(There’s also music in Milan, Fashion in London and the latest from our Polish columnists!)

Piers

Editor

WIZZ magazine

The pizza king of Naples

Words & Photos Sarah Lane

With his dazzling smile, pop idol good looks and bucketfuls of charisma, Gino Sorbillo could fill a pizzeria just by donning an apron. He takes his profession seriously, however, and his Sorbillo pizzeria, whose motto is “quality and quantity at honest prices”, plays a very active part in a crusade to maintain the high standards of one of his city’s biggest draws – the Neapolitan pizza.

“I feel it’s my mission to make the best possible pizzas,” says Gino and, as a third-generation pizza chef, his dedication is based on solid foundations.

“You must never forget where you come from,” stresses Gino, who’s made pizzas for the pope and for stars such as Sophia Loren. “Even now that there are queues of people outside the door each day and we’ve expanded our premises, it’s important for us to remember our roots and all the tougher times we’ve been through. We must never stop striving to improve.”

The Sorbillo pizzeria started out with just four tables in the 1930s, run by Gino’s grandparents Luigi and Carolina. Life wasn’t so easy for Gino’s father, Salvatore, 18th in a family of 21 brothers and sisters, all of whom stayed in the family trade and became pizza chefs. Salvatore, who mans the till at the pizzeria nowadays, didn’t believe in pampering the young Gino.

“He made me come to work from a very early age,” recalls Gino. “I was waiting tables while still at elementary school, then when I went on to attend the high school just opposite the pizzeria I wasn’t thrilled that I had to spend all my free time here working.”

So when did the inspired pizza chef first emerge? “I always enjoyed making my own pizza each day and I’d actually sold my first one to a client when I was just eight – or rather, I would’ve done had I remembered to ask for the money. I was so proud!”

Gino was thrown in the deep end nine years later when he had to step in and take over when his father was laid up after slicing open his kneecap cutting wood for the pizza oven. On his return, Salvatore was surprised when customers asked if Gino could make their pizzas, and Gino hasn’t looked back.

“I think one of the secrets of our success is working with the family,” considers Gino (pictured right). He’s proud of his pizza heritage and portraits of Luigi and Carolina are a permanent presence at the pizzeria, supervising goings-on from their place on the wall. “Another fundamental is to respect all clients – we have a very wide range here, from penniless students to VIPs and they all get treated the same.

“I disagree with those who consider pizzerias to be a kind of second-class restaurant and don’t bother to create an attractive environment. I believe standards should be kept as high as possible and you should try to improve on them all the time.”

The major key to success, however, is the quality of the pizzas. Gino seeks out the very best of each ingredient and works with micro-suppliers. “We have a guy from the local countryside who provides our oregano, somebody else supplying tomatoes, another for mozzarella and so on.” The flour is from Antico Molino Caputo, a local family-run firm dating back to 1924. Nowadays they also run professional courses for pizza chefs who come to Naples from all over the world to perfect their skills.

“This is a really exciting time for us,” beams Gino. “In December last year the Neapolitan pizza was granted TSG (traditional speciality guaranteed) status by Europe. It’s something we’d been battling for for ages and it’s a real boost for the local economy as well as a breakthrough for those of us who’ve always believed in maintaining standards high.”

The regulation gives strict guidelines to be followed if a pizza is to call itself a real Neapolitan. Key elements include the dimensions (max 35cm diameter), ingredients (such as local buffalo or cow’s milk mozzarella for the Margherita), methods (including a second rising for the dough), the use of a wood-fired oven with a temperature of around 485°C and the baking time of 60-90 seconds.

While most pizzerias offer a wide choice of varieties – indeed, the menu at Sorbillo is made up of 21 pizzas named after the record-breaking family of pizza chefs, plus a selection of classics – the European regulation only concerns Margheritas (tomato, mozzarella and basil) and Marinaras (tomato, garlic and oregano).

That said, Da Michele (Via Sersale 1/3, +39 081 553 9204, www.damichele.net), another of Naples’ historic pizzerias, serves nothing but these two varieties and the lack of choice certainly doesn’t seem to put people off – they’ve even adopted a numbered queue management system to keep the flocks of hungry diners under control.

While in Naples, pizza pilgrims should also pay a visit to the place where the Margherita first gained its name – Pizzeria Brandi (Salita Sant’Anna di Palazzo 1, +39 081 416 928, www.brandi.it). Although mozzarella, tomato and basil on a pizza was nothing new, the Italian queen’s preference for this variety, with its patriotic green, red and white colours like the Italian flag, caused it to be baptised in her name following her visit to Naples in 1889.

