Nearly two thirds of Iceland’s inhabitants live in the capital, Reykjavik, regarded as one of the greenest, cleanest and safest cities on the planet. In winter, there are hardly 4 hours of sunlight a day. On the contrary, if you happen to visit it around the summer solstice, you will find yourself in a city where the sun never completely sets at all. This enables tourists to make the most of their time in Iceland’s capital city, before embarking on the customary trip around the Icelandic Ring Road which skirts the whole island.

The major sightseeing area in Reykjavik is the western district of Miðborg, the city’s historical centre. Hljómskálagarður park, with its Tjörnin lake, is a good starting point, as you can sit on a bench and get your bearings on a map before venturing out on a walking route which will take you to the most interesting places in the city. At one end of the lake stands Iceland University (Háskóli Íslands) while, if you cross the bridge over it, you come to the National Gallery of Iceland, housing exhibits by the country’s most famous artists and a performance centre for traditional Icelandic culture. Standing next to it is the Reykjavik Free Church, founded in 1899, an alternative to the National Lutheran Church.

Iceland’s Parliament, known as the Alþingi, is located just a few blocks away. Built of dressed stone, it dates from 1881, although the institution itself goes back to the year 930 and is one of the oldest elected assemblies in the world.

Time for a Snack

Whether in summer or winter, one’s notion of time is somewhat warped in Iceland, on account of the marked changes in daylight hours. If there is one thing sacred in life it is snacking and Reykjavik is no exception. Heading along Lækjargata street, you come across the striking Harpa concert and conference hall, but press on towards the city’s harbour. Shortly before arriving, you pass by one of the must-see sights of the city, a hotdog stand known as Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur. Alright – we know it’s just a boiled sausage served in a typical bun smothered in various sauces, and it’s eaten outdoors, but at number 1 Tryggvagata street hundreds of sausages are served every day and long queues build up at the hotdog stand. This is undoubtedly one of the most popular gastronomic customs in Reykjavik and the most famous sausage in Iceland.

After building up your strength, it is time to continue exploring the city. The harbour is divided between the districts of Miðborg and Vesturbær. The latter is home to the Vikin Maritime Museum in which cod fishing is accorded special importance. You can taste Icelandic codfish in one of the restaurants in the harbour area, as well as other typical dishes such as lobster soup, salmon and lamb. To round off the experience, you can hire a fishing rod and while away the afternoon, or set sail on a whale-sighting excursion in Faxaflói bay.

The main area with bars is Austurstræti street and environs, while the shopping area is scattered along Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur street. Prominent among the stores selling garments, design and food is the Álafoss wool store, the best known and traditional Icelandic wool brand. Here you can also purchase a typical Icelandic jersey, known as a Lopapeysa.

Before nightfall, you should wrap up your visit by taking in the best views of the city, which are afforded by the vantage point that is Hallgrímskirkja Church. Access to the belfry costs ISK 600 (about €4), but it is well worth the price. You could end off the day in an inviting pop-up restaurant where you can taste a peculiar fusion between Basque and Icelandic cuisine. Sumendi, as it is called, organises several dinners during the year.

If you make the journey in summer, the sun will be a constant throughout your stay, so you’d best wind up the day at the famous sculpture known as Sólfar (The Sun Voyager), evocative of places to be discovered and countries to be seen, like those Vueling brings you close to through its air routes.

Haritz Rodriguez is a travel journalist and blogger with over 17 years’ experience in radio, television, press and internet. He is an editor of Tokitan.tv and director of the Barking Blogs communication studio.

Text, images and video by Haritz Rodriguez, of Barking Blogs

Thessaloniki is redolent with a chaotic – and even decadent –  air, set in the West but facing the East, proud of a past characterised by Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman influences, yet imbued with modern, contemporary momentum.Thessaloniki (or Salonika) is not as popular as the capital, Athens, and does not exert the same draw as the absolutely exquisite Greek islands, but its streets are full of the delights that warrant flying there to be able to stand before the White Tower. Here, then, are some of its myriad charms.

Although a typical drink throughout the country, in Thessaloniki, frappé coffee is a religion. You will see them everywhere and at all hours, local folk sipping away at them in huge glasses, stuffed with a sort of evolved, iced cappuccino topped generously with foam. Cafés, bars, restaurants, ice-cream parlours… it is served in all kinds of establishments, but the best of them all is Paradosiako, an exquisite café and ice-cream parlour located in Aristotelous Square, the hub and heart of the city.

Thessaloniki is a city of churches. Marvellous churches, like Agios Panteleimon, the Church of the Acheiropoietos and Agios Athanasios. However, the most iconic church in the city is clearly the monumental Church of the Rotonda or Agios Giorgios. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1988, together with the Arch of Galerius (just over 100 metres from the Rotonda), this is the oldest church in Thessaloniki or, as some sources would have it, the oldest church in the world.

Sport is taken seriously in Greece, and in Thessaloniki, no less so. It is quite an experience to visit that volcano of passions, the Toumba Stadium, to see PAOK FC playing. Or, if your thing is basketball, head for the clamorous Alexandreio Melathron arena, home to the historic Aris FC.

