When thinking of museums to visit in Paris, the first thing that springs to mind are the great temples of art, notably the Louvre, epitomised by the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa, the Orsay Museum, featuring a stunning collection of Romanticism and Impressionism that will delight any art lover, and the Pompidou Centre, with one of the most comprehensive modern and contemporary art collections in the world.

However, apart from those grand institutions, Paris also has other venues where, in addition to art, you can discover the life and times of other personages associated with the city, or simply enjoy the works of private collections displayed in fabulous exhibition halls.

One of the trendiest districts of late is Le Marais, situated in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements on the right bank of the Seine. It boasts numerous venues where in some cases you can enjoy a different, less crowded and at once rewarding exhibition experience. Here, then, is our selection of some of the museums you should make a point of visiting while touring this colourful, cosmopolitan district.

Maison de Victor Hugo

Victor Hugo is the first protagonist in our selection as he is privileged to have his own museum in what is the nerve centre of Le Marais, the Place des Vosges. From 1832 to 1848, Victor Hugo lived on the third floor of the Hôtel de Rohan-Guéménée, where he wrote most of Les Misérables. Currently a museum, where visitors can gain greater insight into this essential figure of French literature.

Musée Picasso

Another great name, this time of one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, makes up our second option. The Musée Picasso, housed in the Hôtel Salé, has a large collection of 200 paintings, 100 sculptures – this is the most prominent section in the museum – and ceramics, and 3,000 drawings and engravings covering all periods. It also features the painter’s own art collection, with works by Paul Cézanne and Henri Rousseau, among others.

Shoah Foundation

What started out as a monument to the “Unknown Jewish Martyr” grew into the Fondation pour la Mémoire de la Shoah, one of the largest Holocaust documentation centres in Europe. The Hebrew word shoah, which means “catastrophe”, is used to designate the Holocaust. The entrance to the building is inscribed with the names of the 76,000 Jews that were deported from France to the Nazi concentration camps.

Museum of Jewish Art and History

Situated in Le Marais is the Jewish quarter, known locally as the Pletzl (meaning “square” in Yiddish). It is worth strolling around the streets in the area and enjoying the sight of the colourful shops. While in this quarter, we recommend a visit to the Hôtel de Saint-Aignan, located at 71 Rue du Temple, as it houses the Museum of Jewish Art and History, where you can learn all about the history of the Jewish communities of France, Europe and North Africa, from the Middle Ages until the present.

Musée Cognacq-Jay

Housed in the Hôtel Donon, the Cognacq-Jay Museum features the 18th-century collection of artworks built up by Ernest Cognacq and his wife, Marie-Louise Jay, from 1900 to 1925. Your visit will reveal more than 1,200 works and objects collected by this couple of art collectors, the standout pieces being paintings by Canaletto, Tiepolo, Boucher, Fragonard, Greuze and Reynolds.

Museum of Magic and Museum of Automata

The Museum of Magic reveals the secrets behind the art of magic, conjuring tricks and illusionism. On display are all manner of items used to perform magic tricks (magic wands, boxes, magic caps, etc.) and visitors are treated to live shows, too. Also housed in this building is the Museum of Automata, boasting a collection of 100 mechanical contrivances which will amaze you. Ideal for those travelling with children.

Book your Vueling to Paris, tour one of the city’s trendiest districts and venture into some of its unusual museums.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Assayas, Sailko, Guillaume Baviere

With over forty museums, Basel can well boast of being one of Europe’s cities with the best contemporary cultural facilities. A large number of these numerous museums feature the plastic arts as their central theme, displaying works that range from antiquity to the present. The city’s penchant for collecting has its origins in the 16th century, when collectors hailed from both the private and public sectors. Several private collections have been opened to the public in recent years, augmenting the supply even further.

The Kunstmuseum Basel – the Beginning of Everything

This is the most significant museum in Basel and the largest in Switzerland. Its collections, which date back to 1662, feature works running from the Middle Ages up to the present. Hans Holbein enthusiasts are in for a treat if they come here, as it boasts one of the largest collections of this artist’s work.

