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

Strategically located by the Baltic Sea, between Lithuania and Poland, in Kaliningrad there is a mixture of the Soviet influences and the German roots, when Kaliningrad was the capital city of East Prussia and it was one of the major cities in Europe, better known as Köningsberg.

In 1945, during World War II, the red army occupied Köningsberg, which name changed to Kaliningrad in the memory the president of the Supreme Soviet until 1946, Mikhail Kalinin.

The city was rebuilt after the destruction during the war, creating and odd mixture of elements. Kaliningrad is a Russian setting far from its capital and 600 kilometres far from Pskow, the closest Russian city.

Baltic region is known as the biggest amber site and the most important mines are in Kaliningrad. This valuable material has reputation worldwide for its beauty and the healing properties, also magic, which are given to it.

There is a legend that says they are tears from Yurati, Goddess of the Sea, who wasn’t allowed to be in love with a mortal and was chained to the seabed, next to the castle, crying that sorrow. This romantic story tells that amber teardrops reach the sea bay but, actually, it is made from the solidified resin of tropical trees that used to be in the area.

Fishermen town

Amber is a fragile material but that can be easily modified by the masterfully of local artists and jewellers who used this valuable good. There are many objects made from this precious organic stone at an affordable price in the old buildings at the port, which are nowadays used as workshops.

This fishermen town is made of many buildings that look like a German old historic quarter, pretty different to the rest of Kaliningrad, with red roofs and colourful facades. You can reach the highest point of the drawbridge or start here a boat trip along the Pregolya river. Furthermore, from this area there is a magnificent view of the city and a great walk to the Cathedral, one of the main attractions in the city, by several restaurants and cafés.

Amber museum

In Kaliningrad an Amber museum was built at the Dohna tower, with a unique collection of more than 6.000 pieces, with insects and plants encapsulated inside, hand-made products or a huge pip of 4.280 kg, occupying 28 rooms.

The building is already a beautiful castle made of red bricks, raised by the Teutonic Knights, who had here one of the main headquarters.

Another building of the Teutonic Knights was the Köningsberg castle, which was one of the main symbols for the city. The castle was destroyed during Köningsberg bombings and now there is the Central Square and the Soviets House.

From the previous castle, there are still underground tunnels that made the ground unstable. This was called “the Prussians revenge” and it has cost lots of money and time to fix it.

In Kaliningrad region there are about forty more beautiful medieval castles, an interesting architectural route following the path of the Teutonic Knights.

Other interesting places

Kant’s tomb

The most distinguished character from the city is Immanuel Kant, philosopher, who was born and buried in Kaliningrad. The tomb is outside the cathedral, with a plaque quoting, in Russian and German, the "Conclusion" from Critique of Practical Reason: “there are two things that fill my mind with an ever new and enhanced wonder and amazement, even they at continuously reflect on them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.”

The fortresses

The city is surrounded by a large number of fortresses from the 19th century. The Germans used them as a defence. Even they are abandoned, there is a route to visit the ruins.

Zelenogradsk - Cranz

24 kilometres north from Kaliningrad there is an spa area, a holidays resort where locals and tourists arrived attracted by the beaches, thermal waters and cultural heritage, with over seven centuries of history.

Fishing village by Anton Zelenov | Baltic Amber by Michal Kosior

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

Words: Jos Porath – Photos: Lena Aliper

Sunday is the day of rest?! Not so in Berlin. While the party crowd is still going strong, or else nursing their hangovers, sipping espressos and hiding behind dark shades, treasure seekers, bargain hunters and lovers of curiosities flock to the flea markets that pop up all over this mecca of kitsch and knick-knacks on the weekend. Something of a time-honoured tradition, many of the capital’s streets, parks and squares transform into bustling Wunderkabinetts that are a must-do for anyone after a unique gift (to others or self), or a souvenir of the best way to do Sunday strolling in Berlin.

While antiques, vintage clothes, GDR memorabilia, attic finds and someone’s-junk-another-one’s-treasure pieces still dominate, many vendors are also local artists, fashion designers or jewellery makers, offering a chance to snap up one-of-a-kind item particular to Berlin’s creative scene. With twenty plus flea markets to chose from on most weekends, the following top three picks showcase the best of what the barter-and-bargain scene has to offer.

Mauerpark

For those not shy of rubbing shoulders, the flea market at Mauerpark is a must-see. Berlin’s biggest and busiest flea market, this maze features everything from Edwardian nightgowns over formica coffee tables to oversized 1980s knit sweaters, and local designers and artists, and fresh food and drinks stalls to boot. Plan a whole day first scouting the goods, then hang out in the adjoining park watching bands, buskers and performers, or get involved in some open air karaoke.

