The techno splendour of Berlin in the nineties is unlikely to return. But, this does not prevent the German capital from oozing club culture. We’re guiris – you can see that from a mile away. We smile in the metro simply because we’re downing one of the umpteen exquisite beers you can easily buy in Berlin’s 24-hour stores, or in the metro itself, from the stands that have taken over the underground landings. We’re guiris and, as such, we soak up the city’s nightlife by living out all the dreams and half-truths handed down to us about the historic nineties in Berlin, of basement clubs and all-night parties. Our premise is straightforward – what remains of that club culture splendour in Berlin? We have just forty-eight hours to tune in to the techno beat of today.

It’s Friday, so the adventure begins. Like any decent racing car, the body requires breaking in. And no other European city has more – or better – excuses than Berlin to drink a beer drawn at the counter. Our first stop takes us to Hops & Barley, a tavern with as many types of frothy beverage as the likelihood of rain in that Teutonic country. Dim light, gridded floor and we’re hard put to find a bar stool. The ideal space for stretching exercises.

When one’s throat is sated with pilsen, it’s time to move on, and the metro is our best option. Berlin has a comprehensive network and trains run to 12.30 in the morning on weekdays and round the clock on weekends. Near the Ostkreuz metro station, in an area hemmed in by railway lines and studded with niches formed by twisted iron bars –– a surprise awaits us. In a fenced off work area a bonfire is burning, surrounded by a group of youngsters, a computer and loudspeakers playing techno full blast. Here, the “scouts” listen to catchy “bits”, an image far removed from that of youngsters in Spain, where they gather around a bonfire, guitar and songbook in hand. Open-air parties are a permanent fixture of Berlin – they know a thing or two about them in Rummelsburg.

With this good omen of the city’s techno DNA behind us, we head for a an illustrious nearby squatter’s venue, ://about blank, one of Berlin’s numerous self-managed centres. “Love techno, hate Germany”, it says on the door. The day’s programme is antifascist, for 12 euros. Inside, the dark, crowded cube that is ://about blank offers a heady experience – a tight space and many young Berliners with their eyes closed, swinging their heads about frantically to the music DJ’ed in vinyl. The inner patio is the place to chill out. They recommend we attend a festival called Homophätik, which we will likely check out on subsequent trips.

Berlin does not sit well with the idea of “on a human scale”, as it stretches across a vast territory. This means you have to make the right choices. As for the right days – Chalet is the ideal club for Wednesdays, while Renate is best for Thursdays. But, today is Friday and it’s past four in the morning. We decide to leave the great techno marathon for tomorrow.

Saturday dawns splendidly for a day in May – the sun sends powerful shafts of light into the inner courts created by the residential blocks strewn across Berlin’s terrain. In one of them, some girls are rehearsing a choreography. Next door, a boom box blasts out strains of ambient music.

For lunch – it’s amazing how quick noon sets in when you’ve been up in the wee hours – we are taken by a Sudanese restaurant on Reichenberger street. This is a small eatery with a one-dish menu of the day – for meat-eaters and vegans – at competitive prices. Before plunging into the night again, we spend the afternoon browsing intently through another of any music lover’s crown jewels in Berlin – the record shops.

While finding the stores is something of an achievement, The Record Loft poses a veritable quest. But, using up the few megabytes of your ISP’s European rates brings a reward. On the fourth floor above another of the aforementioned inner patios lies Hard Wax, accessed via a staircase with steps plastered with labels and magazines from all continents. Hard Wax is a small label specialised in electronic music. They also have a vinyl store. The afternoon is also a good time to dip into the bookshops in the Hackescher Markt.  Some have large techno sections, notably Do you read me?, which also boasts a selection of local fanzines. In fact, their bibliography of Berlin’s cultural construction is extensive, ranging from such titles as Future Days, from “early times”, to Krautrock and the Construction of Modern Germany, to works focusing on the nineties like Der Klang, der familie. There are also exclusive titles from Berlin itself, witness Berlin Sampler. From Cabaret to Techno. 1904-2012.

Once your hands are sore from leafing through boxes of vinyls and keying in the titles of upcoming releases, it’s time to head for one of the pre-party clubs. But, more about that in the next chapter.

Text by Yeray S. Iborra | Our thanks to Ángel Molina, Ana Riaza, Carlota Surós and Martí Renau for the first-hand information on the itinerary for this article.

Images by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS, Michael Mayer

If you are just about to land in Bologna, and you wonder what to do in this medieval city in northern Italy, capital of Emilia-Romagna region and home to the oldest university in Europe, you just hit the mark: following we suggest some of the amazing experiences you can have in this lovely land known as La Rossa, due to the red facades of their buildings:

1.-Take a walk around Portico di San Luca, the longest in the world

In Bologna is easy to meet with History in every corner. Take a walk down to its famous porch leading fromPorta Saragozza, crossing Arco del Meloncello, to Sanctuary de la Madonna di San Luca. It is a tradition between locals and pilgrims and you may admire this spectacular renaissance architecture whose length is 3.8 km and 666 arcs. Once at the top of the hill where this iconic and majestic sanctuary stands, you may enjoy from its stunning views to the city and to the Apennines. The most athletic ones can do this tour running or biking along the rails ouside of the porch.

