Speaking of Harry Potter and Edinburgh recalls inevitably the image of a young JK Rowling huddled in the corner of a coffee, drawing on the paper his imagined universe as time flies and steaming coffee cup empties slowly. Although it is difficult to know to what extent, it is undeniable that Rowling was inspired by the scenery of the Scottish capital in order to populate his world of characters and fantastic places, as itwas in Edinburgh where the first wizard’s adventures took form in the early 90 where Rowling ended the last book in the series in 2007. Many fans of Harry move to the city to follow the first steps of a child who one day received a letter that would change his life.

Beginnings

In 1994, Rowling and her young daughter, still a baby, moved to Edinburgh from Portugal, where she worked as an English teacher. When she arrived in Scotland, the idea of Harry Potter spent years in the making. Rowling had already written the first chapters of the first book in the series, “Harry Potter and the Philosophical Stone.”

Cafes

During the winter of 1994, Rowling started to frequent several cafes in town, where she spent hours writing in a notebook while her daughter was dozing peacefully beside her after walking her around the streets of Edinburgh.

In the beginning, Rowling went to a cafe today disappeared, Nicholson’s Café, in Nicholson Street. Counts the history that, for the price of a coffee, she was allowed to spend the whole evening writing on site. Today another cafe, Spoon,takes its place.

The Elephant House , on George IV Bridge is the cafe that more closely relate to Rowling.Although in an inscription and a drawing on the glass The Elephant House claims to be “the birthplace of Harry Potter ‘, the fact is that did not open until 1995, and by then the first book in the series progressed fluently. But it is true that the author wrote many evenings at a back table in the cafe, by the window, whose splendid views over the castle and Greyfriars Cemetery inspired her to build the story. Throughout the years, fans of the series have filled the walls of the toilettes at The Elephant House of entries:

Rowling went on visiting the cafes of the city long after her books became a bestseller, but while writing the fourth volume, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, her growing fame forced her to give up this practice.

Greyfriars Graveyard

It is said that Greyfriars cemetery, one of the best known in Edinburgh because of the alleged apparitions by odd dwellers from beyond and the legend of Bobby the Dog, inspired the mythic and dreary graveyard scene from “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, in which Voldemort returns to its physical shape and fights a duel with Harry.

There are two places not to miss in this cemetery. First one is the grave of William McGonagall, a writer who’s been awarded the title of worst poet in British history. It is rumoured that the name of Professor Minerva McGonagall comes from here as Rowling noted it was a curious contrast between this minor poet and a brilliant woman as the teacher. The second intesresting place is a tombstone in which lie a father and a son called Thomas Riddell. In English books, Voldemort’s real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle and although written differently, father and grandfather “who must not be named “ also shared the name of Tom/Thomas, and Harry visit their graves in novels

George Heriot’s School

Quite close to Greyfriars cemetery stands the stunning Gothic building of George Heriot’s School, whose founder, George Heriot, planned as a schoolwhere orphans received free education. Today is a prestigious private school, and Rowling said she was inspired by it to create the unforgettable Hogwarts. In fact, students at George Heriot’s School are divided into four houses, as the wizards of Hogwarts: Lauriston (marked by the green color), Greyfriars (white), Raeburn (red) and Castle (blue) . Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw? During the course, each student aspires to earn points for their respective house, which are achieved thanks to a good academic performance, among others things. Usually the school can not be accessed, but sometimes opens its doors in days like the Open Doors Day.

Balmoral Hotel

While the first books of Harry Potter were born in humble cafes, Rowling wrote the last lines of the novel that closes the series in a luxury room in Balmoral Hotel, one of the most prestigious and expensive in the city. She was staying in Suite 552 while finishing the book and, when completed, let the following words written on a marble bust, “On January 11th, 2007, JK Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ in this room. ”

Other places

There are many other parts of the city somehow related to the author of Harry Potter’s saga. For example, just before the publication of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”, a draw was called and 70 children, who were winners, enjoyed a weekend in the castle of Edinburgh, dressed in Hogwarts for the occasion. Rowling met children who came to the castle in carriages, and answered their questions, gave them signed copies of the new book and invited them to various events and banquets.

