Now that the end of the year draws near, you are bound to have a few spare days. Here’s a great recommendation for spending a delightful long weekend in Gran Canaria. As you will see, it is time enough to get a good taste of one of the pearls of the Atlantic. Why wait to discover it? Four days on the island will yield any number of plans to take a well-earned break from your routine. Here, then, is a compendium of practical tips for making the most of your stay on the island.

Thursday

As soon as you leave the airport, your best bet is to head south and have your first weekend splash in the ocean. Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés await you with their large tracts of pale yellow sand where you can sunbathe safely all year around. If you’re looking to switch off real quick, take an adventurous stroll in the heart of the sand dunes or play golf on one of the quiet courses in the area.

Be sure to visit charming Puerto de Mogán, the ideal spot for promenading and savouring fresh fish in any of the restaurants at the seaside.

Friday

Begin the day by taking a route across the north of the island. And where better than to aim for the town of Arucas, where homes are harmoniously interspersed with banana plantations? Its most striking landmark is the Neogothic Church of San Juan Bautista, built with stone quarried in the municipality itself. Another highlight of your itinerary is the Arehucas rum factory, where the celebrated beverage is made in the oldest and largest rum distillery in Europe.

On the way to the north-western triangle of Gran Canaria, make a point of visiting the Gáldar Painted Cave, a museum and archaeological park based on a large native deposit. If you then press on towards the picturesque village of Agaete, you will marvel at the rugged rock formations adorning the coastline. Enjoy a sunset there and take time to upload to your social networks some stunning panoramas. Your main subject is likely to be the striking dragon’s tail plotted by the cliff faces which the ocean has eroded over millions of years.

Saturday

Time to discover Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a modern, cosmopolitan capital city. Have a walk through Vegueta, the historic old town and stop over at the Christopher Columbus House Museum which boasts a valuable cultural legacy encapsulating the relationship which the island has maintained with the Americas for five centuries. The Calle Mayor de Triana has all you need for a busy shopping day, as it is lined with shops stocking both local brands and international labels.

The Pérez Galdós House Museum, where the universally acclaimed Canary Island writer was born, is another point of interest before heading to Las Canteras, one of the finest urban beaches in Spain. Open-air concerts are held there as part of the “Ruta Playa Viva” (Living Beach Route), one of the most attractive leisure proposals in the city.

Sunday

The rich natural heritage of Gran Canaria reaches its climax in the island’s interior. On Sunday you can drop in on the street markets to taste the best of local cuisine and choose a souvenir from among their regional craftwork. Devotion in Teror involves pampering the “Virgen del Pino” (Virgin of the Pine), the patron saint of the Canary Island diocese. This is where you start a climb up to Tejeda and Artenara.

A phenomenon known as the “sea of clouds” spreads out at your feet, in a breathtaking landscape which Miguel de Unamuno described as a “petrified storm”. Look out over the Roque Nublo and Roque Bentayga outcrops; then close your eyes and engrave that stunning picture in your mind’s eye forever. Why wait to experience it for yourself? Check out our flights here.

Images by the Patronato Turismo Gran Canaria

The Atlantic Ocean is blessed with a group of islands – Madeira – whose main draw is their natural beauty, with a stark contrast between the leafy green vegetation and the deep blue of the Atlantic waters. Not for nothing has it acted as a place of refuge, rest and inspiration over the last few centuries, seeing the passage of such figures as Napoleon Bonaparte, the Empress Sissi, Emperor Charles I of Austria, the writer George Bernard Shaw and Winston Churchill, among others. You could be the next traveller to become captivated by these isles. Here are the main reasons it is worth flying to Madeira:

1. Good Climate All Year Around

The geographical location of these islands and their mountain relief have endowed them with a tropical oceanic climate, featuring pleasant temperatures all year around, ranging from 17°C in winter to 25°C in summer. This means that any time of year is suitable for visiting and enjoying the archipelago.

2. Funchal, the Capital

The capital and one of the largest cities in Madeira is Funchal, which lies in the south of the archipelago. Standout landmarks in the city’s priceless historic centre include the 16th-century Sé Cathedral – noteworthy for its Mudéjar-style, wood-panelled ceiling – and the Igreja do Colégio collegiate church, its interior studded with gold panelling and tiles.

