Paris has so much to offer and there is so much that meets the eye that you usually overlook the potential of its environs. And, understandably so. There is so much to be enthralled by in the “City of Light” that you can easily run out of time and energy to venture beyond the limits of that vast, beautiful city. But, if you do get the chance to spend more than a long weekend in Paris, or you’re lucky enough to travel there fairly often, make a point of taking public transport or hiring a car to head for some of the spots we recommend in the following.

Versailles – Europe’s Largest Palace

The Palace of Versailles is an old favourite that should be on any wish list of places in the vicinity of Paris. The radiance of Louis XIV’s crown jewel is due not only to the palace’s architecture and opulent interiors, but also to the magnificent gardens surrounding it, including such gems as the Trianon Palaces and the Estate of Marie Antoinette.

What during Louis XIII’s reign was no more than a modest hunting lodge was transformed, in the times of his successor, into the lavish construction that would become the official residence of the King of France.

Situated less an hour away from Paris, it can be reached in comfort on the Versailles Express bus, or by train on the RER C line.

Fontainebleau – More Than a Forest and Castle

Just over an hour’s drive south of Paris lies this veritable green lung, the Forêt de Fontainebleau, a forest covering no less than 20,000 hectares. It is criss-crossed by paths you can walk or cycle down, or negotiate on horseback, and it even features rock-climbing facilities in certain spots.

A source of inspiration for 19th-century artists, who came here freely in order to capture its light, the forest had already seduced France’s monarchs centuries earlier, when they made it one of their favourite recreation areas for retreats or hunting. This led to the construction of the Palace of Fontainebleau, originally built in the 12th century. Numerous refurbishments commissioned by a number of monarchs over the centuries yielded the grand architectural work we see today – one of the largest palaces in France. Even Napoleon was seduced by its charm and it was precisely on the fantastic Horseshoe Staircase – also known as the Staircase of Farewells – that he bade farewell to his Old Guard before departing into exile on the island of Elba.

Chantilly – Apart From its Delicious Cream

Famous worldwide for its delicious cream with a vanilla aroma and situated 50 kilometres north of Paris, the town of Chantilly breathes elegance and is well worth visiting. Among its main attractions is the Château de Chantilly, comprising two buildings – the Grand Château, destroyed during the French Revolution and rebuilt in 1870, and the Petit Château, built around 1560. Be sure to spend some time in the amazing gardens with their geometrical patterns surrounding the palace, the work of La Nôtre, who also designed the gardens at Versailles and the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Make sure you also visit the Condé Museum, housed in the Grand Château, as it boasts a fine collection of books, manuscripts, drawings and paintings.

Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte – the Blue-Eyed Boy

Louis XIV was so jealous of the beauty of the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte that he ordered its owner, Nicolas Fouquet, to be imprisoned. It also acted as the source of inspiration for the construction of Versailles. With such sterling credentials, your getaway to the Paris environs simply must include what is one of the most beautiful castles in France, although, oddly enough, it is not very well known by the public at large.

This sparkling jewel is located in the small town of Maincy, 60 kilometres from Paris. Participants in its construction included the architect Louis Le Vau, the painter Charles Le Brun and the gardener, André Le Notrê. One of its highlights is the spectacular Oval Salon, 19 metres long by 18 metres wide, which is unique in the history of French architecture.

Make haste to explore the gems awaiting you on the outskirts of Paris – book your Vueling here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Ninara , Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, Daniel Villafruela , Pierre-Alain Bandinelli, Olga Kontsevich

The place to be seen today, the new glamour zone of the East End, is found between the Spitalfields, theSunday Up Market andBrick Lane, markets housing loads of vintage shops, arts and crafts, jewellery and little stalls selling all types of food where you can wander around at will.

Brick Lane

Its name comes from the street that used to be the home of the brick and tile factory. The southern half is home to part of the Bangladeshi community, with a large number of touristy curry houses, food and material shops which is why the street is commonly known as Banglatown, while the northern half is bursting with unique and original shops.

Don’t miss the famous bagels from Beigel Bake at Number 159Brick Lane, open 23 hours a day.

The Carpenters Arms

The pub, The Carpenter’s Arms, situated in Cheshire Street, has a romantic story associated with it. The Kray twins, Reggie and Ronnie, the most famous gangsters of London’s East End, bought it in 1967 and gave it to their mother as a present.

The tale came to an end with their life imprisonment sentence. On 11 October 2000 Reggie Kray’s funeral took place all along Cheshire Street.
They say that such was his black sense of humour that they built the bar out of coffin lids.
Today, The Carpenter’s Arms is a welcoming pub with more than fifty brands of beer to choose from and a wonderful clientele that keep the story of the Kray brothers alive.
The current owners, Eric and Nigel, managed to rescue the pub at the beginning of the century from being turned into housing. They found the place completely ruined – apart from the famous bar made of coffin lids.

The Carpenters Bar
www.carpentersarmsfreehouse.com
73 Cheshire Street

Beyond Retro

Cheshire Street is dotted with a wide variety of vintageshops and young designers, but at Number 110 you will find one of the biggest, a huge second-hand clothing warehouse where you can lose yourself picking through an enormous hoard of boots, t-shirts, dresses as well as all types of gadgets.

Beyond Retro
110-112 Cheshire St.
www.beyondretro.com/

Vibe Bar

The Vibe Bar shares its entrance with theOld Truman Brewery, that in past times used to be home to London’s largest brewery. From its pleasant terrace you climb the steps to 4 large areas in which they hold exhibitions, reggae and experimental music concerts and DJ sessions. The inside of the bar is decorated with graffiti art, big sofas and a few antique gaming machines. In September is hosts the Brick Lane Music Festival.

Vibe Bar
91-95 Brick Lane
www.vibe-bar.co.uk

Dray Walk

In this alleyway calledDray Walk we find the Cafe 1001 with its rustic wooden terrace alongside one of the three Rough Trade shops in London where you can find the best selection of vinyl and CDs as well as café and sofas where you can relax and connect to internet.

Al Volo

Opposite one of the entrances toSunday Up Market, is the Al Volo , where you can enjoy excellent Italian food.

Al Volo
Hanbury Street
www.alvolo.co.uk

Sunday Up Market

Sunday Up Market is the coolest market of the moment.

During the week it’s just a car park, but on Sundays it’s full of people, with more than 200 stalls over two floors selling clothes, jewellery, food and music.

Sunday Up Market
www.sundayupmarket.co.uk

The Golden Heart

Strategically placed on the intersection of Commercial Street and Hanbury Street and just oppositeSpitalfieldsMarket, The Golden Heart is the perfect place from which to watch everything going on in the area and to have a rest.

However it’s fair to say that the regular locals have gradually gone to be replaced with groups of young people visiting the neighbourhood.

The Golden Heart
84 Commercial Street

Spitalfield Market

Located in a beautiful Victorian building, Spitalfields Market started trading in 1682 and is open every day from 11:00 to 15:00 and on Sundays from 09:30 to 17:30.

It used to be the preferred location for lovers of vintage clothing, a place where urban fashion can be picked up for a good price, but lately it has become a tourist attraction with shops and restaurants. The young designers’ stalls have moved to the Old Truman Brewery in the Sunday Up Market.

In any case, even if you don’t plan on buying anything, it’s still worth the visit.

Ten Bells

The Ten Bells is the living history of the famous Jack the Ripper. The pub is on the corner of Commercial Street and Fournier Street in Spitalfields. Although the façade has changed, the interior has remained much the same as it did when it used to be frequented by Jack the Ripper. On one of the walls of the pub a beautiful mosaic has been conserved: “Spitalfields in the Olden Time” that is definitely worth a visit. We’d also like to point out that the pub has a wall displaying a list of the victims, as well as press cuttings, of the notorious Ripper. ..

Ten Bells
84 Commercial Street

Christ Church Spitalfields

A pretty Anglican church is situated close to the famous Spitalfields Market. It was designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, a pupil of the Royal architectChristopher Wren, who reconstructed the English capital after the Great Fire of London.

Christ Church Spitalfields
84 Commercial St
www.christchurchspitalfields.org

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

Words: Ilanka Verhoeven

Believe it or not, there are far more reasons to visit Amsterdam these days than its infamous coffee shops or its red-light district. Along the harbor and in the city’s South Axis area, futuristic buildings have been going up – a modern counterpart to the city’s canal houses. Amsterdam touches the heart of anyone who is passionate about architecture, from historic to modern buildings. To explore them, just act like a local: hop on a bike and go.

1. The Eye Film Institute

All tourists arriving by train in Amsterdam are immediately treated to a view of the beautiful futuristic building across the IJ harbor. The free commuter ferries leaving Central station are mostly packed with locals who are familiar with the new creative center of Amsterdam. Designed by the Vienna-based firm Delugan Meissl Associated Architects, the Eye Film Institute opened in April 2012 in North Amsterdam, a district which was considered to be a no man’s land at the time. The Eye institute offers the visitor a large choice of attractions. The building houses four modern film auditoriums, an exhibition space and a freely accessible basement where movies and clips from the Eye collection can be viewed. The café-restaurant completes the Eye’s headquarters. The terrace offers a great view over the water. Enough reasons to cross the waters and be entranced by the architecture of the Eye Film Institute.

2. Jan Schaefer Bridge

The futuristic steel bridge named after the politician Jan Schaefer is located on the IJ harbor and connects the Piet Heinkade with Java Island. Designed by Ton Venhoeven, the shape of the bridge generates a multiplicity of experiences. An intricate web of connections divides the bridge into separate flows of traffic. Whether you are on foot, by car or on a bike the bridge is accessible to everyone. The bridge provides an interesting combination of modern and historic architecture since it passes under the old ‘De Zwijger’ warehouse. The monumental warehouse built in 1933 in the business- expressionistic style, was renovated in 2006 and now serves for cultural institutions and events.

