Natural seawater pools have all the benefits of the beach and a swimming pool. There are many of these pools across the Canary Islands and they are simply wonderful.

These simple constructions are a beacon for sailors. Powerful flashes of light ringing the coast help ships navigate and indicate the distance separating them from land. These lighthouses (or “Pharos” in old English, while in Spanish the word is faro) owe their name to the tower lighthouse of Pharos off the coast of Egypt. They have become veritable places of pilgrimage, providing amazing 360° panoramas of everything around them. The island of Fuerteventura, with its nearly 326 kilometres of coastline, is encircled by five such faros, linked by a route which affords travellers a lofty vantage point over the wonderful scenery surrounding this Canary island.

Faro de la Entallada – the African Viewpoint

Situated on the island’s east coast, 6 kilometres from the resort of Las Playitas – a wonderful seafaring enclave with volcanic sand – its unusual architecture makes this the most original lighthouse on the island. It is located at the closest point on the Canary Islands to Africa, some 100 kilometres away. To get to the top of cliff, be sure to keep your wits about you as the road is narrow, with hairpin bends. You can drive there, but do so with the utmost care. Once you get to the top, however, you will encounter a splendid, 200-metre-high balcony over the ocean, with views of the Cuchillos de Vigán (Vigán Knives) Natural Monument, lava fields which have sculpted a spectacular mountain chain. Built in 1952, the lighthouse has a 12-metre-high tower and two side buildings rendered in lime and red pumice stone, imbuing the ensemble with a lot of character.

Jandía Lighthouse – the Southernmost on the Island

Located at the southernmost tip of Fuerteventura, enveloped in a volcanic landscape with steep cliffs, Punta de Jandía is accessible either by private vehicle – preferably a four-wheel drive – or a public, 4x4 minibus which plies the route running from Morro Jable to Puertito de la Cruz, a village of 20 houses and two restaurants where it is said you can get the best fish soup on the island – I can vouch for this. This hamlet of houses built in traditional style leads you to the Jandía Lighthouse, set atop the finely tapered tip of the island. If you look at the sea, you can spot the delicate ripples set up by the ocean currents coming from both the Barlovento coast on the one side, and the Sotavento coast on the other. Built in 1864, the lighthouse is now home to the Jandía Nature Park Interpretation Centre.

Tostón Lighthouse – the Finest Sunset

Located at Punta Ballena, 5 km north of the picturesque fishing village of El Cotillo, is the Tostón Lighthouse, which went into operation in 1897. Together with the Martiño lighthouse, on the Isla de Lobos, and the Pechiguera lighthouse, in Lanzarote, it forms a triangle illuminating the Bocaina Strait separating Fuerteventura from Lanzarote. The site of the Traditional Fishing Museum, it is made up of three towers built in different periods, one of which is brightly coloured, with a formidable presence. It is no overstatement to say that it affords one of the most stunning sunsets on the island. The lighthouse is surrounded by little coves with calm, crystal-clear water, ideal for having a dip at the day’s end.

Morro Jable – the Island’s Modern Lighthouse

The most picturesque spot in Morro Jable, a village in the south of Fuerteventura dominated by its British and German inhabitants, is Matorral Beach, with over four kilometres of white sand fanning out from the village centre. This magnificent beach, perfectly suited to hiring a pedal boat – they really round off your holiday nicely, believe me – is the site of the modern Morro Jable Lighthouse, which began operating in 1996. It is a simple, slender reinforced concrete tower about 60 metres high. It can be accessed from the village or beach along tracks which are well signposted, as it stands in a protected Scientific Interest Site, the Saladar de Jandía wetlands, an unusual coastal ecosystem which is flooded at high tide.

San Martiño Lighthouse – the Trekkers’ Choice

The San Martiño lighthouse, built in 1865, stands on the Isla de Lobos, a picturesque rock located a few kilometres off the coast of Corralejo which can be reached by a regular ferry service. The only way of getting to the lighthouse is by walking along one of two signposted footpaths – one hugging the coastline and the other leading into the interior. The walk is suitable for visitors of all ages and your arrival at the lighthouse, after a steep but short final stretch, is ineffably rewarding. A plaque pays tribute to the novelist, Josefina Pla, who was born on the island. A breathtaking 360° panorama.

Texto de Teresa Vallbona

Genoa City is the gateway to the Italian Riviera and the great communication route between the Mediterranean and Europe. In 1992, to mark the fifth anniversary of America’s discovery, was completely refurbished to become one of the main city’s entertainment areas, in the heart of the city. One of the elements that attracted the most attention is the beautiful wooden galleon built for Polanski’s film Pirates.

But the true symbol of the city is the Lantern, the great lighthouse of Genoa, with its 76 meters high San Benigno, is the pride of the Genoese and offers fantastic views over the city to visit it. Next to the tower you can visit the Museo della Lanterna.

In this city so related to the sea, we find the largest aquarium in Europe of aquatic biodiversity, theAquarium of Genoa which is in the same port, with over 15,000 animals of 400 different species among sharks, penguins, manatees, Antarctic animals, jellyfish and tropical fish, a journey which takes about three hours. Galata is located next to the Museum of the Sea and Navigation, dedicated to the deep sea and Genoese navigation history.

Another place closely related to their maritime culture is the Museo Delle Culture Del Mondo, at Castello d’Albertis, Florentine style. Enrico d’Albertis was another Genoese writer and navigator and circled the world three times and circumnavigated Africa in search of archaeological excavations. The museum includes these interesting ethnographic and archaeological collections Enrique d’Albertis collected in his travels around the world.

The historic center of Genoa is especially beautiful, though a bit chaotic with this mix of buildings and streets that form a labyrinth. Here lived the rich merchants of the time, in sumptuous Gothic buildings have been converted into museums or modern shops.

Finally, a note on the Genoese cuisine made with fresh and simple products. You have to try a vegetable focaccia with a splash of olive oil or the different types of pasta stuffed which one you like best, such as ravioli or corzetti. Vegetable dishes and numerous seafood recipes, fish soups, fried fish or crispy cod fritters and specialties like ciuppin or buridda.

Picture by Twice25 & Rinina25

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

Genzano is a charming town built on one of Rome’s hills. Every year it hosts the Infiorata di Genzano, when its main street, the Via Italo Belardi, is carpeted by 2,000 square metres of enormous tapestries adorned with flowers. This artwork uses up nearly 500,000 petals, flowers and seeds meticulously placed to form intricate pictures inspired by religious themes. It is a collaborative venture involving many of Genzano’s inhabitants. Just as painters have their palette, for the Infiorata, different types of flowers are selected according to each colour – carnations are used for reds, broom for yellows.

For the three-day duration of the festival, the town’s shopkeepers set up their marquees from where they sell the region’s typical food products, such as olive oil or pane casereccio, a famous crunchy bread and one of the most emblematic of local gastronomic products. TheInfiorataremains on the streets until the so-called Spallamento, the moment when the music bands and the town’s children walk over the infiorata, until the whole carpet is trampled underfoot.

The Origin of the Flower Carpets

These colourful flower carpets are laid down in many other towns around the world. Notable examples are the Temps de Flors in Girona and the Alfombras de Sal in Lanzarote. Their origins go back to theCorpus Christicelebrations of the 13th century, when flowers were thrown during the Holy Week procession in Rome, a tradition that then spread to many other Catholic countries. Other towns in Italy also have their own infiorata, but the one in Genzano is the oldest and most famous, dating back to 1778.

The Historical Towns of Castelli Romani

Genzano is one of thirteen historical towns that make up the so-called Castelli Romani (Roman castles), which roughly correspond to the area of Colli Albani (Albanian hills) south-east of Rome. For centuries it has been a favourite spot for well-heeled Romans seeking a more temperate climate, to escape from the often suffocating heat of Rome and also to get away from the city bustle and dense traffic. The towns in the Castelli Romani Regional Park stand out for their medieval and Renaissance buildings and for their excellent wine, the so-called white Frascati. You can taste this wine, accompanied by olives, cheese andporchetta– a roast pork dish with herbs – at the local taverns or fraschette.

Genzano – A Charming Setting

Genzano, like other towns in the Castelli Romani, is set on the external slope of the Lake Nemicrater. Indeed, the volcanic origin of the soil is what endows the grapes used in the wine-making with their excellent quality. Its historic centre has a large number of historical and art vestiges for a town of its comparatively small size, including the Collegiata della Santissima Trinità (Collegiate Church of the Holy Trinity), the Annunziata, the Church of the Cappuccini, and the Sforza Cesarini and Villa degli Antonini palaces. Lake Nemi’s claim to fame is that two of the largest and most luxurious vessels from antiquity were found in the crater – both had belonged to Caligula. For 2,000 years they rested at the bottom of the lake before eventually being salvaged in perfect condition, on account of the mud found caked around them. You will delight in the natural surroundings of the Genzano area, which is ideal for cycling. A bike tour will take you along scenic routes featuring lakes, craters and forests.

If you don’t want to miss this year’s Infiorata di Genzano, prepare your trip to this picturesque Italian town for 13, 14 and 15 June 2015. You will enjoy a spectacular event that draws thousands of visitors. Check out our flights here.

Text by Scanner FM

Images by Fabio | Claudio Vaccaro | supermiagolator | supermiagolator | Malega | Deblu68 | Valerio_D