Monday, March 30, 2009

Budapest Gastronomy


Budapest is a city rich in culture, art and customs, which was named "Spa City" thanks to the huge number of springs it has. But it has much more to offer, such as its delicious cuisine, unique in flavours and recipes.

The Hungarian cuisine has been influenced by multiple cultures throughout its history. It has Austrian, French and Italian influences. It is rich in spicy flavours and aromas, thanks to the paprika, the most used ingredient. Among its favourite dishes there are soups, stews, fish and meat. Although gulash is undoubtedly the star Hungarian recipe.

In Hungary the restaurants could be classified in two ways: on the one hand, there are the "vendégló", which are more traditional restaurants where it is possible to taste the best home-cooked typical local food; on the other hand, there are design locals, where food is more refined and delicious recipes are served.

Among the most common dishes you'll find meat, especially game, which is served grilled or roasted. Their favourite recipes are "csirkepaprikás", paprika chicken; "porkolt", a variety meat stew; beef broth with marrow; "roston", roasted meat; and salami (known as "téliszalámi"), which is one of the best known international Hungarian products. However, "gulash" (a thick soup made with small meat cubes with potatoes and "csipetke") is the star inside and outside its borders. The "újházi tyúkhúsleves" is another type of chicken soup with peas, mushrooms, carrots and pasta.

Fish lovers are in luck too. There is a delicious fish soup called "halaszle" (fish, onions and paprika) they should try. Rather typical of this place are the excellent fresh water fish such as pike, catfish or trout. "Paprika fish" ("halpaprikás") are very popular too (soups that include at least three kinds of fish, onions and paprika).

A popular ingredient to cook is "tejföl" (fresh cheese such as "quark" which intensifies the flavours). Main dishes are served with pasta, rice and "tarhonya" (meatballs). They are also very common vegetables and salads.

The pastry is a specialty of the country. The most typical desserts are the "túrós csusza", sweet warm cakes filled with curd; the "pancakes"; the "palacsinta", an omelette filled with raisins, ground walnuts and lemon covered with chocolate cream; and the "somló", a sponge cake with cream and rum. Hungarian wines are very famous too.

Discover why the Hungarian cuisine is one of the most delicious of Europe! Rent Budapest Apartments and enjoy your stay!

Budapest, the "Spa City"


Budapest was appointed "Spa City" in 1934 for its huge amount of curative and thermal springs. This city has 118 wells with 70 million litres of water at temperatures ranging between 21 and 80 ° C. Thanks to its mineral these waters heal many ailments. Many of the spas of Budapest date from Roman times, but only since the twentieth century people began to be used them for treatment of diseases.

Some spas are transformed into nightclubs every weekend. Aquatic parties called "Cinetrip Parties" or "Magic Baths" are organized, where young people dance and have fun in the pools.

Aside from these parties, most of the public baths are not mixed. Some of them are exclusive for men or for women and other reserve a few days for each sex. But there are also some spas in which both sexes can be mixed.

Széchenyi Spa

The Széchenyi Spa was inaugurated in 1913 and it is one of the largest spas in Europe. It has 15 pools: 3 large outdoor pools and 12 small covered pools. It has Turkish baths, saunas, massage service and diving pools too. One of the main attractions are the chess matches that are disputed in the warmer outdoor pool (37 ° C), where tourists and locals challenge each other to games and spend a pleasant time.

Shelude: todos los días de 6.00 a 22.00 horas
Address: District 14. Állatkerti Avenue, 11

Gellért Spa

It is one of the oldest spas of Budapest. This is a beautiful place thanks to its spectacular marble columns, its colourful Zsolnay mosaics, its statues, its beautiful stained glass windows, it modernist furniture and it 700m square atrium with a beautiful glass roof. The spa is located inside the Gellért hotel. It has 9 pools: an outdoor wave pool, a thermal water pool, a children's pool and a covered effervescent pool. It also has a sauna and massage services.

