It might seem small, but you won’t get through Formentera in a couple of days. Or even in four or five. A sideline for some, and an essential destination for many, Formentera has a really big variety of quality culinary offerings, as well as being an idyllic spot for ambling around, and where you can literally lose track of time. In short, the island can be enjoyed in bites – varied, enticing and affordable. Here, then, are some proposals to satisfy your appetite via a range of different culinary offerings.

Ensalada Payesa

This is the island’s most emblematic dish. A simple, light and tasty salad, it includes fish dried in the island’s sun and sea breeze. Ideal for wetting your appetite. Served in an earthenware bowl at Can Forn, a benchmark restaurant for the finest traditional cuisine. For the best home-fried fish at the seaside, you can’t go wrong at Vogamarí, which also serve great croquettes and calamares a la bruta (calamari in their ink).

Rice

This is probably the food featured most on menus at virtually all restaurants on the island. Among the finest there is black rice and soupy rice with lobster at Can Rafalet, a classic on the up and up at Es Caló de Sant Agustí. Its terraces is among the most coveted in town, on account of the spectacular views. For multiple-customer paellas at knockdown prices, head for the Pelayo beach bar, one of the most alternative spots on the island, on Migjorn beach.

Snacks

Nothing better than a good yango, with your feet in the sand, as you wait for the sun to set on the beach at Ses Illetes. The best option, however, is to hop on board Sa Barca de Formentera, sail around the north as far as S’Espalmador, have a nice swim and, on the return trip, stop off alongside the vessel at the Beso Beach Club, a beach bar offering market cuisine and exotic sandwiches crafted by their chef, Carles Abellán.

Pizzas

If you’re surrounded by Italians and still fancy a pizza, the best are to be had at Macondo, in the town of Sant Ferran. Their variety is endless and you are advised to work up an appetite before you go, as the size of their pizzas and other dishes – like pasta – is considerable. Allow yourself to be pleasantly surprised by Macondo and go for the desserts, too, as they are home made. For afters, drop in on the adjacent Fonda Pepe, the centre of the island’s hippy movement, to order a mitjanet (chaser) of gin tonic or pomada.

Fish and Seafood

You will grow weary of seeing places offering seafood and fresh fish. The most select ones are in the area of Ses Illetes but, if you prefer something quieter and more genuine, try the day’s grilled fresh fish at Conxita i Xicu, on La Mola (Avinguda la Mola 36), a former pastry shop. Do have one of their pastries! You could also opt for lobster and fried eggs at the restaurant, Des Arenals, on the beach of the same name. You won’t be disappointed. And, speaking of eggs, neither can you go wrong with the free-range ones at Can Dani, the only Michelin star on the island.

If you can fit a good swig of wine in between so many snacks, the local fare at the Terramoll winery is highly recommended, as is a dusk cocktail at Piratabus.

Where to Sleep

The quaint Hotel Maisy, on Des Arenals beach, is known for its impeccable, family-style service and for its location next to Migjorn beach and the Caló des Mort. Its rooms with a view have been recently refurbished, as have the surroundings of their outside pool. It also has a restaurant and a bicycle hire service to move around the area.

Move it! Make haste and book your flight with Vueling to this wonderful island.

Text by Belén Parra of Gastronomistas

If you travel to Trieste, don’t fail to visit its historical cafés. Part of their patina is due to their connection with literary figures – writers such as Svevo, Saba, Stendhal and Joyce frequented these establishments in search of conversation, inspiration and rest.

While these cafés enjoyed their moment of splendour in the late-19th and early-20th century, they have endured to the present, albeit with some changes, transporting their customers back to a bygone age. Visitors can admire their wooden furnishings, framed in tall architectural devices, the classic marble tables and an atmosphere redolent with the aroma of coffee.

Here are some of the standout historical cafés of Trieste:

Caffè Tommaseo (Piazza Tommaseo, 4/c)

Opened in 1830 by the Paduan, Tommaso Marcato, this is Trieste’s oldest café. It was decorated by the painter, Gatteri, who among other things commissioned the mirrors to be brought from Belgium. It was once a meeting place of merchants and writers and the first establishment in the city to serve ice-cream. It also used to host art exhibitions and concerts, a tradition still kept alive on its premises.

Caffè degli Specchi (Piazza Unità d’Italia, 7)

Founded in 1839 by the Greek, Nicolò Priovolo, it is located in one of the most privileged spots in Trieste, the Piazza Unità d’Italia, on the ground floor of the Stratti building. When you get to this café, you are hard put to decide where to sit – the interior is still tinged with the charm of its glorious past, while the terrace affords lovely views of the square and the sea. Curiously, during World War II it was used to garrison troops, and also as a warehouse and even a stable.