While the city doesn’t claim to have a monopoly on pizzas, or even necessarily to have invented them first – as Gino says, “all it takes is a bit of flattened dough to say you’ve made a pizza” – here in Naples it’s become a genuine speciality. The Association of Pizza Chefs does its bit to promote them. “We take our portable ovens to all sorts events – we made pizzas in the central Piazza del Plebiscito during the Naples marathon for example and we even went down to Abruzzo after the earthquake last year to bring some tasty cheer.”

Gino’s social conscience doesn’t stop there – his menu includes Amnesty pizzas that incorporate a donation to the charity and he’s an active member of a consortium of local businesses that promote security  measures in the Old Town centre where his pizzeria is located. “I really love the colourful atmosphere of the old centre of Naples – it’s unique,” Gino enthuses.

But doesn’t he ever switch off? “When I got married we closed just for the day and I was back making pizzas instead of jetting off on a honeymoon the day after. Incidentally my wife is the only person I know who doesn’t like my pizzas!” he grins wryly. “But, yes, I do get free time and I love going mountain biking – that, as well as my plants, is my other passion alongside my work.”

Sorbillo, Via Tribunali 32, +39 081 446 643, www.sorbillo.it

TAPAS TALES

Mission: We challenge Xav Judd to dine on nothing but the strangest and most delicious tapas he can find in a 12-hour tour of Barcelona

Tapas, as you probably know, is the wide range of hot or cold appetisers or bite-sized snacks rustled up in Spanish cuisine. The origins of the word derives from tapar, which means “to cover”. Indeed, according to one legend, during the 16th century, tavern owners in Castilla-La Mancha realised that they could hide or “cover” the flavour of stale wine by using tidbits of strong cheeses. Therefore, it became customary to serve the two together. And the name stuck.

Although tapas have more traditionally been relished in Andalucía and northern Spain, recently the Catalonians have also fallen for the scrumptious morsels. No surprise, then, that my palate wants to find out why.

Time: Midday What: RAZOR CLAMS Where: Pinotxo bar (La Boquería, Las Ramblas 89)

Conveniently, Pinotxo (Pinocchio) is located within the famous La Boquería market. All its produce is sourced each morning from the food vendors there, tasting so fresh it might have walked right onto my plate. That is, were it not for the fact that I have razor clams; not the most agile of beasties when out of the water. Cooked à la plancha (grilled on a metal plate) then smeared with a smidgen of olive oil, I can’t wait to continue my quest of tapping into tapas.

Time: 10.45 What: TRIPE Where: El Jabalí (Ronda Sant Pau 15)

Of course, I kick off my culinary feast in at the deep end… or should I say the saggy middle, as the stomach’s the part of the pig where tripe comes from. I’m used to sinking my jowls into the odd bacon buttie, nonetheless this is obviously going to be a completely different experience. Perhaps trite to say, but it’s genuinely rather delicious, especially being presented in a lush, tangy tomato-based sauce.

Time: 13.45 What: LAMB’S BRAINS Where: Casa Delfín (Passeig del Born 36)

I’m now in the Born neighbourhood, with its whirl of swanky boutiques, watering-holes and restaurants.

In this particular one, I am confronted by what could be a scene from The Godfather. Alright, I exaggerate, there isn’t a horse’s head next to me on a pillow, but there are some lamb’s brains splashed into my bowl. Albeit in a nice, crispy batter. I overcome my fear and dive in just as the owner, Kate, mentions that “they are really chewy, gelatinous and a bit of an acquired taste.” I see what she means!

Time: 15.30 What: SQUID IN INK CROQUETTES Where: Bar del Pla (C/Montcada 2)

Just the very idea of this next recipe seems as surreal as the Gaudí architecture that enlivens this mesmerising city. In fact, in ancient times the ink shot out by squid as a defence mechanism was actually used to write with. I think of using some to draw a cement mixer, because the weird concoction of finger food, wine and beer in my belly is making it feel like one. Incidentally, as my mummy always told me to eat my greens to make my hair grow, I also opt for a wonderful Russian salad. You can see from my byline picture on the next page just how well this strategy has worked over the years.

Time:19.00 What: ANCHOVY AND RED PEPPER MONTADITOS Where: Quimet y Quimet (C/Poeta Cabanyes 25)

This might just be my favourite venue, as it’s a quaint, classic place in the leafy Poble Sec district. It’s also tiny, so straight away I notice that there are more bottles and tins stacked up on the shelves (pictured below left) than you’d find in your average supermarket. This is no coincidence, because here they specialise in conservas (shellfish preserved in cans). Nevertheless, I plump for some tantalising anchovy and red pepper montaditos. As I get stuck in, Señor Quim, whose family have run this establishment for generations, reveals: “We even make our own beer, which is the finest in Catalonia.” After drinking a bottle, I wouldn’t disagree.

