This time we’re showcasing a more genuine Dublin – a Dubliner’s Dublin. We shall avoid tourist tracks – well covered by umpteen posts in the blogosphere – and provide you with a more contemporary vision.

Getting about the city is very easy as it is well connected, but we propose discovering Ireland’s capital on foot. Most of the spots we’ll be recommending are accessible on a pleasant stroll along the banks of the river Liffey.

Our first stop is a Georgian mansion, the house of Richard Wingfield, Viscount Powerscourt (1730-1788), and his wife, Lady Amelia. It has now been converted into a trendy shopping centre, the Powerscourt Shopping Centre. A gem of past times become contemporary. Under one roof you can see the transition from the Baroque to the Neoclassical. The interior features unique design, fashion, gastronomy and art shops, among others. It also houses six restaurants, notably The Pepper Pot, with its large menu of organic dishes, and Pygmalion, known for its snacks and breakfast based on local produce.

Nearby, along George´s Street, is one of the best gay and lesbian pubs, The George, perfect for listening to live music and having a good pint. Could it be otherwise? On entering, turn around and you will see one of the city’s most beautiful murals, executed by the artist, Joe Caslin. Dublin’s gay district is gradually gaining currency, opening up an alternative avenue in the city and well worth visiting.

On the street that bears the name of the legendary Irish guitarist, musician, composer and producer, Rory Gallagher, lies Meeting House Square. In summer, this square throngs with musical events, while all year around on Saturdays it hosts foodies at a quaint organic market studded with takeaway food stalls offering the best quality. Here you will also come across the Temple Oyster Bar. If you’re a lover of this bivalve shellfish, just do it!

Now that we’re in the heart of the famous Temple Bar area, a short way off the beaten track we come to Essex Street East, home to one of the most delightful men’s fashion shops in all Dublin, Indigo and Cloth.

If you’re a photography enthusiast, make sure you head for The National Centre for Contemporary Photography – their exhibitions are really excellent! You will discover thematic collections of old Dublin, the Irish countryside and remembrances of the Great Famine.

The city also boasts an unusual cinema, a meeting point for Bohemians and lovers of the seventh art, where you can also have the menu of the day; we’re talking about the Irish Film Institute. 

But, if you’re game for a unique extrasensorial gastronomic experience, make sure you book for the city’s on-trend restaurant, Sophie's restaurant, located on the terrace of the newly inaugurated The Dean Hotel. Any description of their service, and the glamorous, stylish decor, is unlikely to do it justice, not to mention the incredible 360-degree views of the city.

Lastly, if you’re sweet-toothed, don’t fail to give yourself a treat at Queen of Tarts, a café and patisserie which was opened in the late-nineties by the Fallon sisters. Among Dubliners, their unbeatable cakes and tarts are an open secret.

If you’ve been following this itinerary, you’ve obviously strayed from the traditional route. But, if you still have the time, we recommend taking a whole day off to see the city in one of the typical Hop on-Hop Off tourist buses. We guarantee that, by the end of the weekend, you will have finished Dublin off!

We’ll be returning to Dublin soon, as this year sees the Irish Design 2015 event,but we’ll get to that in another post… for further information, check out the Tourism Ireland website.

Hurry and book your tickets with Vueling – you’re closer than ever to Dublin!

Text by Tensi Sánchez of actitudesmgz.com

Photography by Verónica García

Marseille is full of surprises, or at least that’s the feeling you get when venturing into the city. This gateway to the Mediterranean has much more to offer than what is apparent at first sight. For starters, it has two harbours – the Vieux Port (Old Port), enclosed and fortified, a vestige of times when the coastline was invaded by pirates and hostile nations. And, the new – and larger – harbour which opens out to the sea and is a symbol of contemporary times. The elegant buildings lining the city’s streets have an unkempt, decadent yet inspiring air, while the fishing quarters smack of new trends in the guise of art galleries and cafés, and avant-garde spaces such as the MuCEM (Museum for the Civilisations of Europe and the Mediterranean) and the Villa Méditerranée, attesting to Marseille being much more than just a port city. And, in the midst of all this stands the highlight of this article, one of the works which prompts many architects to pilgrimage to Marseille –Le Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse.

