Le Marais is the most cosmopolitan and modern district in the city of Paris.It is where Gus Van Sant filmed Paris, je t’aime. Let us take you on a tour of some of the most iconic places, shops, restaurants and cafés in this part of town.

The Saint Martin Canal is one of links between the Ourcq Canal and the River Seine and is somewhere that always has a great atmosphere: young people, street artists, cycle paths, cafés and terraces for enjoying some food and drink beside the canal. It’s a great place for a walk, a cycle ride or a spot of rollerblading. More than 2 of the total 4.5 kilometres are underground, while the rest of the journey also crosses metal walkways and bridges.

Located in the centre of Paris, the Comptoir General is a shared work space for social entrepreneurs spanning 650 m2 with a capacity for 200 people. Its mission: to welcome all the events that relate to sustainable development, social progress, the spread of cultures from around the world, illumination and inspiration.

Chez Prune is a popular restaurant with views of the Saint-Martin Canal where you can choose to eat one of their four daily specials: fish, meat, salad or a vegetarian dish. By night, it is the perfect place to have a drink in a relaxed and truly Bohemian atmosphere.

Pop In is one of the best bars in Paris, with a great atmosphere, concerts and exhibitions. The place truly stands out because of its atmosphere and permanent offer of art and culture.
The bar is on the ground floor. There is a first floor room with comfortable sofas that look like small living rooms in which to enjoy moments of privacy and another room for the concerts and theme nights organised by the venue.
Of course, despite the name of the place, they don’t only listen to pop music here! Pop In offers a range of musical styles from glam, pop rock and garage to punk for a young and cool clientele!

However, the most fashionable part of Paris has now relocated to Rue Vieille du Temple and surrounding streets with a large offer of galleries, shops and such modernist bars and restaurants as La Perle; the most chic place in town at the moment. This charming establishment enables patrons to watch the world go by and is always full of the chic crowd.

At the heart of Marais, you will find this tea room with its Bohemian and nostalgic atmosphere. The 70s posters and furniture give the place a slightly chaotic but cosy feel.

Another of the most fashionable restaurants is Derrière. With its eclectic décor, Derrière looks just like an enormous apartment. On the ground floor, for example, you will find a ping-pong table for enjoying a quick game between courses. Another room looks like an office with piles of paper everywhere and there is even a living room for a perfect TV dinner. You really get the feeling that you are eating in someone’s house. Heading upstairs, you will find a bedroom with an enormous bed that doubles as a dining room.

The art galleries include Gayte Lyrique, a place dedicated to digital culture and modern music, and Le Bal de Foto, which is dedicated to the representation of reality through image in all its forms: photography, video, cinema and the new means of communication.

If you want to buy books in Paris, we recommend Shakespeare & Co and OFR. Shakespeare and Company appears in the Woody Allen film “Midnight in Paris” and can be found in the Latino district. It was founded by the eccentric US bibliophile George Whitman in 1951 and still has that chaotic spirit and a sense of being somewhere special for filling your rucksack with books.

For going shopping, there is nothing like the legendary Colette or, better still, the Merci – a store concept located in sombre, industrial surroundings. Kiliwatch is a true temple for the lovers of vintage but they also sell new clothes and books. You’ll always find something to take away with you!

When night falls, one of the best places to go out for a dance or a few drinks is the Social Club, where you’ll discover new bands and artists. We were told by Liset Alea (singer with Nouvelle Vague) that this is one of her favourite places. A strange and eclectic night out.

Image: Marimarina

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

The Périgord, a former French province distributed across the departments of the Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne, in the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, is divided into four sub-districts named after the dominant colour in the area. Thus, the Périgord Pourpre (Purple) is so called on account of the colour of its wine; the Périgord Noir (Black), named for its truffles and the dark woodlands there; the Périgord Blanc (White), for the limestone prevalent in the soil, and the Périgord Vert for the intense green of its meadows and oak forests.

The Périgord Vert, the northernmost of the four, has its capital in the commune of Nontron where for centuries the main activities are trades relating to leather and the art of table dressing. This town is the best spot from which to strike out on a route through the lush meadows of France as it traverses an amazing variety of landscapes belonging to the Périgord-Limousin Regional Nature Park. You won’t be at a loss for things to do in the Périgord Vert as it offers a host of activities, including hiking routes or tours of oil mills and fortified castles.

Another itinerary that comes highly recommended is the well-known Richard the Lionheart Route which stretches for over 180 kilometres and covers 19 areas open to the public. The route is signposted on both sides of the main road by a lion crowned with a heart pierced by an arrow, in remembrance of Richard the Lionheart’s sad end. Dotted along the whole route are vestiges of the battles and power struggles among the Dukes of Aquitaine, sparked by marriage agreements, which also involved the Kings of England and the French monarchs.

