“It turns out that in 1917, Einstein, Lenin and Joyce coincided in Zürich.There, Einstein lectured at the ETH, Lenin busied himself preparing the Russian revolution, while Joyce wrote Ulysses. The city is growing on me every day.”

These lines were posted in the Facebook profile of a Spanish friend living in Switzerland’s largest city. She also writes, and is somewhat revolutionary. She doesn’t lecture, that we know of, but it’s early days still. What is such a Mediterranean girl doing in a place like that? The moment we arrived there we had our answer. You can enjoy the vibrant cultural scene, its restaurants, its lake, the river Limmat, its parks, the silence and its modest size as cities go, meaning you can cross it by tram, or be tempted to cycle or walk around it.

Did you know that what the Swiss miss most when they travel is bread? That the owner of the legendary Café Odeon was able to build it thanks to the money he won on the Spanish lottery? That muesli was invented by the physician, Maximilian Bircher-Benner, from Zürich University, and that the historic Opfelchammer restaurant, a favourite of the local novelist, Gottfried Keller, allow you to carve your name on the beams if you drink enough wine? You imagine there is a luxurious city awaiting you, having forgotten that the Protestant Reformation started precisely here 500 years ago and that all ostentation was banned. Like filled chocolates, Zürich holds out surprises. You never know what you’re likely to come across.

Zürichis not an economical destination, but there are ways of reining in your expenditure. Before setting out to discover the city, buy a ZürichCARD. It permits you to catch the train from the airport to the city, where you can take all the tram lines and gain free (or discounted) entry to over 90 establishments.

If you fancy dining at a traditional – yet modern – spot, make sure you head for Haus Hiltl, Europe’s longest surviving vegetarian restaurant, dating from 1898. It offers a buffet with a choice of over 100 specialities – you pay according to how much you fill your plate – in addition to a bookshop, store, culinary studio and bar lounge.

If you’re into the eclectic, you should drop in on Les Halles, an erstwhile warehouse which doubles as a restaurant and market and is famous for its moules frites (mussels with fries). There, you can also buy and eat sausage, cheeses, wines and other delicacies from the old Europe.

If you prefer to dine in a formal atmosphere, make your way to La Salle. They serve a fine steak tartare, various fresh pasta dishes and a classic, homemade meat pie with red wine and mashed potato sauce which you really must try.

You can while your way into the night at numerous bars and clubs, such as the Nietturm Bar, located on the top floor above La Salle. This stylish locale serves the Hugo cocktail (prosecco, elderflower syrup, sparkling water, mint, lime and ice), or you could order a glass of local Zürich wine while taking in the breathtaking views over the city.

If the weather turns nasty or you’re numbed by the cold, go on a cruise around Lake Zurich. And, while you’re at it, enjoy a Swiss brunch – with cheese, bread, salmon, jam, fruit and pastries – while vineyards and fairytale houses parade before your eyes as you drift soothingly along. The brunch-cruise only operates on Sundays and you must book beforehand through Zürichsee Schifffahrt.

If, on the contrary, what you fancy is hoofing it as much as you can, go for their street food. You can wolf down the sausages at Sternen Grill, a hot soup at La Zoupa and marroni (roast chestnuts) at the street stalls. If your stay takes in more than just the weekend, make sure you try their looped pretzels and the other bäckerei (bakery) specialities in season at Vohdin (Oberdorfstrasse, 12), a shop front that has been open since 1626.

If you can afford it, take up lodgings on the 10th floor of the Sheraton Zürich Hotel, located in Zürich–West, the in district. The rooms are spacious, bright and comfortable; wifi is free-of-charge and there are two culinary options – the Route Twenty-Six restaurant (from the 26 Swiss cantons), featuring sumptuous breakfast buffets, and the Café & Bar Nuovo,ideal for afternoon coffee or a nighttime Qüollfrisch naturtrüb beer.

If you fancy bringing back a genuine souvenir in your suitcase, head for a local supermarket and get yourself a mini fondue of Gerber cheese and a bag of Frey chocolates, two historic brands that will sit sweet on the palate. Although – be warned – it will never be the same as having a fondue at Adler’s Swiss Chuchi or hot chocolate at Péclard.

Make haste and savour the Swiss delights of Zürich! Check out our flights here.

Text by Carme Gasull (Gastronomistas)
Photos by Mireia Aranda and Zurich Tourism

Indeed, a lot has been going on in this lovely city in Western Bohemia throughout the year. Over 600 events of all kinds have been held as part of its splendid programme. If you haven’t the chance to go there yet, the final stretch of these cultural events are clearly a good excuse to do so.

Art is Everywhere

One of the hallmarks of this edition is that the arts are present in public spaces in the form of temporary installations, themed parties and inaugurations held in unusual venues. Some industrial buildings, which have given over their premises to the so-called “Imagination Factories”, have also been taken over by art. The renowned plastic artist and director of cartoons, Jiří Trnka, is hosting an exhibition entitled The Garden, while, for the first time ever, Europe will see the valuable collection of Maori portraits by Gottfried Lindauer, a native of Pilsen and one of the illustrious figures of New Zealand art.

At the Museum of Western Bohemia (Západočeské muzeum),design and technology enthusiasts will be treated to an exhibition on the work of Ladislav Sutnar, a pioneer of information architecture and one of the founders of world graphic design. The original home interiors of the architect, Adolf Loos, are also open to the public as part of a special itinerary drawn up for the occasion. Also featured is an exhibition of contemporary European puppetry under the direction of Matěj Forman, while an exhibition of contemporary international design will be hosted on the magnificent premises of the Pilsner Urquell Brewery.

The Western Bohemia Gallery (Západočeská galerie) will be presenting works by the leading figures of the Munich Secession, pioneers of the early European avant-garde, featuring works from the collections of Munich’s Villa Stuck Museum and the Lenbachhaus Gallery. On display will be the work of such artists as Gabriel von Max, Franz von Stuck, Vassily Kandinski, Paul Klee and other members of the group, Der Blaue Reiter, as well as Czech representatives of Art Nouveau and modern art who lived and worked in the Bavarian capital during the same period.

However, to keep track of the cultural activities programmed for this final stretch, those interested should check out the events on the Pilsen Information Website, where you will find a day by day schedule of all the events to come. We recommend you keep tabs on the days when the grass-roots craft workshops are held in the main square as they will only be set up on eight days in the year, and this is something you should not miss.

A City Under A City

One of the must-see sights of the city is one that takes you into the maze of corridors, cellars and wells under the paving stones of Pilsen. The complete underground complex was built in the 14th century, and this underground city had an important function – to preserve food, but also as the site of craft workshops, wineries and malt breweries. You will also see technical installations such as drainage galleries, sewers and wells. It takes you back in time, providing insight into life in a medieval city.

World Beer Capital

You are advised to pick up your special beer coin which can be exchanged for tasting the Master Semi-dark beer in some restaurants. If you don’t see the badge on the door, ask the waiter. And, as you’re in the “beer city”, don’t fail to drop in on the Brewery Museum. This is the best way to see how this barley elixir is brewed and the museum reveals the history of beer from ancient times up to the present. It is located in an original brewery in the city’s historic centre.

The exhibition, both amusing and edifying, reveals the brewing process, the secrets of production and ways of serving and drinking the hops-laden beverage over the centuries. You can also stroll through medieval breweries and into a 19th-century village brew-house. A whole section of the museum is set aside for the display of implements and curiosities associated with the world of beer. One of the most impressive areas features the steam-driven brew kettles, capable of producing thirty litres of beer each in one go.

Art and beer are the winning combination in Pilsen. What are you waiting for? Check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Centro de Información de Pilsen

Holy Week is a festivity accompanied by a long culinary tradition, among other things. Some of its hallmarks include confectionery and desserts, which adopt a host of guises across the geography of Spain. Not to be outdone, Santiago de Compostela, a city of fine food, has its own versions, as evinced in the gems created by different local religious orders, those inherited from the city’s long chocolatiering tradition and imports from the Americas, which have spread all over Europe via the Road to Santiago.