This huge building, recently designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, together with 16 other architectural works by Le Corbusier, is one of the essential icons of modern architecture and one of the artificer’s major achievements. In this massive and equally beautiful colossus in concrete, the precursor of Brutalist art and ideologue behind architecture as we know it today successfully shaped the vertical city he had dreamed of, which he named the Unité d’habitation (Housing Unity). This was the first in a succession of similar residential buildings which were subsequently erected in Nantes-Rezé (1955), Berlin-Westend (1957), Briey (1963) and Firminy (1965).

Cité Radieuse, known locally as La Maison du Fada (The Nutter's House), is a large apartment block located in the south of Marseille on the Boulevard Michelet. It was designed in 1945 and built from 1947 to 1952. It is made up of 337 duplex apartments distributed over twelve storeys. Apart from its residential function, Le Corbusier also incorporated amenities into the design, including a commercial area on the seventh and eighth floors, gardens, a paddling pool, a gym, a theatre and a nursery on the spectacular rooftop. The edifice was built in rough-cast concrete and its standout feature are the supporting pilotis or piers, as well as the polychromed decoration on the balconies which set up a rhythm across the facade.

Most of the apartments are now private property, although sightseers are allowed to visit the common areas of the building. On the seventh and eighth floors you can see how most of the commercial units have been turned into design and architects studios. An exception to this is La Ventre de l’Architecte, a luxury restaurant affording splendid views of Marseille and the coast. The crowning touch is provided by another communal area, the rooftop, an area of surprises where architectural forms have been turned into spectacular sculptures affording views over the city. A pilot apartment can be visited as part of a guided tour, but be sure to book in advance with the Marseille Tourist Office. Those who would like to broaden their experience of the Cité Radieuse can stay overnight at the Hotel Le Corbusier, housed in the building itself.

Don’t miss the chance to visit Marseille and its architectural jewel, the Cité Radieuse. Book your Vueling here!

Text and photos by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Any sojourn in Madrid should include a brief escape to one of its best known parks, El Retiro. This huge green area, opened to the public in 1868, is not only effectively the city’s lung. It is also a well-trod social meeting point for many a Madrilenian, and tourists too. It also provides an immersion in nature, and is a well-known venue for sport and for hosting contemporary art exhibitions. Following is a rundown of the main reasons for counting this park among the highlights of your visit to Spain’s capital.

1. A Short Walk From Downtown Madrid

Having a 125-hectare park in a big city is quite a luxury – having it just a stone’s throw away is even more so. Indeed, any day of sightseeing in Madrid can easily be rounded off by taking a pleasant stroll through these splendid gardens, relaxing on the grass as you take in your natural surroundings or having some refreshment at one of the kiosks in the park. What more could you ask for?

2. Put a Garden in Your Life

Like any great green expanse, El Retiro boasts several landscaped areas in different styles which are well worth visiting. The most prominent ones are La Rosaleda, the French Parterre – site of the Ciprés Calvo (Bald Cypress), Madrid’s oldest tree – and the gardens of Vivaces, Cecilio Rodríguez and El Arquitecto Herrero Palacios.

3. Nature and Much More

To take literally the saying, no todo el monte es orégano (“not all the hills are oregano”, although this actually means “it’s not all plain sailing”), in this case not all of El Retiro are trees. Among the many sights you will across on your walks there is the Crystal Palace and the Velázquez Palace, annexes of the Reina Sofía National Art Museum which both act as exhibition areas. The park’s walkways and squares are also adorned with a large number of statues and fountains and you should also make a point of seeing its centrepiece, the “Estanque Grande” (Great Lake), surmounted by a statue of Alfonso XII.

