Adopting a Mediterranean diet could, therefore,  substantially transform people’s lives, offering a more positive approach to food and health. Having meals rich in vegetables and avoiding meat every once and then could greatly benefit one’s life: first of all, it would introduce in the organism fibers, vitamins and elements fundamental for a balanced and healthy diet; secondly, it would allow people to be more creative with food, experimenting tasty recipes and discovering new ways of consuming veggies.

Introducing more veggies in the body doesn’t mean having tasteless “rabbit food” (aka unseasoned salads). There is a growing production of cooking books and recipes dedicated to vegan or vegetarian dishes that may guide you through your discovery process. Nonetheless, if cooking is not your forte and you have some doubts about taste or quality, check out one of the following restaurants for your next lunch break. Try their delicious plates, get your veggies and enjoy a meat-free meal every once and then. You won’t regret it!

AMI, Veggie & Happy Food

This restaurant in Flagey is 100% vegetarian. Great for a quick lunch break, it offers tasty sandwiches and croques with mixed veggies, hummus and goat cheese. Still hungry? Try their soups or their cold salads, composed by different grains and cereals and finely chopped veggies. It is a perfect, first step, since it combines familiar food tastes and options with new recipes and ideas. The cakes are freshly done every day and they look just mouth-watering!

Moonfood

Moonfood is a pretty famous option when considering a veggie lunch break in the city centre. The restaurant is set like a self-service fast-food: two stands at the entrance display cold and warm dishes, that combine good food with tasty recipes. It is the ideal place to try vegetarian and vegan food, since the choice is vast and creative: zoodles with tomato sauce and veggies, stuffed mushrooms and other delicacies are just waiting for you!

Chyl

Last but not least, Chyl. The restaurant is cozy and welcoming: warm colors and a tasteful, simple interior welcome you when entering. Differently from the previous restaurants mentioned, Chyl has several dishes with meat, but what they can do without it is honestly incredible. I went in on a Tuesday for lunch, and I was hypnotized by the plate of the day. It was: zucchini stuffed à la Provençale, parsnip and butternut roasted with thyme, basmati rice, spelt and peas, kohlrabi spaghetti with pesto and cucumber yoghurt on the side. The dish was rich in taste and I left more than satisfied, full and happy with the meal. The restaurant also has a shop, on the side, that sells groceries by weight or liter: costumers go there with their own bags or containers and buy exactly what they need, reducing waste and the use of packaging material.

The post Feed me veggies: 3 vegetarian restaurants to try in Brussels appeared first on Brussels Express.

In this varied environment, rich of stimuli and influences, it is easy to start thinking about the city’s relationship with migrations: how have migrants influenced the country? How have they been welcomed during time? How have migration laws changed? Are there the same questions and concerns regarding migration?

A first step to understand the city’s approach to the issue is the exposition “Bruxelles, Terre d’Accueil? » hosted at the Jewish Museum of Belgium. The museum selected this specific topic to celebrate its re-opening after two years of inactivity, due to the attack of 2014. The curators of the museum chose the topic for its strong relevance and actuality, together with its strong connection to the city and its character.

“Brussels is a city that has been greatly shaped and influenced by migrants although, during time, it has sometimes shown a close-minded attitude and diffidence towards the newly-arrived. We wanted to open up and reach as many people as possible, presenting how Brussels’ history and laws have changed and adapted to the new comers”, said one of the curators of the exhibition Bruno Benvindo.

“We chose a topic that is not just actual, but it is also very present and real in our everyday life. We want people to think about migration, to question what they see everyday. We want them to leave with questions and thoughts. There is no happy ending here, no sugary conclusion: we just tell a story, Brussels’ story, of how the migratory flows changed and developed and how the city adapted to that. That’s also the point for the question mark in the title: was (or is still) Brussels a welcoming city, a safe haven? »

The exhibition is made of a first introductory part, dedicated to Brussels’ history and migration laws: it describes how the city changed its attitude and perception of migrants during time, from the 1830s to nowadays. It presents (famous  or not, male or female) migrants who lived in Brussels or who passed by, spending time in the capital and absorbing its multifaceted spirit. The information focus on different nationalities and different stories, dragging the attention on fundamental topics related to migration and Belgium. For example, it touches upon the conflictual relation between Belgium and Congo, on the famous writers and thinkers who found in Brussels a temporary home (Karl Marx, Paul Verlaine…) , or on the active resistance against the Nazi occupiers in the 1940s.

