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APRIL // MAY 2012 // WIZZAIR.COM // WIZZMAGAZINE.COM

WIZZ AIR CAFÉ & BOUTIQUE // CITY GUIDES

EURO 2012

Our preview of Poland

and Ukraine’s host cities

ROME TO PISA

Get your grape at source by

touring Italy’s vineyards

PARIS

Literary cafés, literary

hotels and bookshops galore

VILNIUS

Lithuania’s magnificent capital

PLUS MADRID’S SHOCK OPERA // GADGETS // THE ADIDAS BALL

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TIM E. WHITE

APRIL // MAY 2012

9 SNAPSHOTS

The Snapshots section flags up events,

exhibitions and news from a selection of

the airline’s 15 base cities. This issue: a

chic museum dedicated to Poland’s neon

advertising signs opens in May, plus our

Euro 2012 stadium preview and a wholly

new venue for May’s Europa League Final,

which takes place in Bucharest.

15 GADGETS

We’re sports crazy this issue, with football

boots endorsed by Pele plus a shirt with

volcanic technology that keeps you cool.

19

Contents

22

19 THE ADIDAS BALL

Adidas is hoping its new Tango football,

the official match ball of the Euro 2012

tournament launched after months of

testing, will score big with players.

22 VILNIUS

If you have one day to spend in Lithuania’s

capital, here’s how you do it. From a

charming 14th-century, red-brick tower to

the most striking contemporary art, from a

tiny amber museum to the best pubs, clubs

and bars, we’ve got everything you need

for a fun-filled 24 hours.

APRIL/MAY 2012 // WIZZ MAGAZINE 3

Contents

30 PARIS

We sip an espresso in the city’s literary

cafés, rummage in secondhand bookshops

and chat to Francophile author John Baxter.

36 ITALY’S WINE TRAIL

Hit the Wine Trail, touring vineyards in

central and northern Italy, and sample

refreshing whites and mouth-watering reds.

46 MADRID

Performance artist Marina Abramovic in an

outrageous new opera at the Teatro Real.

53 EURO 2012

Our 11-page preview of this summer’s

football tournament, co-hosted by Poland

and Ukraine. We look at the top sporting

venues in host cities Warsaw, Poznan,

Wrocław, Gdansk, Kiev and Lviv, and

profile Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin, plus

players Andriy Shevchenko and Petr Cech.

On page 70, useful apps and websites.

53

4 WIZZ MAGAZINE // APRIL/MAY 2012

76 DESTINATION GUIDES

Expert recommendations from our team of

on-the-spot writers. Includes new Wizz Air

destination Debrecen in Hungary.

102 WIZZ AIR INFO PAGES

All the latest Wizz Air news, the staff

snapshot, information on baggage policies

and booking.

113 SHOPPING PAGES

Choose from our extensive range of

refreshments, fantastic accessories and gifts.

46

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APRIL // MAY 2012

FREE



EURO 2012



ROME TO PISA



PARIS



VILNIUS



1 Cover_CFFinalF.indd 1 16/03/2012 15:57

Editor

Piers Townley

Acting Art Director

Colette Fahy

Picture Editor

Julia Holmes

Picture Researcher

Megan Eagles

Sub-editor

Clive Morris

Production

Antonia Ferraro, Karl Martins

Group Publishing Director

Mark Duke

Publisher

Eva Katus-Dennis

Advertising Sales

Executives

Anna Tereszkiewicz,

Oleksiy Korniychuk

Online Director

Sal Lababidi

Executive Creative Director

Michael Keating

Publishing Director

Simon Leslie

Chief Operating Officer

Hugh Godsal

Chief Executive

Jeffrey O’Rourke

WIZZ is published on behalf

of Wizz Air by Ink.

All correspondence and

advertising enquiries should

be addressed to:

WIZZ, Ink,

141-143 Shoreditch High

Street, London E1 6JE

Tel: +44 (0)20 7613 8777

Fax: +44 (0)20 7613 8776

www.ink-global.com

Advertising:

+44 (0)20 7613 8794

Reproduction

KFR Pre-Press Ltd

All material is strictly copyright

and all rights are reserved.

No part of this publication may

be reproduced in whole or in part

without written permission of the

copyright holder. All prices and

data are correct at the time of

publication. Opinions expressed

in WIZZ are not necessarily those

of Wizz Air or WIZZ and Wizz Air

does not accept responsibility for

advertising content. Any pictures or

transparencies supplied are at the

owner’s risk.

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY TIM E. WHITE

Welcome

DEAR PASSENGER

THIS YEAR HAS ALREADY

seen many exciting new

developments for Wizz Air,

with the prospect of a great summer

of travel and sport still to come.

The continued vote of

confidence in our services from

an ever-growing customer base,

coupled with our superior-value

prices, has allowed us to continue

expanding our destinations. Recent

convenient, customer-friendly

additions to the network include

Arad (Romania), Debrecen (Hungary) and Milan-Malpensa (Italy).

Arad will service the strong demand from both business and

leisure travellers to Northern Italy. By opening Debrecen, Wizz Air

brings the excitement of air travel at affordable prices directly to the

second biggest city in Hungary. And with flights from Budapest and

Bucharest to Milan-Malpensa, the airline is extending its reach in the

northern corridor and securing its position as the leading low-cost

carrier connecting the Italian North to Central and Eastern Europe.

We have also significantly strengthened flight options from our

bases in capitals such as Warsaw, Budapest, Bucharest and Vilnius.

Holidaymakers can now fly to more summer destinations than ever,

our latest being Mediterranean hot-spots Larnaca (Cyprus), Malaga

(Spain) and Thessaloniki (Greece).

But for many passengers, sun, sea and sand will have to take

a back seat to the summer’s sporting events, Euro 2012 and the

Olympic Games. Wizz Air has planes from 33 destinations flying into

six out of the eight Euro 2012 host cities in Poland and the Ukraine.

We’re also the largest carrier between Central and Eastern Europe

and London, home of the 2012 Games. If you’re planning a trip to

these fabulous sporting events, we think our affordable prices and

direct connections make us the smartest choice to get there. Check

out the Destinations Map on page 76 for the airport nearest you.

On a final note, I’m delighted to report that Wizz Air was recently

successful at the Superbrands Awards in Hungary and Poland, which

mix the judgement of brand professionals with consumer opinion.

It’s nice to know that our hard work is recognised by both our

valued customers and industry experts, and gives us an independent

reassurance that our efforts are well placed and well received.

With our new destinations, and the huge sporting events of the

summer, we expect 2012 to continue to be an outstanding year.

Thank you for choosing to fly with us, and have an

enjoyable trip.

ATTILA DANKOVICS

Head of Marketing Sales & Communications


DID YOU

KNOW?

OUR FLEET

CONSISTS

OF 39 AIRBUS

A320 AIRCRAFT

WIZZ AIR F LIES

TO OVER 70

DESTINATIONS

WE OFFER

MORE THAN

230 ROUTES

WIZZ AIR

HAS 15 BASES

IN EIGHT

COUNTRIES

Welcome

DEAR PASSENGER

THIS YEAR HAS ALREADY

seen many exciting new

developments for Wizz Air,

with the prospect of a great summer

of travel and sport still to come.

The continued vote of

confidence in our services from

an ever-growing customer base,

coupled with our superior-value

prices, has allowed us to continue

expanding our destinations. Recent

convenient, customer-friendly

additions to the network include

Arad (Romania), Debrecen (Hungary) and Milan-Malpensa (Italy).

Arad will service the strong demand from both business and

leisure travellers to Northern Italy. By opening Debrecen, Wizz Air

brings the excitement of air travel at affordable prices directly to the

second biggest city in Hungary. And with flights from Budapest and

Bucharest to Milan-Malpensa, the airline is extending its reach in the

northern corridor and securing its position as the leading low-cost

carrier connecting the Italian North to Central and Eastern Europe.

We have also significantly strengthened flight options from our

bases in capitals such as Warsaw, Budapest, Bucharest and Vilnius.

Holidaymakers can now fly to more summer destinations than ever,

our latest being Mediterranean hot-spots Larnaca (Cyprus), Malaga

(Spain) and Thessaloniki (Greece).

But for many passengers, sun, sea and sand will have to take

a back seat to the summer’s sporting events, Euro 2012 and the

Olympic Games. Wizz Air has planes from 33 destinations flying into

six out of the eight Euro 2012 host cities in Poland and the Ukraine.

We’re also the largest carrier between Central and Eastern Europe

and London, home of the 2012 Games. If you’re planning a trip to

these fabulous sporting events, we think our affordable prices and

direct connections make us the smartest choice to get there. Check

out the Destinations Map on page 76 for the airport nearest you.

On a final note, I’m delighted to report that Wizz Air was recently

successful at the Superbrands Awards in Hungary and Poland, which

mix the judgement of brand professionals with consumer opinion.

It’s nice to know that our hard work is recognised by both our

valued customers and industry experts, and gives us an independent

reassurance that our efforts are well placed and well received.

With our new destinations, and the huge sporting events of the

summer, we expect 2012 to continue to be an outstanding year.

Thank you for choosing to fly with us, and have an

enjoyable trip.

ATTILA DANKOVICS

Head of Marketing Sales & Communications


DID YOU

KNOW?

OUR FLEET

CONSISTS

OF 39 AIRBUS

A320 AIRCRAFT

WIZZ AIR F LIES

TO OVER 70

DESTINATIONS

WE OFFER

MORE THAN

230 ROUTES

WIZZ AIR

HAS 15 BASES

IN EIGHT

COUNTRIES

ALAMY, SHUTTERSTOCK

KIEV

OLIMPIYSKIY STADIUM

Events and news from Wizz Air destinations

REMODELLED AT A COST OF €450m,

Kiev’s downtown Olimpiyskiy Stadium is

a wonder to behold. In the 38 months

leading up to the gala opening night

in October – blazing fireworks, Shakira

and all – nearly 120,000 cubic metres of

concrete and 100,000 square metres of

granite were used to produce the stunning

arena of 70,000 capacity that will host

the final of Euro 2012 on 1 July. It took 10

days alone for 160 powerful hydraulic jacks

to lift the 40km-long cabling system that

services the spectacular new membrane

roof. The design of the roof attracted

worldwide acclaim (many noted it could

be a Star Wars set). After the tournament,

the venue will be hosting big name guests,

the first being the Red Hot Chili Peppers,

performing here on 25 July.

Words Peterjon Cresswell

Snapshots

POZNAN

MIEJSKI STADIUM

INSTANTLY HAILED AS A DESIGN

classic in stadium architecture, Poznan’s

Miejski appropriately opened with a gala

concert by Sting in 2010. A €160m revamp

of the venue that stood here since 1980,

the Miejski (‘Municipal’) emits an eerie

blue glow from its outer membranes of

natural silk. With a capacity of 43,000, it

boasts the two biggest broadcast screens

in Poland. The pitch is kept spruce by

rainwater gathered in vast underground

tanks, the most notable of the ecologically

friendly measures in the all-seater arena.


Snapshots Events and news from Wizz Air destinations


WARSAW

NEON MUSEUM

19 MAY

A CHEMICAL ELEMENT DISCOVERED

in 1898, neon is known for its distinctive,

reddish-orange glow, used in advertising

signs since the 1930s. Yet it was only in

the early 1960s that Communist Poland

instigated a scheme to neonise every city.

“Some of the signs are so whimsical, you

can’t imagine them being an edict from

any stiff bureaucrat,” enthuses David Hill

who, with Ilona Karwinska, runs the Neon

Museum. “The designers, many from the

acclaimed Polish Poster School, enjoyed a

lot of creative freedom.” Their new venue

at the Soho Factory at ul Minska 25, in

the east of the city, exhibits discarded

signs in a chic setting. It opens 19 May,

on Museums Night. www.polishneon.com

Words Clive Morris

Trattoria La Campana

The first to open was Miód Malina, recognized

by the prestigious Michelin Guide for the fifth

time. After this is Trattoria Mamma Mia,

which has been quickly honored with the The

Best Place To Eat award. The next, Wesele, is

the largest, with two kitchens and space for 250

people, and a wonderful view of the Main Square,

the renaissance Cloth Hall and St.Wojciech’s

Church. Wesele has also been granted with The

Best Place to Eat award and a mention in the

Michelin Guide fourth time. The next one

opened is Trattoria La Campana, recognized

by the Michelin guide in 2010 , 2011 and 2012,

one of the best places for Italian cuisine, providing

an exceptional feeling while surrounded by a

wonderful garden. The unworldly taste of the

Tiramisu served here as well as the lamb chops

in sage and pine-nut sauce have already become

legendary in Kraków. The newest restaurant,

Marmolada, is situated at 5 Grodzka Street. Its

superb interior and the outstanding cuisine have

caused this restaurant to rapidly gain reputation

and customer sympathy. What is more, in 2011

Marmolada Restaurant

Mamma Mia Restaurant it has also been honored with The Best Place

to Eat award.

Wesele Restaurant

................................................................................................................................................................................

Karmelicka 14, Kraków

tel.+48 12 430 04 92

www.mammamia.net.pl

Rynek G³ówny 10, Kraków

tel.+48 12 422 74 60

www.weselerestauracja.pl

Explore unique atmosphere,

discover authentic exquisite

culinary traditions

Miód Malina Restaurant

Grodzka 5, Kraków

tel.+48 12 396 49 46

www.marmoladarestauracja.pl

In the last few years the gastronomical

map of Krakow has been enriched

by five fabulous restaurants

Kanonicza 7, Kraków

tel.+48 12 430 22 32

www.lacampana.pl

Grodzka 40, Kraków

tel.+48 12 430 04 11

www.miodmalina.pl

Snapshots Events and news from Wizz Air destinations

BUCHAREST

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL

9 MAY

IF YOUR CIGARETTE LIGHTER IS A

treasured heirloom, don’t take it to the

shiny new Bucharest National Arena. The

no-smoking ban is so strictly enforced

here, they’ll confiscate it at the door.

Also prohibited are sunflower seeds; the

local fans’ habit of spitting out the shells

has been kicked into touch. Nonetheless,

expect the Arena to be at full capacity

– that’s 55,200 – at the UEFA Europa

League Final on 9 May. Lauded as a design

classic, the Arena’s seating – and even

its floodlighting – is in the colours of the

Romanian flag, and the smart retractable

roof cost €20m out of the €234m total.

Built on the site of the old stadium, this is

the first Romanian stadium eligible to host

international football finals, and it does so

in the year marking the 40th anniversary of

UEFA’s involvement in the Europa League.

www.uefa.com

Words Clive Morris


GETTY

Objects of

// PLAY

SPORTS

CRAZY

Get your kit on if

you want to get into

shape for the summer

Words Steve O’Rourkerke

PELE SPORTS TRINITY 3E

IN NEED OF FANCY FOOTWORK ON

the pitch? These footie boots, endorsed by

Pele himself, may be worth kicking up a

fuss about. The magic happens at ground

level, with the studs placed as far back

as possible, in asymmetrical patterns,

apparently triggering muscle activity far

quicker than normal boots, and improving

speed and co-ordination. You’ll be

attempting overhead bicycle kicks in no

time. www.pele-sports.com


[ objects of desire ]

GADGETS

// TRAIN

SKATECYCLE

Wiggle your way to fitness with this

high-tech skate. Simply slot your feet into

the space where the hubs would be and

carve down a hill (like a snowboarder)

or weave along the flat (like a skater).

It takes quite a while to get used to, but

the idea of ‘snowboarding’ to the office

won’t ever get boring and it can burn

as many calories as playing football.

The design has also picked up several

industry awards. Imagine Marty McFly

on one of these… www.firebox.com

// CAPTURE

KODAK PLAYSPORT ZX5

HD CAMERA

Social media is going to be king at this

summer’s sports tournaments so get in

on the action with this HD camera. Its

unique selling point is the share button

that links your shots with YouTube, email

and Facebook. Capture the match in 1,080p

high definition or shoot 5MP stills with

auto focus and face detection for penalty

shootouts in extra time. www.amazon.com


// COMPETE

MOTOROLA MOTOACTV

Whether you’re training for the

marathon or just jogging in the park,

this is one of the best portable fitness

performance trackers and music

players. The 8GB accessory not only

synchs with your PC and figures out

which tunes you work out best to, it also

uses built-in technology combined with

GPS to monitor your time, distance,

speed, heart rate and calories burned.

