With its roots dating back to one of the oldest Phoenician settlements in the West, the Tacita de Plata (Little Silver Cup), as Cádiz is fondly known, is the perfect place for a short getaway. You can go on pleasant strolls, sightsee its monuments, sun yourself on its beaches and delight in their magnificent tapas based on fresh fried fish or pescaíto. Following are the seven essential things to do on a whirlwind visit of this beautiful, friendly and light-filled city.

1. Stroll Through the Streets in the Historic Centre
One of Cádiz’s main draws is its old town, which is well worth strolling through. A prominent feature are the large houses with some beautiful patios concealed inside. The city was partially destroyed in the great Lisbon earthquake of 1755, so that many of the buildings you will come across on your walk date from the 18th century. Be sure to visit the Tavira Tower, a watchtower located in the Palace of the Marquises of Recaño, where the main attraction is its famous Camera Obscura.

2. Roam the Pópulo Quarter in Search of the Past
Located between the City Hall and the Cathedral, the Pópulo quarter is the oldest in the city. Here, one of the landmarks attesting to its Roman past is theRoman Theatre.Unearthed by chance in 1981 as a result of a fire which gutted a department store, it reminds the visitor of the time when Cádiz was one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire. Other noteworthy sights include the Baroque and Neoclassical New Cathedral, the Old Cathedral– also known as the Church of Santa Cruz – the City Hall and the old city gates, notably the Arco de los Blancos and Arco de la Rosa.

3. A Tribute to “La Pepa”
Cádiz’s claim to fame is that it was the setting for the proclamation of the first Spanish Constitution, which took place on 19 March 1812. To commemorate the first centenary of the event, a monument was built in the Plaza de España.

4. Walk Through El Genovés Park
This is the city’s most important public gardens. It is located in the historic centre, right near the seaside. The park boasts over 100 species of trees and shrubs.

5. Recalling the Figure of Manuel de Falla
The composer, Manuel de Falla, was born in Cádiz, and you can visit the house he was born in, near the Cádiz Museum. You can also see his tomb in the New Cathedral and visit the Gran Teatro de Falla (Great De Falla Theatre). A noteworthy feature of the latter is its Neomudéjar facade, which forms the main backdrop for the famous Carnival of Cádiz where the various Carnival groups compete.

6. Enjoy the Beach
Make the most of a city which opens onto the sea by going to the beach and letting yourself be dazzled by its splendid views. Be sure to head for the Playa de la Caleta, the nearest beach to the historic centre and the most popular among Gaditanos, as the locals are called. A striking landmark on that beach is the Balneario de la Palma y del Real, a seaside spa. Another beach you should make a point of visiting is the Playa Victoria, regarded as the best urban beach in Europe, and that of Santa María del Mar, also known as Playade las Mujeres, with its stunning views of the city.

7. Try the Prawn Omelette
Gastronomy is another of Cádiz’s fortés. As an eminently seafaring city, fish is one of the leading lights in their cuisine, which features such dishes as fried fish – known here as pescaíto, a classic bordering on excellence– and prawn omelette, which you simply must try, too. Other traditional dishes include prawns, chocos (cuttlefish) and seasoned tuna fish. To shake off the heat, don’t hesitate to cool down on a bowl of gazpacho or salmorejo.

Book your Vueling to Jerez de la Frontera which, just 35 km away, is the nearest airport to Cádiz, and see how you succumb to the magic of this charming city.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Andrew Wilkinson, michimaya, Emilio J. Rodríguez-Posada, Hernán Piñera, Alfonso Jimenez

A sign up in the entrance to Rock And Sole Plaice proclaims there is nothing more British than a good helping of fish and chips doused in salt and sprinkled with vinegar. Indeed, along with afternoon tea, the Union Jack, Beckham and Victoria and the Gallagher brothers’ diatribes, this dish is one of the grand institutions of British society. Having staged a comeback in the islands after decades of decline, this simple but exquisite and foolproof combination of batter-fried codfish and a good helping of chips is drawing ever more adepts. Here, then, are London’s 10 best chippies, which will turn you into a die-hard supporter of the cause.

Bonnie Gull

Fish and chips is just one of the offerings on the menu at Bonnie Gull, but their version of it is so ineffably delicious they could easily dedicate themselves solely to this dish. Their fish is battered North Sea haddock with a varnish of beer and tempura, giving it a doubly crunchy texture. Their chips, a greasy indulgence, are cooked slowly in beef dripping. To not dip them in their homemade ketchup would be unforgiveable.

Fish Central

A veritable London culinary institution specialising in fish. Opened in 1968, very few things have changed since then at the Fish Central. In their case, this is great news. As its name suggests, their menu offers the best and freshest fish and seafood, from humble sardines to pompous oysters. Their fish and chips, among the best in town, provide an exquisite contrast between the excitingly crunchy chips, and tender codfish which melts in your mouth.

Fish Club

Strict rules about how fish and chips should be made limit the varieties of fish to cod – or, failing that, haddock. Luckily for our palates and stomachs, The FishClub flouts the regulations. This small chippy, with two branches in The City, also makes fish and chips from sardines, gilt-head bream, mackerel, sole and – the great speciality of the house – pollock, among others. Guests can choose between classical-style batter (a mixture of flour, egg and beer), breadcrumbs, grilled, baked or fried. The only item which is set are their chips, which are large, potent and crunchy.

The Golden Hind

A classic among classics, in 2014 the folks at The Golden Hind celebrated their hundredth anniversary as purveyors of fish and chips in London. Peerless masters of the trade, they conceal their scrumptious haddock under a feathery-light batter. This is accompanied, needless to day, by generous helpings of chunky potatoes. Those of you who are not too keen on tubers can swap the chips for colourful, appetising sautéed peas. Golden Hind, 73 Marylebone Lane.

Golden Union Fish Bar

In the heart of Soho, Golden Union has been frying up their wares for over a hundred and fifty years. Such centennial experience translates into generous portions of codfish, perfectly seasoned and coated in a crunchy batter which – thanks to some secret recipe – has a texture similar to puff pastry. Special mention goes to their silky, spongy French fries.

Kerbisher & Malt

A top-drawer chippy, with four restaurants dotted around London – we recommend the one on Shepherd’s Bush Road. Here, the popular British culinary classic comes in many venues and options, notably battered in beer, in accordance with tradition, fried in breadcrumbs or grilled, for those who are seeking a healthier variety. Their superior quality chips are accompanied with mouth-watering mushy peas, pickled onion rings, coleslaw or homemade tartare sauce.

Poppie’s

Behind a somewhat kitsch decor, a re-creation of London’s East End in the 40s and 50s, lies one of the best spots for wolfing down fish and chips. The classic aesthetics also spills over into their cuisine. The folks at Poppie’s don’t try to innovate, but to raise tradition to the nth degree – a hearty slice of codfish delivered fresh from Billingsgate market, and chips of the kind that are crunchy on the outside and spongy on the inside.

Rock And Sole Plaice

This is Idris Elba’s favourite chippy. We support his verdict, not so much for the quality of their fare as for the experience as a whole. Off the beaten track in an alley next to Covent Garden, the Rock and Soile Plaice is scarcely a few square metres of white tiles coated in a fine, greasy layer. Their cute terrace is the best place to eat. A typical venue where you feel like just another Briton stuffing yourself with fried fish.

Sutton And Sons

Danny Sutton, the owner of this fish-and-chips shop, listed in all guides as one of the best in town, also runs a fishmonger’s in the same street. No wonder then that anything they serve up at Sutton and Sons is so fresh it is liable to leap off the plate. Their top-of-the-line fish and chips is much more wholesome when paired with one of their numerous craft beers. For dessert, we recommend Mrs Sutton’s caramel pudding.

Toff’s

Ever since they opened in 1968, experts, connoisseurs and epicures of fish and chips have chosen it on more than one, two or three occasions as the best chippy in both London and the United Kingdom. Juicy, scaly codfish coated with fatless, crunchy batter. While the generous island of fish surrounded by crispy chips does not appear to be based on any special recipe, you will be itching to come back to this chippy on Muswell Hill even before you leave it.