Touring the Périgord Vert

Apart from soaking up nature in the Périgord Vert, it is worth visiting the charming villages in this sub-district of France, notably Brantôme, famous for its Abbey and the Church of Saint-Pierre, which boasts the oldest belfry in France, dating from the Visigoth period. Brantôme is sited on the banks of the river Dronne, which runs along gentle meanders that set up a beautiful picture postcard scenery known as the “Venice of the Périgord”. Setting out from the abbey, by crossing the unusual, 16th-century right-angled bridge, you get to the monks’ garden and the heart of the town, featuring numerous vestiges from the 16th, 17th and 18th century. However, the best guarded secret of Brantôme are its troglodytic caves, where Benedictine monks once sought refuge. A few kilometres from Brantôme along the river Dronne lies the village of Bourdeilles, a commune with two landmark buildings – a medieval fortress and a Renaissance building housing an interesting collection of 15th- and 16th-century Spanish furniture.

Book your Vueling to Bordeaux and delight in the fantastic scenery of the Pèrigord Vert, a two-hour ride away.

Text by Tus Destinos

Play it again, Sam. These are the words that come to mind when you hear the name of Casablanca, the legendary Michael Curtiz film, but the truth is that neither Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and put their feet in the city for its construction, which was shot entirely in studios at Hollywood. It is true that there is aRick’s Cafe , but is due only to attempting to take advantage from the film’s success.

Casablanca is the closest thing to a modern Western metropolis. During the colonial period, the French came up with a program of urban development that provided the city with of broad avenues and parks and real gems of modernist and art deco architecture. This French colonial style blends elements of traditional Moroccan architecture.

The great pride of the city is the huge Hassan II Mosque, a wonder of modern religious architecture and one of the largest mosques in the world, which has the advantage of being one of the few Islamic buildings that can be visited by tourists not Muslims. Its construction was completed in 1993 and its minaret is the tallest in the world with an altitude of 200 meters.

Apart from this must-see, the most interesting of Casablanca is walking their neighborhoods. You will find that is a rather chaotic city but also therein lies part of their decadent charm. The medina, the oldest part, is just north of the city and is rather small in proportion to the large size of the city. It is accessed from Place des Nations Unies. Once crossed the walls, we passed the clock tower and the mosque of Chleuh to find a labyrinth of tiny streets where it is nice to wander between the characteristic smells of perfumes, spices and mint tea, which is drunk at all hours .

To get a typical souvenir and traditional handicraft, it’s best to come to the Nouvelle Medina, in the Quartier Habous, near the Royal Palace. Here the prices are lower and the tourist is not as pressed as in other souks in some other cities.

Getting lost in the park of the Arab League, in the heart of Casablanca, is a good choice to relax. Another good option is to get close to any of the resorts in the city, such as Bouznika, where you will find magnificent beaches such as Dar Bouazza, very close to Tamaris, a water park that opened recently.

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

Picture by Othmanlah

A village where you can only access through a natural cave, the world's smallest beach, movie sets and ghost towns. Asturias hides extraordinary natural curiosities sheltered among an ecosystem of breathtaking beauty.

Cuevas del Agua and spectacular entry access

Near Ribadesella we find a curious village. Certainly, Cuevas del Agua ( Water Caves) is only accessible through a natural cave (The Cuevona) about 300 meters deep. The route, that can be done on foot or by car, is truly impressive, with its illuminated walls that show a work of natural art. Lichens, mosses, fungi and ferns are growing inside. And some bats, frogs and blind salamander are its occasional inhabitants.

The Beach Gulpiyuri

Near Naves we find another of those extraordinary curiosities. Gulpiyuri Beach is a gem of nature, declared National Monument. Gulpiyuri is said to be one of the smaller beaches in the world. It is a tiny beach with sea water but nestled inside the land, about 100 meters from the coast and between cliffs. It barely covers your waist when the tide is high and it almost disappears at low tide.

The Orphanage´s locations

Few miles from Naves, there is Llanes. There we find the main locations of the film The Orphanage, Juan Antonio Bayona. Here is the Palace of Partarríu, an abandoned Indian style mansion, whose exterior was used to recreate the mysterious house of its protagonists. But not its interior, which was shot on set.

Very near from this, there is Andrin Beach, which was also used as natural scenery in some scenes of the film.

Os Teixois. A ghost town

Near from Taramundi, we find the little village Os Teixois. An almost isolated village which was deserted some time ago, and that now has become an ethnographic tourism centre. At Os Teixois we discover all sorts of gadgets moved by the force of water, a lovely riverside bar to drink Asturian cider and a peaceful rural environment.

All this in a peaceful and beautiful natural landscape of Asturias to get lost and discover its history.

Playa de Gulpiyuri by Ramon Diaz | La Cuevona by Ramón  | Os Teixois by Lourdes

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