Holy Week is a festivity accompanied by a long culinary tradition, among other things. Some of its hallmarks include confectionery and desserts, which adopt a host of guises across the geography of Spain. Not to be outdone, Santiago de Compostela, a city of fine food, has its own versions, as evinced in the gems created by different local religious orders, those inherited from the city’s long chocolatiering tradition and imports from the Americas, which have spread all over Europe via the Road to Santiago.

In an effort to keep this tradition alive and provide enjoyment for locals and visitors alike, the second edition of a gastronomic event catering to the sweet-toothed known as Santiago Paixón Doce will be held from 7 to 17 April. For the duration of this festivity, some 29 venues, notably bars, cafés and restaurants, will be offering a special menu laced with traditional Holy Week fare, among which confectionery features prominently. Highlights include torrijas (a kind of French bread), leche frita (literally, “fried milk”), buñuelos (fritters), rosquillas (a ring-shaped pastry), melindres (buns), roscas (a kind of doughnut), “passion chocolates”, cakes and other confectionery typical at this time of year. Check out the list of venues taking part in this tasty experience here.

Eight Delicacies in the Compostelan Holy Week

For those not familiar with Santiago de Compostela’s Holy Week culinary tradition, we have drawn up a selection of the confectionery you simply must taste on your visit to the city. Take note!

1. Concha de Santiago (St James Shell)
This is a veritable tribute to the city of Santiago de Compostela, as it features its paramount symbol, the pilgrim’s scallop shell or viera worked into a delicious chocolate figure. One of the many establishments where you can taste the concha de Santiago is the Chocolat Factory, located in the Praza do Toural.

2. Tarta de Santiago (St James Cake)
With its origins going back to the 16th century, the tarta de Santiago is unquestionably the most popular cake in Santiago de Compostela. Needless to say, you  can find it in all the city’s pastry shops and bakeries, from Las Colonias – with its long-standing tradition – to Á Casa Mora, said to be the artificers of the Cross of St James having been incorporated into the cake.

3. Chocolate a la taza
As mentioned earlier, Santiago is a city with a long-standing tradition of chocolatiers. One of the local favourites is “chocolate a la taza”, which is thick hot chocolate for dunking churros (fritters) in. A classic spot for savouring this wonderful delicacy is the Chocolatería Metate (Rúa do Preguntoiro, 12).

4. Monastic Delights
In bygone times, it fell to the religious orders to introduce foreign traditions to Compostela, including the recipes using almonds and egg yolk, which had a marked influence on local confectionery and ended up spawning both the tarta de Santiago and almendrados (macaroons). There are currently two convents in Santiago which still make their own confectionery. One is the Antealtares Monastery, where the Benedictines make almendrados, tarta de Santiago and cookies, all of which are available on a daily basis, and brazo de gitano, a kind of Swiss roll which is made only to order. The other is Belvís Convent, where the Dominicans make bespoke batches of almendrados, mantecados (a kind of shortbread made with lard)and tarta de Santiago, as well as selling freshly baked cookies.

5. Cheese and Chocolate Cakes
We recommend you drop in on the Airas Nunes Café, which specialises in homemade cakes and tortiñas (milk tarts).

6. Assorted “Pecados” (Sins)
The Cantón del Toural is home to the so-called Pecados de Compostela (Sins of Compostela), a unique type of candy wrapped in seven forms to match the seven deadly sins, one for each day of the week. Be a daredevil and try them!

7. Xacobea
Despite having very similar ingredients to the Easter cake known as the rosca de Pascua,the Xacobea is moister as it contains syrup. Available in numerous pastry shops dotted about the city, notably La Estrella (Suevia).

8. Rosquilla
The rosquilla, also known as a melindre, typically eaten at traditional shrine festivals in Galicia, is also a classic of Holy Week and Easter in Galicia. Sold at a host of venues in Santiago de Compostela.

Text and photos by Turismo de Santiago

Indeed, a lot has been going on in this lovely city in Western Bohemia throughout the year. Over 600 events of all kinds have been held as part of its splendid programme. If you haven’t the chance to go there yet, the final stretch of these cultural events are clearly a good excuse to do so.

