When talking about Majorca, we usually limit ourselves to the wonderful beaches and landscapes to be explored and tend to ignore its main city, Palma. Tucked away in this enchanting port city with a centennial history are numerous gems that make this a must-visit destination on the island. Following are some pointers to landmarks that make this city so alluring.

1. A Cathedral Filled With Surprises
You can’t help seeing it – Majorca Cathedral protrudes well above all other buildings in the city. Also known as La Seu, this monument in Levantine Gothic style is characterised by its lofty bearing – it is one of Europe’s tallest Gothic cathedrals – and its huge rose window, also one of the largest of its kind, while the interior is crammed with surprises. It features the legacy of Gaudí, who rearranged the interior in the early-20th century, incorporating Modernist ornamental elements and a baldachin on the unfinished altar. Then there is the amazing ceramic mural of Mediterranean inspiration which crowns the Chapel of the Most Holy, the work of Miquel Barceló, which visitors are unlikely to miss.

2. The Characterful Lonja
This must-visit 15th-century building, designed by Guillem Sagrera, was once the headquarters of the School of Merchants. Nowadays, visitors are dazzled by its helicoidal columns, which end in groined vaults that look like palm trees at first glance. The construction is enormously inspiring, capable of transporting the viewer to a time when Palma was a major trade centre.

3. A Route Through Miro’s Majorca
The imprint of Joan Miró is ever-present in the city where he spent the last 27 years of his life. Be sure to visit the Pilar i Joan Miró Foundation to see the artist’s house and workshop, in addition to a small part of his vast oeuvre. And, still in the same area, the recently opened Marivent Palace gardens feature twelve of Miró’s sculptures.

4. A Good Measure of Contemporary Art
In Palma, contemporary art is not limited to the figure of Miró. If you head for Es Baluard, Palma’s Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, you can also see works by the leading artists and movements that have come together and still converge in the Balearic Islands. Another venue you should make a point of visiting is the Juan March Museum Foundation which houses a highly interesting collection of contemporary Spanish art.

5. The Waterfront Promenade
Like any decent seaside resort, Palma is fringed from one end to the other by a long waterfront promenade which affords a different angle on the city. The view is stunning when you draw level with the Cathedral, and the promenade also has leisure areas where locals do various sports or just lounge around and chill out.

6. De Luxe Cuisine
Palma has splendid and highly assorted culinary offerings. The local tradition, in the form of tapas bars and restaurants offering locally sourced products, exists side by side with establishments that have reinvented Majorcan cuisine and taken it to a new level, and those serving up international cuisine. Don’t hesitate to try Majorca’s typical and essentialsobrasada,a spicy, pork sausage, or to put yourself in the hands of gourmet chefs with their bolder gastronomic interpretation.

7. Santa Catalina, The Hipster Quarter
This erstwhile fishing quarter has undergone a facelift and a marked transformation in recent years, becoming one of the most attractive beats in town. We recommend visiting it at dusk, when the establishments get into full swing, and refueling by opting for a hearty dinner in of one the area’s trendy restaurants.

8. Terraces with Views
Another way to enjoy the city is from one of the rooftop terraces which some bars and restaurants have tucked away. There you can order a small feast while soaking up the breathtaking views. One such spot with magnificent views is the Nakar Hotel, which offers an excellent culinary assortment served up by Majorcan chef Miquel Calent.

9. An Ensaimada as a Souvenir
You cannot possibly leave Majorca without an ensaimada under your arm. This is a giveaway at your destination airport, but there’s no resisting the delight of eating one. Filled with angel hair squash, custard, chocolate and even sobrasada – or without a filling, if you prefer – you can get your hands on this tasty souvenir in numerous pastry shops. Among our favourites are Forn Fondo and Horno Santo Cristo.

Book your Vueling to Palma de Mallorca, explore its streets and let yourself get carried away by the charm of this city.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Photo by SBA73

What can we say about Pedro Almodóvar? Luis Buñuel notwithstanding, he is the internationally best known Spanish film director. His Oscar-award-studded, iconoclastic filmography includes both masterpieces and a large number of highly interesting movies. Like any creator worth his salt – and the Manchegan is one of these – Almodóvar has a pet city that features repeatedly in his films. We are referring to Madrid. In the late seventies he left his native Calzada de Calatrava and journeyed to the capital, Madrid, intent on making his name in cinema. It ended up becoming his favourite set. He has portrayed it in many different ways, revealing both its highlights and shadows, its well-known and its hidden facets. Almodóvar has explored virtually all the streets of his adopted city with a view to heightening the emotions and feelings of his main actors. His fiction breathes life into buildings, streets, establishments, airports, train stations and a long list of other settings.

