¡Kalinka, Kalinka, Kalinka moyá! Can't get Tetri´s song out of your head? Easy..., the same thing happens to us as well. We have just landed in Moscow and we are going to eat a lot! Going out in Moscow and try some restaurants can be an amazing and enriching experience where you will discover both the delicious flavors of Russian cuisine and customs of the Russians, which may seem a little peculiar.

The dishes of Russian cuisine are usually quite caloric, due to the harsh winters where greater caloric intake is needed. The Russians give much importance to the ritual of food and like to make life around the stove.

A typical meal starts with a Russian zakuski (appetizers) that can be salads, and small plates of pickled fish like pod Seliódka shuboi (herring coat) or a pirogi (dumplings) meat with vegetables, and always accompanied by a good shots of vodka.

As is typical starter soups, both hot and cold in winter and summer. Russian soups are very strong and more than a starter for us are almost a full meal, since all carry vegetables, meat, chicken, fish ... The most popular are the borsch, made of beets, cabbage, potato and meat; and solianka, made of meat or fish, with an acidic due to the lemmon they put on it. Another soup is shi made ​​of cabbage and Uja, made of fish.

Main courses can be stroganoff meat, shasliki (a typical meat kebabs from Caucasus), golubtsi (cabbage leaves stuffed with meat) or the dish we liked the most: pelmeni (a kind of Russian ravioli filled with meat, potato or vegetable)

Many dishes can be served with smetana, a sour cream sauce flavored particular that we loved. The most popular drink in Russia, in spite of the general though, it's not the vodka but the tea. For dessert, along with tea, you can taste some delicious blini (pancakes) or marlenka cake, something like a strudel.

My-My

At Mu-Mu restaurants they serve typical Russian food. It is a self-service restaurant with tiny portions, so it is ideal to try different dishes. They are very popular among Muscovites and it is well priced.

Jachapuri,10 Bolshoi Gnezdnikovsky per.

It is a nice and central Georgian food restaurant. The food is very good and it is not too expensive. Totally recommended.

Pushkin Cafe, Tverskoy bulvar, 26A

It is considered the best restaurant in Moscow. It is a nice vintage place, very well preserved where can you can taste high level dishes of the Russian cuisine. Good service and medium-high but reasonable price.

A couple of features to consider when venturing out for lunch or dinner in Moscow: dinner can be served until the minute they close the place, but they will not wait until you finish the meal, so if you do not want to have to swallow all in five minutes, we recommend not arrive too late. Russians do not like you to pay them with coins, so if you're planning to spend those last loose rubles at a dinner, do better buying souvenirs in Red Square, or you will receive disapproving look from the waiter.

Приятного аппетита!!

By Nadia Polo

solianka by Шнапс | stroganoff by Pittaya Sroilong | zakuski by Timothy Post | pelmeni by Bernd Hutschenreuther

Makes you want to go, right? Do it! Check out our prices here!

Fez, also known as the mazy city of Morocco is one of the country’s most ancient and best-preserved cities, conserving its authenticity and exoticism with a an architecture that has remained practically untouched for centuries. What is perhaps most striking in this North African city is the fact that its less touristy and crowded, especially if you compare it to its neighbour, Marrakech. For this reason, it has a special charm that allows oneself to submerge into the culture of the citizens, without feeling suffocated by the sellers and merchants that often bother travellers in other Moroccan cities.

1.- Medina Fes el-Bali

The highlight of our trip to Fez is precisely in the maze that is made up by more than a hundred districts ofFes el-Bali, that are full of narrow streets with thousands of turning points and dead ends. UNESCO has protected it since 1967, as it is considered the oldest part of the city, which concentrates some of the most important monuments.

In the past, according to the law, each district was obliged to have a mosque, a religious school, a bakery, fountain and hammam. The Mausoleum of Moulay Idris and the Al Karaouine, together with the Koranic schools Attarine and Bou Inania boast an exquisite architecture that deserves to be seen. The latter, Bou Inania can be visited by non-Muslims, with an exception of the prayer rooms.

The Medina Fes el- Jdid or New Medina was raised by the Merindia dynasty in the twelfth century, outside the old town. It is full of mansions with Andalusian patios, gardens, mosques and new souks, but mostly what makes it interesting is the swanky Royal Palace of golden gates, every so often cleaned with a curious mixture of lemon juice, salt and vinegar. The Mellah or Jewish quarter, which stands in the heart of Fes el- Jdid, close to the palace also offers a large market thanks to the Grand Rue, Boulevard Bou Ksissat, contrasting with the of the facades and balconies of traditional Muslim architecture, where privacy reigns.

3.- La Ville Nouvelle

In order to complete our tour of Fez, we must not forget to visit the Ville Nouvelle, the newest part of the city that was built following the French protectionism during the twentieth century. Most urbanites enjoy this area reserved for the more affluent locals, with their walk through the Avenue Hassan II and the Boulevard Mohammed V. There’s an entire collection of glamorous bars with terraces, restaurants, ice cream parlours and bakeries. Boutiques fill the streets of movement and make the Ville Nouvelle an ideal place for the classic mint tea with typical pastries that help regain strength after an afternoon of shopping.

Picture by NaSz451

Text by Blanca Frontera

In general the rule is that the further north you go in Italy, the more entrenched is the habit to enjoy the appetizer. Not surprisingly, the Piedmont area is known for the production of vermouth with brands such as Martini, Cinzano and Carpano.

