When planning a trip to Sicily, what springs to mind is the island’s astounding heritage – the result of its eventful past – as well as the chance to see an active volcano like Mt Etna, taste its delicious, varied cuisine, have a bathe in its magnificent waters or simply let yourself be carried away by its decadent magic. And, why deny it, devotees of The Godfather who want to discover the cradle of the Sicilian Mafia have things cut out for them here. Who would have though that the largest island in the Mediterranean, coveted and invaded over the centuries by Greeks, Germanic tribes, Saracens, Normans, Spaniards and, finally, Italians would end up becoming a destination for tourists in search of experiences and souvenirs.

The capital, Palermo, is a must-visit city for any tourists worth their salt. What a delight it is to wander along the city’s labyrinthine streets and behold the sheer number and variety of monuments, a melange of the Byzantine, Arab, Norman, Renaissance and Baroque. It is a pleasure for art lovers and sightseers alike.

Mummies in the Catacombs of the Capuchins

However, those who hanker for something over and above myriad monuments in Palermo, or who simply wish to add a touch of mystery and morbid fascination to their stay in the city – and are prepared for the odd nightmare – should not hesitate to jot down on their wish list a visit to the Catacombs of the Capuchins. Situated in the Piazza Cappuccini, on the outskirts of Palermo, it offers what is certain to be one of the most unusual shows on the island as it houses the mummies of numerous Palermitani. We aren’t aware of whether they rest in peace, what with so many tourists milling about the rooms, but they do manage to stir up fear and inspiration for the odd horror movie.

The story goes that, from the 17th to the late-19th century, the friars in this community used to mummify and thus preserve for posterity the bodies of numerous Palermitani – specifically, those who requested and were able to afford it. To achieve this they resorted to a rather rudimentary technique which involved eliminating all moisture from the corpses inside a cave with a very dry atmosphere and then bathing them in vinegar, after which the bodies were left to dry in the sun, to complete the process of mummification. Quite shocking, isn’t it?

When filing through the catacombs, you get the feeling you are not alone, but accompanied by a bizarre retinue, some of whose members are lying down and others hanging vertically against the walls, dressed in all their finery and meticulously arranged by gender and social class. The headiest and severest moment on the tour is when you see the mummy of the little girl, Rosalia Lombardo, who died in 1920 at the age of two and who seems to be more asleep than dead. It is almost impossible not to feel cold shivers when setting eyes on her.

The strangest thing about this story is that the reason for this practice is not known, while there is no other place on the island where corpses are preserved in this manner.

Pluck up the courage to visit this unusual spot, suitable only for dare-devils and lovers of the bizarre. Book your Vueling here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Juan Antonio F. Segal

Just 50 kilometres from one of France’s most widely visited landmarks, Mont Saint-Michel, and very near another de rigueur tourist resort, Saint-Malo, lies Cancale, which guards a very special culinary secret. This small town in Brittany boasts what are considered to be the best oysters in France. Some even dare to claim they are the best in the world. Whatever their actual rating, the oysters of Cancale are clearly world famous and it is worth making a stopover just to try them.

The Romans are said to have been the first to discover the fine quality of the oysters here, while centuries later, Louis XIV and Napoleon counted them among their favourites, and no wonder! Just as wine is a reflection of the earth that nurtures the grapes it is made from, the quality of this prized mollusc is determined by the place where it is found. It transpires that this stretch of coastline in Brittany is endowed with excellent nutrients, which would account for their special flavour.

Cancale, where fishing has been the major source of income for centuries, has now been given over to oyster cultivation. Your visit will take you to see the oyster rafts and, even more impressively, the ritual of harvesting. A word of warning, though – the success of this display will depend on the state of the tides, so take this into account when planning your trip. Should this not be enough for you, and assuming you would like to gain expertise in the matter, be sure to visit the Ferme Marine de Cancale, an exhibition area where you can boost your knowledge of these prized molluscs and learn about the “Gardeners of the Sea”.

However, Cancale is not only a place to learn about oyster culture, but to taste their exquisite huîtres (oysters), too. In the harbour, next to the Pointe des Crolles lighthouse, you will find a number of stalls where you can get your hands on a good helping of these small delicacies and savour them right there on the beach. There are many prices and types – flat oysters are the most highly valued – and, optionally, you can also squeeze lemon juice on them and ask for them to opened.

If you prefer to eat the oysters or other sea delights more comfortably seated, there are several restaurants along the esplanade where you can indulge in this pleasure, and a generous helping of seafood is reasonably priced. A classic to order is mussels and chips, a traditional dish in the area.

For those seeking quite another gastronomic experience and who have a sizeable current account, this is the land of the acclaimed chef, Olivier Roellinger. Very near Cancale, the Château Richeux houses Le Coquillage, a magnificent restaurant which bears out, day after day, just why it was awarded three Michelin stars – which Roellinger turned down, incidentally – and why his cuisine continues to be exquisite. And – you guessed it – the splendid oysters of Cancale are on the menu.

So, now that you have scoped the spot where the best oysters in France (and the world) are said to be cultivated, it’s time to book your Vueling to Rennes – less than an hour’s drive from Cancale – and treat yourself to that exquisite delicacy.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Julien Barrier, sam.romilly

What do Ben Hur, La Dolce Vita, Gangs of New York and Nine have in common? At first glance, we might think… nothing, but, if we pay attention to the credits, we will see they were all shot at Cinecittá. For many of us, these film studios, located on the outskirts of Rome, are inevitably associated with the name of the great Federico Fellini, but they have also been a privileged host to some of the best moments in cinema history, and the spot where a large number of movie stars converged.

