Do you dream of taking home the best photos of Santiago? Buying postcards and books might be the quickest solution, but, if you enjoy taking your own pictures, you shouldn’t hesitate to embark on this eminently photogenic route through Compostela. Here are 10 of its most emblematic subjects.

1. Praza do Obradoiro

We admit you’d be hard put to capture its entirety, as it covers 7,700 square metres. Surrounded by monumental buildings, snapping a whole picture of the Praza do Obradoiro is no mean feat. A wide-angle shot of the portico of the Colexio de San Xerome will yield an image of the Cathedral – cloister and towers included – as well as the Pazo de Xelmírez, the front of the Hostal dos Reis Católicos and the Paxo de Raxoi to the left.

2. Cathedral Facade

The centre of the square is a reasonable viewpoint, as are the arcades of the Pazo de Raxoi, to stand square in front of the Cathedral, if you have a fish-eye lens. But, if you’re looking to take full-length photos with a normal lens, the trick is to go down the stairs of the Rúa de Raxoi, where you get a complete view of the facade with the towers. Ideal for group photos.

3. Goal and Excitement

While its monumental beauty tends to hog everyone’s gaze, the Praza do Obradoiro and its surroundings are indeed the most intensely exciting spots in all Santiago de Compostela. The arrival of pilgrims and the display of satisfaction at having achieved their goal are commonplace scenes in this privileged setting.

4. Bird’s-Eye View

The ascent to the Cathedral Rooftops, 30 metres above the Praza do Obradoiro, affords some of the best views of the squares surrounding the Cathedral, as well as revealing its architectural features and the rooftops and chimney stacks in the old town. The tapestry gallery in the cloister, which can be visited using your museum ticket, provides another fine perspective of the Obradoiro, and of the cityscape south of the Cathedral.

5. The Photogenic Quintana

The stark bareness of the Plaza de la Quintana takes on special significance with the interplay of light on the stone. Noon yields snapshots of the granite in all its hardness. Late afternoon throws the shadows of the spires and lantern of the Cathedral on the wall of the Convento de Antealtares. Night lighting turns the surface into a quasi aquatic medium, like some silent fish tank. You can also get good shots from the Casa da Conga arcades.

6. A Tiny Playhouse

Secluded and motley, the Plaza de las Platerías and its stairs provide splendid group snapshots all day long, thanks to the south-facing portal. In a low-angle shot, the horses on the fountain will seem to graze the Torre del Reloj. To capture the whole square, you have to backpedal to the entrance to the Rúa do Vilar. If you have a wide-angle lens, use the towers to frame the shot. Night light endows the Casa del Cabildo and the stepped cloister tower with a special relief when seen from the church door.

7. Streets and Towers

The rúas (streets) in the monumental site are rich showcases of typical Galician architecture. The Torre de las Campanas or Belltower can be photographed from the middle and upper stretches of the Rúa do Franco. The Rúa do Vilar, flush with the Airas Nunes Café, provides a classic view of the arcades and main facades, with the Torre del Reloj or Clocktower in the background. The parallel street, Rúa Nova, affords a picture postcard view of the porticoed houses around the tower of the Church of Santa María Salomé.

8. The Bountiful Market

Getting back to the historic core, the Mercado de Abastos or market is abuzz with activity, particularly first thing in the morning, suggesting detailed portraits of myriad people and gastronomic delights. Between the green of peppers and turnip greens, the orange of the velvet crabs and the blue of the lobsters, your pictures will look almost aromatic.

9. A Park With a View

You get to Bonaval Park through the Porta do Camiño, between the CGAC and the Convento de Bonaval. There, Álvaro Siza and Isabel Aguirre designed a succession of platforms and terraces which are a delight for any photographer. They are highlighted by the shadows cast by trees, the ruins of old monastic dwellings, the spring, the old cemetery with its lone cypress tree… Late afternoon light is magical, revealing splendid views of the monumental precinct with back lighting. The best time is in autumn, when the landscape is carpeted with yellow, red and brown foliage and branches become denuded, revealing towers and sturdy chimneys in the distance. Extraordinary views of the city from its carballeira and the neighbouring Rúa de Bonaval, which in the afternoon reflects the sun’s rays like no other street.