Bernauer Straße 63-64, Prenzlauer Berg

U8 Bernauer Straße
Sunday, 7 am – 5 pm
Tram M10 Friedrch-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark

Arkonaplatz

A five-minute walk from Mauerpark, the flea market at Arkonaplatz is located in a leafy, residential part of town. A much smaller and more upscale/less digging through smelly boxes affair, browsing and shopping here has an almost bespoke quality to it. While the vendors finding, selecting, cleaning and repairing the goods on offer at this market is reflected in the prices, it can make for a welcome shortcut to finding pieces that are either in astonishing condition or have been lovingly restored.

On Arkonaplatz, Prenzlauer Berg

Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm
Tram M1/M12 Zionskirchplatz

Nowkoelln Flowmarkt/Kreuzboerg Flowmarkt

Berlin is becoming younger, hipper and more international by the day, and the flea markets most reflective of these exciting changes are the Nowkoelln Flowmarkt near the canal at Maybachufer, as well as Kreuzboerg flea market in the Prinzessinnengardens in the heart of Kreuzberg. Aiming to attract a younger crowd with a well-presented and priced selection of hip second hand items, trendy vintage pieces and timeless design objects, as well as top notch food and coffee stalls, the two markets are a great place to stroll, browse and people-watch.

Nowkoelln Flowmarkt, Neukölln

Maybachufer
Every first and third Sunday of the month, 10 am – 6 pm
U8 Schönleinstraße
—
Kreuzboerg Flowmarkt
Prinzessinnengärten, Kreuzberg
Every second and fourth Sunday of the month, 10 am – 6 pm
U8/Bus M29 Moritzplatz

Words: Jos Porath – Photos: Lena Aliper

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

If you visit Croatia, there is a way to go across the country, from south to north (or the other way around), in less than two weeks and visiting its three most interesting cities:

Dubrovnik (south), Zagreb (north) y Split (in the middle).

Dubrovnik

To get downtown from the airport, take a taxi (30-40€) or the buses from ATLAS company which drive regularly through the 20 km. from the airport to the city centre.

In the old town, do not miss the wall, the Franciscan Monastery with a pharmacy from 14th century, Lovrijencac Fountaine, Onofrio Fountain or Luza Square, and its surroundings. If you need more information or maps, the nearest Tourism Office is on Brsalje Street.

From the city, go and visit the Korcula island, the National Park of Mjle island or the Elafit islansi. The city of Ston and its Chinese wall or the medieval city Cavtat are other destinations near Dubrovnik. You can get to all these islands and cities by ferries or bus.

To get to the next destination, Split, there are buses mostly every hour, doing 223km. between both cities.

Split

Walking around the old town or the Palace of Diocletian, UNESCO heritage, is the first thing you should do when you arrive to the city. After the palace, take a walk in the seafront by the Adriatic sea. From Split you can visit Brac islands, Hvar or Vis, accesible by ferry, sailboat or fast boats.

Roman ruins from old Salona (Solin nowadays) are only 10 km. away from Split and are one of the most important archaeological sites in the country. Trogir, 28 km north, is also UNESCO heritage. To get there, there are buses and boats from the seafront. Finally, by the end of Cetina river, you can find a pinturesque village, Omis, 24 km. south and connected by bus to the city.

Before the final destination, Zagreb, Sibenik is 88 km. away and you can get there by bus or train. Do not miss its streets and the Santiago Cathedral, a UNESCO heritage. The Plitvice National Park is also near and the most known in Croatia. 16 lakes connected by waterfalls, you can sped from 3 to 8 hors walking around the spot. In the park there are hotels and two camping areas. It’s convenient to book previously.

Zagreb

Just arrived to Zagreb, a city with more than 40 museums, including Broken relationships Museum, Mimara Museumor Naif Art Museum.

“Uptown” you can visit Ban Josip Jelacic Square, Dolac Market, Katarina square or the J.J. Strossmayer Avenue.”Downtown” there are squares dedicated to Nikola Subic Zrinski, to the king Tomislav, or to Mariscal Tito. Finally, in the city centre, there are Contemporary Art Museum, el Bundek park, Jarun lake, Mirogoj cementery or Maksimir Park.

To get to Zagreb airport, 17 km. from the city centre, take the bus for 4,10€ or taxi for 30-40€.

Photos by Stewart Morris, Elena and Delaina Haslam. Thanks to the Croatian Tourism Office for the information.

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