You can even synch it with an Android

smartphone to receive incoming calls

and texts. www.sweatshop.co.uk

// WEAR

TOKYOFLASH KISAI ROGUE

TOUCH POCKET WATCH

This old-meets-new waistcoat ornament

tells the time via a series of glowing blocks

on an LCD screen and looks über cool. The

pocket watch illuminates by simply tapping

the screen. Around the diameter are 12

large blocks that indicate the current hour

in the same position as hours on a clock

face. A smaller dial inside is made up of 60

dots for the minutes. It’s simple when you

know how, but you’ll have fun looking at

puzzled expressions when a stranger asks

you the time. www.tokyoflash.com

TRAIN

NIKE SPARQ VAPOR STROBE GLASSES

Glasses that block your vision – the latest must-have for

serious players wanting to gain an advantage! This innovative

new Nike Sparq range uses a strobe effect; the lenses switch

between clear and blocked vision, forcing your brain to

anticipate what is coming when your vision is obstructed.

Turns out this is the ideal training for footballers needing

to get in the way of the ball, in particular goalies looking to

better their catching. www.nike.com

// WEAR

NORTH FACE GTD TEE

Clothes made from volcanoes? This must be the

strangest claim in this issue of the magazine. The GTD

TEE is a new innovation, offering

greater movement and

ventilation through a

revolutionary new

design incorporating

fabric made from

volcanic rock. The

technology claims

to sort out odour

and sweat release, so

even the most energetic

players can keep their

temperature under

control. It even offers

ultraviolet protection

against the sun’s rays.

www.thenorthface.com

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T: +48 61 664 480 32


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T +40 741 11 11 82

ADIDAS

EYE ON THE BALL

After the controversy of the

World Cup official match ball,

Adidas is shooting for perfection

Words Martin Klipp

IT COULD BE THE MOST

high-tech football of all time. It

needs to be – the Tango 12 is the

official ball of the UEFA Euro 2012

championship, which will be seen by

an estimated 500 million people.

And manufacturer Adidas will no

doubt be doubly keen to impress

after the cloud that hung over their

2010 Jabulani Official World Cup

ball, widely criticised by players for

its unpredictable flight.


[ objects of desire ]

DESIGN

So the sports giant has

spent two years putting the

ball through its paces at

its top-secret test centre in

Herzogenaurach, Germany.

In this Caractacus Potts-style

laboratory, countless gizmos

and gadgets were used to

measure and test the Tango 12.

The most impressive of

these is the Robi-Leg, a multimillion-euro

robotic leg which

kicks the ball again and again

at a goal. Now, millions of goal

kicks later, scientists believe

they have found the perfect

ball in terms of roundness,

weight and water absorption,

all of which affect how the

ball performs.

“Using the Robi-Leg during

testing enables repetitive shots

of the ball to ensure accuracy

and consistency in its flight

path,” explains Jochen Raff,

senior product manager.


“Leg and foot angles are 100%

accurate and high-speed

cameras capture the ball’s exact

characteristics. We’ve carried

out our most intense testing

ever across eight countries using

different surfaces and climates.

This includes exposure to snow,

rain and temperatures ranging

from -15°C to 35°C.”

It isn’t all robots, though.

Adidas have ensured players

get serious game time with

the new ball. “We learnt that

we need to allow players

enough time ahead of major

tournaments,” says Raff, “so

we aligned a handover to all

federations at the beginning

of December. We’ve tested it

extensively with a variety of

players and clubs during its

development – Ajax, AC Milan,

Chelsea, Legia Warsaw, Real

Madrid, Bayern Munich and

Ingolstadt.”

LEFT: FRANK LAMPARD OF

CHELSEA PUTS THE NEW

BALL THROUGH ITS PACES.

BELOW: THE ROBI-LEG IN

THE ADIDAS LABORATORY

GRIP

TEXTURE

WOVEN CARCASS

TANGO PANEL

SHAPE

THERMAL

BONDED

TECHNOLOGY

Czech goalie Petr Cech is

a huge fan, according to Raff.

English player Ashley Young is

another convert: “It feels like

it’s going in the right direction.

Especially when you dribble

with it and try and keep it

under close control – being a

winger, that’s my game.”

Raff knows that the Tango 12

must be spot on aesthetically.

“The ball often becomes the

symbol for a tournament, so

it’s important that it is unique.

BUTYL BLADDER

CLASSIC

DESIGN

LANGUAGE

It features a modern design

inspired by the flags of the

two host nations, Poland and

Ukraine. Etched into it are

three bespoke graphics which

celebrate the decorative art

of paper cutting, a tradition

in the rural areas of both host

countries and a link to the key

characteristics of football –

unity, rivalry and passion.”

The Tango 12 is available at

Adidas outlets and stockists, or

www.adidas.com/football

SEE EURO 2012 WITH WIZZ AIR

Wizz Air flies from 33 destinations to six of the eight Euro 2012 host

cities in Poland and Ukraine. See the map on page 76 for the airport nearest you

[ A DAY IN VILNIUS ]

ILLUSTRATION MAGGIE LI


BEST DAY EVER

VILNIUS

The Lithuanian capital is a vibrant mix

of medieval and modern. Here’s how you

cram a few centuries into a single day

MORNING

The best way to kickstart the day? Head to the

top of the hexagonal, red-brick Gediminas

Tower. “It means a lot to us,” explains tour

guide Migle Mikulenaite. “The tower is one of

main symbols of the town and our nation. It’s

the only remaining part of the Upper Castle.”

Perched on the edge of a majestic Old Town,

this is where Gediminas, the Grand Duke of

Words Xav Judd Photography Tim E. White

Lithuania, had his legendary prophetic dream.

In it, he saw an iron-clad wolf howling at the

moon. After consultation with his priests, the

early 14th-century Grand Duke declared it a

good omen, and ordered the building of a fort

at this site. From these beginnings, the area

grew into a city of half a million people.

A short walk down the leafy hill (or ride

on the funicular) and you’ll reach part of

CREDIT

[cover feature ]

WARSAW

OUR MODEL HOLIDAY

COUPLE, JANA AND

KIPRAS, FELL IN LOVE

WITH VILNIUS

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 / WIZZ MAGAZINE 23


the Lower Castle, the Royal Palace. Built

in the 15th Century and formerly the

residence of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania,

it was painstakingly reconstructed with

renaissance and baroque architecture, and

officially reopened in 2009. Its coconutwhite

façade adds character to the

eastern perimeter of Cathedral Square.

The spiritual, if not geographical, heart of

Vilnius, this pretty quadrangle is always

a riot of activity and colour, with a host

of fêtes, parades and other celebrations,

such as the Skamba Skamba Kankliai Folk

Festival, which takes over the Old Town’s

squares and streets in May.

Just off Cathedral Square, you’ll find

another of the city’s most remarkable

attractions: the neo-classical cathedral

with its accompanying 57m-high medieval

tower, a picture-perfect Vilnius landmark.

“St Casimir’s Chapel inside the cathedral

is miraculous,” says Migle. “Its ivorywhite

sculptures seem to jump right out

ABOVE: THE DISTINCTIVE GEDIMINAS TOWER IS AN IMPORTANT SYMBOL OF VILNIUS

BELOW: THE NEO-CLASSICAL CATHEDRAL AND BELL TOWER


“I LOVE THE OLD

TOWN, IT’S FULL OF

HISTORY AND THE

BUILDINGS ARE

LITERALLY

STUNNING”

– JANA (LEFT)

THE ANGEL OF UŽUPIS

STATUE WAS UNVEILED

EXACTLY 10 YEARS AGO,

AND IS INTENDED TO

SYMBOLISE A REVIVAL

OF THE ARTY AND

BOHEMIAN OLD TOWN

ILLUSTRATION MAGGIE LI

TOP: AN ALLEY OFF PILIES GATVE ABOVE: THE THREE

MUSES AT THE NATIONAL DRAMA THEATRE

at you. While you’re here, you must head

underground. A tour through the eerie

catacombs is amazing.”

AFTERNOON

Alluring baroque, gothic and renaissance

buildings are not the only gems in the city.

“Amber is part of Lithuanian life,” says Indre,

owner of the Amber Museum and shop at

8 Mykolo Street. People here and throughout

the Baltic region have collected amber

pieces since the earliest times, either because

they believed they had healing properties, or

to protect themselves from evil spirits.”


SUPERSTITIONS

Ever since its founder Gediminas had a vision,

this city has thrived on signs and superstition.

To see into your future, it’s said you

should pour melted wax into a bowl of water

– the shape it forms predicts things to come.

If a knife drops on the floor, it means you

will soon have a male guest. If a fork falls, a

female one will appear instead.

The Stebuklas (‘Miracle’) Tile in

Cathedral Square is a symbol of hope and

freedom and is also said to have magical

properties. If you step on it, shut your eyes,

spin around three times and make a wish,

it is supposed to come true. Alternatively, it’s

said you might find yourself back in 1989, so

be careful with this one…


Mykolo Street connects with one of the

town’s main thoroughfares, the narrow,

cobbled Pilies Street. Lined with a covered

market and numerous stores, it’s always

bustling with hundreds of sightseers

seeking out other local specialities such

as handicrafts and linen. Look out for

Vilnius University, with its pastel-shaded

buildings, dynamic frescoes and 13 inner

courtyards, which date back to the 16th

Century. It’s just a short walk from here

to Literatu Street, home to an outdoor

gallery, whose walls are hung with artwork

celebrating Lithuanian writers and poets.

As the day goes on, the capital warms

up. “The mixture of cool bars, clubs and

restaurants means that Vilnius really

does spark alive with a young crowd

from mid-evening,” says Migle. “The

scene has blossomed over the last few

years.” Start an evening at Marceliukes

kletis, half-way down Tuskulenu Street,

for unforgettable Lithuanian food. One

of the restaurant’s stand-out dishes is

Cepelinai su mesa (dumpling stuffed

with minced meat). The Medieval-styled

cellar venue Žemaiciai on Vokieciu also

serves up tantalising Lithuanian dishes. A

few doors away, the sleek Contemporary

Art Centre bustles with trendy locals

and tourists. Before the evening is in full

swing, head south of the city centre to the

Cognac Boutique, which stocks more

than 100 varieties of mouth-watering

brandy. It’s on Aušros Vartai, which leads

to an iconic landmark, the beige and white

16th-century Gate of Dawn, the last of the

town wall’s original nine gates still intact.

A MONUMENTAL HISTORY

Vilnius is peppered with

monuments and statues. Here’s

three to look out for:

Easter Egg (Margutis)

It may look like a dinosaur egg,

but this 300kg statue is a symbol of

the Old Town revival. Built by artist

Lijana Turskyte, it sits in a nest of

twigs on a granite column.

The Three Crosses

The white-painted concrete

sculpture pays homage to the

wooden crosses that were first

erected here in 1636. It’s situated

on Bleak Hill, which is much

pettier than it sounds.

The Basketball Monument

Lithuania is something of a

powerhouse when it comes to

its national sport, basketball,

having won medals in three

consecutive Olympics. The statue’s

heavyweight as well, weighing in

at over 30 tons.


ABOVE: KUDIRKOS SQUARE

ABOVE LEFT: NEWLYWEDS PUT

PADLOCKS ON UZUPIS BRIDGE

BELOW: THE CONTEMPORARY

ART CENTRE

“THE BEST

THING IS TO

GET A MAP

AND GET LOST

IN THE SMALL,

NARROW

STREETS”

– JANA



EVENING

“The great thing about Vilnius is that it’s

a small compact town, so you can go to

loads of amazing venues in a short space

of time,” says Migle. Cozy, the hip eatery

and nightspot in the middle of Dominikonu

Street, serves up an international menu.

Later hit the small dance floor, where DJs

play everything from house to funk. On the

next street, minimalist wine bar and food

haunt Bistro 18 is very reasonably priced.

A visit to the city would not be complete

without the lively Užupis district. Its

name literally means on the “other side

of the river”, in this case referring to the

Vilnia River that separates it from the old

town. In 1997 on 1 April, this bohemian

PABO LATINO: ALSO HAS A BEER

GARDEN FOR BALMY EVENINGS


ABOVE: DOWN A PINT

OF LOCAL ‘LIVE BEER’

AT SNEKUTIS PUB

LEFT: SEE THE SUN SET

ON THE AFTERNOON

WITH A COCKTAIL

AT SKY LOUNGE

neighbourhood cheekily declared itself to

be an independent republic with its own

flag, currency, president and constitution.

The star attraction is the Lithuanian

village-style pub, Snekutis. “It’s a really

relaxing place where you can chat to the

owner Aurimas, who’s something of a

character, and sample cheap native beers,”

chuckles Migle. Maybe the best is the

murky but tasty home brew, ‘live beer’.

To get you into a party mood, Migle

recommends Pabo Latino, with its funky

décor, smooth Latin tunes and atmospheric

beer garden attracts a chic twenty to

thirtysomething crowd. On the other side

of Traku Street stands Tarantino, a grungy

venue named after the film director, which

plays soul and dance music.

Look out too for Brodvejus, famed for

classic pop and live Lithuanian bands.

Located in a hidden cellar just off Town

Hall Square, Bambalyne is an atmospheric

hangout where you can taste local beers

Svyturys, Kalnapilis and Utenos. If you’ve

time, and energy, head to the Sky Bar,

a hip venue decked out in beige, white

and chrome, on the 22nd floor of the

Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva. As you’ve

started your trip with the view from the

Gediminas Tower by day, it’s fitting you

finish it here with unrivalled views of its

eclectic architecture by night.

A Vilnius city card will give you a host

of transport and venue. The website also

has all of Vilnius’s events and exhibitions.

www.vilnius-tourism.lt

VIEW FROM

THE CREW

Cabin attendant Violeta Junevic

explains why Vilnius makes

such an impression

“The architecture is

unique. During your

stay, you can’t

miss Gediminas

Tower, still an

important symbol

of Vilnius for

all of Lithuania.

The views are

breathtaking, and the

interior now houses a fine museum.

Another interesting place is

the Gate of Dawn or Aušros Gate,

(pictured below). It’s the only

remaining gate from the old

fortification and it’s famous for the

gold and silver icon of the Virgin Mary

Mother of Mercy, painted in the 17th

Century and regarded as a miracle.

THE GATE OF DAWN, PART OF CITY

DEFENCES BUILT IN THE EARLY 1500s

MODELS: KIPRAS AT FIRST MALE MODEL AGENCY AND JANA AT IMAGE GROUP MODEL MANAGEMENT

[ cover feature ]

WARSAW

30 WIZZ MAGAZINE // FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

THE CITY

OF LIGHT

READING

Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald

and Gertrude Stein are being

joined by a new generation of

writers equally enraptured

by the City of Light

Words Clive Morris

CREDIT

[ feature ]

PARIS

If Paris often seems a little in love

with itself, it’s an adoration shared

by a great many writers. They – and

their readers – can’t get enough of

the place. This spring sees the publication

of Tatiana de Rosnay’s The House I Loved,

set during the huge rebuilding of the city

during the 1860s. Andrew Miller’s spooky

bestseller Pure tells of the gruesome

relocation of Les Innocents cemetery in the

1780s. Paula McLain’s The Paris Wife, which

describes the first marriage of American

writer and Francophile Ernest Hemingway,

is currently flying out of bookstores. Quite

simply, Paris sells – even to those who

never got beyond French for Beginners.

You also have humorous, anecdote-heavy

memoirs from expats, the latest being

Australian-born John Baxter’s affectionate

stroll through literary Paris in The Most

Beautiful Walk in the World.

In the 1920s, writers such as Ernest

Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and Zelda

and F. Scott Fitzgerald flew from America

to enjoy the lively atmosphere of a café

life unknown in their home country. “Paris

is small, compact, and people tend to

cluster,” explains John Baxter, at his

home near the Luxembourg Gardens.

“Before telephones, different livelihoods

would gather in cafés, so if you needed a

musician, you could get one at short notice.

Certain cafés got a reputation for being

literary, mostly those in Montparnasse.”

The area isn’t quite so appealing to

starving writers these days. Dingo’s, where

Hemingway first met F. Scott Fitzgerald,

two weeks before the publication of The

Great Gatsby, is now an Italian restaurant.

La Coupole and Le Dôme have become


RICK TULKA, FROM PARIS CAFÉ: LE SÉLECT CROWD

pricier and grander. Yet La Rotonde, also

on boulevard Montparnasse, offers a

reasonable set menu for €39. Best for a

sunny day is La Closerie des Lilas, where

Hemingway, encouraged by that meeting

with Scott Fitzgerald, wrote his first novel,

The Sun Also Rises.

To encounter today’s writers, head

to nearby Le Sélect. Tatiana de Rosnay

is known to pop in, and the brasserie is

referenced in her best-selling Sarah’s Key.

Fans of America’s MAD magazine may also

spot Rick Tulka, quietly and anonymously

sketching regulars, as he has for the last

17 years. “Nobody knows I’m doing it. I’ve

only been caught twice in all that time.”

His drawings illustrate Paris Café: The Select

Crowd by Noël Riley Fitch.

Tourists descend by the busload on

Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots in St

Germain-des-Pres. After the war, these

Left Bank cafés were claimed by French

intellectuals such as Jean-Paul Sartre,

Simone de Beauvoir and Albert Camus.

