The seventeenth edition of Primavera Sound will be held in Barcelona from 31 May to 4 June. The main centre of operations is the Parc del Fòrum, but concerts will also be hosted at other points in town (check out the festival website for these extra concerts and ticket availability). Barcelona will actually become the world’s music capital for five days. This year the line-up is headed by a wide variety of top-notch artists, notably Van Morrison, Grace Jones, Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Frank Ocean, The xx, Aphex Twin, Slayer and Solange, as well as a number of highly interesting b-series artists, including The Damned, Wild Beasts, Angel Olsen, The Magnetic Fields, Marie Davidson, Julie Dorion and Mac Demarco, among others.

Apart from treating visitors to myriad musical offerings, Primavera Sound also gives you the chance to see the city. Barcelona is a comparatively compact city, so you can tour it in a short space of time. Here, then, are some tips on how to do it at your convenience.

Room Wanted

Barcelona is a tourist resort and, as such, offers a host of hotel accommodations. Then again, that makes it difficult to decide on an option. Here are three quite different proposals to help you make your choice. The first is Hostel Generator, located on Calle Córcega, well placed in terms of the city centre, the Gràcia district and the Verdaguer metro stop where you can get Line 4 straight to the Fòrum. Another interesting option is Melon District Marina, a student residence which also accepts bookings for just a few days, located halfway between downtown Barcelona and the main Primavera Sound venue (it’s just a fifteen-minute ride by either Metro or Trambaix to the Parc del Fòrum). Lastly, if you’re on a shoestring budget, you could always check out the Couchsurfing Barcelona website to find free accommodation.

Affordable Snacks

Barcelona’s culinary array is also endless. Here, we focus on a few reputable restaurants serving a Mediterranean diet and, more importantly, at reasonable prices. Let’s begin at Urretxu, a Basque restaurant near the Olympic Village which serves up market cuisine – ideal for a quick meal before any of the concerts. It is close to several stops on Line 4 and just a stone’s throw from the Fòrum. More centrally located – specifically, on Calle Diputación – is Gelida, with its typically Catalan culinary offerings which will suit all pockets. They do not have a house menu, but the list of dishes based on fresh products is great. Winding up these recommendations is the Bacoa hamburger chain, with several outlets scattered about the city. You can sit down to a meal of their organic meat hamburgers in any of their establishments, or opt for a takeaway, a good choice if you’re looking to get to the festival grounds as early as possible.

Hunting For Vinyl

If you’re left with any spare time after the flurry of activity generated by Primavera Sound, why not drop in on some of the city’s most venerable record shops? It’s worth embarking on that quest for the vinyl you’ve been seeking out for some time in the Calle Tallers, right next to Barcelona’s Rambla. There you will find the two stores owned by Discos Revolver, who celebrated their thirty-fifth anniversary just a short while ago. Another place of pilgrimage for music lovers which you should make a point of visiting is Ultra-Local Records, located on Calle Pujades, just a few metres from the line 4 metro stop of Llacuna (three stops from the Fòrum). Another way of “searching for the lost record” on the Sunday hangover morning is by visiting Mercat de Sant Antoni, an emblematic second-hand street market where, apart from vinyls, you can pick up all sorts of collectibles at very reasonable prices.

Book your Vueling to Barcelona and gear up to revel in the Primavera Sound festivities.

Text by Xavi Sánchez Pons

A museum in Denmark named after an American state? This is not the only fetching fact about Louisiana. Located in the small town of Humlebæk, some 35 kilometres north of Copenhagen, Louisiana draws thousands of visitors each year to its alluring interior and exterior. Its contemporary art collection is truly extraordinary, as is – perhaps even to a greater degree – its siting, opposite the cold waters separating Denmark from Sweden, nestling in a vast area of parkland, trees and cliffs. Likewise its architectural design, seamlessly integrated into its surroundings.

The museum was founded in 1958 by the Danish businessman and philanthropist, Knud W. Jensen, who commissioned the first stage of the project to the architects Vilhelm Wohlert and JørgenBo. Oddly enough, the museum is not actually named after the American state, but on account of a coincidence – the previous owner of the land happened to marry three times, and each time his wife was named Louise! As the museum’s private collection is far larger than what can be displayed, many of the constituent works are loaned from one place to another. The building houses works by Lucien Freud, David Hockney, Asger Jorn (one of Denmark’s leading 20th-century artists), the Spaniard, Juan Muñoz, photographers such as the German, Thomas Demand, and the New Yorker, Cindy Sherman. And, what is likely the jewel in the crown – a room where a painting by Francis Bacon, and one of the most striking sculptures by Alberto Giacometti, are placed face to face, as if in the throes of an ongoing dialogue. In the garden we find several weighty sculptures, including one by Alexander Calder and another by Joan Miró – set just five metres apart and permanently chaperoned by the sea in the background – in addition to works by Louise Bourgeois and Max Ernst, among many others. 

