Without even having to leave the city, you can get a good idea of the culinary gems that attest to the potential of Nordic cuisine. In Stockholm, excellent avant-garde cuisine weds “bistronomies” and gastrobars with oodles of character. Depending on the style you’re after and how much you want to spend, here are six culinary lines in Stockholm which bear out the city’s gastronomic vigour.

Gastrologik Avant-garde

The moment you take a seat, you will find a menu waiting for you on the table. But, instead of a list of dishes, this is a statement of intent and attention, in a restaurant that takes care of the finest details. Avant-garde cuisine in a succession of bites strictly in season, asserting the wealth of local produce, pampered from source by the chef duo of Jacob Holmstrom and Anton Bjuhr. Algae, indigenous fish and alluring natural rarities are the highlights of a unique gastronomic experience.

Ekstedt Authenticity

Warmed by hot coals, the restaurant run by the popular Niklas Ekstedt has made its mark by creating a highly personal culinary line which the chef rounds off a few metres away in the guise of another, more “casual” business. Brilliant cuisine over the fire, in dishes which take shape before the diner’s eyes. I can highly recommend going for the room’s imperial table, even if you have to share it. Watch your bread being baked and brought warm to the table; be spellbound by the flames in surprising, ongoing flambé surges, as with the oyster flambé; savour the singularities of Swedish produce, rigorously executed and served up with gusto… All this is Ekstedt – a genuine yet unusual restaurant.

The Plenitude of Lilla Ego

The queues at the entrance to Lilla Ego before each sitting are a constant feature. Here, the emphasis is on the informal offerings based on sturdy market fare. Dessert helpings are a tad oversize and dishes are presented rather haphazardly, while the extensive wine list and pairings are bold. You can watch them cooking from the bar counter, as well as observe the various steps involved in preparing dishes, something outside the scope of the table diners. A feature of this venue is the upbeat atmosphere, both at lunch and dinner.

The Warmth of Babette

You don’t need to be invited to see the kitchen for, as soon as you step inside, it is the first thing you see and almost stumble over, as well as hands-on chefs who frantically ply their wares. Pizzas, salads and sautés based on fresh produce are the standout traits of the dishes in this venue, where you will feel at home among the books and various seating arrangements. As in all restaurants, it is best to book in advance to secure your place on the terrace. It opens every day of the week, which is unusual in this city’s hospitality sector.

The Freshness of Kaffeverket

There are so many cafés in Stockholm that you would be hard put to choose just one – or even two or three. But Kaffeverket has that enveloping atmosphere which ends up cajoling you into whiling away the hours there. Even locals recommend it. Offerings in the spacious interior, which looks onto an inner patio, with high tables and stools – and low ones, too – include one-course meals, sandwiches and top-notch homemade pastries, with options for vegans and celiacs, too. The friendliness of their staff is another point in their favour.

Where to Sleep, Breakfast and Vice Versa – Miss Clara

This boutique hotel is ideal for staying at a place with endless sky views, but also for having breakfast in the purest Swedish style, just a stone’s throw away from the shopping hub. If you have time on your hands and you fancy it, you can opt for a brunch, with cocktails and DJ music or jazz, or else sip a drink on their large pavement terrace in the heart of the city.

Still intact in this erstwhile convent are the Art Deco foundations, which blend in with an elegant and equally cosy interior design.

HTL Upplandsgatan

It is ultramodern and highly functional. With its designer hostel appearance and B&B down-to-earthness, you will appreciate the splendid location of this hotel in the city’s major shopping district, as well as its price and more than adequate breakfast buffet.

Book your Vueling to Stockholm and discover their gastronomic variety.

By Belén Parra of Gastronomistas.com

We know that Tintin travelled to America, the Soviet Union, China and South America… he even got to step onto the moon! But, where did the endearing reporter created by Hergé actually live? While the cartoonist never revealed it explicitly, there is no doubt that Brussels, where Hergé lived all his life, is the backdrop in the cartoon strips whenever the amusing reporter and his faithful dog, Snowy, are captured at home. We ventured into Tintin’s haunts and discovered the palaces, museums, hotels, theatres and parks in Brussels which Hergé converted into comic artefacts.

