theatre bar is located in the city centre and is the ideal spot for winding up a long day’s outing by having a pizza and a good homemade beer. As a curiosity, film- and music-lovers can put their knowledge to the test at the “Sound and Vision” contest held every Tuesday afternoon. By the way – keep your eyes skinned because they say there’s a ghost lurking in the walls of the bar!

Sugarloaf
(12 Bennett’s Hill)

A bar inside a restaurant? Well, yes, Sugarloaf is a Mexican-themed bar tucked away on the lower floor under the Mexican cantina, Bodega, which also features Mexico as the theme on its menu. It opens Wednesday to Saturday and, in addition to the classic, essential skulls ornamenting the locale, you will find tequila and mescal cocktails and DJ sessions.

PureCraft Bar & Kitchen
(30 Waterloo St)

This establishment, which specialises in homemade beer – of which you will find an extensive domestic and international list – is simply decorated, with a certain industrial air about it. Don’t hesitate to augment your pint by ordering one of their dishes, based on British cuisine and using local produce, with a refined touch and impeccable presentation.

Fancy exploring the coolest, tastiest  side of Birmingham? Get your tickets here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by The Rose Villa Tavern, The Jekyll and Hyde, The Plough, Bodega Cantina, Pure Craft Bar & Kitchen

Beaujolais, one of France’s major vinicultural regions, lies some 50 km north of Lyons and stretches northwards through the French department of Rhône and southwards along the Saône and Loire rivers. Midnight on the third Thursday in November is one of the crowning moments in the region when, to the cry of le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé! (the new Beaujolais has arrived), local vintners release one of their youngest and most international wines. This red wine, made from the gamay grape – the most widely used in the area – is characterised by its quick, merely weeks-long fermentation and by the fact that the whole production is released onto the market simultaneously. This is achieved through what is probably one of the best known marketing operations in the viticultural sector, with a worldwide reach – Japan, the United States and Germany are among its main importers.

All this marketing madness has its origins in something far simpler, the local tradition of celebrating the end of the harvest. To this end, a young wine was made and consumed solely in the region itself. However, the official birth date of this wine is 1951, when authorisation was granted to release it onto the market on 15 November. It then became popular throughout France and sparked fierce competition between vintners, who vied to be the first to take their bottled wine to Paris. Also significant is the figure of Georges Duboeuf, one of the leading producers in the region, credited with having christened the wine Beaujolais Nouveau and being the leading promoter of the label. In 1985, the release date was moved to the third Thursday in November, while the festival was scheduled for the weekend to boost sales.

A Veritable Wine Festival

But, not everything related to Beaujolais Nouveau is commercial. There is also time for entertainment, the perfect excuse to visit this beautiful grape-growing region during the festival. All types of wine-related festive activities – known as the Beaujolais Days – are held across the region. The most famous one is Les Sarmentelles, held in the town of Beaujeu, the region’s historical capital. It lasts five days and activities include a host of wine-tasting events, and the chance to savour local cuisine, as well as to enjoy their music and dance. Sports enthusiasts will relish the Beaujolais Marathon, a race which takes runners past several chateaux and where wines and cheeses are offered at the aid stations. The whole race is run in a festive spirit, with a large number of participants wearing fancy dress. Even the city of Lyon gets involved in the celebration by organising the so-called Beaujol’ympiades, where you can join in by tasting the twelve Beaujolais AOCs.

Beaujolais Beyond Their Nouveau

Apart from their great festival, Beaujolais has a lot to see, discover and enjoy. Many tourist guides tend to compare this region to Tuscany, and they aren’t far wrong. Visitors to Beaujolais will discover beautiful scenery carpeted with vineyards, with the odd chateaux peeping out, in addition to charming stone villages and excellent culinary offerings.

Ready to toast the first wine of the season? Get your Vueling here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Goproo3, yves Tennevin, Shunichi kouroki

A trip to Birmingham in the period from mid-November to the run-up to Christmas has a surprising added enticement, particularly for lovers of Christmas markets. That is when the Frankfurt Christmas Market and Craft Fair is held, a market in the purest German style in Britain’s second largest city. What’s more, it is the largest market of this type both in the United Kingdom and outside German itself. Not to be scoffed at!

For a few weeks, a number of quaint wooden stalls transform the city centre into a picturesque village revolving around the theme of Christmas. This magnificent market is sited in Birmingham’s emblematic Victoria Square – the heart of the city, with its Town Hall and Council House – as well as in Chamberlain Square and Centenary Square. As befits the occasion, Christmas lights and decoration are very much in evidence there.

So, what can visitors expect to find in the market? First, all kinds of Christmas decoration and gift objects, most of them hand made, such as wooden toys, candles and dolls. A large portion of the market is dedicated to craftwork sourced both locally and abroad.

Additionally, in line with German Christmas markets, fair-goers can spice up their visit by trying some of the German and Austrian culinary delicacies on offer: German sausage, pretzels, schnitzel, German beer, like weissbier (wheat beer), the popular mulled wine known as glühwein and hot chocolate. The market also offers attractions, ideal when accompanied by children, and the atmosphere is gingered up by live music.

More Christmas Shopping

In you haven’t had enough with just the market and require a stiffer spot of Christmas shopping, Birmingham is the perfect place to splash out. Here are some relevant recommendations:

Bullring. the city’s shopping area par excellence. It runs from New Street to St Martin’s Church and features no fewer than 160 shops, as well as two department stores. You are unlikely to remain impassive at the sight of the stunningSelfridgesbuilding, designed by the Future Systems architects studio and a veritable icon of the city.

Jewellery Quarter. As its name indicates, this is where jewellery business are concentrated. Here, 40% of the United Kingdom’s jewellery is produced. Located in downtown Birmingham, it boasts a tradition going back several centuries. The quarter houses some 100 retail outlets where you can purchase both new pieces and vintage jewels by weight.

Great Western Arcade. A shopping arcade located between Colmore Row and Temple Row, in the heart of the city. One of its major attractions are the premises themselves, as the stores are housed in an elegant Victorian building.

Custard Factory. Enthusiasts of things original and striking will find themselves at home on these premises, the former Bird’s Custard factory, situated in the industrial district of Digbeth. The interior is taken up artists’ and creatives’ studios, side by side with shops and bars where you can take a breather. There is a grand total of 30 stores displaying the latest trends in fashion, vintage garments, contemporary jewellery, artworks, bicycles, skateboards and many other things.

Mailbox. If exclusive design and luxury brands are for you, look no further than this shopping area located in Commercial Street. This complex includes the BBC Birmingham studios, the Harvey Nichols luxury department store, and two hotels. The back of the building, which gives onto a canal, is full of terraces with bars and restaurants for you to relax in after all your hectic shopping.

Ready for a Christmas shopping spree in Birmingham? Check out your flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Photos by Horst Gutmann, Custard Factory, Basti V, Tony Hisgett, Guy Evans