The director of Volver turned the city into a film set, using to advantage real locations recognizable  to his audience and turning some spots into must-visit centres of pilgrimage for his fans. Touring these precincts involves venturing into Almodóvar’s passionate, architectural world, by way of an alternative tourist guide to Madrid. We now retrace some of the most emblematic spots on a route which you can round off by viewing the films directed by the creator of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and jotting down new sites in your Almodovarian logbook.

Chicote Museum and La Bobia

One of the two bars that appear in Almodóvar’s films is the Chicote Museum, a chic cocktail bar with an eventful history sited on Madrid’s iconic Gran Vía. It opened in 1930 and its premises have been graced by a considerable number of contemporary stars and Hollywood classics, too. Its interior features in one of the main scenes of Broken Embraces, starring Blanca Portillo. La Bobia is another legendary meeting point in Madrid. It is hard by El Rastro flea market and was once a hotspot of La Movida (The Madrilenian scene). It was actually during those heady times that Almodóvar decided to set the opening scene of Labyrinth of Passion in La Bobia. The movie’s cast was headed by Imanol Arias and Cecilia Roth.

Cuartel del Conde Duque

A must-visit venue to see the spot where one of the Manchegan filmmaker’s most famous scenes was shot – when Carmen Maura takes a night-time shower with a hose in one of his masterpieces, Law of Desire. The scene was filmed in the doorway of the Cuartel del Conde Duque, one of Madrid’s largest and oldest palaces (it was built in 1717), which also boasts a highly valuable cultural and historical endowment. What’s more, once you’ve taken the snapshot de rigueur to relive Almodóvar’s shot, you can go inside and visit it, as it has been turned into a cultural centre featuring various temporary exhibitions throughout the year.

The M-30 Apartment Blocks

Pedro Almodóvar did not restrict himself to capturing only Madrid’s well-known city centre – he also turned his gaze to the suburbs. He did so in one of his best movies, the iconic What Have I Done to Deserve This? in which a long-suffering Carmen Maura is going through hell. She plays a woman who lives in one of the apartment blocks lining the M-30 motorway, a working-class residential area in the district of Moratalaz.

The Segovia Viaduct

One of the natural settings Almodóvar has used most often, both at the beginning of his career and even today. It appears in both Matador and the very recent I'm So Excited. In the latter, Paz Vega stars in an amusing scene shot against this backdrop. The Segovia Viaduct is located in Calle Bailén, near the Royal Palace, and is one of Madrid’s best known bridges.

Be sure to tour these Almodovarian settings – book your Vueling to Madrid here.

Text by Xavi Sánchez for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Fantastic medieval castles, beautiful scenery, enchanting villages, splendid vineyards, tasty cuisine and a touch of romanticism – what more could you want in a getaway? Well, all that and more awaits you on one of the most popular itineraries in Germany, known as the Romantic Road (Romantische Straße, in German).

The route starts at Würzburg, which lies about 110 kilometres south-east of Frankfurt, and ends in Füssen, 82 kilometres south-west of Munich. Between those two points, you will come across over 60 towns and villages steeped in culture, as well as stunning scenery. In all, an itinerary covering some 400 kilometres to savour what was once an important trade route in the Middle Ages and, since 1950, one of the leading tourist magnets in Germany.

The Main Sightseeing Spots

As there is a lot to see on that long trip, we have made a selection of the places we consider the standout spots to stop at.

Würzburg. Situated in the heart of Franconia’s grape-growing region, this town is famous as the home of a veritable jewel of Baroque architecture – the Würzburg Residence, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber. One of the best preserved medieval towns in the country and one of the major attractions on the Romantic Road, so be sure to make a stopover to visit it. We recommend strolling along the medieval wall to soak up the panoramic views it affords of the city and its surrounding area.

Dinkelsbühl. Another of the gems you will encounter along the Road is this picturesque town, which managed to avoid destruction in both the Thirty Years’ War and the Second World War. It is thus well preserved and the essence of its medieval past intact. A striking feature that meets eye when walking through the town is its numerous towers, numbering sixteen in all.

Nördlingen. While less frequented than the previous ones, much of the historical charm of this beautiful medieval town in Bavaria has been preserved. Curiously, the town was built over a crater caused by the impact of a meteorite that fell to earth over 15 million years ago. It covers an area measuring 25 kilometres in diameter.

Augsburg. The largest city along the route and one of the oldest in Germany. It was founded by the Romans over 2,000 years ago. Having enjoyed independence for a period of its history, the city flourished and generated considerable wealth, becoming one of the most prosperous in Europe. A prominent city landmark is the Rathausplatz, a large pedestrian square in the very heart of the Altstadt, while other noteworthy sights include Renaissance and Baroque buildings.

