In addition to Brussels, any decent trip to Belgium should take in these three pretty cities, each with its own unique features and endearing charm.

Antwerp – the City of Diamonds, Rubens Permitting

Antwerp (Antwerpen, in Flemish) is the largest city in Flanders. It lies on the river Scheldt, which has played a key role in the city’s development, and boasts one of the largest harbours in Europe, with a dockside that stretches for around fifty kilometres.

Another major factor in the economic development of Antwerp is the presence of one of Europe’s largest Jewish communities, who were instrumental in setting up one of the most important diamond industries in the world, handling up to 85% of the raw diamonds used in the production process. Not for nothing is it sometimes referred to as the “world diamond capital”. Well worth visiting are the numerous stores and workshops engaged in this activity, clustered mainly around the Central Station. Those wishing to learn more about this precious mineral should visit the Antwerp Diamond Museum.

But Antwerp also features other “precious stones” worth visiting. One essential destination is the Grote Markt (Main Square), flanked by impressive Renaissance-style guild buildings, of which the City Hall takes pride of place. Prominent above the fountain in the middle of the square is the statue of Silvius Brabo, a hero who founded the city after slaying the tyrant, Antigone, according to local legend. Another must-see is the Cathedral which has several works by Rubens on display. The artist is himself a major figure in the city as he lived here for many years. Other paintings of his can be admired in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts and the Rubens House.

Other interesting sights include the Plantin-Moretus Museum, which features old printing presses listed as World Heritage, and Steen Castle, one of the oldest buildings in Antwerp.

Ghent – Adventures of the Mystic Lamb

Ghent (Gent, in Flemish) is situated at the confluence of the rivers Scheldt and Leie whose waters dominate the city, criss-crossed as it is by a large network of canals, well worth touring by barge. Remember to visit the dockside in the old port, the Graslei (herb quay) and the Korenlei (wheat quay) with their beautiful rows of houses in different styles and from different periods.

Prominent among local landmarks is the Gravensteen or Castle of the Counts of Flanders. Built in the 13th century, it stands in the historic centre. Adjacent lies the Patershol quarter, one of the oldest in the city, which preserves much of its original charm and features numerous restaurants where you can enjoy a culinary treat. Other landmarks include the City Hall, the Belfry of Ghent and the Korenmarkt.

One essential visit is to St Bavo’s Cathedral, which houses one of the leading magnets of Ghent, the polyptych, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, painted by Jan Van Eyck in 1432. In addition to being a masterpiece studded with symbolism, it is one of the artworks which, in the course of history, has been stolen most often, as well as having travelled through many countries and been sectioned, censored, sold and forged. The fact we can still view it today is something of a miracle.

Bruges – the Venice of the North

Bruges (Brugge, in Flemish) is the smallest of the three cities, but undoubtedly the most beautiful and popular among tourists. The medieval essence of its historic centre, listed as a World Heritage site, has been preserved mainly intact and is the city’s leading attraction. Prominent landmarks are the Grote Markt (Main Square), the spectacular Belfry or Belfort, affording magnificent views over the city, the Basilica of the Holy Blood and the Church of Our Lady.

Not be missed is the city’s large network of canals, which has earned Bruges the sobriquet of “Venice of the North”. It is well worth sailing along these canals and soaking up the urban perspectives provided from the vessel.

If you want to take a breather, you could head for the strange sounding Friet Museum or “Museum of Potato Fries” where you can discover the history of one of the country’s culinary specialities.

Ready to be seduced by those three Flemish beauties? Check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Alan Stanton, Mikel Santamaria, Carlos Andrés Reyes, ADTeasdale , Jiuguang Wang, Ed Webster

Like many other Italian cities, the capital of art and culture is so vast you can never get to see it all, no matter how often you go back to the city. The Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi, the Galleria dell’Accademia, the Palazzo Pizzi and the churches are must-visit landmarks if you want to soak up the beauty of Florence. But, beware – trying to see it all in one go can bring on the Stendhal syndrome (also known as the Florence syndrome) or a mental block that can end up ruining your trip.

