The Nit de l’Art in Palma, the night of art, is an event typifying Majorcathat is organized in the capital and that surprises everyone who attends. Celebrated for more than 20 years, this night pays homage to culture through the work of artists of all kinds who strive to fill the city with exhibitions of paintings, sculptures and crafts and to put on theatrical, poetic and musical performances. As a family it’s a great way to get to know an alternative side of the island that not everyone who visits has the pleasure of knowing.

On September 22, the city of Palma becomes the scene of a large number of artistic exhibitions. From early in the afternoon to the early hours of the morning, the capital becomes a canvas for a continuous display for all ages. From storytelling and children’s shows, to personal performances in individual lounges, paintings, poetry in the street, sculptures, dances and small plays that are performed in the squares and bars of Palma.

Sol Hotels would like to recommend some of the best areas of the city to enjoy this great cultural display that highlights the need to recognize the work that artists carry out to create the Majorcan cultural identity. The areas of Escorxador, and calle Blanquerna are reserved for artistic performances that can be group or individual, depending on the type of show that the artist is putting on. Exhibitions of painting and sculpture are reserved for the Plaza Mayor, which also hosts music concerts and some photographic exhibitions. The Paseo del Borne is reserved for theatre, dance and music groups while the Jaume III and Paseo Majorca areas host dance performances and exhibitions. Finally, the calle de Las Ramblas is usually reserved for a craft market where typical products and Majorcan crafts are available.

During the ‘Nit de l’Art’ the museums open their doors, allowing the public free entry to the works that they regularly exhibit. This event is also an excellent opportunity to try Majorcan food such as coca de trempó (cod and spicy sausage), ensaimada (cream cakes), tumbet (roast vegetables), frito mallorquin (fried meat and vegetables) and sausages, among many other dishes. Come to the ‘Nit de l’Art’ in Palma and choose Sol Resorts to enjoy a relaxing experience full of comfort and fun in our private theme park Sol Katmandu Park. Majorca knows all about the best family holidays.

Tenerife is the most well-known island in the Canary Islands and especially its gastronomy. 5 restaurants which were awarded Premio Michelin, one of the highest culinary distinction award, are located in Tenerife. There’s no place with such a high culinary distinction and prestige.

Tenerife has beautiful beaches, monumental mountains and running and hiking places, but it’s also one of the best gastronomic destinations, where it is possible to make a career in cooking and study culinary higher education.

An island with a delicious historical background

The best culinary secrets in Tenerife are found on their lands, which always have been really profitable for all the people from Tenerife. It’s a fertile ground where potatoes, bananas and lots of vegetables have been grown for more than 400 years.  Honey and cheese are also world-famous in Tenerife, and villagers worked hard to obtain the perfect flavours.

gourmet restaurant in Santa Cruz, Tenerife

Gastronomic hotel Iberostar Grand Hotel Mencey

Santa Cruz, Tenerife, and the Canary Islands are well-recognized since the 50’s.  After decades of effort,  illustrious guests came and tasted its delicious food, now a gastronomic icon in the city.  In fact, it’s a gastronomic icon thanks to a culinary classroom which offers guests a tasting menu and cooking courses at themed kitchens.

Culinary school in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

La Cocina del Mencey is responsible for training the new generation of chefs in Tenerife. It also offers courses for visitors and people who want to start a career as a chef: European haute cuisine courses, intensive exotic, Indian or Japanese food courses and Spanish and local cuisine courses.  Whether you want to learn cooking to make a culinary career or to surprise someone, The Mencey Cookery Classroom is the perfect place for you. You will learn to prepare a wide range of difficult drinks and cocktails in a unique destination.

Welcome once more to the latest news of the Mencey’s Cookery Classroom for this month of April. Spring is here and with it, the desire to go out and enjoy the outdoors, terraces, the company of friends and family, the sunshine and endless proposals that good weather brings.

For this month of April, both the IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Mencey and its Cookery Classroom introduce a number of new features that will delight those who come to this resort in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The first novelty involves a new service offered by this luxury hotel, Mencey’s SPRUNCH. The Sprunch is a new concept that combines the services of the Spa and the Brunch service that is already available on the weekends. Mencey’s Sprunch will be available every Sunday of the month, making it the perfect alternative to enjoy with your partner, group of friends and family. This package includes 90 minutes in the water circuit of the SPA, as well as tasting the delicious Gourmet Brunch menu, served from 11.00 am to 14.00pm. The price per person is only 35€, making it an unbeatable offer.

Gastronomic hotel in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

There is one more news regarding the SPA Sensations, is its special promotion for the month of April. The Spa centre of the Grand Mencey Hotel has launched two irresistible beauty and wellness offers. The first includes 90 minutes in the water circuit of the SPA, as well as a full body exfoliation and massage, with a single price of 69 €. The second offer is the Cleopatra hydro-massage and the Shirochampi massage for just 49 €.

The following 26^th of April, all members of Mencey’s SPA & Sport Center are invited to participate in a day of hiking organized by the group “Patea tusmontes”.

Other news related to sports, is the celebration of Mencey’s Padel Tournament. The event will take place from the 17^th of April to the 2^ndof May, with a maximum participation of 100 athletes in the male, female and mixed categories. The cost per participant is 20 €.

It is one of the hearts of Madrid, one of those places where time and space have stopped, where the most authentic essence of the capital is preserved, its art, history and the pages written by some of the most representative Spanish authors.  Dotted with traditional bars, it is arranged in around ten small streets with names of mythical poets and writers that lived and stayed in this area of Madrid close to La Gran Vía and Congress of Deputies.

El Barrio de Las Letras comprises Calle de la Cruz Jacinto Benavente Street, the emblematic Paseo del Prado, Atocha and the mythical Carrera de San Jerónimo. There are situated historical places such as Plaza del Ángel, Quevedo street and a bar with the same name, one of the must do tapas tours in Madrid, Huertas street and the pleasant Santa Ana square, perfect to have an aperitif in the terraces under the winter sun of Madrid.

The name of this neighbourhood is recent, but its origin is ancient. In a certain way, it is a tribute to one of the golden ages of the Spanish literature, specifically to Madrid throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In these years, El Barrio de Las Letras in Madrid boasted so illustrious neighbours such as Quevedo, Cervantes, Lope and Góngora. Streets such as Calle del Mentidero -whose name comes from El Mentidero de los cómicos (The comedy club)-  Calle de Francos or the before mentioned Calle de la Cruz were places full of poetry, theatre, comedy and prose.

Nowadays, it is possible to walk around its streets and enjoy some of the traces of that time: the House-Museum of Lope de Vega, Convent of las Monjas Trinitarias Descalzas, San Sebastián Church… It is clear that not very much has been preserved, but the spirit is present in every corner and these street are still a must visit in Madrid.

The best option to know in depth El Barrio de Las Letras in Madrid is to book a hotel in La Gran Vía, close to Cibeles and Paseo del Prado. Your will be one step away from Puerta del Sol and Callao, and right next to the Golden Triangle of Art, La Latina and near to Lavapiés. The prices in this area are really affordable if you consider the price-quality relationship. Additionally, there is a wide range of alternatives, from guest houses for short and affordable trips to 3, 4 and 5 star hotels which are an authentic luxury. Here is a short list for those who are planning to escape to Madrid in these winter or spring months:

●       Petit Palace Savoy Alfonso XII

●       Iberostar De Las Letras

●       Petit Palace Art Gallery

●       Catalonia Las Cortes

●       Petit Palace Cliper Gran Vía

●       Posada del Peine