One of the inevitable rituals for sightseers when they come to the city – assuming they are bold enough and don’t suffer from vertigo – is to go up in the cable-car that leads to the lofty suburb of Monte. The hill affords spectacular views of the bay and it is worth visiting the local Monte Palace Tropical Garden and Leite Monteiro Park. The return trip down the hillside can be negotiated on an unusual form of transport – a kind of wicker toboggan driven by two men dressed in white called carreiros who steer the cart down the slope.

3. Unique Fauna and Flora

One of the highlights of the island is the presence of indigenous animal and plant species. A must-see is the World Heritage Laurisilva Forest. Another must-visit are the Desertas Islands, a marine nature reserve which boasts indigenous shellfish and sea birds like Cory's shearwater and the  Madeiran storm-petrel. Animal species also include the monk seal, indigenous to the archipelago.

4. Porto Santo Beach

Curiously, the island terrain limits the number of natural beaches to the island of Porto Santo, which has 9 kilometres of fine, golden sand and crystal-clear water. The beach has rightly been considered one of the most beautiful in Europe.

5. Cuisine

Of the typical Madeiran dishes, we can recommend the swordfish, preferably combined with banana, in addition to caldeirada (a fish soup), bife de atum e milho frito (tuna fish with fried corn) and espetada (charcoal-roasted beef on a bay leaf skewer). For dessert, we can heartily recommend a typical sweet known as bolo de mel (a honey cake with Madeira honey).

6. Madeira Wine

Ever since the sugar cane plantations went into decline in the 17th century, having been overtaken by the sugar farming in Brazil, grape-growing and viniculture came into their own and still play an important part in Madeira’s economy. Notable local grape varieties are the Bual – which is similar to Port – Verdelho, Sercial and Malmsey, the most popular of all.

Ready to discover this lost paradise in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean? Check out your Vueling here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by David Stanley, Greg_Men, penjelly, Krzysztof Belczyński, Hannes Grobe

With the major holiday period in the year now behind us, we have to make do with what meagre morsels the calendar offers in the form of long weekends. As a destination, La Palma offers myriad possibilities but, if time is at a premium, you have to narrow your sights. To help you get your priorities right, we have drawn up a set of activities and experiences worth looking into on the “Beautiful Island”, as it is known. So, listen up!

Off to the Beach

La Palma boasts spectacular beaches of black sand – some of them awarded a blue flag – and countless natural pools. And, best of all, they are known for being uncrowded. The feeling of being alone on one of these beaches is invaluable. Tempting, isn’t it? Nogales, Los Cancajos, Bajamar, Echentive, Charco Azul and La Fajana are just some of them.

Venturing Along the Trails

The island features 708 kilometres of trails leading to unique enclaves of extraordinary beauty. And, luckily enough, there are routes for everyone, from cross-country pros to sporadic ramblers.

Enjoy the Night Sky

La Palma also has one of the best astrophysical observatories in the world. The fact it was built here comes as no surprise, as you will see for yourself when you come to the island and gaze up into the night sky. To view the wonderful starry sky, get away from built-up areas and look up. The rest of the experience is your own affair!

Adventures For the Picking

La Palma stands out for the broad array of open-air activities on offer. You can tour along cycle or quad routes, spend the day in a multi-adventure park, visit an organic banana plantation, venture down a volcanic tube, go on long canoe excursions, dive in crystal-clear waters, do hang-gliding or go on a pleasure boat ride. These are just a few options to bear in mind when you plan your next getaway to the Beautiful Island.

Indulge Your Appetite on La Palma Dishes

We recommend the following menu: for starters, chicharrones. As a first course, garbanzas. Main course, carne de cabra con papas arrugadas. And, for dessert, a bienmesabe. We won’t tell you what they’re made of so as not to spoil the mystery! To drink, a good, white albillo wine, a red or rosé, or the unique, grand Malvasia – make sure it’s from La Palma. Bon appetit!