These days, Paris is seeing plenty of new

literary-themed hotels. At Pavillon des

Lettres, not far from the Champs-Élysées,

the 26 rooms are inspired by authors

including Baudelaire, Rousseau, Voltaire,

Hugo and Zola, whose words appear on

the walls. Back on the Left Bank, the Hotel

Pont Royal has stacked bookshelves in the

bar and reception area. Sauciest of the

bunch may be Hotel La Belle Juliette in the

Latin Quarter, named after 19th-century

salon owner and celebrity Jeanne-

Françoise Julie Adélaïde Bernard.

If you prefer to stick to the printed

page, visit Abbey Bookshore on rue de la

Parcheminerie. There, employee Metissa

recommends George Orwell’s Down and Out

in London and Paris, or for Spanish readers,

Hopscotch by Julio Cortázar. Polish readers

can visit La Librarie Polonnaise at 123

boulevard Saint-Germain. The Rare Book

Market at rue Brancion in the 14th is open

every weekend – you can combine it with a

trip to the flea market in the Porte de Vanves.

The most famous bookshop is Shakespeare

& Company, a mere stone’s throw from the

Seine. Now owned by Sylvia Whitman, it is

famously the home of the ‘Tumbleweeds’,

young travelling writers who sleep above

the shop for free in return for a few hours’

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: HOTEL LA BELLE JULIETTE; SHAKESPEARE & COMPANY’S SYLVIA

WHITMAN; LES DEUX MAGOTS; MAD CARTOONIST RICK TULKA WITH AUTHOR NOËL RILEY FITCH

shelving during the day. Hundreds apply

and applicants must demonstrate some

literary interest, though Sylvia admits, “I

don’t ask to inspect their writing.”

“The trick is to be let into the Rare Book

Room, next door to the main shop,” says

Baxter. “If you want a first edition of The

Moveable Feast, or an early edition of

Ulysses, it will be here.” Paris, however, is

best read about in French. “My favourite

writers are Balzac and Proust. Proust is the

ultimate stylist and it never works quite as

well translated into English. Those beautiful

sentences that just unroll, page after page,

they’re hypnotic. You’re not a civilised

person unless you’ve read some Proust.”

[ feature ]

PARIS

Best not ditch that French for Beginners

just yet then.

The Most Beautiful Walk in the World (Short

Books, £8.99) and Chronicles of Paris (Museyon

Guides, £15.99) by John Baxter are out now


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GETTY

36 WIZZ MAGAZINE // FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

LEARN IT THROUGH

THE GRAPEVINE

Follow Italy’s Wine Trail and

discover more about your

favourite tipples at the vineyard

Words Sarah Lane

CREDIT

IN LATE MAY HUNDREDS OF WINEMAKERS

across Italy pour a glass and invite you to pull

up a chair. The Cantine Aperte (it means ‘Open

Cellars’) is an annual celebration of wine, in

which itinerant bon viveurs go from vineyard to

vineyard sampling the finest Italian vino.

I had flown in to Rome, where I spent an

evening sampling its wine bars in preparation for

my tour through central Italy and Tuscany. Cosy

or chic, the bars are as essential a part of the

Italy experience as visiting the Colosseum. At

Cul De Sac (Piazza di Pasquino 73) you can take

your pick from around 1,500 wines, or drink in

the atmosphere along with a glass of Frascati at

historic Vineria Reggio (Campo de’ Fiori 15).

The following morning, I set off on a voyage

of discovery through the idyllic vine-covered

countryside between Rome and Pisa to see

where the nation’s finest wines are produced.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 / WIZZ MAGAZINE 37

GETTY

[ feature ]

ROME TO PISA

My quest began outside the capital, at

the stunning Castelli Romani area around

Frascati. Since ancient times, when Romans

moved in and took over the vine-growing

traditions of their Etruscan predecessors,

winemaking has been densely woven into

the culture. Frascati is now one of Italy’s

best-known whites and a household name.

It recently gained prestigious DOCG

status (guaranteeing its designation of

origin), making for higher standards and

tougher production controls. Fresh and

moreish, it’s the ideal partner for delicious

local dish spaghetti cacio e pepe, made

with Pecorino cheese.

UMBRIA

Not far north of Rome is Umbria, Italy’s

green heart and a vital part of the

country’s wine culture, largely thanks to

Giorgio Lungarotti. The firm he founded is

currently celebrating its 50th anniversary,

and it continues to blaze a trail for the

region’s winemakers. Based at Torgiano, the

Lungarotti realm includes Italy’s top wine

museum, a luxurious country-house resort

and spa, plus 10 rustic holiday apartments

overlooking the estate’s vineyards.

A visit behind the scenes at Lungarotti

is a must. You can see the cellars where

wines mature in oak barrels, and learn

about the procedures used to make the

various vintages. Finishing at the wine

shop and tasting room, try some superb


ABOVE: FROM THE

ROLLING HILLS OF

UMBRIA COMES ITS

RUBY-RED WINE

LEFT: SOMEONE ELSE PUTS

IN THE HARD WORK

wines including the award-winning Rubesco

Riserva Vigna Monticchio 2006. This

top Lungarotti label is made with 70%

Sangiovese and 30% Canaiolo grapes,

regarded as two of the finest varieties for

their depth of flavour and predominance in

the region’s wine production.

As the current head of the family firm

Chiara Lungarotti enthuses, the velvety

ruby-red wine reflects the local character –

“proud, generous and smooth, it rolls in the

mouth like the rolling hills of Umbria”.

Chiara loves her land and strongly

believes in the importance of Italy’s wine

culture. She strongly emphasises the

benefit both to producers and the public.

Chiara runs Movimento Turismo del Vino,

an association of around 1,000 vineyards

throughout Italy. The Cantine Aperte in the

last Sunday in May is its signature event.

TUSCANY

Leaving Umbria, I passed through

stunning scenery and breathtakingly

beautiful towns on my way to Italy’s

wine region par excellence, Tuscany. The

region that produces such internationally

acclaimed reds as Sassicaia and Brunello

di Montalcino unfolds through magical

landscapes with vineyards stretching to the

horizon, punctuated by picturesque hilltop

villages such as Montalcino itself.

I learned that Brunello is made with

100% Sangiovese grapes and matures

for at least six years, including two in

oak barrels, to create a complex, classy

wine. A native vine and ideally suited

to the terrain, Sangiovese is a common

denominator for many Tuscan vintages.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, for

LEFT: WINE BARS STOCK

THE LOCAL PRODUCE

BELOW: SAN GIMIGNANO

WINE CELLAR

[ feature ]

ROME TO PISA

instance – Italy’s first DOCG-certified

wine – is a minimum of 70% Sangiovese.

In Montepulciano, you'll find Palazzo

Contucci, one of the lovely Renaissance

buildings that line the steep alleys

and piazzas. There, the great Contucci

family, now headed by Ginevra Contucci,

continues to reside, producing Vino Nobile

in the cellars as it has done for the past

thousand years.

Journeying north towards Pisa, you can

spend a memorable day strolling around

the Chianti area – a network of pretty

villages and vineyards dedicated to one

of the world’s best-loved wines. Again

mostly Sangiovese, Chianti is produced in

much of Tuscany, but Chianti Classico is

restricted to a small area between Siena

and Florence. At loggerheads throughout

history, the two provinces found an

ingenious solution to a 13th-century

border dispute: a rider would set off from

their respective towns at cock-crow and

where they met, the border would be

established. Wily Florentines had their

bird rise before daylight, so gaining more

territory, and the black cockerel came to

symbolise the area and its wine.

After so many luscious reds, I decided

to seek out an important white wine


ALAMY, GETTY

[ feature ]

ROME TO PISA

VIVA THE

VINEYARD TOWNS!

Frascati Its 400m tunnels, used to

age wine, were built in Ancient Roman

times. Rooms and restaurant available.

Tenuta di Pietra Porzia, www.

tenutadipietraporzia.it

Torgiano Wine museum, cellar

visits and wine-tasting, plus countrystyle

accommodation or 5-star luxury.

Fondazione Lungarotti, www.lungarotti.it

Montalcino At its historic vineyard,

Col D’Orcia is committed to

researching new means of production.

Cantina Col d’Orcia, www.coldorcia.it

Montepulciano Wine has been

made here in central Montepulciano

for over 1,000 years.

Cantina Contucci, www.contucci.it

San Gimignano Pietrafitta vineyard

dates back to 961AD. It has both B&B

and apartments with kitchens at its

farmhouse accommodation.

www.agriturismopietrafitta.com

San Miniato Taste and buy the Pisa

estate’s biodynamic wines and other

local produce, such as olive oils.

Cosimo Maria Masini, www.

cosimomariamasini.it


ABOVE: VERNACCIA WINE IS FROM THE MEDIEVAL TOWN OF

SAN GIMIGNANO, WHERE TOWER HOUSES DOT THE HORIZON

and ended up at San Gimignano where

Vernaccia, the only Tuscan DOCG-certified

white, is made. Although only 14 of San

Gimignano’s original 72 medieval tower

houses remain, the striking stone-built

centre is unusually well preserved thanks

to a 13th-century law banning demolitions.

Already popular back then, Vernaccia

was much loved by popes, poets and

even painters – Michelangelo extolled the

virtues of a wine that “kisses, licks, bites

and stings”, referring to its crisp acidity.

I too was ready to sing the wine’s praises

after trying it with a tasty risotto flavoured

with the celebrated local saffron – a

perfect pairing.

On my way towards Pisa, my final

destination, I sat sipping biodynamic

wines at the Cosimo Maria Masini vineyard

watching the sun set over San Miniato, a

delightful village that’s famous for its white

truffle. I was joined by Matteo Cantoni,

president of the Pisan Hills Wine Trail.

“The food and wine of a territory

should certainly be promoted together,”

he argues. “We plan to enlarge our

association to incorporate the food

aspect.” He and his brother Nicola are

trailblazing new wine-producing techniques

at their vineyard Fattoria di Fibbiano near

Pisa. Thanks to solar panels and other

eco-friendly installations, they are 100%

self-sufficient for energy. They also rent out

holiday apartments there.

The end of the journey takes place in

the iconic city of Pisa. Make a beeline

for one of its riverside wine bars or head

to Il Colonnino (Via Sant’Andrea 37) to

enjoy fine wines in a cosy rustic setting.

If you stop by Ristoro Al Vecchio Teatro

(Via Collegio Ricci 12), you can indulge in

traditional Pisan dishes and local wines.

It’s the perfect way to reflect on this

Italian journey of wine, with each variety

along the route a result of a complex

blend of traditions, territory and even the

personality of the people behind it.

It’s what has informed the region and

the cities of Rome and Pisa for centuries; it

still shapes the land and its people today.

Cantine Aperte is on 27 May. Many vineyards,

including those mentioned in the sidebar, left,

are open to the public throughout the year.

www.movimentoturismovino.it

HEAVEN

ON EARTH

These four sublime

European

destinations are

proud winners

of the eden award

EDEN (European Destinations of

Excellence) is an initiative to promote

sustainable tourism across the EU by

highlighting spectacular emerging sites

and cultural attractions off the beaten

tourist track. Each year the European

Commission selects a different theme

for the awards, from ‘rural tourism’

and ‘intangible heritage’ to ‘protected

areas’. The awards go to the most

distinctive towns, parks and regions

with a commitment to social, cultural

and environmental sustainability. Since

launching in 2006, EDEN has introduced

98 stunning destinations across 26

European countries to a wider tourist

market. As well as ‘decongesting’ the

much-hyped tourism mainstays, EDEN

provides greater exposure for unique

and sustainable holiday experiences in

the EU.

ec.europa.eu/eden

FLY TO TURKU (Helsinki)

1. SAIMAA HOLIDAY (FINLAND)

Enjoy the pristine natural beauty of

Finland’s largest lake by going canoeing,

ice-fishing and seal-watching, before

finishing your day with a traditional

sauna and a bracing dip in the lake.

saimaaholiday.net

FLY TO CLUJ-NAPOCA

✈

✈

3. APUSENI (ROMANIA)

This national park is an explorer’s

paradise with deep ravines, 21km

of underground labyrinths and over

1,500 caves to discover, as well as

top-quality canoeing, hiking and

rock-climbing.

parcapuseni.ro

1

2

3

4

FLY TO RIGA

2. TERVETE (LATVIA)

This region is famous for its fairy tale

forests with enormous pine trees but

also boasts a rich, ancient history, while

the beautiful Swans Lake offers relaxed

boating, fishing and bird-watching.

mammadaba.lv

FLY TO SOFIA

✈

✈

4. BELITSA (BULGARIA)

Known for its stunning panoramic views,

this mountain town offers world-class

skiing and hiking for alpine enthusiasts.

Alternatively, you can see bears being

prepared for reintroduction to the wild

at the Dancing Bear Park.

belitsa.com

[ feature ]

MADRID

LOOK OUT! IT’S

SHOCK OPERA

An opera based on the strange life and even

stranger work of performance artist Marina

Abramovic comes to Madrid’s Teatro Real

MARINA ABRAMOVIC IS THE

skewed visionary behind some of

the world’s strangest performance

art. One memorable work involved

meticulously washing 1,500 cow bones while

singing folk songs. Another had her sat in

the entrance hall of New York’s MoMA for

seven hours a day for three months, while

visitors were invited to sit opposite and

return her gaze. So just how mad is an opera

based on her life story going to be?

This April sees The Life and Death of

Marina Abramovic arrive at Madrid’s Teatro

Real. The dazzling production stars Marina

as herself, with Hollywood actor Willem

Dafoe there in person as the narrator.

Providing the music is British singer Antony

Hegarty of Mercury Prize-winning band

Antony and the Johnsons. Not only has he

written the score, he brings his uniquely

haunting voice to the show, fronting a

company of nine performers.

Words Scott Adams

Born in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1946,

Abramovic has been making a spectacle of

herself for her entire artistic life, which only

began in the early 1970s. Tossing her nail

clippings and snipped hair into a burning

star drenched with petroleum, and driving

a leaking car around a museum for 365

laps, both helped make her name.

This radical opera is part of Teatro Real’s

artistic director Gerard Mortier’s plan to

attract new audiences, especially from

Eastern Europe. “Opera needs to develop

new ways to move forward into the future,”

he says. “This means new composers and

new projects, such as The Life and Death

of Marina Abramovic, developed by great

visual artists, actors and singers.”

The star of the opera herself reveals

that she had always loathed live theatre

until she worked with the opera’s director,

Robert Wilson. “I saw it as fake, the black

box where reality was forgotten,” she says.


GETTY

[ feature ]

MADRID

Wilson is the man who originally conceived

the idea of bringing Abramovic’s life to the

stage and is responsible for its extravagant

visuals. He is, according to Abramovic, the

man who taught her how to appreciate

“the illusion presented on the stage”.

Abramovic is also a fan of Hegarty’s

score. “I knew from the start that Antony

was the one to provide the music,” she

goes on. “He has created 11 amazing songs

about my life for this project. When you

hear him sing it’s like magic.”

This is possibly the most adventurous

contemporary opera seen to date at Teatro

Real, and some purists may be sceptical

as to whether it is the right place for it.

Mortier is convinced it is. “Antony will

bring a musical lyricism that, in conjunction

with Robert Wilson’s staging and Marina

Abramovic’s performance, will make this

production a real opera, just as

Monteverdi, the art form’s 16th-century

founder, would have loved.”

Madrid has long been a hot ticket for

culture vultures. The Prado, Thyssen-

Bornemisza and Reina Sofia museums offer

visitors some of the world’s greatest works

of art spanning over nine centuries.

Although the Teatro Real has played an

important role in Madrid’s cultural life for

over 150 years, today it is known for its


fearlessly imaginative reinvention of classic

operas. July will see the Spanish premiere

of Ainadamar, created in 2005 by Osvaldo

Golijov. Opera heavyweights such as

Angela Gheorghiu, Rolando Villazón and

Plácido Domingo regularly perform on the

Madrid stage – Domingo returns to Teatro

Real in May to take the lead in the opera

Cyrano de Bergerac, by Franco Alfano.

The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic is

at Teatro Real, 11-22 April. Performances

can also be seen live for a small fee at

www.teatro-real.com

LEFT: THE OPERA WITH

MARINA ABRAMOVIC MAY

UPSET PURISTS AT THE

TEATRO REAL (BELOW)

CURTAIN CALL

More Madrid highlights

The Lion King

Book a ticket for this multi-million

euro production of the awardwinning

musical. Lope de Vega

Theatre, www.elreyleon.es

Follies

Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece

has a lavish production in Madrid.

Ends 8 April. Teatro Español,

www.teatroespanol.es

Chagall

This major exhibition will cover

Russian artist Marc Chagall’s

entire career, which covered seven

decades of the 20th Century.

