Dornbirn is a town in the administrative district of the same name, located in the federal state of Vorarlberg in Austria. it lies south of Bregenz, near the borders of Switzerland, Germany and Liechtenstein. The Dornbirner Ach river flows through the town before draining into Lake Constance. Dornbirn is the largest town in Vorarlberg and an important hub of trade. It is the regional site of ORF (the Austrian Radio and Television Service), the Fachhochschule (Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences) and other institutions. The town was a major centre of the textile industry until its decline in the 1980s.

The Martinimarkt (St Martin’s Market) of Dornbirn is one of the leading markets in Austria. Participants include exhibitors, schools, clubs and restaurants from all over the district. The hallmark of this market is its pronounced nostalgic character, as everyone dresses up in costumes from the early 19th century. This year’s theme is “sharing” as legend has it that St Martin shared his cloak with a beggar. This has prompted merchants to offer visitors their regional or homemade wares. Schools and clubs make special offers on that day, too, and workshops are held to show how hand-made or recycled products are crafted. As in previous years, the Martinimarkt is held in the town centre, which turns into a huge stage hosting a mass tableau vivant.

Market Day

The day starts early. At 8.45 a.m. everyone converges around the clock tower, adjoining the market square, where free coffee is served. This is the gesture by which the merchants welcome their visitors. At 10 o’clock, the mayor, attired in period costume, presides over the official opening ceremony by delivering a speech from the Red House staircase.

Afterwards, to get into the swing of things, you either wander around the street stalls or stand and watch people filing past. It is like going back in time to a period in which the word “motor” meant as little as “iPhone 7”. Here, you can find anything – and try everything, too! When it comes to cuisine, pride of place is given to traditional local cooking: coffee, käsfladen (flat bread and cheese typical of the region), noodle soup, apple fritters, potato balls, etc. The entertainment part includes a dance floor for participating in the local folk dances, with live music provided by a band, making for a setting seemingly having leaped out of a romantic novel, while children can have a whale of a time in the antique fairground. One of the most popular games here is the wheel of fortune, the proceeds of which are earmarked for charity.

Dinner and Overnight

After a day packed with emotions, your legs start feeling heavy as evening approaches. At this stage, the best thing is to get your strength back and have a hearty dinner. Here are some recommendations in the fascinating town of Dornbirn.

1. Rotes Haus

If you want to discover local cuisine in all its splendour, head for Rotes Haus. This restaurant is a classic. What’s more, it is located next to the market square, so you can’t get any closer than that. When we went there, we ordered a consommé with panqueque (a South American variation on the pancake) with grated local herbs, and a breaded beef escalope with parsley potatoes and cranberries – we loved this typical local dish!

2. Zum Verwalter

This is actually a boutique hotel gourmet-restaurant. The establishment is a lovely timber house which will wow enthusiasts of interior design, as all the rooms are done out in different décor. Each space is a story on its own. The gourmet restaurant is on the ground floor. It is certainly unique as far as local catering is concerned. The restaurant enjoys long-standing acclaim, thanks to its marked admix of traditional cuisine, striking a marked contrast with the young catering staff. They offer locally sourced market produce. Their meat is outstanding, while the roast beef is spectacular!

3. Pasta Fresca da Giovanni

This is clearly the best value-for-money option. Located on the Stadtstrasse, this restaurant is conveniently situated next to the main road going through the town. The interior is very relaxing as the decoration is sparse. We recommend you order the pasta of the house, as they make it themselves. The ravioli stuffed with plum and the cheese-fondue potatoes are unbeatable.

All aboard for your trip back in time… check out our flights.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Jerey Keith, Pasta Fresca da Giovanni, Zum Verwalter

Indeed, a lot has been going on in this lovely city in Western Bohemia throughout the year. Over 600 events of all kinds have been held as part of its splendid programme. If you haven’t the chance to go there yet, the final stretch of these cultural events are clearly a good excuse to do so.

Art is Everywhere

One of the hallmarks of this edition is that the arts are present in public spaces in the form of temporary installations, themed parties and inaugurations held in unusual venues. Some industrial buildings, which have given over their premises to the so-called “Imagination Factories”, have also been taken over by art. The renowned plastic artist and director of cartoons, Jiří Trnka, is hosting an exhibition entitled The Garden, while, for the first time ever, Europe will see the valuable collection of Maori portraits by Gottfried Lindauer, a native of Pilsen and one of the illustrious figures of New Zealand art.

