Brindisi, known as the "Gateway to the East" because formerly strategic port of way for the Roman troops and its proximity to Greece and links with Turkey and Albania, is also the starting point for discovering the beauty of the countryside and small villages of his province, that spread along the coast and inland, in the valley of Itria, a journey that reveals the traces of its past with places full of art and history.

Itria Valley spread the provinces of Bari, Brindisi and Taranto and is known as the land of the Trulli (Valle dei Trulli). It is an ancient circular building with a conical shape and stone deck very characteristics of the area, you'll find scattered throughout the valley, but especially well preserved in places like Alberobello or Locorotondo.

There is an extensive network of green routes perfectly entitled to travel by bicycle and discover the beauty of its vast territory, winding through towns like Ceglie Messapica, Mesagne, Ostuni, San Vito dei Normans or Francavilla Fontana.

Brindisi

Brindisi has a great promenade but if you get into its narrow streets, you will discover its beautiful historical center that keeps many surprises, like many churches, Roman monuments and palaces. In Brindisi ends Via Appia, which was the most important road of ancient Rome. The 'Regina Viarum "connected Rome with Capua with its 530 km long, extending from the Porta Sebastiano of Rome to Brindisi, where two columns indicated its end point (nowadays only one of them is preserved). It was ordered to built in 312 BC by the censor Appius Claudius Caecus.

The white city of Ostuni

Called the White City for its picturesque whitewashed houses, Ostuni stands with all its beauty on three hills, giving it the appearance of an ancient Greek city. The city center is enclosed among Aragonese walls that remain from the original fifteen and the defenses surrounding the medieval city. Inside the fortress, there is a fascinating maze of narrow streets that lead to small squares and tangled alleys and stairs leading to the top, where we find the majestic Cathedral, and from where we can admire amazing views of olive trees plains.

Cisternino

On one of the terraces Mugia there is one of the jewels of Italy; Cisternino is one of the most beautiful towns in Italy. Cisternino, the capital of the Itria Valley, has received one orange flag thanks for the preservation of its historical city center. It is delicious to walk among the palaces of Amatialacio and Capece, the tower Normanda or severals ancient churches. Porches, white houses with flowered balconies, narrow alleyways, patios and stairs make the stroll through this delightful old village.

Natural Reserve of Torre Guaceto

The marine protected area and nature reserve of Torre Guaceto is just under 30 miles from Brindisi. Fortunately, this area has remained virtually untouched, apart from the wild constructions that have flooded other parts of the coast. This small oasis of tranquility allows cycling on the roads of scrub and olive trees, diving to admire the beauty of its coral reefs and seabed vegetation or simply enjoy its sandy beaches and crystal clear waters.

Grottoes of Castellana

A walk of about two hours into the depths of this underground world, which runs between stalactites and stalagmites, and that takes you to the White Grotto, a beautiful cave with limestone formations reflected in the underground lake creating a visual spectacle indescribable.

Cisternino by Kiuz | Grottoes of Castellana by tango7174 | Ostuni by Dronkitmaster | Torre Guaceto by Yoruno | Trulli by yellow.cat

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A walk around Rennes, the capital of Brittany, takes you back to medieval times. A large number of houses with wooden framing are still preserved in the streets of the historic centre. Wood was a popular building material in this region until the mid-17th century, when it was replaced by stone after the large fire of 1720 that burnt down more than 900 houses in the city centre. However, these old wooden buildings can be seen in the streets running from Rue de Chapitre and Champ-Jacquet square, with a statue of John Leperdit, the mayor of Rennes during the French Revolution.

Rennes has some beautiful spots, one of my favourite being the Place des Lices, where terrace cafés are jam-packed with the arrival of the good weather. In summer, evenings in Brittany are endless and the sun doesn't go down until after 10 p.m. Some centuries ago, this place was the setting of medieval jousts. Nowadays, its market is the second most important in France, bringing together more than 300 local and regional producers.

