Who would have thought that, when they made their debut on stage at the Café Bizarre in New York, the young Lou Reed and John Cale would end up being the stars of an exhibition paying tribute to their band in Paris? That was back in 1965 when, having first called themselves The Warlocks and then The Falling Spikes, they had finally settled on a name that would identify and enshrine them for posterity. Incidentally, The Velvet Underground was the title of a book on sado-masochism written by Michael Leigh which had fallen into their hands by sheer chance. Nothing unusual, however, considering that drugs, prostitution, transvestism and homosexuality were rife in their New York haunts and would become the subject of many of their song lyrics, a fact which rattled more than one music producer.

Andy Warhol, a great one for moving in the New York underground and absorbing it into his parties and his works, particularly in the film pieces he shot with Paul Morrissey, was enthralled with the music of this upcoming band and added them to the prevailing fauna in The Factory. What’s more, he even took the bold step of taking over as manager of the group and in 1967 released his first production, The Velvet Underground & Nico, for which he did the cover design. Indeed, I am referring to the famous cover with the banana sticker, a veritable icon in the art world. But, the album’s value lies not only in its wrapping. Its content includes some genuine musical pearls like Sunday Morning, I’m Waiting for the Man, Venus in Furs and Heroin.One of the upshots of their collaboration with the pop artist par excellence were the videos he recorded with them, which ranged from ghoulish to arty, in which he enveloped the band in light and colour.

While the album was not a super-hit – only some 30,000 copies were sold – the band decided to  break with the core of Andy Warhol and The Factory to pursue their career as musicians. The Velvet Underground remained active until 1973, when differences between the leaders were responsible for precipitating a break-up – John Cale having had a more academic music training, while Lou Reed had followed a more rebellious line. They actually started moving in and out of the band, until they eventually decided to break up altogether.

Despite their short career and meagre success, at least as far as album sales is concerned, The Velvet Underground was one of the most influential bands of New York. Heirs to the beat generation legacy, they played a crucial role in New York’s counter-culture, far removed from the psychedelic hippie culture of the seventies that reigned in San Francisco, the other major hub of creativity in the United States. Among those who inherited their destructured sound and coarse lyrics were Ramones, The Voidoids, Dead Boys, The Heartbreakers, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Bauhaus, The Contortions, Bush Tetras, Teenage Jesus and The Jerks, DNA, Sonic Youth, Spacemen 3 and Nirvana.

The Philharmonie de Paris is hosting a tribute to this band in the form of an exhibition entitled, The Velvet Underground. New York Extravaganza, which runs until 12 August. Audiovisual material has been carefully curated, with six films being purpose produced for the occasion, also featuring television file pictures, photos and portraits of the band members, objects from private collections and works by contemporary and later artists who were seduced by the charms of the band. This whole ensemble is designed to recount the story of the group and its lasting legacy. But, there is more – the exhibition will be supported by a parallel set of activities, including conferences, screenings and concerts.

Go back down memory lane and relive one of the outstanding rock bands of New York’s counter-culture by taking a getaway to Paris. Check out your Vueling here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

A city underground. This idea was developed by Emir Kusturica – filmmaker born in Bosnia, raised on Islam, later converted to Christianity and self-proclaimed Serbian – in the movie Underground (1995), which showed the eventful recent history of the former Yugoslavia in a tragicomic point of view, with the protagonists create their own world underground to protect their interests, forgetting about the events above the ground. This is some kind of Plato’s cave where they live isolated while about the Nazis invade the territory, later Tito regime during the Cold War and finally the Yugoslavian war.

Located strategically between western and eastern territories, at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and by the Adriatic, Aegean and Black seas, probably is the European city that has been devastated and rebuilt again the most. Serbian capital has been occupied about 38 times in the past 300 years. Austrians, Serbians and Germans have created all kind of structures in the territory that Belgrade occupies.

The insides - a tangle of tunnels, shafts, caves and bunkers - have always been there, preserved during all these wars and also created because of them. Most of the historical center is on archaeological sites and hundreds of meters of tunnels were built for many reasons, during thousands of years.

Since 2012, some of these secrets can be revealed in Belgrade - even most of them still remain closed to the public – in a trip through subterranean routes. Total, there are about 140 structures certified officially nowadays, which are allowed to be visited.

But for now is almost impossible to know how many elements can be found underground. One person that knows this well is Zoran Nikolic, cowriter of Beograd ispod Beograda (‘Belgrade under Belgrade’) where he reveals the secrets that he now also shows as specialized guide around this area.

Under the library in Belgrade

By the start of Knez Mihailova street the City Library can be found, located in a building that used to be the most famous hotel in Belgrade. In the underground floors there is the Roman room, with well-conserved rests of an old fortress and a collection of Roman sculptures and graves. The room is used for lectures, music concerts and other cultural events.

Under the Belgrade fortress

Kalemegdan, the great Fortress of Belgrade, is one of the seven fortifications that stand by the Danube, along Serbia and at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. Here is where, according to the legend, Attila was buried. The fortress along to the Kalemegdan Park, become the most relevant historic-cultural complex in Belgrade.

Under the ground there is Barutana cave, a former Austrian military warehouse now used as archaeological museum, including pieces from Singidunum, the antique Roman city that used to be where Belgrade is now, including sarcophagi, tombstones and altars.

Bellow the park there is also a fascinating bunker, from the last days of the Soviet Union. Josip Broz Tito, Yugoslavian head of state, wanted to built a bunker after World War II to protect Belgrade of a possible Russian invasion.

Near the fortress, artificial caves where used as food warehouses. Nowadays, restaurants and cellars are located here, where there is never a need for air-conditioned.

Under Tašmajdan park

One of the most significant parts of the route is under the centric park of Tasmajdan, right bellow the Serbian Parliament. Bellow asphalt and concrete layers there are caves built by the Romans that were used centuries after for many purposes: during the Great War they were a warehouse for bombs and during World War II they were used as hidden headquarters by the Germans.

Picture from wikimapia.org

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

Going out for an aperitif is unquestionably all the rage in Barcelona. Here, it is a pre-lunch ritual, revolving around that heart-warming beverage with herbs and its supporting cast of gastronomic classics such as olives, crisps, mussels, banderillas(pickled appetizers on a cocktail stick), gildas, anchovies and a host of other tasties. A number of cutting-edge gastro varieties have also come into their own, as have a reworking of the classics.

The long-standing, traditional slew of bars for indulging in this not so hidden pleasure has been augmented by new proposals, making Barcelona a veritable paradise for revelling in this “gastro sport”. You can practically tour the city by going from one taproom to the next, although we decline all responsibility for any ensuing hangover or blowout you are likely to experience. We now turn to a selection of venues for giving yourself over to this pleasure on the palate.

Senyor Vermut

Running for just over two years, this bar has managed to elbow its way in among the respectable venues in town. One of its secrets is its broad selection of vermouths – there are up to 40 options to choose from – particularly those they make themselves. Another key to their success is their tapas, notably the papas bravas, a genuine delicacy.

El Xampanyet

Located at 22 Calle Montcada, in the heart of the Born, this is a classic among classics, where tourists and locals mingle in uncanny harmony. This small wine cellar with its classical air is usually packed, so you are advised to get there early if you want a seat. Their anchovies are the best in town and their ham is sheer delight.

Vermuteria el Tano

A real classic in the Gracia district, with appropriate decor included – casks, old-fashioned fridges and countless objects from the past. They have a magnificent array of cold tapas to accompany your vermouth or beer. This bar has a grass-roots atmosphere, continually livened up by the congenial service dispensed by Tano, its current owner.

Morro Fi

This tiny bar on Calle Consell de Cent harbours an intense pleasure – that of savouring a glass of well pulled beer. Manel, the most prominent figure in this bar, takes great pains to serve up a fine vermouth – they are sourced in Reus, the classical purveyor and most noted vermouth-producing town. He also has excellent munchies, like the French fries with mussels and olives and a touch of pungent sauce, which is finger-licking delicious. The family has grown in recent years, so die-hards of this venue have two other alternatives in the Sant Gervasi district, namely Mitja Vida and Dalt de Tot. And, here you can also pick up an aperitif kit wrapped in a simple, original design.

