What could be a more ideal setting for a romantic getaway than Rome? It is full of secluded spots where you can get close and reveal your feelings to your loved one – ring at the ready, if you’re one of those. But, not just anything goes and it is not always easy to find the right spot. Here, then, is a selection of possible settings where you could take that “giant step”, or else just enjoy a pleasant getaway with your partner.

Warming Up – a Romantic Stroll Through the Historical Centre

All good things are worth waiting for. We recommend you take your time and seek enjoyment in strolling with your loved one. Rome’s historical centre is full of narrow streets to wander down, and public squares with surprises, be it an interesting church or palace facade, or the sight of a magnificent fountain.

At dusk, Rome turns into an idyll for romantics. That is the time to head for the Tiber riverbank and delight in the interplay of light from the setting sun.

The Fontana di Trevi, or How to Turn Your Declaration into a Romantic Comedy

Some of you might be puzzled by the bit about a romantic comedy, but this is basically how it will play out in that unique Roman setting. Dispel all recollections of that idyllic picture of Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg in La Dolce Vita. They were alone there, while you will be surrounded by hordes of tourists. And, worse still, by hawkers peddling roses and selfie sticks ready to pounce on all the couples they see filing into that priceless spot. Not to mention the fact that you won’t get around to slipping the ring onto your loved one’s finger before someone comes up and asks you to take a snap of them throwing a coin into the fountain. Hence, we advise you be real quick – make a beeline for a secluded corner and forget about getting down on your knees, unless you’re prepared to take a round of widespread applause and the ensuing avalanche of hawkers. And, you’re going to need an iron-cast sense of humour. This is the perhaps the most carefree option of them all.

Rome’s Gardens – for Nature Lovers

Rome boasts several green areas where you can get a different angle on the city, take a breather from the bustle and go for a delightful walk with your sweetheart. Our first choice is the Villa Borghese Gardens, and we recommend taking the access route through the Piazza dei Popolo,which affords splendid views of St Peter’s Square and the city. If you’re art enthusiasts, be sure to go into the Galleria Borghese and see how Bernini’s incredible sculpture of Apollo and Daphne has withstood the test of time. Who would have thought that such a sad love story could spawn such a beautiful statue!

Our second choice is the less frequented Savello Park, better known as the Giardino degli Aranci (Orange Garden) located on the Via di Santa Sabina. It is the perfect spot for soaking up views of the city. If you happen to be there in spring, you will be blessed by the incomparable scent of the surrounding orange blossom.

A Romantic Dinner – A Classic that Never Fails

The only thing about Rome that is likely to satiate is the sheer surfeit of restaurants. There are venues of all possible types, qualities and prices. But, for an occasion such as this, you have to curate your selection carefully and, if possible, splash out on something great. After a fine dinner in a special place it is virtually a given that your beloved will succumb to your charms and respond, “I love you, too”. Here are our suggestions:

- Casa Bleve. Housed in the incomparable setting of the Palazzo Medici Lante della Rovere, this is the ideal place for drinking fine wine accompanied by excellent sausage, cheese, pasta and other dishes with a refined touch.

- Osteria del Sostegno. Hidden in a backstreet near the Pantheon, this oyster bar offers delicious traditional Italian cuisine in an eminently inviting venue. Perfect for lovers of simple, fine things.

- Il Convivio Troiani. Such a special occasion warrants shelling out more than usual, like here at this excellent, two-star-Michelin restaurant. Delicious modern cuisine managed by the Troiani brothers in an elegant, congenial restaurant located in the centre of Rome. For lovers who wish to splash out.

- Spirito Divino. Located in the popular Trastevere quarter, this restaurant has a formidable wine list. While wine is their forte, so too are their dishes based on locally sourced, organic produce. If you’re a slow-food devotee, this is your restaurant.

Bring out the romantic inside you – get your Vueling and surrender to love!

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by François Terrier, Juan Llanos, brunifia

Majorca is one of the pearls of the Mediterranean. Over the years, the island has drawn from its traditional resources to reinvent itself in line with current trends. No wonder, then, that it is one of Spain’s design meccas. This is where the Camper footwear brand was born, and the painter, Miquel Barceló, too. It was also the destination of such artists as Joan Miró and the pianist, Frédéric Chopin. This thirst for creation and good taste has led its capital, Palma, to build up a bountiful network of shops, restaurants, bars and hotels which can wreak havoc on the unsuspecting design lover. From the old town to the grass-roots quarter of Santa Catalina, from the classical to the most genuine vintage, one things emerges clearly – Palma is design.

1. In Progress
In the heart of Santa Catalina lies the store run by Sonia and Jesús, two enfants terribles of vintage who specialise in artefacts from the fifties to the eighties. Here you will find anything from chairs and lamps to Pontesa crockery, Arcoroc glasses and old Palma shop counters. With special emphasis on “Made in Spain”, on many a Saturday they organise aperitif concerts and exhibitions by local artists.

2. Rialto Living
As soon as you set foot in Rialto Living you will feel as though you’re in the chic venues of Capri or the Hamptons. This “living store” is housed in an old palace in the city’s historic centre and its offerings range from furniture and art to books, fashion and a restaurant. Old and modern mingle in the ambience, with that Mediterranean flourish we are so fond of.

3. Frida Watson
Seen from the shop window, items in the Frida Watson collection confirm love at first sight. This store in Santa Catalina features pure Scandinavian design from the fifties to the seventies in harmony with Vitra clocks, Murano glass and retro lamps that resemble flying saucers.

4. Hotel Cort
The work of interior designer, Lázaro Rosa-Violán, Hotel Cort is one of the most elegant in town. Perfect lighting, hydraulic flooring and island colours compound a blend of elements that can make your head swim. Further, the sophisticated hotel restaurant is the ideal spot for a quiet dinner with your partner.

5. La Pecera
Few places can reconcile mid-20th-century European furniture with vintage and contemporary Majorcan items so deftly. La Pecera is a small but alluring store where you can find lamps, designer furniture, decorative items and craftwork. C/ Victoria, 4

6. Ariela Schönberg Vintage Collective
German furniture is one of Ariela Schönberg’s fortes. This, one of the latest shops to open in Santa Catalina, features designer artefacts and anonymous furniture from the whole continent.

7. Posada Terra Santa
Despite its rather solemn name, the Posada Terra Santa (Holy Land Inn) is one of the loveliest hotels in Palma. Housed in a 16th-century palace, its 26 rooms display a blend of history and modernity with comfort. Additionally, their swimming pool, with views of the Cathedral, is the perfect spot for chilling out and letting yourself get drawn in by the city’s charm.

8. Sa Costa
Sa Costa is a classic in Palma. Their antiques show wonderfully next to vintage formica, plastic and iron. As soon as you enter the shop, you realise you could spend hours admiring the dozens of furniture pieces and other items that people this store in the city centre. Costa de Sa Pols, 7A

9. Patrón Lunares
The classic essence of the Mediterranean arrives in Palma, skippered by the Patrón Lunares tavern and their chef, Javier Bonet. A pretty venue decorated with hydraulic floor tiles, iron columns and retro furniture where you can eat good seafood and enjoy the island’s flavours.

10. Galería Veintinueve
Now in their recently opened new premises, Galería Veintinueve continues to be a hit, with their dual facet of contemporary art exhibition centre and venue for large 20th-century pieces by such designers as Jacobsen, Scarpa and Colombo. The store and patio are spectacular and the collection of art and furniture will leave you impressed.

11.  Viveca
Antiquities, ceramics, textiles and lots of vintage – this is the essence of Viveca Palma, where Íñigo Güell and Ingrid Iturralde have unveiled a store featuring 18th-century Swedish furniture and iconic 20th-century furniture. A real pleasure.

12. Louis 21
Upcoming artists jostle to exhibit their creations in Louis 21, one of the leading springboards for promoting the careers of emerging artists. With another gallery in Madrid, their philosophy is to elicit interaction with the public and the collaborative urge.

Come in search of fine design in the Balearic capital – check out your Vueling here.

Text by Aleix Palau for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Aleix Palau

The Ria de Muros e Noia is one of the Galicia region’s least built-up coastal areas, and also one of the most beautiful. Fishing boats landing delicious, shellfish, white sandy beaches with good surfing, all framed by green hills with a riot of vegetation –it’s definitely worth a visit. Here is a route you might consider.

Mt. Louro and the Xarfas Lagoon
Starting from the northern extreme of the estuary, between the Costa da Morte and Muros, you can stand atop Louro mountain, a 241-metre high granite block, and feast on the views of the Ria de Muros e Noia and the Lagoa de Xarfas with its fabulous Area Maior beach. The surrounding –hills, dunes, beach and the lagoon—boast a wealth of flora and fauna. There’s even an observatory for watching migratory birds.

Muros
Heading south we come to the town of Muros, founded in the 10^th C. , and now featuring modest fishermen’s houses next to lordly mansions from bygone times. A stroll the town in the late afternoon can be timed to coincide with the arrival of the boats in the evening after a day’s fishing. The fish is put up for sale immediately on the dock, which is also an interesting spectacle to watch. And it means your shellfish dinner will be fresh and delicious. You won’t be disappointed by any of the restaurants under the arches near the water’s edge.

Just three kilometres away on the road to Noia is the Muíño de Mareas do Pozo do Cachón, a flour mill powered by the tides, built in the last quarter of the 19^th C. There is also an interesting museum.

Noia
Noia is the biggest town in the estuary, and is only 36 km distant from Santiago. According to tradition, it was named for Noah, who is believed to have settled there after the Biblical flood. The city’s coat of arms shows an ark and a dove bearing an olive branch.

The old quarter features two churches built in the local version of the Gothic style: San Martiño (15^th-16^th C.) and Santa María a Nova (14^th C.), the latter with a fascinating collection of about 500 tombstones. The 16^th C. convent of San Francisco may also be visited, and the town is replete with stately mansions, such as the Casa da Xouba, the Pazo Dacosta (or Casa de Rivas), and the Pazo Forno do Rato. In the Obre district the pazos (mansions) of Pena de Ouro and Bergondo are worth a visit.

