Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Life’s a picnic

With the sun shining and a cool breeze blowing, we follow in the footsteps of five intrepid writers on the trail of Europe’s most beautiful outdoor dining spots.

Summer is the season to get down from the table and head for the great outdoors: alfresco dining is where it’s at. But where to go and what to take with you for that perfect picnic? We’ve got the answers in this guide to five of Europe’s best picnic spots, along with tasty suggestions of local delis and foodie delights.

Hamburg

As one of the greenest cities in Europe, Hamburg has an enviable bounty of manicured and natural parklands. Perhaps more impressive, no other German city has as many untouched nature reserves as this, Germany’s largest port.

But while most make their way to the Alsterpark (which is on the popular outer Alster Lake and is perfect for a Sunday stroll) or the 400-acre Stadtpark (which includes an outdoor swimming lake, open-air theatre, planetarium and popular beer garden), neither offers what you’re really looking for: escape. Instead, follow the locals to the upper reaches of the Alster River. Lined with centuries-old willows, this narrow and tranquil ribbon of green traces the Alsterwanderweg, a gravelled walking trail, through forests, along lakes and past river locks deep into the moorlands of the neighbouring state of Schleswig-Holstein.

The most serene stretches are just minutes from the city centre north of Hayns Park, between the Deelböge and Alsterdorfer Damm bridges – take the 39 bus to Bebelallee, walk toward the canal and look for the yellow arrows. Before going, though, stop by Kruizenga (11-13 Maria Louisen Straße, tel.  
, kruizenga.de). Arguably Hamburg’s best delicatessen, it’s awash with cured meats, cheeses and an excellent range of top-shelf olive oils and vinegars, to say nothing of Alsatian foie gras and pâtés. Most importantly, they create picnic and gift baskets for au fait épicures. Farhad Heydari

Oslo

The best place to enjoy a picnic is on one of the islands set in the middle of the Oslo fjord. For the price of a tube ticket, it feels like escaping to another planet, and it’s only a five-minute boat ride away.

To fill your basket, stock up on delicious fresh prawns, bought direct from the fishermen in the Oslo harbour at Aker Brygge – make sure you buy them before lunch to get the best ones. Then head to the nearby ICA Gourmet (7 Holmensgate) to get some typically Norwegian fare: yummy fishcakes from the fish counter, creamy potato salad and, if you want to go completely native, bread and mayonnaise to make open sandwiches with your prawns. For dessert, fresh berries are the way to go. Orange cloudberries from the Arctic are a prized delicacy.

Then, hop on a ferry at Vippetangen, a 10-minute walk from Aker Brygge. The nearest, and largest, island is Hovedøya, where you can enjoy your fish cakes among the ruins of a monastery. Gressholmen island is perfect for animal lovers as they’ll be surrounded by the rabbits that have long conquered this speck of land. But whatever island you pick, rest assured that there is always a beach where you can dip into the sea. Gwladys Fouché

London

Picnickers in London are spoilt for choice in its many green parks, but one of the prettiest areas is Primrose Hill, a gently sloping enclave tucked just behind Regent’s Park. The area is renowned for its glamorous residents – famous locals include Gwyneth Paltrow, Gwen Stefani and Jude Law – but the biggest draw around here is the hill itself, which offers spectacular views overlooking the capital.

Regent’s Park Road, which runs parallel to the hill, is lined with little delis, so you can pack your hamper en route. And if you’re here on a Saturday, you can purchase locally grown fruit and vegetables from the Primrose Hill Farmer’s Market.

For a traditional British picnic, several things are non-negotiable. You must have sandwiches, preferably with the crusts cut off, filled with quintessentially English spreads like ‘Gentleman’s Relish’, a spiced anchovy paste. Pack a simple mixed salad made with tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce, as well as some cold meat – think ham cut from the bone, sausage rolls and pork pies. The ultimate English pudding has to be the Victoria sponge, a light sponge cake layered with cream and strawberry jam, or the ‘Eton Mess’ of whipped cream muddled with meringue and strawberries. As for drinks, Pimms is mandatory, but you could supplement this with some traditional cider made with Herefordshire apples. Tabitha Lasley

Krakow

Quiet places in Krakow are few and far between. But seek and you shall find.

For a Polish picnic, head to any delikatesy, where you can stock up on must-have, rustic delicacies such as kiełbasa (sausage), papryka (pickled peppers), chleb (fresh-baked bread) with smalec (lard with bacon bits) and ser biały (white cheese with spring onion). Polish cuisine is meat-heavy, so finding something substantial that can be consumed cold is challenging. Try szynka (smoked ham) and sledž (pickled herring). Vegetarians will enjoy cold, fruit-filled pierogi (a bit like ravioli) with bita smietanka (whipped-cream). All these things can be bought homemade from most grocery stores.

Dessert will be a calorie-laden feast. Poles love their sweets and national favourites like szarlotka (apple squares), sernik (cheesecake, with a choice of fillings including fruit and caramel) and paczki (doughnuts filled with rose jam or liqueur) are easy to find. For drinks, the hard-core choice is vodka, but do try Žywiec or Tyskie, widely-acknowledged to be the best beers the country has to offer.