The Beyeler Foundation – a European Collector’s Classic

This foundation, housing the collection of the spouses, Ernest and Hildy Beyeler, is one of the largest and most important in central Europe. It is a compendium of classical modern art, from Monet, Cézanne and Van Gogh to Picasso, Warhol, Lichtenstein and Bacon. The counterpoint to these figures is a display of tribal art from Africa, Oceania and Alaska, the contrast producing an interesting result. Also well worth seeing are the surroundings of the beautiful building – designed by Renzo Piano – with its priceless garden.

The Tinguely Museum – an In-Depth Look at the Artist’s Sculpture Machines

Dedicated to the life and work of the Swiss sculptor, Jean Tinguely. The interior of this original building, the work of the architect, Mario Botta, houses the sculpture machines that brought him fame, in addition to documentation, photographs and drawings of his work.

The Antikenmuseum (Museum of Antiquities) – in Search of the Classics

This is the only Swiss museum devoted to ancient Mediterranean art and civilisation. The collection features pieces dating from between the 4th millennium BC and the 7th century AD, sourced from the ancient Egyptian, Greek, Italic and Roman cultures, as well as works from the Near East and Cyprus. Featured are Greek ceramics and sculptures and the section dedicated to ancient Egypt.

Klingental – the Region’s Art Trends

Housed in the Klingental convent church, the Ausstellungsraum Klingental is dedicated to the region’s artistic production.

Schaulager – A Space for the Experts

The building housing this unusual space was designed by the Herzog & de Meuron architects studio. Directed at a specialist art audience, it also hosts events for the public at large and is innovative even in its conceptualisation. It is not intended to be a run-of-the-mill museum, but a storage facility open to the public which houses the undisplayed works of the Emanuel Hoffmann Foundation.

HeK – a Look at New Media in Art Production

The Haus der elektronischen Künste Basel (House of Electronic Arts Basel) specialises in art created using electronic media, known as “new media” or digital art. There are facilities for hosting all kinds of activities associated with these new trends in art. It also hosts the Forum for New Media, as well as Shift, Festival of Electronic Arts.

Schoenthal – Open-Air Sculpture

The former Romanesque convent of Schoenthal, situated half an hour from Basel, houses the Stiftung Sculpture at Schoenthal, a not-to-be-missed sculpture park featuring nearly twenty works by Swiss and international artists. The Romanesque church has been converted into a gallery for temporary exhibitions of contemporary artworks.

Have you taken note of all the art you can see in Basel? Check out our flights here and see it all first-hand.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Forgemind ArchiMedia, Jean-Baptiste Maurice, John Lord, régine debatty, Rosmarie Voegtli

On our latest escape to London we came across some foodie venues that were surprising and unexpected to say the least – porridge, cereals, crisps… The UK capital has bars specialising in these goodies and are a MUST-VISIT.

A Café Dedicated To Porridge

One of the trends of the year? Yes, porridge. Some may be puzzled by all the buzz surrounding what was once a breakfast associated with the more deprived, as attested in the famous work, Oliver Twist. However, people have succumbed to its charms in droves, particularly on account of its health benefits. So much so that the first ever porridge bar has opened in London. Here, you can choose from over 25 recipes of this modish delight for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Served with fruit, custard, all kinds of milk, and also bacon, eggs or meat… They also feature a large variety of seeds to round off the healthy experience. An ideal, energy-packed way to start the day and to explore one of the most emblematic specialities of British cuisine. Needless to say, this café is located in the ultra-cool Shoreditch district.

A Restaurant Starring Crisps

You’re a crisp fiend, are you? Well, get on a flight to London, which already has its own restaurant extolling this highly addictive speciality and it’s called Hipchips. The chef behind the concept is Scott Davies and his hangout is in the heart of Soho. Make no mistake – here, there are no industrial-grade bags; the crisps are made from a variety of different coloured potatoes: “vintage”, like (the red) Highland Burgundy 1936, Pink Fir Apple and (mauve) Shetland Black. They are served with sauce for dipping and come in six savoury and even sweet varieties, like the Nutella or cheesecake. A portion costs just over 5 euros.

Chocolate Paradise

Dark Sugars Chocolate Shop is an earthly paradise. That’s it. The shop sets out to showcase the evolution of chocolate from the raw state to all finished products imaginable. Here, you can taste pure cocoa, craft chocolates and truffles and hot chocolate beverages. There are even vegan options. The raw material is imported from the finest plantations in Africa and South America. Oh-my-God!