The staircase that brings to the first floor, where the visit continues, is covered in photos offered by migrants or migrants descendants: they come from different countries and time periods (some of them have been taken at the end of the 19^th century) and they remind to the visitors that migrating is not something easy, that one decides to do from one day to the other. Sometimes migrating means leaving everything you love behind, trying to reach a foreign country in which you hope you will feel safe and you will be able to settle down, and the only thing that can comfort you are your memories and photos of the people you love. The first floor of the building is dedicated to interviews to migrants who found in Brussels their new house: they tell their personal stories, noticing the first impact they had with the city and the population, and how they reacted to the different culture.

The expo takes up four floors of the main building of the museum with pieces of art of Brussels-based artists, who tried to portray their perception and experience of migration. The art displayed offers a personal point of view on migration, on the importance of different cultural origins and give some hints and suggestions of what migration is and means for people.

While showing some of the paintings, Bruno Benvindo added that “a museum is not just a place where you can collect and expose objects: it is also a desire of getting in touch with people and make them question and understand their reality. We decided to do that “de-centering” the topic of migration in three ways: we presented an historical portrait of the relationships between Brussels and its foreigners, reminding the complexity of the issue and its cyclical character; we offered a platform for Brussels-based artists and their ideas on migration and diversity; and we gave voice to migrants themselves, letting them describe what migration means, how it feels like, what it implies on a personal level”.

The exhibition will be open until March 2018 and it represents a first, powerful attempt of describing and presenting the topic of migration to Brussels’ population. It is a unique event, that aims to offer clear and complete information to the public, who is let free to decide by itself where to stand on the issue. Moreover, the exhibition reminds to the people of Brussels how important migration has been for the development of the city and the country: would have Belgium been the same without all its incredible influences from all over the world?

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There is a quite unique museum called Musée des Égouts (Sewer Museum) that runs under Brussels and displays the dirty secrets of the city. As you may have guessed from the name, it focuses on the sewer network (almost 350 km long!), on the Senne river and on the role played by the two in the city.

The museum “lives” every day, since the waters and waste move from a tunnel to the other to keep the city clean; it portraits the importance of the sewer system and of the job people do in the underground, explaining the history of the network and of the idea itself, while ilustrating the system of water recycling of Brussels. For instance, did you know that the oldest sewer network has been created in Pakistan, around 2500-2000 B.C., but that the most successful and functional one has been developed and implemented by the Romans, around the 7^th century B.C. in Rome?

The sewer system is a fundamental element that cannot be excluded or ignored when planning or developing the city: it ensures the discharge of materials and the correct process of water recycling, but it also contributes to keeping the city clean and free from unsanitary materials. Brussels has had a sewer system since the 17^th century, but back in the days it was not complete. The population was invited to dispose of waste in the Senne, slowly polluting it. At the beginning of the 19^th century the river reached unimaginable levels of pollution: it carried around carcasses of dead animals and waste, releasing terrible odors and leaving dirt in the city, when overflowing for the heavy rain. Soon the city decided to renew the sewers and clean up the river, making the city more clean and sanitary, getting rid of the bad smell and adopting a more modern process of waste disposal. The project was carried out during the second part of the 19^th century, during which the city was already perfecting its landscape and adopting a fresh, more elegant style. It was not just about creating new, monumental buildings or improving the ones around: it was also about eliminating the medieval-like alleys, too narrow to be cleaned properly and with little fresh air circulating. Nonetheless, it was only in the first half of the 20^th century that the Senne has been completely diverted and the sewers completed.

The visits in the underground can be both guided or individual: in the first case, they are held by former sewer workers and by historians and usually work with groups (75-90€ during the weekend); in the second case, they are consistently less expensive, but you may miss the opportunity to learn quite some fun facts and information on the topic.  Most of the channels visited are regularly cleaned and don’t require special clothing for the visit, but in rainy days they may flood and dirt may pile up on the sides. For this reason, check out the website on the day of your visit, to see if you require any special garments or if the sewers are closed due to the weather conditions.

Challenge yourself and discover this unusual side of Brussels, rich in history and surprises… would you dare?

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The events started and developed more or less four years ago, at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura and therefore are usually in Italian; nonetheless, they can be hosted also in French or English, if any international would like to get to know a bit better the complex world of wine. The objective of both ONAV and the Istituto is to host two events per month and, of course, to enhance wine culture and history.

When subscribing to the courses, one gets three sessions of twelve classes, that will offer a substantial understanding of wine, of its components and of the various elements that influence its production. Adding three more classes, one could even take the exam to become a certified wine taster at ONAV!

