You’ve spent the whole day traipsing about the city, tracking down the legacy of the Habsburgs in Vienna, soaking up its architectural gems, like Schönbrunn Palace, and visiting such splendid museums as the Albertina. The heat is oppressive – recall that it is not always cold in Vienna and in summer it bears its brighter side, as long as it doesn’t rain. You are also starting to become fatigued. Maybe it’s time to take a breather and chill out on your visit to Europe’s “musical capital”. You have heard a lot about the city’s magnificent cafés and the weighty tradition surrounding them, but what increasingly draws your attention is the sheer number of ice-cream parlours scattered about the Austrian capital. Time to check out whether Viennese ice-creams have anything on the popular Italian ice-creams. And, you are amazed to find that the Italian fare has found a stiff competitor in Vienna!

In a nutshell, this could be the experience of many tourists or other travellers passing through the city on discovering the Viennese penchant for this refreshing confectionery. You might wonder how ice-creams ever arrived here in the first place, and how they got to be so good. After doing a bit of research into the history of ice-cream, the first thing you realise is how muddled are the references when it comes to establishing a place and time when that creamy delight first appeared on the scene. However, it transpires that it first came to light in Mesopotamia around 4,000 BC in the form of boiled rice mixed with spices and milk, all wrapped in snow. This is one of the diverse forms the original recipe seems to have acquired. It was the Italians who spread it across Europe, while the French started adding some fresh ingredients to the blend. What all the sources consulted coincide in is that ice-cream reached Vienna in the 19th century, brought here by northern Italians, and that the city played an important role in applying new techniques to ice-cream making. It would not be amiss to conclude that the Viennese flair for crafting confectionery, added to the skills of the Italians when making ice-cream, inevitably led to such a successful final outcome.

So, if you’re planning to escape to Vienna, be sure to add to your to-do list the task of venturing into the heart of its myriad ice-cream parlours and trying out their refreshing delicacies. The city is said to have the largest concentration of ice-cream parlours in Europe. Among the most popular venues are Eissalon am Schwedenplatz (located in the Schwedenplatz), Zanoni & Zanoni,which is at Lugeck 7, and the Gelateria Hoher Markt,on Hoher Markt. Another well-known chain of parlours is Paolo Bortolotti, which has three venues on Mariahilferstrasse. And if, in addition to getting tasty ice-cream, you would like it served up in an ambience charged with design, then Eis Greissler is your spot. When it comes to choice, there are even vegan ice-creams to be had – the place to go is Veganista, located in the Seventh District.

Incidentally, for those of you who are fans of Empress Elisabeth – better known asSissi,whose presence is one of the leading draws on any visit to Vienna – one snippet of her lifestyle claims that, as part of her unusual and limited diet, she regarded violet ice-cream as one of her few favourite foods. So, you might want to try that original flavour.

Venture on a getaway to Vienna to savour their tempting ice-creams. Book your Vueling here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Are you fed up of boring Christmas presents like socks or pyjamas? Here are a few brilliant ideas and the best thing about them is that you have to travel in order to buy them!

Majorca is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. And it comes as no surprise, because it offers endless attractions. But if you prefer to stay away from the crowds, it’s better to travel out of season. Spring is a great time to go as it is mild, doesn’t rain much and there are fewer tourists about. Find out the best things to see in the largest of the Balearic Islands, and you won’t need a swimsuit!

1) Parc de La Villette

Open all year around, La Villette is a surefire destination for entertaining boys and girls aged 0 to 99 years! It is the largest park in France, stretching across an area of 55 hectares, and workshops, activities and shows are organised in its gardens and outhouses, come sunshine, rain or snow. It is renowned for its Cinéma en plein air (open-air cinema) in summer. Thousands of Parisians congregate there hours before the sessions to jostle for a good seat and unpack their picnic hampers. In winter, many workshops and other activities are held in the Grande Halle, an emblematic iron-and-glass building that was once France’s most important livestock market. But, to get back to what concerns us here – children – one essential destination is the Jardin des Vents et des Dunes, an admission-free playground recommended for children aged 0 to 13 years. Adults can stretch out on the chaises longues while they keep an eye on their youngsters. The Jardin des Voltiges, given over to circus, is an admission-free venue where kids can experience gravity on ropes, climb or ride a monocycle. Some interesting educational workshops and exhibitions are also organised in La Villette.

2) Cité des Sciences, Cité des Enfants and la Géode

La Villette is not exactly in the centre of Paris so, if you want to visit it, the best thing is to spend the whole day there and also see the Cité des Sciences, the Cité des Enfants and la Géode. The Cité des Sciences features some interesting educational exhibitions for the young – and not so young! – but for children the jewel in the crown is the Cité des Enfants. This huge space, taking up 5,000 square metres, hosts all kinds of activities, experiments, water games and discovery areas for learning while you play. It is divided into two parts – one for children for 2 to 7 years, and another for ages 5 to 12. To round off the day, a fitting choice would be to watch a movie or documentary on the 360° screen in the fantastic Géode.

3) Galerie de l’Évolution

The Gallery was inaugurated in 1889, shortly after the Eiffel Tower, as the Galerie de Zoologie. The formidable sight of a huge herd of elephants, giraffes, zebras or buffaloes will win over the young ones from the outset. The museum’s permanent exhibitions focus mainly on the evolution of the species, while the subjects of extinct and endangered species are also stressed. Children can discover biodiversity and environmental hazards through playful interactivity in the Galerie des Enfants. Further information here.

After such a flood of taxidermy animals, your children are likely to fancy seeing some live specimens. You need only to go outside the museum to come across the Zoo del Jardin des Plantes, a centre dedicated to the study and conservation of some 200 plant species, while for animal sightings you shouldn’t miss the Parc Zoologique de Paris, where you can have breakfast alongside the giraffes, or cut your teeth as animal handlers by feeding a manatee, a kind of giant seal weighing in at 600 kilograms.

4) Orchestre de Paris

One of France’s most prestigious orchestras offers concerts for the whole family where language is unimportant. Children and adults alike will discover music through a series of concert shows purpose designed for a public of all ages which elicit participation. You can check out their programme and times on this website.

5) Museum-wise

Most museums in Paris have materials specifically for children, including whole rooms and halls customised to their needs. The Louvre, for instance, organises workshops, family visits and story-telling sessions geared to discovering the museum as a form of entertainment. Parents can also download teaching material from their website or request it at information points. Noteworthy among the museums most highly rated by Parisians for their family facilities are the Palais de Tokyo and the Pompidou Centre, where they also organise workshops, activities and exhibitions tailored to children and adolescents.

In addition to the well-known museums, Paris has a host of others catering to all tastes. Don’t rule out visting some that will cause surprises, such as the Musée de la Poupée, Musée Gourmand du Chocolat, Musée de la Musique and the Musée Aéronautique.

So, head for Paris with your children – check out our flights here.

Text by Rita Peré / ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Cité des enfants, Francois_Grandin, Galerie de l’Évolution, Little Palais, Paris Tourist Office. Daniel Thierry, Paris Tourist Office. Amélie Dupont, Arnaud-Legrain