Even the towns at the interior of Mallorca, like Valldemossa, Fonalutx or Biniaraix, are under the shelter of Tramuntana mountain range, are those which kept better the interesting traditions and costumes, by the shore there are little places that survived the urban growth.

Therefore, idyllic images of Mediterranean fishing villages have gradually disappeared as tourists arrived massively. However, there are still charming spots in Mallorca bays, keeping the essence. Visiting them is necessary in order to understand the cultural heritage of the island.

Es Jonquet

Next to Santa Catalina quarter, in Palma, and enclosed by Sant Matgí street, the border between both areas, there is Es Jonguet, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, which has conserved all the charm of a fishing quarter. This is a humble neighbourhood, with low-lying houses and irregular streets, rising proud under the mills (old flour mills) that welcome travellers arriving from the sea.

S'Estaca

Do not confuse this old fishing village, near Valldemossa, with the huge mansion that actor Michael Douglas owns in this area and is named the same. The village has about twenty old fishermen shelters where it seems that time has stopped. A magic place between Sa Foradada and Port de Valldemossa.

Porto Petro

Porto Petro is at the town of Santanyí, southeast of Mallorca. Even it’s not a fishermen port as it used to be, it has respected, surprisingly, all its original essence. There are not huge residential areas; only little stores and familiar houses. This is a place for people who want to relax in the nature, with many coves nearby. Closely, however, there are the real tourist areas, like the cove of Mondragó or Cala d'Or, which have a lively activity on summer nights.

Port des Canonge

Passing by Banyalbufar, southwest of Tramutana, the mountain range gets to the sea at Port des Canonge. To get here you have to follow a windy road to discover, at the end, the old houses that fishermen used as shelter and now are a little residential area, with the beauty intact. The quay and a nice beach made of gravel and boulders, make this spot a very quiet place.

Closely, you will find little coves or walk through pine forests following "Volta des General", a nice route that goes from Banyalbufar to Port de Canonge.

Porto Petro by Magnus Manske | Es Joquen by Chixoy | Port des Canonge by mallorcaesasitambien

Makes you want to go, right? Do it! Check out our prices here!

Situated in France’s Loire Country, although Breton at heart, Nantes is a vibrant city which hosts a large number of cultural events every year. The most prominent of these is undoubtedly A Journey to Nantes, a festival at which artists display their works in the streets. If you happen to visit Nantes, here are the six emblematic sights in the old Breton capital.

Castle of the Dukes of Brittany. We begin with a historic monument, the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany. It is the last castle situated on the banks of the Loire before it runs into the Atlantic. This elegant castle now houses the Nantes History Museum.

Graslin Square. Here, in the vicinity of the green Cours Cambronne esplanade, are two must-see sights – the Nantes Opera House, a neoclassical building with statues dedicated to Molière and Racine, and the Art Nouveau La Cigale bar-restaurant.

Le Lieu Unique. This building, once the premises of the old LU Biscuit Factory, is divided into several areas – a performance venue, an exhibition area and a hammam, among others. Its emblematic tower affords pleasant views of the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany and the city as a whole.

Île de Nantes. The Isle of Nantes features various contemporary works by great architects, including Nouvel, Buren and Portzamparc. One of the standout landmarks is the Palais de Justice, designed by Jean Nouvel, located on the François Mitterrand quayside, which welcomes visitors to this spot.

The Machines of the Isle of Nantes and the Marine Worlds Carrousel. The so-called Machines of the Isle, located on the former site of the Nantes shipyards, is an unusual artistic and tourist project. It consists of sculptures of giant mechanical animals, indicating a fusion between the imaginary worlds of Jules Verne, who was born in Nantes in 1828, the visionary machines of Leonardo da Vinci and the industrial history of the city itself. Another must-see is the Marine Worlds Carrousel, a three-storey merry-go-round with a marine theme. The attraction won the Thea Award in 2014, one of the most prestigious in in the leisure theme industry.

Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery (Fosse quayside). In 1998, to mark the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery, the artist Krzysztof Wodiczko and the architect Julian Bonder built a commemorative monument along the Loire dockside. The monument comprises 2,000 glass panels depicting scenes from the slave expeditions that departed from Nantes not so long ago.

Apart from these six sights, Nantes offers other charming spots that can be toured in a single weekend. Check out our flights here.

