The Alsace Wine Route is speckled with numerous wine cellars where you can taste the famed wines of this French region. And, if you’re travelling with family, friends or your partner, you can opt to discover the world of winemaking through a series of leisure activities in a number of delightful towns and villages, some of them regarded as among the most beautiful in France. You will also come across an endless array of restaurants, from Michelin-starred establishments to the typical winstubs, a kind of bistro offering traditional cuisine from locally sourced products in a relaxed setting. And, seated at a terrace café, to wit. Take note of these venues, which we can highly recommend.

La Nouvelle Auberge
This former post office is located between the cities of Colmar and Munster. The ground floor features a bistro offering market cuisine at moderate prices. The first floor is given over to an acclaimed, award-winning gourmet restaurant, with the subtle creations of a chef who combines cutting-edge technique with simple Alsatian recipes, conditioned solely by seasonality and in line with the slow-food movement, of which La Nouvelle Auberge is a member. They offer four tasting menus with different dishes every day, depending on what the freshest produce from local producers happens to be. Some of their specialities include snail soup with garlic and parsley, oxtail consommé, smoked river fish fillet in red wine sauce and snail paté on toast, all paired with local wines. The interior design is that of a traditional, half-timbered Alsatian home, while the establishment boasts a pleasant, quiet, shady terrace set in natural surroundings.

Avenue 294
A comfortable, inviting establishment with refined decor where the chef crafts new suggestions every day, over and above a menu which is both contemporary and traditionally inspired. Special mention goes to the homemade desserts – watch out for the seasonal fruit tarts – and their wine list, extensive and with acclaimed local wines. As soon as the morning sun peeps through, they open a terrace behind the lovely red house that is Avenue 294. They have comfortable easy chairs and a plant-fringed area suited to having a last drink, for example. Pleasant ambient music accompanies the experience. A gourmet venue in a perfect setting you won’t want to leave.

Hôtel Beauséjour
A five minutes’ walk from the centre of the picturesque city that is Colmar – also known as “Little Venice” for its canals – you can relax in the garden-terrace of this establishment, owned by the Keller family, the fifth generation of restaurateurs. Their cuisine, based on seasonal products, is refined and very Alsatian, as evinced in the homemade foie gras with Gewürztraminer wine gelatine, or their organic five-meat sauerkraut. However, the standout feature of this restaurant-hotel is the interior patio, sited in a garden full of trees and flowers, totally cut off from the rest of the city.

Wistub Brenner
A genuine old-time Alsatian winstub located in the heart of Colmar. They offer the authentic – most compelling – local dishes, including sauerkraut, onion tart, Munster cheese salad and duck magret, cream cheese and potatoes and beef tripe with Riesling. We loved their beautiful, flower-filled urban terrace where you needn’t hesitate to spend a long after-meal sipping those fabulous white wines from Alsace, served in glasses with a green foot.

Le Cerf
Marlenheim, the first town you come to on the Alsace Wine Route if you start off from Strasbourg, has some great wine cellars and a great restaurant – Le Cerf. This establishment, which doubles as a hotel, has been run by the Husser family since 1930. It combines rustic interior design with avant-garde cuisine, which has earned it a Michelin star. Theirs is top-drawer cuisine, featuring regional dishes crafted using contemporary techniques, attested by the likes of sauerkraut or bouchées à la reine (stuffed vol-au-vent), and such international dishes as ravioli au foie gras or oxtail sashimi ramen, served up amid surrounding vineyards. Their terrace is a central patio where local red geraniums lend a touch of charm.

Book your Vueling to Basel, an hour and a half from the start of the Alsace Wine Route, and be sure to soak up the views in some of these magnificent terraces while tasting their delicious cuisine.

Text by Laia Zieger de Gastronomistas

Picking up from our activities in the previous chapter, today we continue with our monographic tour of Berlin techno. This, then, will be our second night in the city. For this purpose there is a variety of venues. In a radius of less than 200 metres there are two of the standout spots, both on the Kreuzberg intersection. Access to the first of these, Monarch, is up a staircase which doesn’t seem to lead to anywhere safe. But, after negotiating a metal door concealed on one side of the street – bingo! The venue has a fixed programme and special events, such as the XJAZZ Festival. Another of the mythical spots is La Paloma – you could pass by the door twenty times and you’d never suspect that there was any action there… and on this occasion there wasn’t. 9 p.m. is too early for this locale. We didn’t even try going to Farbfernseher as we wanted to really hit the big time!

“The best techno is still at underground rave-ups, where it’s not easy to get a look in”, remarked Ana, a designer from Madrid who lives in Berlin. With that auspicious comment we head into the Berlin night, to more exciting spots than the ones touted… Before that, we make a slip-up.