On their return from their first adventures in Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, Tintin and Snowy are welcomed as heroes by a crowd in the Gare du Nord, an exact copy of the former Brussels Gare du Midi. Now featured in the railway station is a mural inspired by a cartoon of Tintin in America to mark the centenary of the birth of Georges Remi, “Hergé”.

In the second of his 24 adventures, the iconic reporter and his faithful friend travel to the Congo, an album which Hergé was likely inspired to pen after various visits to the Royal Museum for Central Africa. Among many other nods, the leopard man that threatens Tintin in the comic is an imitation of the statue sculpted by Paul Wissaert on display in that museum.

The address, 26 Labrador Road, is well known to Tintinophiles. First mentioned in The Broken Ear, don’t waste your time looking it up in a Brussels street finder. Instead, head for 26 de la rue Terre-Neuve, where you will come across an uncannily similar building to the one where the young reporter’s flat was located!

Built in the late-19th century on the south side of the Royal Park, the Royal Palace stands out as one of the most emblematic landmarks in Brussels. This majestic building was where Hergé drew inspiration for the Royal Palace of Syldavian King Muskar XII in King Ottokar's Sceptre.

Dating from 1873, the Flea Market or Marché aux Puces, located in the Place du Jeu de Balle, is the Brussels mecca of collectors, antiquarians, treasure hunters and bric-a-brac seekers. It was at this flea market that Tintin discovered the model ship at the opening of The Secret of the Unicorn.

However, it was most likely in The Seven Crystal Balls that Hergé captured most of Brussels’ architectural landmarks. For example, in this thirteenth instalment of The Adventures of Tintin, one of the city’s most emblematic hotels appears – the Metropole. Also easily recognised in this comic album is La Monnaie theatre, renamed the Music-Hall Palace. And, the mansion where Professor Hercules Tarragon lives is the spitting image of the opulent villa on Avenue Delleur 6.

Also in The Seven Crystal Balls, we come across the character, Rascar Capac, a mummy inspired by a relic on display in the Cinquantenaire Museum. Hergé was a regular at this gallery, where he went in search of ideas. It was also where he discovered the fetish created by the Arumbaya, the focus of the storyline in The Broken Ear.

Another prime magnet for Tintinophiles is the southern Brussels district of Uccle, one of the nineteen districts making up the Belgian capital. In Uccle we find the Brussels Planetarium, an observatory which Hergé portrayed in The Shooting Star. Interestingly, the Centre Culturel d'Uccle has a statue of Tintin on display, while in the district cemetery, a short distance away from where he lived until his death, is the artist’s grave. A plaque at 33 Rue Philippe Baucq, in the more central district of Etterbeek, reminds visitors that this was the birthplace of Georges Remi “Hergé”. (The house is not open to the public.)

At Louvain-la-Neuve, less than half an hour from the centre of Brussels, stands the Musée Hergé. Designed by the French architect, Christian de Portzamparc, the Hergé Museum is three storeys high and has 8 exhibition halls, featuring 80 original prints, 800 photographs and countless documents and miscellanea related to the life and work of the creator of Tintin and Snowy.

Highly recommendable for Tintin lovers in particular, and enthusiasts of the ninth art in general, is a visit to the Brussels Comic Strip Centre (Rue des Sables 20) which features thousands of original works relating to some of the most outstanding Belgian creations in the comic world, notably The Smurfs, Lucky Luke, Spirou and Tintin, among others.

The huge dragon from The Blue Lotus painted on the ground at the entrance to rue de la Colline 13 announces your arrival at the Tintin Boutique. This is the ideal store for stocking up on all types of objects and souvenirs associated with the illustrious reporter and his endearing troupe of cartoon companions.

Fire up and venture into the world of Tintin – book your Vueling to Brussels here.