Ends 20 May. Thyssen-Bornemisza

Museum, www.museothyssen.org

The Hermitage

The best of the Hermitage

Museum in St Petersburg comes

to Madrid, with works by Rubens,

Caravaggio, Kandinsky and

Picasso. Ends 8 April. The Prado

Museum, www.museodelprado.es

WHERE TO STAY IN LITHUANIA

Whether travelling for business or for pleasure, these stylish hotels

will ensure that your visit to Vilnius is a comfortable one

EUROPA

CITY VILNIUS

This hotel is ideally located

in the centre of the city, near to

the Lithuanian Parliament and

the new business and financial

districts, and is at the heart of

the capital’s diverse nightlife.

Meanwhile, Gediminas Avenue

and the Old Town, and their wide

variety of cultural venues, are

only a few minutes’ walk away.

RAMADA HOTEL

& SUITES

This five-star luxury hotel,

situated in a historic 16th-century

building is the perfect choice

for a relaxing vacation or a

successful business trip. Ramada

Hotel & Suites Vilnius presents

its guests with a blend of

comfort, style and individual

design. Lithuania’s Department

of Tourism recognised it as the

country’s best hotel of 2011. The

hotel houses the most popular

This bright and modern hotel

offers 128 cozy guest rooms,

complete with an impressive

range of facilities, including

wireless internet access, and four

fully equipped conference rooms.

14 J. Jasinskio St,

LT-01112 Vilnius

Ph. +370 5 251 44 77

vilnius@europacity.lt

www.europacity.lt

bar in Vilnius, California tapas

& wine, and the best fine dining

restaurant, California Gourmet.

Nice summer weather and bar

services can be enjoyed on the

outdoor terrace from where you

can admire the breathtaking

view of Vilnius Old Town.

2 Subaciaus St,

LT-01127 Vilnius

Ph. +370 5 255 33 55

hotel@ramadavilnius.lt

www.ramadavilnius.lt

THE FOUR STAR

EUROPA ROYALE

VILNIUS HOTEL

Situated in a beautiful

mansion in the heart of Vilnius

Old Town, all 51 guest rooms

of this hotel are individually

designed with unique sizes and

layouts in order to preserve its

16th-century cultural heritage.

The elegant hotel restaurant,

Medininkai, is the oldest in the

Old Town, offering exceptional

international cuisine. Two

conference rooms, fully

equipped and able to host 60

people at a time, cater for all

your business needs.

6 Ausros Vartu St,

LT-01129 Vilnius

Ph. +370 5 266 07 70

vilnius@europaroyale.com

www.groupeuropa.com

A FOOTBALL

FIESTA

Sixteen teams go head to head in Europe’s

biggest sporting tournament as Euro 2012 kicks

off on 8 June. The 14th European Championship

will bring thousands of visitors to host countries

Poland and the Ukraine, while millions more will

be watching in offi ces, living rooms and bars.

Here’s our preview guide to Europe’s

biggest tournament

POLAND

UKRAINE

UKRAINE

APRIL/MAY 2012 / WIZZ MAGAZINE 53

[ feature ]

EURO 2012

THE BIG SIX

Six out of the eight host cities of the

Euro 2012 are Wizz Air destinations.

Here’s the inside guide to getting the

most out of your European tour

KICKING OFF IN WARSAW ON 8 JUNE,

this three-week extravaganza is the stage

for artists such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Jakub

Błaszczykowski and Lionel Messi of title

holders Spain to excel on. Key clashes

already scheduled include England-France,

Germany-Netherlands and Spain-Croatia,

with six knock-out games before the grand

final in Kiev on 1 July. As proved popular at

Euro 2008, which was co-hosted by Austria

and Switzerland, there’ll be a fan zone set

up in the town centre at each of this year’s

host cities, as well as a diverse range of

family-friendly events that should ensure

all-day entertainment even for those not

lucky enough to obtain tickets for the

match. Four of the eight stadia have been

built from scratch, including a spectacular

national arena in Warsaw risen from the

ruins of Europe’s biggest flea market. It

will be a unique football event.

WARSAW

Set by the banks of the Vistula, you reach

Warsaw’s jaw-droppingly impressive

new National Stadium by crossing

Poniatowskiego Bridge, heading away from

the city centre. Designed in the form of

the Polish flag waving in the wind, it is the

red-and-white jewel in the crown of the



WARSAW

city. Opening on the eve of the tournament

on 7 June, a vast fan zone will spread

out on Plac Defilad below the skyscraper

Palace of Culture and Science. More than

100,000 fans can gather in this former

parade ground, to be installed with huge

TV screens, catering stalls and games. For

a cosier place to watch the match, there’s

the sports bar at the revamped Legia

Warsaw stadium, across the river from the

arena. Named after its address and set at

the stadium entrance, Łazienkowska 3 not

only features a pictorial history of the club,

but also offers the house speciality, the

Deyna Bagel (‘Rogal Deyny’), a croissant

of salami, bacon and cheese invented by

the wife of the late Legia (and Manchester

City) star Kazimierz Deyna. Its shape

is said to have been inspired by Deyna’s

bending shot that beat Dino Zoff for Poland

to beat Italy at the 1974 World Cup.

THE CHARMING OLD

TOWN OF WARSAW

WARSAW’S NEW

NATIONAL STADIUM

Opposite Warsaw’s main train station,

the huge sports bar Champions

(www.champions.pl) at the Marriott Hotel

has scores of TV screens for the games.

Ten minutes’ walk away, Legends

(www.legendsbar.pl) is a classy bar and

restaurant with artwork designed around

the history of British sport.

WHAT THEY

ARE SAYING...

President of UEFA

Michel Platini

“I was confident that the

stadiums would be built,

the games would be good

and that the fans would

find a great atmosphere.”

Warsaw mayor Hanna

Gronkiewicz-Waltz

“Football fans will be

coming to Warsaw from

all over Europe. On match

days we will have up to

150,000 visitors here to

celebrate this great event,

with the biggest fan zone

in Poland.”

Star Ukraine player

Andriy Shevchenko

“This is a matter of pride

for the Ukraine, not just in

terms of football, but for

the development of the

country and its people.”

POZNAN

POZNAN

Poznan is famous for the unusual local

terrace celebration in which fans link

arms and jump up and down, their backs

to the pitch – it’s known as the ‘Grecque’.

The Lech Poznan pitch of legend is now

surrounded by an impressively rebuilt arena

featuring the two biggest broadcast screens

in Poland. Meanwhile, the beautiful,

bar-filled city centre will be full of party

atmosphere, with a 30,000-capacity

fan zone in downtown Plac Wolnosci.

Don’t miss popular sports bar Cooliozum

(www.cooliozum.pl), with 90 beers from

microbreweries across Poland and the

region. Members of the local Warta

Poznan (the city’s ‘other’ club), Manchester

United and Real Madrid fan clubs do battle

THE LIVELY PASTEL

COLOURS OF POSNAN’S

OLD MARKET SQUARE

[ feature ]

EURO 2012

here over the table football tables, and

a month-long programme of footballrelated

nights is slated for June.

Tucked away 10 minutes’ walk from the

city centre, the basement BSA Sport Pub

(www.bsa.poznan.pl) is a cornucopia of

football memorabilia.

Lech Poznan are Poland’s most popular

football club, with the highest average

attendance in the country.

ALAMY


[ feature ]

EURO 2012

WROCŁAW

WROCŁAW

Rising like a mirage on the horizon, the

new, eco-friendly Miejski Stadion is a venue

like no other. Located out towards the

airport, it’s usually home to local team

Warta Poznan, and though it originally

started building in 1968, it only played its

first game in 1980 and underwent massive

renovation from 2003 to 2010. Apart from

an equally new transport terminus, only

residential housing stands nearby. For a

pre-match pint with locals, the Sports Bar

on Gwarecka is three tram stops and a

10-minute walk away from the action. Its

interior is done out like a football terrace,

and the Sports Bar flies the colours of

Polish league leaders Slask Wrocław.

Heading for only the second title win

in their history, Slask are on the crest of

a wave – though when asked to explain

this success, team captain Sebastian Mila

said: “Like Coca-Cola, we have a secret

recipe, that no-one from the outside

can know about.” Back in the pretty,

lake-lined city centre, 25,000 aficionados

will gather in the Rynek (market square)

and surroundings, transforming them

into a huge fan zone. This area boasts

outstanding reconstruction work since

the devastation of the war and it’s worth

exploring in depth.

Wrocław goalkeeper Marián Kelemen

not only stops goals – his penalty shot

earned Slask a place in the Ekstraklasa (the

Polish Premier League) final last season.

For a heady evening, reserve the back

bar-tap table at the landmark Spiz

(www.spiz.pl), where they pour 20 litres of

house beer for 260 złoty (€63).


OSTRÓW TUMSKI

BRIDGE. BELOW:

THE OLD TOWN NEAR

RYNEK SQUARE

WHAT THEY

ARE SAYING...

Ukrainian football

legend Oleg Blokhin

“The players need to

prove that they are

worthy of the blue-andyellow

shirt every time

they play. I only want

players in my team who

consider it an honour to

play for Ukraine.”

Joanna Mucha, Sports

Minister of Poland

“All I can say is: come

here and see it for

yourself, it’s incredible

what we've managed

to accomplish for the

Championship.”

ALAMY

The Irish Football Team

are staying in Sopot

and You?

check it out on www.sopot.pl

[ feature ]

EURO 2012

GDANSK’S FUTURISTIC PGE ARENA

GDANSK

GDANSK

The no. 10 tram glides past dockyard

cranes to arrive at glowing gold ahead

marvel that is the PGE Arena, a futuristic

superdome slapped in the middle of

nowhere. There, between sectors 22 and

23, is the newly opened T29 sports bar.

Named after the Traugutta 29 address that

was home to beloved local club Lechia, T29

displays a black-and-white history of the

club, including a poignant image of players

saying farewell to fans after the last

Traugutta game in May 2011. In town, on

Plac Zebran Ludowych, a 30,000-capacity

fan zone will feature a 100 square metre

broadcast screen, live music, DJ sets and

games of football skill.


THE MOTŁAWA RIVER IN

GDANSK OLD TOWN

Lechia Gdansk take their name from

the former Lechia club in Lviv, whose fans

moved en masse in 1945 to the Baltic

coast after Soviet re-occupation.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Lechia’s most

famous fan is Lech Walesa, the former

Polish president and Solidarity leader.

KIEV

KIEV

What finer football hotbed to host a Euro

Championship final than Kiev? Home to

soccer superpower Dynamo, they play

at two grounds: the 70,000-capacity

Olympiyskiy, completely overhauled to

host Euro 2012, the final included; and

the more modest Dynamo Stadium, now

named after their famous coach Valery

Lobanovskyi. Wander down the city’s

main drag of the Kreschatik to reach the

fan zone in the heart of town. Europe’s

greenest city is at its best in summer, when

locals play football games on the shore

and islands of the Dnieper River. Near the

waterfront, check out nightspots such as

the upscale Crystal Hall (www.crystalhall.

com.ua), with its quality DJs and outdoor

dining. At the Olympisky Stadium itself,

the Sport&Beer (www.osbeer.com.ua)

is a themed pub/restaurant with live

entertainment open until 2am. It is just

beyond the stadium entrance nearest the

Olympisky metro station.

After spells at Chelsea and Milan, Kiev’s

most famous footballer Andriy Shevchenko

is back at Dynamo.

For the best beer, head to Eric’s Bierstube

(20 Chervonoarmiyska), set up by

legendary German barman Eric Aigner.

ALL EYES WILL BE ON

THIS STADIUM FOR THE

EURO 2012 FINAL

Watch our video at: www.targrybny.pl

Conveniently located just next to Hilton Gdańsk, Fishmarkt restaurant and bar brings back the tradition

of fish trade in this place reaching 14th century. Stylish, warm wooden interior welcomes uests

from the first step. Menu of fine meals, prepared from fresh fish, will satisfy the most demanding gourmet.

RESTAURACJA TARG RYBNY - FISHMARKT

ul. Targ Rybny 6C, 80-838 Gdańsk, tel./fax +48 58 320 90 11, e-mail: restauracja@targrybny.pl

LVIV

LVIV

Ukrainian national president Viktor

Yanukovych opened the Arena Lviv last

October with this grand statement: “This

will stay in the memory of the citizens of

Lviv forever. This is a stadium for young

football fans who will bring their children

and grandchildren here in years to come.”

It’s a measure of the pride and passion

of the game for this city, which is known

for its famous Derby of the Carpathians

between Karpaty Lviv and Volyn Lutsk, as

well as the recently emerged local rivalry

between FC Lviv and Karpaty Lviv. Visiting

fans can dine at restaurants ranging from

Armenian to Ukrainian, as well as in bizarre

basements themed around local military

history, and sample the no-holds-barred,

non-stop nightlife scene. Hotspots such as

Metro (www.metroclub.com.ua) on Zelena

Street, MIXX Party Club at Staryi Rynok

by the Old Market and the Music Lab on

Brativ Rohatyntsiv Street either go on past

dawn or don’t bother closing at all. By day,

spin the table-football players at 4Friends

(www.4friends.com.ua) at Dzhokhara

Dudayeva 2, also known for its whiskies

– though even this venue adopts 24-hour

opening at weekends.

Lviv is the birthplace of Polish football,

the first goal in a Polish match being scored

there in 1894. Its high living standard and

Western European flavour has earned it

the nickname ‘the Little Paris of Ukraine’.

For a taste of English football, what

better place to watch the game than the

Liverpool pub (http://liverpool.lviv.ua) at

Kulisha 31, where they serve Liverpool

lager and Liverpool light ale.

LVIV HAS PLENTY OF

HISTORY, MUCH OF

IT TO DO WITH

POLISH FOOTBALL

[ feature ]

EURO 2012

WHAT THEY

ARE SAYING...

Ukrainian president

Viktor Yanukovych

“Poland and the Ukraine

have worked tirelessly

to organise a fantastic

tournament. Together

with all the teams that

have qualified, we are

going to be writing a piece

of football history.”

WBC Heavyweight

Champion boxer,

Ukrainian Vitaliy

Klitschko

“This is a chance for the

country to assert itself

in Europe. I believe, in

Nelson Mandela’s words,

that sport can change

the world.”


[ cover feature ]

EURO 2012

THE SUPERSTAR

STRIKER

Will the support of a nation

and unrivalled admiration

be enough for Andriy

Shevchenko to shine?

“ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO IS NOT in Italy, and helped lped win both the

just another football player.” So says Champions League ague in 2003 and

Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin, and it's the Serie A title e in the 2003/2004

a view shared by many. “He is also season. He’s currently rrently the third-

a person of indisputable authority.” highest scorer in n the history of

Shevchenko will spearhead Ukraine’s European club football, with

bid for glory at this summer’s

67 goals, behind d Spanish

European 2012, in what will be an legend Raúl, and nd Italian

Words Peterjon Cresswel

international swansong for arguably striker Filippo Inzaghi.

his country’s greatest ever player. As his country’s y’s top

The 35-year-old national captain scorer, with 46 goals in

has enjoyed an illustrious career 106 games, Ukrainians rainians

at club level, with AC Milan and hope their tournament nament

Chelsea among his former clubs, debut, against Group D

the former where he enjoyed huge opponents England, and,

success, the latter less so, and he’s France and Sweden, den, will benefit.

now back on home soil at the club “There is a great reat responsibility on

where it all began – Dynamo Kiev. the team to perform well,” he says.

As befits the status of a superstar, “Because our supporters and the

Shevchenko is a former winner of whole of the country are expecting

the Ballon d’Or (the 2004 European us to do just that. We are playing

Footballer of the Year), which he at home, with full stadiums and

won while at AC Milan, for whom he passionate fans. It will be a very

scored 175 goals in seven seasons special moment for me.”


Words Mark Crossley

[ cover feature ]

EURO 2012


THE STAR

GOALKEEPER

A Czech football victory

is in the hands of its

legendary keeper

Words Julie O’Shea

The “King of Czech Football” rarely concedes a

goal. Petr Cech, known for his razor-like focus, is

a force to be reckoned with on the pitch.

“Petr Cech is one of the most prominent

figures of the Czech national team,” says Petr

Kovar, spokesman for the FA of the Czech

Republic. “He can read the game very well.”

He also inspires confidence in other players.

“They know that with him in goal they have

great support,” says Kovar.

The star goalie was temporarily sidelined

in 2006 with a depressed skull fracture. He

returned three months later, with a rugby-like

scrum cap, which became his trademark.