“Tresor has become the Pachá of Berlin”, wages Carlota, a Catalan who has been living in the German capital for some years. Tresor is not the best of places in Berlin – it is no longer on its original premises either – but it is an affordable piece of history. The tunnel leading down into the basement hall with its strobe lights and tedious hard techno is unlike anything else in Europe. Whatever is being played, thanks to its crew it sounds marvellous. As well, the premises are clean and they even offer deodorant and shampoo to customers who prolong their stay through the night.

After a couple of hours we realise that there aren’t any real Berliners around. You can hear more Spanish and English being spoken in the corridors than German. You also encounter a host of guiris in such places as Suicide Circus, Cassiopeia, Kit Kat and Weekend. The venues actually exploit the fact that some legendary clubs have closed down precisely because of the pressure exerted by foreigners and a process of gentrification – Kater Holzig, Golden Gateor Icon, for example. We decide to head for another iconic spot, this time with its pedigree intact – Berghain, in Rudersdorf.

The sandy forecourt leading to the earthy-coloured building rising several storeys high is imposing. Not for its size but because it smells of fear from a long way off. The stats confirm that no for an answer is the prevailing response at the door. Five pro bouncers are tasked with controlling not so the outbreak of scuffles as customer dress code (spotless black, although a couple dressed in green latex was allowed in) and the deportment of the cautious queuers (no talking in the queue, no group entry, no boy-girl couples). Martí, a Barceloner who went to Berlin on an Erasmus, has never been able to get in. Needless to say, neither were we. It’s 4 in the morning.

“Have you got an invitation?” asks a sturdy bouncer in English. We haven’t yet opened our mouths, but he already knows we are certainly not Teutons.

“No”, we reply in our half-German. The bouncer moves his head to one side, motioning towards an exit. Our visit to Berghain with its legendary label is short-lived.

What gives in the club that has made the legend grow exponentially in the last few years? “It’s their hallmark of exclusiveness which the club is careful to promote”, replies a Galician, who has also been unable to gain access. “They say there are dark rooms inside and, maybe, the best music”, adds Ana. Little is known about the interior, over and above the odd testimonial from people who have managed to get in, as the image of Berlin’s clubs is jealously guarded.

The night is taking its toll on our legs. And, to round off our whirlwind weekend, we make another mistake – we go to the best afternoon club, but in the early hours. Sisyphos has been one of Berlin’s mainstays in the last few years. It is a huge, open-air expanse on the riverside, where our eyes begin to shut. We take a taxi as our NH is on the far side of the city, and we leave mulling over our encounter with techno in Berlin. “We’ll be back!”

Text by Yeray S. Iborra | Our thanks to Ángel Molina, Ana Riaza, Carlota Surós and Martí Renau for the first-hand information on the itinerary for this article.

Images by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS, Michael Mayer

1. Victoria Square – the Heart of the City

The city’s main historic buildings are located in this square, notably Council House with its clock tower – known as Big Brum –the Birmingham Town Hall and Birmingham Cathedral. Cultural events are held in the square, including the Frankfurt Christmas Market, laid out in the purest German Christmas-market style.

2. In Search of the Industrial Past

Birmingham was the main driving force behind the United Kingdom’s industrial revolution, which earned it acclaim as “the factory of the world”, or the “city of a thousand businesses”. Dating from that period is the city’s extensive network of canals. An enjoyable way of discovering them is to go for a ride on one of the colourful barges that ply the canals and take in the industrial heritage that has survived the test of time. It has also become a major leisure area, with pubs and restaurants to relax in before pressing on with your city tour.

One way of finding out how workers lived in the 19th century is to visit Back to Backs, a court of back-to-back houses which has been restored. Tours are organised to the precinct with its workshops, enabling you to get a better idea of that period.

3. Art and Museums – the pre-Raphaelites and Much More

The Birmingham Museum & Gallery Art (BMAG) boasts the world’s largest collection of pre-Raphaelites, with over 2,000 works on display. It also houses sections on archaeology, social history and the art of other periods. Enthusiasts of the contemporary avant-garde and the latest art trends should head to the Ikon Gallery, housed in an 1877 neo-Gothic building designed by John Henry Chamberlain.

4. More Than Just Books in The Library of Birmingham

Well worth visiting, if only for the stunning building housing this library on Centenary Square. This, the largest library in the United Kingdom, is also famed for having over 40,000 objects related to the life and work of William Shakespeare. You can also visit the Parker Collection of children’s books, that of the British politician, Benjamin Stone, with some magnificent photographs, one of the country’s largest collections of music for silent films, and a host of other exhibits.

5. Cadbury – More Than a Chocolate Factory

South of Birmingham lies Bournville, one of the city’s most beautiful districts. Among its chief landmarks, there is one coveted by all children – the Cadbury Chocolate Factory. Inside you will discover the history of one of the most important chocolate factories in the world. A must if you’re travelling with children.