Text by Oriol Rodríguez for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Oscar W. Rasson, Julien, Andrea Carrozzo, CTJ71081, Dustin Hackert, Laurence Livermore, Su-Lin, Stephane Mignon

Naples “non è solo pizza”, although the margarita is of course the local leading light. And rightly so. But, for now, we’re going to highlight other specialities in the capital of the Campania region which are not to be scoffed at. Here, then, are the must-visit spots for lovers of confectionery, ice-cream and chocolate.

Gay-Odin Chocolates

A highly popular confectioner's among Neapolitans and, when the locals are die-hard patrons of a place, this is a safe bet. It opened in 1894 and offers a huge variety of top-quality hard and soft chocolates of all kinds which are bound to liven up your stroll through the streets of old Naples. They also have biscuits and ice-creams – you should try the dark chocolate variety, of course. However, the creation that won us over is their Vesuvio, a dark chocolate mountain shaped like Vesuvius, the ideal souvenir for taking back to your chocolate-addict family.

Chalet Ciro – The Most Popular Ice-cream Parlour

Quite a long haul from the tourist centre of Naples, but a rewarding treat after a protracted walk along the scenic coast. This popular stopover, located at the end of the Riviera di Chiaia, is the place for savouring a delicious, creamy Italian ice-cream served in a cone, a tub or a huge brioche, a local speciality. It may be a calorie bomb, but a pleasure bomb, too. The bun is dripping with the creamy ice-cream flavours. This is a popular meeting place for Neapolitans, both by day and by night, where over 30 ice-cream flavour sare waiting to be indulged in. They also serve coffee and pastries.

“Caldo Freddo” at the Bar Mastracchio

Perhaps the most surprising treat of all, as this unpretentious bar is actually famous for its coffee. But Caldo Freddo is no ordinary coffee; it’s an espresso topped with a vanilla ice-cream mix and a wisp of hot, melted chocolate. However, be sure not to stir it, but down it in one go, as the idea is to let the hot and cold mingle in the mouth, as will the liquid and creaminess and the flavours of coffee, chocolate and vanilla. You will be bowled over, capable only of craving for another fix. Why deprive yourself of this treat? It’s the only place in town where a Caldo Freddo costs only 1 euro. Mamma mia!
(Vico Tofa, 4)

Gran Bar Riviera – A Pastry Shop On a Grand Scale

The epitome of a vintage pastry shop, its display cabinets are stuffed with countless pastries and buns, capable of giving you a surge in blood sugar by just looking at them. The premises appear not to have changed one jot in the last sixty years. One of their best-known Neapolitan specialities is torta pastiera, made of puff pastry, ricotta cream and roasted wheat, aromatised with orange blossom water, among other ingredients. Sold mainly in Holy Week and packed in a pretty tin which would go well in any retro kitchen.

The “Babàs” at Scaturchio

You simply cannot pass up this sweet institution in Naples. The pastry shop has won international acclaim for its mini babàs (a kind of brioche based on egg and butter which is baked and then dipped in rum syrup). This favourite of Pope Benedict XVI can be savoured on the spot with a ristretto, or at a table in the pretty square. You should also try their riccia, a pastry stuffed with ricotta cheese. Quite a treat!

Pintauro Will Steal Your Heart With Their Capresinas

They’re not noted for their friendliness but, so what? As minute as it is old – the pastry shop has been open since 1785 – it is famed for its sfogliatelle (a pastry stuffed with ricotta, candied fruit, custard and semolina), zeppole di San Giuseppe (a custard-filled tartlet) and capresinas (heart-shaped chocolate-and-almond pastries). And, yes – they will steal your heart!
(Via Toledo, 275)

Stracciatella Ice-cream at Emilia Cremeria in Pompeii

In case you thought you’d be safe beyond Naples, think again! When visiting the capital of Campania, you’re likely to go sightseeing in the amazing ruins of Pompeii, which was buried under the lava erupting from Mt Vesuvius. After such a long and exhausting outing, you could do with a great reward. In Pompeii’s main square, be sure to try the ice-creams at the Emilia Cremeria. With that creamy name, imagine what their ice-creams must be like, particularly the stracciatella – the epitome of creaminess and yet very light. For the out-and-out sweet-toothed, order it in the traditional style, with the ice-cream nestling in a brioche bun or warm croissant. To die for!