Shelude: weekdays: from 6.00 to 19.00, weekends: from 6.00 to 17.00
Adress: District 11. Kelenhegyi Street, 4

Budapest is waiting for you. Rent Budapest apartments and enjoy your travel!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Barcelona Outlets - The Cheapest Prices of Major Brands


Maybe you are one of those passionate of shopping and top labels... Has the financial crisis affected your wallet and your wardrobe? The high prices of major brands articles are an impediment to buy them in these crisis times. So, you have to renounce the quality to acquire better offers. Stop! Outlet stores are proliferating: you'll find all kinds of top quality labels at reasonable prices - they're usually leftovers from past seasons.

La Roca Village is one of the major commercial centres dedicated just to Outlets of quality brands. It imitates a village with a main street flanked by hundreds of top labels stores: Antonio Miro, Billabong, Burberry, Cacharel, Calvin Klein, Corso Italia, Gant, Hugo Boss, Levis, Loewe, Polo Ralph Lauren and Swarovski, among many others. Find the best clothing, cosmetics, home furnishings... Everything you wish at discounted prices up to 60%!

Another Outlet shopping centre is Heron City where you'll find discounts of up to 70% in all kind of stores.

There are also great stores to decorate your home at an accessible price. There are many establishments which sell appliances with slight defects:

1. Stock (C/Guifrè el Pilos, 7 - Can Vinyals Industrial Park, Santa Perpetua de Mogoda),

2. Rohymaz (C/Pompeu Fabra, 75, Mollet del Vallés) or Factory Appliances (A7 road, Cardedeu - Carretera de les Aigües - no number)

To dress up your home go to:

1. Zabriskiestudio (C/Mallorca, 198)
2. Stock House (C/Balmes 67)
3. La Perla Gris Outlet (C/Consell de Cent, 300)

There are also Outlets for children or mothers:

1.Boboli Outlet (C/Valencia, 654)
2. Prenatal 2 (C/Portaferrisa, inside the Maldá Galleries)

Rent Barcelona Apartments and enjoy this beautiful city and its incredible economic prices!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Berlin, European Capital of the Gay World


Berlin is a cosmopolitan and modern city, very committed to the gay cause. Because of that it is one of the three gay capitals in Europe, together with London and Amsterdam. Even its town's mayor, Klaus Wowereit, has declared himself openly gay.

There isn't an unique gay neighbourhood in the city, as Chueca in Madrid, but everything is widespread throughout the city. Throughout all the neighbourhoods the rainbow flags are waving.

The ancient East area, now Schönhauser Allee, stands out for its great quantity alternative bars, restaurants and clubs. This area, close to Alexanderplatz, is frequented by gays and lesbians and houses popular locals such as Kinzer or GMF @ Café Moskau. In Kreuzberg there are renowned clubs like SchwuZ (the most famous one), Serena Bar, SO36 or Culture Club. Kreuzberg and Berlin-Mitte are the favourite areas for girls

The ancient West Area is a prominently male atmosphere and it is concentrated around the Nollendorf Square in Schöneberg. At that place, a commemorative monument as a reminder to the homosexual victims of the Nazi regime was put up. There the first gay bars were open and the neighbourhood became the gay culture center in Berlin. In this quarter there is a large concentration of gay and gay-friendly hotels and "men only" premises (Rob, Man's, Jaxx, Mr.B). But there are plenty of mixed bars or pubs for straight people.

The Gay Pride in Berlin is one of the biggest of the old continent, with half a million people taking part. Are you going to miss it? Rent Berlin Apartments and discover a beautiful gay atmosphere!

Holy Week in Andalucia


The Holy Week is one of the most representative religious festivals in Spain, which is celebrated throughout the country. But if there is a region that lives it with a special fervour, that is Andalusia. There are thousands of tourists who flock to Andalusia to enjoy Holy Week, which is celebrated during the week of the first full moon of spring. This Christian festival commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus, in addition to the Passion of Christ.

The Holy Week begins with the end of the Lent (from Palm Sunday to Holy Wednesday) and finishes with the Holy Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Hly Saturday and Sunday of the Resurrection). About 60 Brotherhoods leave in procession with images of the Virgin and the Passion of Christ to the delight tourists and locals.

The processions are sorted parades followed by rows of penitents or Nazarenes with candles. Usually sounds instrumental music with the parades, unless they are silent processions.