Caffè Tergesteo (Piazza della Borsa, 15)

Housed in the shopping arcade of the Tergesteo Palace, the former seat of Trieste’s stock exchange, it is famed for its stained-glass windows depicting scenes from the city’s history. It was once frequented during the day by businessmen who attended the stock exchange, and by night by the cultural elite.

Caffè San Marco (Via Battisti, 18)

The early years of this café were troubled ones. Having opened in 1914, the following year it was closed down and destroyed by Austro-Hungarian troops for having been the meeting place for the irredentists. It was rebuilt in the twenties, when its regular clientele featured such literary figures as Saba, Svevo and Giotti. It is now a café, cultural centre and library and still breathes the atmosphere of another age.

Caffè Torinese (Corso Italia, 2)

The first thing that strikes one when entering this bar, opened in 1915, is its Art Nouveau decoration, the work of the Trieste cabinet-maker, Debelli. Another stunning feature is the spectacular crystal chandelier that lights its comfortable interior. The current owners have managed to endow the locale with a cool, modern air in the guise of its cocktails and its wine list, which includes local wines.

How to Order a Coffee in Trieste

While this might sound outlandish, Trieste has its own names for different types of coffee and you should bear this in mind unless you want to end up gawking at the waiter who has just served up your order. An expresso is called a nero, while a capuccino is known as caffè latte. If you want a macchiato, you have to ask for a capo (capuccino) and, if you’d like your coffee served in a glass, you should specify “in a b”, as “b” is the abbreviation for glass (bicchiere) in Italian.

Ready for a good cup of coffee in Trieste? Book your Vueling here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Photos by dani7c3, Caffè Tommaseo, Caffè Torinese, Caffè degli Specchi

Bari is the cradle of Italy’s finest cuisine. The vera (true) cradle, that is. Any local will tell you so, as will any northerner, well aware of the excellence of the produce bathed by the Adriatic. If you think the food is good everywhere in Italy, wait till you sink your teeth into a dish in this southern enclave.

Street Food – From Focaccia to Sgagliozze

Bari’s old town is the best showcase for street food. Starting with the open-air Mercato del Pesce (Fish Market), where fishermen display their wares every day. Very fresh, clean and raw is how the locals purchase their fish, to eat it right there if necessary. With a Peroni birra in hand, of course. Your gaze will be riveted by the sea urchins, squid and octopus which they have just thrashed on the nearby jetty. The helpings are generous for the price.

Around the Basilica di San Nicola, the thing to do is order a focaccia in the historic Fiore bakery before strolling down the alleyways. Many of the local housewives make and then dry the various types of craft pasta in the open air. It’s a privilege to see them tirelessly kneading the pasta dough and shaping it.

In the so-called strada della pasta (street of pasta) you will come across the Caputo Rino family cooking anything that goes past. The family members are as genuine as the dishes they prepare. You will be entranced by their natural demeanour and will inevitably take a seat at one of their tables, as long as you have booked beforehand. If you want to visit the most amazing spots, allow yourself to be guided by the people at Velo Service, who can drive you from one place to another and save you from getting tired.

At dusk it is the turn of the sgagliozze street stalls to come alive. This fried polenta dish is also an icon of Bari, as are the panzerotti or fried sandwiches stuffed with local cheese and tomato. And, if you fancy hitting the town, then while away the wee hours in the bars and have one of the croissants served only at daybreak in the Piazza Mercantile before hitting the hay. Although, when it comes to good snacks and confectionery, try the ones at Martinucci, where the coffee is also great.

Indulge, too, in the ice-creams at Gentile, alongside the Norman-Swabian castle – they are fleeting but delicious. In season, have a go at the zeppole, based on a traditional Apulia confectionery, or the classic pistachio and Nutella.

And, be sure to stop at the grocer shops in the inner city where you will find local sausage. Go in and have a taste, and then take some with you as a souvenir.

Signature Cuisine From the Local Larder

Bari’s restaurants know how to get the most out of their local produce, without charging anything exorbitant. We can highly recommend Giampaolo for their lavish slew of seafood and fresh fish, as well as their pizzas and homemade desserts.

It’s worth getting out of the city to taste signature cuisine as a counterpoint to the traditional fare. The closest venue is Umami Ristorante, located in a country house near the main road. You will be pleasantly surprised at their wholesome offerings. A plethora of nicely presented local produce.

