Like clogs, windmills and bicycles, the tulip as a symbol is intimately linked to one’s image of Holland. This bulb, which originated in Anatolia and the Middle East, reached Europe in the 16th century and was met with marked admiration, particularly in the Low Countries. There, just one century later, it sparked a phenomenon that came to be known as “tulip mania”. As a result, the flower became a veritable cult object, fetching exorbitant prices and eventually being listed on the stock exchange. This ended up triggering the first recorded economic bubble in history, on account of the speculation that emerged around this product.

Nowadays, tulips inundate the Dutch countryside each spring, turning it into a genuine explosion of colour. It is well worth a getaway to the Netherlands just to contemplate it. For those eager to savour this priceless flower to the full, we have put together a selection of places you can’t fail to include on your must-see list.

Keukenhof, a Park With Over 7 Million Flower Bulbs
Keukenhof is located in Lisse, between Amsterdam and The Hague, in the heart of what is known as the “Bulb Region”. Here you will encounter an amazing 7 million plus flower bulbs, the sight of which is overpowering. This is a must-visit site for flower lovers and nature devotees in general. But, Keukenhof is not celebrated just for its huge number of flowers, but also for its landscape design, featuring lakes, fountains, walkways and windmills, making up a surprisingly heady ensemble. The only drawback is that this marvellous garden is only open to the public at the time of the tulip blossom; that is, from mid-March to the end of May and, owing to the large crowds that flock here, it is advisable to book well in advance.

En Route Through Bollenstreek, The Bulb Region
The area known as the Bulb Region (Bollenstreek, in Dutch) is another destination you should make a point of visiting in spring. Situated 30 kilometres south-west of Amsterdam, between Haarlem and Leiden, the area is characterised by the presence of clayey earth which, in conjunction with the prevailing maritime climate, makes for perfect tulip-growing conditions, in addition to other bulbs, notably crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths. The time of year to come here is in April, when the tulips reach their maximum splendour. Touring this land by car or bicycle is a veritable delight on the eyes, as you come across field after field of myriad tulips in all shapes and colours – an astonishing sight for any visitor to behold. Organised tours from Amsterdam ply a fairly comprehensive circuit through the towns in Bollenstreek.

Tulip Museum
If you are eager to know the history and all the ins and outs of this popular, highly prized bulb, make a point of visiting Amsterdam’s Tulip Museum before you leave Holland. Located in the Jordaan district, hard by the Anne Frank house museum, it is an essential resource for learning the thrilling history of this priceless flower.

Book your Vueling to Amsterdam and gear up to savour spring in Holland.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Photos by Robert Lyle Bolton

Raquel Micola was taught to sew when she was a young girl by her grandmother Fina, a dressmaker who specialised in repairing bullfighters’ costumes when they had been ripped by the bulls’ horns. It was from her grandmother that Micola inherited the penchant for perfection and learned the value of craftsmanship and the importance of paying attention to detail. She is now the designer of the fashion label Mimótica Micola (Provença 174, Barcelona) and here she takes us on a journey through Paris and introduces us to some of her most beloved parts of the city.

If there’s one city in the world that I never get tired of visiting it’s Paggggisss, my Paris. I fell in love with the city a long time ago but every time I go there I discover new places and leave even more besotted than before, if that’s possible.

The first time I wandered along the streets of Paris I was fascinated by the way they make everything seem “all pretty”, which is something I just love! Wherever I looked there was always something that made it seem special in some way or another, and I’m not talking about designer boutiques or art galleries, I’m talking about bakeries, cobblers…. que’l merveille!

It was there that I discovered one of my favourite brands of clothing, APC. They are French designers with a number of shops around Paris. Personally, I like to shop at their store in the Marais district (112 Rue Vieille du Temple). Their style is understated but you feel surprisingly special in one of their designs.

Another one of my favourite places is Merci, which is a concept store that has made the infamous Colette brand appear demodé. The place is very industrial and simple, and the way in which they display their merchandise is… pure class. It’s impossible to leave without purchasing some of their desk accessories, notebooks, pencils…I’m also very fond of their cosmetics section. It’s one of the few places in Europe (!) where you can purchase the Australian cosmetics brand Aesop. Believe me girls, Aesop have the only make-up remover which actually works. It can remove even the most stubborn mascara.

I occasionally stop for a bite to eat too. One of my favourite places is the Crèperie de Josselin (not to be confused with the crèperie Josselin, don´t forget the “de”) although it isn’t very well-known. It’s in the Montparnasse district (67, rue du Montparnasse) and I would strongly recommend leaving room for dessert as well as trying the savoury crepe with butter. I think I could eat one every day (come to think of it, maybe it’s a good thing that I don’t live in Paris after all…)

There is so much to see in Paris that I could fill pages and pages. I recommend the Marché au puces de Vanves flea market (on Avenue Marc Sangnier, weekend mornings only), the Le Loir dans la Théière tea rooms which can be found at 3 Rue de Rosiers and for those of you with children, the Bonton shop, beside Merci, is such an institution in Paris that those of you who don’t have children will want to have them just so that you have a reason to shop there.

Who knows, maybe Mimótica Micola will open a shop there. “We’ll always have Paris” after all.

Why not take a trip to París? Have a look at our flights here!

Surfing, which is attracting more and more enthusiasts, reaches its most exciting extreme when it comes to big waves, where man pits his strength and skill against the crude forces of nature unleashed. The Basque seaboard boasts a good number of these waves – well known to surfers – all less than an hour’s drive from Loiu airport.