The case of the Seville Holy Week is very special. This is one of the most important in Spain. It enjoys an international reputation within the Catholic world and it has been declared a public holiday of International Tourist Interest.

People in Seville venerate the following saints: the "Señor de Sevilla", the "Virgen de la Macarena y la Esperanza de Triana", the "Cristo de la Expiración (Cachorro) " and the "Cristo del Gran Poder".

But in addition to a religious festival, Easter is an important cultural event. Discover why travelling to Andalusia. Rent Seville Apartments for the best accommodation.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Seville's April Fair


Spring is in the air and in Seville one notices that a festive atmosphere is fast approaching. Within a very short time (from 28th April to 3rd May), the April Fair in Seville will be held and is one of the most famous celebrations both in Andalusia and Spain. This fair dates back to 1846, when two men asked the City Council for an annual cattle fair for the city. Since then, it has changed a lot and it has become what we now know as the Seville April Fair.

This is the most relevant festival in Andalusia and the one that receives the most tourists together with the Holy Week or Semana Santa. It is also an indispensable meeting point for Sevillian people. For seven whole days people eat, drink, dance and have fun at the fair.

The celebration begins with the "Enlightened Monday" ceremony and with a traditional fish dinner. To close it, after seven days of intense fun, fireworks are launched and the traditional bull fights take place.

The fairground enclosure is a replica of Seville and it is established in the Remedios neighbourhood. The streets have names of famous bullfighters: Joselito El Gallo, Curro Romero and Ricardo Torres "Bombita". In addition, they put up lots of marquees or little tents decorated with rainbow lanterns and the Town hall rewards the most beautiful one.

In the mornings, the streets of the fairground are filled with people who want to see the horse drawn carriages, horsemen and "flamencas". Everyone eats the typical fried fish and drinks "manzanilla" or "fino" (sweet wine). In the evening the mythical bull runs are celebrated with the great bullfighting masters in the Maestranza bullring. Then the party continues until dawn.

The April Fair is the perfect place to eat, to drink, to dance "sevillanas" and to have a great time. There are many places to relax or have fun, plus a host of stalls selling all kinds of food and drink.

Are you going to miss this fabulous Spring Fair? Travel to Andalusia and rent Seville Apartments to find the best accommodation.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Barcelona's Raval


The Raval neighbourhood was historically the slum of the ancient Barcelona. However, it has become the most fashionable area in the city. Lots of bohemian and cool bars and clubs now fill its alleyways. If you are into new tendencies, the Barcelona Raval is your quarter! But it is still a good idea to take care with your wallet and backpack at night. It has a unique personality that makes it special. Although it is an exciting area in the city, it also has its darker side.

The Raval neighbourhood represents a refreshing and authentic area of Barcelona. It used to be the famous Barcelona's red-light district. The government started an urban regeneration project for the Olympics to clean up the area and becomes it safer. But there are still some unsafe areas, where drugs, theft and prostitution continue. However, it is a vibrant, lively and multicultural quarter!

It enjoys has a multitude of fashionable and ethnic restaurants, pubs, clubs and bars and a wide variety of art studios, galleries, such as the famous MACBA (museum of modern art) and CCCB (an exhibition centre). There are lot of shops, and unique boutiques that you'll find only in the area. Here you'll find the small privately owned shops!

Discover the Rambla del Raval. This is a new space gained to the neighbourhood. This is a lovely avenue, dominated by Arab people. Hence, this quarter is also known as the Little Islamabad or as Ravalkistan. In this quarter there live foreign families, especially from Morocco, Pakistan, India, Bangla Desh and South America...

The Marsella bar is a mandatory stop (Sant Pau street). First it was a distinguished coffee for high class Gentlemen, but eventually it became the central point of the singles scene. Another treasures in the Sant Pau Street are the beautiful modernist decorations of the Hotel Spain lounges, designed by Domenech i Muntaner.

The Raval neighbourhood is a fascinating quarter. Discover it wondering through its small narrowstreets, or as they used to say in Barcelona, "ravaleando". Rent Barcelona Apartments for the best stay in the city.