His lengthy career has taken him from

the Czech Republic (Sparta Praha) to France

(Rennes) and finally to England, where he’s been

playing for Chelsea since 2004. During his first

season with the London clu club, Cech established a

league record for going 1,025 1,0 minutes without

conceding a goal. In 2010, the International

Federation of Football History Histo & Statistics

honoured Cech’s achievements.

achievem

It came two years afte after uncharacteristic

late-game errors against again Turkey sent his

team packing in Euro 2008. 2 As he gears

up to take the intern international stage again,

Cech is undoubte undoubtedly determined not to

make make the same sam

mistake twice.

Has there ever been a bigger

hero in Ukrainian football history

than current national coach Oleg

Blokhin? Due to lead his side

out at Euro 2012 in June, this

Kiev-born footballing giant hails

from the Soviet era, and hit the

heights as a fast-paced forward.

The leading goalscorer in the

history of the Soviet league and

most capped USSR international,

he starred for his home-town club

Dynamo in both their European

triumphs, the Cup-Winners’ Cup

wins of 1975 and 1986.

Prevented from joining a major

club abroad, Blokhin ran out for

modest Austrian side Vorwärts

Steyr and Cypriots Aris Limassol,

before coaching in Greece. He

returned to Kiev to manage the

national side from 2003, and took

[cover feature ]

EURO 2012

A UKRAINIAN

LEGEND

The Ukrainian coach and

Soviet-era football legend

demands pride from his team


them to a debut appearance at

the 2006 World Cup finals.

He was elected to Parliament

with the United Social Democratic

Party of Ukraine, with Hryhoriy

Surkis, president of the national

football federation, who assisted

Ukraine’s bid to co-host Euro 2012.

Blokhin quit the Ukraine job in

2007, but four years later he was

back, telling a surprised press: “I

have a double responsibility taking

into account the fact that Ukraine

co-hosts the Euro 2012 finals.

“This tournament is very special

for me as I have never played at a

European Championship,” he said.

“The players need to prove they

are worthy of the blue and yellow

shirt every time they play. I only

want players who consider it an

honour to play for Ukraine.”

FOOTBALL

SUMMER

ON YOUR

MOBILE

Each time an international

football tournament rolls

around we see advancements

access has multiplied across Europe,

like angry bacteria, especially

in technology. In 2008 Facebook in eastern quarters where the

was where people came together percentage of some households

to discuss just how darn good that having broadband internet has gone

up from 22 per cent to as much as 61

the European Championships trophy.

Two years later, during the World for example, one of the hosts of this

Cup in South Africa, Twitter was the summer’s European Championships).

platform for football fans around the It means options like live streaming

globe to come and debate whether of sports are more available to

round-house kicking an opponent punters. In 2011 Unibet streamed

in the chest is a legal move on the 12,000 events from all around the

football pitch (general consensus: no, globe, at all hours. Betters in almost

it isn’t, Nigel de Jong).

every continent were able to watch

And as Euro 2012 prepares to get

into full swing it’s the mobile phone

whenever they felt like it.

revolution that will be giving fans the More and more people are turning

best coverage. As technology evolves to their smart phones to get things

at a rapid pace, quicker even than done; shopping, emailing, betting

Gareth Bale down the left wing for - it’s quicker and simpler. Again, like

Tottenham, the options for sports Gareth Bale. And as our convergence

fans increase. Now you can post technologies blend more and more

thoughts, location updates, share into our convergence lifestyles, the

photos and videos to your friends, ability to do what we want, when we

family and anyone else you have want, and where we wants is more

come into contact with. And the and more imperative. And as a result

introduction of 4G capability over the it means big companies have to keep

next few years means soon mobile up and offer consumers everything

connectivity speed will be quicker they demand; the power has shifted

than most Ethernet-connected

computers which means we’ll all be

going to our smart phones before our

laptops. Most of us are already.

to the people.

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

ONE OF 3 ANDROID TABLETS

REGISTER AT WWW.UNIBET.COM/WIZZMAG

As a result, it opens up a whole new

experience for the betting fan. And

now, with live betting, no longer

do markets close on kick-off, no

longer do you have to rush to the

bookmaker’s window before a ball

is kicked. Live betting means sports

games as they unfold, from the next

goalscorer or number of corners in

a football match, to who will win

the next point in tennis. Betting no

longer stops when the referee blows

his whistle, in fact it doesn’t stop at

all. The options for betting on sports

is now like Shirley Bassey’s opinion

on diamonds. And with Unibet’s

Stats Centre for smart phones betters

are able to get up to the minute

information on matches and teams at

exactly what is going on before they

place a bet.

The biggest and best improvement

thanks to the development of mobile

phone betting though? Betting on

smart phones from anywhere

and that added mobility of having

everything you need in the palm

of your hand will be much needed

during the summer, with the

European Championships in the vast

and some of the matches as much

as 1,800km away from each other

Ukraine the furthest stretch if you’re

wondering). This means some fans

will be spending lots of time on the

road, especially if their team does

few rounds. (So England fans will be

alright then).

reigning champions Spain are backed

at 3.50 to retain their crown (and

Germany are not far behind at 4.25

and neither are Holland at 8.00. Even

manager-less England are 9.00 to win

the whole blasted thing. The punters,

though, don’t quite feel the same.

At Unibet it is Germany who are

attracting the most tournament bets

with 35.9 per cent of the turnover

while no-one fancies England,

who have got just 1.3 per cent backing. And rivalries count for a lot

too, even though Germany are attracting the most backing so far, in

But the Euros always throw up some surprise results; like Greece

winning the whole thing in 2004 snatching the trophy from hosts

preparing for a summer off before getting a wildcard entry and going

on to claim top prize. But with the options available now to football

fans on the go, and at matches, thanks to mobile phone betting they

will be able to be one step ahead of the game.

Growth of Smartphone Audience

Source: comScore MobiLens, 3 mon. avg. ending Oct 2010 - Oct 2011

Share of Smartphones

70.00%

60.00%

50.00%

40.00%

30.00%

20.00%

10.00%

0

Oct 2010

DE FR UK

ES

IT EU5

Oct 2011

[ feature ]

EURO 2012


A MULTIMEDIA GUIDE TO EURO 2012

YOU CAN HEAR THE BUZZ OF THE INTERNET in the build-up to the

tournament, as it fills with blogs, rolling news, Twitter meltdowns and

football posts (the kind without a crossbar). From Kiev’s Olimpiyskiy Stadium

FOOTBALL

24 TV

UKRAINE

(FREE, iOS)

For those with a

keen new interest

in Ukrainian footie

news and for local

fans who want to

keep an eye on

the ball as Euro

2012 progresses,

Football 24 TV

Ukraine is an

essential iPhone,

iPod or iPad app

to squeeze the

best out of the

ultimate summer

of soccer.

TOP 5 FOOTBALL APPS

EURO 2012:

TRAVEL

ASSISTANT

(FREE, iOS)

Travel between

Poland and the

Ukraine with your

own local expert

in your pocket,

thanks to this app.

It’s fed with the

latest football

stats and results,

but its handiest

feature is the

Travel Packages

interface where

you can check out

places to stay,

then book them.

THE

FOOTBALL

APP

(FREE, iOS)

Track live games

with up-to-thesecond

updates on

each match with

this ultimate app.

The ticker-tape

updates you

on every detail

as it unfolds:

blow-by-blow

news of fouls and

referee decisions

make it a virtual

touchline buddy

if you’ve not

got a ticket to

the match.

CARLSBERG

UEFA

EURO 2012

(FREE, iOS,

Android)

Well-designed

and chock-full

of essential

info, this free

app for Android

offers daily

news, live game

commentary,

profiles of teams

and individual

players, plus a

video section.

It also lists

all nearby pubs

showing games.

FIFA 12

(£3.99, iOS)

Electronic Arts

has dominated

footballing games

on home consoles

for years with

its sublime FIFA

series, and this

latest iOS version

of FIFA 12

continues the trend

on mobile. The

graphics, controls,

animations and

overall gameplay

are exemplary and

the new Manager

Mode is the cherry

on the cake.

in central Ukraine to Wrocław’s Municipal Stadium in south-west

Poland, mobile apps and social media will offer instant updates and

expert commentary on Europe’s biggest footballing championship

KICKETTE.

COM

One of the best

female football

fan sites around,

with all the juiciest

WAG (wives and

girlfriends) gossip

and football

fashion analysis.

It comes with an

ever-increasing

pool of quality

interviews

offering a female

perspective on

the beautiful

game, and leftfield

features with a

humorous but

expert slant.

TOP 5 FOOTBALL WEBSITES

PZPN.PL

Poland’s national

team will be getting

much love from

the fans, as the

local boys aim for a

return to the glory

days of the 1970s,

when they held

England to a draw

to qualify for the

1974 World Cup.

But can the hosts

take the glory at

the 14th European

Championship?

Note, Strona jest

w jezyku polskim

(“the website is in

Polish”).

POLAND

2012.NET

In addition to their

fervent hope that

the Polish national

team are set to

make it all the way

this year, local fans

are also proud of

the stadia that will

host this year’s

Euro 2012. This

well-designed site

has the information

on them, as well

as the Ukrainian

ones, and ongoing

reports on Polish

players’ blogs.

RUNOF

PLAY.COM

“A blog about the

wonder and terror

of soccer!” shouts

this site, which is

currently creating

a stir with writing

from the likes of

acclaimed author

Alan Jacobs (his

piece about tactics

and possession of

the ball is terrific).

With great design,

this stands out

from 99% of other

football blogs.

UKRAINIAN

SOCCER.NET

The official site for

the inside track into

Ukrainian football,

featuring plenty of

exclusive interviews

with local players

and pundits, this is

a must-bookmark

site for those

wanting the best

quality local

coverage on Euro

2012. You’ll hear

loads more from

Ukraine coach

Oleg Blokhin here,

should you want to.


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78 WIZZ MAGAZINE // APRIL/MAY FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

2012

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Budapest

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Bucharest

Budapest

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Bourgas

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London Luton


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Milan-Bergamo

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Budapest

Riga 94

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Katowice/Krakow

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Brno

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Sofia

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Kyiv

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Brussels Charleroi

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Valencia

Venice Treviso

Split

London Luton

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Katowice/Krakow

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Stockholm

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Katowice/Krakow

Poznan

Warsaw

Thessaloniki

Budapest

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Dortmund

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London Luton

Madrid

Milan-Bergamo

Paris Beauvais

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Valencia

Venice Treviso

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Budapest

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Brussels Charleroi

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Glasgow Prestwick

Gothenburg

Liverpool

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Madrid

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Stavanger

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Doncaster/Sheffield

Dortmund

Eindhoven

London Luton


Paris Beauvais

Zakynthos

Budapest

Zaragoza

Bucharest

Cluj Napoca

Barcelona Belgrade

www.barcelonaturisme.com Euro www.tob.co.rs Serbian Dinar

Getting to the centre

We provide a shuttle bus transfer

between the airport and any address

in the centre. It is €18/€36 return.

A slice of the city

Semana Santa (Holy or Easter

Week), 1-8 April, brings processions

galore and local bakeries load up on

sugary treats. On 23 April there is the

Festa Sant Jordi, the city’s patron

saint, celebrated here by gifting books

and roses to loved ones.

Eating out

Inspired by the outré club scene in

Berlin, Ocaña (Plaça Reial 13-15,

www.ocaña.cat) is the hippest

place to grace the Barri Gòtic in

recent years, with its lively café and

restaurant, alternative cocktail bar

and risqué nightclub. The shakshuka –

Middle Eastern-style baked eggs –

make a champion’s breakfast.

Smaller and considerably quieter, the

Japanese-Catalan fusion at Somodó

(Calle Ross de Olano 11, Gràcia,

www.somodo.es) does a bargain

three-course lunch for €18.50.

City suggestions

A version of Seville’s Feria de Abril

(www.fecac.com) is at the Fòrum in

April, with dance tents, tapas and

sherry bars. Get a flamenco dress

or ruffled shirt from one of the

secondhand clothes shops in town.

And finally…

For fresh air in the hills, Montserrat

and its imposing monastery is just

over an hour away. A ‘ToT Montserrat’

ticket includes transport and lunch

for €40. www.barcelonaturisme.com/

Tot-Montserrat

Words Tara Stevens

[ destinations ]

BARCELONA-BELGRADE



between the airport and any address

within Belgrade city centre. The price

is €7/€14 return.

A slice of the city

The Ring Ring Festival (17-21 May)

focuses on avant-garde sounds from

Serbia and abroad. This year’s guests

include Holland’s Atomic, Paul Lytton

from the UK, plus Svetlana Maras

and Ultima Armonia from Serbia.

www.ringring.rs

Eating out

With spring upon us, there’s no better

time to head to Zemun waterfront

spots such as Bahus at the marina.

Seafood and riverfish are the

specialities here. www.bahus.rs.

In Novi Belgrade, the Charda Stara

Koliba provides Danube treats in

a rustic, riverside location. Trout in

green sauce, 1,250 dinar (€11.50)

www.starakoliba.rs

City suggestions

Belgrade Walking Tours offer free

sightseeing routes of the city, Monday,

Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays,

at 11am, starting at the National

Museum. www.belgradewalkingtours.

com. One of the more unusual of the

city’s attractions is the Museum of

African Art on Topcider Hill, with the

private collection of former diplomats

Veda and Dr Zdravko Pecar. www.

museumofafricanart.org

And finally…

Look out for the Museum Night

on 19 May, when museums all over

Serbia put on special events until way

past midnight. www.nocmuzeja.rs



Brno

www.brno.cz

Euro


The bus to Brno leaves approximately

every half-hour, takes 20 minutes,

and costs about €1. A taxi into town is

about €10, and takes 20 minutes.

A slice of the city

Easter markets set up on Námestí

Svobody, the main square. Later in

April, Czechs burn witches, or effigies

these days, on Walpurgis Night.

Eating out

U Staryho Billa (www.bill.cz) has a

reputation for the finest steaks in the

city, good service, a nice wine selection

– and a bill to match. A reliable place

to wine and dine clients.

City suggestions

Two Faces is young and buzzing

Brno’s best place to dance. www.

twofaces.cz. By day, Steiner Café at

Gorkého 9/38 (www.cafesteiner.cz) is

a nice place to meet up for a coffee.

And finally ...

The underground medieval Labyrinth

at Cabbage Market (Zelný trh) is all

about early Brno. www.ticbrno.cz

Words Brien Barnett

Brussels

www.brusselsinternationalbe

Euro



between the airport (Charleroi South)

and any address in Brussels city

centre. The cost is €30/€60 return.

A slice of the city

When the sun is out, visit art nouveau

Saint-Gilles for a beer, or take a

picnic to Parc du Cinquantenaire.

Eating out

If you’re in Chatelain, try sustainable

cuisine at Tan, above an organic shop

at 95 rue de l’Aqueduc (www.tanclub.

org) with well-thought-out dishes for

around €18. For cheap grub on the

go, you can’t beat double-fried frites

at Frit’Flagey, a hut on Place Flagey.

City suggestions

April showers? Go to C.ramic, a cool

pottery painting workshop-cum-bar

with a laid-back vibe at 112 rue

Lesbroussart (www.cramic.be).

And finally…

Grab seven people and get a shared

taxi to the centre for the same price

as the bus but much quicker.

Words Poppy Bullock

Bucharest

www.bucharest.inyourpocket.com Leu


Wizz Air now flies into Henri Coanda

Airport. Get a shuttle bus from

outside Arrivals; it is 8 lei (€1.80)

for both the shuttle and train to

Bucharest North train station. Or

get bus no. 783 to the city centre or

no. 780 to the station, which is 7 lei

(€1.60) for two trips, plus 1.60 lei for

the plastic card you ‘load’ trips onto.

A slice of the city

Bucharest does spring magnificently,

with locals emerging from hibernation

and heading for the nearest terrace.

Eating out

Originally a chocolate shop and

café, Chocolat (Calea Victoriei 12A,

www.chocolat.com.ro) is now a fully

fledged bistro serving fine French food

with the best hot chocolate in the city.

Also in the Old Town area is the now

legendary Divan (Strada Franceza

[ destinations ]

BRNO-BUCHAREST

46-48, thedivan.ro). Great value

Turkish food, live music and dancing at

weekends, and a selection of aromatic

tobaccos to stick in a hookah pipe.

City suggestions

Few visitors to the Romanian

National Opera (www.operanb.ro)

leave disappointed. Tickets are cheap,

there is a broad repertoire of classic

operas and the opera house itself

is a gem. For more contemporary

sounds Mojo Music Club in the Old

Town (Strada Gabroveni 14, www.

mojomusic.ro) hosts local bands of all

musical stripes most evenings.

And finally...

Easter falls a week later in Romania

than in Western Europe. It is also

a much bigger deal: get yourself to

church on Easter Saturday night for

a unique experience.

Words Craig Turp

[ destinations ]

BUDAPEST-CORK

Budapest

www.budapestinfo.hu Hungarian Forint


We provide a point-to-point bus

transfer between Ferenc Liszt

International Airport and Budapest

city centre (Deák Ferenc square).

The cost is €4/€8 return.

A slice of the city

Easter is one of the most drunken

occasions in the Hungarian calendar,

thanks to the tradition of locsolkodás,

involving the spraying of cheap

perfume and drinking of cheap

brandy. www.husvet.hu

Eating out

As terraces start to open, head to

Peppers! in the Marriott Hotel which

takes advantage of its prime location

on the Danube to offer Mediterranean

specialities with a perfect view of the

Buda bank. Brunch is 8,100 forints

(€28). Otherwise, salmon fillet

with parsley sauce is 4,500 forints

(€15.50). www.peppers.hu. Beside

Nyugati Station, U26 is a stylish

lounge/restaurant with an affordable

daytime menu during the week. www.

bisztronomia.hu

City suggestions

May Day means outdoor celebrations

across town, most notably at the City

Park where live music and sausage

grills attract families all day long.

May also sees the city’s outdoor spa

baths open their pools for the summer

season. www.budapestgyogyfurdoi.hu

And finally…

The Cirque du Soleil come to

Budapest for four nights at the Papp

László Sportaréna, with a show

entitled Alegría, 17-20 May.

www.budapestarena.hu


Cluj-Napoca Cork

www.cluj4all.com Leu www.corkcity.ie Euro



transfer between the airport and city

centre. The cost is €3.50/€7 return.

A slice of the city

Easter in Cluj is naturally the year’s

religious highpoint for both Greek

Orthodox and Roman Catholic faiths

with public displays a common sight

in both Cluj’s Cathedral squares.

Eating out

Spring heralds the opening of the Cluj

terraces. Taverna boasts the largest

in Cluj, just five minutes from the city

centre. Order the eggplant salad with

toast and a pint of Ursus (the local

beer) for €6. www.taverna-cluj.ro

City suggestions

Café by day, disco by night, Diesel

will always be the main place to hang

out and chill. www.dieselclub.ro

And finally…

Stroll through the blossom trees in

Central Park to the Amadeus Mozart

Café, Str Cardinal Iuliu Hossu 7, +40

(0)264 591 997. The homemade cakes

have extra cream and chocolate.

Words Shajjad Rizvi

„We choose WIZZ AIR

because now we can all fly!“

(Tim 36, Natalia 28, Andrea 30, John 33, Tanja 25)

Fly Wizz. Choose smart.


Bus Éireann Air Coaches depart

from outside Arrivals, and take 25

minutes to reach the centre (€4.50

single/€7.70 return. Fares may be

cheaper online). www.buseireann.ie

A slice of the city

As the weather improves, Fitzgerald

Park and Bishop Lucey Park are

well worth a picnic. The latter has an

outdoor art exhibition every Saturday.

Eating out

Widely regarded as Ireland’s finest

vegetarian restaurant, Café Paradiso

includes black bean, chocolate and

chili soup among its signature dishes.

www.cafeparadiso.ie

City suggestions

St Anne’s Church on Exchange

Street is topped off by the Shandon

Bell Tower, a beloved landmark which

gazes down on the River Lee below.

And finally…

Plugd in the Triskel Arts Centre

on Tobin Street is an old-fashioned

record shop, with free gigs and coffee

shop. www.corkdjs.com/plugd.html

Words Stuart Clark

[ destinations ]

DEBRECEN-GDANSK

Debrecen

www.debrecen.hu Hungarian Forint


Debrecen Airport is 2.5km from the

city. There’s no public transport from

the airport, so take the official taxi,

Cívis Transzfer, +36 20 566 6555.

A slice of city

It may be Hungary’s second-largest

city, yet Debrecen still feels like a

cosy nook, steeped in cultural and

scientific endeavour.

Eating out

For Hungarian cuisine, Flaska

Vendéglo is highly recommended.

Gourmet duck with braised cabbage is

1,890 forints (€6.50). flaska.hu

City suggestions

The Protestant Great Church

(pictured above) is a landmark

between Kossuth Square and Kálvin

Square. There’s a fantastic panoramic

view from the western tower.

And finally…

There is only one tram, which leaves

from the train station, but another is

due to be built by 2013.

Words Clive Morris

Dortmund

www.dortmund.inyourpocket.com Euro


The airport shuttle bus takes 22

minutes and costs €6.

A slice of city

In April and May the Westfalenpark

should be brimming with flowers.

Eating out

Linus at 9 Propsteihof does quick

lunches, excellent flammkuchen (thin

Alsatian pizzas) and international

cuisine. www.linus-dortmund.de.

Dortmund’s must-eat gourmet

restaurant is the View at Leonie-

Reygers-Teraße, in the ‘cathedral’

space at the top of the Dortmunder

U tower; at weekends after dessert

the tables are put aside and DJs and

bands perform. www.u-view.me

City suggestions

Museum Ostwall in the Dortmunder

U has Alex Katz’s portraits and

landscapes on display until 9 April.

And finally…

On 30 April it is the Mayday techno

rave party. www.mayday.de

Words Jeroen van Marle

Frankfurt

www.frankfurt.de Euro


The bus from the airport to

Frankfurt’s main train station costs

€13 single/€18 same-day return.

A slice of the city

Warhol: Headlines (pictured above)

at the MMK (Museum für Moderne

Kunst) is an impressive collection of

videos, painting and prints. Ends 15

May. www.mmk-frankfurt.de

Eating out

For typical fare with a slight modern

twist try out Exenberger at

14 Berger Straße. www.exenbergerfrankfurt.de.

For a more traditional

experience, try Malepartus. www.

malepartus-frankfurt.de

City suggestions

Bornheim offers plenty of boutiques

and cafés to shop in during the day –

or relax in nearby Bethmann Park.

And finally…

From 15–20 April the city is hosting

Luminale, a renowned lighting

festival. www.luminale.de

Words Ana Rego

EURO 2012 HOST CITY

Gdansk

www.gdansk-life.com Złoty



transfer between the airport and city

centre. The cost is €4/€8 return.

A slice of the city

Shop along the cobbled Old Town (try

Długa Street for quirky souvenirs).

Eating out

Pierogarnia u Dzika has some of the

best pierogi. www.pierogarniaudzika.

com. For a sophisticated alternative,

the nearby Elephant Club and

Restaurant has European cuisine.

www.elephantclub.pl

City suggestions

Music fans will enjoy the Baltic

Philharmonic at the Gdansk Music

Festival, 13-18 and 20 April. www.

filharmonia.gda.pl

And finally...

Getting from one Tri-City town to

another couldn’t be easier with the

SKM Rapid commuter trains, which

run on a 24-hour timetable. Tickets,

bought on platform, are roughly €1.

Words Dana Dramowicz

HÄNGUNG DAILY NEWS, 1962. PHOTO: AXEL SCHNEIDER, MMK © 2012 THE ANDY WARHOL

FOUNDATION FOR THE VISUAL ARTS / ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK

M GORGOLEWSKI

[ destinations ]

KATOWICE/KRAKOW

Katowice/Krakow

www.cracow-life.com Złoty


We provide a transfer from Katowice

airport to Katowice city centre costing

€6/€12 return, and also a transfer

from Katowice airport to Krakow city

centre, which is €13/€26 return.

A slice of the city

For those looking to escape the

football mania set to grip many of

Poland’s major cities, Krakow will

remain a relatively calm oasis come

the Euro 2012 championships. The

Botanical Garden on Kopernika 27,

just 10 minutes’ walk from the centre,

is one of the most serene spots in

Krakow, and will likely be bursting

with rainbow-coloured flora by now.

Eating out

Starka in Krakow’s Jewish district of

Kazimierz is a fine choice for a relaxed

dinner of traditional favourites,

cooked with fresh, high-quality

ingredients. www.starka.com.pl. Just

around the corner at Bozego Ciała 12,

Pierozki u Vincenta is a budgetfriendly

option for sampling a wide

variety of pierogi dumplings in a

cheerful interior inspired by Van Gogh.

City suggestions

The imposing Wawel Castle is

a Krakow icon for good reason.

Its ancient royal residences and

cathedral are an absolute must

for any visitor to the city. If you’re

travelling with kids, don’t miss a

stop in the Dragon’s Den either,

ABOVE: WAWEL CASTLE IS A HIGHLIGHT

OF ANY TRIP. RIGHT: THE BOTANICAL

GARDEN IS NOW IN BLOOM

said to be the home of a legendary,

fire-breathing dragon, on the

western slope of Wawel Hill.

www.wawel.krakow.pl

And finally...

Compact Krakow can be easily covered

on foot – just don’t forget a pair of

comfortable walking shoes for those

tricky cobblestoned streets!


[ destinations ]

KIEV


Kiev

www.discover-ua.info Hryvnia


Zhulyany Airport is half a kilometre

from Kiev-Volynskyi rail station

and 8km from the city centre. Take

trolleybus no. 9 to the station or

no. 22 to Blvd Olzhicha.

A slice of the city

The Ukrainian capital is gearing

up to host Euro 2012 this summer

and the spring months will see the

finishing touches applied to the

city as it races to meet its UEFA

deadlines. Visitors should be made

to feel extra welcome as Kievites

fall over themselves to demonstrate

their readiness for the coming Euro

championships.

Eating out

Witty posters in the style of Soviet

public information campaigns dot

the walls of U-Stanka proletarian

pub (101 Zhylianska St, peesboyclub.

com.ua), a fun Bolshevik-themed

bar-restaurant. Live music every night

adds to the faux proletarian ambience.

Vodka is optional – you may prefer

to choose from a range of excellent

Belgian beers. For a one-stop shop

for eating, shopping and relaxing,

drop by the four-star Cosmopolite

Hotel. As well as bowling and cinema

(next door at the Bolshevik mall)

there’s great French cuisine and best

of all, its own private brewery. www.

cosmopolite-kiev.com

City suggestions

Throughout the long winter months

Hydropark is relatively deserted,

but with the arrival of spring this

Dnipro Island pleasure zone kicks

back into life and becomes a focus

for party goers, health freaks and

provincial poseurs. Hydropark is a

little enclave of small-town Ukraine

in the geographical heart of the

cosmopolitan capital. It may not be

everybody’s cup of tea, but it is worth

seeing nonetheless.

And finally…

Most visitors to the Ukrainian

capital rely on taxis to ferry them

about, which can be expensive and

time-consuming as they get bogged

down in the daily gridlock of the city.

Instead, head down onto the Kiev

metro system, which is extremely

cheap, efficient and easy to use

with just three metro lines fanning

out for the city centre.

Words Peter Dickinson

[ destinations ]

LONDON-LVIV

London

www.visitlondon.com Sterling



transfer between London Luton

airport and London’s Victoria Station

in cooperation with Green Line. The

cost is €11.50/€23 return.

A slice of the city

To anticipate the Queen’s Diamond

Jubilee, visit the Queen Elizabeth II

exhibition of portraits by Cecil

Beaton at the V&A, until 22 April.

Eating out

Now it’s spring, it’s pleasant to walk

from Victoria Station to Buckingham

Palace, then on to Green Park.

Nearby, Russian-owned Novikov is

both an Asian and Italian restaurant.

It’s pricey, but the Black Cod Rolls

with Mango, £14 (€17), are divine

and a lunchtime express menu of three

courses for £22 (€26) is a steal.

A poster of the Bond film From Russia

with Love greets you as you enter the

groovy, dimly lit Lounge Bar (pictured

above). www.novikovrestaurant.co.uk

City suggestions

The new, chic Byron hamburger joint

at Rathbone Place off Oxford Street

has nothing to do with the legendary

poet Lord Byron, but even he might

feel at home sipping a Malbec with

a superb Byron Burger, £9.25 (€11).

www.byronhamburgers.com. Gain

entry at The Chelsea Flower Show,

22-26 May, with cheap, evening

tickets for £22 (€26). www.rhs.org.uk

And finally…

Mark St George Day on 23 April at

old Victorian pubs such as Princess

Louise at 208 High Holborn, or The

George on D’Arblay Street in Soho.

Words Clive Morris


Lviv

http://lviv.travel Hryvnia


The easiest way to get to the town

centre is to take bus no. 95 or

trolleybus no. 9. You can also arrange

a pick-up service in advance.

www.inlviv.info/services/transfers/

A slice of the city

Leopolitans see themselves as

Ukraine’s most European population

and 2012. Due to its close proximity

to the EU and its wealth of historical

treasures, it stands to gain more from

Euro 2012 than any other host city.

Eating out

In recent years there has been a

surge in interest in Habsburg Lviv –

Kumpel on Mytna Square is arguably

the stand-out emporium among the

themed venues to appear. Combining

fin-de-siècle finesse with buzzer

service and an in-house brewery,

ZARABIAJ Z HERBALIFE

Eva Lawrence Niezależny Dystrybutor | email: evalawrence@onet.eu

tel: +44 7759312152, +48 728350007, +48 222518090 (Centrum Wellness)

this is a great spot to spend a lazy

lunch watching the world go by.

Sushi came late to Ukraine, but it

has been enthusiastically embraced.

Yapona Hata on 29 Svobody Avenue

is the latest downtown sushi venue.

City suggestions

As spring blossoms into life this old

school summer terrace is the beating

heart of the city. All of Lviv life passes

by as you enjoy fine coffee and tasty

coffee cake (20 hryvnia, €1.75)

surrounded by Habsburg architecture.

And finally…

The cultural capital of Ukraine has

a host of theatres and concert halls.

Visit ticket kiosks along Svobody

Avenue and at cultural venues – you

can see unforgettable performances

for under €10.

Words Peter Dickinson

GET YOUR MONEY’S WORTH WITH

COINSTAR MONEY TRANSFER LTD

COINSTAR MONEY

TRANSFER LTD, recently

acquired by Sigue Corporation,

is a leading global financial

services company which provides

electronic money transfer

services worldwide.

Coinstar Money Transfer provides the most convenient

and secure service for transferring money abroad

The company has a vast and

growing international agent

network, with over 50,000

agents operating in 150

countries and six continents.

The company has experienced

strong growth in markets such

as Italy, Greece and Cyprus.

This growth has been achieved

by expanding its agent network

in Italy and Greece, while

consolidating its market-leading

position in Cyprus.

This successful growth has

meant that Romania now

ranks among the largest

receiving markets worldwide for

remittances. Coinstar Money

Transfer offers a safe, reliable

and fairly priced money transfer

service, available from all main

sending markets, including Italy,

Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Portugal

and the UK, where numerous

large and successful Romanian

communities are located.

“It is a great and motivating

responsibility for us to serve

the Romanian communities

internationally. It is imperative

for our company to provide

a high-quality, secure and

convenient money transfer

service from all our agents

worldwide,” says Alfonso

Grassopoulos (pictured left),

the company’s regional director

for Italy, Cyprus, Greece,

Switzerland and the Balkans.

Grassopoulos has been

working as a senior executive

in Europe and the Balkans

region for over a decade, and

has extensive international

experience within the payments

and money-transfer industry.

He has been working in his

current position at Coinstar

Money Transfer for four years,

and received the Best Manager

in Money Transfers award from

the IAMTN in 2010.

The company is constantly

growing and expanding its

agent network worldwide,

and so presents an attractive

business opportunity to those

organisations interested in

becoming partners in the

international money transfer

services sector. The company is

now planning to further expand

its presence in Europe and the

Balkans, while continuing to

provide the best service for

sending money overseas.

Milan

wwwciaomilano.it

Euro



transfer between the airport

(Bergamo) and Milan city centre.

The cost is €10/€20 return.

A slice of the city

Try flower fair Fiori e Sapori on the

Naviglio Grande on 15 April, and the

Salone Internazionale del Mobile

for interior design, 17-22 April.

Eating out

For a pizza that’s the real deal, go

to Solo Pizza at Viale Umbria 25,

+39 02 5990 0990. Book ahead at

busy La Cantinetta at Via Ripamonti

19, a fine rustic Tuscan eatery. www.

ristorantelacantinettamilano.it

City suggestions

Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea

on Via Palestro 14 holds shows of

up-and-coming art; entry is free.

Nearby is the natural history museum,

the Museo di Storia Naturale.

And finally...

Pâtisserie Sant’Ambroeus offers a

rare treat. www.santambroeus.org

Words Charles Searson

Oslo

www.visitoslo.com

Krone


You can get a Torp Ekspress bus from

the airport (Sandefjord Torp) to the

Oslo bus terminal. One ticket is 180

Norwegian kroner (€33). The journey

time is around one hour, 50 minutes.

A slice of the city

It’s known for winter sports, but don’t

overlook Oslo’s quality restaurants,

cultural attractions and parks.

Eating out

For a rich menu and connoisseur wine

list, visit Druen. The loin of venison

with raspberry jelly is delicious, and

the view of Akershus Fortress is very

fine. www.druen.no

City suggestions

Thanks to the scent garden, to follow

your nose at the Botanical Gardens.