Furthermore, it is believed that Rowling created the lively Diagon Alley, where magicians come to stock up on all the material needed, inspired by a popular and colorful street in Edinburgh, Victoria Street, which is also packed with shops, such as a popular joke shop in the style of the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes

It is also said that J.K. Rowling based the Sorting Hat, a hat of thousands years old that young wizards get on arrival at Hogwarts to have a house assigned, in a tradition that takes place in the graduation ceremony of the University of Edinburg , in which the students rise up the stage one by one as the Provost give them a knock with that historic hat in the head.

In one corner of the Edinburgh City Chambers on the Royal Mile, hands belonging to outstanding personalities of the city are immortalized, and JK Rowling was the second to receive this honor, after writer Ian Rankin. Today, Rowling still resides in Edinburgh most of the time, so if you’re in the series, keep your eyes open, because she might be seen around town.

If you walk a Saturday through the park of the Meadows, you will find football games, rugby … and Quidditch trainings! Although it began as a fictional sport , soon it became real and for years many American and British universities have their own team. One of the features is that is played on a broom, but, unlike the books, not flying.

Tours

Most tours of Edinburgh mentioned the Harry Potter tour at some point, and there is also a specialized tour Magician Potter, which, despite being a nice route that will provide information and take you to the sites listed above, does not give access to any private building or having a high added value with respect to a ride that you yourself designed for you by the center (see map for details).

Picture by Eiscir 

By Angie from Más Edimburgo 

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

By Mariana Calleja from TravelThirst | Illustration & Photography by Federico Rojas

Of course there is a lot about Florence. Such a rich city with tons of art, scenery, history and more to be seen and learned. But this time, we decided to go into a secret Florence within the same streets we all have visited some time.

Maybe you have done this before but there is always some more to discover. So take your map down and take this secret guide in hand, as you know you are already curious and going into this secret Florence we were able to find and sense for you.

1. Traces of a Roman Amphitheater

There a particular little street where you can sense a prominent curve, where buildings and homes are sitting today. But what it’s not known and told, even within its walls, is how this curve represents the place where an amphitheater was located back in Roman times!

Walking straight from Piazza Santa Croce, taking the narrow street called Via Torta. Keep walking until you surround it all! You will be able to notice and even imagine where this roman structure used to be located. No walls remain today.

2. Florence’s Floods

Arno River is a big part of Florence’s soul. Even though it seems steady nowadays, it wasn’t always like that. Did you know this river flooded up the city 3 different times in the past? Once even taking down the well known Ponte Vecchio back in 1333. Fortunately it was rebuilt and still standing.

But what travelers, locals or any curious person don’t get to know is that there are a few traces of these floods around town. And as an important part of history as it is, we want to share this tip with you.

The largest flood came in 1966, not long ago, when it reached 5 meters height. You can see commemorative plaques on this corner, recalling and remembering lost souls to the flood.

3. Thunderstorm Hits to the Duomo

In June 17th, 1600, Florence suffered a terrible thunderstorm, which had one lightning striking directly the copper-gold ball on the Brunelleschi’s cupola. It made the ball fall down hardly to the ground and fortunately not harming anyone. There was just a big hole in the ground which is featured today over a white circle on the same spot where the ball landed.

4. Bees of Ferdinand

At the Piazza Annunziata, there is a magnificent statue of Ferdinand di Medici, which if you get closer, you will see a large swarm of bees gathering around the queen bee,symbolizing Ferdinando’s coat of arms and the peaceful living they had at the time. It is said that bees are uncountable…but I believe that is untrue! We dare you to go count them. We got 91 bees!

5. San Zanobi’s Tree

Right on one side of the Baptistery in Florence, you can see a column standing all alone. Well, attached to this column there is a nice story of a very beloved bishop and the first one of the city of Florence.

One day San Zanobi passed away so the entire city threw a parade in his honor and buried him at San Lorenzo’s church. After a few years, they decided to move him to the ancient cathedral of Santa Reparata.