2.- Discover historic center in Bologna

If you go deep into the historic center, you will know the real paradigm for Bolognese life. You should begin by Piazza Maggiore and Piazza Neptune, where there stands many monuments as the Basilica di San Petronio and you will come across different palaces, crossing Piazza San Stefano with its respective church and ending at Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, where you will find Le Due Torri, the iconic towersGarisenda and Asinelli. You can go up this latter for an old city’s panoramic view until five in the afternoon. The best pizzeria in town, Due Torri, is at its feet where it is usual to ask for take-away portions for only 2 euros each and quietly eat at Piazza Verdi, where most people get together while gazing at the Teatro Comunale.

3.- Move to the Bolognese Night’s rhythm

Bologna is a youth-oriented city. Proof of this is the great university atmosphere there and the best way to live it is by going to Via del Pratello or to La Scuderia in Piazza Verdi to get ready with the typical ” aperitivi ” based on some snacks, pizza and spritz before going party.. There are plenty of bars and music pubs on this street where sure the fun begins. In Via Broccaindosso there is a curious medical students association with such a great atmosphere and live concerts . This is a small and bizarre venue you get down by a staircase , from which you can enjoy live gigs while browsing the medical books from their shelves . The most odd combination, the most entertaining it is. Bring your own drinks is allowed. Finally , we should mention one of the best electronic music club in Bologna , disco Link, located on the outskirts of the city.

4.- Give Yourself A Treat

 Via della Independenzia is the center for Bologna’s comerce. Also, you can go to Montagnola‘s market tracking its many stalls because surely you will end up with some wonderful piece. If you prefer more traditional and chic shopping, you’d better go to the city center, where you will find all kinds of boutiques and a wide range of well known brands.

5.- Try the best of its cuisine

 To feel like a true bolognese, enter a “salumerie” or deli and take one mortadella di Bologna or tortellini, region’s typical food . You can not say goodbye to this wonderful city without tasting the wonderful “taggliatelle Ragu-style accompanied by a good wine”. La Trattoria del Rosso is a perfect place for this. To taste local products, Tamburini is a classic, having a shop to purchase a variety of delicatessen. They serve tables of meats and cheeses, oils and local wines. Il Veliero is the ideal restaurant for fish lovers, whose specialty is “risotto ai frutti di mare”. Finally, icecreams at Gelateria Gianni or La Sorbetteria are a must.

Picture by Szs

By Blanca Frontera

Why not take a trip to Bologna? Have a look at our flights here!

Having been invited on a pintxo crawl of San Sebastián by the club, Dabadaba, and to steer the DJ booth for revellers to dance to their heart’s content, I set out some hours ahead of my session to find the best pintxos in town. I was lucky to have my friend, Borja, as my guide. Apart from being a local, as well as producing and DJ’ing good music, he knows the temples of those delicious dinky bites like the back of his hand. Here we go…

Evenings In the Thick Of It

Our tour began at Txepetxa, home of the anchovy, offering all kinds of pintxos featuring that small yet noble fish, accompanied by cream of spider crab, sea urchin, olive paté, foie gras, stewed apple or trout and salmon roe. Everything looked awesome, but I opted for a fresh anchovy classic. Great! We went for a stroll to La Concha and headed into Narru, in the basement of the historic Hotel Niza, with views over the bay which clearly ratchets up the experience of tasting their dishes, notably their luma gorri (chicken wing) with potato, smashed fried egg and alioli or the secreto ibérico ham. Stunning! We retraced our steps to the old town and went into Zazpi, where the young chef, Paul Arrillaga, doles out happiness from his fiery helm in the form of a spectacular “potato volcano”, a pintxo based on truffle, egg and potato or an exquisite ox-tail ravioli. A veritable banquet. We made our way to Dabadaba.

After opening in April 2014, the locale has been graced by the likes of Allah-Las, Sean Nicholas Savage, The Godfathers and Omar Souleyman, among others. On stage were The Space Lady, a pioneer of electronic music, with a staging as minimalist as it is breathtaking. They bewitched us completely and, when we came down to earth again, we were faced by Fernando Lagreca churning out his particular electronic brand as a matchless prelude to my own set. My turn came. I started with some new releases I have been DJ’ing recently, interspersing themes from Italo disco, acid and disco bizarro. Things perked up and Dabadaba ended up dancing in full swing. A great night – we had a smashing time. Then we hit the hay.

