Košice

It is the second largest city in Slovakia, after the capital city Bratislava . Lying in the valley of the River Hornad, Košice is a regional administrative centre and also a hub of industry, science, culture and commerce.

Košice is a city with an eventful historical past, its earliest recorded mentioning dates from 1230, when it was referred to as the “Villa Cassa”. The coat of arms is the oldest in Europe, a fact attested to by a letter dating from 1369. The city’s historical  sights – from various eras – are concentrated in the historic centre, which is an Urban Heritage Area by the way. The reconstructed main street, lined by burgher houses and palaces, offers visitors a pleasant stroll and is also the venue for major events in the life of the city.

According to an Italian daily newspaper,  the Corriere Della Sera, the city of Košice will be among the top ten world cities in the near future,  same category as Vladivostok, Pittsburgh or the Chinese Tianjin. The article  highlighted the huge potential of development in the city, with regard to tourism, investments and its strategic location.

The city was given the attribute “glocal”, and the Italian newspaper draws special attention to the city’s unique identity that could be the basis for itsfuture development. Marseille on the French Riviera was also included in this  list, as the Team of the European Capital of Culture for 2013 has been considering greater cooperation in this area as well.

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Spanish tortilla – guest post by Izabella

Tortilla was one of my favourite breakfasts when I stayed in Vigo, Spain. Tried to prepare it here at home many times, and never managed to achieve the flavour of the original one, but I will tell you how it should be done :).

Take a large bowl, 1kg of potatoes, cut it into nice slim slices and add some salt over them. In a large frying pan heat the olive oil. When it’s already hot, start to fry the potatoes. Don’t forget to keep stirring them so that they won’t stick or get burnt.

After 5 minutes, add a half onion to the potatoes, chopped very fine. Stir it, then cover the frying pan. Take the bowl, break 8 large eggs, add a pinch of salt and beat them.

When the potatoes break easily under the touch of the stirring spoon they are ready, and you can add the potato to the beaten eggs. Mix the potato with the eggs in the bowl, meanwhile the frying pan gets very hot, but there will be no extra oil in it.

Now you can put the mixture into the frying pan, splat it down and keep the heat at medium for a few minutes.

And the best part: put a plate over the pan and try to turn over the tortilla carefully. When you put it back into the pan, press down a little the sides so that it will look like a real tortilla de patatas.

Turn over the tortilla several times – you know that it’s ready when you put a knife into it and the knife comes out clean. Good appetite!

(If it does not turn out to be perfect for the first time, just keep practicing – or you can also look for a cheap flight ticket to Madrid, Valladolid, Vigo or Oviedo, and have a holiday dedicated to the gastronomic delights of Spain!)

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Autumn getaway in Dublin

Dublin, the capital of Ireland is a perfect place for autumn holidays. The City of Dublin is both the capital and the largest city in Ireland – an important cultural centre, with wonderful mingling of ancient and modern Gaelic art.

It has a maritime climate with mild winters and moderate summers, with raining almost all the year round. Among the best deal hotels I had found on a price-comparing website, there is Dublin IMI Residence, a prestigious 3 star hotel located right in the heart of the city, offering 50 spacious and tastefully decorated rooms, available from 57 euros per night. I’d rather opt for a cheap hotel in Dublin, mainly because of financial reasons, and also to stay near the National Museum of Ireland or the National Gallery, but also within walking distance of the Temple Bar district and its famous nightlife… J Bewleys Hotel Ballsbridge is another 3 star hotel from the list that has excellent brewery and a renowned gourmet restaurant. To spend an extraordinary day outside the city, why not go to Shelbourne Park or Leopardstown to bet on a horse race or greyhound? You could enjoy the last moments of your stay walking along the banks of the Liffey, where you can see many wonders, like the Christ Church Cathedral or the Ha’penny Bridge. If you stay in the IMI Residence, the luxury hotel in Sandyford Road, you’ll be closer to these monuments but you will be to pay 60 euros per night to enjoy the impeccable services and the beautifully decorated rooms. For further information visit: http://www.gov.ie/en/

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