Two of the symbols of Rennes' medieval past are the Duchesne tower and the Mordelles Gates –Portes Mordellaises– which were part of the city walls in the 15th century. The Neoclassical Cathedral of Saint-Pierre is close by, as is the Basilica of Saint-Sauveur, both landmarks of the city's religious architecture.

The fires of the early 18th century marked a turning point in Rennes' urban design. After that, constructions were built in stone, notably the city hall, by the royal architect – Jacques Gabriel – who designed it to be immortal.

Another must-see is the Palace of the Parliament of Brittany, with lavishly decorated rooms representative of 17th-century French pictorial art. This building is an emblem of the historical region of Brittany, which has a culture and a language of its own. Some street names in Rennes are in Breton, as well as in French, the former being the only surviving Celtic language outside the British Isles.

Contemporary art has a notable presence in Rennes. Examples of this are the Parmiggiani fountain, the Cap Mail building, by the prestigious Jean Nouvel, Quai Ouest by Christian Hauvette, and Champs Libres by Christian de Portzamparc. The Champs Libres premises are divided into three areas: the Musée de Bretagne – with a surface area of 2,000 square metres – a six-floor library, and an area devoted to science, with a planetarium. Rennes also has a great art gallery in the Museum of Fine Arts, an old university palace designed by Vincent Boullé, featuring works by Rubens, Veronese and Picasso, among others. In music, the city is well known for Les Transmusicales de Rennes, a festival that has been offering new and eclectic music for its last 32 editions.

Finally, Thabor Park, a very pleasant spot, is one of the most important green areas of the Breton capital. This 10-hectare French-style garden, which used to belong to the monks of Saint-Melaine– features a rose garden, an aviary, statues and greenhouses, amongst other attractions. Musical comedy and dance performances are held here on Sundays in the months of May and June; many people attend these entry-free events.

Rennes is a city with lots of charm and can be easily discovered in a single weekend! Check out our flights here.

Text by María Jesús Tomé

Images by María Jesús Tomé / Oficina de Turismo de Rennes

One of the classic routes to discover Andalusia’s essence is the white villages one, which runs through about 20 locations in the provinces of Malaga and Cadiz.

Traditionally, Andalusian houses are painted white or whitewashed to avoid,as far as possible, the hot Andalusian summer. This way to relieve the heat, joined with the affection their inhabitants use to decorate streets, squares and balconies with flowers and plants, make these towns picturesque postcards.

The route of the white villages heads to special beauty and natural environment areas as the Parque Natural de la Sierra de Grazalema -Biosphere Reserve. The ideal is to try to visit all the beautiful villages, since each has its attractions and special characteristics. But if you only have two or three days, there are some stops that, in our opinion, are of main interest.

Arcos de la Frontera is one of the most common places to begin the route, as it is located near Cadiz and the Jerez airport, while the beautiful Ronda would be the natural endpoint. In Arcos de la Frontera you can admire the Basilica of Santa Maria from the Plaza del Cabildo and continue with a walk through the steep and narrow streets with baroque facades scattered through the town, up to the walls of the Castle of the Dukes.

Another town that should not be missed is El Bosque. It lies at the foot of the mountains, starting the stretch of the Sierra. It is a good place to gather information about the Grazalema Natural Park in the Tourist Center and an excellent area for trekking.

Although it requires a little detour, Ubrique is a worthwhile stop. It is the leather city, where you can buy a nice piece of tanned leather done as in the Arabic tradition.

Along the way, we find other locations that do not belong to the official route, but that are worth a visit. For example the strech to Benmahoma, that passes through forests of pine and eucalyptus and whose top rewards us with spectacular views. Before arriving in Ronda, we can not miss places like Zahara de la Sierra and Alcalá del Valleo or Setenil de las Bodegas, with their houses carved into the mountain and along the river.