Saturday In Donosti Is No Ordinary Saturday

Rising early is a virtue, but doing so when you’ve been to bed late is untenable. So we headed straight off in search of pintxos. Again in the old town, I was taken to Paco Bueno, a spot I wouldn’t miss for anything. Offering a meagre four or five pintxos, notably shrimp dumpling, hake in batter, croquettes and pie, this is one of the city’s most crowded bars, opened in 1950 by a retired boxer. The business was later taken over by his son, a rugby player, as is his brother, Chufo, and his son, Gorka. A family concern with warm, family service, the bar walls crammed with pictures of boxing and the sport with a melon-shaped ball – what else would you expect? Still in the inner city, we made for Borda Berri, whose staff are shared by La Cuchara de San Telmo, another illustrious pintxo temple. The star dish is their “kebap”, a delicious pork ribs with an incongruous name which prompts veritable pilgrimages to taste it. Other dishes with the same fate include their cheek of beef, octopus and risotto de Idiazábal. Just opposite lies Txuleta, specialising in meat dishes, if you fancy that. The best thing then was to work off the meal by striking out and we ended up at the Club Náutico de Donosti, with the whole La Concha bay before us. The sun was blazing that day and this spot was divine. The upstairs floor houses GU, another club where you can dance house or techno, depending on the night. I made a point of visiting Tabakalera before I left.

On the verge of making its debut as the European Capital of Culture, with the San Sebastián International Film Festival and the San Sebastián Jazz Festival among its leading cultural draws, the city boasts a peerless interdisciplinary space known as La Tabakalera. This public International Contemporary Culture Centre focuses on promoting upcoming local creatives and hosts activities revolving primarily around research, production and exhibition. Their feature-film and documentary seasons, exhibitions and Hirkilabs spaces, their Digital and Technology Culture Lab and Ubik – Tabakalera Creation Library – make this one of Donosti’s liveliest and most avant-garde hubs. The premises have character, set in a building that was once the city’s tobacco factory. A city with character, too.

There you have it – there’s a lot more to San Sebastián than La Concha. Fancy discovering it? Check out our flights here.

Text and images by Luis Costa for ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

While Madrid’s gay epicentre is based on Chueca, Barcelona’s equivalent is the so-called Gayxample. In other words, the rectangle in the Eixample Esquerra district bounded by the streets Balmes, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, Comte d’Urgell and Aragó. And, the supply of bars and clubs mutates with the force of a tsunami each season. A prominent example are the discos at Club Arena, open from Monday to Sunday, a readily available resource for tourists and locals who can afford to stay the night. Sited in the same area is the Hotel Axel. When it opened in 2003, it became the first hetero-friendly hotel both in Barcelona and the world. The penthouse terrace is a classic place of pilgrimage where summer trippers can show off the muscles they have been working on all year around. No wonder it is one of the most popular stopovers during the Circuit Festival, which this year takes place from 2 to 14 August.

While Gayxample is a major hub of activity, the action also goes beyond its limits. One identity trait of Barcelona is its cosmopolitan ethos and the fact that all gays can find both bars and parties tailored to their needs in other districts. For instance, despite the closure of the iconic La Penúltima, in El Raval district, modern clientele have such alternatives as Zelig where, apart from the gin tonic de rigueur, you can also eat a good dish of pasta or some Dutch delicacy. Also on hand is La Casa de la Pradera (c/ Carretes, 57), a bar with a dance floor which would be perfect for those likely to migrate to the Sala Apolo later on, or, with their foot off the pedal, have enough with making the most of weekends until three in the morning. Another of the bars which has become all the rage is La Federica, (c/ de Salvà, 3), strategically located in Poble Sec. It has become one of the fetish spots of the city’s hipster crowd in record time. If you’re not one to dance through the night and prefer to just chill out on a drink, this is one of your best options.

Metro, which also opens every day of the week, is still one of the city’s classic clubs. However, if anything typifies current hedonism it is the monthly parties – held practically every week at some venue – which draw hundreds of souls eager to paint the town red. One of the most veteran such raves is Pop Air, which is usually hosted on the first Friday of the month in the Sala Tango (c/ Diputació, 94) and pulls the bears and followers of fur in the pop-lovers city. Similarly, once a month also sees the Sala Apolo (c/ Nou de la Rambla, 113) staging Somoslas for enthusiasts of burning calories to the rhythm of electronic music, and Under (c/ Tarragona, 141), featuring one of the youngest parties on the circuit. Then there is Tanga Party, which has a house section and an even larger area given over to enlightened rave-ups. An upshot of the meteoritic success of the Tanga (which is even celebrated in Madrid), this coming Sunday, 17 July, its creators will be launching La Piscini (en La Carpa Barcelona, Avenida Manuel Azaña 21-23), a new event which, over and above just music, has as its main attraction a giant tub to douse in. It is shaping up to be a great way to beat the heat.

Also on Sunday, the classic Churros con Chocolate, to be held in the Sala Apolo, is by far one of the most crowded parties. Just like La Ká (at the Sala Plataforma, c/ Nou de la Rambla, 145), it is admission-free, so we recommend you don’t delay your arrival too much at either venue if you want to avoid getting stuck in endless queues – don’t say we didn’t warn you! Check out our flights and come and discover them for yourself.

Text by Sergio del Amo for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS