Edinburgh, one of the most charming cities in Europe, the cradle of literary scholars and the setting for many novels, has been hosting the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF), one of the most celebrated in the scenic arts, since 1947. During the festival, dance, opera, music and theatre don their finest raiment and reveal their myriad facets, from classical to innovative, turning the Scottish capital into a veritable crucible of inspiration and creativity that acts as a magnet, drawing huge audiences eager to try out new sensations and get carried away by the sheer size and variety of events on offer.

Like some “high feast of culture”, in addition to filling the major theatres and concert halls, the festival programme encompasses the whole city, so that even bars, shops, streets and any venue worth its salt is turned into yet another stage. A stroll along the Royal Mile, for instance, can end up becoming an adventure in itself, buzzing as it is with performances, concerts and shows of all kinds.

This year, the Edinburgh Festival runs from 5 to 29 August. On account of the large number of visitors concentrated in the city during that period, it is advisable to book accommodation some months in advance, to avoid having nowhere to sleep or ending up forking out a fortune for it. As for getting tickets for the host of different events – which first went on sale in January – you can buy them online on the festival website.

And There’s More Too!

While it might seem incredible, Edinburgh’s festival offerings go far beyond the big event itself. Indeed, it extends through the whole summer.  So, for those of you who haven’t had enough with the Edinburgh Festival proper, here are some of the other festivals where you can quench your thirst for more culture and more events:

- Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival. The ideal run-up to the Edinburgh Festival is a jazz festival! Make sure you don’t miss the street performances and celebrations which take place at the start of the festival and which, for one day, turn the Grassmarket area into a sort of New Orleans at the height of the Mardi Gras. From 15 to 24 July 2016.

- Edinburgh Art Festival. Local emerging art and new international art trends are the major draws at this event which is held in museums, art galleries and art studios around the city. From 28 July to 28 August 2016.

- Edinburgh Festival Fringe. An alternative version of the Edinburgh Festival which showcases new talent in the scenic arts. From 5 to 29 August 2016.

- Edinburgh International Book Festival. In a city of literary figures like Edinburgh – it was the first to be designated City of Literature by UNESCO – a festival dedicated to books would not be out of place. Charlotte Square is the main meeting point, the spot where exhibitors gather and numerous activities are held (talks, public lectures, book signings, etc.) From 13 to 29 August 2016.

- Edinburgh Mela Festival. All kinds of music and dance are hosted at this festival, organised by Edinburgh’s ethnic minorities. Held in Leith Links park, it is full of colour and good vibes. From 27 to 28 August 2016.

- Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Parades by military bands, bagpipe concerts and spectacular firework displays, held against the scenic backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. What more could you ask for? From 5 to 27 August 2016.

Come and discover Edinburgh and revel in its magnificent festivals – book your Vueling here!

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Music, art, fireworks, ice-cold beers and endless nights on the beach. When the good weather arrives, Malta comes alive!

In the past eighteen years the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) has grown into a globally renowned platform for the international dance and electronic music scene. The festival (from 15th till 19th of October) is the perfect place to spot the latest musical trends and emerging talents, as well as hear the most recent work of both electronic music pioneers and current superstar acts.

In addition to the extensive live line-up of ADE Festival, ADE Playground offers music enthusiasts a large and varied daytime program including five days of film screenings, music hardware presentations, art shows and exhibitions, exclusive fashion offers, interactive talk shows, promotional activities and pop-up musical performances at 25 creative hotspots around the city, including roof-top terraces, clothing shops, and art galleries, as well as outdoor exhibitions and cinemas.

The business arm of the event (ADE Conference) is recognized as the most important of its kind. Divided into seven themed programs, ADE's comprehensive conference covers every aspect of the modern music industry, featuring dedicated programming for business professionals, start-ups, aspiring producers and musicians, international students, VJs, visual artists and stage designers. The programs also feature in-depth expertise and insight into the harder music genres, the relationship between music and technology, and sustainable, ecologically responsible practices for the global dance music industry.

The ADE Festival features 300 events and 2,000 DJ's over five days in 80 clubs and venues, which together combine to make Amsterdam one of the busiest and most inspiring clubbing cities in the world. Every year the ADE Festival attracts 300,000 festival visitors from around the globe and is truly the biggest international club festival covering the whole spectrum of electronic sub-genres.

Image from Amsterdam Dance Event

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

Apart from unforgettable scenery, villages brimming with charm and a scrumptious cuisine, Provence has an interesting cultural agenda which includes three magnificent summer festivals that any culture devotee should take into consideration. Here are some tips to get the most out of them.

Festival d’Avignon

Apart from its popular Pont Saint-Bénézet (legend and song included), and having once been the Holy See, Avignon is known internationally for hosting one of the most long-standing and important performing arts festivals in Europe. Each July, the Festival d’Avignon, which was founded by Jean Vilar in 1947, fills all spaces in the city with theatre and dance performances, this year featuring a programme of some 40 works by artists from all over the world. As if that were not enough, this outstanding schedule is rivalled by a parallel Festival Off, a programme of fresher, more alternative performing arts shows. The streets, squares, bars and any imaginable free space in the city have been coopted into hosting the more innovative side of theatre and dance.

So, be sure to head for Avignon between 6 and 26 July and, while you’re there, see the stunning Palais des Papes – its sheer size and beauty will leave you open-mouthed. Soak up the different shows that will take you through the streets and mentally convey you far beyond the old “Sur le pont d’Avignon”.

International Photography Festival of Arles

Another major cultural event to bear in mind on your wanderings through beautiful Provence, held in another of its must-visit towns – Arles – adopts the form of an international photography meeting. If you stroll around Arles, which is inspiring in itself – otherwise, why should Van Gogh have been have been so fascinated by its light? – try to make your arrival coincide with Les Rencontres d’Arles (Arles International Photography Gathering). Created in 1970 by the photographer Lucien Clergue, the writer Michel Tournier and the historian Jean-Maurice Rouquette, this festival is a gem for photography enthusiasts who this year, from 3 July to 24 September, will be treated to the work of 250 artists displayed at 25 venues across the city, ranging from emblematic Arlesian landmarks to such unique buildings as the former rail sheds. Sixty scheduled exhibitions, in addition to conferences, workshops, talks and all kinds of activities, will lead visitors into the wonderful world of photography.

Marseille Jazz Festival

Marseille is the site of our third summer festival proposal in Provence. A city which embraces the Mediterranean, with the sightseeing hub of its Old Port (Vieux-Port),contemporary architectural offerings like the MuCEM and the Villa Méditerranée ready to seduce even the more staid visitors, and with such enchanting corners as Le Panier, this is the city chosen to host a jazz festival as its main summer attraction. The Marseille Jazz des Cinq Continents runs for ten days, from 19 to 29 July, and features such long-standing favourites as George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Roberto Fonseca and Guillaume Perret, as well as newcomers to this port city like Norah Jones, Kamasi Washington and representatives of the new generation such as Imany. Jazz arriving from all corners of the globe suited to all tastes.

Book your Vueling to Marseille and succumb to the magic of the leading festivals in Provence.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by jean-louis Zimmermann, Fred Bigio, Les Rencontres d'Arles  (Julio Perestrelo)