Ronda, the Dream City - like the poet Rilke called it-, is the usual destination to complete the route; an ancient city seated on a stone plateau.. Worth walking calmly to appreciate all its nooks and monumental works. It preserves traces of its Moorish past, being one of the last strongholds before the Reconquista, which are reflected in the so-called ancient Arab city or Arab Medina, along the Guadalevin shore.

It is divided by a gorge over 100 meters above El Tajo and crossed by three beautiful bridges. Dating from the eighteenth century, the main one is the most iconic landmark of the city.

Besides its cultural interest, this Andalusian architectural gem has many restaurants where you can enjoy delicious recipes and products from the Serrania.

Picture Zahara de la Sierra vy Grez | Olvera by Tomas Fano | Villaluenga by El Pantera

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Marlys Schuermann, the other half of the @ParisBuFF team on Twitter

Montmartre may not have a world-famous or a Michelin starred restaurant to boast of, but it certainly has a lot to offer visitors on a budget when it comes to eats and treats. Restaurants and bistros offer tasty meals at reasonable prices. You just have to know where to go to avoid being trapped in one with bad food (and bad service to boot.)

Here are a few suggestions of where you can go if ever you find your tummy grumbling for a meal or even for just a simple treat when visiting Montmartre:

1. Au Cadet de Gascogne

4, Place de Tertre – It can’t get more touristy than in Place de Tertre, but this restaurant serves a full breakfast till 11 a.m. for €10, which consists of a glass of orange juice served with your warm croissant and jam, an omelette or 3-egg sunny side up with salad, coffee or tea and baguettes. You can’t get a better deal than that anywhere in Paris, where breakfast in a cafe could easily cost you €6 for a slice of baguette with thinly spread jam, orange juice and a cup of coffee.

2. Coquelicot

24, rue des Abbesses – This boulangerie is also a restaurant and just a few steps away from metro station Abbesses. It is a favourite of locals who take a late breakfast or brunch there. Prices of their breakfast offerings might be slightly off-putting, but you go there to sit outside, watching busy life passing by while you leisurely sip from your bowls of hot coffee or chocolate and munch on your pain au chocolat. It also offers a variety of cakes and French pastries that you can take with you to the park.

3. Le Relais Gascon

6, rue des Abbesses, is a restaurant we’ve been recommending to friends and family for years. And each one enjoyed the food so much, they return during the duration of their visits or when they return, and recommend it on to their friends and family. Tip: Order one of their warm salads, served any time of the day. But if you have a big appetite, their week-day lunch menu is great value for money.

4. Trattoria Pomodoro

20, rue de la Vieuville, has one of the best pizzas we’ve tasted in Montmartre. It is located in one of the remaining streets that will still give you an idea of how cobblestoned Montmartre looked like before boutiques and numerous souvenir shops mushroomed in the area.

5. Le Grenier à Pain

38, rue des Abbesses, – This boulangerie shot to fame (was even featured in the New York Times) because its chief bread maker baked the best baguette in Paris in 2010. The baguette is well and truly good, but what got the international press in a flurry is the fact that this particular boulanger happened to be a Senegalese. But don’t just try their baguette, with which they make their freshly made sandwiches. Their cakes are moist temptations, too.

6. Les Petits Mitrons

26, rue Lepic – You can’t walk by this little patisserie in the market street of Montmartre without drooling over the hand-made fruit tartes displayed in its shop windows. Chances are, you’ll go in there and get yourself a slice of one of their delectable cakes. If sweet tartes aren’t your thing, they also have savoury ones.

7. Au Grain de Folie

24, rue de la Vieuville – There was a time, vegetarians had difficulty finding a Parisian restaurant serving meat-free dishes. This restaurant was one of the very first dedicated to providing vegetarians an excuse to go out for a meal and it’s still going strong.

Author: Marlys Schuermann, the other half of the @ParisBuFF team on Twitter

Image: Au Cadet de Gascogne

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