Adjacent to Aristotle Avenue stands the Ladadika, the former oil market. You can find all kinds of shops and stalls in this maze of alleyways, a blend of Western market and Arab souq, with wares ranging from food to garments, and from spices to implements. On the south side, near the sea, is an area with the most contemporary restaurants in the city.

The epitome of the Mediterranean diet, Greek food is an orgasm on one’s taste buds. Bent on savouring one of the most widely acclaimed cuisines in the country, it would be a sin to visit Thessaloniki without tasting such local delicacies as xoriatiki salata, melitzanosalata, moussaka, youvetsi, bouyiourdi or mydia saganaki.There are excellent restaurants and taverns all around the city, but Neos Galerios (Apellou 3) is one of those small family restaurants (a variation on the Spanish Casa Pepe) where you can eat plenty and well for a moderate price.

In 1917 Thessaloniki was devastated by a fire from which only the upper district of Ano Poli was spared. Ringed by part of the old Byzantine and Ottoman walls, this jigsaw of steep, winding streets, and one-storey houses with colourful patios, enjoys privileged views of the rest of the city down below. You can walk up to Ano Poli, but the climb is likely to wear out your shoe soles. Your best bet is to take bus 50 which follows a circular route past the city’s cultural landmarks.

Thessaloniki is Greece’s cultural capital, particularly when it comes to the world of cinema. The majestic Olympion Theatre, located in beautiful Aristotelous Square, is the site of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, the leading event of its kind in the country. Less than five minutes away lies the old harbour which has been partly remodelled and given over to cultural activities. One of the old shipyards now houses the Thessaloniki Cinema Museum. The rest of the refurbished shipyards host such events as the local editions of the Barcelona In-Edit (a music documentary film festival), and OffsideFest, a football documentary film festival.

The symbol of Thessaloniki is the White Tower, the sort of landmark which visitors to any city are bound to come across, even unwittingly. Once used as both a fortress and prison, the structure you see today was built during the period of Ottoman domination by Suleiman the Magnificent, most likely on the site of a pre-existing medieval construction. The White Tower is the point of departure for a walk down the Nikis, a promenade which stretches for several kilometres along the city’s seafront.

Mt Athos lies about three hours’ drive from Thessaloniki. Sacred to the Greek Orthodox Church faithful, this mountain rises from a rocky peninsula alongside the Aegean Sea. Around twenty monasteries are located on this mountain, including some of the oldest and remotest monasteries on earth, which are home to about 1,500 monks. The Holy Mountain enjoys a form of local autonomy and access to it is restricted. Women are not allowed to set foot on the mountain, while access to male visitors is limited to 200 Greeks and 10 foreigners per day.

Don’t wait to experience the magic that is Greece – check out our flights here.

Text by Oriol Rodríguez for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by L'imaGiraphe, Tilemahos Efthimiadis, Stella Vardaki, Dmitry Artyukhov

Some years ago, a few sequences from the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, were filmed in Venice. Specifically, in August 1988. Yet the fascination produced by good old Indy’s scenes in the city is still imprinted on our retinas.

Many of us would like to be able to take DeLorean in Back to the Future and travel, not only in space, but also in time, in order to attend the shoot and see the young Harrison Ford performing great feats. Fantasies aside, we can indeed now plan our trip to Venice in the form of a game in which, after the typical tours of St Mark’s Square and theRialto Bridge,we follow the tracks left by Indiana Jones in the beautiful city of canals.

First Stop – the Salute

The Venice scenes begin when Indiana and his colleague, Marcus, meet the archaeologist, Elsa Schneider, on alighting from the vaporetto. The vaporetto is the water taxi that acts as public transport in Venice and plies the regular routes along the Grand Canal and between the various islands in the lagoon. Specifically, they get off at the stop known as Salute, on Line 1 of the vaporetto– the most popular route – immediately alongside the church of Santa Maria della Salute. Clearly, the stop is named after the church. But, those scenes don’t really match the current Salute stop, as they were shot at the jetty of the fondamenta della Dogana alla Salute. From here you can catch a glimpse of the Campanile di San Marco in the distance – located in one corner of St Mark’s Square – as it appears in the movie.

Ponte dei Pugni

Once they have disembarked, they stroll along some of the quiet streets of the Dorsoduro quarter. The gallant Indiana gives Dr Schneider a flower while crossing the Ponte dei Pugni (bridge of fists), curiously named after the years of fist fights between the rival bands of the Nicolotti and the Castellani. The losers usually ended up in the water as, until quite recently, the bridge lacked a railing.

The Chiesa di San Barnaba

Finally, they get to the San Barnaba library – where Indy’s father was last seen – the facade of which is actually part of the Church of San Barnaba (Chiesa di San Barnaba). Bear in mind that, of the natural backdrops to the quests of Indiana Jones, the one the diehards of the saga were most impressed by was the Treasury of Petra, in Jordan, which was used as a secret temple housing the Grail, and the one in the Venice Library, located precisely in this church.

