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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Holy Week coincides with the onset of spring, a season associated with milder temperatures. Although you should still pack some warm clothes – jerseys, jacket, raincoat, gloves, cap and scarf – it’s unlikely to snow in Warsaw, unless you’re in the higher mountain areas. And, by early April, the days are quite long and sunny. Unlike in other European countries, during Holy Week in Poland both the Thursday and Friday are working days and most of the museums and shops are open to the public. Visiting hours at churches may be different, however, as in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, where the largest Good Friday procession of all Poland is held.

As in other areas where the Catholic festivities are traditionally observed, Palm Sunday is celebrated here in style. Like in Spain, in Poland the faithful carry palms, but here they are far more elaborate. Dried flowers and paper flowers go into their careful making by hand. They are so popular here that many towns and villages organise palm contests. We recommend taking the two-and-a-half-hour drive to Łyse, in the region of Masovia, where you can find palms of up to 6 metres high.

Cultural activity also revolves around Easter. The keynote event is the Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival. Held in Warsaw, as well as in Krakow and Gdansk, it attracts classical music virtuosos from all over to perform a number of works based on Holy Week themes. The festival alone makes it well worth visiting the city. Over the festive period churches host classical music concerts. The programme features religious works, pride of place going to the staging of the Lord's Sepulchre. This is undoubtedly a good reason for visiting the holy precincts of Poland’s capital city. Even under the Communist regime the uncensored sepulchres stood for the most important political events of the time.

Another high moment of the holy celebration is the blessing of the food. Starting on Easter Saturday morning, crowds of people congregate at the churches bearing adorned baskets containing, in addition to the classical hand-painted Easter eggs, bread, salt, pepper, sausage and an endless assortment of Easter pastries to have them blessed. Once the ritual has been completed, they may then eat meat. In bygone days the baskets’ contents were indicative of the purchasing power of the various families – the greater the amount and variety of food, the high their economic status.

Easter eggs are decorated in different ways and this is often the favourite activity of the younger members of the household. Once boiled, the easiest thing is to colour them with polychromed powders dissolved in water. These colours are sold in small sachets at this time of year. A more natural technique is to boil the eggs in a pot with onion skins, giving the eggshells a dark tinge and, the more onion skin you use, the darker the colour. After the eggshell has dried out, it can be drawn on or incised using a sharp needle.

Easter Monday is noticeably more playful in character and closely linked to rural traditions. In Polish it is known as Lany poniedzialek – “Water Monday” – as Slavic tradition has it that throwing water over the girls is believed to ensure their health and fertility. So, make sure you keep your eyes skinned because even today you can have a bucket of cold water thrown over you.

Cuisine is important in Poland at Easter and tables are decked out with Easter eggs, symbols of a new life. Confectionery also plays a major role, particularly mazurek, a cake based on butter and very thick cream, eggs, sugar and flour. It is also stuffed with nuts, chocolate and fruit (orange or lemon). Another cake typically made during this festive season is kaimak. Although similar to mazurek, the dough contains liquid toffee.

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Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Polish National Tourist Office

With over forty museums, Basel can well boast of being one of Europe’s cities with the best contemporary cultural facilities. A large number of these numerous museums feature the plastic arts as their central theme, displaying works that range from antiquity to the present. The city’s penchant for collecting has its origins in the 16th century, when collectors hailed from both the private and public sectors. Several private collections have been opened to the public in recent years, augmenting the supply even further.

The Kunstmuseum Basel – the Beginning of Everything

This is the most significant museum in Basel and the largest in Switzerland. Its collections, which date back to 1662, feature works running from the Middle Ages up to the present. Hans Holbein enthusiasts are in for a treat if they come here, as it boasts one of the largest collections of this artist’s work.

The Beyeler Foundation – a European Collector’s Classic

This foundation, housing the collection of the spouses, Ernest and Hildy Beyeler, is one of the largest and most important in central Europe. It is a compendium of classical modern art, from Monet, Cézanne and Van Gogh to Picasso, Warhol, Lichtenstein and Bacon. The counterpoint to these figures is a display of tribal art from Africa, Oceania and Alaska, the contrast producing an interesting result. Also well worth seeing are the surroundings of the beautiful building – designed by Renzo Piano – with its priceless garden.

The Tinguely Museum – an In-Depth Look at the Artist’s Sculpture Machines

Dedicated to the life and work of the Swiss sculptor, Jean Tinguely. The interior of this original building, the work of the architect, Mario Botta, houses the sculpture machines that brought him fame, in addition to documentation, photographs and drawings of his work.

The Antikenmuseum (Museum of Antiquities) – in Search of the Classics

This is the only Swiss museum devoted to ancient Mediterranean art and civilisation. The collection features pieces dating from between the 4th millennium BC and the 7th century AD, sourced from the ancient Egyptian, Greek, Italic and Roman cultures, as well as works from the Near East and Cyprus. Featured are Greek ceramics and sculptures and the section dedicated to ancient Egypt.

Klingental – the Region’s Art Trends

Housed in the Klingental convent church, the Ausstellungsraum Klingental is dedicated to the region’s artistic production.

Schaulager – A Space for the Experts

The building housing this unusual space was designed by the Herzog & de Meuron architects studio. Directed at a specialist art audience, it also hosts events for the public at large and is innovative even in its conceptualisation. It is not intended to be a run-of-the-mill museum, but a storage facility open to the public which houses the undisplayed works of the Emanuel Hoffmann Foundation.

HeK – a Look at New Media in Art Production

The Haus der elektronischen Künste Basel (House of Electronic Arts Basel) specialises in art created using electronic media, known as “new media” or digital art. There are facilities for hosting all kinds of activities associated with these new trends in art. It also hosts the Forum for New Media, as well as Shift, Festival of Electronic Arts.

Schoenthal – Open-Air Sculpture

The former Romanesque convent of Schoenthal, situated half an hour from Basel, houses the Stiftung Sculpture at Schoenthal, a not-to-be-missed sculpture park featuring nearly twenty works by Swiss and international artists. The Romanesque church has been converted into a gallery for temporary exhibitions of contemporary artworks.

Have you taken note of all the art you can see in Basel? Check out our flights here and see it all first-hand.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Forgemind ArchiMedia, Jean-Baptiste Maurice, John Lord, régine debatty, Rosmarie Voegtli

Some areas of the Mallorcan coast have been hit by the touristic boom, the one that has sown it merciless with large buildings and beachfront resorts. Luckily, others have been carefully conserved and have protected the environment.

This is the case of the Serra de Tramuntana, one of the most beautiful and emblematic landscapes of Mallorca, located northwest of the island. Of its relief the peaks over 1,000 meters stand out -like the majestic Puig Major, the highest peak of the Balearic Islands with 1447 meters- and the different landscapes that you will discover traveling the road that runs through it and running from Andratx to Pollença going by some of the most beautiful villages of the island as Bañalbufar, Estellencs, Deià, Pollença, Lluc, Fornalutx or Valldemossa.

An excellent area for practice hiking, caving and canyoning with spectacular views through valleys, cliffs and gorges.

Sóller

The town of Sóller offers various attractions: it concentrates a large number of modernist buildings such as the Banc de Sóller or the Can Brunera mansion -that now houses a museum-, the old church of San Bartolomé and a picturesque harbor with two beaches.

In addition, it is said that the ensaimadas from Soller are the best, with the garrovetes del papa, its typical sweet, or the oranges used to prepare juice and ice-creams. You can find these local products and traditional crafts in "Es Mercat" which is held every Saturday.

One of the fun trips you can do from Sóller is to take the Sóller train that connects the town with Palma de Mallorca. A trip to the past in their wooden wagons and with the rattling of a line that opened in 1912 and runs between the beautiful landscapes of the Tramuntana mountains and fields full of almond, olive and carob trees.

Fornalutx

Just above the village of Sóller there is Fornalutx, chosen as one of the "most beautiful in Spain" a couple of times. Their houses are finely restored and perfectly ordered despite the uneven, the flowers on the balconies, the cobbled streets and ancient tradition of painted tiles-present in many of the houses- make it a dream place.

Walkers have here many interesting routes ranging from Sóller to Fornalutx, like the one leading to Mirador de Ses Barques or the Cami de Sa Figuera.

Sa Calobra and other beaches and coves

In the same mountain range of tramuntana there is Sa Calobra, a cove created at the mouth of the River Torrent de Pareis where the sea, forest and cliffs converge in a natural setting of stunning beauty.

The access is complicated because you must go through 800 sinuous curves along 4 kilometers, including the convoluted 360 degrees curve known as the Nus de la Corbata (tie knot).

From Sa Calobra you can reach to the Torrent de Pareis Creek, where they celebrate each year the "Concert in Sa Calobra" every first Sunday of July. The canyon walls exert natural amphitheater, creating a unique and unrivaled sound.

Throughout the area you can find pristine beaches like Cala d'Egos in Andratx, Es Port des Canonge in Banyalbufar, the Cala de Valldemossa or Llucalcari in Deià, and although sometimes you have to walk a few miles down steep rocks or drive on narrow roads with impossible curves, it is worth the effort, to be rewarded at the end with a wonderful beach less frequented by tourists.

The Sanctuary of Lluc

The origin of its name comes from lucus, meaning "sacred forest". Here is the Virgen de Lluc "La Moreneta", patron saint of Mallorca; a small, dark-skinned virgin, that, according to the legend, found a shepherd in the mountains. The virgin was reluctant to leave the place and that is why a small chapel was built and with time, it became this beautiful sanctuary.

There are are some bars and restaurants around the architectural complex.

Picture Sa Calobra by Hugin | picture Sóller by jpm2112 | picture Serra Tramuntana by Carlos Delgado

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