More remote and undoubtedly the boldest restaurant is Giuseppe Iannotti’s one-star Michelin Krèsios. You will be blown away by their tasting menu, an embellishment of the landscape and the Italian larder in a grand repertoire of sensations, paired with excellent items from their wine cellar. To top off the experience, stay over for the night in one of the rooms surrounded by vineyards.

Furtive Night Cuisine

At Bari’s only clandestine bar you can opt either for their cocktails or for a set of tapas based on snacks and savoury cupcakes. The bar counter is in one building, and the tables in the one next door. So you should check out in advance whether you can also have a bite to eat or have to make do with a drink. The venue is located in a secluded street near the harbour and its name – Speakeasy – is only uttered sotto voce – that is, in hushed tones.

Where to Sleep

Hotel Imago. A boutique hotel with just a few rooms set between the old quarter and the more modern districts. Apart from the optimum level of bustle, it is located in the heart of the shopping district and is very well connected. The rooms are spacious, the furniture functional, breakfast is continental and the wi-fi free-of-charge. 

Now that you know how to eat Bari up, book your Vueling and enjoy it!

Text and photos by Belén Parra for Gastronomistas

In Santander, we have met one of these persons who knows the town like the back of his hand. While he is talking about history and curiosities of Santander, he takes us through different bars and taverns in order to show us every specialty of each place.

At a dramatic pace we go from one tavern to other while he recommends us tasting the best bite of cod, or he warns how rude is the waiter in that place but let´s going in because they have the best seafood! Or “here there is the bestpiconcheese you can ever taste” There is no time to waste because in Santander there are many good taverns and he wants to show us all of them (or, at least, he will try)

The tavern tour is not quite expensive, because in Santander bites and plates are cheaper than in other northern towns. Bites cost between €1 and €2,50 and plates between €6 and €18 depending on what is ordered.

From beautiful Plaza Porticada (arcaded square), that hosted the International Festival of Santander for many years, to the popular neighborhood of Puertochico let´s walk around the excellent cuisine of Santander!

El Marucho
Calle Tetuán 21

Typical restaurant and bar without any comfort but where you can enjoy some exellent fish and seafood well-priced. Here we tasted some extraordianr rabas. During the high season it is not easy to find a place.

La Flor de Tetuán
Calle Tetuán 18

The specialty of this bar is fish and seafood. Prize is higher than in other local places but they serve the best grilled shrimp in Santander (plate costs about €12). Rabas, barnacles, spatter ... all the seafood is great!.

La Bodega de Santoña
Calle Peña Herbosa 21, enfrente del edificio del Gobierno Regional

Typical products from Cantabria like cheese and anchovies.

Casa Lita
Paseo de Pereda 37, al lado de Puerto chico

Great assortment of tapas and snacks from the more classic ones, like the bite of tortilla (Spanish omelette) to their own specialty Cantabrian bite. His chef, Joseba Guijarro, has one Michelin star and Casa Lita has awards for the quality of its bites.

Bodega Fuente Dé
Calle Peña Herbosa

Here we find picón cheese, an excellent blue cheese made in Cantabria. When you get into Bodega Fuente Dé, a hard mix of smells of cheese and pickles bits your nose. Few minutes later, this smell develops in an addictive fragance.They also serve tapas and typical dishes like cocido montañés, cocido lebaniego or picadillo de Potes.

El Solorzano
Calle Peña Herbosa 17

Vermouth with siphon. Great assortisment of tapas, mussels, rabas (squid rings), (tentacles), and many others.

El Diluvio
Calle General Mola 14

Just like Casa Lita, this place is a pioneer in Santander in serving elaborated tapas as País Vasco style. La Cigaleña
Daoiz y Velarde, 19

Un auténtico museo del vino en el que probar especialmente la tapa de bacalao rebozado. Riquísimas.

Tapas y Vinos
Calle Marcelino Sautuola

Rioja wine well-served and excellent tapas. The best one is the Spanish omelette with pork rinds.

El Tivoli
Calle Marcelino Sautuola

Exquisite squid rings and tentacles and very well served portions of ham.

La Conveniente
Calle de Gómez Oreña, 9

With to El Marucho, it is one of the most frequented by Santander visitors. Good plates of anchovies and fried bites served on big tables, that we ate all together listening a piano music.

El Cañadio
Calle de Gómez Oreña, 15

Excellent tapas cooked by one of the best chefs in the town. Here we ended the tapas tour because we ate too much not because there were no more bars or restaurants.

When we were returning home, he still recommended us to go to El Riojano (that looks like a museum with its painted by celebrities barrels), La Gloria, El Cantabria, Las Hijas de Florencio, La Malinche, Días de Sur, La Bodega de Jesús Quintanilla...

So you feel like visiting Santander, do you? Book your flights here!