The vermouth was invented in the cellar of Antonio Carpano’s in Turin in 1786 and from there the Piedmontese nobility made it fashionable. There are other versions that trace their origin to Hippocrates, the famous Greek physician who mixed white wine with plants like the wormwood to create a beverage for medicinal purposes. But it was not until 1838 that the brothers Giuseppe and Luigi Cora began to develop it industrially and distributed it worldwide.

Now the word vermouth has a more generic meaning. It refers both to the drink and to eat a tapa before lunch. In Italy the starter is not at noon as in Spain, but after work. It usually starts from 18:00 and end at 21:00 AM and is an economical way to take a break from work while sipping a drink and snacks, which can be alcoholic or not.

A very common option is the spritz, -with aperol, champagne, an orange slice and ice- the Negroni -with gin, campari, vermouth and an orange slice- the mascerotti -with wine, soda and champagne- or the Amaretti di Voltaggio, which goes along with their famous focaccia, savory pastries and other delicacies.

In Genoa, a port where botanical species from around the world arrived, the habit is strictly fulfilled and the tastiest appetizers are prepared. Here vermouth is a deeply ingrained habit, a social act that almost no one renounces. A moment to enjoy after work, listening to the tinkling of ice crashing.

You can have it in the historical premises or in the modern establishments that agglutinate especially in the Piazza delle Erbe, San Donato, Via San Bernardo or Porto Antico area.

Here’s the theory, now let's put it into practice!

Pasticceria Liquoreria Marescottis Cavo
Via di Fossatello, 35R and 37R

In the old town of Genoa, -the largest medieval quarter in Europe- you can find this historic café, bakery and liquor store. A local that dates back from the eighteenth century, which retains its old Charles X style furniture and a floor designed by Rubens himself. Tourists come to the establishment to observe the "prettiest pastry Genoa", to try their high quality confectionery and the Marescotti appetizer, a herbal vermouth.
You must keep an open mind to find the restaurant on the first floor because they have no sign.

Le Corbusier
Via di San Donato, 36R

Another historic local is Le Corbusier, specialists in cocktails-some self-created- and that has gained prestigious national and international awards. Martini itself can be found in twelve different variants.

Caffè il Barbarossa
Piano di Sant Andrea 23
www.cafeilbarbarossa.com

With an enviable location -very close to the house where Christopher Columbus lived-, and one of the most fun places to enjoy the most original appetizer in Genoa with its pleasant outdoor area, especially during summer.
The Caffè Barbarossa offers a wide range of whiskeys, cocktails and international wines and sparkling Genoese, in their restaurant, you will find vegetarian and vegan dishes. Look closely at their walls where the original rates of the brothels of the historical town hang.

Libreria delle Erbe
Piazza delle Erbe, 25R

An old bookstore downtown now transformed into a modern place. It still retains the spirit of the literary coffee -to consult and buy books-but, while enjoying cultural interventions you can also have a good coffee, snacks, cocktails, wines and beers.
They have a full weekly program of activities for lovers of art and culture.

Picture by Termolan

We’ll be there. If you want to come too, check out our flights here.

When you first stand before the huge structures rising from this unique “Eden”, you would be forgiven for thinking you’ve stepped into a sci-fi movie from the 50s, 60s or 70s. Here, by the judicious use of special effects, the complex conveys the vision of an unusual future, charged with scientific advances. Nowadays those films may raise more than one smile, peopled as they were by the odd alien, or depicting some disaster that had obliterated mankind from the face of the earth. Lee Tamahori, who directed the James Bond movie, Die Another Day,in 2002, must have had a similar impression when he chose to shoot some of the action-packed scenes from this 007 classic on this site. But, what exactly is the Eden Project and what makes it imperative for you to head to Cornwall to see it?

The Eden Project – Nature and Sustainable Development

Located in Cornwall, two kilometres from St Blazey and five kilometres from St Austell, the Eden Project was the brainchild of Tim Smit. It was designed by the architect, Nicholas Grimshaw, and the engineering firm, Anthony Hunt and Associates, inspired by nature and sustainable development. Unveiled in March 2001, this unique, spectacular garden has two leading lights – its Biomes with their futuristic appearance. A biome is defined as the ecological unit into which the biosphere is divided in terms of a number of climatic and geological factors that determine the types of prevailing fauna and flora. Within each Biome is a specific bioclimatic landscape and its corresponding ecosystem.

One area at the site features a Rainforest Biome, with a hot, humid atmosphere, divided into four rainforest environments – Tropical Islands, Southeast Asia, West Africa and Tropical South America. Another area is dedicated to the Mediterranean Biome with its warm, temperate climate and drier atmosphere, showcasing the typical landscapes of the Mediterranean, South Africa and California. There are also gardens outside the Biomes which reflect the temperate regions of planet Earth.

The goal of this grand project is none other than to educate – the site has an educational centre known as The Core– and to make us aware of the biodiversity that characterises our planet. Children visiting this magnificent site will be enthralled, as will most adults who come here, too. You will be stunned by the sheer size of the vegetation and are sure to discover various aspects of nature you never knew about.

Before visiting the Eden Project, we recommend you first check out What’s On, as another added value of this site – where you get the growing impression of being in an amusement park – is the huge number of activities hosted there, directed at audiences of all ages. One of the events, for instance, which has been held annually since 2002, are the Eden Sessions, a series of concerts at which star performances have been given by the likes of Amy Winehouse, Muse, Lily Allen, Oasis, Pulp, Elton John and a long etcetera of great bands and musicians.

Book your flight to Cardiff and venture into this special garden of Eden in southwest England.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Eden Project