Art is Everywhere

One of the hallmarks of this edition is that the arts are present in public spaces in the form of temporary installations, themed parties and inaugurations held in unusual venues. Some industrial buildings, which have given over their premises to the so-called “Imagination Factories”, have also been taken over by art. The renowned plastic artist and director of cartoons, Jiří Trnka, is hosting an exhibition entitled The Garden, while, for the first time ever, Europe will see the valuable collection of Maori portraits by Gottfried Lindauer, a native of Pilsen and one of the illustrious figures of New Zealand art.

At the Museum of Western Bohemia (Západočeské muzeum),design and technology enthusiasts will be treated to an exhibition on the work of Ladislav Sutnar, a pioneer of information architecture and one of the founders of world graphic design. The original home interiors of the architect, Adolf Loos, are also open to the public as part of a special itinerary drawn up for the occasion. Also featured is an exhibition of contemporary European puppetry under the direction of Matěj Forman, while an exhibition of contemporary international design will be hosted on the magnificent premises of the Pilsner Urquell Brewery.

The Western Bohemia Gallery (Západočeská galerie) will be presenting works by the leading figures of the Munich Secession, pioneers of the early European avant-garde, featuring works from the collections of Munich’s Villa Stuck Museum and the Lenbachhaus Gallery. On display will be the work of such artists as Gabriel von Max, Franz von Stuck, Vassily Kandinski, Paul Klee and other members of the group, Der Blaue Reiter, as well as Czech representatives of Art Nouveau and modern art who lived and worked in the Bavarian capital during the same period.

However, to keep track of the cultural activities programmed for this final stretch, those interested should check out the events on the Pilsen Information Website, where you will find a day by day schedule of all the events to come. We recommend you keep tabs on the days when the grass-roots craft workshops are held in the main square as they will only be set up on eight days in the year, and this is something you should not miss.

A City Under A City

One of the must-see sights of the city is one that takes you into the maze of corridors, cellars and wells under the paving stones of Pilsen. The complete underground complex was built in the 14th century, and this underground city had an important function – to preserve food, but also as the site of craft workshops, wineries and malt breweries. You will also see technical installations such as drainage galleries, sewers and wells. It takes you back in time, providing insight into life in a medieval city.

World Beer Capital

You are advised to pick up your special beer coin which can be exchanged for tasting the Master Semi-dark beer in some restaurants. If you don’t see the badge on the door, ask the waiter. And, as you’re in the “beer city”, don’t fail to drop in on the Brewery Museum. This is the best way to see how this barley elixir is brewed and the museum reveals the history of beer from ancient times up to the present. It is located in an original brewery in the city’s historic centre.

The exhibition, both amusing and edifying, reveals the brewing process, the secrets of production and ways of serving and drinking the hops-laden beverage over the centuries. You can also stroll through medieval breweries and into a 19th-century village brew-house. A whole section of the museum is set aside for the display of implements and curiosities associated with the world of beer. One of the most impressive areas features the steam-driven brew kettles, capable of producing thirty litres of beer each in one go.

Art and beer are the winning combination in Pilsen. What are you waiting for? Check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Centro de Información de Pilsen

By Mariana Calleja from TravelThirst

Florence made us happy. Yes. Florence made us go creative, free and overwhelmed about everything in life.

By Laura Conde from gastronomistas

If you started to think of reasons to visit Granada, you would probably get, without even trying too hard, about 10,000 in the first minute. This city is Andalucía is comfortably at an age where modernity has arrived but it knows its place. It's a beautiful city where history is read in cobblestoned streets between cold beers and tapas.

Granada has this thing we call duende (a certain magic). It has a neighbourhood, the Albaicín, which rates amongst the most alluring places in the world. It has the Alhambra, kilometres of tapas, wonderful people and an unquestionable, elusive charm.

You won't find the city's special charm anywhere else in the world. In order to put it into words, we could choose one of the famous passages from Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving, an Englishman who fell head over heels for Granada as soon as he stepped foot in it. But instead we are going all post-modern and choose a sentence that we heard during our trip that, we believe, captures the essence of Granada's 'love at first sight' quality; 'Granada is the perfect place to escape to with your lover'. And it is. Even if you are monogamous through and through, or one-night stands just aren't your thing, there are a million reasons to visit Granada. Here are the first twenty.

THE SIGHTS

1- The Alhambra. What can one say about this authentic onslaught of the senses? The Alhambra is a thing of beauty, in its purest form, without additives, right in front of your eyes. It speaks of a history, more recent than we think, that bridges two Spains - in other words, a stroll through our past. As there is little say about the Alhambra that hasn't already been written, we humbly offer some practical advise for those that wish to lose themselves amongst its gorgeous mosaics that seem to have stepped out of A Thousand and One Nights: A) Hire a guide. Having someone narrate the thousand year-old history of the Alhambra, and by default the city of Granada itself, is worth its weight in gold. B) Don't book said guide for the for the morning after a night on the town when you visited about 90% of the city's bars and the temperature is 35 degrees in the shade. This can't end well.
Alhambra. Calle Real de la Alhambra, s/n.

2- El Mirador de San Nicolás. Always busy, but a must do. Every evening dozens of visitors come to this viewpoint to see (and photograph) the sun setting over the Alhambra. It's spectacular show of light, colour and incomparable beauty.
Mirador de San Nicolás. San Nicolás, s/n.

3-El Albaicín. The Mirador de San Nicolás is situated in El Albaicín, the old Jewish neighbourhood. It's still a maze of curving cobblestoned streets, hidden taverns and flamenco tablaos, shops and restaurants. There is only one way to see it - by getting lost (and leaving your watch at the hotel).

THE FOOD

4- Remojón. This orange and cod salad is one of the star dishes around these parts, and made us fall in love with local oranges. Gazpacho aside, it was the perfect starter course on our holiday and ideal for the hot temperatures. Pictured is a plate of remojón we ate at a gorgeous place called the Mirador de Morayma; a restaurant with enticing views of the Alhambra. It's quite touristy, so perhaps not entirely suitable for intrepid travellers wanting a more authentic experience.
Mirador de Morayma. Pianista García Carrillo, 2.

5- Damasqueros. One of our favourite restaurants in the city is located in a street of the same name. Chef Lola Marín's creative cuisine has its roots in Andalucía and can only be enjoyed through a tasting menu (39 €) – an experience that proved to us that, thankfully, Granada is about more than tapas and sherry.
Damasqueros. Damasqueros, 3.

6-Estrellas de San Nicolás. Once the home of the flamenco legend Enrique Morente and now one of the most popular restaurants in the city, especially for visitors. The reason? A charming space with an attractive terrace from where you can watch the sunset over the Alhambra. Not to mention a menu that offers gazpacho and fondues or where traditional Andalucian dishes co-reside with international ones. The glass-enclosed dining room defines charm and good taste, but a table on the terrace is ringside to live flamenco guitar.
Estrellas de San Nicolás. Atarazana Vieja, 1.

7- The Tapas. In Granada, if you ask for a small beer at noon (only in order to get through the afternoon and avoid an attack of Stendhal syndrome of course!) the bartender will give you a plate of 'tapas'. Or at least what he (and perhaps your mother) considers 'tapas' – for us it's more akin to a full serving of paella or lamb stew with chips. This will cost you all of 2€. So, if you are the moderate type, this will suffice for lunch. If not, you will barely need a third round.

8- The Calle Navas and its surroundings. The tapas epicentre of Granada is situated on the Calle Navas – the main drag – but also the surrounding streets. It's always buzzing with groups of people of all ages enjoying tapas, wine and beer. It the place to socialise, make new friends and who knows? Perhaps be enticed to party until dawn in a mythical spot that everyone talks about and you should visit if it's the last thing you do. Here’s the deal: As you mingle, someone is bound to say, 'You have to go to Maué' or 'You haven't been to Maué' yet?'. More details below...

9- Hens' and Bachelor Parties. How on earth can you not go to Maué when the person that is telling you to is a bearded, 90-kilogram guy wearing a Playboy bunny costume? Or a group of school friends dressed up as nurses? Granada is a paradise for Bachelor and Hens’ nights; every weekend it hosts dozens of groups celebrating the 'last night of freedom'. On the weekends they tend to conglomerate around the Calle Navas to eat, drink, bond and of course, give you a hard time for having never been to Maué. Take a prime seat on a terrace and watch them pass by. It's pure comedy, and worth the trip to Granada alone.

10- Castañeda. On and around Calle Elvira, another epicentre of tapas and shopping (mostly tiny places selling Arabic objects), Castañeda is a much-loved, always bustling establishment that has jamón legs and chorizos hanging from the ceiling, a bull's head on the wall and some incredible tapas.
Castañeda. Almireceros, 1-3.

11- Cannelle. Looking for a healthy breakfast? With homemade cakes, special menus, magazine and books? A place that is totally child-friendly? Cannelle is such a place; a cafe that could easily be in London or Paris, full of good vibes and a good time.
Cannelle. Acera del Darro, 44.

THE NIGHTLIFE

12- Ganivet. A bastion of Granada's nightlife, this central bar-club, situated below stone arches, has two cave-like rooms; one blasting out commercial hits and the other Spanish pop. Always packed with thirty-something patrons, it has a good, clean vibe and great drinks.
Ganivet. Ángel Ganivet, 13.

13- Bambino. Mainstream flamenco where the age of the clientele is considerably lower than that of Ganivet's. Bambino is deliciously unpredictable, very curious, at times explosive and others about as lively as a funeral. But how can you come to Granada and not dance to Navajita Plateá in a disco?
Bambino. Arabial, 45.

14- Mondrian. If you feel like some rock and roll then look no further. Situated in a lovely, cobblestoned lane, it is different to other bars such as Ganivet in so much as its full of messy-haired patrons wearing un-ironed shirts and sports shoes. In fact, you get the feeling that a guy in a black leather jacket and boots will appear at the door at any moment. He will take a seat at the bar, order a Voll-Damm beer, turn around and look at you with a tortured face and at that precise moment you will realise it is rockero Miguel Ríos. The mojitos are excellent.
Mondrian. Santa Inés, 4.

15- Mae West. Mega-club of the first order that is open until 6am. From 3am onwards, after the bars have closed, every nighthawk in Granada, ascends this temple of commercial hits and heavy drinking where time stands still. It's a strange place that brings together people of all ages until well into the early hours after an intense evening of Bachelor and Hens' party observation and other prankish behaviour. Be assured: Mae West is the closest rival in Granada to Maué. A legend.
Mae West. Centro Comercial Neptuno. Arabial, s/n.

16- Aliatar. This is a major club with disco music, a more mature crowd and bar that serves gin and tonics to discerning clients. It's a place you can go to at any time to enjoy and well-prepared drink (the cocktails are made with expert hands). Park your bag and jacket on top of the grand piano in the centre of the dance floor and let loose to 'Lady Marmalade'. A classic.
Aliatar. Recogidas, 2.

17- Tablao flamenco Albayzin.
Choosing a tablao should be as simple as wandering around the Albaicín, following your nose (and heart) and letting yourself be seduced by the emotions that local flamenco brings. Actually we came across this one on the advice of our hotel, who organise package deals that include transport, supper and show. That way, we were able to experience it at a good price.
Tablao Flamenco Albayzin. Carretera de Murcia s/n.

AND ALSO..

18- La lonja. Leaving food aside for the moment, it would be remiss not to recommend this singular shop. Somewhere between shabby and cool (but always in good taste) it sells all sorts of vintage pieces, from furniture to objects.
La lonja. Buensuceso, 31.

19- The warmth of its people. It's not a cliché for nothing: they couldn't be nicer.

20- Your lover? If you have one they are as a good reason as any to visit Granada. If not you can always (like we did) take full advantage of the city's bars. After three days, you will have no idea where your hotel is but will be on first name terms with all the porters. Or did you think that a killer hangover and passing out halfway through our 'Alhambra morning' was pure poetic license?

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