The courses are now held at Librebook, an incredible bookstore and cultural café in Matonge. The shop reflects in several, creative ways the multicultural and eclectic character of the city: its location, first of all, puts it in a lively area of the city, rich in shops and restaurants from all over the world, while its books are in more than 20 languages, reflecting the Babel-like environment of the city. Event its interior design and composition reflect the city: the parquet comes from an ancient theatre stage, while on the back a backdrop from another theatre decorates the wall.

It is here, at Librebook, that yesterday night a new wine-tasting session took place, focusing on biological and natural volcanic wines from Italy. Alma introduced the wines with a brief explication: “Italy’s territory today counts very few active volcanos, but in the past there used to be more. They greatly influenced the composition of the soil, modifying its composition and enriching it of minerals and elements that greatly influence both the growth of grapes and their taste”. The program scheduled four wines, two whites and two reds, from different regions of the country and with different backgrounds.

The first one, was a Soave dei colli Scaligeri (Vigne della Brà, cantine Filippi, 2013), from Veneto. The white wine had a golden color, a light mineral smell and a very light taste of wood. The after taste is slightly fruity, and overall the wine had a balanced and harmonious taste. Alma said that centuries ago, the Adriatic sea and volcanic formations were covering the North of Italy, from Veneto to Piemonte; this influenced the soil, since it left a lot of sand and clay residues that enriched the ground and that now confer to wine an intriguing mineral taste and smell.

The second wine was a Falanghina (Grande Farnia, Campi Flegrei, cantine Iovino, 2016), from Campania. In this case, the wine was not influenced only by the volcanic soil, but also by the solfatare (areas around the volcano in which there is a contained but constant release of sulfur). The wind pushes the sulfuric gases till the vineyard, working as a natural protection for the plant against insects. The result is a white wine with a strong mineral and sulfuric character, fruity although slightly acidic. It is made with quite ripe grapes (in the old-fashioned way), which gives a final taste of applesauce, strong but not necessarily “complex”.

The third wine was a Rosso Arcaico (cantina Occhipinti, 2015), from Lazio. This wine has a quite unusual process of production, that foresees the wine to sit for six months in clay amphoras. The process of production and the geographic area itself (the area around the Bolsena lake is volcanic and the lake itself sits on top of an inactive one) affect this red in an incredible way, giving it a unique taste, that may seem too harsh and complex at a first taste. This wine requires time, both to breath properly and to be understood. It is complex, strong, with a smoked taste and hints of wood.

The last bottle was an Etna Rosso (Val Cerasa, Azienda Bonaccorsi, 2013), from Sicily. The area of production around the Etna is vast, rich and varied: the soil has been exposed several times and in different ways to the volcanic elements, making some parts of the land more fertile than others. This last red was of a dark color, dry and of an elegant and complex taste: one could perceive hints of tobacco, cocoa and Marasca cherry, with a nice and fresh aftertaste of aromatic herbs.

The event was an amazing experience: the participants had different levels of knowledge about wine, but the explanations, information and suggestions offered made everything easier to approach, understand and appreciate. It was incredible discovering through taste how much a single product can change depending on many, small variables, and it was satisfying and inebriating analyzing the wines, appreciating their taste and trying to identify all the aromas. The cozy environment and the familiar, relaxed vibes are also definitively a plus to spend a good night, replicating a usual Italian -and alcoholic- night with friends.

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Several statues scattered around Brussels remember significant moments, and some of them recall incredible stories. For instance, if you’ve ever walked in Avenue Louise, all the way up till Abbaye de la Cambre, you may have noticed a golden statue of a man’s head. The story behind that monument is quite unusual.

The statue represents the Baron Jean Michel P.M.G. de Selys Longchamps and the incredible mission he accomplished in the 1940s. The baron, born in 1912, was a native Belgian who started his career in the Belgian military in the 1^st Guides Regimen, reaching the rank of cavalry officer in 1937. He took part to the conflict in Lanaken, Gette, and in Lys and left Belgium with the BEF from Dunkirk.  Once in the UK, despite his age (28 years old at the time, way beyond the age limits imposed) he joined the RAF and became a pilot of the 609 Squadron, flying Hawker Typhoons. He quickly obtained military successes and reached higher ranks in the air force.

While in the RAF, the baron became familiar with a particular type of mission, called “Rhubarb”. This strategy consisted in a single or joint attack to an objective: one or two typhoons would fly over the English channel at a very low height, reach quickly the objective and bomb it from very close to the ground (as the name suggest, at “plants’ height”), to then rapidly fly back at a safer altitude.