Time: 20.15 What: MALLORCAN SOBRASADA SAUSAGE OMELETTE Where: Taller de Tapas (L’Argenteria 51)

While it’s usual for most Spaniards to have lunch around 2pm and dinner might start after 10 in the evening, I’ve already been munching away for several hours. But I’m not ready to throw in the towel just yet, which is lucky because I would have hated to miss out on Taller. It has a delightful rustic vibe, situated in a stone-walled 16th-century listed building. Like many of this vicinity’s best restaurants, one can also dine on an atmospheric outdoor terrace, but the more intense gastronomic smells draw me inside. And the sausage omelette I hog down – with meat from a porc negre (black pig) – is definitely something to savour.

Time: 22.15 What: McFOIE BURGER Where: Tapaç 24 (C/Diputació 269)

My aggravated assault on tapas is nearing an end and the mission is nearing completion. I have to say I’m pleased, having consumed so much, I’m more Obelix than Asterix the Gaul with respect to my waistline.

Yet, I still want a burger. Don’t think that I’m wimping out now and going for that beefy thing in a bap straightjacket they fling at you in McDonald’s. Mine’s a tad more unusual, as it’s made of foie gras (fattened duck or goose liver). The thing’s absolutely divine and the best possible way to finish off my Barcelona culinary extravaganza.

Bologna’s Biker Paradise

Words & Photos Sarah Lane

“Italy is a heaven for motorcyclists!” This is the view of former world sidecar champion David James – aka DJ, who loves every minute living here. “It’s such a pro-bike country – there are circuits everywhere and racing’s a mainstream sport here,” he continues. “The weather’s generally reliable too, so events can be planned throughout the summer without needing to worry whether they’ll get rained off.”

After 20 years of racing and three consecutive world titles, the English-born DJ quit while he was on top in 1999, but now lives with his Italian wife Claudia around the corner from the famous Imola circuit.

His career as a sidecar passenger began when he was 17 and working as a mechanic.

He already raced motorcycles in his spare time. Race sidecars are low and streamlined, resembling three-wheeled Formula 1 cars – very different from the rather humorous image they tend to conjure up. “The first time I raced I fell out! It was wild!” recalls DJ.

While continuing to race his own traditional bikes, he remained with the sidecar team, taking care of the technical aspect and making a name for himself as a skilled passenger. “You have to develop a kind of sixth sense to understand what the rider’s about to do before he does it.” Success came when he turned professional and hooked up with fellow Englishman Steve Webster for the World Sidecar Championships, winning the title in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

After such a long and intense career wasn’t it hard to give up racing? “At first I just needed a break from the tough schedule and training regime, but soon I was itching for the adrenaline.” To fill the gap DJ took up surfing. “I love it – there are some good surf spots in Italy, particularly on the west coast, but my favourite surf destinations have to be Barbados and Thailand.”

He continues to be involved with motorcycles in his current career with Ducati. “It’s a fascinating place to work. As product manager I follow bikes from their conception to the showroom and when a new model is to be launched, I’ll live with it non-stop for several weeks,” he explains. “I’m also a racing instructor for the company – we teach at tracks throughout Italy.”

Courses last a day and range from total beginner level to advanced. DJ takes the latter groups, teaching racetrack skills. “It’s great fun, particularly if I’ve got a fast group and I get my speed fix!” Such direct contact with the public also allows all-important feedback on the bikes.

A global leader when it comes to street bikes, Ducati is a major player in the World Superbike and MotoGP championships too. When important events are on, a giant screen is put up outside the factory and fans gather to watch.

Many of Italy’s top MotoGP riders are from this area – Marco Melandri, Loris Capirossi, Andrea Dovizioso and Marco Simoncelli, while the genius of the racetrack, Valentino Rossi, was born just a little further away. The riders are frequently seen training at local motocross tracks but as DJ points out, “Motocross is a very different discipline, it’s like a gym on wheels.”

Enrico Malaguti “Malaga” agrees: “Motocross is both physically and technically challenging. It’s a perfect all-round sport and while anyone can get up speed on a circuit, it’s another matter when it comes to the jumps and tight bends on a motocross track.”

Malaga’s passionate about motocross and loves having time to spend on his own bike after years of busy weekends working as mechanic for various successful motocross, enduro and moto rally teams in the Italian and European championships. His day job is with Malaguti (no relation), another local company. Founded in 1930 and still family-run, Malaguti specialises in scooters. “It’s an exciting time for us,” says Malaga. “We’re developing a new generation hybrid scooter, due to be launched in early 2010.”