At the Museum of Western Bohemia (Západočeské muzeum),design and technology enthusiasts will be treated to an exhibition on the work of Ladislav Sutnar, a pioneer of information architecture and one of the founders of world graphic design. The original home interiors of the architect, Adolf Loos, are also open to the public as part of a special itinerary drawn up for the occasion. Also featured is an exhibition of contemporary European puppetry under the direction of Matěj Forman, while an exhibition of contemporary international design will be hosted on the magnificent premises of the Pilsner Urquell Brewery.

The Western Bohemia Gallery (Západočeská galerie) will be presenting works by the leading figures of the Munich Secession, pioneers of the early European avant-garde, featuring works from the collections of Munich’s Villa Stuck Museum and the Lenbachhaus Gallery. On display will be the work of such artists as Gabriel von Max, Franz von Stuck, Vassily Kandinski, Paul Klee and other members of the group, Der Blaue Reiter, as well as Czech representatives of Art Nouveau and modern art who lived and worked in the Bavarian capital during the same period.

However, to keep track of the cultural activities programmed for this final stretch, those interested should check out the events on the Pilsen Information Website, where you will find a day by day schedule of all the events to come. We recommend you keep tabs on the days when the grass-roots craft workshops are held in the main square as they will only be set up on eight days in the year, and this is something you should not miss.

A City Under A City

One of the must-see sights of the city is one that takes you into the maze of corridors, cellars and wells under the paving stones of Pilsen. The complete underground complex was built in the 14th century, and this underground city had an important function – to preserve food, but also as the site of craft workshops, wineries and malt breweries. You will also see technical installations such as drainage galleries, sewers and wells. It takes you back in time, providing insight into life in a medieval city.

World Beer Capital

You are advised to pick up your special beer coin which can be exchanged for tasting the Master Semi-dark beer in some restaurants. If you don’t see the badge on the door, ask the waiter. And, as you’re in the “beer city”, don’t fail to drop in on the Brewery Museum. This is the best way to see how this barley elixir is brewed and the museum reveals the history of beer from ancient times up to the present. It is located in an original brewery in the city’s historic centre.

The exhibition, both amusing and edifying, reveals the brewing process, the secrets of production and ways of serving and drinking the hops-laden beverage over the centuries. You can also stroll through medieval breweries and into a 19th-century village brew-house. A whole section of the museum is set aside for the display of implements and curiosities associated with the world of beer. One of the most impressive areas features the steam-driven brew kettles, capable of producing thirty litres of beer each in one go.

Art and beer are the winning combination in Pilsen. What are you waiting for? Check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Centro de Información de Pilsen

Paris is the city of artists and art lovers, a source of inspiration for writers, the capital of fashion, a classic venue for romantic escapades, the epitome of a chic metropolis and a beacon for gourmets, as well as a long list of etceteras. It is one of those places that never let you down when you get to visit them and which has something for everyone, be that the shop windows of luxury stores in the Place Vendôme, enjoying a glass of wine in Le Marais or soaking up the ever-lively atmosphere in the square where the Pompidou Centre is located. Although – we have to admit – the city is a little on the dear side, it is, however, suitable for all audiences and all tastes, and well worth a getaway, however brief that may be.

Paris In Two Days?

We regret having to disappoint you but you cannot see Paris in all its splendour in one go – you simply have to return. However, you can squeeze quite a lot into a well-planned, 48-hour stint in the “City of Light”. The most important thing is to limit the number of areas and monuments you aim to visit, organise your time properly and avoid panicking if you can’t get it all done, which is likely to happen.

Worth Noting

Don’t be shy about being a guiri in Paris. We recommend you take the tourist bus as your first way of coming into contact with the city. As you won’t be able see all the sights on foot, the bus at least gives you an idea of what there is, and the places you see along the route will help you choose where you would like to go back for a visit.

For sightseers, one of the essential activities is touring the banks of the river Seine and its magnificent bridges. Not for nothing were they listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. So, strike out on a boat ride along the river – towards evening is the best time to see it.

To avoid long hikes across the city, be sure to book strategically placed and – above all – well connected accommodation.

Essentials

Following is a list of the places you should seriously consider visiting when planning your short stay in Paris:

- An infallible classic is a walk along the Champs Élysées, from the Tuileries Garden to the Arc de Triomphe. From there, you stroll down towards the Trocadero gardens and cross the Seine to behold the city’s best known landmark, the Eiffel Tower.

- Go to the Île de la Cité where you can see two other beacons of the French capital –Notre Dameand the Sainte-Chapelle, a Gothic jewel with a stunning interior, thanks to its spectacular stained glass windows. While you are in this area, head for the Pont Neuf, which affords splendid views of the city and the Seine.

- Stroll along the narrow streets of Montmartre, also known as the “artists’ quarter”, and go up to the church of Sacré Cœur. Nightlife addicts can take a night-time stroll through the Place Pigalle, famed for its cabarets, especially the popular Moulin Rouge.

- Art lovers will be hard put to make choices on such a short getaway. You can easily spend a whole morning wandering among the vast array of masterpieces in the Louvre, so we would be more inclined to head for the Rodin Museum,as your expectations will be amply met by both the exhibition areas and the museum gardens. The Musée d'Orsay, with its 19th-century artworks, the Musée de l'Orangerie, with its Impressionist paintings, and the Pompidou Centre, featuring an excellent repertory of modern and contemporary art, are also good options, as long as you restrict the areas you intend to visit.

- Have a walk around the Place Vendôme, its centre presided over by a column modelled after Trajan’s Column in Rome, where you will find the leading luxury stores in Paris.

- Trend-seekers would do well to include Le Marais in their itinerary, as this is the city’s trendy district par excellence. Here you will find the most fashionable designer stores, art galleries, bars and restaurants.

Succumb to the delights of one of Europe’s most beautiful cities – book your Vueling here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Sean X. Liu

There must be something in the icy, snowbound winters with their short days, or the endless daylight and mild temperatures of summer that sparks so much creativity in the Scandinavian countries. Or, might the source of inspiration be the vast, leafy forests and myriad lakes? Whatever lies behind the secret, the fact is that the visitor to Stockholm never fails to be stunned by the sheer reach and quality of design there. It is present in the architecture, the apparel, the decoration in shops, bars and restaurants, hotel interiors and the privacy of people’s homes. It is all-enveloping and exerts a fascination on the traveller. Their flair for creating soothing environments based on simple, yet warm lines never ceases to be a source of wonder. In a nutshell, it can be defined in just three words – modern, simple and functional.

Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair

Needless to say, Stockholm hosts one of the leading design fairs in Europe, the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair, where the latest trends in Scandinavian design are rolled out. This year it will be held from 9 to 13 February and will feature all kinds of relevant activities. As with previous years, the lounge in the main entrance will be designed by an international designer or studio. On this occasion, the Britons Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby will do the honours, as well as chairing a mass seminar for all atendees at the Stockholm Design Talks. Among the novelties at this year’s edition is Established, a section dedicated to promoting designers and studios with small-scale production, also known as makers.Young designers and design schools have also been addressed at this fair, as they have their own section, Greenhouse, a display window produced by the studio, Form Us With Love.

Stockholm Design Week

Stockholm Design Week will be held from 8 to 14 February, overlapping the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair. It will involve all kinds of design-related activities, including lectures, presentations, events and inaugurations, to be hosted in a wide variety of showrooms and other venues in the city. Check out the full programme here.

Still More Design!

If you’ve still got the energy after so much activity, or you aren’t able to attend the fair, you can always steep yourself in design by touring some of the city’s leading districts and even pick up the odd souvenir. Following are some pointers:

Östermalm is Stockholm’s most exclusive district, where you are best positioned to find the major upmarket brands. There, everything is distributed by areas. If you’re looking for the best fashion labels, you would head for Biblioteksgatan and Bibliotekstan. If, on the contrary, you’re hunting for the big international brands, and stores specialising in design, fashion and jewellery, the best places are Birger Jarlsgatan and the area around Stureplan. If antiquities are your thing, then pay a visit to  Arsenalsgatan and Nybrogatan, where you will also come across some of Stockholm’s major auction houses. Lastly, the area ringed by Sibyllegatan, Östermalmstorg, Karlavägen, Stureplan and Strandvägen boasts some of the best interior design stores in the city.

Then there is Södermalm, on the South Island. It is more of a small hipster town than a district. It goes without saying that vintage fashion and design are the all rage here, as are long beards (albeit well trimmed) and organic cuisine. Everything is centred around Götgatan, Skånegatan and the area known as SoFo, the abbreviated form of “south of Folkungagatan”. Finally, there are a number of craft shops near Slussen and in Hornsgatan.

To wind up, in contrast to the aforementioned areas, you should make a point of visiting Gamla Stan to find out what the city was like before the design craze set in. Gamla Stan, the old city, is one of Europe’s largest and best preserved medieval cities and one of Stockholm’s major landmarks. This is where the city was founded in 1252. Indeed, the whole district is from a wholly different era. You will, of course, come across tourists but, unless you get caught up with the flow, and if you pay attention, you will have the odd pleasant surprise in the form of a traditional Swedish craft shop.

Ready to soak up good design in Stockholm? Choose your flight here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair