There must be something in the icy, snowbound winters with their short days, or the endless daylight and mild temperatures of summer that sparks so much creativity in the Scandinavian countries. Or, might the source of inspiration be the vast, leafy forests and myriad lakes? Whatever lies behind the secret, the fact is that the visitor to Stockholm never fails to be stunned by the sheer reach and quality of design there. It is present in the architecture, the apparel, the decoration in shops, bars and restaurants, hotel interiors and the privacy of people’s homes. It is all-enveloping and exerts a fascination on the traveller. Their flair for creating soothing environments based on simple, yet warm lines never ceases to be a source of wonder. In a nutshell, it can be defined in just three words – modern, simple and functional.

Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair

Needless to say, Stockholm hosts one of the leading design fairs in Europe, the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair, where the latest trends in Scandinavian design are rolled out. This year it will be held from 9 to 13 February and will feature all kinds of relevant activities. As with previous years, the lounge in the main entrance will be designed by an international designer or studio. On this occasion, the Britons Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby will do the honours, as well as chairing a mass seminar for all atendees at the Stockholm Design Talks. Among the novelties at this year’s edition is Established, a section dedicated to promoting designers and studios with small-scale production, also known as makers.Young designers and design schools have also been addressed at this fair, as they have their own section, Greenhouse, a display window produced by the studio, Form Us With Love.

Stockholm Design Week

Stockholm Design Week will be held from 8 to 14 February, overlapping the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair. It will involve all kinds of design-related activities, including lectures, presentations, events and inaugurations, to be hosted in a wide variety of showrooms and other venues in the city. Check out the full programme here.

Still More Design!

If you’ve still got the energy after so much activity, or you aren’t able to attend the fair, you can always steep yourself in design by touring some of the city’s leading districts and even pick up the odd souvenir. Following are some pointers:

Östermalm is Stockholm’s most exclusive district, where you are best positioned to find the major upmarket brands. There, everything is distributed by areas. If you’re looking for the best fashion labels, you would head for Biblioteksgatan and Bibliotekstan. If, on the contrary, you’re hunting for the big international brands, and stores specialising in design, fashion and jewellery, the best places are Birger Jarlsgatan and the area around Stureplan. If antiquities are your thing, then pay a visit to  Arsenalsgatan and Nybrogatan, where you will also come across some of Stockholm’s major auction houses. Lastly, the area ringed by Sibyllegatan, Östermalmstorg, Karlavägen, Stureplan and Strandvägen boasts some of the best interior design stores in the city.

Then there is Södermalm, on the South Island. It is more of a small hipster town than a district. It goes without saying that vintage fashion and design are the all rage here, as are long beards (albeit well trimmed) and organic cuisine. Everything is centred around Götgatan, Skånegatan and the area known as SoFo, the abbreviated form of “south of Folkungagatan”. Finally, there are a number of craft shops near Slussen and in Hornsgatan.

To wind up, in contrast to the aforementioned areas, you should make a point of visiting Gamla Stan to find out what the city was like before the design craze set in. Gamla Stan, the old city, is one of Europe’s largest and best preserved medieval cities and one of Stockholm’s major landmarks. This is where the city was founded in 1252. Indeed, the whole district is from a wholly different era. You will, of course, come across tourists but, unless you get caught up with the flow, and if you pay attention, you will have the odd pleasant surprise in the form of a traditional Swedish craft shop.

Ready to soak up good design in Stockholm? Choose your flight here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair

Granted, the seaboard of the Emerald Coast is a haven for anyone seeking idyllic beaches and crystal-clear turquoise waters. And one might be forgiven for forgetting to visit the town of Olbia. However, we are determined to sing the praises of this charming locality in the north of Sardinia, and of the Emerald Coast and environs. Touring here during the summer months is obviously a surefire bet, but we intend to persuade you to make an off-season visit, to discover the area’s true DNA, over and above any touristic conditioning.

Olbia

On the opposite side to its industrial precinct lies an attractive town with a historical centre dotted with shops, wine bars and café-packed squares. But, above all, the authenticity of Olbia stands in stark contrast to the more touristy areas on the north and south sides of the island.

Located on the Emerald Coast, Olbia is clearly evocative of a classical Sardinian picture postcard – white sandy beaches, wind-sculpted rocks projecting into the blue sea and luxury tourism galore, with yachts moored off the many coves along the coastline. However, inland Gallura seems to be in the antipodes, with its vineyards, pretty villages, mountains and mysterious nuragas – the most prolific megalithic construction on the island dating back prior to 1,000 BC. The northern Gallura coastline is rugged, its waters an exclusive sanctuary for dolphins, divers and windsurfers delighting in the marine reserve of La Maddalena. The Maddalena National Park includes an archipelago made up of seven islands, known as “the Seven Sisters”: La Maddalena – the largest of them – Caprera, Santo Stefano, Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria and Razzoli. All the islands are granitic, set close to one another and surrounded by shallow water. This, added to the chromatic fluctuations of the sea and the marvel of nature here make for an incomparable setting well worth discovering. The town still has the appearance of a former fishing village and its sights include the town hall, the parish church of Santa Maria Maddalena, as well as restaurants and shops offering all kinds of products.

Emerald Coast

The Emerald Coast, which stretches for 55 km from Porto Rotondo to the Gulf of Arzachena, is the island’s most sought after tourist destination, a flashy preserve of luxury hotels, hidden beaches and pleasure harbours accessible to a chosen few. Ever since the Aga Khan acquired the coast for a sou in the 1960s, it has attracted the jet set from all over the world and, of course, a swarm of paparazzi, too. But, despite such trifles, the fact remains it is a well nigh perfect setting, with granite mountains bathed in emerald-green waters and a string of coves, each of them different yet perfect in its own right.

Its capital is Porto Cervo, an unusual seaside resort in that it resembles a mock-up, with Moorish-style buildings and squeaky-clean streets. Jaunty, rakish and worldly, this sophisticated spot is a veritable paradise. From June to September it is the hub of high-class partying, with tanned beauties posing in the Piazzetta and oil millionaires ambling about the big name stores. But, the coast is very quiet for the rest of the year and it is unlikely you will bump into anybody, apart from the odd bunch of locals.

A westbound excursion would be in order. You will come to Baia Sardinia, an expanse of exquisite sand, while in the south, near the Hotel Cala di Volpe, lie the spectacular beaches of Capriccioli and Spiaggia di Liscia Ruia. Hard by the Hotel Romazzino, the beach of Spiaggia del Principe fans out in the shape of a crescent moon, its white sand bathed by the deep blue sea. But, let’s press on with our dream. And, not all the region’s treasures are sited along the coast.

Not to be missed in the interior is the village of San Pantaleo. Further inland, the town of Arzachena reveals a number of interesting archaeological sites, notably Nuraghe di Albucciu, alongside the main road to Olbia, and Coddu Ecchju, one of the island’s most important tombe dei giganti – funerary monuments made up of communal burials dating from the Nuragic period (second millennium BC).

Eager to discover the marvels of Olbia and the Emerald Coast during the quieter months? Check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Gabriel Garcia Marengo

Iceland is prolific in place-names which are difficult to pronounce, recall and, of course, spell. Landmannalaugar is one of these but, once you have travelled to this oasis nestling in multi-coloured mountains, where spouting thermal springs, sulphurous vapours and fumaroles melt the ice, this musical, fifteen-letter name becomes a simple word you will never forget. On the contrary – each time you utter it, hear it or read it, you will be transported to that natural paradise which has irremediably become part of your very existence.

Landscapes From Another Planet

Here, in this remote spot, which can only be reached in a 4x4 vehicle – in summer, several 4x4 buses ply the route daily from Hella – begins one of the most popular and spectacular hiking trails in the country and, indeed, on the planet.

Officially, it is known as Laugavegur, which translates roughly to “thermal waters route”. It is usually negotiated from north to south for a distance of 56 km as far as Þórsmörk. The hike then continues another 26 km from there to Skógar along a trail known as Fimmvörðuháls. Along this route, which takes from 4 to 6 days, endless scenic surprises await the traveller, from rhyolite mountains with indescribable colours to fields of fumaroles, glaciers and waterfalls, and deserts of lava and active volcanoes.

Accessible Stages

Laugavegur is the most popular stretch of the trail and is divided into four accessible stages of from 12 to 15 km, with stopovers at Hrafntinnusker, Álftavatn, Emstrur and Þórsmörk. Experienced walkers can complete two stages in one go as there are few slopes and the daylight hours are particularly long in the northern summer. Þórsmörk has a station for 4x4 buses so you can take one back to Hella.

Continuing along the Fimmvörðuháls trail from the Þórsmörk valley, the slope becomes steeper and some areas are more exposed and windswept. This stretch can be divided into two spectacular stages with a stopover at the Fimmvörðuháls shelter. This stage is probably one of the most amazing ones in trekking. It takes you past the Mýrdallsjokull and Eyjafjallajokull glaciers, and across a lava field that emerged during the famous 2010 eruption – which grounded so many flights – culminating in a long descent on which you can admire a total of 24 spectacular waterfalls, with the legendary Skógafoss as the final flourish.

Practical Guide

Dates: Open from June to September.

Difficulty: In good weather, the route is easy as far as Þórsmörk, and moderate up to Skógar.

Weather: Weather conditions in the Icelandic Highlands can change drastically in a few hours, even in summer. You should keep checking the weather report at shelters and abide by warnings issued by rangers and the shelter managers.

Navigation: The route is signposted in early summer with yellow stakes placed every few metres. In the event of being overtaken by fog or bad weather, it is useful to have GPS with route tracking. However, bear in mind that the route can vary slightly from year to year, particularly at river crossings.

Gear: Essential to have mountain footwear and warm clothing.

Food: There are no restaurants or grocery stores anywhere along the trail, and they do not serve food in the emergency shelters. However, you can pay for camping or an overnight with a credit card. Thus, you have to be self-sufficient and stock up with all the food you are going to need during the hike (reckon on a minimum of 1 kg per person per day).

A Roof Over Your Head: You need to book in advance to sleep at the shelters along the route. For certain summer dates, this requires booking several months ahead and the trekking agencies usually hog most of the available places.

Camping: There are camping areas around the shelters and they are always pay sites. You don’t need to book ahead, however. Some have showers and rubbish collection. Others only have drinking water and toilets. It is advisable to take a light tent that can withstand strong winds.

Rivers: Avoid crossing rivers at their narrowest point, as that is where they are deepest. You should wear tightly-fitting waterproof sandals to prevent them being ripped off by the current.

Guided Treks: If you prefer to travel light – without having to carry food or camping equipment – want to ensure a reservation in the shelters along the way and enjoy the company of a guide, the specialised agency Tierras Polares covers the whole route in July and August in the course of an 8-day trip, of which six days are spent trekking. Prices from €1,595.

Day Tour All Year Around: You can also visit Landmannalaugar on a Super Jeep Tour. The super jeep is a 4x4 vehicle with oversize tyres which can take you into the Highlands any time of the year, and pick-up is at your hotel in Reykjavik. Price per person: ISK 35,000 (€250).

Venture into the wonderland of the Icelandic Highlands – book your Vueling to Reykjavik here.

Text and photos by Sergio Fernández Tolosa & Amelia Herrero Becker (Con un par de ruedas)

Parks, gardens, palaces and museums; the Danube fitted out with an urban beach; street food in stalls and riverside bars; gastrobars, bistronomics and signature restaurants which have superseded and even deleted from their menu the well-worn schnitzel (or Viennese escalope). Vienna’s cuisine is enough to make you do cartwheels like their giant Ferris Wheel. It’s not a case of being greedy but because the offerings are so extensive and inviting – even in haute cuisine – that you need a few days to taste and enjoy the rich variety in style.

Where To Eat:

Steirereck

It is not the most Michelin-starred restaurant in Vienna but it does rank among the top ten in the world, and deservedly so. Its formidable siting, in one of the city’s loveliest parks, matches its flashy gourmet cuisine in which the feast takes precedence over minimalist restriction. Tables are decked out in their finery, while a trolley with goodies does the rounds for aperitifs or cocktails, with others for bread, cheeses and even aromatic herbs, picking their way among the impeccable dishes crafted by Heinz Reitbauer, who digs into tradition and experiments with various tasting menus.

Mraz & Sohn

After choosing between the short or long menus, gourmet dishes with some discreet flourishes are trotted out in succession. Creative bites with marked contrasts emerge from a minute kitchen married well to the dining room, each of them managed by one of the two Mraz brothers. Be sure to go on the cellar tour if you’re interested in learning the true story behind this family business.

Tian

You don’t need to be a vegetarian to venture into Paul Ivic’s cuisine – although, if you are, you’ll enjoy it even more. Few chefs of his calibre have done so much to raise the status of eminently wholesome cuisine. Based on an exhaustive selection of the best local produce, judicious combinations, exciting plating ups and wonderful desserts, Tian is a venue to remember, as is the more informal version of their bistro, which serves the most unusual apfelstrudel (apple strudel) in town.

O Boufés

This is chef Konstantin Filippou’s bistronomic – he also has his own door-to-door culinary facility. In this bistro, wine plays a crucial role in pairing dishes, which pose few risks and are served up in generous helpings. You will have a hearty meal and even better drinks.

Where To Have…

A Pizza. For those who need to switch between full-course meals and fast, affordable snacks, your best bet is Pizza Mari’, where you can either have a pizza on the premises or take one home. A decent array of Italian specialities in a huge eatery. Best to book in advance.

An Ice-cream. Whether the idea is to overturn or to reinforce Vienna’s reputation as being a “cold” city, the fact is it boasts countless ice-cream parlours. Be sure to head for Schelato, where they resort to sheer Italian art in order to serve up amazing flavours which are constantly being renewed. The cosy premises also invite one to tarry.

A Sacher. Treat yourself to the best sacher, either single or in portions, at Demel, where the bakery is on view and should definitely be visited before sitting down at one of the tables. The display cabinet in the entrance is highly tempting so, if you can afford it, be sure to taste their mille feuille and other classic cakes.

A Drink. One of the most interesting bars in town is located on the top floor of the 25 Hours Hotel, in the heart of the museum district. You will certainly take to the Bar Lounge Dachboden for its ambience, cocktails, terrace with views and decorative features from bygone times.

Where To Sleep

Hotel Kärntnerhof

In the heart of the city’s 1st District, a stone’s throw from St Stephen’s Cathedral, stands this hotel with its loft suites, Art Nouveau decor, a small roof terrace and excellent service. Make a point of visiting it, even if just to have a drink, as it is really charming. Snugly set in a cul-de-sac, it is a stylish, culturally priceless oasis.

The Ring

Located in a main thoroughfare where most of the tram lines run and with a host of pavement cafés, The Ring is a casual version of a Grand Hotel. Be sure to drop in on their sauna with views of the city’s skyline. Enjoy their a la carte breakfast and bear in mind you can also have a drink in the wee hours in their bar.

Text and photos by Belén Parra of Gastronomistas.com