As the in-house off-road specialist, Malaga developed the new version of the Malaguti Grizzly – a motocross bike for kids aged from around five upwards. “I’d have loved to have had a motorcycle at that age,” he comments, “although I think the right age to start is about seven or eight.”

Malaga’s colleague, Paolo Puddu, says: “I’ve always loved motorcycles and after a long series of scooters I’ve finally got a Triumph Street Triple – my pride and joy!” So where do all these local riders hang out? “One classic route starting from Bologna is the Strada della Futa – endless heart-stopping bends and steep zig-zags that lead to the legendary Chalet Raticosa,” advises Paolo. High in the Apennines on the border with Tuscany, the Chalet’s been a biker bar for decades. In good weather it buzzes with hundreds of bikes parked up outside and riders and enthusiasts alike wandering around and admiring them.

For many, the look of a bike is almost as important as its performance. From his garage in Bologna, Daniele Degli Esposti, helped by his girlfriend Bea, decorates helmets, bikes and anything else he’s commissioned to. “I love all kinds of bike but I don’t ride to Raticosa. I’m no good at bendy roads,” laughs Daniele.

His speciality is acceleration and the drag-racing events he takes part in are often held on disused airport runways.

When it comes to motorcycles, whichever aspect gets your heart beating faster you’ll find it exists in Bologna with passion and style. In the words of a world champion – this really is a paradise for motorheads!

Bologna bites

“It’s impossible to find a bad restaurant round here,” says DJ. “One of my favourites is Osteria Cannone.” (Via Andrea Costa 102, Bologna, +39 051 614 3655)

“In summer you’ll find me most evenings at the open-air biker bar, La Dolce Vita.” (Parco Tozzoni, Imola, +39 0542 684710, www.chioscodolcevita.it) David James, Ducati Product Manager, instructor and former World Sidecar Champion.

Katie Rizvi, a Cluj champion

She set up The Little People, a charity for youngsters in Cluj and Bucharest

What is a “clujeanca”?
  It is the affectionate name given to a woman who is from Cluj-Napoca. I wasn’t born in the city, I originally come from one of the prettiest cities in the world – Budapest. Then I married my husband from London and settled in Cluj-Napoca in 1995, so “Cluj este acasa” – Cluj is home.

What do you do?

Back in 1995, patient services for children with cancer in the region were non-existent, so my husband and I set up a charity called The Little People (motto: “Little People doing little things that make a big difference”), all about providing care for cancer patient children and their families. The charity has grown a lot in recent years and now the 140 volunteers of the organisation work in many Cluj and Bucharest-based hospitals in the fields of paediatric and young adult cancer, malnutrition, psychiatric disorders and disability, as well as in schools and orphanages for children with special needs.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, our team were voted best volunteers in the international paralympic calendar for two consecutive years! The Little People Association, in partnership with the Lamont Centre (which, incidentally, was also funded by an expat) organises Central Eastern Europe’s largest international paralympic tournament in Cluj-Napoca every year! This year, the Romanian International Table Tennis Open, or RITTO 2010 will take place between the 18 and 23 May.

Was it easy to create a new life in Cluj-Napoca?

Cluj is so easy-going compared to many other cities I’ve lived in. People have time to smile, to chat and be friendly. It’s a huge student town with young faces everywhere. For most of the year the town feels like one big university campus. Cluj people are such wonderful hosts and as a real plus, many speak English. Most of the older generation studied French but the young generation grew up on Cartoon Network, MTV and English-speaking movies. Even some of the post-communist bureaucracy is more amusing than annoying and in the ever-changing Romania, things are getting easier and easier to get done. But people are people just like anywhere else; you’ll find a grumpy clerk and the fairy godmother-type helpful assistant in the same office side by side. But the Romania of 2010 is definitely an exciting, upbeat, energetic multicoloured and a happening place to be.

You recently won an award. What was it for?

It was a Woman of the Year Award for my work with teenage and young adult cancer survivors in 2009. I founded the Temerarii (Courageous) Club in 2006 and started by providing support group meetings for just a dozen kids in Cluj, who were some of the patients I took care of when they were younger and undergoing cancer treatment. There is so little reliable information available for teenagers facing a cancer diagnosis. They fall between the worlds of child and adult cancers. The Temerarii Club went on a nationwide campaign, visiting every Romanian city, where they have treatment units to speak to adolescents and young adults and reassure them that they are not alone. The campaign was entitled “You Can Too” and it reached 11 treatment units in the country, also contacting the young cancer survivors of each city. The Temerarii Club membership quadrupled this year, and we just celebrated our 101st young adult cancer survivor.

What are your favourite places to eat out in the city?