3. Museum het Schip

Designed by the prodigy born of the Amsterdam School movement Michel de Klerk, Het Schip is located in the district of Spaarndammerbuurt. One of the few of de Klerk’s designs actually built, the building was designed in 1919 and since 2001 it’s the museum of the Amsterdam School. The highly unusual and unique monument to expressionist architecture is a great site for anyone interested in learning more about Amsterdam’s history. Next to the building there is also a collection of street furniture in the style of the Amsterdam School.

4. Zuidas

Zuidas is best known as a leading international business centre. Home to international companies, the Zuidas area seems to have been created by and for lovers of modern architecture. The skyscrapers of renowned architects such as Toyo Ito provide a spectacular view over Amsterdam. One thing is certain: The Rock building at the Zuidas evokes strong reactions, both positive and negative. The work of Erick van Egeraat distinguishes itself from others by facades with leaning panes of glass, aluminum, stone or concrete with hardly any 90 degrees corners. The playful base of 24 floors, consisting of transparent parts and a robust concrete top is characteristic of Deconstructivism, a1990s movement. Aside from the Rock there are many other buildings worth the visit, among them Ito and Viñoly.

5. Theatre Tuschinski

Rising above the neighbourhood of the Rembrandtplein are the two towers of the Art Deco façade Theatre Tuschinski. Built in 1921, the Theatre was erected based on the designs of architect H.L. De Jong, with interior decor by Pieter den Besten and Jaap Gidding. The exterior is a crossover between the Dutch Amsterdam School style, art nouveau and art deco. Despite the renovation works between 1998 and 2002 the theatre holds on to its original style. Today, the Tuschinski Theater belongs to the big distributor Pathé, which gives you a good excuse to see the latest movies while enjoying its art deco interiors.

So you feel like visiting Amsterdam, do you? Book your flights here! 

It is a little known fact that Wales has the largest number of castles of any country in Europe. Indeed, the landscape of this small country situated west of England has been peppered with countless fortresses throughout its history, from the Iron Age to Roman times and, subsequently, the majestic castles of the Welsh princes and English monarchs.

In all, over 600 castles are still standing in Wales, so you are very likely to come across some of them when you travel there. There are castles of all types to be seen, so we have curated a selection of those that impressed us most during our trip there.

Conwy Castle

Conwy Castle and the walls of the town of Conwy are among the best preserved examples of medieval architecture in the United Kingdom, which accounts for it being a World Heritage Site. However, it is hard to believe that it took only four years to build – from 1283 to 1287. It is quite an experience to climb up the towers and wander through the various quarters. Our guide challenged us to go up the main tower and, after viewing the splendid surroundings from there, hazard a guess as to how the Welsh could have seized the castle from the English in the 15th century. Would you be up to the challenge?

Denbigh Castle

Built between 1282 and 1295, the best way to approach a tour of this castle is to start in the new visitor centre inside the site. The great gatehouse entrance to Denbigh Castle is really impressive as it is triple-towered, the standout feature of this castle, although it is not as well preserved as other Welsh strongholds. Even so, it is a unique defence work which managed to withstand the assault of the parliamentary troops, who set out to raze it to the ground during the English Civil War in 1660. One of the most exciting moments was when we slipped through the postern gate – a mysterious back entrance through which the castle’s dwellers could get in and out without being seen. The fortress was clearly designed with a marked aesthetic sense – the towers follow a pattern in which circular-based towers alternate with square-based ones.

Raglan Castle

Raglan Castle was one of the last medieval castles to be built in England and Wales. Even today it is a stunning sight – bear in mind that it was designed to be comfortable and luxurious, more in line with Renaissance tastes. It was exhilarating to climb up the Great Tower, set on an island surrounded by a moat. We also explored the newly restored underground crypt. We were told that some of Europe’s finest wines were stored there and brought out to impress guests at the head table. The castle still enjoys a well-earned reputation and is the ideal backdrop for staging events relating to theatre, poetry, song and dance.

Kidwelly Castle

Kidwelly is the prototype of the castles shown in medieval films. It is set on a steep slope and ringed by numerous towers, high walls and a huge entrance gatehouse which took no less than a century to complete. Kidwelly is the oldest example of a Norman defence work made of wood and earth. What remains of its ground plan is semi-circular. A rewarding experience is to walk on the remains of the wall. Granted, the gate is the most prominent feature of the castle, but the chapel on the opposite side is also well worth visiting and it affords spectacular views over the river. The interior houses an exhibition hall – the Sculpture Cymru is on display there until September.

Caerphilly Castle

This enormous construction is the largest castle in Wales. Preserved virtually intact, it would make the perfect backdrop for a film of knights and princesses. As expected, it is surrounded by a number of moats set in concentric circles, some with islets included. Be sure to go up to the terrace on top of the entrance tower. From there you can see the defensive rings of stone and water which rendered Caerphilly an impregnable fortress. This elaborate castle also has a secret passageway, known as the Broase Gallery. From here you can spy the south-east tower, reminiscent of the tower of Pisa for obvious reasons. Also on display are some powerful siege engines.

Come on then – get going and check out our flights here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Fred Selby, vanessajayne, Visit Wales