Book your Vueling to Naples, where all these flavours await you!

Text and photos by Laia Zieger of Gastronomistas.com

When visiting Rome, the last thing that comes to mind is thinking there may be something else beyond that spectacular city. Indeed, you probably won’t even have time to entertain such thoughts. What with its intricate Roman past, its Renaissance glories and its stunning Baroque heritage, one is hard put to imagine anything beyond its boundaries. Nothing could be further from the truth, however, as there is actually life beyond the city limits – and how! Summer villas, time-locked towns and papal refuges await you less than an hour from Rome. Come along and discover them!

Hadrian’s Villa

Our first gem is situated in the environs of Tivoli, some 45 minutes from Rome – an extraordinary villa which served as Hadrian’s retreat. Like Rome’s ruling class, the emperor sought a place in Rome’s environs where he could escape the bustle of the big city. He did not, however, settle for a simple summer house – going a step further, he had the idea of commissioning a model town featuring replicas of some of the buildings he had visited on his travels. This is the case of Canopus, a copy of a shrine in Alexandria, and of Pecile, an imitation of a building in Athens. The Maritime Theatre is one of the most emblematic constructions in the complex. It features a small villa set on an island in the middle of an artificial lake.

Villa d’Este

Another jewel in the area, located in the centre of Tivoli, is this Renaissance villa, originally a Benedictine convent, which in the 16th century was converted into a palace by Ippolito II d'Este, the son of Lucrezia Borgia. In addition to the building and its rooms, decorated with frescoes in fine taste, its standout feature are the stunning gardens, housing no fewer than 500 fountains! The most striking ensemble is a row of one hundred fountains known as the Fountain of Neptune – which also has a spectacular waterfall – and a fountain with a hydraulic organ that emits sounds.

Villa Gregoriana

Hard by the Villa d’Este is this wonderful park commissioned by Pope Gregory XVI in 1835. Built on the bed of the river Aniene, its most striking feature is a large waterfall, created by diverting the river to protect the area from flooding. Among the lush vegetation in the Villa, which affords some lovely views, stand the archaeological remains of the Temple of Vesta, built in the 1st century BC.

Ostia Antica

Situated 30 kilometres from Rome, near the mouth of the river Tiber, stands the archaeological site of Ostia Antica, once an important port. Founded in the 4th century BC, it was a major trade and defence enclave in ancient Rome. With the fall of the Roman Empire, the city went into decline, while continual invasions and a malaria epidemic led it to be abandoned. The city was buried under river sediments for centuries and has survived to the present in fairly good condition, although less so than Pompeii or Herculaneum. Wandering through what is left of its streets, temples, thermal baths, houses and shops, it is not difficult to imagine what its splendorous past must have been like.

Frascati and Castelgandolfo

Lastly, we have singled out these two beautiful locations in the Alban Hills which form part of the municipal comune known as the Castelli Romani (Castles of Rome). The picturesque town of Frascati is celebrated for its white wine and its villas, commissioned by Popes, cardinals and nobles of Rome as of the 16th century. One such construction is the spectacular Villa Aldobrandini, also known as Belvedere, designed by Giacomo della Porta and completed by Carlo Maderno.

Located on the shores of Lake Albano stands Castelgandolfo, celebrated above all for being the Pope’s summer residence. Although not open to visitors, it is worth strolling around the town centre and soaking up the views.

Book your Vueling to Rome and venture beyond the city’s limits to see some of these sites.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Aquilifer, Adrian Pingstone, M.Maselli, Alexander Mooi, CucombreLibre, Alessandro Malatesta, Polybert49, Sudika, MatthiasKabel