I love salads! Outwear café at Str. Universităţii 1 (www.outwear.ro) makes a great feta salad. It’s kinda neat as it doubles as a fairly decent clothing store with good labels and affordable prices. It’s great to people watch while you wait to be served. Another great place is Baracca on Str. Napoca 8a (www.baracca.ro). Although it’s a bit snooty, and the service is a little below par, the food is excellent and if you are in good company with a good bottle of wine, none of that will matter.

What are your special places in Cluj?

I love St. Michael’s Church in Piata Unirii (Union Square), right in the heart of the city, even though all the lovely green areas and gorgeous flowerbeds sadly disappeared after the recent remodelling. The cathedral’s gothic architecture is one of the most impressive in Transylvania. From spring to autumn, any of the outdoor cafés overlooking the square is a good choice for a short grab-a-coffee business meeting or to catch up with friends. My favourite little walks are all in this area, from King Matthias Corvinus’ (King of Hungary 1485-1490) mounted statue in Piata Unirii, to his birthplace at Str. Matei Corvin, with lovely inner courts and hidden churches, reminding you of all the historic phases Cluj went through.

Did you know that Cluj has a very special hidden treasure, considered a masterpiece of gothic sculpture? It is found in one of these little side streets. Originally commissioned by King Luis I of Hungary as a gift for Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, the very famous statue in the Prague Castle Courtyard of St. George killing the dragon was crafted in 1373 in Cluj by the bothers Martin and George. An exact bronze copy of the statue is found today in Str. Mihail Cogalniceanu, in a peaceful and beautiful spot by a 15th-century church. Another copy is on display in the V&A museum in London. www.thelittlepeople.ro

Children’s Opera in Prague

Kids aren’t generally known for their love of opera, but this didn’t deter Jiøina Marková-Krystlíková, a Prague State Opera soloist, from setting up the Children’s Opera. Jiøina, who formerly ran a music school, was inspired to form the company 10 years ago, prompted by her pupils’ enjoyment at performing and singing.

The troupe began with a mere 20 children and now has 65 members aged from eight to 20. They attend ordinary schools and only come together to practise once a week, though this increases as showtime approaches. They perform frequently at theatres in Prague, occasionally in other parts of the Czech Republic and twice annually abroad – so far to Germany, Austria, France and Japan.

Their repertoire includes operas by Mozart and Britten, as well as many Czech composers. The children sing in Italian and German, as well as their native language. The first they ever undertook was Brundibár, a children’s opera by Hans Krása. It remains in the repertoire to commemorate the children who first performed it in a concentration camp in Terezin. Krása later died at Auschwitz.

So who are all these opera-loving children? “Most of them are from Prague,” says Jiøina, “but lately a few have joined from further afield as well. Their parents bring them for every rehearsal, wait while they are rehearsing and then take them home again. I really admire that.

“The hardest thing about working with children is stopping them from talking to each other all the time. They love being together and chatting but they don’t realise how much is disturbs rehearsals. But I take care to keep them in order – anyone who swears has to do knee bends as a punishment!

“But other than that I can’t really complain about anything. We try to work as a big family and enjoy both rehearsals and performances – although the older children sometimes need to learn to be a bit nicer to the younger ones. I love how spontaneous kids are – they always show what they like and don’t like. They are still at an age where their personality is being formed – 65 little people who are getting ready to enter the world of adults and we have got the chance to help them on their way. To help them find their ‘I’.’”

Children are accepted into the opera year-round. For the audition the youngsters are invited to sing a song, recite a poem and act out a short piece. There is a separate class for the under-eights, where they are helped to prepare. “They are always very nervous when it comes to audition time,” says Jiøina. “We can only take a new child when a place comes up and they are all so keen to join.

“It is also very interesting to see how their voices change during puberty – you never know what you are going to end up with! As a child grows their voice develops and changes – you can’t tell what kind of singer someone is really going to be until they are at least 13,” observes Jiøina. Several members of the Children’s Opera have gone on to become successful soloists.

Isabelle, 16, who has been with the opera for a year, says: “I love going to the Children’s Opera. I love singing and it is amazing feeling being on stage. The audience is happy and we are happy.”

For more details about The Children’s Opera, visit www.detskaoperapraha.cz, where CDs are available to buy

The Swedish Pop Idol charts her success

It’s the age-old story of the little girl who dreamed one day she could be a pop star, only this time the dream came true. Agnes Emilia Carlsson, from the small lakeside village of Värnersborg in Sweden, started singing lessons when she was eight, when her idol was Stevie Wonder. In 2005 it was to be another Idol all together that would give Agnes the springboard required to become Sweden’s biggest selling new artist, propel her to global stardom and a land a multi-million dollar record contract. Swiftly bagging an MTV Europe award for Sweden’s Best New Act, four years and three platinum albums on she has now been signed by Geffen Records in the US. Agnes now stands on the brink of global stardom.