Text by María Jesús Tomé
Photos by María Jesús Tomé / Nantes Tourisme

By Laia Zieger from gastronomistas

Breakfast or Brunch at the Maison Dandoy

Opened in 1829, Maison Dandoy is one of the oldest pastry shops in the city. To go with an exquisite cup of hot chocolate, you can choose from an endless range of local sweet delicacies; large, light and crunchy Brussels Waffles, or the sweeter, softer Liege variety, Speculaas biscuits flavoured with cinnamon and other spices, Sablés (butter biscuits) and ‘Greek Style Bread’; a baguette sprinkled with cane sugar.
Rue Charles Buls, 14 - Bruxelles

For lunch, make your way to Chez Lola

Fashionable, contemporary and cosmopolitan, Chez Lola serves international dishes made with local, market ingredients. Standouts include cold roast beef served with homemade mayonnaise, foie gras and bouchée à la reine; puff pastry bathed in béchamel and studded with small pieces of different meats, mushrooms and snails. It’s worth noting that the menu always has a special section of dishes using in-season ingredients, be they asparagus, mussels or artichokes.
Place du Grand Sablon, 33 - Bruxelles

At the end of a perfect day, have dinner at La Taverne du Passage

The Galerie de la Reine, an old shopping arcade with a glass covered ceiling, is one of the city’s most emblematic spaces. Inside is this must-visit restaurant, whose menu is an ode to Belgium’s national cuisine. La Taverne du Passage’s décor, with it’s elegantly classical lines, and formal, white jacket and black bow-tie waiting staff, evoke another era or at least seem to have stepped out of a silent movie.

The specialities of La Taverne du Passage include (of course!) mussels with pomme frites (with various sauces to choose from) and prawn croquettes (probably the best in the city). But above all try the steak tartar. Prepared at the table with two teaspoons of homemade mayonnaise, this alone is worth your trip to Brussels.
Galerie de la Reine, 30 - Bruxelles

*And at any time of the day when hunger strikes, throw restraint out the window for a cone of pomme frites at Friterie du Café Georgette. Not your average chip, the potatoes are hand cut and fried the old fashioned way – in beef fat. They can be enjoyed with dozens of sauces at your disposal. 
Rue de la Fourche 37/39 - Bruxelles

For More Information: Tourist Office of Wallonia-Brussels

Makes you want to go, right? Do it! Check out our prices here!

Some journeys take you to unknown places, some envelop you in peace and tranquillity while others are designed to help tap your inner creativity. Without a doubt, Berlin manages all three of these things. Let’s walk today through the melting pot of the city’s most rebellious heart, where new artistic spaces open every year, where music, art and design coexist with parks, restaurants and street markets. Perhaps this is why more than 8 million tourists come here every year, only to discover it has changed slightly each time they return. Carlos Medina, from My Vueling City, guides us through the city to a musical backdrop. OnPiedra de Toque, we continue to seek the hidden side of our cities. Today, Berlin, with the Kreuzberg district, the Prenzlauer Berg district and the B-Parade.

The strong>Krezberg district: 160,000 inhabitants of 200 different nationalities, Turkish being the majority. “After the wall came down, Berlin united the two Germanies – the east occupied by the Russians and the west occupied by the Americans, French and English. The Kreuzberg district lies in the east, boasting a great night life and a spectacular Turkish market. Simply consider that Berlin is the European capital with the most Turks and that most of those live in the Kreuzberg district. However, there is another area that, given the low rent prices, is also full of all sorts of creative people. A visit to the Prenzlauer Berg district is highly recommendable. Here you will find cafés and restaurants of all nationalities with an excellent offer at more than reasonable prices. Top spots for Carlos Medina: Il pane e le rose, Mami Camilla, A Cabana.

Volkspark Friedrichshain has been the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city for more than 160 years. It is the oldest public park in Berlin. Mauerpark and its street market is the other essential location for discovering the hidden side of the German capital. Finally, if it’s the various shopping areas that turn you on, then Castangalle is the place for you.

B-Parade, 21 July. To conclude our visit to Berlin, we will mention the old Love Parade that began in 1989 before the fall of the Berlin Wall and that lives on today under a new name: B Parade. This popular street festival gathers a large number of DJs and performances to create the biggest party in Europe. This year, it will be held on 21 July.

Picture by David Herrmann

Does this make you feel like going? Then do it! Check out our prices here!