Historical Heritage

Churches with Baroque altarpieces and Flemish art, the likes of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, in Tijarafe and Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, in Santa Cruz de La Palma. Mansions known ascasonas,with stunning patios and wooden balconies, stone country houses, some with cisterns, especially in the north of the island. La Palma’s architectural heritage is bountiful, featuring well preserved buildings redolent with history which will leave you speechless.

Get going and discover the island for yourself – check out our flights here.

Text and images by Turismo de La Palma

Krakow is the most touristic and historic city in Poland. In fact, the historic centre was declared UNESCO World Heritage Site because even the city was destroyed by the German army during the World War II, since the reconstruction of the historic quarter -known as Stare Miaso – started in 1950, trying to reconstruct it as close as possible to what it was originally.

The hearth of the city is Rynek Glówny, one of the biggest squares in Europe, always cheerful because of the street musicians and the tourists. By night, the gas lamps still light this place, projecting shadows on the walls of the buildings surrounding the square, from 14th and 15th century, giving this location an atmosphere both gloomy and romantic.

Nowadays, Krakow is a great destination for tourists but still remains all its past in order to have a promising future.

The old Jewish ghetto

It was not located in the current Jewish quarter, Kazimierz, but a bit further, in the Podgórze district. From the original, only parts of the wall remain, some of the streets and a memorial square to the heroes of the ghetto (Plac Bohaterów Getta) with big metal chairs that represent their stolen belongings when they arrived to the ghetto.

Krakow’s ghetto was founded in 1941 and as the Nazi genocide intensified, it began to be overpopulated and people died of hunger or diseases or, even worst, they were killed in the streets.

Aguila pharmacy

Nevertheless, stores were allowed to remain operative. Tadeusz Pankiewicz, the owner of the pharmacy Aquila (Apteka pod Orlem), had a significant role for the Jewish. The pharmacy was a valuable meeting point to smuggle with food, medicines and other valuable objects.

Because of that, Tadeusz Pankiewicz received a honourable mention from the state of Israel. In 2004, Roman Polanski and Steven Spielberg managed the restoration of the pharmacy, which is now part of the city History Museum, showing the murder of Jewish in the ghetto and what an important role the pharmacy had. Polanski, who escaped from the ghetto when he was a child, dedicated his Oscar award for The Pianist to Pankiewicz.

Schindler factory

Another awarded movie made a factory near the ghetto very famous. The history of Oscar Schindler’s factory – which is now also a museum – appeared in the known movie by Steven Spielberg.

The exhibition at this factory, titled “Nazi occupation (1939-1945)” includes an exhibition, reconstructions, images, objects from that period and sounds that make the visit a vivid experience, experiencing what Polish experienced during the Nazi occupation.

Krakow Jewish neighbourhood

The Jewish neighbourhood Kazimierz, formed by one of the biggest Jewish communities in Europe before the World War II, is nowadays a charming and bohemian neighbourhood, with cheerful streets, odd stores and craft workshops, also with a great variety of restaurants serving Hebrew cuisine.

Here you can visit the Old Synagogue (the oldest in Poland), the Remuh Synagogue, next to the Jewish cemetery, or the spectacular Catholic churches of Saint Catherine or the c he Crypt at Skałka. As a curiosity, you should know that this is the place where Spielberg filmed his movie Schindler's List.

Auschwitz-Birkenau

About 60 kilometres away of Krakow there is the sadly famous concentration camps Auschwitz I – first to be built - and Auschwitz II (or Birkenau), built after as an extermination camp.

You can get here easily by train or bus, leaving from the central station for trains and buses at Kraków Główny, it takes about one hour and a half to get there.

The shameful significance of this place is because it is the largest concentration camp built during the Nazi regime and the largest extermination in history, over one million people where killed here. Nowadays, it remains as a memorial to prevent this atrocities to happen again and to not forget the atrocities that took place here.

Cracovia by FotoCavallo |  Auschwitz by Gigatel Cyf Ltd. | Fábrica de Schindler by Noa Cafri | Barrio judio de Cracovia by Jakub Hałun

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