Come and try this classic of British cuisine – book your Vueling to London here.

Text by Oriol Rodríguez for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Mark Hillary , Marshall Segal, RosieTulips, Ewan Munro, Duncan C

That Seville is famous for its tapas is a well-known fact. But the city also happens to be riding on a burgeoning culinary wave and, instead of just limiting itself to culinary tradition, it has jumped onto the internationally inspired bandwagon of carefree, innovative and excellent process of reinvention, as well as implementing novel techniques and flourishes of modernity.

Lalola – A Gourmet Tavern
I should perhaps dare introduce this restaurant as one of the best in Seville. Tasting the creations served up in this self-proclaimed “gourmet tavern” is well worth the long walk, as it is located far from the bustle of the city centre in the quarter of Los Remedios. Lalola is the domain of chef Javier Abascal, a youngster you are sure to hear about in the coming years. And, it’s just as well. His menu is an ode to his four loves – quality product, cooking over a slow fire, reminiscences of Sephardic cuisine and offal, which has its own section on the menu, allowing you to taste anything from boned pig trotters with creamy potatoes to beef sweetbread with aniseed  crumble and bamboo or monkfish foie gras. But, it doesn’t stop there, as the other shared dishes provide another surprise – organic chickpea hummus, La Vera red peppers and sesame, tuna tartare and algae noodles… Average ticket: €20 per head.

Mercado Lonja del Barranco – Variety For All Tastes
Go inside Mercado Lonja del Barranco and you can watch dapper gentlemen arriving in what is possibly the trendiest spot in Seville, with its Nordic, vintage aesthetic. Quite a shock after having strolled through the old Jewish quarter and come across a religious procession in the Triana neighbourhood. But, it rocks, as its taste lies in the variety. And, here, there is variety in abundance, highly recommendable for the hesitant, for foodies eager to taste a bit of everything and for parties of guests. Mercado Lonja del Barranco offers over 150 dishes, both local and international. Here, it’s no easy task deciding from among such a broad selection. I can recommend dipping into the seafood section and trying the typical shrimp omelette. Likewise the gourmet salmorejo stand, where you can taste the different varieties of this local speciality, and the cut ham stand… Tickets from €3.

Séptimo Wine Bar
Séptimo, because seven is a lucky number. And, Isabel and Floriant, the Hispano-French couple who run this locale, seem to have hit the jackpot. Some luck in it, of course, but you can’t detract from their job well done, driven as they are by a tireless passion, which you notice as soon as they start talking about a tuna fish in the kitchen with a sparkle in its eyes. Indeed, they have managed to continually fill to capacity their small, inviting premises ever since they first opened just over a year ago. Their offerings are gourmet tapas, “inspired by whatever”, accompanied by “whichever wine goes well”. That is how Isabel puts it and she adds, in the Sevillian accent we have grown to love, “we make our own style of tasty food”. Hats off to their duck pie, marinated tuna or tartare, the three dishes they rate as the star items on the menu and which are virtually always in stock, while the rest of the offerings are seasonal. Now, for instance, you can taste a marvellous sautéed artichoke with pumpkin, field mushrooms and presa ibérica (Iberian shoulder of pork), highly tender lamb nuggets in sweet potato sauce and the pièce de résistance – a milk torrija (French toast) served with a ball of ice-cream likely to make you shed more than one tear. Average ticket: €20 for two.

Perro Viejo – International Fusion
There just had to be a hipster sanctuary in Seville, and that is Perro Viejo. Located in the heart of the Andalusian capital and inaugurated just two years ago, this stunning, three-storey tapas bar features ultra-cool, ultra-modern, ultra-gorgeous interior design – everything is wood, iron and greenery, clearly inspired by an industrial aesthetic. Here, the tapas are a blend of tradition and international fusion (there are distinct Thai, Japanese and Peruvian influences in their cuisine), with the emphasis on new culinary trends, as evinced in their exquisite Japanese butterfish tataki, pulpo a feira (Galician-style octopus) with migas, organic egg and Iberian broth, glazed pork dumplings with chilli vinaigrette, charcoaled papas bravas (spicy sautéed potatoes) and ceviche (lemon-and-garlic marinade). All of this livened up with a great wine list and, above all, spectacular cocktails. Average ticket: €40 for two.