“Winning Pop Idol feels like 100 years ago. It was like a music school. To be honest I did it for fun! I was 16 and had sung solo live in front of an audience only once. I’m on my third record now and things have changed so much.”

With Agnes’s first two albums playing heavily on the Pop / R ’n’ B influence she acquired after the Idol win in her native Sweden, comparisons to the UK’s pop factory poster girl were obvious. “Leona Lewis is beautiful and tremendously talented, she has an incredible voice and if people want to compare me to successful artists like that I am flattered. Musically we are very different though, especially with Dance Love Pop, the new record.”

She has chosen a dance-infused musical style to face her new global audience. “I really wanted to present something uptempo to get people moving on the dance floor and have fun. My new label Roxy Recordings introduced me to producer and songwriter Anders Hansson from Stockholm and things just clicked.”

Close to a million sales of the single Release Me later (written about a bad break-up with an ex-boyfriend, so potential suitors take note!) and a Top 3 placing in the UK chart, the new sound seems to have worked. “My life is moving at a million miles an hour now, sometimes it feels like I am living out of my suitcase. Having success in your career and travelling the world is the dream of any artist. It’s a roller coaster but I am so lucky to be on it.”

Agnes tempers her excitement with a reality check. “I also think it’s important to prove to your fans and your critics that you aren’t just a manufactured artist that can only do one thing. The new record has some great dance beats behind it, but I can also perform them acoustic, just me and a guitar. For me that’s the strength of a great song.

“Being born in a small fishing town, moving to Stockholm opened my eyes to so many new things, but now every day is an experience, be it shopping on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, picking up vintage bargains in the East Village in New York or playing a show and then dancing the night away in G-A-Y nightclub in London. Everything is fresh and new to me, but I still love playing in Sweden. Especially the north, where for part of the year it doesn’t get dark. Sitting out in the sun at 3am is very weird!”

The album Dance Love Pop is out now. www.agnescarlsson.se

“Agnes is a perfectionist; my first five minutes meeting her was a strict lesson on the correct pronunciation of her home town Vänersborg, also known in Sweden as ‘Little Paris’.’” WIZZ writer Martin Klipp

AGNES’ A-LIST:

“I like going to clubs but my friends are the people that make it. Berns 2.35:1 in Stockholm is my new favourite club, but for a real party and a full-on dancing session, gay clubs are always the best.” www.berns.se

“My favourite bar in Stockholm is Gondolen. It is a fantastic venue with beautiful people and beautiful views.” www.eriks.se

“I’ve been to some great restaurants on tour but when I return traditional classic Swedish food like bacon, potatoes and garlic sauce lets me know I’m home. Pelikan in Stockholm is one of the best.” www.pelikan.se

BUDAPEST (MOHACS)
11-16 February
Europe is full of pre-Lent carnival celebrations, but the origins of the Busó Winter Carnival near Budapest are purely pagan. Residents of the Hungarian village of Mohacs gather every year to participate in an ancient pagan ritual designed to scare away winter’s cold. The main attractions are the Busós themselves – men dressed in sheepskin costumes and frightening wooden masks complete with horns. They usually carry large wooden “noisemakers” or cowbells, and make quite a racket. Let’s be honest, winter is not an easy thing to scare away. At nightfall there’s always a huge bonfire in the main square. Celebrations earlier in the week are enjoyed by locals and the tourists tend to arrive for the weekend festivities. The end of the carnival is marked with the ceremonial burning of a coffin containing a Busó costume; this symbolises the melting of winter and the welcoming of spring. Daily trains depart from Budapest, taking you on the two-hour journey to Mohacs. Words by Zoltan Tarpai

Snapshot writers highlight the best from the hub cities. For more travel inspirations at Wizz Air destinations, visit www.joobili.com

  ALAMY

KRAKOW
Piwnica pod Baranami

The name of this cellar roughly translates as “The Cellar Under Rams”. I’ve never seen the rams, but Piwnica pod Baranami is one of Old Town Krakow’s more magical places. It was founded by Poland’s famous bohemian Piotr Skrzynecki (pictured, in statue form) as a meeting place for student artists. The cellar stage quickly transformed into a cabaret where prominent playwrights, singers, choreographers and songwriters could write and practise their material. It was able to survive under communism by maintaining a lighthearted approach to life’s mundane acts while keeping a safe distance from anything that smelled of politics. Today, it offers an escape from modern Kraków. Descending into the cellar, I never know if I’ll be greeted by a theatre performance, jazz band or simply a frothy beer served by the friendly bartender. It’s this element of surprise that keeps me coming back and it’s why I recommend it to all my friends. Rynek Glowny 27, www.piwnicapodbaranami.krakow.pl Words by Aleksandra Swatek