It was January on a dark winter day when the parade was held again. They took his body into the new location and it is said that when they passed by the Baptistery, the bishop’s bier brushed against the leafless branches of an elm tree, making it bloom right away. It was miraculous and beautiful as it is told.

In order to celebrate this, Florentines built up a column right on this spot, with a small iron detail of a tree full of leaves representing San Zanobi’s miracle. And it is celebrated every January on the 27th.

6. The Mysterious Portrait of Michelangelo

On a corner right next to Palazzo Vecchio’s main entrance, you can get to see a very small face carved into the same wall stone.

Exactly on the corner between Via della Nina and Piazzale degli Ufizzi, you will notice if you get close enough, a small carving the resembles a human face.

It is said it was sculpted by Michelangelo, maybe on a boring moment or on a rivalry moment. Legend says how Michelangelo might have been challenged by a sculptor friend mentioning how he was slow with his own works. Michelangelo, while listening and heading his back towards the wall, sculpted this face to prove his colleague wrong.

But another legend says instead, how Michelangelo was on the street when we has caught on a boring conversation with someone who approached him. In his boredom and once again, heading his back to the wall, he carved this figure on the corner stone.

Which one do you believe it was?

7. Former Jail and Today’s Apartment Building

At the Via Gibhellina, there is the Monastery delle Murate, best known for holding an important jail during 500 years. After it was closed and transferred to a new location, the infrastructure was used as a restaurant and recreational park for long time, until the 20th century. In this moment, a social project rescuing old structures for a better living, took this area in order to build a whole apartment and lifestyle project. Nowadays, you can still see and even visit the place, grab a coffee or just sit down on a bench and admire the incredible passing of time while whispering a story to your ear.

Inspiring and exemplar is what this is. One more great achievement of the city of Florence, moving towards better times and a better quality of life.

By Mariana Calleja from TravelThirst | Illustration & Photography by Federico Rojas

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

By: Belén Parra and Carme Gasull

The gastro-event: Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre. 23 to 27 October, 2014

Turin, the ultimate in good taste. From the moment you set foot in Turin, you feel at home, you become imbued with its unique quality and understand why it was the first capital of modern Italy. While the city’s 2 million inhabitants are fully aware of its many attributes and how best to enjoy them, Turin remains relatively untouched by tourism. For decades, the city has been creating its own reality, far removed from the mass tourism of other Italian destinations. The 2006 Winter Olympic Games was clearly a major turning point for Turin, which has never depended on tourism. And the tourists it does receive are mainly from Italy. This is certainly not due to a lack of attractions… Among them, gastronomy. The aptly named Città del Gusto (Good Taste Event) also seduces the taste buds.

The welcoming

Warmth. This best sums up the Turinese nature. You just have to show curiosity, interest or mere ignorance about something to promptly find the desired answer. With a notable generosity. “La buona accoglienza fa bene al turismo”, is the slogan of the day. And they lead by example. There is no place better than Turin for a stress-free stroll. There are no hordes of foreign tourists everywhere you go unless, of course, the city is hosting a major international event.

Transportation

Obviously, the best way to explore any destination is on foot, but Turin’s superb transport system lets you move around the city at your leisure. Train, bus, underground, tram, public bicycles… Everywhere is so accessible, which makes sightseeing a pleasure. Even so: a gentle stroll, especially around the city centre, is still the best way to discover its pulse, its unique layout and its infinite charms.

Accommodation

Due to the city’s emerging tourist sector, accommodation in Turin is centred on mid to high range hotels. We suggest 2 enticing options of contrasting ambience.

Best Western Hotel Piemontese

Via Claudio Luigi Berthollet, 21
Quaint, discreet and comfortable. It stands in one of the city’s best areas for social and night life. The hotel is surrounded by bars and restaurants for breakfast, fine dining or just drinks. It is also close to the city’s main railway station: Porta Nova.

NH Santo Stefano

Via Porta Palatina, 19
Located in the centre of the modern Quadrilatero Romano, it is within easy reach of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and the historic city centre. Its proximity to the Porta Susa and Porta Nuova railway stations offers easy access to Turin by train.