Bodega 1900

As mentioned above, some spots have splashed out on new trends in tapas, and this wine bar, with Albert Adrià at the helm, has endowed the appetizer ritual with an avant-garde flourish. His vermouth – La Cala – is homemade and his tapas are both innovative and top-notch. Interestingly, this innovation strikes a contrast with the classical decor in the bar.

Gran Bodega Saltó

This unusual bodega is located in Poble Sec, another district to bear in mind if you’re into appetisers. On entering, newcomers are struck by the decor, featuring old barrels clashing with a host of interspersed , ill-matched objects cramming the display cabinets and the area at the back of the tavern. It is well worth visiting, but not only for its outlandish decoration, as here your aperitif and tapas are accompanied by live music.

Ready to explore the bars of Barcelona in search of the best vermouth? Check out our flights here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Situated in the Veneto region in the north of Italy, Verona is a must-see city for those visiting the area. A stroll through its streets and past its monuments transports the traveller to a host of bygone times, from imperial Rome – this was Julius Caesar’s leisure resort – through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the periods of French and Austrian rule, up to the present. A rich historic past which has left its mark in the form of buildings, streets and squares, deservedly listed as World Heritage by UNESCO.

The City and its River

Verona is set on a meander of the river Adige, straddled by bridges such as the Ponte Pietra, the sole surviving Roman bridge in the city, and the Ponte Scaligero, with its characteristic battlements. The latter is part of the Castelvecchio, a medieval castle that currently houses one of the city’s leading museums.

Verona and its Roman Past

Noteworthy among the vestiges of Verona’s Roman past is the Arena, an amphitheatre dating from the 1st century AD where gladiators fought. Since 1913 it has been hosting activities more commensurate with our times, notably opera, performed in the summer from June to September. The large size of the amphitheatre, with a seating capacity of 30,000, is suitable for spectacular stage scenery, so don’t miss out on this memorable experience. We also recommend visiting the Roman Theatre, sited on the banks of the river Adige, which is currently part of the National Archaeological Museum. Like the Arena, in summer it becomes a venue for cultural activities; in this case, stage plays.

Thronging Piazzas, Impossible Love Affairs and Places of Worship

In the heart of the historic city lies the Piazza delle Erbe. Built over the old Roman forum and typified by picturesque white sunshades set above the market stalls, this unique spot is always teeming with people. Located in this square are such outstanding buildings as the Baroque Palazzo Maffei, the Torre dei Lamberti, affording magnificent views of the city from its rootop, and the beautifully frescoed facades of the Mazzanti Houses.

The Arco della Costa leads into the Piazza dei Signori, also known as the Piazza Dante, which was the centre of the city’s political activity during the 16th century. Preserved here, among other buildings, are the Palazzo della Ragione and Palazzo di Cansignorio, the seat of political power of the Scala family and the Venetians.

Not far from these magnificent squares, in the Via Capello, stands a landmark no visitor should miss, as it was immortalised in one of Shakespeare’s most popular works and has enshrined Verona as a prime destination for romantics. I’m refering, naturally, to the well-known setting for Romeo and Juliet. Juliet’s House is well worth visiting, although it is no mean feat having to jostle with hordes of other tourists in such a small patio. It does, however, have its charm.

As for religious architecture, not to be missed is the Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore, one of the masterpieces of Romanesque architecture in northern Italy, and the Duomo, also dating from the Romanesque (12th-century), which houses Titian’s Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

Time for Gastronomy

Not everything boils down to walking and sightseeing. You also need to get your strength back and enjoy the region’s culinary delights. We recommend you try the pastissada, a horsemeat stew, the origins of which go back to Roman times.

For those seeking a quicker, more refreshing break, what better than to stop at the Gelateria Zeno Gelato e Cioccolato, located in the Piazza San Zeno, to have one of their magnificent ice-creams.

Ready for a getaway to Verona? Come and discover this gem of Veneto. Check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Spencer Wright, Lorenzo Blangiardi, Elescir, Kosala Bandara, FotoCla., Jorge Cancela, Allie_Caulfield, Son of Groucho