You have just until the end of January – be quick! – to see a long-distance exhibition hosted by the museum, as well as an installation which raises eyebrows. The exhibition reviews the extensive, colourist and provocative work of the multi-disciplinary Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama (phallic sculptures, rooms painted in polka dots, rent garments and other marvels). The installation is a huge sculpture by the Canadian, David Altmejd, called The Flux and the Puddle, which takes up a whole room and is well nigh impossible to fathom – it involves a visceral, high-impact blend of methacrylate, food, taxidermy, strings and mirrors.

Louisiana is easy to reach from Copenhagen – at the Central Station in the capital, you take a Helsingor-bound train and get off at Humlebæk. That’s all. On your return, you are urged to explore the district of Vesterbro, adjoining the aforementioned Central Station. Once the haunts of prostitutes and crooks, it is now one of the most exciting and bustling city quarters, brimming with galleries, stores, cafés and restaurants. Make sure you stop off at Bang & Jensen, in Istedgade, which is open all day. Their lentil soup with curry and cilantro comes highly recommended, and you can also play some pinball and Arkanoid. Another landmark worth seeing is the so-called Meatpacking District, the former fish and meat market reconditioned as one of Copenhagen’s cool areas, where you can choose from among a host of appetising culinary offerings. For lovers of music and vinyl, the best spot in Vesterbro is undoubtedly Sort Kaffe & Vinyl, a small record shop cum bar. Or vice versa – a café with records. Its claim to fame is a small but carefully curated selection of folk, jazz, electronic, exotic and experimental music. For sleeping over and putting away a hearty breakfast the next morning, here are two recommendations in the same district: Bertrams Guldsmeden (very near Værnedamsvej, one of the prettiest streets in the city), and the Avenue Hotel, which has a beautiful patio if you happen to be there in spring or summer.

While the city itself is well worth the visit, the chance to see Louisiana and even spend some hours in Vesterbro makes this a well nigh compulsory trip. Why wait to book your flight to Copenhagen?

Text by Carles Novellas for ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Carles Novellas and Anna Higueras

An appealing and thoroughly slow day might involve strolling leisurely through Mahón, the island’s capital city, as it has one of the most beautiful promenades in the country. The clear waters and the gentle sea breeze wafting in from the gulf make a walk along this promenade an essential experience. We propose the following itinerary, having judiciously weighed up many other potential alternatives.

Venturing Out

Start out on the Camí de Ciutadella and link up with Calle s’Arraval, which leads you into Plaza Bastió. Still standing there is one of the old city gates, a vestige of the 14th century. It is worth stopping in the square to have a bite, before setting out on the walk. Head for Santa Rita, which offers tapas and well-drawn draught beer as its fortes. From there, make for the old town and stroll aimlessly about. After a while, you will inevitably draw gradually nearer to the harbour. The stretch running towards the Moll de Llevant jetty is very pleasant. The right side is lined solid with shops, from those selling craft souvenirs of the island to restaurants, ice-cream parlours and seafaring pubs whose calling card, currently in vogue, is a cocktail based on gin and tonic, downed – gulp! – to the rhythm of chill-out music.

A Stopover

But, let’s take a breather, and the best place to relax is Can Vermut, a youthful spot where you can have well-priced tapas while savouring one of their wonderful aperitifs. As an accompaniment, we recommend the huevos estrellados cabreados (fried eggs and chips with pungent red pepper), anchovies and homemade chicken croquettes.A great tuck-in there will cost you less than 15 euros. After that, the best way to promote digestion is to continue along the itinerary, at a leisurely pace, calmly taking in everything happening around you – enjoy the marvellous maritime views, with the breeze caressing your skin. Before pressing on, go over to the sea side of the street and delight in the sight of yachts and other vessels dotting the coastline. Also entertaining is watching the fish – some are really huge! –in the crystal-clear waters. One way of enjoying the moment is to chill out on the terrace of the kiosko, on the lower reaches of La Costa de Ses Voltes. There, the breeze is likely to rouse you from your lethargy and, if you order a coffee to boot – here, they are served strong – you will regain the necessary vitality for resuming your sightseeing venture.

“Wanderer, there is no path”

Refuelling would be in order now, particularly if you want to negotiate the steep slope back up to the old town. This will take you to the Museu de Menorca, which affords a stunning, panoramic view of the spectacular gulf. The museum is housed in the erstwhile convent of Sant Francesc, where the building and its contents are equally interesting. The latter include unique exhibits from all ages, illustrating the socio-cultural evolution and changes wrought in Minorca, from its pre-history to the present. After that you could have a stroll around the shopping centre, starting at the Plaça de la Constitució, where you can admire the neoclassical architecture of the Ayuntamiento or City Hall. Inside the adjoining Church of Santa María you can have a peep at the monumental organ, comprising 3,210 pipes and four keyboards, designed by the German masters Otter and Kirburz. Near there, at 11 Ses Moreres street, is the Heladería Ambrosia. Resisting the temptation to enter this ice-cream parlour when passing by would be something of a feat. So, you choose a flavour and then head for the Claustro del Carme, just a few metres away, immediately opposite the Plaza de España. From here, both sides of the Calle del Carme are lined with small shops offering wares ranging from confectionery and delicatessen to fine leather.

Tell Me a Story

After window shopping in Mahón, you’re certainly going to need a rest. You could go over to the Teatro Principal de Mahón, to see what’s on the programme. It is really well worth visiting. This was the first opera house to be unveiled in Spain and last year marked its 185th anniversary. The fact is that Minorca has a long-standing operatic tradition. The story goes that many companies that were touring the continent used to stop over at Minorca and it was here that they would stage their dress rehearsals before pressing on to London, Paris or Vienna. It was then that Minorcans came into contact with this genre of theatrical music, and the decision was made to  build a theatre devoted mainly to opera, in order to enjoy works in a comfortable setting. And, to round off the day, we recommend going for a pomada – Gin Xoriguer and lemonade – at the Bar Nou. Opened in 1986 by Joan Saura in an art nouveau building, it is now a whole institution among Minorcans, and here they really know what they’re doing.

I’m sure you’re eager to explore Mahón – check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación, Can Vermut

The island of Gran Canaria offers all the rural leisure amenities you can imagine and more, including adventure sports and trekking.

From Sea to Sky

One breathtaking route stretches from the Gran Canaria coast to the top of the island’s highest peak, a secluded spot which is the closest you’ll ever get to a lunar landscape. In the municipality of Tejeda, some 44 km from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, you can easily find yourself trapped by a sea of clouds. Tejeda can be reached mainly by the Centro GC 15 main road, a somewhat winding route flanked by stunningly beautiful scenery which takes you through the towns of Santa Brígida and Vega de San Mateo. The most exciting part of the journey starts here, as you begin to climb so steeply that the clouds recede below you. The 44-km drive takes about an hour. It can also be reached by public transport from the Guaguas station in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

El Roque Bentayga and the Archaeology Park

Tejeda is a must-see if you come to Gran Canaria and more so if you’re interested in archaeology. Here you can find vestiges of burial caves, rock carvings, paintings and dwellings. The Roque Bentayga provides an excellent sampling of all this. This unique, natural rock precinct was sacred to the original inhabitants, as it was here that they prayed to their gods. The Parque Arqueológico del Bentayga is an ecomuseum built next to the Roque. It also serves as a venue for performances, both for the archaeological rock complex (Bentayga, Andén de Tabacalete, Cuevas del Rey and the Roquete) and its surroundings. It also affords wonderful views of the southern and western reaches of the island.

Culture and Mysticism

The symbol of Gran Canaria is also to be found at Tejeda. This is the Roque Nublo, a huge basalt rock in the form of a monolith stretching 70 metres into the air. On its north-eastern side stands another monolithic rock known as El Fraile (the Friar), as it physically resembles a monk. While you’re here, take the chance to roam through the Inagua and Ojeda pine forests and, further north, that of los Pechos, for here you are bound to fall in love with the views.

Art and culture also make their presence felt in Tejeda. Here you can visit the Abraham Cárdenes Sculpture Museum, dedicated to this Canary Island sculptor, who hailed from here, and also the Ethnographic Museum, where you go on a journey of the town’s and the island’s history. Here, too, the Degollada de Becerra is another spot well worth visiting. It is situated on the main road between La Cruz de Tejeda and los Llanos de la Pez, and features a viewpoint affording spectacular scenery and, more importantly, a centre where you can learn about local ethnography. Lastly, the town boasts a Centro de Plantas Medicinales, where you are invited to discover the varieties of plants, herbs and flowers indigenous to Tejeda and the island and their varied use in medicine, religion and cosmetics.

Gastronomy

Establishments in Tejeda centre offer all types of craftwork and you can also find the typical sweets made here. You are also advised to stop at one of the bar terraces and restaurants located on the side of the Parador Nacional, a magnificent vantage point providing spectacular views of the whole island. 

Almonds play a major role in the cuisine of Tejeda, a town which has become one of the landmarks of Canary Island confectionery, noteworthy among which are the bienmesabes and marzipans. Both sweets are made using ground almond, the former also being one of the traditional accompaniments of local iced desserts. In Tejeda you can also sample any of the Canary Islands’ traditional dishes, the mainstay of which are beef and goat’s meat. Make sure to try such dishes as the caldos de papas (potato soup) and the potajes de berros y jaramagos (watercress and hedge mustard stews). If you’d like to sample good local cooking, a restaurant you should not miss is the Cueva de la Tea, where you can order a potaje de berros and their speciality, ropa vieja– chick peas, potato, hog’s head, chicken, tomatoes, peppers and onion. The average price per head is 12 euros and the helpings are generous. It also has the advantage of affording spectacular views.

What’s holding you back? Check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images byPatronato de Turismo de Gran Canaria