Squares

Being a city of contrasting weather, Turin’s squares are a hive of activity throughout the year. So don’t be surprised to see lots of tables in the streets and especially in the squares. From the imposing Piazza San Carlo, one of the biggest and most elegant squares in the city and which leads to Gran Madre de Dio, through to Piazza Castello or the small squares known as Emanuele Filiberto and Della Consolata.
Snacks, coffee and local beers abound on the tables. The drinks menus at the different establishments offer a seemingly infinite choice. Did you know Turin is also the home of vermouth? Whether winter or summer, the enticing outdoor cafés in the squares are sure to be open. The squares are also home to historic gastronomic establishments.

Establishments with history

Ancient establishments teeming with history and fine produce. Busy places. Like their cafés. Turin is the third city in Italy in terms of historic establishments.

Caffè Mulassano

Piazza Castello, 15
The famous tramezzino was created here; a lightly toasted sandwich with a variety of high-quality fillings. The most typical one is filled with d’aragosta’ (lobster) salad. It has been in the same location since 1907.

Baratti&Milano

Piazza Castello, 29
Just a few meters away from the first one, but bigger and for a much sweeter tooth. Delicious chocolates, sweet pastries and cakes are all showcased inside.

Caffè Cioccolateria Al Bicerin

Piazza della Consolata, 5
This small, incredibly popular business (with an adjoining delicatessen) has been open since 1763. Marble tables and chairs, and its star product: bicerin, a drink combining coffee, chocolate and cream. You can try one for just €5.

Caffè Pasticceria Abrate

Via Po, 10
This café boasts a long history of baking and confectionery. It was founded in 1866.

Caffè Torino

Piazza San Carlo, 214
One of the city’s most famous establishments, it was founded in 1903 and has been at its current location since 1930. It has successfully adapted to the changing times. This large café has a popular snack buffet to accompany your aperitif, as well as outside tables where you can watch the world go by in the bustling Piazza San Carlo square.

Eat and drink

Bar Enò

Galliari, 12
Located in San Salvario, an area offering some of the best night life in the city. The kitchen stays open till the small hours and the bar itself closes at 4 am. It offers home-made pasta, typical sweets, excellent bread, wines, craft beers and good service. It has something for everybody. Its decor is one the star attractions. A sublime fusion of order and chaos. Visiting it is a must!

Restaurante Consorzio

Via Monte di Pietà, 23
A modern trattoria or an evolution of the typical trattoria without being a cutting-edge establishment that meets the slow food precepts. It is also famous for its worldwide and Italian natural wines, beers and liquors.

Enoteca Bordò

Via Carlo Ignazio Giulio 4/G
Managed by two Tuscan sisters, this is a simple and welcoming establishment where the traveller can feel at home eating a good pasta meal with a glass of excellent wine or craft beer, such as the Turinese Brew Up. Next to the Porta Palazzo market.

Pastis

Piazza Emanuele Filiberto, 9b
The South in the North. With a decidedly retro ambience, this establishment is managed by a Sicilian who has the soul and humour to give his business a character all of its own.
The owner, Andrea Tortorella, makes his presence felt on the walls and even the floor of the café, but especially in the tasty home-made recipes and almost uninterrupted timetable of the kitchen service. Personalised attention to detail in a decor that even includes one of the last pieces of the demolished Berlin Wall. On a cold day, its covered terrace is a great option. Excellent value for money.

Dausin

Via Goito, 9
Or ‘neighbour’ in the local Piedmont dialect. This small restaurant follows the precepts of the Slow Food philosophy, or eco-gastronomic project (as they like to call it) since it reduces CO2 emissions. Simple home cooking using fresh, local produce. Within easy walking distance of Porta Nuova station.

Emporio Gastronomico

Via Avogadro, 2
This restaurant and pizzeria is a veritable Mecca for those who like freshly-made pizza baked in a wood-fired oven (you can even watch the entire process from start to finish). The listing of pizzas is fairly classic and prices, opposite to other meals on the menu, are quite economic.