Wies Pilgrimage Church. Located in Steingaden, this is a must-see spot for art lovers, as the architectural style of the building is among the most noteworthy in the Bavarian Rococo.

Neuschwanstein Castle. Wrapping up our list of recommendations is this stunning piece of architecture which was actually the model for the castle design in Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. No wonder, then, that Neuschwanstein means “new swan stone”. Overlooking the Pöllat Gorge in the Bavarian Alps, its construction was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria – the “Mad King” – in 1866.

Some Pointers

The best way to get around along the Romantic Route is by car, as it gives you greater autonomy when moving from one town to the next. You can pick up a hire car at Frankfurt airport. The route is signposted, so you just have to follow the indications to find your way. Those who prefer an alternative means of transport can take the coach, for which tickets can be booked in advance for specific legs of the journey. The more intrepid among you can also enjoy the pleasure of cycling through the bucolic landscapes as, on the whole, the route does not present any steep slopes.

Since this is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Germany, we recommend that, if possible, you schedule your trip for the spring or autumn, as in summer it is far more crowded.

Now that you’re up to speed with the ins and outs of this fantastic route, it’s time to plan your own itinerary. Check out flights to Frankfurt here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by vince42, Tilo 2007, Rictor Norton & David Allen, ilovebutter, Holger Baschleben, Allie_Caulfield, Brian Wiese

London is well known for its large number of watering holes with the odd modish touch. Here is a selection of five bars where you are sure to come across more than one surprise.

1- Evans & Peel Detective Agency

Get onto the space and time machine and travel back to the 1920s, to one of the speakeasies that operated illegally during the Prohibition era in the United States. London has several “clandestine” bars, although there are virtually none in West London, so the Evans & Peel Detective Agency is a must-visit for the adventurous all-nighters in the area. Admission is strictly by appointment with the detective agency, specialising in blackmail and missing persons. You will be met by one of the detectives in his office and, if you cough up about everything you are supposed to know, he will motion you into a dimly-lit room where you will be served bottles of liquor wrapped in brown paper – to put the authorities off your scent – notably some amazing cocktails brewed American-style.

2- Viktor Wynd Museum Of Curiosities

A weird spot? There you go… the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art and Natural History will meet your expectations if you’re seeking a unique (and ornate) experience. Here, fantasy knows no bounds and anything goes. Share a table with a big cat by candlelight? Go ahead! Sip on a cocktail alongside a skeleton sleeping in a coffin? This is your spot. Interested in anything related to taxidermy? You simply must come. Here, bizarre things have an added value and enhance the experience. The best idea is to pay an amusing visit to the “museum of curiosities” set up by Mr Wynd, an artist enthralled with subversive worlds and a limitless imagination, and end off in the Museum Café/Bar, where they serve cocktails. To round off the experience with a bite, in line with the locale, make sure you order a hamburger. Which one would you like – a zebra or crocodile hamburger?

3- Sew Over It

Get this – we have to admit that the Sewing Café is not entirely a café, but we simply couldn’t resist mentioning it. More than anything else, it is a workshop and sewing school run by ever-charming Grace, its owner, who always has some advanced-level dressmaking project up her sleeve. Her two sewing shops are transformed into a Sewing Café on certain days of the week, becoming co-working spaces where you can have as many cups of tea as you like and use the thread, patterns, fabric, sewing machines and overlockers. Sew It Over brings together groups of people – mainly women – to work on sewing projects and to share ideas and resolve concerns. Why not dedicate a while during your holidays to do a bit of sewing and get to know passionate DIY Londoners? There are two Sewing Cafés – one in Clapham and another in Islington.

4- Ladies and Gentleman

Several public toilets in London have been turned into trendy bars. If your first reaction is aversion to having a drink in a former loo, explore everything Ladies and Gentleman in Kentish Town has to offer and you will understand why hipsters jostle over tables in this inviting cocktail bar. The white square floor tiles and the sign over a bidet saying that “it is forbidden to wash anything other than face and hands” reminds us that we are in an erstwhile public toilet. The heart-stopping cocktails are guaranteed to make us forget anything else. Don’t arrive late – it’s always full.

5- Bounce

The Home of Ping Pong – this is how Bounce describes itself. It has two venues in London – Farringdon and Shoreditch – and will shortly be opening a third branch in Chicago. Its two London venues boast a total of 28 ping pong tables available for customers. They can be hired by the hour or half-hour from £10. The folks at Bounce take things seriously – the bats and balls are included in the price, and they even offer tips on their website for improving your skills. The interiors in both venues are conscientiously designed and feature spacious rooms suited to groups. Their menu and pizzas with antipasti are highly recommendable and they offer a large variety of gins and craft beers.

Ready to discover London’s more unusual watering holes? Book your Vueling here.

Text by Rita Peré for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS