Palermo is an open air museum; the different architectural styles intermingle through its streets as if it were a history book . This great artistic legacy is the visible testimony to the influences of the various cultures that have lived in it.

Quattro Canti, the epicenter of Palermo’s historic center, is an octagonal square formed by the intersection of two major roads: Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda, which are surrounded by four identical facades adorned with baroque sculptures. The seventeenth century square is also called Il Teatro del sole, since the sun gradually illuminates each part of the square thoughout the day. The four fountains in the square point to the four historic districts: Kalsa to the southeast, Amalfitania to the northeast and Sincaldi Albergheria to the northwest and southwest.

The beauty of this city lies within the chaotic streets, particularly in the Capo district. It is one of the oldest areas of Palermo, and houses a maze of rocks and semi-destroyed churches.The Capo District is an abandoned, quiet location in the center, away from the chaotic and noisy traffic.

Some aspects to consider in Palermo

In the Antica Focacceria .S Francesco, established in 1834, you can taste the rich palermitana gastronomy. Specialties include the "panino meusa", a sandwich made of boiled spleen, lung and liver of bezerro, and the "arancini", an emblem of Sicilian gastronomy. It´s said to be the first local town who refused to pay the "pizzo", a tax that businesses have to give the mafia. Another great place to try the local cuisine is the Vuccira market .Here you can buy fresh produce, eat typical fried food, such as croquettes, fried vegetables, or fried fish, and visit stalls offering the usual panini.

The Opera of Pupi, marionettes consisting of three Sicilian threads representing chivalrous fights, is one of the Sicilian traditions. To learn about the Sicilian puppet theater workshop, which has been a way of life for generations for this family, visit the Cuticchio on Via Bara all'Olivera to admire the collection dating back to the early nineteenth century. To this day, the workshop displays musical instruments, puppets and essence machinery. The Cuticchio is magical! Or visit the Museum of Antonio Pasqualino 4000, which houses a collection of puppets from around the world.

Another great custom is Sicilians coffee, which is always accompanied by a glass of water and ordered at the bar. Keep in mind that ordering table service may increase the cost by 50%.

Finally, a curiosity we discovered in the award-winning documentary "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" is a typical hand gesture in the shape of horns, called "malocchio". The documentary explains the origin of this superstitious gesture which is typical amongst older Sicilian women in the street in order to avoid the evil eye. Heavy metal fans started making this gesture in concerts after it was introduced by Ronnie James DIO.

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

The provenance of Minorcan gin clearly goes back to the time the island formed part of the British Empire, from 1713 to 1802. Indeed, demand by the British and Dutch seamen inundating the taverns was what prompted Minorca’s master craftsmen to embark on geneva or gin production. Thus arose the first distilleries to produce this coveted elixir.

The Doyen

Gin Xoriguer Mahón was probably the first gin to be made in the Mediterranean. Its origins go back some three hundred years when, on account of its strategic position, the port of Mahón became one of the most prized enclaves among the major maritime powers. The earliest recipe for Mahón gin was drawn up in 1750 by Miguel Pons Justo, who founded the legendary Minorcan distillery. Here, the secret formula for what is known as “Gin Xoriguer Mahón” has been preserved until the present. With its authentic bottling tradition, Xoriguer is one of the few distilleries in the world that still uses craft production methods, listed under the PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) as “Gin de Mahón”. Its special character resides in the craft methods applied to production, and the wine alcohol and juniper berries selected and left to stand for years that go into the making.

“Cocktails Perquesi” Mahón Gin Cocktail

To delight in its exquisite flavour, who better to guide us than the experts in combining these stimulating drinks? Cocktails Perquesi gifted us the recipe and the method for making a cocktail based on the Minorcan gin par excellence, Gin Xoriguer. The recipe, known as Frozen Pomada, is a variation on a fresher note of the classic gin-and-lemonade pomada.We hope you like it:

Ingredients:

6 cl. gin Xoriguer
2.5 cl. liquid sugar
1.5 cl. lemon juice
1.5 cl. lime juice
Crushed ice
5 cl. premium fever tree lemon
Lime twist garnish

Method:

Place all the ingredients – except the premium lemon refreshment – in a blender and mix with lots of crushed ice to yield a crushed-ice drink.

Serve in a glass, top up with about 5 cl. premium fever tree lemon and garnish with lime twist. Ready to serve.