On the 20^th of January 1943, Jean Michel and a second pilot accomplished a mission in Ghent, bombing a train station: the second pilot returned to the base in England right away, but the baron moved to Brussels, to solve a personal pending issue. He flew over the city, passing the Palace of Justice, the Marolles area, the Royal Palace and the Cinquantenaire Park. He got closer and closer to the ground, moving at 200 km/h, and quickly arrived to its objective: the building number 453 in Avenue Louise, la “Résidence Belvédère”. Several reports and clandestine newspaper had confirmed in the previous weeks that the building had been occupied by Nazis, who made of it the  Sicherheitspolizei and the Sicherheitsdienst (SiPo and SD) headquarters. The sources confirmed that the building was of particular interest because of its occupants and because of the atrocities they perpetrated inside: political prisoners and Jews were detained and tortured there, making of it a crucial target to conquer and neutralize.

Flying solo and without an explicit consent from his superiors (some affirm that he never even informed the higher ranks of his plan), Jean Michel moved forward and attack the building, bombing it and injuring several members of the Gestapo. After this insane act of courage, de Selys flew right back to England, without being attacked or menaced by the enemies’ air forces.

The baron’s personal Rhubarb mission, risky, sudden and extremely dangerous, costed him a retrocession to the rank of pilot officer, but it also honored his courage with the Distinguished Flying Cross.

The golden half-bust has been placed right in front of the Résidence Belvédère: it commemorates a man’s audacity and strong values, and it reminds the baron’s desires of both liberating his homeland and defeat a despicable enemy.

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The city is already proud of the graffiti and frescos all around its streets, walls and corners, depicting famous comic characters, picturesque scenes or suggestive images. It even offers to its citizens and visitors several guides and advice on the best itineraries to admire the unconventional pieces of art spread in the city.

The new fresco above mentioned is decorating one of the sides of the ULB university, in Solbosch Campus, bulging H (Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 50). The Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and the City itself started a project call in May 2017, to find the perfect artist to give new life to the grey building and to incorporate the new masterpiece in the Street Art Trail. More than 84 candidates have been selected and admitted to the first round of evaluation, but only four got to the finals. To decide who would have had the honor, both ULB students and professors voted for their favorite proposal.

The winner is Gola Hundun, an Italian artist who earned the majority of votes, more than 2000 in the whole university! The piece he decided to create is called “Causa Prima” (“Main Cause”). It is an abstract piece, representing a bright orange red sun -in the exact centre of the building’s corner- surrounded by leaves, branches and natural elements. It represents the stream of life, the impulse of growth and creation, that inspire and enhance the cultural and fecund atmosphere of the university.

Gola’s sculptural work and performance often represent themes and topics dear to him.  He is interested in showing different aspects of the relationship between human beings and the rest of biosphere, exploring themes such as collaboration vs domination, genetic industry, shamanism, vegetarianism, energies and mysticism. His influences come from cartoons and video games to the post-human culture and psychedelic art. His many trips around the world keep changing his perception and style.

Therefore, the project adds significant elements and topics to Brussels’ collection of murals, vividly underlining the importance of the relationship between man and nature and the influence that the two counterparts have on each other. The mural plays an important role not just on the artistic side of the city, but also on the more actual and political one; it reminds people that it is necessary to keep a balance between man and nature, respecting the environment and protecting it, to be able to live a balanced and fulfilling life.

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Cities, as people, have their own character, their own story, a proper process of growth and development that are not immune to imperfections. The atmosphere and the rhythm of each city is different and may attract you and enchant you, as well as disgust you or not correspond to your taste.

Brussels is a great city, full of opportunities and options, but there are some aspects of it that sometimes make you question your decision of moving there. The poet Charles Baudelaire lived in the Belgian capital for two years, from 1864 to 1866. During this period, he cultivated an inner hate and disgust for the capital and the country, that eventually led him to write a resentful pamphlet called “Poor Belgium”, in which he described the city, the society and the elements he despised the most about them. Moved by anger towards the population -who, apparently, did not recognize his talent and art-, financial instability and a precarious health, he poured on paper his feelings and opinions about Belgium.

In the exhibition dedicated to the pamphlet, in Brussels City Museum, the poet’s opinion come up pretty clearly: Baudelaire complained about the Belgian weather, the architecture and the religious heritage and traditions permeating the city, for him too heavy and superficial. He was annoyed by the “provinciality” of Brussels and by the reduced size of the city, that he felt restricting and lacking of entertainment. He was perplexed about the meaning and artistic value of the famous statue of the Manneken Pis (as probably some people still are nowadays) and did not enjoy certain aspects of society, like the behavior and dress-code of women, the different language -for him, a sort of contaminated and impure version of French-, the general jovial and trivial character of the population and the poor, medieval-like urban setting and bars. Most of the complaints and annoyed comments come from a constant comparison of Brussels with Paris: the poet was trying to fit his Parisian standards, preferences, memories and ideas in a context that was not the original one. His frustration was due, probably, to the fact that he was not recognizing Paris, and the aspects of it that he loved, in the new city. It is clear, from his notes and quotes, that he had not forget the French capital and that he was not putting too much effort in understanding and discovering the new city.

Things have changes since Baudelaire’s visit to Brussels: the city completely transformed itself, getting rid of a good part of the Middle Age alleys, restoring the buildings and adopting a more European and aristocratic appearance. Most of the places visited by the poet no longer exist and the city adjusted and evolved thanks to the influence of the internationals arriving.

I can’t agree with Baudelaire on many of the complaints he did: the architecture and the urban conformation are beautiful and unique to me, they embellish and improve the atmosphere and character of the city. I can’t say anything bad about women too, here, or about the religious heritage: many buildings, traditions and celebrations are kept alive and bring together Bruxellois and foreigners many times during the year. They add a special connection, between past and present, that enriches the city and its culture.

Nonetheless, there are some aspects of Brussels that sometimes make me wonder why I moved here and I even decided to stay: the weather, for instance,  drives me crazy. It’s not just about the grey and gloomy sky that covers the city during autumn, winter and often spring (and summer, dang it!), nor just about the disgusting and almost omnipresent thin rain that makes hair frizzy. No, it’s about the continuous and sudden weather changes you can experience in just one day. It may rain, snow, be sunny or extra-windy in just one day, without any signal of the imminent change and the golden rule of clothes-layering may not apply. In Italian the word “meteoropatico” describes a person whose mood changes depending on the weather: if you were not meteoropatico when you moved to Belgium, you may quickly become it, just for the atmospheric instability.

The second element that annoys me terribly is traffic. I know, it’s a common plague of big cities, but in Brussels it kind of feels endless and spread everywhere. There are some crazy moments during the day (especially when you are in a hurry), in which it seems like everyone in the city decided to go out, take the car and queue in the streets for no reason. A trip by bus that usually takes 20 minutes ends up taking at least the double. The good thing is, though, that you have a break from traffic in summer, and that’s mostly because no one is in town. Brussels becomes a sort of ghost-town from June to August, making it easier to move around, but more boring to spend your nights out. Yes, there are festivals and events, but they’re usually all around the country and you may still be working. August in the city center is a sort of paranormal experience: any night of the week in Brussels is calm and quiet, with few, chill people around.

Burocracy is another deal-breaker: just to subscribe to the commune, get the paperwork and collect your Belgian ID may take several trips to the commune, with different documents all the time and with quite a lot of people already waiting in front of you. Make sure you have no appointments that day, because you may spend all your morning in the offices.

Lastly, sometimes Brussels feels too much like a “Northern city”: people mind their business, they don’t bother you in streets or clubs and have a sort of self-centred attitude. Not that they are selfish or cold, but Belgians don’t necessarily want to start a conversation or establish a sort of sudden, conspirational friendship if you meet them around. Italian or Spanish people, for instance, are different in this: you may be out with your friends for a drink, meet a new group of people and decide to chat or spend the night drinking together like old companions. It’s a warm and ephemeral contact that may last a night, or even a whole life, but it’s normal to reach out to other people and be friendly. It’s a social element that sometimes I miss and I wish I could see more often, but I don’t get too sad about that: the expats in the city make up for this small, secondary lack, connecting people and making everything more fun.

Brussels is not perfect: it lacks some elements and has its flaws, but it is so rich and varied that it kind of re-equilibrates everything, making things more interesting and unexpected.

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The event started on the 7^th of September and will end on the 30^th. Its aim is presenting the latest trends in the field, offering various points of view and perceptions of what is design and how it can be applied to different aspects of everyday life.

Brussels has grown a stronger interest and taste in the matter in the last years, becoming an international point of reference for it. In particular, the city reflects the eclectic and constantly-changing character of the festival’s subject: Brussels is influenced every day by people from all over the world and develops itself, its urban conformation and its cultural lifestyle on these many voices. The city, as design itself, is continuously inspired by people, art, needs and aesthetics; they both combine these factors to create a new understanding of life. To underline the connection between the festival and the city, and to highlight their multiform character, Design September will be held in several locations around the city, all famous and loved among the bruxellois, such as Bozar, Recyclart or the Horta house.

Design September is a unique occasion for the design enthusiasts, since it offers more than a hundred events dedicated to the subject with Belgian and international guests. It has organized workshops, exhibitions, shops, conferences, laboratories and awards. Therefore, the experience will give a holistic view of design and its applications to everyday life. In fact, it will not only display the various practical applications of design, but it will also show the different influences, movements and professions connected to the field.

The festival is, of course, focusing mostly on the latest trends and news in the design field, but it will also keep an eye on the past and explore the world of vintage. Vintage in Brussels is pretty appreciated and it is quite present all around the city, through shops or flea markets. The event will emphasize the last-decades’ trends, ideas and inspirations, drawing the attention on the evolution of concepts and on the history of design.

The event offers good food for thought: it makes you appreciate the beauty of design, composition, colors and creativity; it gives you a new perspective on life and on everything around you, from drawings, tattoos and everyday objects to jewelry, art and culture. It is a multifaceted and rich environment that will inspire you and change your day!

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The park is famous for hosting one of the tallest mountains of Tunisia, Jebel Zaghouan, which peaks are curiously shaped like a laying elephant and a dromedary. The park offers a suggestive view on the mountains and on the valley, decorated by trees and many bushes. In particular, it is possible to spot three of the most present and important plants of the Tunisian landscape: the dog rose (or rosa canina), the carob tree and the Aleppo pine. The rose grows quickly, especially in the Mediterranean area and it has been used for a long time for creating medicines (it is apparently ideal to enhance blood circulation and to quickly cicatrize tissue) and in recipes. Still nowadays, its extract is used to compose perfumes and for the preparation of Kaak Warka, typical sweets from the Zaghouan region filled with almond paste that look like small donuts.  The carob tree holds an important place in the Tunisian heritage and in nowadays everyday life: the carat, a unit of mass for gemstones and of purity for gold, takes its name, indirectly, from the Arabic word for a carob seed, carrat.

The national park doesn’t only collect nice plants and an incredible landscape, but it also hosts the remains of the starting point of the Roman aqueduct. The building, shaped like a semi-circular temple and built on top of an artificial terrace, consists of a porch with niches, that centuries ago hosted statues of divinities, and a central covered room, in which the spring sprung under the cold glaze of the statue of Neptune -now gone.  The aqueduct is 132km long and is one of the longest ever built by the Roman empire. It is indeed suggestive to visit the structure and the small thermal temple close by: it makes you feel closer to history and to what life was like hundreds of years ago.

The city of Zaghouan fits perfectly in the natural environment: driving from the park, you can see the houses and neighborhoods slowly growing in number and consistency, accompanying you step by step to the city centre. The city adapts itself to the territory: it follows the irregularity of the mountainous ground, bending and adjusting itself depending on the inclination. For this reason, the city has been built on multiple levels, almost like on a ladder, recalling some Greek or Andalusian cities’ heritage.

The white walls, the small squared houses with colorful doors and intricate details decorating the exterior are delightful to see. They tell you about the development of the city, from its foundation by the Romans, to the multiple people and influences who passed there and marked the culture and character of the city. The architecture and decorations speak about the Andalusian influence and the migration of the moriscos. These populations left behind a copious use of colorful tiles, the stylish Arab arches and windows, the Roman mosaics and the lively markets. The final effect paints a suggestive and picturesque image in front of you.

Zaghouan witnessed, in fact, massive migratory flows from Spain, especially by moriscos, people who were forced to convert from Islam to Catholicism after the Spanish Reconquista, in 1492. They imported the Arab-Spanish architectural style, still very visible, and the cultivation of roses, to create perfumes. The city shows also traces of the French passage: the style of certain houses in the centre and the decoration of the iron railings remind of the French taste. The city hosts several neighborhoods who burst with life and represent, through their people or the setting, the influences received. The Andalusian and Muslim areas, close to each other, are the most colorful and interesting to see -especially for photographers and instagrammers looking for amazing pics-, but if you are craving some food different from meat and cous cous, head to the Italian neighborhood, full of expats or people who lived in Italy for a long time before coming back to Tunisia. The markets clumped in the narrow streets and in the small squares are always fascinating: the way in which goods are exposed and advertised, their quality and their rich diversity are unique. When wandering around, keep your eyes open and look for public fountains: they are hidden in niches in the walls and beautifully decorated with mosaics and brass decorations: some represent proper images of people or animals, while others are mesmerizing geometrical compositions.