Entry is free. www.nhm.uio.no

And finally…

Take a two-hour boat trip around

the islands and inlets – take tram

no. 12 to Aker Brygge. Call +47

(0)23 25 6890 for information. www.

boatsightseeing.com

Words Steve O’Rourke

Paris

www.parisinfo.com Euro



between the airport (Beauvais) and

any address in Paris’s city centre. The

cost is €31/€62 return.

A slice of the city

Around Easter, check out the enticing

window displays at the chocolate

shops near Place de la Madeleine.

As the sun warms up, find an outside

seat at a corner café in Montmartre

with fellow travellers or head to the

pretty Parc Monceau, croissants in

hand, and relax with the locals.

Eating out

For a memorable afternoon tea, treat

yourself at 1728 on 8 rue d’Anjou, an

18th-century hotel and art gallery,

the former home of the famous Major

General Lafayette, or go all-out for

the four-course dinner for €110.

[ destinations ]

MILAN-PARIS

www.restaurant-1728.com. If your

budget is tight, try the lunchtime

croque monsieur for €9 at Le

Comptoir du Relais St-Germain at

9 Carrefour de l’Odéon.

City suggestions

Look for Péniche Blues Café, a

1920s floating kiosk, on Quai de la

Gare, for a watering hole with blues,

jazz and classical evenings. For indoor

fun, head for the modern art displays

at Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville

de Paris, 11 Avenue du Président

Wilson; the permanent exposition has

free entry. www.mam.paris.fr

And finally…

If you want to go museum mad, get

the Paris Pass which gives access to

over 60 museums and monuments,

without queues, from €39 for two days.

Words Poppy Bullock

„I choose WIZZ FLEX ticket so I can change

last minute* where and when to fly.“

(Julia, student, 23 years)


* up to 3

hours prior

departure

[ destinations ]

POZNAN-RIGA


Poznan

www.poznan-life.com

Złoty


A train to the Central Railway Station

takes around 20 minutes, or get bus

no. 59 to Bałtyk, or night bus no. 242

to the Central Railway Station, both

taking around 30 minutes.

A slice of the city

Poznan’s new Municipal Stadium

hosts four Euro 2012 matches, with

the Croatian, Irish and Italian teams.

Eating out

For a rustic Polish feast, Oberza Pod

Dzownkiem at Garbary 54 delivers

with traditional dishes such as pierogi

dumplings and juicy pork cutlets.

www.oberza.com.pl

City suggestions

Try the SQ Club in the Stary Browar

complex for deep house and techno

parties (www.sqklub.pl). An alternate

is 8 Bitów at Garbary 72, known for

its dedication to underground music.

And finally...

Visit Lech Brewery on the outskirts,

where barley masters work their

magic. www.zwiedzaniebrowaru.pl


Prague

www.prague-life.com

Koruna


We provide a personalised Wizz taxi

service between the airport and any

address within Prague city centre. The

cost is €10.50/€21 return.

A slice of the city

Prague’s Easter markets are open to

15 April. Metallica play on 7 May.

There’s salsa at the Prague Latin

Festival, 18-20 May, and the artistry

of Cirque du Soleil, 25-27 May.

Eating out

With the sun out, enjoy the grand

terrace at Hergetova Cihelna (www.

kampagroup.com), with the views of

the Vltava River. If you’re in the mood

for the beerhall thing, check out U

Fleku. www.ufleku.cz

City suggestions

YES Club at Skretova 1 is an

underground mini-mega-club with a

great visual show. www.yesclub.cz

And finally...

A two-hour show four days a week,

Don Giovanni is at the National

Marionette Theatre. www.mozart.cz

Words Brien Barnett

Riga

www.virtualriga.com Lats


Bus no. 22 leaves opposite the

terminal every 10-30 minutes and

takes half an hour to reach Arbrenes

Street in the centre. It’s 0.70 lats (€1).

A slice of the city

Easter is not a big event here, as

Latvia prefers pagan traditions

such as Midsummer’s Eve. The

International Baltic Ballet

Festival (pictured above), 27 April –

28 May, kicks off at the Riga Railway

Station with a free show; another

takes place there on 8 May. Others

are at the Latvian National Opera

House. www.ballet-festival.lv

Eating out

Dorian Gray is a restaurant with

rough brick walls and candlelit tables

serving international cuisine, on tiny

Maza Muzeja Street. With such moody

lighting, your date may resemble the

ageless Oscar Wilde character.

„I choose WIZZ XPRESS priority pass

to beat the queues and board first.“

(Monica, journalist, 32 years)


City suggestions

Riga is well known for its art nouveau

architecture, and you can find out

more about the early 1900s style at

the three-year-old Art Nouveau

Museum on Alberta Street. It is

located in the 1903 house where

Latvian architect Konstanins Peksens

lived. Open only from 1 May. Closed

Mondays. www.jugendstils.riga.lv.

Catch an exhibition of the work of

Latvian photographer Egons Spuris,

who specialised in stark, expressive

black and white prints, at the

Arsenals Exhibition Hall of the

Latvian National Museum of Art,

4 April – 27 May. www.lnmm.lv

And finally...

It is Museum Night on 19 May

throughout Latvia, where there is

free entry in various venues. This

year’s theme is how to keep the sea

unpolluted. www.muzeju-nakts.lv

Words Clive Morris

[ destinations ]

ROME-SOFIA

Rome

www.wantedinrome.com

Euro


We provide point-to-point bus

transfers between the airports (both

Ciampino and Fiumicino) and Rome

city centre (Termini Station). The cost

is €8.50/€17 return to/from Fiumicino

and €6/€12 return to/from Ciampino.

A slice of the city

Take a walk up the Spanish Steps

and into Villa Borghese, a park now

blooming with spring flowers.

Eating out

Trattoria Monti (13 Via di San

Vito, +39 06 446 6573) is a small,

friendly, family-run eatery with great

risottos and wine list. Antico Arco is

has subtly flavoured regional Italian

dishes. www.anticoarco.it

City suggestions

Palazzo Altemps in Piazza di

Sant’Apollinare is a restored late

Renaissance palace, and now the

Museo Nazionale Romano.

And finally…

Rent a bike and tour central Rome.

www.topbikerental.com

Words Marc Zakian

Skopje

www.skopjeonline.com.mk

Macedonian denar


The Vardar Ekspress airport bus runs

to the main bus station 5-8 times a

day; tickets are 100 denars (€1.60).

A slice of city

Now the sun is out, explore the

modern centre, the Old Bazaar, on

the other bank of the Vardar River.

Eating out

Try traditional Macedonian fare at

the cosy Dva Zlatnika (28 Theodosius

Gologanov, +389 (0)2 322 0076).

Party at Mamas Caffe (60 Kliment

Ohridski) with music by South Park.

City suggestions

It’s a quick taxi ride half-way up

Mount Vodno to pretty 12th-century

St Pantelejmon Monastery, where

the Byzantine art is stunning.

And finally…

The evening before Easter, Orthodox

churches such as St Kliment

Ohridski Cathedral are crammed.

Macedonians crack raw eggs after

midnight; the one with a whole egg

left will have a prosperous year!

Words Jeroen van Marle

Sofia

www.inyourpocket.com Lev


We provide a personalised Wizz taxi

service between the airport and any

address within Sofia city centre. The

cost is €16/€32 return.

A slice of city

These are cultural months with the

International Book Festival in the

Palace of Culture and the Jazz Plus

festival in April, May sees a Salsa

Festival in the Palace of Culture.

Eating out

Sample the Bulgarian banitsa – a

sumptuous fresh pasty filled with

oozing cheese. Denis Banitsa House

at 11 Tsar Shishman makes them fresh

daily from 2 lev (€1). For a truly local

experience, including grilled meat

plates from 10 lev (€5), Skarabar

at Georgi Benkovski 12 is the spot

to seek out. It’s a lively place to rub

shoulders with residents and sample

good value dining besides.

City suggestions

Since the Lenin statue was taken

down, controversy has abounded

over his replacement. The decision

was made to erect a statue of St

Sofia in the same spot, on the busy

intersection of Maria Luisa Blvd and

Todor Alexandrov Blvd. Many locals

are unhappy, however, as they think

the statue is indecently erotic, even

pagan. Judge for yourself. Sofia’s

historic mineral baths on Maria

Luisa Blvd are out of action, but

currently a temporary exhibition

space. With the locals still filling

their bottles from the ancient spring,

it’s a mix of old and new.

And finally…

Tipping in Sofia is customary, but not

at the 10% levied in some countries.

The usual cab drivers, chamber maids

and waiters will expect a tip but

rounding up is generally acceptable.

Words Catherine Quinn

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Two meeting rooms with natural daylight for up to 80 delegates

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Park Inn.

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From

59 €

Park Inn by Radisson Sofi a

Atanas Dukov Street 36

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EURO 2012



ROME TO PISA



PARIS



VILNIUS




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BOSSE LIND

Stockholm


Flygbussarna Airport coaches, 259

kronor (€29) return ticket, depart

in conjunction with flights and take

about 80 minutes.

A slice of the city

See Anton Corbijn’s black and white,

sometimes blurred and obscured,

portraits of famous rock stars,

artists and fashion designers at the

fine-arts venue, Fotografiska at 22

Stadsgårdshamnen. Ends 15 April.

www.fotografiska.eu

Eating out

La Neta at 2 Barnhusgatan knocks

out inexpensive and tasty tacos with

coriander and chilli-tinged fixings, in

a souterrain space just off shopping

drag Drottninggatan. www.laneta.se

Gastrologik at 14 Artillerigatan is a

tiny jewel box of culinary treats. No

menu, just sit down and eat what’s

served. www.gastrologik.se

City suggestion

Dress to kill on a budget at

Lånegarderoben, a lending library

for clothes at 10 Svandammsvägen,

featuring threads by Filippa K, Lovisa

Burfitt and other Swedish fashion

giants. www.lanegarderoben.se

And finally…

Greet spring in Skeppsholmen. The

tiny island has the Moderna Museet,

plus landmark ship-turned-hostel and

café Af Chapman (pictured above),

with prices from 260 Swedish krona

(€30). www.stfchapman.com

Words Victoria Larsson

[ destinations ]

STOCKHOLM-TIRGU MURES

Timisoara Tirgu Mures

www.stockholmtown.com Krona www.primariatm.ro Leu www.mures.ro Leu


Timisoara airport is six miles from

the city centre. Take bus no. 26 to the

centre, with stops at Badea Cartan

Square and the Continental Hotel.

A slice of the city

The Bega Channel is the oldest ship

canal in Romania. Built in 1728, it

continues 72km into Serbia. Today,

amusement parks line its banks.

Eating out

Ramina at Strandului Street 12

(Calea Lugojului) is a high-class diner

with rich Sicilian-style food. Over at

Ciocârliei Street 88, romantic Mirage

specialises in fish and sea foods. www.

mirajtm.ro

City suggestions

If you’re staying longer, head to the

Herculane Spa, 100km south-east of

Timisoara, one of the world’s oldest

thermal spas in a well-preserved

19th-century town, Balile Herculane.

And finally…

Themed evenings and book launches

are at Carturesti Bookstore (Mercy

Street 7). www.carturesti.ro

Words Adriana Neagu



transfer between the airport and the

centre. The cost is €2.50/€5 return.

A slice of the city

Near Trandafirilor Square, the Latinity

Monument is a copy of Lupa Capitolina

(the she-wolf of Rome), one of several

Italy presented after WWI, and

unveiled on 30 November 1991.

Eating out

For Latin spirit and Transylvanian

hospitality, go to Caesar at Piata

Trandafirilor 52. It also offers an

unrivalled location, a dining hall

named after Cleopatra, and affordable

prices. www.restaurantcaesar.ro. La

Piazzetta at Crinului Street 4 offers

Italian fare. www.la-piazzetta.ro

City suggestions

Buna Vestire (The Annunciation), is

opposite the Orthodox Cathedral, in

Trandafirilor Square, and is modelled

on Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

And finally…

The air show Sky is Not The Limit is on

26 May. http://aeroclubulromaniei.ro

Words Adriana Neagu

[ destinations ]

VILNIUS-WROCŁAW

Vilnius

www.vilnius.com Lith Litas


We provide a point-to-point,

low-cost bus transfer from the airport

to the city centre (€3.50/€7 return),

or a shuttle bus to any address in the

centre, €10/€20 return.

A slice of the city

The International Folklore Festival

is in May, held in the Old Town’s

charming, leafy squares. www.etno.lt

Eating out

Lokys specialises in traditional

hunters’ dishes such as roe deer, wild

boar and game sausage. www.lokys.lt

City suggestions

Once a café but now a hip cocktail

bar, Sole Luna (Universiteto Street 4)

does thirst-quenching cocktails. Use

the Neringa Hotel as a base, as it’s

ideally situated right in the middle of

town. www.neringahotel.com

And finally…

The Lithuanian National Museum in

the stunning Vilnius Castle complex,

has everything from archeology to

numismatics. www.lnm.lt

Words Xav Judd

EURO 2012 HOST CITY EURO 2012 HOST CITY

Warsaw

www.warsaw-life.com Złoty



transfer between Chopin airport and

Warsaw city centre. It’s €4/€8 return.

A slice of the city

The Euro 2012 football championships

will be kicking off in Warsaw soon,

with a further four matches set to

take place in Poland’s capital. The

remarkable new basket-shaped

National Stadium on the Vistula’s

right bank is truly an impressive sight,

architecturally as well as for those

with football fever.

Eating out

In the heart of the stylish city

centre at Poznanska 12, Beirut is

an intimate, achingly hip bar serving

up some of the most mouthwatering

hummus in the city. For a more

substantial meal, try the nearby

Mandala restaurant and club at

Emilii Plater 9-11, which specialises

in Thai, Indian, and Nepalese cuisine.

On weekends DJs spins funky tunes in

the club upstairs. mandalaklub.com

City suggestions

Warsaw’s Teatr Wielki (Grand

Theatre) is home to the National

Opera and Ballet and well worth

visiting. Medeamaterial, Cinderalla,

Nabucco and Tristan are on this spring.

www.teatrwielki.pl

And finally...

Warsaw is a city that requires a little

effort to fully appreciate, and many of

its most interesting attractions, cafés,

and clubs are off the beaten track. Do

It in Warsaw! is a fantastic bilingual

guide book for exploring its most

unusual and unique wonders.


TO REACH AN AUDIENCE OF OVER 1,900,000

PASSENGERS EVERY ISSUE, PLEASE CONTACT OUR

ADVERTISING SALES TEAM ON +44 (0) 207 613 8794

Wrocław

www.wroclaw-life.com Złoty


The airport is 10km from the city

centre. Get bus no. 406, which

departs every 20 minutes and takes

you to the Central Station. Tickets are

2 zloty (€0.50). Night bus no. 249 to

Jarnołtów is twice a night.

A slice of the city

The city will soon be full of screens

following every second of Euro 2012.

Eating out

‘Upscale cottage’ is the best way to

describe Jadka’s (pictured above)

fine take on rustic Polish eating,

with traditional dishes such as steak

tartare or deer loin. www.jadka.pl

City suggestions

Centennial Hall, with Pergola and

fountain, plus stunning nearby park

Szczynticki are worth a visit.

And finally...

Wrocław sponsored a giant €50,000

chair, a sculpture originally designed

by Tadeusz Kantor, and plonked it

right in the centre at Rzeznicza Street

on the western edge of the Old Town.


FREE



EURO 2012



ROME TO PISA



PARIS



VILNIUS




000

WIZZ AIR'S NEW ROUTES

News

EXCITING NEW EUROPEAN DESTINATIONS AND AN AIRBUS CELEBRATION

– ALL THE LATEST WIZZ AIR NEWS

109

BARCELONA HAS A

“UNIQUE CHEMISTRY”,

ACCORDING TO OUR Q&A

SUBJECT, WIZZ AIR’S

JÁNOS BARITS


[ wizz air ]

NEWS

HOW TIME FLIES


Wizz Air pilot György Tóth has

just passed a flying milestone

WHEN YOU SPEAK TO WIZZ AIR

pilots you get a real sense that their work is

so much more than a job. For them, flying

is the passion in their life, something that

defines their skills and their personality.

Wizz Air pilot György Tóth has recently

passed the milestone of 20,000 hours in the

air. He began his career back in the 1960s

flying the Góbé glider, a Hungarian-made

aircraft (it was designed by Erno Rubik Snr,

father of the inventor of the Rubik Cube).

After gaining his full pilot’s wings, he took

the helm of a Jumbo Jet. Having flown

aircraft in America and Asia, he also holds

a licence to pilot sea planes and still flies

gliders as a hobby in his spare time. It’s the

Wizz Air Airbus A320 that is his passion now.