10. Walkway To A Historic City

By proceeding down the Avenida de Xoán XXIII as far as the transport terminal you get a contrasting image between the contemporary layout of the long steel marquee and the back facade of the Convento de San Francisco. The pergola grows smaller as you approach the monumental area, creating the optical effect of having “entered” the historic city.

How long can you afford to put off enjoying such a beautiful setting, Come on – free up some space on your smartphone and start packing. Check out our flights here.

Text and images: Santiago de Compostela Turismo

Our free days are a pleasant surprise on the calendar and the best way to get the most out of them is to board a plane bound for some fresh, entertaining and getatable destination. That spot is Gran Canaria, a whirlwind of sensations, halfway between Europe, Africa and America.

Gran Canaria is just a two-hour flight from the Iberian Peninsula. So, getting there is really easy. A comfortable trip with no stopovers will convey you to that diverse land which emerged millions of years ago from submerged volcanoes in the depths of the Atlantic.

One of the perks offered by a Gran Canaria getaway is, of course, the winter sun. Temperatures on the island remain a constant 24 degrees all year around, enabling you to make the most of any outing to Las Canteras, Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés or Puerto de Mogán, some of the best known and famous beaches.

The Gran Canaria seaboard is the perfect setting for letting off steam by engaging in watersports, but, if what you’re after is making forays into the island’s interior, you should make a point of visiting the towns of Teror, Agüimes, Tejeda and Artenara, or such stunning spots as the Guayadeque Gorge, an ancient pre-Hispanic settlement which nowadays is noted for its striking, cosy cave houses.

Any trip to Gran Canaria should include a visit to the island’s summit, a central area in the Biosphere Reserve where the Roque Nublo and Roque Bentayga outcrops stand. Oh, and remember to get your camera ready. There, you will literally feel like you have arrived in heaven when the weather phenomenon known as the “sea of clouds” spreads out at your feet, as if you were the main subject in a painting set against the memorable scenery of steep mountains and deep gorges.

The north coast of Gran Canaria features some must-see sites such as Puerto de Las Nieves and the Valle de Agaete, a lush garden with tropical fruit housing the only coffee plantation in Europe. Gáldar awaits you with the majesty of the Cueva Pintada (Painted Cave), the largest native Canarian archaeological site, while Arucas, for its part, is the headquarters of Arehucas Rum, a peerless drink which has livened up the festivities of many generations of Canary Islanders.

Well worth visiting is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a carefree capital with a wealth of cultural activities. Its Vegueta district is the city’s historic centre and you are urged to venture into the monumental area to see close-up the Cathedral of Santa Ana, Museo Canario, Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno and Christopher Columbus House Museum, a beautiful enclave where the Genoese navigator stopped over on his way to discovering America and which highlights the relationship between the Canary Islands and the New World.

If you’re up for an intense day of shopping at more than reasonable prices, the Calle Mayor de Triana is the ideal spot for it. Large, national and international firms and prestigious brands have stores in this shopping area, and the latter is a pleasure on the eyes, as the district features picturesque buildings in various architectural styles.

Gran Canaria is a lively island, an urban travel destination where you can soak up the atmosphere of its street markets and craft stalls, as well as the various events held there during the year. The last quarter of 2016 will see such long-awaited events as the start of the ARC Transatlantic Race, the Underwater Photography Contest, the Bethlehem built of sand on Las Canteras beach or the Gran Canaria Walking Festival, a grand event for trekking enthusiasts which in this upcoming fifth edition will be including new routes and a night itinerary for star-gazing on the Cumbre de Tejeda.

All these offerings make Gran Canaria a unique destination for an exciting long weekend or warm autumn or winter holiday. Here, time flies by and the island has lots of travel plans to be savoured in advance.

Why wait to experience all this first-hand? Check out our flights here.

Images by Patronato Turismo Gran Canaria

Paris makes the most of the inbound good weather by scheduling all types of events in the city’s parks and gardens. They range from music festivals to activities for kids and even spectacular light and sound shows. All this fanfare provides the perfect excuse for visitors to head for these splendid spots to chill out, refresh themselves and discover an alternative Paris, removed from its usual museum, café, restaurant and fashion store offerings. Following is a selection of some of the events that should be must-dos on your agenda if you happen to be in the French capital this summer.

Paris Plages
Who said Paris had no beaches? With the arrival of summer, the Parc Rives de Seine and Bassin de la Villette fill up with deck chairs, sunshades and areas to chill out, cool off and beat the heat. Additionally, all kinds of activities are laid on, including concerts, exhibitions and watersports. Especially inviting is Parc Rives de Seine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which covers some ten hectares stretching along the Seine riverbank. The area has undergone a radical upgrade since 2013, now refurbished as a public precinct with areas for promenading, doing sport and featuring playgrounds for small kids and even organic restaurants.

Rock en Seine
The Parc de Saint-Cloud is the spot earmarked to host one of the leading pop-rock music festivals in France, Rock en Seine. Three days, five stages, 65 concerts and 120,000 attendees await you at this marvellous venue, regarded as one of Europe’s most beautiful parks. A half-an-hour’s train ride from the Paris Saint-Lazare railway station, we assure you this festival is ideal for camping out in the park, which has its own camping area for festival-goers. And, should we have failed to win you over with the location, you are sure to be blown away by the heart-stopping lineup. Now in its 14th year, it features the likes of The xx, PJ Harvey, Flume, Franz Ferdinand, Cypress Hill, At The Drive-In, The Kills, Fakear and Mac DeMarco. Irresistible, isn’t it?

Festival Classique au Vert
Running from 5 August to 17 September is the Festival Classique au Vert, where you can delight in a complete programme of classical music which spans different styles, centuries and cultures. The programme is as eclectic as the venue it is hosted at, the Parc Floral. Stretching across twenty-eight hectares, it is part of the Paris botanical gardens, together with Bagatelle Park, l’École Du Breuil and the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil. Inaugurated in 1969, it is acclaimed for its variety of vegetation, with some, clearly Japanese-inspired areas and others shimmering with flowers – they boast a collection of 650 different types of iris. A unique experience in a unique setting.

Open-Air Film Festival
Our list of festivals would not be complete without the Open-Air Film Festival, held in the Parc de la Villette, in the city’s 9th arrondissement. There you can chill out and enjoy the evening watching a movie. Admission is free-of-charge and each year the screenings revolve around a different theme. This year it runs from 20 July to 20 August and is themed on food. Talking of which, don’t hesitate to take your picnic hamper to the park. You simply couldn’t think up a better way of ending the day!

Grand Night Show at the Fountains of Versailles
At the Palace of Versailles everything is oversized, as is the stunning light and sound show hosted there every summer in the famous gardens. Awaiting you on Saturdays from 17 June to 16 September from 8.30 p.m. are two and a half hours during which you will witness an intermingling of Baroque music, interplays of light and water and fireworks worthy of the Sun King.

Fête des Jardins
The twentieth Fête des Jardins (Paris Garden Festival) is held when summer gives way to autumn. This festival is hosted at some 150 venues in Paris and its environs and for one weekend a plethora of activities for all audiences are on offer, from guided visits to gardening workshops, games, concerts, tours, etc. One of the aims of this event is to reveal to the public all the ins and outs of landscaping and gardening and the elements involved in these professions. It is also a great chance to visit certain gardens which are only open to the public on this occasion.

Book your Vueling to Paris for these summer festivals, when you can get to visit its magnificent parks and gardens.

Text by Los viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Photos by Zélie Noreda - Photographie, Ken Eckert

Cantabria’s mining past remains alive in the 750 hectares of reddish landscape which is home to the Cabárceno Nature Park. Situated just 15 kilometres from Santander, its proximity is inversely proportional to the feeling of being in a wholly different part of the planet. Here, around one hundred animal species from the five continents roam in semi-freedom, including African elephants, gorillas, the ankole-watusi, the addax, llamas and sea lions.