Visiting a new city can be exhausting, especially if it’s summer and the heat is intense. To restore yourself and have some great food, head to La Ferme Écologique Dar Zaghouan, just outside the city. The agritourism is brand new and will treat you like a king: located in the countryside, it has been created just last year: it is composed by a main body, that hosts the kitchens, the congress hall (yes, you can also have business meetings there), a beautiful patio covered by vines and trees, and a small concert space, where musicians will play music during meals and events. Around the property, there are chalets and bungalows, if visitors want to spend few nights and relax (50€ per night), and small buildings in which people work and produce the food consumed at the agritourism. Dar Zaghouan, in fact, was created with the double intention of offering an ecological resort and to support circular development. The structure, in fact, is 50% energetically independent: it uses renewable resources like solar energy, biomass and a system of water recycling, that collects rain waters, filters them, and uses them for showers and irrigation. Moreover, it uses original and vintage furniture and architectural elements from the surrounding area: the owner buys wooden pieces hand-decorated from old houses and integrates them in the structure, bringing continuity between the past and present.

The farm also supports local producers, buying their products -100% bio veggies- and incentivizing them to come to the farm to work. It offers a nice and safe place of work, where they can focus on traditional activities and productions: for example, a group of women works in one of the chalets, creating the delicious sweets Kaak Warka above-mentioned. The sweets are in part bought by the farm for the everyday menu and for the events, and in part sold in the city.

The three hectares farm is a green and relaxing spot, surrounded by olive trees and silence. If you pass by, try the menu (12€), in particular the home-made ricotta, the spicy couscous and the home-made bread (produced with an old Berber Hoven), you won’t regret it!  Dar Zaghouan also provides a number of guided tours around the region, depending on what you are interested in: you can visit the caves in the national park, or indulge in more cultural and historical tours. It is mostly known among locals, and Tunisians who moved abroad: when they come back for vacations, they pass by for relaxing and enjoying an amazing meal. Nonetheless, the structure often hosts business meetings and conferences of important organizations and actors, like FAO or the Tunisian Ministers of the Environment, of Culture or of Health.

Zaghouan and the farm itself show how Tunisia is an eclectic country that is sincerely and deeply attached to its culture and history, but is also projecting itself towards the future and a more sustainable development. The city is a small beauty, rich in culture and life: it is a pleasure to walk around the old, central streets and see history parading in front of you, on the walls, on the tiles, in the market. Take some time to look around and discover the hidden perks of Zaghouan.

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Bizerte was founded around 1100 BC by Semitic Phoenicians and it has been visited and controlled by several populations, such as Romans, Vandals (northern tribes from nowadays German areas), Turkish people and French for decades. In fact, it always embodied a fundamental role in commerce and a strategic point for military strategy. On one hand, it was ideally located between Europe and Africa, making the commercial exchanges and travels easier and richer; on the other hand, it represented the perfect spot where to host military vessels, ready to leave for any Mediterranean city at any moment, which made of Bizerte an even more appealing and strategical spot for the populations who invaded it. In 1881 Tunisia became a French protectorat; it acquired the independence in 1956, four years after hosting Habib Bourguiba and his speech to promote the country’s desire of detaching from France. Nonetheless, Bizerte was the last city to be freed by the French control, in 1963.

Bizerte still preserves some architectural and artistic elements of the former populations and influences, hidden around the city, like the French structure of some houses, the use of decorative and colorful tiles and the lively market hosted in the centre, very close to the main Mosque and the Church Notre Dame de France.

The market is indeed one of the elements that should be seen in the city: the streets fill up with stands, carts, animals and objects. Walking around, the senses get submerged by the colors, perfumes and sounds of the street: three or four stands expose incense and perfumed herbs, lighting up few branches to make you appreciate the exotic smell; some women lively chat around the fruit stands, comparing pieces and  exchanging recipes and gossip; men crowd up around a shoe seller, who’s screaming his lungs out to advertise the newest model arrived; some kids play with stray kittens in the middle of the street, while others help their parents with customers and chores. A group of men is lazily drinking coffee in a terrace, observing the coming and going of people; farm animals walk around and chew straw, sheep in particular.