When did you first know that you

wanted to be a pilot?

It happened in my very early childhood. I

can’t remember exactly when I decided to

become one, but it was definitely before

starting primary school. I remember it was

my mother who first took me to an airfield,

and seeing the soaring gliders above the

mountains, I felt certain that this would

definitely be my future.

Which flight were you on when you

passed your 20,000th hour?

It was a kind of strange celebration because

it was my annual line check from Budapest

to Eindhoven, a standard evaluation of the

aircraft and your skills. It’s never routine

so I think my mind was focused on that

rather than the flying-hours milestone.

After passing it I had a little celebration at

home and then three weeks later I received

a gift from the top management of the

company in appreciation. It was such a

surprise and really special.

Are there differences between different

types of piloting? For example, do

European pilots train differently

than in those in America?

I have special experience in this

respect. Ten years ago I was working

for airlines with pilots from

AIRBUS A320: AIRCRAFT FIGURES

Length: 37,57 m

Wingspan: 34,09 m

Height: 11,76 m

Maximum cabin width: 3,70 m

Fuel capacity: 23,859 l

Average travel speed: 850 km/h

Number of seats: 180

56 countries, which was a really wide

scale of expertise. Wizz Air is almost

the same already, with colleagues from

24 countries. But the standard has to be

the same for each pilot. Sometimes this

requires more time, more patience and

a more demanding workload, but it gives

us a great opportunity to learn from each

other and to become an ‘international

pilot’, in the long run.

What makes the Airbus such a great

aircraft to pilot?

The philosophy of the forward-thinking

design makes it a perfect aeroplane for the

21st Century. It has Fly-by-Wire technology,

powerful engines and an excellent cabin

environment inside the aeroplane for

passengers and for the crew. It makes the

Airbus such a great aircraft and one with

extremely safe flying abilities.

What sort of advice would you give to

passengers considering pilot training?

This is the best job ever, but think about all

the hard work you’ll need to do. Of course,

later on in your career, you’ll have the

opportunity to sit in the best office in the

world. During the day you’ll always have

sunshine and at night you’ll be in the best

planetarium. The views are breathtaking

at night. If flying is your dream, then

never give up. It’ll take a lot of dedication,

but it will be well worth it.

A CLEAR VISION

The Airbus windshield is 3cm thick and made

of several layers of chemically strengthened

glass capable of withstanding an outside air

temperature of -70°C. At this temperature

ice is a major issue. To solve it, the windshield

panels contain an anti-icing and defogging

system – an almost invisible electrical

conductor film, which heats the windshield

panels when an electrical current flows

through it.


Join WIZZ Xclusive Club

and save up to €10 per ight!

More than190,000 passengers are enjoying the bene ts!

AS A MEMBER GET

INSTANT ACCESS to promotional fares

COMPANIONS’ BENEFITS

EXCLUSIVE OFFERS

Book your option to change!

Purchase WIZZ Flex

WIZZ Xclusive Club offers you exclusive

access to a pool of promotional tickets that

can be cheaper by up to €10 per one way

ight than regular prices*.

*WIZZ Xclusive Club promotional tickets are subject to availability.

For actual discounts and availability please always check

wizzair.com or call our Call Centre.

Fly WIZZ.

Choose smart.

Only € 10 per ight

Travel plans can change in the last minute. Save the

change fee of €30 with WIZZ Flex and modify the

date, time or routing of your booked igth, up to 3

hours prior departure!

You will need to pay only the fare difference*.

*This service is not valid for name change and group bookings

For details visit

our webpage

Restaurant & Apartments

Kamienica Goldwasser is beautifully located at the waterfront at the heart of Gdańsk, next to the he

iconic wooden port crane. Seven top class apartments, equipped with all modern amenities, offer er

home-like atmosphere. The restaurant serves traditional Polish and Kashubian dishes, as well as

international cuisine. Meat is our specialty: try the best steaks in town, or spectacular meat fondue. due.

www.youtube.com/kamienicagoldwasser

om/kamienicagoldwasser

Kamienica Goldwasser,

ul. Długie Pobrzeże 22 , Gdańsk ńsk

tel. 58 301 88 78,

kamienica@goldwasser.pl

www.goldwasser.pl

The Golden Spirit of Gdańsk

Discover traditional Gdańsk beverages: soul warming

Kurfursten digestive, deeply frozen Machandel juniper vodka

and unique Goldwasser liqueur filled with 23-carat gold flakes.

Available exclusively at Goldwasser Restaurant, Fishmarkt

Restaurants, and Goldwasser Coffee Shop at Długa Street.

On-line orders welcome!

WIZZ AIR STAFF

NAME: JÁNOS BARITS

POSITION: NETWORK DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

What could you not do

your job without?

The internet. Aviation blogs,

airline websites, newsportals

– all help me to keep an eye

on new routes started by

our competitors. In order to

remain successful in this sector,

it’s crucial to know what other

airlines are doing, and even

more importantly, what they’re

planning to do.

What is your favourite

place in any city?

The ones recommended

by locals. Even the best

guidebooks can’t include the

most authentic places. Usually

the ad-hoc itinerary proves to

be the best one.

What is the best part of

your job?

Seeing news portals picking up

the press announcement on our

latest new route or new base

launch. That’s the moment

when you can enjoy the results

of your hard – and sometimes

stressful – work.

Is there anywhere on the

network that you haven’t

been to just yet but would

like to visit?

Scandinavia, particularly

Norway, which not only has

a rich cultural heritage but

also breathtaking natural

attractions with the fjords,

lakes, mountains and the

midnight sun. According to

NASA, 2012 is the year when

the Northern Lights will

be visible with the greatest

intensity in half a century. I

don’t want to miss this!

What is your favourite

route?

The one from the Airbus

factory in Toulouse, after a new

USEFUL INFORMATION

Use the web check-in service on wizzair.com – it makes travel

more convenient by decreasing queuing at check-in.

Don’t forget that by booking additional services such as priority boarding,

extra legroom seat, SMS confirmation and airport transfer services you can

make your travel more comfortable.

If you travel with hand luggage only, make sure that it does not exceed

10kg. If you travel with checked baggage, do not forget to pay for it online:

you will be paying half the price!

aircraft delivery. Taking off

on a brand new plane, just

released from the factory,

makes you feel proud to

represent this airline.

How long have you been

with the company?

Just three years, though it

definitely feels more, if you think

about the 24 cities and more

than 110 routes which have

been added to our network in

that time. Nearly every week

BARCELONA,

JÁNOS’ FAVOURITE

DESTINATION

[ wizz air ]

NEWS

there are some changes initiated

in our route network.

Which is your favourite

city and why?

Barcelona. The amazing

architecture, the multicultural

population, the youthful

atmosphere and the fantastic

parks are just perfect, for both

a relaxing and active holiday

at the same time. Gaudí’s city

has a unique chemistry which

cannot be replicated.

BAGGAGE POLICY

Wizz Air has simplified its baggage rules. We eliminated the

excess weight fees and made booking even easier. The airline

applies a single fee for a piece of checked-in baggage regardless of the

weight (up to 32kg per baggage).

Passengers are kindly reminded that the rule concerning the allowance

for carry-on luggage does not change. Wizz Air will be strictly applying

a €60 fee for oversized/overweight hand luggage at the gate and these

bags will have to be checked in.


[ wizz air ]

NEWS

BUDAPEST

EXPANSION

Wizz Air is adding a sixth

aircraft to its base in Budapest

and will open 10 new routes in

the coming months, bringing

the total to 33 destinations.

It will help serve new routes

to Malaga (Spain), Bucharest

and Cluj (Romania), Warsaw

(Poland), Sofia (Bulgaria),

Larnaca (Cyprus), and

Heraklion, Zakynthos, Rhodes

and Thessaloniki (Greece).

In light of the airline’s growth

in Budapest, Wizz Air is in

the process of recruiting

100 additional local staff,

bringing its total employee

count close to 400 in Hungary.

In addition, about 2,000 jobs

have been created in service

industries that support Wizz

Air’s operation.

ROMANIAN

OPENING AND

EXPANSION

We are beginning services

from Arad Airport to Milan/

Bergamo as of 30 June. Wizz

Air will initially offer twice

weekly flights. The

airport is just 4km

from downtown Arad. .

Also, a new route

from Bucharest to

Memmingen/Munich

West begins on

2 July, twice weekly.

WARSAW

AIRPORT

We are moving our

entire Warsawbased

operations to

the soon-to-open

Warsaw Modlin

Airport as of 18

July, to reduce

fares. The Warsaw

Modlin Airport is

situated north of

the capital, about


a 40-minute drive from the city

centre. The new airport will

operate on a 24/7 basis and

will allow Wizz Air to maintain

its schedule without the

operational constraints that

exist in the main airport.

HUNGARIAN

OPENING

We are beginning services

from Debrecen Airport as of

18 June. Wizz Air will initially

offer thrice weekly flights,

on Monday, Wednesday and

Friday, from Debrecen to

London Luton Airport, allowing

convenient access to the city

and the rest of the UK.

THE AMBASSADOR

PROGRAMME

Following on from last year’s

hugely successful Ambassador

programme, where passengers

nominated their favourite

crew, the competition

continues. In May we launch

the programme in Lithuania,

so log on to our Facebook site

and cast your vote.

www.facebook.com/wizzaircom

WIZZ FACTS

WIZZ AIR CARRIED

OVER 11 MILLION

PASSENGERS IN 2011

THERE ARE 15 BASES IN

EIGHT CEE COUNTRIES:

KATOWICE, WARSAW, GDANSK,

POZNAN, WROCŁAW, BUDAPEST, SOFIA,

BUCHAREST, CLUJ NAPOCA, TIMISOARA,

TIRGU MURES, KIEV, PRAGUE,

BELGRADE AND VILNIUS

WE OFFER MORE THAN

230 ROUTES

WIZZ AIR’S TEAM IS MADE

UP OF MORE THAN 1,500

DEDICATED EMPLOYEES

OUR FLEET CONSISTS OF 39

AIRBUS A320 AIRCRAFT

WITH AN AVERAGE AIRCRAFT

AGE OF LESS THAN THREE YEARS.

THIS MAKES US ONE OF THE MOST

MODERN AND EFFICIENT FLEETS IN

THE INDUSTRY

MOST 10.000

FORINTOT ÉR

A FEDÉLZETI

AJÁNLÓ KÁRTYA!

Új akciót indít az Erste Bank és a Wizz Air a budapesti

járatain. 2012 februárjától három hónapig értékes ajánló

kártyát osztanak a légiutas-kísérők. A kártya hasznos

információkat tartalmaz a Wizz Air Hitelkártyáról,

valamint további kérdések esetén az utaskísérők is segítik

a tájékozódást már a fedélzeten. Ha szeretne igényelni egy

hasznos hitelkártyát, amivel minden vásárláskor Wizz Air

repülőjegyre és egyéb utazási szolgáltatásokra beváltható

pontokat gyűjthet, most egyszerűen megteheti. Keressen

fel egy magyarországi Erste Bank fiókot és adja le az ajánló

kártyát igénylése mellé! Az akciós időszakban, 2012. május

15-ig akár 10.000 forinttal közelebb kerülhet következő úti

céljához és az új hitelkártya (főkártya) birtokosok még egy

WIZZ pólót is kapnak ajándékba.

More than just

ight tickets!

WIZZ credit cards

Transfers and

accommodation

Airport transfer

Car rental

Hotel or Hostel booking

wizzair.com

JOIN NOW!

Insurance

Travel Insurance

Multi risk &

Cancellation

Find out more at

wizzair.com

Improved

travel comfort

Reserved for You!

Experience smoother and less stressful travel with a

guaranteed seat located in the first 2 rows of the aircraft!

Additionally get priority boarding to cut the waiting time

before boarding and the possibility to be amongst the first

to exit the plane.

For more information please go to

wizzair.com - Travel services section

Café//Boutique

Our extensive range of

onboard perfumes, accessories and gifts

Relax and

indulge

P114 P116 P120


HOT DRINKS

SOFT DRINKS & JUICES

ALCOHOL


PREMIUM FRENCH WINES €4

0,187 L

RUM / VODKA / WHISKY €4

0,05 L

CAPPUCCINO €3

HOT CHOCOLATE

COFFEE €2

DECAFFEINATED

HOT TEA €2

SOUP €3

MINERAL WATER €2

sparkling / still 0,5 L

COCA-COLA €2

COCA-COLA LIGHT

SPRITE

0,33 L

NESTEA €3

PRODUCT MAY VARY

JUICES €3

PRODUCT MAY VARY

BURN ENERGY DRINK €3

SAVE €1

BUY 2 CANS

OF BEER

FOR €5

BEER €3

0,33 L

PRODUCT MAY VARY

* WE HAVE SELECTED A

VARIETY OF FILLINGS FOR OUR

SANDWICHES, PLEASE ASK THE

CREW WHAT IS AVAILABLE ON

TODAY’S FLIGHT.

* OFERUJEMY WIELE RODZAJÓW

KANAPEK. NASZA ZAŁOGA

Z PRZYJEMNO´SCI ˛A UDZIELI

PAŃSTWU INFORMACJI, CO

JEST DOSTE˛ PNE PODCZAS

DZISIEJSZEGO LOTU.

FOOD & DRINKS

TRIANGLE/BAGUETTE

SANDWICH* €4

BUN/CIABATTA €3

SANDWICH*

FRESH FOOD

PRINGLES €3

43g

SALTED, CRUNCHY €1

PEANUTS

25g

BAKE ROLLS €2

garlic / pizza

CROISSANT €2

SNICKERS €1

TWIX €1

M&M’s €2

125g

SIZE MAY VARY

SAVOURY SNACKS/SWEETS

OR R

+ = FREE

ANY HOT DRINK + BOTTLE OF WATER AND GET A TWIX OR SNICKERS BAR FREE


FRAGRANCES

WOMANITY

A fragrance with a hint of sweet fig

and subtle caviar overtones.

EDP 50ml

High Street Price €69

€40

Very Irrésistible

EDT 50ml +

15ml FREE

CK One

EDT 100 ml



€52

€38

UNISEX

SAVE

€8

SAVE

€29

TRAVEL

RETAIL

EXCLUSIVE

CREDIT CRED CRE CR RED IT III

PACO RABANNE

LADY MILLION

EDP 50 ml


SAVE

€9

€52

PACO RABANNE

1 MILLION

EDP 50 ml


SAVE

€10

€39

CK Men’s miniatures Obsession

Coffret, Eternity, CK Free, Euphoria,

CK One EDT 5x5ml

€37

TRAVEL

RETAIL

EXCLUSIVE

PREMIERE COLLECTION

6 miniatures: Paloma

Picasso, Miracle, Trésor,

Anais Anais, Loulou

and Lauren

€30


TRAVEL

RETAIL

EXCLUSIVE

ELLA MORISSA €39

Magic Box

Selection of four pairs of dual tone

earrings and matching necklaces with

zircons, two red pouches offered.

TRAVEL

RETAIL

EXCLUSIVE

FRAGRANCES AND WIZZ AIR GIFTS

SAVE

€8

BREO €12

Trendy watch made with a

material called Tourmaline, which

is a mineral widely used as a

semi-precious gemstone.



GIFTS AND TOYS

REMOTE-CONTROLLED PLANE €19

INFLATABLE AIRCRAFT €11

WIZZ AIR MODEL AIRCRAFT €10


MONEY BOX €9

WIZZ AIR PLUSH AIRCRAFT €14

FUN PLANE AIRPORT SET €15

KEY RING AND FRIDGE

MAGNETS SET €12

TRAVEL

RETAIL

EXCLUSIVE

SMALL SHELLY TURTLE €5

TEDDY BEAR €13

KOLORIMAGE KIT €12 WIZZ SWEETWHEELS €11

PRODUCT SELECTION

Due to limited space onboard, we apologise if your choice is no longer available when you order your preferred

food and beverages. Product selection may vary from country to country.

PAYMENT

We are accepting the following credit cards: Visa, MasterCard. In case of credit card payment, passenger must provide proof of identification.

Cash payment can be made in Euro (bank notes and coins €1 and €2).

Other Currencies (Bank note only): British pound (excluding Scottish pound), Bulgarian Leva on Bulgarian flights, Czech Kroner on Czech flights, Hungarian

Forints on Hungarian flights, Lithuanian Litas on Lithuanian flights, Polish Złoty on Polish flights, Romanian Lei on Romanian flights, Serbian Dinar on

Serbian flights, and Swedish Kroner on Swedish flights.

All prices are quoted in Euro as the base currency. Return change will be given in Euro unless local currency is available. Passengers are prohibited from

consuming alcoholic beverages which they have supplied themselves. Please make sure that you receive a receipt for your purchase.


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april-2012

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