This “Cinema City” was built in 1937 after the previous studios were destroyed in a fire, the cause of which has never been accounted for. The construction project was commissioned to the engineer, Carlo Roncoroni, and the architect, Gino Peressutti. The aim was to build a veritable city of the seventh art, capable of competing with Hollywood itself, which would turn Italian cinema into a worldwide beacon. It should be noted that Mussolini’s Fascist regime was in power at the time and, like Germany, the Italian regime regarded cinema as a powerful propaganda tool.

Fortunately for us, not everything produced there was regime propaganda as it eventually became the place that witnessed the passage of great names in the history of Italian cinema – Roberto Rossellini, Federico Fellini, Vittorio De Sica and Luchino Visconti.

Production came to a halt when the Second World War broke out, and the premises were even put to a different use. Two years before the war came to an end, Cinecittá was occupied by the Nazis and converted into a concentration camp for civilians. It was subsequently bombarded by Allied forces and then turned into a shelter for internally displaced people. All this upheaval led to the loss of most of the technical equipment and machinery once housed in the studios.

After weathering those dark years, Cinecittà gradually evolved into its period of greatest splendour. First, it became the site of grand American productions, featuring such unforgettable movies as Ben Hur,Quo Vadis? and Cleopatra. Second, this was where the careers of the great figures of Italian cinema unfolded. And, the presence of the Americans brought a fresh lease of life and modernity to the Eternal City, as so accurately portrayed in Fellini’s La Dolce Vita.

But all golden ages have their expiry date and the number of large-scale productions began to wane in the seventies, losing out to television. The fact is that the trend of block-buster productions started falling behind, while Italian cinema gradually ceased to be a major player on the world scene. Despite this, the studios can still boast of having been involved in such movies as The Godfather III, by Francis Ford Coppola (1988), The English Patient, by Anthony Minghella (1996), Gangs of New York, by Martin Scorsese (2002), The Passion of the Christ, by Mel Gibson (2004) and the popular television series,HBO Rome (2005-2007).

On a curious note and perhaps as a symbol of our times, Cinecittá is currently the premises of the house and set of Grande Fratello, the Italian version of Big Brother, a contest which has become one of the great television hits.

Cinecittá is now a place of pilgrimage for any film-lovers worth their salt, although what remains to experience is merely an exercise in nostalgic reunion with a period in which cinema was different. It is also a good excuse for taking the whole family along to teach the new generations some cinema history and show them one of its landmark venues. In addition to its sets and some of the most popular set designs, visitors can also see the exhibitions hosted in the Fellini Building.

Nowadays, it might feel weird to stroll through those almost ghostly spaces, tinged with the decadence of time, and try to relive the period in which the great American film stars walked those corridors. What is guaranteed though is the flush of excitement one feels when catching sight of its stunning, iconic entrance.

Ready for a trip to the cinema? Check out your Vueling to Rome here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, Carlo Mirante

Milan is celebrated as having one of the highest economic development rates among Italy’s cities. It is also famed for being one of the international hubs of fashion and design. When considering a trip to this incredible city, we inevitably think of attending one of its great fashion shows, roaming through its boundless Furniture Fair or delighting in window shopping its fabulous stores and splashing out on the amazing apparel, if we can afford it.

Some head for Milan to soak up its cultural assets by visiting its most emblematic monuments, notably the Duomo or the Castello Sforzesco, relishing the artworks housed in the Pinacoteca di Brera, the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana and the Museo del Novecento, or venturing into the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. There, the art lover is greeted by one of the icons of art history, Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Then again, others prefer to don their finery to attend an opera performance in the iconic Teatro alla Scala.

The Carnevale Ambrosiano

No less celebrated is one of Milan’s more spirited, entertaining facets – its Carnival. When the subject of Italy’s carnivals comes up, it is common to talk about the two most popular instances in the land. First, the Venice Carnival, with its magnificent face masks and spectacular period costumes, which unfolds against the magical backdrop of that unique city. The other is the Viareggio Carnival, where festival-goers never fail to be amazed by the mechanical ingenuity of the floats that file past during the parade.

The Carnevale Ambrosiano, as Milan’s carnival is known, offers a peculiarity which makes it stand out from the rest – its duration. Carnival usually ends on Carnival Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras, which then gives way to Ash Wednesday, marking the start of Lent. In the case of Milan, it extends four more days, lasting until the Saturday, known locally as Sabato Grasso. And, it’s not merely because of some whim, as the reason for its duration is related to a long-standing legend. It is said that the bishop, St Ambrose, the patron saint of Milan, who happened to be on a long pilgrimage in foreign lands, requested an extension of Carnival until his return to the city, as he wished to celebrate the start of Lent with all his people.

Like any noteworthy carnival, the Milan Carnival prizes itself on its parades and street festivities, characterised by a fanfare of colour, music and festive atmosphere. On the Saturday, the crowning event is a grand parade which ends in one of the city’s most emblematic spots, the Piazza del Duomo.

One of the standout aspects of this Carnival is the traditional costume known as the Meneghino. Just as the figure of the harlequin is traditional in Bergamo, or Pantaleon in Venice, the Milan Carnival has its own popular figure, drawn from the Italian Commedia dell'arte. TheMeneghinocan be spotted by his three-cornered hat.

Among the traditional confectionery loved by the Milanese are the chiacchiere and bugie, simple fried pastries made of flour and coated in castor sugar which are ideal for topping up your strength between one street party and the next.

Don your mask and come to Milan to delight in its Carnival!

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by gnuckx