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

Saint Ranieri is the patron of the Tuscan city of Pisa and of travellers. Spectacular celebrations in his honour and commemorating his death are held each year on 17 June and the previous day. The highlights are the Luminara di San Ranieri and the Regatta Storica, staged in some of the city’s most emblematic spots.

Luminara di San Ranieri – Pisa by Candlelight

On 16 June, as the sun begins to set, Pisa comes alight with the Luminara di San Ranieri. Thousands of lights appear in windows and on cornices, illuminating the outlines of buildings, churches and bridges and setting up a unique and very beautiful effect. Some 70,000 candles, known as lampanini or lumini, placed in cups and on candlesticks, are consumed in this spectacle of light. The display is magical and a stroll along the banks of the river Arno and across its bridges as you contemplate the reflections of the lights playing on the surface of the water is an unforgettable experience.

That night is the ideal time for visiting the city’s landmark buildings which, being lit up, provide an extraordinary sight. The 12th-century city walls on the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of the Miracles) frame a monumental complex consisting of the Duomo and the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Baptistery and the Monumental Cemetery – a whole historical complex enhanced by the candlelight. At 11 p.m. a great fireworks display starts up at the Cittadella Vecchia (Old Citadel), painting the sky of Pisa in a host of colours. That is when everybody congregates around the river Arno as it affords the best view of the spectacle.

Regatta Storica di San Ranieri 

On the following day, the feast of Saint Ranieri, the celebrations continue across the whole city, featuring music, dancing and banquets. Another noteworthy event in honour of the saint takes place that same day, the Regatta Storica di San Ranieri, a race between rowing boats representing Pisa’s four historical districts – San Francesco, San Martino, Santa Maria and Sant’ Antonio. The boats are reconstructions of the stefaniane, a typical rowing boat used by the Order of the Cavalieri di Santo Stefano.

Apart from the Leaning Tower, What Else is there to See?

Pisa is the jewel of Tuscany, a destination that attracts thousands of tourists eager to soak up its art and historical heritage. The birthplace of Galileo Galilei has a lot to offer, apart from the Leaning Tower. Corso Italiai s the city’s shopping precinct, the ideal place for picking up an Italian fashion garment or for enjoying the café terraces. Borgo Stretto, too, with its elegant bars and haute couture stores. This medieval alley eventually leads into the Piazza dei Cavalieri (Knights’ Square), the city’s historic centre. The square boasts centuries-old buildings, such as the Palazzo della Carovana, also known as the Palazzo dei Cavalieri, built as the headquarters of the Order of the Knights of St Stephen, which now houses one of Italy’s most prestigious universities, the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa. Opposite stands the Palazzo dell’Orologio (Clock Palace) with its two medieval towers. Legend has it that this palace was built over the remains of the Torre della Fame (Tower of Hunger) where, as cited in Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, the Conte Ugolino della Gherardesca was imprisoned, together with his sons, accused of treason by the archbishop. The key to their cell was thrown into the river Arno and they all died slowly of hunger.

Incidentally, Piazza Dante is another of the city’s landmarks. It provides smooth access into the alleyways of the medieval city with its countless bars and restaurants serving Tuscan cuisine. The food is excellent in Pisa and, by avoiding the more commercial circuits around the Leaning Tower, is not necessarily expensive.

Text by Scanner FM

Images by Fabio Gismondi | elenavataga | Federico Caboni | Alex | Alessandro | Guillaume Baviere

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

You would be hard put not to fall in love with San Sebastián and its people, its streets, its beaches. And, if you happen to be a foodie, there’s no way you could resist its charms. Their meticulous sourcing of local produce is tangible, they handle meat and fish like nobody else and they boast an irresistible culture of pintxos.

Being a city with good food and an amazing culinary array ingrained in its DNA, it’s always useful to have a list of favourites handy when embarking on an escape to the capital of Guipúzcoa. Here, then, is our top five:

The Best Pintxos… at Zazpi
That’s what we say, from experience, backed up by them twice having won the Guipúzcoa pintxos champions award. In the kitchen, young chef Paul Arrillaga shows his craftsmanship over the fires. Spirited and with a clear idea of what he wants, he turns out creative offerings without masking the quality product. Zazpi has the advantage of not being located in the much-trumpeted “Parte Vieja” (Old Town), while their tables and bar counter are filled each day with bites that will leave a smile on your face. Their latest award-winning pintxo is asparagus with egg yolk and asparagus heart. Other dishes that come highly recommended are the txipis (squid-ink calamari), vichyssoise with foie gras and caviar, stewed pig’s ear and glazed cheek of pork.

The Best Txuleta… at Casa Urola
A historic restaurant in San Sebastián’s Parte Vieja which never fails to please. Revamped traditional cuisine and top-notch product crafted by chef Pablo Loureiro Rodil, who pampers the seasonal fare and runs a grillroom which is unique in the city. Their awesome txuleta (pork chops) are rivalled by such great dishes as sauteed country beans, potato froth, codfish flakes and olive oil, tempered oyster in Iberian cheek of pork, cream of cauliflower, prawn soup and lemon zest oil, and hake fillet with cheek of hake and clams.

The Best Omelette… at Nestor
One at 1 p.m. and another at 8 p.m. – two omelettes a day for the lucky ones who sign on to Nestor’s “delivery list” (not reservation list), which opens an hour in advance. It is well worth the treasure hunt to be able to sink your teeth into an omelette like nothing you might have tried before. They have just enough onion, pepper and potato to allow the egg to jiggle and fall juicily onto the plate.

The Best Cheesecake… at La Viña
A classic – La Viña’s cheesecake, the “sweet pintxo” to mark the final flourish of a pintxo-hopping morning. We’ve tried it and can safely say it lives up to its reputation. Golden-brown on the outside, smooth and creamy on the inside; you really must taste it if you regard yourself as a genuine cheesecake lover. And, speaking of cheesecakes, be lenient on yourself and head some 10 kilometres out of San Sebastián to one of the leading restaurants in the area, Zuberoa, in Oiartzun – their cheesecake is simply divine!

The Best Cocktails… A Dry María Cristina
We wind up our tour of surefire San Sebastián offerings with the best drink in town. Bearing the seal of Javier de las Muelas and served up in an amazing setting, the cocktails at Dry are a true experience. Martinis, classic-style mixes and avant-garde creations await you in their legendary María Cristina. The perfect excuse to set foot in this historic hotel and swoon in the unique atmosphere.

Book your Vueling to San Sebastián and gear up to explore the gastro side of Guipúzcoa’s capital.

Text by Silvia Artaza of Gastronomistas.com

Photos by Silvia Artaza and establishments