Some five kilometres from de Noia, across the Tambre, we come to the Ponte Nafonso, a bridge built during the 12^th C. reign of King Alfonso IX of Leon and Galicia. It consists of a score of pointed arches lying on granite ashlars. The setting against the sea and mountains makes the sight of the bridge all the more spectacular

Castro de Baroña
On the south side of the estuary, next to the fishing village of Porto do Son, is the Castro de Baroña, an Iron Age Celtic settlement, with a score of round or oval stone cottages, once thatched, on a small peninsula. The archaeological remains and the wonderful landscape make it a worthwhile visit.

Corrubedo Dunes Nature Park
Between the Ria de Muros and Noia and that of Arousa, to the south, lies this lovely park with beaches, dunes, fresh- and salt-water lagoons, wetlands, and even megalithic remains. One of the main attractions is the “moving dune”, a restless pile of sand about a kilometre long , 200-300 meters wide, and 20 metres tall.

Some Further Recommendations
Though the quickest way to explore the Muros and Noia estuary is by the AC-550 coast road, we recommend side trips into the surrounding hills to get the best views.

For lodging there are numerous country inns and guest houses on both sides of the water, most of them in old and typical buildings. A particularly unusual place to stay is the hotel Pesquería del Tambre, in the Tambre river valley on the site of and old hydroelectric dam transformed into a nature hotel by the architect Antonio Palacios.

Check out our flights to Santiago de Compostela and head west to the sea!

Text: Isabel y Luis Comunicación

Pictures: Turismo de Galicia

Whoever lands in Barcelona for the first time is well aware of its fame as a design hub. For decades the city has been known for its openness to new trends and its links to modernity. It is precisely that flair for the modern that has led dozens of stores specialised in vintage objects and furniture to be opened in the Catalonian capital.

From a Scandinavian teak sideboard to Formica worktops, all manner of lamps, French garden chairs and furniture by anonymous craftsmen, veritable gems are to be had in these shops, which you should not miss during your stay in Barcelona.

You’re Sure to Find it in Gràcia 

One of the highest concentrations of retro furniture stores is in the district of Gràcia. What with its array of long-standing establishments, neighbourhood cinemas, artists’ studios and designers’ workshops, the district has become one of Barcelona’s main leisure and shopping areas. Strolling through its picturesque squares and narrow streets, Gràcia oozes charm throughout and is one of the best spots to experience the city’s genuine ethos. It was here that Alzira (C/ Verdi, 42) opened over ten years ago. Mónica, its owner, personally restores all the pieces of furniture on sale and the store has become a landmark in the sector, with a selection ranging from industrial trolleys to dining-room tables with tapered legs, psychedelic lamps and French crockery. Make sure you also see her collection of brooches from the 20s through the 70s. A short distance away, hard by the celebrated Plaça del Diamant, is La Mueblerí (C/ Topazi, 17), a veritable temple of furniture, where Aurora and her son import select pieces from various countries to merge them with traditional Spanish furniture. On sale in this former workshop converted into a store is a wealth of vintage school maps, sun wall mirrors, chairs of all kinds, doctor’s glass cabinets from the fifties and mid-century furniture. They also restore furniture and have an online sales website. Coco, their Jack Russell, would love you to stop by.

And, before leaving Gràcia, make sure you drop in on Topitos Furniture (C/ Torrent de l’Olla, 30), featuring one of the best selection of lamps in town, on display in a small space. David is a lighting lover and the treasures he has on offer include Lumica designs, mushroom lamps in sixties colours, opalines from the forties and lamps from Manises. Additionally, perched atop the garden tables and other furniture  you will find a careful selection of bronze and ceramic animal figures, crockery and glasses in many colours and all kinds of decorative objects.

Vintage Stores in El Raval and El Born

And, from one tasteful quarter to another. El Born is one of the liveliest districts in Barcelona. Wending your way among restaurants, ebullient terrace cafés, historic buildings and droves of tourists you will come to Gidlööf (Passatge Mercantil, 1), a must-see for enthusiasts of things Scandinavian. Here, the Swedish textile designer, Sofia Gidlööf, and the Barcelona architect, Gium Costa, have crafted a space where 20th-century furniture and other items from northern Europe are on display alongside their own designs.

Still in the city centre is a charming lane near La Rambla which reveals a hidden gem in the form of El Changuito (Passatge de la Pau, 13), a shop specialising in retro garden furniture, vintage mirrors and lighting. The premises are spacious and the displays well curated; indeed, you can easily get lost inside it for a while. From El Changuito you can head into El Raval, one of Barcelona’s most multifarious districts. After a short walk you will come to Fusta’m (C/ Joaquim Costa, 62), a priceless store owned by Lidia and Oriol where original furniture and objects rub shoulders with vintage remakes. Oriol, a carpenter by trade, also makes super, customised furniture.

Now, all that’s left is to find the piece you were looking for. Why wait to seek it out in Barcelona? Check out our flights here.

Text and images by Aleix Palau for ISABELYLUIS Comunicación