You may know Lisbon, but perhaps you’re not yet acquainted with Portugal’s lovely and lively second-largest city, near the northern border. Warning: it will steal your heart. Not to mention your nose, tongue, and palate. The city is replete with bars, cafés, restaurants and wine cellars featuring, well, Port --what else? That’s what the city is named for, or it may be the other way round!

Café Majestic

Don’t be put off by the breath-taking belle époquecharm that envelopes and transports you as soon as you come through the door, for the perfectly conserved splendour and luxury of bygone days does not signify inflated prices on the menu. At Café Majestic, which opened in 1921, you can have a wonderful cup of coffee accompanied by pasteis de Belém (buttery cream tarts), as you imagine the spirited discussions amongst politicians, artists and intellectuals that have animated the café for nearly a century.
Average price: 6 euros.

Concept store: A Vida Portuguesa

This is an excellent place to pick out some gifts and souvenirs of your visit to Oporto, and you should look at the local chocolate and even the salt. But for serious foodies, we recommend stuffing your suitcase with tins of the fruits of the sea: octopus, sardines, clams, and much more. The quality will surprise you, as will the very cool packaging. At under five euros per tin, they’ll help you can earn the gratitude of a lot of friends and relatives!

Café Santiago

If you’re the type who must try the paella in Spain and the lamb in New Zealand, then you can’t leave Oporto without sitting down to that copious calorie bomb known as a francesinha, a sort of hot Dagwood sandwich from heaven eaten with knife and fork, made with four slices of bread and containing roast veal, fresh sausages, chorizo, bologna, etc., and topped with melted choose slices, and with or without a fried egg. Oh, and the whole concoction is bathed in a semi-spicy sauce. In case that’s not enough, it’s served with a sizable portion of fries. A beer or two to wash it all down, and you’re away! You can get a francesinha in many of Oporto’s bars and restaurants, but we recommend the version served at the popular Café Santiago, in business since 1959, and though you may have to queue to get in, it’s worth the wait. The kitchen is open for all to witness the assembly of the francesinhas, and it’s a fascinating spectacle indeed!
Average price: 12 euros.

Restaurant O Gaveto

If seafood is your passion, and especially if cod is your god, here’s where you’ll have one of the best meals of your life! Elegant, classic, this is not for scruffy tourists but for serious worshippers of fine food, deftly served by an attentive wait staff. A favourite with local aristocrats for their Sunday lunches, O Gaveto is located in the Matosinhos district, a short tram ride, from the city centre, and near the harbour. You should start with the clams and goose barnacles (percebes), and then address the main dish, preferably the roast cod, or the rice with shellfish, keeping in mind that one dish will feed two people generously. The “special” house wine is excellent. You can walk it all off by returning to the centre on foot along the esplanade with its views of the roaring Atlantic.
Average price: 30 euros.

Wine-tasting at the Cellars ofVila Nova de Gaia

Gaia, the city across the wide Douro river from Oporto, is famed for its wineries. All are worth a visit, and the programme is different at each. The Sandman tour offers some history of Oporto as well as wine talk and tasting. Serious wine buffs can sample a variety of exquisite wines at Graham’s. The tours of the Cálem, Fonseca and Kopke establishments are also enjoyable and edifying. (You do like port, don’t you?)

Are you salivating yet? Then don’t wait another minute. Check out our fares here.

Text and photos by Laia Zieger / Gastronomistas

The name Ronda inevitably conjures up pictures of its lofty Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) and spectacular bullring. Situated in the north-west of Málaga province, in the beautiful natural setting of the Serranía de Ronda range, it is the ideal spot for a weekend getaway.

In the course of its history, Ronda has been conquered by Celts, Iberians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs and Berbers, as evinced in the city’s rich heritage. It was also occupied by the French in 1810, prompting the emergence of a bandit resistance movement known as bandolerismo.

Ronda, A Monumental City

The obvious starting point is the Puente Nuevo, one of the city’s icons.Built in the 18th century, it connects the historic town to the city’s modern districts, spanning a 100-metre-deep ravine through which the river Guagalevín flows. It is well worth crossing the bridge to see the stunning views. Another vantage point is provided by the balconies in the Jardines de Cuenca, revealing a view of the bridge in all its splendour. But, there’s more. Pre-dating the Puente Nuevo is the Puente Romano (Roman Bridge), also known as the Puente de las Curtidurías, in addition to the Puente Viejo, finished in 1616.

Another sightseeing area is the inner city with its narrow streets, particularly the Calle Manuel Montero with its characteristic white houses adorned with flowering geraniums. The area also boasts a large number of mansions and palaces, notably the Mondragón Palace. Moorish in origin, the building features harmoniously blended Mudéjar and Renaissance styles. It currently houses the Ronda Museum. Other outstanding buildings are the Palace of the Marqués de Salvatierra, the Casa del Gigante (House of the Giant), a jewel of Nasrid architecture, the Renaissance-style House of St John Bosco and the Palacio del Rey Moro (Palace of the Moorish King). The latter houses a fountainhead opened up by the Moors which provides access down to the river.