4. One Big Outdoor Gym

El Retiro is a great spot for doing sport. At any time, but particularly at weekends, it is common to see people doing all kinds of sport in the park, from running to tai chi, yoga, kung fu, cycling, skating and even rowing on the Estanque Grande. Don’t hesitate to put on your sporting gear and take the chance to get fit in such agreeable surroundings as these.

5. In Search of Lucifer

If you happen to go to El Retiro with a local, it’s more than likely he or she will end up taking you to one of its landmark pavilions, especially the one housing theFountain of the Fallen Angel.This sculpture, the work of Ricardo Bellver, is one of the few extant depictions of Lucifer, which is why it tends to attract numerous passers-by. Executed in 1877, it was inspired by some verses in John Milton’s Paradise Lost (1667).

6. A Romantic Boat Ride

A perennial classic is the Estanque Grande, the veritable nerve centre of El Retiro. Here you can boldly treat your partner to a romantic ride in one of the rowing boats moored along the jetty.

Now that you know some of the reasons why you should include El Retiro on your Madrid itinerary, you can book your Vueling and look forward to experiencing it first-hand.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by bjaglin, Alex Bikfalvi, Teo Ruiz

If you visit Croatia, there is a way to go across the country, from south to north (or the other way around), in less than two weeks and visiting its three most interesting cities:

Dubrovnik (south), Zagreb (north) y Split (in the middle).

Dubrovnik

To get downtown from the airport, take a taxi (30-40€) or the buses from ATLAS company which drive regularly through the 20 km. from the airport to the city centre.

In the old town, do not miss the wall, the Franciscan Monastery with a pharmacy from 14th century, Lovrijencac Fountaine, Onofrio Fountain or Luza Square, and its surroundings. If you need more information or maps, the nearest Tourism Office is on Brsalje Street.

From the city, go and visit the Korcula island, the National Park of Mjle island or the Elafit islansi. The city of Ston and its Chinese wall or the medieval city Cavtat are other destinations near Dubrovnik. You can get to all these islands and cities by ferries or bus.

To get to the next destination, Split, there are buses mostly every hour, doing 223km. between both cities.

Split

Walking around the old town or the Palace of Diocletian, UNESCO heritage, is the first thing you should do when you arrive to the city. After the palace, take a walk in the seafront by the Adriatic sea. From Split you can visit Brac islands, Hvar or Vis, accesible by ferry, sailboat or fast boats.

Roman ruins from old Salona (Solin nowadays) are only 10 km. away from Split and are one of the most important archaeological sites in the country. Trogir, 28 km north, is also UNESCO heritage. To get there, there are buses and boats from the seafront. Finally, by the end of Cetina river, you can find a pinturesque village, Omis, 24 km. south and connected by bus to the city.

Before the final destination, Zagreb, Sibenik is 88 km. away and you can get there by bus or train. Do not miss its streets and the Santiago Cathedral, a UNESCO heritage. The Plitvice National Park is also near and the most known in Croatia. 16 lakes connected by waterfalls, you can sped from 3 to 8 hors walking around the spot. In the park there are hotels and two camping areas. It’s convenient to book previously.

Zagreb

Just arrived to Zagreb, a city with more than 40 museums, including Broken relationships Museum, Mimara Museumor Naif Art Museum.

“Uptown” you can visit Ban Josip Jelacic Square, Dolac Market, Katarina square or the J.J. Strossmayer Avenue.”Downtown” there are squares dedicated to Nikola Subic Zrinski, to the king Tomislav, or to Mariscal Tito. Finally, in the city centre, there are Contemporary Art Museum, el Bundek park, Jarun lake, Mirogoj cementery or Maksimir Park.

To get to Zagreb airport, 17 km. from the city centre, take the bus for 4,10€ or taxi for 30-40€.

Photos by Stewart Morris, Elena and Delaina Haslam. Thanks to the Croatian Tourism Office for the information.

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