Cocktails Perquesi is an ongoing project by mixologist, Mauri Jiménez. It is a cocktail catering service in the classical sense, although not limited to this. His mission is to socialise the world of cocktails and present it to the public in a clear, simple and honest way. The above cocktail is designed to bring a bit of Minorca into the home.

If you liked this cocktail, why not come and enjoy it in its original setting? Minorca awaits you – check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación and Cocktails Perquesí

Cocktail by Cocktails Perquesí

Images by Marcelo Salomao

Porto welcomes its visitors with the best of its rich cuisine. It is placed in an exceptional location, on the banks of the Duero and bathed by the Atlantic Ocean. That favours that in Porto you can eat good seafood, taste the best wines and delight your assorted pastries.

You can find restaurants to suit all tastes and all pockets. You can eat very well for only 5 € in its houses of meals, or in Michelin-starred restaurants, like The Yeatman.

One thing to consider when you sit in a restaurant is that the appetizer being served first, and without asking, is not a present. It has to be paid. This leads sometimes to misunderstandings.

Also, it's common to start a meal at any restaurant with a soup, preparing rich and in many different ways.

One of the areas with more choice of restaurants is Ribeira. It is a very lively place, from which you have the best views over the city. Here you can come to eat the grilled octopus or cod Chez Lapin and "Guts Oporto" da Filha da Mãe Preta.

In the Rua de Aviz there were many of the bookstores in the city. Today it is a hive of trends. Among the new art galleries we found the Book restaurant, where once was sited Livraria Aviz. You will see that all around this place reminds its past as a library.

Wine tourism is one of the best options for the city and its delicacies. To do this it is advisable to cross to the other side of the river, where we can find wineries like Vila Nova de Gai. On this side of the river you can also taste many recipes for cod, which are so famous throughout Portugal, El Bacalhoeiro (Avenida Diogo Leite, 74).

The Café Santiago has a good reputation in serving the best francesinhas, one classic of Oporto´s cuisine. You know that it is true when you see the big queues at their gates in order to get one in Rua Passos Manuel 226. Francesinha is a slice of bread filled with different types of sausage and meat, and covered with melted cheese and bathed in hot sauce. You can imagine that with these kind of ingredients it is a very heavy dish that will fill you with lots of energy; even more if you accompany it, as usual, with a few chips and a cold beer.

In order to know what products are popular in Porto, approach the Bolhao market. It was built in 1914, and it is one of the emblematic buildings to live day by day of tripeiros (gutties). Curious adjective, right? Citizens of Oporto are know tripeiros because, during preparations for the conquest of Ceuta in 1415, they had to turn to the issue all the meat and keep only the gut. Now, as tripas à moda do Porto is in the dish in town!

Francesinha by jfcfar| Tripas a moda do Porto by MariaCartas

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

Fuerteventura’s volcanic origin gives a great natural beauty, with miles and miles of white sand and turquoise sea, sun for the whole year and a very characteristic flora and fauna you’ll discover in the different natural parks. It is perfect for water sports such as surfing , diving , windsurfing and kitesurfing , with a lot of schools and training courses specilized in these sports , and it is also a good place for hiking .

Some things you should not miss if you visit Fuerteventura

Cofete Beach is located in the south of island and surrounded by mountains. It is easily reached from Morro Jable by a narrow road, though its complicated access makes it not too crowded . There are 12 miles of pristine beach , where there is no building but only open sea, has become one of the most famous of all the Canary Islands. Here takes place the traditional release of turtles to begin their new life in freedom. In the dock of Morro Jable you can also visit the turtles’s kindergarden. It opens to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 13:00 h.

Corralejo’s Dunes and its great beaches in the municipality of La Oliva, running from Three Islands hotel to Barreta’s beach . They are placed within the Natural Park of Corralejo’s Dunes , which has more than 2600 acres, and forms a landscape of exceptional beauty. Feel the tingle of turquoise waters on your feet and relax with that wonderful feeling that happens when you are in these desert dunes next to the crystal clear sea. Within the park it is also the mountain Esmeralda , a natural area of ​​great historical and geological value, some call it the magic mountain.

Opposite the Dunes Park there is Islote de Lobos, a small island attached to Fuerteventura which owes its name to the ancient seals that at some point came to populate the island, also known as sea lions. You can reach it by taking one of the boats that leave from the port of Corralejo. You can tour Islote de Lobos on foot or by bicycle, visiting some of its points of interest, such as the mountain of La Caldera, its coves and swim in its natural pools or explore the wonderful deep sea.

We’ll be there. If you want to come too, check out our flights here.