With a millennial tradition, Bergamo rises majestically atop a hill in Lombardy. Its medieval old town is one of the best preserved in the region, with vestiges of the passage of Venetians, Austrians, Napoleon and, lastly, the unifiers under Garibaldi. But, apart from its monumental heritage, Bergamo is also famous for its cuisine and for being the birthplace of one of the leading opera composers of all time – Gaetano Donizetti.

Between the Città Alta and the Città Bassa

The Bergamasque universe is split in two. The historic centre is surrounded by an old wall at the top of a steep hill in what is known as the Città Alta or Upper City. At the foot of these hills lies the Città Bassa or Lower City which spreads across the plains and is now the hub of the city’s development.

Until the 19th century, the only connection between the two parts of Bergamo was via the sloping fortified wall gates. Over a hundred years ago, however, they were joined by a funicular railway which now links the Upper and Lower City in less than five minutes. The ride affords some stunning views.

The Essential Bergamo

The two main thoroughfares in old Bergamo are Via Gombito and Via Bartolomeo Colleoni. The network of streets that fan out from there is well worth strolling through as they are structured around the Piazza Vecchia, of which the architect Le Corbusier said it was the most beautiful square in Italy. It is also the site of some of the city’s most significant buildings. Presiding over the area is the formidable Torre Civica, also known as the Campanone, a stunning campanile from where the bells once pealed out to mark curfews and which connects the Palazzo della Ragione to the Palazzo del Podestà.

At the other end of the square stands the white Palazzo Nuovo, designed by the architect Vincenzo Scamozzi. It now houses a library, while a second-hand book and antique market sets up shop under its arcade on Sunday mornings.

The arches attached to the municipal building on the far side of the square lead to the Piazza Duomo. Sited here and well worth visiting is the Cathedral, although absolute pride of place goes to the adjoining Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the most beautiful churches in the north of Italy. Begun in the 12th century, its Romanesque exterior belies its opulent interior, studded with frescoes, coloured stucco and marquetry work of the finest quality. A prominent highlight is the Colleoni Chapel. Here, too, lie the mortal remains of the most illustrious Bergamasque, Gaetano Donizetti, as well as those of his master, the no less distinguished Simon Mayr.

A Universal Bergamasque

No account of Bergamo would be complete without mention of the composer, Gaetano Donizetti, who was born and died here. Indeed, every step one takes through the city is a constant reminder of the romantic musician. Whether you are a music lover or not, we wholeheartedly recommend visiting the Museo Donizettiano, located near the Basilica de Santa Maria, with its collection of the composer’s personal belongings and several of his handwritten musical scores. The city’s leading theatre, the Donizetti Theatre, is yet another reminder of Bergamo’s favourite son. Adjacent to the theatre, a large monument pays tribute to his figure, while in autumn the city hosts the Festival Donizetti, which includes performances of his operas and includes guest opera stars from abroad. The festival is also a good time to discover the Teatro Sociale which, after its latest refurbishment in 2009, is unlikely to leave you indifferent.

Essential Cuisine

By now nobody would be surprised to hear about the excellence of Italian cuisine, and Bergamasque cooking is no exception. The star dish in the city is their casonsei or casoncelli alla bergamasca, a meat-filled pasta with a superb sage butter sauce. Their cured meat is another forte of the region, as are the wines. There are two venues you should make a point of visiting if you want to taste their finest cuisine. First, Da Mimmo, on the Via Colleoni in the Città Alta. Here you can taste some of the local specialities and one of the city’s most famous pizzas. The other essential eatery is the Baretto de San Vigilio. You can only get there by taking a second funicular from the Città Alta. The restaurant serves delicious traditional cuisine with signature flourishes and affords what are some of the best views of Bergamo. You simply must try their homemade tiramisu, one of the tastiest in the north of Italy.

Fire up and visit this fantastic Lombard city – book your Vueling to Milan here.

Text by Aleix Palau for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Aleix Palau, Rick Ligthelm, David Spender

Paris and fashion are two concepts that marry to perfection and now, well into the 21st century, they continue to move hordes of journalists, fashionists, instagramers, influencers, it girls, the famous, the new rich and outsiders, who twice a year descend on the French capital in pursuit of the latest trends. The show takes place both on the catwalks, where the labels pull out the stops to achieve the best presentations for their creations, and on the streets, which throng with people intent on setting trends, even if this involves parading about in the most outlandish combination of the moment (often in rather dubious taste, too). For some, it’s a circus; for others, an explosion of creativity but, whatever the case, the Paris Fashion Week is the perfect excuse to steal a getaway to Paris to bring out the fashionist streak in you. And, needless to say, in these times you would want to share it all on social networks as well. What with parades, presentations and parties, you can also find some spare time to enjoy the city. Here, then, are our recommendations on what to do with your precious spare time.