 GETTY

PRAGUE
  Bohemian Carnival
  5-16 February
  The Czech capital returns to its Bohemian roots by resurrecting its 700-year-old Carnival tradition. Historically, this celebration was the “feast” before the “famine” of Catholic Lent – a period when believers go without meat for 40 days (Carne-vale literally means “farewell to meat”). During Renaissance times the Prague carnival celebrations became notorious throughout Europe. There then followed a long dark age for merriment, but the carnival is now back with all the parties, parades and galas you would expect from this Bohemian capital. Expect main squares to be transformed with a flurry of masks and parades while the palaces and mansions host luxurious private parties and balls. Prague’s restaurants and art galleries join the fun by offering special carnival menus and exhibitions. Daytime activities offer plenty to keep the kids entertained as well. You can find a full programme of festivities on the Bohemian Carnival website. www.carnevale.cz Words by Petra Stankova

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POZNAN
  Lake Malta
  If you want to spend an active day in Poznan, there’s no better place than Lake Malta. Artificially formed in 1952 by the damming of the Cybina River, it is named after the Knights of Malta, who established a command post here in 1187. During the summer it hosts international kayak and rowing events and attracts a healthy crowd of sunbathers, but I think it is during the winter that Lake Malta offers the most fun. The adjacent ski slope and toboggan run are stand-out attractions, especially if you have young children in the family. Speaking of children, they’ll also enjoy a visit to the newly opened Poznan Zoo. I recommend travelling there on the Maltanka, a narrow-gauge steam train. My personal favourite activity? It has to be ice skating, which takes place within the massive tent installed over a section of the lake, providing skaters with a welcome refuge from the winter weather. Words by Aleksandra Swatek

WARSAW
Raster Gallery

An independent art space in a 19th-century tenement house in the centre of Warsaw, the Raster Gallery’s informal ambience is such that you feel like a private guest in the home of an art aficionado. The gallery collaborates with both Polish artists, such as Wilhelm Sasnal, Agata Bogacka, Edward Dwurnik, Zbigniew Libera and the art collective Azorro, and international artists. Most galleries are about displaying and purchasing art, but Raster is also designed to support an open community of not only visual artists but also literary and musical projects. It operates an open-door policy so feel free to drop in whenever you feel like viewing emerging artists, engaging in a literary discussion or simply soaking up the creative vibes. ul. Hoza 42, www.raster.art.pl Words by Aleksandra Swatek

All the fun of the… nuclear power station!

What do you get if you cross an unused nuclear power station with a hotel complex and an amusement park for kids? No, this isn’t a joke – the answer is Wunderland near Kalkar, Germany. It came about thanks to three countries changing their minds and a forward-thinking businessman.

Back in 1972, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany decided to build the Schneller Brüter nuclear plant near the historic town of Kalkar in the Lower Rhine region of Germany. It took 12 years to build and cost €3bn. The plant was finished in 1985 but by 1991, following protests staged by up to 40,000 people at a time, the three countries had decided they didn’t want it after all. “There was so much protesting about it that the politicians decided not to put it on the network,” explains Wunderland’s sales manager Tamara Deumers.

So the nuclear plant sat there as a huge white elephant for several years until Dutch businessman Hennie van der Most, a former scrap metal merchant with a penchant for converting unusual buildings, bought the complex for “an apple and egg” as Tamara puts it (ie, not very much) in 1995.

By 1996 there were a few dozen hotel rooms on the site which gradually expanded to several hundred as well as bars and restaurants and in 2002, Kernie’s Familiepark (amusement park) was opened with the old nuclear plant cooling tower as its centrepiece. And as the publicity material states: “Because this nuclear power station has never been put to use, this whole complex is guaranteed free of radiation!”

As you approach the park it looks pretty much like any other nuclear power station with its big grey concrete buildings. It is only the few extra signs and lights and the mountain mural which has been painted on the cooling tower that makes it look a little more cheerful.

Inside, however, the grounds are quite pretty (complete with chirruping frogs on lily pads) and Kernie’s Familiepark is noisy and colourful almost like any other theme park except for the plant’s concrete buildings still looming over it. The old cooling tower has a swing ride built inside it and the outside can be used as a climbing wall – it’s 40 metres to the top.

The on-site Children’s Museum explains something of the workings of a nuclear power plant but other than that the park offers the usual theme park fare of roller coasters, water flumes and other rides, mainly aimed at kids aged three to 12. Today it is visited by over 500,000 people per year for meetings, sport and hotel breaks as well as for the funfair attractions.