Taberna Libraria

Via Conte Giambattista Bogino, 5
An ideal place to try a typical Piedmont menu with different options to suit all tastes, including such dishes as vitello tonnato (cold, roast veal with mayonnaise and capers). And be sure to try (or purchase) some of the wines exhibited throughout the whole restaurant.

Focacceria Lagrange

It is named after the most famous 18th century Turinese mathematician, who invented rational mechanics. They say that focaccia is a mathematical science based on a finite number of flour particles subjected to a dynamic encounter with water and oil. Nothing else. You can judge for yourselves at three establishments (Via Lagrange 11/f, via Sant’Agostino 6 and Piazza Castello, 153).

Perino Vesco

Via Cavour, 10
A myriad of bread in all its shapes and forms, such as grissini (breadsticks) which were invented in Turin to help young Vittorio Amedeo II, who was a weak child and loved to eat this crunchy, easy-to-digest bread. Or so they say. The establishment is often packed and has long queues of people waiting to buy fresh bread, biscuits or sweet pastries, or to enjoy a panino, focaccia or just a coffee.

Where to go shopping

Porta Palazzo Market

A fabulous blend of colours, flavours and cultures, it is the biggest market in Turin and the largest food market in all of Europe. Shops, bars, trattorias and businesses under one roof and offering all kinds of products, from clothes to antiques. Time simply flies by when you’re browsing the stalls.

Guido Castagna

Via Maria Vittoria, 27/C
The cake shop-boutique par excellence. A true emblem of quality chocolate. The owner obviously loves chocolate, pampering it as if he had grown it himself. In his workshop, a few kilometres away from the city, Guido Castagna teaches his profession. His know-how has attracted many followers and given rise to some exceptional giandujotti (a typical Turin sweet made from chocolate and hazelnuts) . You have to try them!

Alberto Marchetti

Torino is not only the city of chocolate, but also of ice-cream. And the best is made by Alberto Marchetti. He has two ice-cream parlours in the city. The largest is at Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 24bis, while the other is at Via Po 35 bis. And he’s opening a third on Via Rossini. There is such a choice of flavours, they’ll let you try a few first. Just as well, or you’d be there all day trying to choose! Try some popcorn ice-cream or a delicious pallino (espresso and a scoop of ice-cream with whipped cream on top). It’s all home-made. Delicious. Amazing ice-creams from just €2. It is also babyfriendly (changing table in the bathroom and a table with games).

Eataly Alti Cibi

Via Nizza, 230/14
A great deli on a large scale. Due to its size and its wide range of quality products. It has something to suit all tastes. If you’re looking for something in particular to try or and even as a gift, you’re sure to find it here: pasta, rice, chocolate and other sweets, coffee, sauces and condiments, cookery books, kitchenware… Quality, sustainability and ecology. The first shop was opened in Turin, followed by Rome, Florence and Milan. Today, there are 26 Eataly establishments worldwide.

Also be sure to visit…

Two great museums

Or two in particular, at least. The Egyptian Museum (Via Accademia delle Scienze, 6) is considered the second most important museum in the world after the Cairo Museum due to its collection of antiques. An ambitious refurbishment is currently underway and is not due to end until 2015.
If you’re a film buff, we recommend the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, located in Mole Antonelliana, a major landmark on the city skyline (Via Montebello, 20). Rising 167 metres above the city, it has a glass lift that takes you up to the top of the huge dome, where you can enjoy panoramic views. Simply breathtaking.

San Giovanni

CathedralA must in the city, this beautiful building from the 14th century dedicated to St. John the Baptist, patron saint of Turin, holds the burial cloth in which Jesus was wrapped after being lowered from the cross: the Holy Shroud, also known as the Shroud of Turin or Turin Shroud. The relic is shown only on special occasions.

Po River

Take a stroll along its banks. If you still have time for more sightseeing, you can stand on one of the many bridges and watch the Po flow by. If you prefer, you can also go for a boat ride on the river. It is the most Parisian touch of this Transalpine city.

Now, as before, we will always have Turin.

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

Although the economic crisis has left its mark in the capital, as some buildings along its central streets have become noticeably decadent, Athens is well worth visiting, and enjoyment is to be had in its marked array of contrasts.