In an effort to keep this tradition alive and provide enjoyment for locals and visitors alike, the second edition of a gastronomic event catering to the sweet-toothed known as Santiago Paixón Doce will be held from 7 to 17 April. For the duration of this festivity, some 29 venues, notably bars, cafés and restaurants, will be offering a special menu laced with traditional Holy Week fare, among which confectionery features prominently. Highlights include torrijas (a kind of French bread), leche frita (literally, “fried milk”), buñuelos (fritters), rosquillas (a ring-shaped pastry), melindres (buns), roscas (a kind of doughnut), “passion chocolates”, cakes and other confectionery typical at this time of year. Check out the list of venues taking part in this tasty experience here.

Eight Delicacies in the Compostelan Holy Week

For those not familiar with Santiago de Compostela’s Holy Week culinary tradition, we have drawn up a selection of the confectionery you simply must taste on your visit to the city. Take note!

1. Concha de Santiago (St James Shell)
This is a veritable tribute to the city of Santiago de Compostela, as it features its paramount symbol, the pilgrim’s scallop shell or viera worked into a delicious chocolate figure. One of the many establishments where you can taste the concha de Santiago is the Chocolat Factory, located in the Praza do Toural.

2. Tarta de Santiago (St James Cake)
With its origins going back to the 16th century, the tarta de Santiago is unquestionably the most popular cake in Santiago de Compostela. Needless to say, you  can find it in all the city’s pastry shops and bakeries, from Las Colonias – with its long-standing tradition – to Á Casa Mora, said to be the artificers of the Cross of St James having been incorporated into the cake.

3. Chocolate a la taza
As mentioned earlier, Santiago is a city with a long-standing tradition of chocolatiers. One of the local favourites is “chocolate a la taza”, which is thick hot chocolate for dunking churros (fritters) in. A classic spot for savouring this wonderful delicacy is the Chocolatería Metate (Rúa do Preguntoiro, 12).

4. Monastic Delights
In bygone times, it fell to the religious orders to introduce foreign traditions to Compostela, including the recipes using almonds and egg yolk, which had a marked influence on local confectionery and ended up spawning both the tarta de Santiago and almendrados (macaroons). There are currently two convents in Santiago which still make their own confectionery. One is the Antealtares Monastery, where the Benedictines make almendrados, tarta de Santiago and cookies, all of which are available on a daily basis, and brazo de gitano, a kind of Swiss roll which is made only to order. The other is Belvís Convent, where the Dominicans make bespoke batches of almendrados, mantecados (a kind of shortbread made with lard)and tarta de Santiago, as well as selling freshly baked cookies.

5. Cheese and Chocolate Cakes
We recommend you drop in on the Airas Nunes Café, which specialises in homemade cakes and tortiñas (milk tarts).

6. Assorted “Pecados” (Sins)
The Cantón del Toural is home to the so-called Pecados de Compostela (Sins of Compostela), a unique type of candy wrapped in seven forms to match the seven deadly sins, one for each day of the week. Be a daredevil and try them!

7. Xacobea
Despite having very similar ingredients to the Easter cake known as the rosca de Pascua,the Xacobea is moister as it contains syrup. Available in numerous pastry shops dotted about the city, notably La Estrella (Suevia).

8. Rosquilla
The rosquilla, also known as a melindre, typically eaten at traditional shrine festivals in Galicia, is also a classic of Holy Week and Easter in Galicia. Sold at a host of venues in Santiago de Compostela.

Text and photos by Turismo de Santiago

Marrakech is mayhem and no one who has set foot in that Moroccan city will ever claim otherwise. It’s a happy form of bedlam for those who like excitement, but a stressful and terribly unpredictable place for those who like to exercise strict control. We advise the latter to take a Vueling to Zurich with their family and enjoy the placid feeling of a place where everything works and a scrumptious fondue is easy to come by. As for the rest of you – we recommend you follow us on this fantastic adventure.

Marrakech is the sort of place where someone accosts you every three steps you take, touting to sell you something or lead you to someone’s shop, offer you a guided tour of the city, drape a snake around your neck, tattoo you, make you an orange juice, walk with you and his monkey – which he wants you to hold by the hand – or fill your bag with perfumes, spices, soaps and beautiful decorative objects that appear to have leaped out of A Thousand and One Nights. All this happens as you dodge to avoid horse-drawn carts rolling to the cry of “Cheap carriage ride, María”, donkeys and other fauna that throng the streets, as you have your photo taken with a chameleon, visit palaces that until then were just a figment of your imagination and chatter about the latest exploits of Barça with men of all ages who cross your path.

This Moroccan city is pure magic, a delightful, fascinating chaos with whiffs of spice and mint tea – sometimes of horse dung, too, but, what the heck! – where any adventure lover is bound to have a whale of a time. And, who better than children to imbibe such a place, different from anything they’ve ever seen before, and abandon themselves to the stream of outlandish characters and situations that will punctuate their stay in Marrakech and make it unforgettable.

The first place the young ones are going to be infatuated with is Jemaa el Fna Square, the nerve centre of the Medina, where one of the most enchanting gastronomic festivals in the world strikes up as night falls. The smell of delicious spicy meat starts to waft out from the street stalls, and of hummus, couscous, tajine, salads and other specialities, sold for a sou. Some are reluctant to sit down to a table in that street market for fear of food poisoning, contaminated water and possible adverse effects on their digestive system. But, just by making sure the cutlery is clean and dry, and avoiding raw food, you can take part in an extravaganza that even Sublimotion can’t touch.

The same square has numerous restaurants with a view, providing angles to gawk at the ongoing revelry in Jemaa el Fna. One of our favourites is Aqua (68 Jemaa el Fna); their top-floor terrace affords privileged views of the square and the homemade Moroccan food is quite good. They also have pasta, pizza, sandwiches and other international dishes, which is great if you want to get away from local cuisine for a day.

We press on with the family gastro route through Marrakech and sit down to a table at a venue which is marvellously unclassifiable – Clock Cafe, one of the few hipster eateries in town, a spot which could be in London or Berlin but has nevertheless retained its Arab essence. Prices here border on those in Europe, their piped music is indie pop, their chairs are yellow, the walls are scrawled with graffiti and they serve a brilliant chicken and caramelised onion couscous, although the kids are more likely to go for the camel hamburgers, one of the star performers of the house. If the weather is cold – which it might be during the Marrakech winter – their fireplace will be your best friend.

Another spot well worth stopping off at is Nid’Cigogne (60 Place des Tombeaux Saadiens), a spacious, three-storey restaurant next door to the Saadian Tombs where the children can have fun with the cats roaming the terrace, enjoy the simple dishes, ranging from sandwiches to Moroccan stews, and take a break for a few hours from the incessant bustle of Marrakech. The service is friendly and, as is the case throughout this fairy-tale city, children are always welcome and are treated kindly, respectfully and effusively.

Lastly, while your options are endless, do make a point of having tea in the pretty Marrakech Henna Art Cafe, where you can get a henna tattoo and taste their little pastries while you wait. You can also dive into a delicious snack of hummus and vegetable couscous at a reasonable price, and pick up some of the souvenirs on sale inside.

Armed with a basketful of craftwork, spices, soaps, multi-coloured babouches and thousands of unforgettable memories, you will have enjoyed a family experience filled with hours of laughter and a stream of wonderful stories to tell. Well, where else in the world are you likely to come across a serious-looking character dressed in a djellaba who stops your little boy in the street and calls out, “Hello, little Nicholas!”. Book your Vueling to Marrakech and get ready to live out the experience for yourself.

Text and photos by Laura Conde of Gastronomistas.com