In a few days’ time we will usher in the summer solstice and the shortest night in the year, an auspicious moment marked by a number of rituals. A host of countries in Europe pay tribute to the change of season, not to mention the excitement associated with the long-awaited summer holidays. Fire is usually the main ingredient in most of these celebrations, whether in the guise of bonfires to burn the old spirits of the year we are leaving behind, or firework displays that light up and colour the sky as everyone waits for dawn on the longest day of the year.

Santiago de Compostela is one of a plethora of locations in Europe where the night of St John is celebrated. In keeping with the tradition that stretches across all Galicia, the city’s streets and public squares are lit up with bonfires in the course of what is undoubtedly the most magical night in the year. On this night alone, the bonfires are known here as cacharelas. The people of Santiago de Compostela leap over them, a deed believed to ward off witchcraft and the evil eye cast by meigas, the name by which evil spirits are known in Galicia. Be sure to join in this magic ritual to see in the summer on the right foot. The city’s historic centre has the most crowded bonfires, particularly in the Plaza de Irmán Gómez and the streets of Algalia de Abaixo and Valle Inclán, although you will also find bonfires blazing in the Pelamios quarter, San Juan Park in Vista Alegre and the district of San Lorenzo.

Alongside the bonfires, centre stage also features sardines, the streets of Santiago redolent with their aroma. The sardines are grilled over the bonfires and eaten together with the traditional Galician empanadas (a sandwich pie) and red wine – a great culinary combination for a night out that is bound to extend well into the morning.

Another purification ritual which Santiagans take very seriously is to leave overnight in water a sprig of magical plants and herbs, including rosemary, mint, camomile and rose, and wash themselves with that infusion the following morning. Anything goes when it comes to warding off the evil spirits, so don’t hesitate to get your spray of herbs at the Mercado de Abastos and join in the tradition.

And, There’s More

Coinciding with the festivity of St John and for the second year running, a festival organised by Turismo Santiago will be held from 22 to 24 June at which you can delve more deeply into Galician rituals and traditions associated with the arrival of summer. Among the scheduled activities are itineraries for picking the herbs for St John, a free train which runs from one bonfire to another, wickerwork exhibitions, traditional dance workshops, storytelling sessions of myths and legends about meigas and magic spells, music and the conjuro de la queimada (a ritual consisting of an incantation accompanied by mulling and drinking a pomace brandy called orujo). There will also be a market where you can taste locally sourced traditional products in season.

Text by Turismo Santiago de Compostela

Do you fancy going away before the official summer holidays, to beat the crowds? Make a note of these ideas.

Everyone has heard of Gouda cheese. Some of us have tried it and even regard it as one of our favourites, but few know where it comes from or just what appeal its city of origin holds in store. The fact is that the popular cheese comes from Gouda, a city in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands, situated at the confluence of the rivers Gouwe and Hollandse IJssel.

What To Do In Gouda

The city of Gouda has a very picturesque historic centre, where strolling about proves to be a rewarding experience and where the major landmarks are located. Needless to say, the first of these is related to cheese and is the most powerful magnet as far as tourists is concerned – the cheese market. It is held every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., from April to August. Farmers and traders meet in the market to strike deals and many centennial traditions are preserved here, as in the fact that all goods are still transported in wooden carts and that all deals are sealed by a touch of the hands.

Also located in the square – the Markt – the site of this trade ritual, is the Stadhuis, a beautiful Flemish Gothic building which has the honour of being one of the oldest town halls in the Netherlands. Built from 1448 to 1450, it was modified to some extent in 1692 and 1880. Notable rooms in this edifice are the Trouwzaal (Wedding Hall), dating from 1800, and the Council Chamber.

Another site you can also visit in the Markt square is the Goudse Waag, a building dating from 1668which was once a covered market for buying and selling cheese. It subsequently became a national monument and is now a museum dedicated to cheese.

Apart from the city hall, another gem is Sint Janskerk, which also makes an outing to Gouda worthwhile. Visitors should not hesitate to enter this Church of St John the Baptist. It has a history of withstanding fire, as it was engulfed in flames on three occasions, two of which – in 1361 and 1438 – saw the whole city on the verge of being consumed. The nave measures 123 metres, making it the longest church in Holland. Its most stunning feature, however, are its sixty stained glass windows, placed between 1530 and 1603, twenty of which are the work of the brothers Dirk and Wouter Crabeth I. One of the unusual highlights of one’s visit here is that the preliminary drawings the stained glass windows were based on have been preserved, a rare occurrence.

Those interested in discovering the city’s history should head for the Museum Gouda, located in the buildings known as the Catharina Gathuis and De Moriaan.

To wrap up your tour of the city, we recommend you head for the south side of the old town where you will come across two old windmills – the Molen ‘t Slot, built in 1831, and De Roode Leeuw (The Red Lion), built in 1619 and restored in 1771.

Before you leave Gouda, don’t forget to taste their stroopwafel, a traditional confectionery which consists of two waffles with a filling of soft caramel. Munching on one of these is ideal for restoring one’s energy after a magnificent stroll through the city.

Now that you know the secret gems awaiting you in Gouda, book your Vueling and discover them for yourself.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by bertknot, Sander van der Wel, Hans A Rosbach

Up to Sardinia, the second largest island in the Mediterranean, comes all kinds of tourism attracted by its fantastic contrasts. Big claims are its magnificent landscapes, crystal clear waters and beaches – that nothing have to envy to the beaches of the Caribbean-, considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. But up to Sardinia becomes also a tourism seeking to discover their valuable cultural legacy.

Ancestral traditions and rural ambiences that intermingle with modern cities and, in many areas, a luxurious tourism with big purchasing power. The fact that till not long ago, the island was a slightly exploited turísticamente, it does that the Sardinians still preserve predisposition is good towards the tourism. They always prove to be kind and ready to help and to advise.

The Coast Emerald is a holiday place of jet set. The area of the gulf in which it places Olbia finds full luxurious yachts, and it is frequented by celebrities of all kinds that culture and history come attracted by the fascinating nature miscellany. And the fact is that Olbia preserves historical buildings and architectural value as the Town hall, the Romanesque iglésia of San Simplicio, the ruins cistenses or the Carthaginian wall.

The oldest district of the town is the Castello, in which are the main points of interest. Perched high on a hill, you can easily access, either from the elevator of the market of Santa Chiara, from which it is located near to the Torre di San Pancrazio or climbing the staircase of St Remy that comes out of the piazza Constituzione. This square is a very lively place at night, with performances and lively local.In the district of la Marina, more mediterranean atmosphere, with plenty of typical taverns to eat. And let’s not forget the beaches! The most popular is the of Poetto, and one of the most beautiful of all the Mediterranean, as well as the marshes where you can see a host of migratory birds such as flamingos.

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

Picture by Alsecommons