So, to make sure you go about calmly and enjoy things leisurely, we propose 6 essential venues which will help you come to grips with Florence without losing your nerves.

Uffizi Gallery – A Must-See Classic

One of the finest art galleries in the world, its collection of Renaissance art is peerless worldwide. Housed in a 16th-century administrative building, the Uffizi brings together some of the best works by Sandro Botticelli, Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Your museum visit could take from three to four hours and it is worth lingering in the uncrowded rooms to discover some lesser known but equally interesting artists. To avoid having to queue up at the ticket office for over an hour, we recommend you book in advance.

Il Grande Museo del Duomo – a 21st-Century Museum

This is one of the newer attractions in the city. The museum showcases treasures from the Duomo, the Campanile and the Baptistery. Here you can see the original Baptistery doors, a masterpiece by Ghiberti, the relief work in the Campanile and the sculptures on the old Duomo facade. In fact, you can actually see a life-size reconstruction of the original facade, with sculptures by Arnolfo di Cambio and Donatello, in the Room of the First Facade. Other highlights of the museum include the Pietà, which Michelangelo sculpted at the age of 80, and Brunelleschi’s death mask. Artworks are prominently displayed in this museum, geared to showcasing the past using the technology of the future.

Basilica di Santo Spirito – The Advent of theQuattrocento

While the churches of Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce are among our favourites, if you’re pressed for time in Florence and fancy seeing a church studded with chapels featuring retables from the Quattrocento, the “Basilica of the Holy Spirit” is the place to be. This church, designed by Brunelleschi, lies in the heart of the lively Oltrarno. It boasts no less than 38 chapels and such paramount artworks as the Madonna of the Relief, by Domenico di Zanobi, and Madonna with Child and Saints, by Filippino Lippi.

Boboli Gardens and Bardini Garden – A Romantic Walk

One of the most fascinating art galleries in Florence is housed in the Palazzo Pitti. But, today, instead of entering the famous palace designed by Brunelleschi, we take a stroll around its sumptuous gardens. The Boboli Gardens, dating from the 16th century, acted as the leisure resort for the city’s rulers. It stretches right up the slope of the Palazzo Pitti and is noteworthy mainly for the rose garden at the top, with spectacular views over the Tuscany countryside. A five minute-walk away, using the same entrance, lies the Bardini Garden, with splendid views over the city. The best vantage point is the restaurant set in the garden, La Leggenda Dei Frati, a stone gallery which affords a panoramic view of the city you will never forget.

Brancacci Chapel – For Specialists Only

Still in Oltrarno, the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine houses one of the loveliest chapels in the city, the Brancacci Chapel. Here, paintings by Masolino da Panicale, Masaccio and Filippino Lippi are perfectly preserved within the space of a few metres. The frescoes by Masaccio, depicting the life of St Peter, are regarded among his finest works. They reveal a clean break between Gothic art and the early Renaissance. Only 30 visitors are allowed in the chapel at any one time, but it is well worth the wait.

Palazzo Vecchio – Discovering Florence By Night

In summer, the Palazzo Vecchio stays open until midnight from Friday to Wednesday. It makes for a great alternative and quiet visit to one of the city’s most emblematic landmarks. Designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, it was once the seat of municipal power. Its rooms are adorned with outstanding frescoes, while the most prominent room is the Salone dei Cinquecento, notable for its sheer size and opulent decoration. The ceiling of the Green Room or Sala Verde features paintings by Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio, while still open to the public are the chambers of Giovanni de’ Medici, the son of Lorenzo the Magnificent and future Pope Leon X.

 Be sure to visit these marvels of Florence – check out our flights here.

 Text by Aleix Palau for  Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Christine und Hagen Graf

Cantabria’s mining past remains alive in the 750 hectares of reddish landscape which is home to the Cabárceno Nature Park. Situated just 15 kilometres from Santander, its proximity is inversely proportional to the feeling of being in a wholly different part of the planet. Here, around one hundred animal species from the five continents roam in semi-freedom, including African elephants, gorillas, the ankole-watusi, the addax, llamas and sea lions.

The open-air tracts of land are spacious and immensely beautiful. The flora lives out its natural cycle during the four annual seasons, so you see a different park in the spring, summer, autumn and winter. The structures left behind from the area’s mining past have been re-used to appoint the various enclosures in Cabárceno. Animals are kept on land which resembles their natural habitat as closely as possible, as here the terrain is accommodating. A number of lookouts bring home the immensity of the panoramic landscape and allow visitors to spot herds of Somali asses, water buffalo, Grevi zebra and ostriches. The karst relief characterised by water’s fickle erosive force makes for fascinating observation and enhances the act of animal spotting.

Nature is allowed to run its course in the park. There are fights between members of the same species, the rutting season unfolds and dominant males abound. Man only intervenes in the event of illness, wounds, a life-threatening situation for some specimen and to feed the animals. That is when the park provides its Wildlife Visit. From 10 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon, a single vehicle seating 4 occupants drives through various areas inhabited by rhino, bears and giraffes. The tour costs €400, which includes a brunch in the park restaurant. Escorted by a ranger, visitors can get to see certain animals close up, as well as touch and feed them. This contact enables them to learn the traits and curiosities of each animal or species.

That is how you discover the three elegant giraffes that come running up to you because they see you arriving with a bag of carrots. All three are male and they get along well precisely because there are no females. Or you learn the amazing story of Jums, a 39-year-old African elephant that came from England and recognised one of its offspring that had been living in Cabárceno.

During the Wildlife Visit, guests are told about the rituals and training sessions conducted with some of the animals to get them accustomed to the presence of people for the sole purpose of enabling a vet to treat a wound or give them a medical check-up whenever necessary. This is a difficult task as wild animals retain their survival instinct and are thus wary of people, but it is gratifying to see how the staff’s daily work and their affection for the animals can work a miracle, as can an apple or a carrot!

The animals’ daily routine is not affected by the fortunate participants in the Wildlife Visit – book ahead, as there is a waiting list – and regular feeding times are strictly adhered to. The only enclosure where visitors are not allowed to get out of the car is that of the brown bears. However, a group of bears can be comfortably observed munching on a piece of bread or chicken through the car window just a few metres away. There are around 70 specimens in a 35-hectare space, which gives you some idea of how big the park is.

The Cabárceno Nature Park is dotted with natural lakes, and the 14 resident elephants relish bathing in waters up to 8 metres deep. The hippo enclosure here, rumoured to be the best in the world, is sited in the Lago Sexta, and a cableway is slated to run above this lake as of March 2016.

A one-day admission ticket to the Cabárceno Nature Park costs €25, and €15 for small children. However, we recommend you check out all the various types of admission, as there are discounts for families and “friends of Cabárceno”. Your ticket allows you to drive around the 20 kilometres of tracks in your own vehicle through all the areas. But, you are urged to observe the speed limit and safety precautions. Unfortunately, this unaccompanied drive-through does not allow you to touch or feed the animals; firstly, for safety reasons, as you will not be escorted by a ranger to guide you and, secondly, as each species has a specific diet at regular hours. A map is given to visitors at the entrance – the routes are clearly marked and you can download a mobile app which provides information on what you are seeing at all times. Park facilities include picnic areas for you to have a packed lunch at your leisure, and there are also cafés, restaurants and gift shops. Your ticket permits you to leave the park and re-enter later on. You are also allowed to make the tour in a camper van.

Your day trip will fly past as you observe the antics of fallow deer, red deer, gorillas, camels, displays of birds of prey and their types of flight, and sea lions cavorting about. (Don’t let them catch you calling them seals with ears – they don’t take kindly to being confused!) Whatever your age; if you like animals, this is where you will have a whale of a time!

Make haste to discover all this wildlife. Check out our flights to Santander here.

Text and images by Planeta Dunia

A trip to Emilia-Romagna takes you through a world of flavours, that’s for sure. Apart from its emblematic towns and magnificent traces of the past in the form of monuments, the region offers its delicious cuisine. Make sure you partake of it on your way through Bologna, Ravenna, Modena, Rimini, Ferrara, Parma or any other spot in this popular region of northern Italy. One way of getting to know their culinary delights, apart from tasting them, is to visit some of the gastronomy museums there. Following is a selection of such museums, where you can get up to speed on the history, origins, evolution and preparation of these delicacies in Emilia-Romagna.

Balsamic Vinegar Museum (Museo del Balsamico Tradizionale di Spilamberto)
(Via Roncati, 28, Spilamberto)

Balsamic vinegar or aceto balsamico has its origins in Emilia-Romagna. It is derived from a blend of different wines, both red and white. The process of making this type of vinegar is longer than for other vinegars. At Spilamberto, between Modena and Bologna, you can visit a museum dedicated to this delicious, delicate accompaniment to salads, meats and even desserts.

Museo del Prosciutto di Parma
(Via Bocchialini, 7, Langhirano)

Prosciutto is the denomination accorded Italy’s cured ham, and Parma is one of the protected designations of origin for this product, characteristic of northern and central Italy. Made from cured leg of pork or wild boar, it features in starters (antipasti), sandwiches and panini, pizzas, in pasta sauces and even as a filling in meat dishes.

This versatile product has its own museum in Parma where you can come to grips with its origins, history and manufacturing process. It is located in Langhirano, a municipality which also hosts a ham festival.

While we’re at it, in addition to the prosciutto of Parma, you’d should also try other cured sausages, including culatello from Zibello, Parma salami and spalla cotta (cooked pork shoulder) from San Secondo.

Parmesan Cheese Museum (Museo del Parmigiano Reggiano)
(C/ Corte Castellazzi, Via Volta, 5 Soragna - Parma)

Parmesan or parmigiano is a cheese which hardly requires introducing. Who hasn’t sprinkled it over pasta or risotto or used it as a grilled topping? The more inquiring minds among you will already know that its origins lie in Parma, hence the name. What you might not know is that the original recipe most likely goes back to Roman times. You will discover these and many other details at the Museo del Parmigiano Reggiano, located in Soragna. It is housed in a former cheese factory and has produce from the five Parmigiano-Reggiano-producing provinces on display. The museum exhibits cover the period from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century.

Carpigiani Gelato Museum
(Via Emilia, 45, Anzola dell’Emilia)

Just a few kilometres from Bologna, in Anzola dell’Emilia, lies this museum, dedicated to one of Italy’s most popular and refreshing products –ice-cream. Inaugurated in 2012, its over one thousand square metres of exhibition space features ice-cream machines, photos, multimedia presentations and the implements used in ice-cream making, all props used to narrate its history and evolution. Incredible as it may seem, in ancient Mesopotamia they already used snow and ice from the mountains to cool drinks served at royal banquets.

The exhibition area is part of the Carpigiani ice-cream company, which opened the museum for the purpose of educating the public about this product.

Tomato Museum (Museo del Pomodoro)
(C/ Corte di Giarola – Parco del Taro, Collecchio)

A museum dedicated to tomatoes? This fruit, originating from the Americas and ever-present in Italian cuisine, deserves its own space to be extolled and studied in greater depth. Also known locally as “red gold”, the tomato has its own museum in Collecchio, the region’s agricultural and industrial centre, situated less than half an hour from Parma.

Why not broaden your horizons and get to know Italian cuisine even further? Get your ticket here!

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Pink Ayla, Turismo Emilia Romagna, Kelly Hau, faungg's photos