Elaine Wallace-Legg from Northumberland in the UK visited Wunderland with three friends as part of a road trip through Belgium and Germany. “You can’t miss the fact that you are in an old nuclear power station while you are there,” she says. “The cooling tower is enormous and there are big concrete power-plant buildings everywhere – although a lot of them have been painted with blocks of primary colours.

“The cooling tower is the best ride – it’s a swing ride which takes you all the way up and out of the top of the tower and then spins you round – really exhilarating and there’s a fantastic view of the park from up there! It’s very echoey in the tower and when the kids start screaming it’s unbelievably noisy. It was absolutely unique and all four of us remember Wunderland with a smile.” Wunderland opens 2 April. Day passes including all rides, soft drinks, chips and ice-cream start at €22.50. www.wunderlandkalkar.eu. Fly to Weeze.

Two days on the Andorran slopes

On the border of France and Spain, Andorra is primarily known as a tax haven for the rich and occasionally famous, but we’re more interested in the country’s quality of skiing on its mountain resort

DAY ONE

Morning
It’s my first day in Andorra’s Grandvalira ski resort. I’m in Soldeu and, led by a ski school guide, I head up to the pistes above the Ahotel Piolets Park & Spa (more on the spa later). Charging down a twisting red run on a snowboard is an invigorating start to a weekend. I see one of Andorra’s 1,097 snow cannons and take advantage of its artificial snowdrift to pump my board up and into the air. The snowmaking machines keep Andorra’s 193km of slopes fresh and exciting.

This part of the resort also includes the Alpine World Cup Skiing slope that will be used in 2012, so the terrain is as testing as you want it to be. Our tour leader proves this in spectacular fashion by bumping over some moguls and firing a ski skyward. “It gets a bit lumpy here,” he laughs.

Lunch
High-altitude dining is always high priority so we head to Trattoria Pasta Che Voui (pictured right) at 2100m, with fantastic views of the El Tartar slopes. There you can watch the chefs baking their own pizzas and load up with a fine meal of carpaccio and pasta. “And it turns out that a glass of rioja makes a great skiing companion!” exclaims Alexandra from Katowice.

Afternoon
Back to Soldeu for some tax-free shopping with friends. Caves Manacor on El-Serrat Canillo stocks every kind of flavoured vodka, while another store lets you sample hundreds of kinds of cheese and salami, including some delicious Andorran goats cheese. Barrels of liquor and port line the walls. The best buy has to be the absinthe for €3.50 a litre.

Evening
After a buffet dinner at Ahotel Piolets we wander out into Soldeu for some après ski and find the T-Bar, where the atmosphere is relaxed enough to start a table-football tournament. I’m concentrating so hard on the game that it’s a surprise to turn around and see newly arrived skiers dancing on the table. It looks like the party has arrived…

DAY TWO

Morning
  I pull the curtains open and golden Andorran sunlight pours out of a bluebird sky. It would be a welcome sight but my head is still slightly sore from last night’s partying so coffee is in order.

After fuelling up, it’s time to take the ski bus to the village of Grau Roig to explore Andorra’s alternative slopes. The whole area around Pas de la Casa is an ancient glacier bowl with chairlifts soaring up into wide, open areas with very few trees. I’m soon hammering down fast slopes with big turns and lots of room to manoeuvre. “It’s like being on a motorway – you can cruise or you can speed!” says local skier Eduardo.

The highlight comes as you drop down into Pas de las Casa and veer off the blue run to my right where an empty, ungroomed piste allows me to carve some turns and throw up some powder.

I’m having so much fun that I only stop for hot chocolate and freshly squeezed orange juice at Gras Roig’s Llac de Pessons, which resembles an cosy old Pyrenean mountain hut on the inside and is great place to warm up your feet.

Afternoon and Evening
The morning’s blazing sunshine has faded and the temperature is dropping so it’s time to head back to Soldeu and my booking at the Sport Hotel and Spa. Walking from the changing rooms my jaw drops as I see the three-level spa with its plunge pools, saunas and treatment rooms. The spa surprise is complete as I wade through an arch in the wall of the heated pool and find myself outside with the stars shining overhead and steam rising from the water like a volcanic pool. Then a long aromatic sauna and an ice bath soothe my aching muscles for the perfect end to an adrenaline-packed day.

Andorra delivers in style; it’s only a short haul from Barcelona Airport and you can cram in some superb ski conditions with just the right amount of R ’n’ R. I think it’s time for another glass of rioja…

Fly into Barcelona. For more on Andorra, visit www.andorra.ad. Visit www.infoski.pl for more Wizz Air ski destinations.