A Bar Which Compiles the World’s Most Emblematic Cereals

Are you a devotee of Special K? Or Cheerios? Froot Loops, maybe, or perhaps Frosties? You are especially attached to a cereal you tried in some other country which you were never able to find again? Cereal Killer Café unlocks the solution to each of these issues, as this is the only place in the world which has compiled so many cereal varieties. They have over 100 behind the counter from all over the world and you can eat them here in original bowls any time of day, bathed in over 30 different varieties of milk and accompanied with bits of fruit, chocolate… or any of the dozens of toppings on offer. A venue which is decked out – you might have guessed – in an assortment of eye-catching cereal boxes. The decor is a tribute to the 80s and 90s. A journey into the past, seen through the eyes of a child.

Extolling Coffee

Tap Coffee is London’s temple of coffee. A cosy, modern ambience where you can taste excellent coffee, ground and filtered on the spot, after having made your choice of variety and origin of the beans (Kenya, Colombia, Brazil, Rwanda, among others) and type of serving (long, short, milk, cold, hot…). Here, all the ingredients that go into making the coffee are of the finest quality, while the formulas are observed down to the minutest detail, to ensure the beverage is refined and perfect. It is not cheap (over 3.5 euros per cup) but, if you’re a coffee lover, this is your corner.

Book your Vueling to London and enjoy venturing into some of these unique sites, designed to lure enthusiasts of foodie experiences.

Text and photos by Laia Zieger of Gastronomistas.com

Gateway to the Atlantic and trade with Africa, Porto has a special beauty that you perceive walking the streets. Despite their current romantic decay, the  early-century modernist buildings that rise  on the sides will take you to better times when the city had its maximum commercial splendor.

Enjoy  the terraces and restaurants of lively Ribeira

The historic center of Porto is also one of the most beautiful and colorful areas, a labyrinth of narrow medieval streets and alleys.
The Ribeira Square is in front of the Chapel of Our Lady of Ô, surrounded by bustling cafes. Come to eat to the traditional restaurants in Rua da Fonte Tauria. here you can take the Funicular Guindais aka Dos Guindais, or go up to the highest part of town in the district of Batalha.

The most emblematic of the six bridges of Porto is the Luís I, which crosses the city and Gaia, where the cellars of the famous port wine are. It was designed by a disciple of Eiffel,  Belgian engineer Teofilo Seyrig, so the two metal structures are works very similar in style

It can be crossed to visit Gaia, a town full of wine cellars the boardwalks of its two floors. On the top floor passes the subway line and on the lower one, passes cars and other vehicles.

Porto Wine Cellars

Crossing the bridge, you get to Gaia. Here is where port wine gets older, right next to the city, and you will find most wineries that are producing it. But do not stay only with the idea of ​​their wine; Porto is very interesting to try sardines, fresh saloios cheeses or Cabreiro  and some of their delicious desserts.

Another interesting option is to cross the Douro River on typical Rabelo boats, formerly transporting Porto wine. You will be fascinated by the magnificent views.

Livraria Lello. One of the most beautiful in Europe

It is no wonder that it chose to this library to film some scenes from the Harry Potter saga. It breathes a magical atmosphere. Its art deco details and neogothic style, the access ladder to the top floor, the large stained glass windows of the roof or the wooden bridge that crosses it, make this place more than a simple library to buy books.

The Livraria Lello e Irmao, called Livraria Lello to simplify, located in the Centre of the city in a beautiful building of neo-Gothic style, it is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe and is, with the bookstore Bertrand in Lisbon, one of the oldest in Portugal. Located in the Centre of the city, in a beautiful neo-Gothic style building.

Maus Hábitos

Maus Hábitos or bad habits is not a conventional place. Since 2001, year when Porto was European Capital of Culture, this mix of restaurant, bar and art gallery gives adequate room for the expression of all kinds of artists and organises workshops. Additionally, you can enjoy a mix of traditional and modern Portuguese cuisine overlooking the old town or you can relax in its gorgeous courtyard garden.

Image: Małgorzata Kaczor

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