Monday, March 9, 2009

When Football Raises Passions - Barca Vs Real Madrid


Football is for many people much more than sport. This has become the most popular game on the planet, with nearly 270 million people participating in one way or another. In Spain, soccer moves astronomical amounts of money on advertising alone, with Barça and Real Madrid with the most capital invested in promotion. In addition, these two clubs have the most followers. Even their players have become media stars just like singers and actors.

In fact, the enthusiasm for football in Spain has reached astonishing levels: the stadiums of both teams are among the most visited attractions in both cities. In addition, the Museum of Barcelona FC is the most visited museum in Catalonia, ahead of other well-known ones such as the Dalí museum.

Barca and Real Madrid are two of the most famous teams in the world and in our country they have always been eternal rivals. Madrid was named Best Club of the century by FIFA in 2000. they have won 31 league titles, 17 Copa del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 9 Champion's Leagues, 2 UEFA Cups, 1 European Supercup and Intercontinental Cups 3.

Considering Barça, it has been the only European team that has played continuously in the continental competitions since its beginnings in 1955. Moreover, it has attained 18 league titles, 24 Copas del Rey, 7 Spanish Super Cups, 2 European Super Cups, 2 Champion's League titles, 4 European Cup Winner's Cups and 3 European Fairs Cups among others.

Both Culès as well as Meringues have been blessed with the best soccer stars. Barca have signed players such as Messi, Cruyff, Maradona, Laudrup, Ronaldinho or Kubala, while Real Madrid have signed stars such as Zidane, Di Stefano, Casillas, Raul, Ronaldo and Puskas.

At the moment FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are fighting for the top two positions in the table with Barcelona ahead by just a few points. What seemed impossible a few days ago when a seemingly invincible Barça were 12 points ahead, is now much more of a target for Real Madrid.

We will have to wait until 3rd May for the eternal rivals to face each other again. Undoubtedly, it will be a game to provoke heart attacks as one side is speaking of a crisis in the Barça camp while the whites are enjoying a good run of unbeaten games.

Does anyone dare to bet on who will win the league? With so few days to go until the end of the league, emotions are running at an all time high. The match will be played at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid so why not enjoy the game in style - rent the best apartments in Madrid so as not to miss a thing!

Monday, March 2, 2009

Sintra - A Fantastic City


Sintra is one of the most beautiful towns in Europe. It belongs to Portugal and it is located close to Lisbon. It was known in ancient times as Mons Lunae (the Hills of the Moon), because of its strong traditions in astral cults. Sintra has been declared World Heritage by UNESCO due to the large amount of archaeological remains and monuments it has.

It is a very tourist town because it enjoys of a rich cultural heritage. It tourist potentialities also include the three National Palaces: Palácio da Vila and Palácio de Queluz and Palácio da Pena, in addition to the municipal museums. It also includes the quarries producing marble, winegrowing, the confectionery and gastronomy and the handicraft workshops.

Thanks to its unique combination of castles, parks and gardens, Sintra enjoys a beautiful and unusual geography. The city centre is about 15 minutes by walk from the train station. The Sintra's heart is a real gem: everything there seems as if you were in a fairy tale. There is a wonderful Toy Museum for young and old people, lots of craft shops, pastry shops and restaurants. The Jardins de Monserrate are a must. They have a huge variety of subtropical plants and exotic trees. Not to be missed are the palaces of Seteais and Monserrate and the Moorish Castle dates from the 8th century.

There are any other mandatory places to visit: the Convento dos Capuchos, : the 12th Century Igreja de Santa Maria or some several private palaces that are open to the public: the Palácio de Seteais, a magnificent 18th Century home transformed into a five star Hotel; Casa dos Ribafrias, a 16th Century building Quinta de Pena Verde, another 16th Century palace, and the Palácio de Monserrate, built in the 19th Century.

There are also many museums to visit: the Casa Museu Leal de Câmara, which shows the Palace's art works; the Museu Regional, which shows the area's history; Museu de Arte Moderna, the Casa Museu Dorita Castel Branco and the Galeria de Arte Municipal among others.

Sintra lies along a wonderful coast, so it has beautiful beaches. Do you need any other reason to go to Portugal? Take the first train to Sintra and rent Lisbon Apartment. As Robert Southey once wrote: "Sintra is the most blessed place of all the habitable world".
 
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