In fact, if you seize the occasion and visit Tunisia at the end of August, you’ll see hundreds of them scattered around, along the streets, on roundabouts, in the city centre or at the market: people are hurry up to buy them before the 1^st of September. On that day this year, the Muslim community celebrates a religious festivity called “Aïd Elidha” (in Arabic, in Tunisia is also known as “Aïd Elkabir”), or the “sacrifice day”. It is one of the main festivities of Islam and it remembers and celebrates the episode of Ibrahim (or Abraham), who accepts to sacrifice his only son Ismael (or Isaac) to God, without questioning the order received. Before he sacrifices his son, God sends his angel Jibra’il (or Gabriel) to stop him and exchange Ismael with a sheep. The festivity aims at celebrating the devotion and commitment to God as show by Ibrahim: for this reason, sheep and other farm animals are bought, fed and well raised. It is a bit surprising, for a western gaze, to see this intense commitment to traditions and celebrations: people take care of every detail and aspect of the holiday to celebrate their faith and spend an important day with their loved one, sharing a meal and a day together.

From the market, keep walking towards the harbor and enjoy the nice view: colorful boats are anchored one close to the other, while others slowly glide away on the water’s surface, towards the open sea. On your side ancient Roman walls accompany your walk till the sea and to one of Bizerte’s old points of access. The sea has been, and still is, a crucial element for the city: it has been a means of connection with other populations, and the principal source of food. Bizerte is famous for its cuisine focused on fish and sea-food and you will have a taste of it if you visit the Sport Nautique, the most famous restaurant of the city.

Take a seat in the back veranda with a view on the sea and get ready for a delicious lunch. The starters consist of octopus, gambas, squid and Tunisian salads (finely chopped veggies mixed with olives and chili, for an extra spicy touch). Try the bread from a local bakery and indulge in the tomato tapenade: exquisite! Move then to the main dish, fish -of course- that changes every day, depending on what has been fished and bought. All the ingredients are fresh and tasty and they truly represent the spirit and traditions of the city. To finish, get a mint tea, warm and sweet, and relax. The salty breeze, the ships sailing by and few kids diving from the pier complete the experience and add that something more that will make the whole experience unique.

Bizerte and the areas around it are famous among the locals for the uncontaminated  beaches, free from the oppressive presence of resorts and buildings, and ideal for private trips surrounded by silence and the rumble of the waves. For this strong connection between the sea and the city, sea lovers have found in Bizerte the perfect place for investing: more and more yachts pass by in the marina every day, stopping to see the city and to try the great gastronomy, attracting in turn, a growing group of foreign investors. Some factories, in fact, moved one or few of their branches to Tunisia, seizing its economical and international growth to optimize the costs of productions. They see in the country a valid possibility of self-development, given by tax facilitations, lower costs and skilled manpower.

The strategic position of Tunisia plays, as well, a crucial point in the investors’ decision: it is often perceived as the ideal country for international contracts, since it has open, deep understanding and connections with both Europe and Africa. As in the past, it connects perfectly different cultures and needs, adapting itself to the necessities and work environments. Carlo Battaglia, business partner of Magic Yachts, remarked multiple times the convenience of developing its company in Bizerte. His laboratories, hosted in the Parc d’Activités Economiques de Bizerte (a partnership both private and public that hosts and support foreign investors in Bizerte), restores and creates boats. Carlo said that although he was first skeptical about moving the business to Tunisia (there is still the idea, among investors, of economic and political unsafety in the country), he is now quite happy with his decision: he said that Tunisians adapt and learn fast, are well prepared on the subject and work enthusiastically on projects. The company is therefore able to offer quality products for both Europe and international customers, like Japan.

The growing opening to international actors attracted also other investors from different sectors, like CPT, a company specialized in the production of industrial machines. Its spokesperson, the project manager Luca Galfetti, confirmed the positive remarks made by Mr Battaglia, underlining the advantages of a scarce competition in the territory and the fast-learning character of the locals. Nonetheless, he noted that there are few difficult points in the process. First, it can be hard for the workers, in particular at the beginning, to accept and apply a foreign approach to work, reporting issues and doubts to the chiefs of department and working cohesively. Second, he said that under a personal point of view, it’s hard to start a new life in Tunisia: integration among locals it’s a long and intense process, so expats often don’t mingle too much and go out together. Night-life and socializing can be long and difficult too, and these aspects should be considered before moving to Tunisia.

Bizerte is a calm city that, despite the passing of time, the influences of many different cultures and the difficulties faced, keeps alive until nowadays its strong character, its structure, its past. It is slowly renewing itself, investing more in factories and in the primary sector, but still keeping its connection with the Mediterranean sea strong. It is still one of the most important spots in the modern commerce routes and it still represents a crucial point of contact between Europe and Africa. Bizerte keeps an eye on the past and protects its origins, while working on its potential and transforming itself to reach the future.

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