1. A Gastro Tourist Bus, or How to Enjoy your Break to the Full

Pressed for time to sightsee Paris? The crew of BUSTRONOME have devised the ideal solution – an elegant bus with huge windows where you can delight in the magnificent gourmet menu of chef Vincent Thiessé while you ride around the city’s main tourist sights. This is the best way to tour the city without getting tired (you’ll already be getting tired between one parade and the next).

2. Let’s Go Shopping!

No seasoned fashion lover can resist a spot of shopping in Paris. The options are endless, from haute couture boutiques, suitable only for well-lined pockets, to vintage stores. Our favourites include the small ateliers you will come across while strolling through Le Marais, and along Saint-Germain-des-Prés – a heady shot of creativity!

3. An Exhibition to Get Inspired

Paris is fashion, but it is art, too. On any visit to the French capital, you should slip out – however briefly – to see some of the countless museums, art centres and art galleries the city is teeming with. If you have the time, be sure to head for the Centre Pompidou which this year marks its fortieth anniversary. If you’re the type that’s eager for something more unique, you should set your sights on Le Grand Musée du Parfum where you can embark on a sensorial journey into the world of perfume.

4. Time to Relax – Shall we Meet at the Spa?

After a long day of fashion parades and traipsing about the city, it’s time to take a breather and recuperate, and where better to do so than in a spa? Treat yourself to a stint at the Arab baths of O’Kari, where time stands still when you soak in its waters and take a massage and skin treatment. You will come out feeling new, ready to drop in on a party.

5. A Cocktail to Round Off the Day

We can’t think of any more glamorous way to see out a fashion-packed day than cocktail in hand at some chic venue in the city. Our favourites include the bar at the Hôtel Particulier, on Montmartre, a magnificently decorated space where you can relax and enjoy their splendid cocktail list, the bar at the Hotel Terrass”, where some fine views are guaranteed, and the bar Les Bains with its exquisite decor, where sanctuary and entertainment are assured.

Book your Vueling to Paris here and treat yourself to a fascinating Paris Fashion Week, to be held from 28 February to 8 March, and bring out the fashionist streak inside you. Don’t miss it!

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Fabio Sola Penna, BUSTRONOME, Le Grand Musée du Parfum,Le Grand Musée du Parfum, O’Kari, Hôtel Particulier, Hotel Terrass” , Les Bains

Beer is unquestionably one of the Czech Republic’s star performers. There, the valued elixir is more than sacred. Czechs love beer and are actually the world’s largest consumers per capita, putting back an average of 137 litres a year. The country boasts an endless array of brands, churned out either by large breweries or small family concerns. The latest trend is to blend different flavours in order to generate a bigger selection. Here, beer is a veritable institution, and a fad which is fast catching on is to bathe in the frothy gold liquid.

Following is a rundown of the best places to enjoy pivo (“beer”, in Czech).

Prague

Our beer route through the Czech Republic starts in the capital. Prague’s most famous beer is Staropramen, made at a brewery in the Smíchov district, which is well worth the visit. The brewery, which opened in 1869, includes sections with exhibits from that historic period.

The city’s most celebrated restaurant and beergarden is U Fleků, located in the historical centre. Once inside its huge interior, we recommend you pick up the menu and order some typical Czech dishes to go with your beer.

The best Pilsner Urquell is probably to be found in the Pivnice U Hrochů (“Hippo Beergarden”) on Thunovská Street, where the brew comes with an inch of head. Some claim that to test whether a beer has been poured properly, you should place a euro coin on top. If it floats, the beer has been served correctly. Another beer centre is the restaurant U Bansethů (Táborská Street 4). Opposite is a small brewery, the Sousedský pivovar Bašta, where you can also taste the beverage. If, however, you prefer to go for the more avant-garde flavours, make sure you head to the Nota Bene bar at Mikovcova Street 4, Prague 2.

However, beer does not exist solely for consumption, as attested by the Beer spa Bernard, located near the City Hall and the Powder Tower. Here you will enjoy a unique experience consisting of a soothing, curative beer bath. Needless to say, the spa session includes knocking back a Bernard beer.

Southern Bohemia

Our next stop takes us to southern Bohemia and the pretty town of České Budějovice. There stands another of the Czech Republic’s emblematic breweries – where Budvar beer is produced – known the world over as Budweiser Budvar. On our tour of the brewery they showed how the beverage was brewed by the traditional method, and how it is done nowadays. The visit also includes a tasting session of their famous pale lager.

