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The passionate rhythms of Cuba

Everyone is familiar with the contagious sounds of the Buena Vista Social Club. The hot-blooded musical culture of Cuba can be encountered on virtually every street corner. Whether in the old night clubs of Havana, the swinging music cafés of Santiago de Cuba or during Carnival in Trinidad de Cuba, you will always find music and dancing throughout the entire island.

Nightlife

Buena Vista Social Club

In 1997, Cuban music suddenly became world famous. American guitarist Ry Cooder brought together a handful of legendary Cuban singers/musicians to record a studio album, among them Rubén González, Ibrahim Ferrer and Compay Segundo. The Buena Vista Social Club was such a success that the singers, some whom were of quite some age, were invited to perform at international concerts. González, Ferrer and Segundo have since died but younger replacements keep the band alive.

Hotel Nacional

Live music and mojitos in Havana

Havana has so many fantastic old music theatres and night clubs that it’s hard to choose just one. One of the most traditional is El Gato Tuerto, a jazz club from the 50s where bolero is very popular. The barman here also makes a great mojito. Salón 1930 (also called the Compay Segundo Hall) in Hotel Nacional de Cuba has a nostalgic atmosphere. This fabled hotel was once frequented by the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Frank Sinatra. The original Buena Vista Social Club has also performed in this famous venue and performances of the same calibre can often be heard today. You’ll find yourself surrounded by panama hats and glimmering salsa dresses.

Salsa, rumba or cha-cha-cha lessons

All of Cuba has local music cafés: the Casas de la Trova, where music is performed from 11:00 am to late at night and the listeners end up dancing with abandon between the tables. Those looking for a private lesson in salsa, rumba, son or cha-cha-cha can go to the La Casa del Son in Havana. This dance school is housed in a sober colonial building in the old city centre. The English-speaking teachers have a contagious passion for music.

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Arts & Culture

Houston and Dallas may be bigger and more famous, but Austin is in fact the capital of Texas. It’s also the least Texan city in Texas. And the weirdest city in the country. This is something its residents take pride in, as evidenced by the Austin motto of Keep Austin Weird! Have a peek inside weird houses or admire a cathedral of junk in a city where there is even a museum devoted entirely to the weird and strange.

Nightlife

When it comes to music, you might be inclined to think New Orleans (jazz), Memphis (rock ‘n’ roll), Chicago (blues) or Nashville (country), but Austin is actually the music capital of the US. The city boasts over 250 music venues, more than any other American city. You can choose from countless live performances and a fantastic music festival every month, such as SXSW. Austin lives and breathes music.

Beach, Water sports, Nature

The airport in Liberia is the gateway to the Province of Guanacaste, the sunniest part of Costa Rica. Thanks to its large number of snow-white buildings and tree-lined streets made of white gravel, the city itself is also referred to as ‘la ciudad blanca’. But, let’s be honest, most visitors who arrive here are primarily interested in white sand. Only a half hour by car from the airport is the fantastic Pacific coast with beaches that are postcard perfect.

Nature

In the Rincón de la Vieja National Park, you can hike, swim in natural hot springs, picnic and camp. The park features a variety of ecosystems around nine craters and 32 rivers with spectacular waterfalls during the rainy season. The diversity of flora and fauna is amazing: look up and chances are you’ll see toucans, sloths and monkeys in the treetops.

Active & Outdoor

Old towns, stunning constructions and wonderful nature: admire all of this and more in THIS IS HOLLAND, a brand-new 5D movie attraction by the producers of De Nieuwe Wildernis (The New Wilderness). It is the perfect introduction to Holland for first-time visitors, but also an interesting surprise for Dutchies who think they know their country inside out. This is a magical 5D experience with smells, colours, images, sounds, rain and shine.

Culinary

Everyone in Sweden knows Småland as the nation’s culinary centre. The region’s cuisine goes above and beyond the famous meatballs: a Michelin-star restaurant serves innovative Swedish haute cuisine, coffee is elevated to an art, and you can visit a lovely castle and pretend to be Lord or Lady of the manor. Here are three suggestions for typically Swedish restaurants in the city of Växjö.

Arts & Culture

Älmhult is the birthplace of renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus and children’s books author Astrid Lindgren, however its most famous ‘offspring’ is IKEA. Life in this southern Swedish town evolves around the blue-and-yellow furniture giant: from the IKEA Hotel and IKEA Museum to the IKEA Bar and IKEA Spa. Welcome to the one and only IKEA Småland – meatballs and ball pit included.