The church of San Barnaba was founded in the 9th century but its current appearance is the result of the 1749 restoration. It is located in the Campo San Barnaba square, where Katharine Hepburn was also the protagonist of a scene in Summertime in which she falls into the canal. Indiana Jones emerges from a sewer in that square once he has escaped from the catacombs under the library, uttering the celebrated words, “Ah, Venice!”

Some Familiar Backdrops

Fleeing from members of the Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword, they run along the fictitious street of Santa Lucia. This is where a number of speedboat chase scenes begin which were actually filmed at the jetties of the English town of Tilbury. The Venetian scenes then continue in the vicinity of the Grand Canal and the Palazzo Ducale. Indiana then releases Kazim – a member of the Brotherhood he has captured – opposite the Palazzo Barbaro, level with the Ponte dell’Accademia. This palace, also known as Ca ‘Barbaro, once accommodated such distinguished guests as Sargent, Henry James, Robert Browning, Whistler and Monet. Two other facades can also be distinguished in the scene – those of Palazzo Venier dei Leoni and Palazzo Barbarigo.

Indiana Jones’ adventure in Venice ends with a shot of the most typical Venetian scene – a gondola punting a couple along the Rio del Malpaga, with the Ponte de l’Avogaria in the background.

Venice – a Movie Set

If you like discovering film locations during your trips, try to do it with some of the other numerous movies that have been shot in Venice, notably The Talented Mr. Ripley, Casino Royale,The Tourist or The Italian Job,to mention some of the best known ones. It is a unique, fun way of unearthing interesting spots in the city. What are you waiting for? Check out our flights here.

Text by Scanner FM

Images by Carlos de Paz, Didier Descouens, Frans Persoon, John_k, Bernard-G

In addition to a long list of land-based leisure activities, the island offers another extensive gamut of sports and activities in the ocean. Tenerife is practically one huge outdoor gym, open 365 days a year. Its climate, landscapes and natural setting make it eminently appealing for doing sport, attracting professional and amateur sportspeople alike. Here are a number of sea-based sports and activities. They cater to all tastes, from those done solo to others involving pairs or the whole family.

Entertainment? The Sea is the Medium

The Atlantic Ocean’s waters are one of Tenerife’s great treasures, thanks to their perpetually crystal-clear condition and pleasant, stable temperature all year around. Here are nine sports that will make you want to never go back to the humdrum of the rat race.

Diving

Let’s start by putting our head under water. What can you see down there? The island boasts 60 diving spots fringing the whole coastline, with sandy or rocky sea floors or volcanic reefs. The seabeds are varied and teeming with life. Vision is incredibly clear on account of the crystal-clear waters that enable the sun’s rays to penetrate to a depth of practically 40 metres.

Free Diving

Let’s continue with sports involving immersion. Apart from the sea, the island has centres for learning or perfecting free diving. The sea temperature, the scant variation in temperature between depths of 0 and 50 metres (hardly 1 degree centigrade) and the acute visibility up to about 20–25 metres, are some of the striking diving conditions here. There are diving spots all around the island, but the best area is the west, on account of the unusual relief features, which make the temperature, currents and weather ideal for doing all forms of snorkelling and free diving. All the necessary equipment is available for starting out in this watersport or perfecting your technique.

Windsurfing

Here, the watersport par excellence is windsurfing. Some beaches are perfect for amateur windsurfers, notably El Médano, whose success lies in having more than 300 windy days a year. The town has stores that sell or rent out equipment, as well as repair shops and companies offering courses. Top-level competitions are held in Tenerife, including the World Championships.

Kitesurfing

As with windsurfing, El Médano (Granadilla de Abona) is one of the best spots for kitesurfing; indeed, it is actually one of the best in Europe. The winds are strong virtually year around and the water temperature ranges from 16 to 26 degrees centigrade between winter and summer.

Surfing and Bodyboarding

The island’s coastline is packed with places for surfing and bodyboarding – you can find the ideal spot for them virtually anywhere along its perimeter. The most powerful waves are on the north and northwest coastline, while in the south and southwest the breakers are less intense. The sea can, however, be rougher or calmer depending on the time of year.

Stand Up Paddle

This watersport is becoming increasingly more popular around the world. Ideal spots for SUP can be found along various stretches of the eastern and southeastern coastline. This activity can be done on one’s own, in pairs or with the whole family.

Kayaking

Kayaking has become very fashionable as it provides access to spectacular land formations along the coastline, notably the 600-metre-high cliffs known as Los Gigantes which include grottoes and coves. Kayaking is easy to learn – just try it and you’ll see!

Sailing and Dinghy Sailing

The island’s calm waters and pleasant climate make it ideal for sailing. It boasts a total of nine marinas (see here) for mooring vessels scattered especially across the south, but also the north, which makes taking up this sport a hassle-free affair.

Deep-Sea Fishing

This is a sport that is acquiring increasingly more enthusiasts. In addition to the island’s ideal climatic and sea conditions, Tenerife also sits along the migratory route of a large variety of species, including the blue marlin and tuna.

If you’d like to find out more about these sports and activities, as well as accommodation, specialist schools or companies, check out the offers at Tenerife No Limits.

Come and experience these sports for yourself. Check out our flights here.

Text and images by Turismo de Tenerife