6. The Jewellery Quarter – Jewels for Everyone!

Most of Birmingham’s jewellery production is centred in the Jewellery Quarter, where over 100 jewellers and experts in the sector are to be found. The district dates back to the 18th century and is the site of the only Georgian square in the city. Highly recommended is a tour of the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, an erstwhile factory and workshop converted into a museum where you can see how jewels are made, among other things.

7. Bullring Shopping Centre – the Temple of Shopping

Apart from being one of Birmingham’s architectural gems, it is an essential destination for shopping lovers. It houses no fewer than 160 stores where you can indulge in one of the United Kingdom’s favourite pastimes – shopping. Before you leave, make sure you take a selfie alongside the popular bull statue in the interior.

8. Sarehole Mill – A Place Which Inspired J.R.R. Tolkien

Some five kilometres from the city centre lies Sarehole Mill, one of the last two surviving water mills in the Birmingham area.J.R.R. Tolkienfans have good reason to make a pilgrimage to this spot, as just a few yards from the mill stands Tolkien’s old house. Both the water mill and its surrounding area was a source of inspiration for some of the scenes in Lord of the Rings.

Now you have the keys to discovering Birmingham; all that’s left is to pick up your Vueling here and see it all for yourself.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Tony Hisgett, David Merrett, ozz13x, Fotorus, Tim Parkinson, Elliott Brown

Strasbourg’s historic centre, known as the Grande-Île (great island), is an enchanting maze of lanes, picturesque squares and houses with wood carvings. Concentrated in a small area on this river island is an exceptional wealth of art heritage, an enriching blend of French and German essences.

A Cathedral With A 1,000 Years of History

An example of this is the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg, the pride of the city. While Strasbourg is located in France, the Cathedral is one of the finest exponents of the German Gothic and the clearest example of the artistic harmony between the two cultures. Situated on the Grande-Île, it is one of Europe’s most beautiful cathedrals. For 200 years it was the world’s tallest building, while currently it is the fourth tallest religious building on earth. Its interior houses an extraordinary, 18-metre-high astronomical clock, built in 1571. It is regarded as the world’s first computer as it is capable of calculating dates, and it marks all calendar holidays. The moment most awaited by tourists is when it peals out the midday chimes, and the figures of the Apostles parade in front of Christ.

The foundations of Strasbourg Cathedral were laid in 1015, and its construction was not completed until 400 years later. This year, 2015, the city’s most important religious building turns one thousand years. A programme of activities has been drawn up to commemorate this anniversary, notably the event “1015 - 2015 : La Cathédrale de toute éternité”, a spectacle of lights projected on the Cathedral’s main facade. This will take place every Thursday from 4 July to 20 September. The times for July are at 10.30 p.m., 11 p.m., 23,30 p.m. and 24 p.m. In August, at 22.15 p.m., 22.45 p.m., 23.15 p.m. and 23.45 p.m. and, in September, at 21.15 p.m., 21.45 p.m. and 22.15 p.m.

FARSe will Fill the Streets of Strasbourg with Scenic Arts

Another enticement for visiting the city in July is the Festival des Arts de la Rue (Street Arts Festival), providing free shows for all audiences in some of Strasbourg’s more central, emblematic areas distributed mainly along the axis between the Austerlitz and Kléber squares.

On Friday 17 and Sunday 19 July, these spots will feature circus, theatre, dance, music and burlesque shows to liven up your visit to the city centre even more. Leading theatre companies, selected under the supervision of and in collaboration with the dancer and choreographer, Ali Salmi, will provide the highlights of these performances.

Of all the shows scheduled for this year, the aerial dance and pyrotechnics of Deus Ex Machina take pride of place. They will be performing on 17 July at 10 p.m. in the Place Kléber, and at the Holi Festival – a festival of colours of Hindu origin – in conjunction with the company Artonik, at the close of the festival on 19 July. You can choose from among the various options shown on the full programme here.

The Place Kléber

One of the nerve centres of the shows is the place Kléber, the city’s main square and a major hub of commercial activity. This, the preferred meeting point of Strasbourgers, is also the centre of the Grande Île, fringed with magnificent Renaissance buildings and located near the Cathedral.

The Maison Kammerzell

North-east of the Cathedral square, on the Rue des Hallebardes, lies the Maison Kammerzell, another must-see, as it is one of the best preserved late-Gothic buildings in the area. It is considered by some to be the most beautiful building in Strasbourg, on account of its decoration of carved figures and stunning leaded windows. Like the Grand Île, it is listed as UNESCO World Heritage.

La Petite France

Also on the Grand Île is La Petite France, the most picturesque district in the historic centre. Its timber-framed houses date from the 16th and 17th century, when they were inhabited by fishermen and millers.

Don’t wait to hear about it from someone else – come and live it out for yourself. Check out our flights here.

Text by Scanner FM

Images by Chris Barker, Spiterman, María Renée Batlle Castillo, Filip Maljković , Richard Penn, Daniel Sancho