If you’re on a weekend getaway, the best thing is to organise your short stay by touring specific districts in the capital. And, the easiest, fastest and cheapest way to get around is undoubtedly by metro.

1. Plaka

One of the most authentic districts in Athens, with a rich Byzantine and Ottoman legacy. Indeed, this is the city’s oldest quarter and all the historical architecture is strictly protected.

Its siting at the foot of the Acropolis, its quaint, Bohemian atmosphere, its narrow, cobbled streets and the absence of cars make this one of the favourite districts among sightseers. It is a veritable oasis in the heart of a chaotic city.

Plaka is full of street markets, shops and bars. It is the ideal area for buying traditional products and antiquities, or for tasting local cuisine. However, keep an eye on the prices! This quarter is your springboard for seeing ancient monuments, notably theAcropolis,the Acropolis Museum and the Roman Agora.

2. Monastiraki

Northwest ofPlaka, between theAgoraand theAcropolis, lies one of the city’s major commercial hubs. Monastiraki is also the name of one of the oldest and most centrally located metro stops in Athens. It also features the added value of an unusual display – the archaeological finds that emerged during the construction of the underground.

The city was also the site of a Turkish settlement for over 300 years, so that nowadays you can still see the influence of that culture in such spots as the Tzistarakis Mosque or the Turkish baths.

Landmarks in the historica lMonastiraki Square include such emblematic buildings as the Church of the Pantanassa, the Tower of the Winds and Hadrian’s Library, in addition to the Pazari or flea market with the most diverse wares on display in its open-air stalls.

Adrianou Street is a pleasure to stroll along, as it is lined solid with interesting shops and bars. Highly recommended is Collage, a cafe-restaurant where you can eat great food, listen to live music or sip a fine cocktail on their terrace, soaking up the cool ambience all the while.

3. Gazi

This is the most stimulating, switched-on area of the city. It revolves around Technopolis, its cultural centre, the largest in Greece, housed in a former gasworks. The district started coming to the fore after the 2004 Olympic Games. This is the most chameleon-like district of Athens with a proliferation of endless pop-ups. The cultural and leisure activities hosted here draw the most avant-garde, cosmopolitan movements to this part of town.

Gazi has undergone marked changes. Where prostitutes and illegal immigrants once roamed, we now see haute couture fashion parades, while brothels have given way to cultural centres. The once abandoned 19th-century buildings have been refurbished as innovative restaurants noteworthy for their striking post-industrial decor. Standout examples are Hoxton and Gazi College.

For enthusiasts of vintage decoration and second-hand objects, Gazi is teeming with stores to browse through.

4. Anafiotika

This quarter has an unusual history. In the 19th century, King Otto of Greece commissioned his palace to be refurbished by prestigious architects from the Cyclades Islands. They chose to settle in the Anafiotika quarter but, feeling homesick for their native land, they decided to build their new homes in the traditional Cycladic-island style. The result is that we can now admire the typical blue-and-white houses lining cobbled streets with a pronounced seafaring air. Together with the squares, viewpoints and gardens, the complex has become one of the most picturesque areas in Athens. It stands out as a pretty “island” in the urban sprawl, affording idyllic views of the city and acting as a vantage point for gazing at some unforgettable sunsets.

5. Kolonaki

This is the city’s chic district with its upmarket luxury and designer stores. The neoclassical and Modernist architecture endows the area with a distinguished, stately air which becomes evident as soon as you set foot in it.

Located here are some of the city’s trendiest bars, pubs and discos. Mind The Gap is ideal for having a bite or your first drink of the evening, while Dybbuk is perfect for dancing to good music until daybreak. Athenians love enjoying their social life, both during the day and by night, a fact we became aware of when experiencing the congenial atmosphere in the local venues, which always seem to be packed.

This district is adjacent to the famous Syntagma Square and is distributed around the foot of Lycabettus Hill, an excellent vantage point for taking in 360° views of the city.

Athens is a destination that should take pride of place on your calendar! Make sure you book your Vueling soon!

Text by Tensi Sánchez of ilovebilbao.com

Images by Aurora Loudeiro