When it comes to religious architecture, a must-see monument is the Church of Santa María la Mayor, built over the High Mosque of Medina. A prominent feature of its interior is the choir, carved in fine walnut and oak woods.

There are numerous vestiges of the old Moorish settlement, as we saw for ourselves. You can still visit the Muslim Medina, of which part of the wall has been preserved, although the most striking feature is the Almocábar Gate, dating from the 13th century. However, the most important vestige of that period is the Arab Baths –the best preserved on the Iberian Peninsula –built in the 13th and 14th century alongside the Arroyo de las Culebras.

Also worth exploring is Ronda’s Roman past, the major landmark being the Acipino Archaeological Site. Located some 20 kilometres outside the city, the standout feature in this complex is the Roman theatre.

Ronda – A City of Bulls

As intimated at the beginning of this post, the Bullring is another icon for which Ronda is famous. The Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda, unveiled in 1785, is one of the oldest and most monumental bullrings in Spain. Interestingly enough, its design is attributed to Martín de Aldehuela, artificer of the Puente Nuevo. For those who wish to explore the world of bullfighting, the bullring includes the Museo de la Tauromaquia (Museum of Tauromachy) which is open to the public.

However, Ronda is not only well-known in bullfighting circles for its bullring. It was here that modern tauromachy emerged, as did the Corridas Goyescas, and the city is the cradle of powerful matador dynasties like the Romeros and the Ordóñez. This is precisely why Ronda was frequented by its two best-known international aficionados, Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles, and the ashes of Orson Welles were deposited in the Ordóñez family estate in Ronda.

Ronda – the Home of Good Food and Drink!

The best way to round off a tour of Ronda is to try its culinary specialities, notably their sopa de castañas (chestnut soup),migas con chorizo (cured pork sausage crumble), rabo de toro (bull’s tail stew), conejo a la rondeña (Ronda-style rabbit) and perdiz al tajo (Tajo-style partridge).The ideal accompaniment to these dishes is any of wines produced in the nearby Serranía de Ronda, designated either DO Málaga or DO Sierras de Málaga.

Ready to explore all the cities concealed in Ronda? Secure your Vueling here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Photos by SuperCar-RoadTrip.fr, Elliott Brown, Julia Kostecka, Antonio

The idea is not new. For some years now, these artificial urban beaches have popped up each summer in Berlin, Hamburg and under the bridges of the river Seine in Paris. You won’t have to cram the whole family into your car, or embark on a long, hot journey to feel the sand under your feet and freshen up in the water. In Brussels, this tropical paradise is known as Les Bains de Bruxelles and it lasts for five weeks on the Quai des Péniches, along the Brussels Canal. It opens from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

True, there aren’t many waves, but some ingenuity has been applied to making the beach as attractive as possible; indeed, it draws an extremely diverse crowd of beach-goers. The 6,000 m² of sand are dotted with deck-chairs, palm trees and coconut palms, striped sunshades and beach bars serving vividly coloured cold beverages. The atmosphere is a family one during the day and sports activities include beach football, volleyball, boule and ping-pong, as well as games for young children. Pedalos and kayaks can be hired at reasonable prices on Sundays. You can also go for a ride along the canal on board the Bruxelles les Bains, which offers various tours – the short one takes 55 minutes; the longest one is a 2-hour cruise, and there is also a “cocktail cruise”, by night – while the harbour’s history and geography is expounded on by a guide.

This chill-out on the beach is accompanied by the Let It Beach festival, now in its third year. A variety of concerts liven up the evening on weekends, while on Fridays the music turns to folk, rock, pop and hip-hop. Jazz and world music take centre stage on Saturdays. The Sunday programmes target the younger set, with workshops, dances and, of course, more concerts. Night reverie is bolstered by free sessions of Croisetteke, every day from 6 p.m. on, in addition to theBoat Club,an exclusive floating club which hosts the liveliest parties in Brussels.

Not Without My Ice-cream!

When the thermometer seems to be driving endlessly upwards, another delicious way of keeping cool is to have an ice-cream. And, for those who can’t contemplate a day at the seaside without ice-cream, here are some of the best parlours in town:

Comus & Gasterea (Quai aux Briques, 86)

A place for trying the newest and most unusual flavours. It features some of the strangest ice-creams in the world, with such flavours as caviar, olive oil, Roquefort, lichi, wasabi aubergine and basil, home-made and free of additives or colouring agents. All you need is to be patient, as queues can sometimes build up outside its doors.

Capoue (Rue de Wand, 112)

Chez Capoue is one of the oldest ice-cream parlours in Brussels and, while at Comus & Gasterea you find the most unusual flavours, in Capoue they make the most daring combinations, notably bounty, blood orange and spiced bread. They are also have them sugar-free for diabetics, or lactose-free for those allergic to dairy.

Il Monello (Chaussée de Charleroi, 31 -33)

While Il Monello opened only recently, it has already made a name for itself in the city for its traditional pastries and homemade ice-creams. They also serve the latter atop a waffle for those seeking consistency (or calories).

Zizi (Rue de la Mutualité, 57A)

Zizi, a veritable institution in Brussels, is the city’s best-known ice-cream parlour. In the sixty years they have been open, they have never altered their manufacturing process. The flavours are natural and free of colouring agents.

Brussels Rules!

Brussels is a refreshing destination this summer, but not only because of its urban beach. Throughout the summer, every Friday from 5 p.m. to 11.30 p.m., the Apéros Urbains or animated afterworks are held in some of the most attractive spots in the city. Also featured is the Midis Minimes classical music festival, with daily concerts lasting 35 minutes from 12.15 p.m. (until 28 August), held in the Church of Saint-Jean et Etienne aux Minimes and in the Conservatorio Real.

Come and experience it for yourself. Come on! Pick up your towel and check out the flights to… Brussels!

Text by Scanner FM

Images by Eric Danhier

The island of Gran Canaria offers all the rural leisure amenities you can imagine and more, including adventure sports and trekking.

From Sea to Sky

One breathtaking route stretches from the Gran Canaria coast to the top of the island’s highest peak, a secluded spot which is the closest you’ll ever get to a lunar landscape. In the municipality of Tejeda, some 44 km from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, you can easily find yourself trapped by a sea of clouds. Tejeda can be reached mainly by the Centro GC 15 main road, a somewhat winding route flanked by stunningly beautiful scenery which takes you through the towns of Santa Brígida and Vega de San Mateo. The most exciting part of the journey starts here, as you begin to climb so steeply that the clouds recede below you. The 44-km drive takes about an hour. It can also be reached by public transport from the Guaguas station in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

El Roque Bentayga and the Archaeology Park

Tejeda is a must-see if you come to Gran Canaria and more so if you’re interested in archaeology. Here you can find vestiges of burial caves, rock carvings, paintings and dwellings. The Roque Bentayga provides an excellent sampling of all this. This unique, natural rock precinct was sacred to the original inhabitants, as it was here that they prayed to their gods. The Parque Arqueológico del Bentayga is an ecomuseum built next to the Roque. It also serves as a venue for performances, both for the archaeological rock complex (Bentayga, Andén de Tabacalete, Cuevas del Rey and the Roquete) and its surroundings. It also affords wonderful views of the southern and western reaches of the island.

Culture and Mysticism

The symbol of Gran Canaria is also to be found at Tejeda. This is the Roque Nublo, a huge basalt rock in the form of a monolith stretching 70 metres into the air. On its north-eastern side stands another monolithic rock known as El Fraile (the Friar), as it physically resembles a monk. While you’re here, take the chance to roam through the Inagua and Ojeda pine forests and, further north, that of los Pechos, for here you are bound to fall in love with the views.

Art and culture also make their presence felt in Tejeda. Here you can visit the Abraham Cárdenes Sculpture Museum, dedicated to this Canary Island sculptor, who hailed from here, and also the Ethnographic Museum, where you go on a journey of the town’s and the island’s history. Here, too, the Degollada de Becerra is another spot well worth visiting. It is situated on the main road between La Cruz de Tejeda and los Llanos de la Pez, and features a viewpoint affording spectacular scenery and, more importantly, a centre where you can learn about local ethnography. Lastly, the town boasts a Centro de Plantas Medicinales, where you are invited to discover the varieties of plants, herbs and flowers indigenous to Tejeda and the island and their varied use in medicine, religion and cosmetics.

Gastronomy

Establishments in Tejeda centre offer all types of craftwork and you can also find the typical sweets made here. You are also advised to stop at one of the bar terraces and restaurants located on the side of the Parador Nacional, a magnificent vantage point providing spectacular views of the whole island. 

Almonds play a major role in the cuisine of Tejeda, a town which has become one of the landmarks of Canary Island confectionery, noteworthy among which are the bienmesabes and marzipans. Both sweets are made using ground almond, the former also being one of the traditional accompaniments of local iced desserts. In Tejeda you can also sample any of the Canary Islands’ traditional dishes, the mainstay of which are beef and goat’s meat. Make sure to try such dishes as the caldos de papas (potato soup) and the potajes de berros y jaramagos (watercress and hedge mustard stews). If you’d like to sample good local cooking, a restaurant you should not miss is the Cueva de la Tea, where you can order a potaje de berros and their speciality, ropa vieja– chick peas, potato, hog’s head, chicken, tomatoes, peppers and onion. The average price per head is 12 euros and the helpings are generous. It also has the advantage of affording spectacular views.

What’s holding you back? Check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images byPatronato de Turismo de Gran Canaria