A selection of family-friendly countries in Europe which are perfect for visiting with the kids this spring, by Mammaproof.

In the Emilia-Romagna region, only about 50 km from Bologna, are the Galleria Ferrari in Maranello and the Museo Enzo Ferrari in Modena, both genuine paradises for people who love fast and beautiful cars.

The Galleria Ferrari is in Maranello because that’s the city in which Ferraris have been made since 1943. “Live the dream” is the slogan welcoming the visitor, and if Ferraris figure in his dreams, here he will find Ferraris of the past, present, and future, including the current Formula 1 racing car. Other museum pieces are the car that won the first Grand Prix in Rome, 1947, and the one in which Michael Schumacher won six Formula 1 titles, and the latest Ferraris to hit the track. Other attractions include Formula 1 simulators, two for adults and two for children, where visitors can learn how it feels to sit behind the wheel of one of these powerful machines on the racecourses of Monza, Silverstone, Iola, Nürburgring, and Mugello.

But true devotees will not want the miss the Enzo Ferrari Museum about 20 km distant in Modena, housed since last year in the building in which the Ferrari patriarch was born in 1898. Aside from the marvellous collection of cars, an outstanding feature of the museum is the adjacent building designed by the Czech architect Jan Kaplicky. In it you can watch a spectacular audiovisual show about the life and times of one of motor sport’s most celebrated figures.

You can buy a ticket giving admission to both museums, which are linked by a railroad and bus service.

And while you’re in Modena, you should consider trying one of the magnificent restaurants in a city famous the world over for its cuisine.

The fastest way to get there? Book your Vueling ticket today!

If you want to be mistaken for a local at any destination you visit, make sure you have the hottest travel apps on your phone. From Google Trips to Maps.me and Currency, we give you the low down on our favourite apps so you can bear them in mind when preparing your next trip.

In 1996, Bordeaux decide to jack up and become a city of the 21st century. The ensuing project developed in several stages – the facades of the city’s Baroque buildings were cleaned (Bordeaux’s 18th-century heritage is exceptional), the docks along the Garonne river were reconditioned and a solar-powered tramway was built. The Bordelais are rightly proud of this sustainability initiative. This whole facelift led to the capital of Aquitania being chosen as the European Best Destination in 2015 with an all-time record score, ahead of the greats like Rome, Brussels, London and Berlin.

Apart from the aforementioned works, designed to modernise the city, Bordeaux has committed to sustainability. Among other things, three years ago this involved unveiling the Darwin Ecosysteme, an area around the Queyries quayside, although the project originally dates from 2005. This area, which stretches along the right bank of the Garonne, is sited over an erstwhile industrial zone. Cleaning it up and remodelling it took two years. The brain behind the project is Philippe Barre, an Bordeaux entrepreneur committed to sustainable development who did not hesitate to invest his own money in an ecosystem which combines energy efficiency, renewable energies, ecology and thrift. To this end, Darwin is managed by the Évolution Group, an incubator of companies devoted to sustainable development, funded through office space rentals and coworking, events organising and the support of private patrons and, to a lesser extent, public subsidies. The ultimate aim of this initiative is to elicit the responsible use of resources in order to check the advance of climate change.

At first glance Darwin looks like a half-derelict site, but it actually houses over a hundred companies, many of them start-ups, who are dedicated to sustainable development – a pre-condition for being allowed to set up here. This fosters a pleasant, ecological working environment for employees, able to reap the benefits of an ecosystem conducive to development and human growth. Also based here are around twenty Bordeaux associations involved in urban culture and ecology.

Darwin features some unique spaces, such as a huge skatepark built using recycled materials, graffiti-decorated walls, the Magasin Général, the largest biological restaurant in France and a macrostore with organic products. Protecting the environment is an idea which is here starting to take its first few tentative steps, so it comes as no surprise that the projects evolving in this area are still on a modest scale, such as protecting bees, organic allotments and free-range chicken rearing. There is also a recycling station which supplies material to the coworking spaces. In the future, Darwin will be hosting fully sustainable social housing, making it the most ecological district in Bordeaux.

Fancy seeing this sustainable district for yourself? Check out your Vueling to Bordeaux here.

Text and images by Tus Destinos

Images by Sara Soulignac and S.Duboscq