The open-air tracts of land are spacious and immensely beautiful. The flora lives out its natural cycle during the four annual seasons, so you see a different park in the spring, summer, autumn and winter. The structures left behind from the area’s mining past have been re-used to appoint the various enclosures in Cabárceno. Animals are kept on land which resembles their natural habitat as closely as possible, as here the terrain is accommodating. A number of lookouts bring home the immensity of the panoramic landscape and allow visitors to spot herds of Somali asses, water buffalo, Grevi zebra and ostriches. The karst relief characterised by water’s fickle erosive force makes for fascinating observation and enhances the act of animal spotting.

Nature is allowed to run its course in the park. There are fights between members of the same species, the rutting season unfolds and dominant males abound. Man only intervenes in the event of illness, wounds, a life-threatening situation for some specimen and to feed the animals. That is when the park provides its Wildlife Visit. From 10 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon, a single vehicle seating 4 occupants drives through various areas inhabited by rhino, bears and giraffes. The tour costs €400, which includes a brunch in the park restaurant. Escorted by a ranger, visitors can get to see certain animals close up, as well as touch and feed them. This contact enables them to learn the traits and curiosities of each animal or species.

That is how you discover the three elegant giraffes that come running up to you because they see you arriving with a bag of carrots. All three are male and they get along well precisely because there are no females. Or you learn the amazing story of Jums, a 39-year-old African elephant that came from England and recognised one of its offspring that had been living in Cabárceno.

During the Wildlife Visit, guests are told about the rituals and training sessions conducted with some of the animals to get them accustomed to the presence of people for the sole purpose of enabling a vet to treat a wound or give them a medical check-up whenever necessary. This is a difficult task as wild animals retain their survival instinct and are thus wary of people, but it is gratifying to see how the staff’s daily work and their affection for the animals can work a miracle, as can an apple or a carrot!

The animals’ daily routine is not affected by the fortunate participants in the Wildlife Visit – book ahead, as there is a waiting list – and regular feeding times are strictly adhered to. The only enclosure where visitors are not allowed to get out of the car is that of the brown bears. However, a group of bears can be comfortably observed munching on a piece of bread or chicken through the car window just a few metres away. There are around 70 specimens in a 35-hectare space, which gives you some idea of how big the park is.

The Cabárceno Nature Park is dotted with natural lakes, and the 14 resident elephants relish bathing in waters up to 8 metres deep. The hippo enclosure here, rumoured to be the best in the world, is sited in the Lago Sexta, and a cableway is slated to run above this lake as of March 2016.

A one-day admission ticket to the Cabárceno Nature Park costs €25, and €15 for small children. However, we recommend you check out all the various types of admission, as there are discounts for families and “friends of Cabárceno”. Your ticket allows you to drive around the 20 kilometres of tracks in your own vehicle through all the areas. But, you are urged to observe the speed limit and safety precautions. Unfortunately, this unaccompanied drive-through does not allow you to touch or feed the animals; firstly, for safety reasons, as you will not be escorted by a ranger to guide you and, secondly, as each species has a specific diet at regular hours. A map is given to visitors at the entrance – the routes are clearly marked and you can download a mobile app which provides information on what you are seeing at all times. Park facilities include picnic areas for you to have a packed lunch at your leisure, and there are also cafés, restaurants and gift shops. Your ticket permits you to leave the park and re-enter later on. You are also allowed to make the tour in a camper van.

Your day trip will fly past as you observe the antics of fallow deer, red deer, gorillas, camels, displays of birds of prey and their types of flight, and sea lions cavorting about. (Don’t let them catch you calling them seals with ears – they don’t take kindly to being confused!) Whatever your age; if you like animals, this is where you will have a whale of a time!

Make haste to discover all this wildlife. Check out our flights to Santander here.

Text and images by Planeta Dunia