One of the stars of this sport and speciality is Axi Muniain, a professional big-wave surfer and five-time finalist in the XXL Big Wave Awards, the equivalent of surfing Oscars. Regarded by many as a radical, innovative surfer, he has sailed the seven seas in search of the world’s biggest wave, earning him the nickname of “The Wave Hunter”. Axi says that “in the Basque Country the vast majority of big waves have the added danger of being near the coast – a rugged coastline with deep water where risk-taking increases. The waves are not as tubular as in Jaws or Mavericks. While similar in size, the proximity of the shoreline poses an added risk. But there are also some safe waves on large sandy beaches. The coast is full of contrasts, often with difficult access routes, which means it is not crowded. But, on the other hand, it makes rescue operations more difficult. The Basque Country and its big waves are for real pros.”

Signature Basque Big Waves

Meñakoz: This cove, situated between the municipalities of Sopelana and Barrika, attracts many of the bravest surfers in the world. Its right-handers are some of the most powerful in the Cantabrian Sea and are considered to be the mightiest on the Basque coast. Big and well-formed, the wave can reach a height of 8 metres. Be sure to have a birra in their beach hut as the sea views from above are spectacular.

Punta Galea: Included in the Big Wave World Tour, it is located in the municipality of Getxo. The wave, which forms near the mouth of Bilbao harbour, is as powerful as it is dangerous.

Izaro: Legend has it that this beautiful island was the setting for a passionate love affair between a monk from the local monastery and a beautiful young woman from Bermeo, somewhere in the 15th century. Located opposite Bermeo and Mundaka, it packs a wave which reach up to 9 metres.

Roka Puta: An excellent big wave – a powerful right-hander which can get up to 6 metres. Some of Spain’s best big-wave hellmen have honed their skills on it.

Sorgin-Zulo: This wave on Deba beach packs a huge mass of water. It is difficult to see the swell forming but, once up, it is unique. Said to be one of the largest and strongest on the Basque coastline, it can grow to a height of 5 metres. The rocky and sandy seabed makes it even more dangerous.

Playa Gris: Between the picturesque towns of Zumaia and Getaria, this is Europe’s most international and media-friendly wave, with numerous nominations in theXXL Big Wave Awards.

Agiti: A difficult – if not, impossible – wave to surf as it breaks near a cliff face, so one mistake can be fatal. Needless to say, anyone brave enough to ride it will get an amazing adrenalin rush.

All these big waves are, of course, set against the backdrop of stunning scenery along the Basque coast and the area also offers restaurants, bars and beach huts with magnificent cuisine.

Fancy seeing them for yourself? Hurry and book your Vueling to Bilbao.

Text by Tensi Sánchez of ilovebilbao.com

Images by Greg Rabejac and Ritxi Goya

By Panenka www.panenka.org

Panenka, the football magazine you can read, leads us through its passion for the soccer to other countries, this time to the Czech Republic’s capital, Prague. They show us their ideal eleven for places related to sport king as for the most touristis ones.

SPORTING ELEVEN

1 Dukla | The Czechoslovak Army’s team was one of the most hated. With democracy had a hard time but has returned to the top.
2 Strahov | They say it is the second largest stadium in the world (200,000 people can fit) but it seems a field with bleachers.
3 Palacio Michny | Home for Czech Sport: in 1862 the Sokol movement, paneslavian style, here
4 Teatro Nacional | Well worth the visit, even more when you know that there it was held the state funeral in memory of a legend: Emil Zatopek.
5 Sparta |> Workers club in Prague, founded in 1893, with 11 leagues from Czechoslovak division since 1993. Play in the old Letna.
6 Club de Tenis | Inside Stvanice island is located the club that forged the best tennis players in the East: Martina Navratilova and Ivan Lendl.
7 La Carrera de la Paz | At the Rude Pravo’s newspaper’s offices was founded in 1948 ‘Tour Cyclist of beyond the Wall ‘.
8 Dolicek | A humble stadium where a young Antonin Panenka devised his countercultural penalty. The Bohemians play again in here the second division league.
9 Slavia | The other main team in Prague, the one for the bourgeois and intellectual, has just scored three championships in the last two decades.
10 Krematorium | Here have ended up some Czech sports legends like Frantisek Planicka, goalkeeper of the finalist at Italia’34.
11 O2 Arena | 18,000 seats to enjoy Ice Hockey, the sport that delights the Czechs. Six times world champions after 1993.

TOURISTIC ELEVEN

A Astronomical Clock | Located in the wall of Old Town City Hall, is one of the biggest tourist attractions.
B Petrin Hill| A promontory perfect for taking pictures of the city and stroll through its old vineyards. A funicular gets you up to the top.
C Jewish Cemetery | Testimony of the richest Jewish past of the city. Up to 12,000 graves are in this breathtaking corner
D Museum of Communism | The dictatorship left so many bad memories that when finished, two decades ago, Czechs and Slovaks were forever separated.
E Mucha Museum | Before the totalitarian gray, Prague was a city colored by modernism. Alphonse Mucha brought Art Nouveau to the city.
F Karlovy Lazne | You get into the biggest club in Central Europe for just 180 crowns. Different ambients, 50 meters from Charles Bridge.
G Oktoberfest | The Czechs average the highest consumption of beer on the planet. The Oktoberfest Prague is in late May.
H Bridge Tower | One of the most characteristic elements of the city’s skyline, leading into the Stare Mesto (Old Town).
I Dancing House | Not everything is medieval in Prague: Frank Gehry designed this deconstructivist building on the banks of the Vltava in 1997.
J Wenceslas Square | Emotional center of the Czech Republic. This square-like avenue starred the Velvet Revolution (1989).
K John Lennon Wall | A wall painted in memory of former Beatles’ generated this monument to the Freedom of expression.

Ilustration by Pep Boatella / @pepboatella

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