Near České Budějovice lies the medieval jewel of Český Krumlov and the Village Golf Hotel Svachův Dvůr (Svachova Lhotka 1, Mirkovice). The hotel complex boasts its own small brewery, the Glokner, where they produce a Czech lager that is adapted to the different seasons – in summer, it is brewed “light”, whereas in winter it turns out somewhat “heavier” and more full-bodied. And, to round off your enjoyment of this beverage, the hotel offers its guests baths in their own beer.

Western Bohemia

North-west of Český Krumlov lies the city of Plzeň (Pilsen), the cradle of Czech beer. Discover the jealously guarded secrets of this beer city in this other post at My Vueling City. An hour’s drive away is a small town called Chodová Planá, known for its beer spa, the first of its kind in the Czech Republic. The spa offers the combined curative properties of a local mineral water known as Ilsano, Chodovar beer, hops and active beer yeast. And, if you’re a beer spa enthusiast, there is also a splendid spa town called Karlovy Vary.

Central Bohemia

We made our last stop at Žatec. This region, the country’s leading hops producer, is where the universally known Pilsner Urquell is brewed. It is clearly the best area for producing lagers. Here you can also visit the Žatecký pivovar brewery.

By now you must be quite thirsty, and not exactly for water! Get going and arrange your trip to Prague – check out our flights here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Czech Tourism

There is one night in the year inevitably associated with witches, horror stories, pumpkins, bonfires and disguises and that it is 31 October, the eve of All Saints. One of the many traditions alive in Spain is the stage performance of Don Juan Tenorio, by the poet, José Zorrilla. The ritual has been performed continuously ever since it made its debut around 1844. While at first glance a romantic drama might seem out of place on a night more suited to The Munsters, there is a reason for it – much of the second act in the play takes place in a cemetery, and many of the protagonists are dead souls who come alive and interact with the lead figure. Chilling, isn’t it?

Don Juan Tenorio’s Seville

Having solved the first mystery, a second issue arises. What connection is there between one of the most popular Juanes in literature and the city of Seville? First, it was here in Seville that José Zorrilla wrote his stage play and where the story is set. Granted, Zorrilla was actually inspired by Tirso de Molina’s The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest, written in 1630, which is where the myth of Don Juan stems from. The work ended up seducing such artists as Molière, Mozart, Lord Byron and Espronceda, among others.

A different, entertaining way of touring Seville is to stroll along its streets in search of possible sites featured in that drama, and the spots where tributes to the work are located. Here are some of them:

The Hostería del Laurel (Plaza Venerables 5) is located in the heart of Santa Cruz, one of the most popular districts in Seville. This former boarding house is where José Zorrilla lodged when he wrote Don Juan Tenorio. This, the birthplace of the literary classic, also acted as a source of inspiration for some scenes. Despite the passage of time, it is still worth venturing inside, where some of its historical essence has survived intact.

A few yards from the Hostería del Laurel lies the Plaza de la Alianza, site of the home of Doña Ana de Pantoja, the future wife of Don Luis Mejía, who rivalled Don Juan Tenorio when it came to causing mischief. There is actually a scene in this square where Don Juan tries to wrest his beloved from the grasp of Don Luis.

It is more difficult to find the convent where Doña Inés – one of the main characters in this romantic drama – was confined. The convent belonged to the Order of Calatrava, which is why the habits she wears bear the emblematic red cross of Calatrava. Indeed, a convent once stood in the Calle de Calatrava, which was re-christened thus in honour of the literary work. Following the disentailment it was subsequently demolished, the sole surviving vestige being a chapel which was eventually turned into a warehouse. Easier to locate is the Plaza de Santa Marta, which everyone agrees was the spot where Doña Inés was abducted by our hero.

Still in the beautiful Santa Cruz quarter, we find the Plaza de Doña Elvira, site of the home of Don Gonzalo de Ulloa, the father of Doña Inés, who was staunchly against her alliance with Don Juan.

Concerning the location of Don Juan Tenorio’s house, literary sources cite it as being on the banks of the river Guadalquivir, where he ended up fleeing, although the exact spot is unknown. There is also the real site because, if you’ve done some reading on the subject, the Tenorio family actually existed and tradition places them in the Convent of San Leandro, situated in the square of the same name.

The scene of the final duel, in which Captain Centella kills Don Juan Tenorio, takes place in the present-day Calle Génova, now re-christened the Avenida de la Constitución.

To wind up this tour commemorating the literary classic, you can visit the Plaza de los Refinadores where a statue to Don Juan Tenorio, sculpted by Nicomedes Díaz Piquero, was erected in 1975.

By the way – if you’re in Seville any weekend from 31 October to 15 November, we recommend visiting the San Fernando Cemeterywhere Engranajes Culturales is staging a dramatised visit and performance of the third act of Don Juan Tenorio.

Ready to be a Don Juan in Seville? Secure your Vueling ticket here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Víctor Fernández Salinas, Consuelo Ternero, Sandra Vallaure