Book your Vueling to Seville and gear up to savour the best gastrobars in town.

Text by Laia Zieger of Gastronomistas.com

Situated in western Holland, on the final stretch of the river Meuse, the modernity breathed by Rotterdam is stunning, far removed from the usual image we have of European cities. Don’t expect to find a typical historic city centre, with a jumbled network of backstreets and time-worn buildings storied with its historical past. The city layout and its tall buildings are more reminiscent of New York’s Manhattan than other Dutch cities like Amsterdam or Utrecht.

The Bombing Raids and Nazi Occupation

The reason for this peculiarity – so to speak – goes back to the Second World War. On 14 May 1940, in a desperate attempt to secure the surrender of Rotterdam, the German air force bombarded the city to such an extent that hardly any building was left standing in the city centre. The air raids destroyed over 24,000 homes and led to the loss of around 800 lives.

Rising from the Ashes

After the city was liberated from the Nazis, unlike other European cities that set about restoring their historic centres as best they could, Rotterdam elected to start from scratch. In this respect, they did not hesitate to adopt the latest building trends, as evinced in every corner of the city. Herein lies Rotterdam’s chief appeal – a host of contemporary architectural discourses coexisting in harmony.

The Standout Features

As Rotterdam has a lot of architecture worth viewing, and one does not always have enough time to see it all, here is a selection of the major landmarks in the city:

The Erasmus Bridge – or Erasmusbrug – which connects the north and south parts of the city, is the work of Ben Van Berkel. Inaugurated in 1996, this imposing structure over the river Meuse has become a well-known landmark.

Near one end of the bridge are two emblematic buildings which can’t fail to attract one’s attention. One is the KPN Telecom Building, designed by Renzo Piano, one facade of which leans slightly towards the city. It is studded with green lights that generate different figures or messages. Just behind it stands “De Rotterdam”, a huge complex consisting of three inter-connected towers. Designed by Rem Koolhaas, it was inaugurated in 2013.

Another icon of Rotterdam, although of a much smaller size, are the Cube Houses (Kubuswoning), designed by the architect, Piet Blom. The original structure of these houses is the result of tilting the cubes 45 degrees and setting them on hexagonal pillars. The set of houses, made up of 32 cubes, has an unusual forest-like appearance. For those curious to see what they look like inside, there is one open to visitors.

The Kuntshal cultural centre, designed by Rem Koolhaas, is well worth seeing, both for the building itself and the collections it houses. The ample, 3,300 m², of available space enables five exhibitions to be hosted in parallel. While it lacks its own, or a permanent, exhibition, it does act as an expositor for the latest trends in contemporary art.

The Central Library exterior, with its huge pipes painted in bright colours, is reminiscent of the Pompidou Centre in Paris, which provided the Van den Broek studio with the necessary inspiration to design this building. Opened in 1983, it is Holland’s largest public library. A quaint detail is the giant chess board inside.

The dazzling red covering the spectacular structure of the New Luxor Theatre is the first thing that catches one’s eye when approaching it. Opened in 2001, it is the work of the Australian architect, Peter Wilson. There are guided visits of the theatre interior and, for those of you who visit on your own, don’t miss the views to be had on the roof terrace.

The outstanding feature of Rotterdam Central (Centraal Station) is the entrance ceiling – shaped like a boomerang, it is made of stainless steel and covered in red-cedar panelling. Three teams of architects were commissioned to undertake the recent extension and remodelling project, namely Benthem Crouwel Architects, MVSA Meyer en Van Schooten Architecten and West 8.

Don’t miss out on one of Europe’s finest showcases of contemporary architecture – treat yourself to a Vueling, here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Photos by bertknot, Franklin Heijnen, Luke Price, Tim van Vliet, Rory Hyde