HOW TO DO FREE ONLINE CHECK-IN WITH VUELING
Yes, check-in with Vueling is always free when you buy your tickets through Vueling’s channels. We tell you how to do it and we answer any questions you may have.
more infoFive markets to enjoy the charms of christmas in Vienna
Don't worry about the cold and snow at this time of year because the festive season has its own warm glow. And besides, you can always arm yourself against the low temperatures with two essential classics available at every self-respecting Weihnachtsmarkte (Christmas market): mulled wine (Glühwein) and punch (Punsch).
more info5 Specialty Foodie Spots in London
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
more infoModern Seville
Holy Week, the Seville Fair and the endless bullfighting afternoons notwithstanding, Seville has also kept up with the times and become a modern, cosmopolitan city. A stroll through its streets reveals a blend of tradition and the latest trends coexisting amid the flavour and colourfulness for which Seville is famed.
Whether or not you have been to Seville before, you ought to know that the Cathedral, Real Alcázar, Torre del Oro and Triana Quarter are must-see landmarks. But, today, Seville is far more than that. It is a major hub of artistic creation and a place where you can delight in the sight of avant-garde buildings and Indie venues – welcome to modern Seville!
Where To Look
To find the more groundbreaking Seville, your epicentre is the Plaza de la Encarnación, in the heart of the central Alfalfa quarter. There you will come across the Metropol Parasol, better known as Las Setas, designed by the Berlin architect, Jürgen Mayer. The structure raised heckles even before it was built on account of such a groundbreaking design being earmarked for the old, historic centre. The complex is made up of a market, restaurants, a viewpoint and the amazing Antiquarium, an archaeological museum where visitors can view the Roman subsoil of the city.
Continuing along our route, we come to fashion stores and bars with alternative decoration in the Alameda de Hércules and surrounding area. On the Calle Feria, for instance, enthusiasts of second-hand garments – designer apparel or otherwise – should make a point of visiting such stores as Ropero Sevilla and Crispa2 vintage. Or, if you are a 50s furniture and decoration devotee, you are sure to find the odd curio in Retrogrado (C/ San Luis 81). In the El Arenal quarter, taverns with a long-standing tradition rub shoulders with contemporary art galleries. So, don’t be surprised if you get served a chamomile tea with a fusion tapa in some trendy bar. When in Seville, the best thing is to just switch off and let the city lead you where it will.
Modernity, 178 Metres Up
The Pelli Tower, located near Las Setas de la Encarnación and between the Triana quarter and La Cartuja, is the other major indicator that Seville is at the forefront of modern trends. But this skyscraper was controversial, too, as, apart from La Giralda, the city has never had tall buildings and the tower’s construction drew the criticism that it severed the horizontality of the skyline. A stroll through this area will also bring you within sight of the buildings left behind from Expo 92, an era which spawned such noteworthy constructions as the New Airport Terminal, designed by Rafael Moneo, the Santa Justa Train Station, by Cruz y Ortiz, and the famous Alamillo Bridge, by Santiago Calatrava.
Eating and Sleeping
Seville has a huge gastronomic assortment but, if you want to try a reworking of traditional culinary classics, Yebra is the restaurant to go for. Without luxuries or frills, it is the sort of eatery that only locals frequent. Go in, rub shoulders with the people and enjoy! La Macarena is one of the most grass-roots districts in the city and you will soon feel at home.
And, for your sleepover, there is the Gran Meliá Colón, a revamped Seville classic featuring furniture by designers of the likes of Philippe Starck, Marcel Wanders and Edra. Then you have the Eme Catedral Hotel, a 16th-century building with cutting-edge fixtures and fittings where you can relax and luxuriate like a true king.
All that’s left is for you to pack your bags and book your flight to Seville.
Text by Aleix Palau for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS
Images by losmininos
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