Now where to enjoy your feast? The grassy hill across the river from Wawel Castle offers a lovely view, but the completely ignored suburb of Podgorze has much to recommend it. Its intimate, tree-lined park was made famous by the red-coated girl in Schindler’s List, and there’s a romantic little square with a lovely neo-Gothic church. Podgorze is perfect for a scenic picnic followed by a gentle stroll to work off your lunch. Michelle Smith

Murcia

This region’s jewel – the Calblanque Regional Park – is about half an hour’s drive from the city of Murcia. In this protected area in the municipality of Cartagena, a string of mountains runs along the coast, hiding secluded coves and long, sandy beaches. The hills also offer incredible views along this unspoilt and relatively unknown tract of Mediterranean shore.

This is a perfect area to explore with a picnic in the summer – and to escape the heat of the city. The best beaches lie at Playa de Calblanque, behind the golf courses of La Manga resort. A long sweeping area of sand is followed by a series of secluded coves. Here the water is crystal clear and there’s not a block of concrete in sight, just the dramatic backdrop of the arid mountains.

Buy your picnic before you go at El Corte Inglés supermarket (1 Avenida de la Libertad) in Murcia city. The roast chicken is delicious and you can take a half or a whole one for the picnic. Add an empanada, a delicious flat pastry pie with peppers, tuna and tomato, to your basket. A tortilla de patatas – the thick Spanish potato omelette – is also a must, along with some juicy, local tomatoes, marinated olives and a baguette. A bottle of white Marques de Cáceres wine will round it off nicely. Dave Jones

FR » La vie version pique-nique

La saison estivale se prête aux dîners en plein air et sur les terrasses, mais quels sont les endroits intéressants pour pique-niquer et qu’emporter pour que le moment soit parfait?

Hambourg a de nombreux parcs très fréquentés, mais pour ceux qui préfèrent éviter la foule, l’alternative est de remonter le courant de la rivière Alster pour découvrir l’Alsterwanderweg, une étroite voie verte, tranquille bordée de saules centenaires. Choisissez vos ingrédients pour le pique-nique chez Kruizenga, immanquablement la meilleure épicerie fine d’Hambourg

Pique-niquer sur une île en plein milieu du fjord d’Oslo c’est comme s’échapper sur une autre planète. Remplissez tout d’abord votre panier avec des saveurs locales comme la tarte au poisson, la salade de pommes de terre et des airelles fraîches de l’Arctique. Ensuite, prenez un bateau de Vippetangen jusqu’à la grande île de Hovedoya, ou Gressholmen avec ses myriades de lapins

Le Parc Régional de Calblanque près de Cartagena offre les plus belles plages de Murcie. Le sable immaculé et les criques retirées sont dominés par des montagnes austères d’où la vue sur la ligne côtière est surprenante. Dans la ville de Murcie, El Corte Ingles a tout ce dont on peut rêver, y compris les empanada de la pâte fourrée d’épaisses omelettes espagnoles.

Primrose Hill, à Londres, est l’un des quartiers les plus agréables, une enclave en pente douce située derrière Regent’s Park. Optez pour des mets typiques anglais, comme le pâté de porc en croûte, le jambon et le Gentlemen’s Relish, achetés à l’épicerie de Regent’s Park Road. Arrosez le tout avec un verre de Pimms ou de cidre traditionnel du Herefordshire.

A Cracovie, entrez dans n’importe quel magasin d’alimentation pour toutes les spécialités polonaises possibles et imaginables – mais méfiez-vous des desserts surchargés en calories. Dans cette ville animée, la banlieue de Podgorze est l’un des rares endroits calmes où se poser pour un casse-croûte en plein air.

NL » Picknicken geblazen

De zomer is het seizoen bij uitstek om er op uit te trekken voor een heerlijke picknick. Maar waar kun je heen, en wat neem je mee?

Hamburg telt veel populaire parken, maar om aan de drukte te ontsnappen, volg je best de Alsterrivier stroomopwaarts. Zo zul je de Alsterwanderweg ontdekken, een smal en rustig groen pad waarlangs eeuwenoude wilgen groeien. Voor je picknickmand kun je terecht bij Kruizenga, ongetwijfeld Hamburgs beste delicatessenzaak.

Picknicken op een eiland in het midden van de Oslofjord is als vluchten naar een andere planeet. Vul eerst je mand met lokale delicatessen zoals vispasteitjes, aardappelsalade en verse bergbraambessen. Neem daarna een ferry van Vippetangen naar het grote eiland Hovedoya, of naar Gressholmen, met zijn konijnen.

Het regionale park Calblanque dicht bij Cartagena heeft de beste stranden van Murcia. Je hebt er ongerept zand en afgelegen inhammen beschermd door dorre bergen met een adembenemend zicht op de kust. In de El Corte Ingles in de stad Murcia vind je alles wat je nodig hebt, zoals empanadas en dikke Spaanse omeletten.

Een van Londens mooiste buurten is Primrose Hill, een licht hellende enclave gelegen achter Regent’s Park. In de delicatessenzaken op Regent’s Park Road vind je typische Engelse kost, zoals varkenspasteitjes, ham en Gentlemen’s Relish. Spoel die door met Pimms of een traditionele Herefordshire-cider.

In Krakau moet je beslist naar een delikatesy voor een verfijnde greep uit de Poolse keuken. Maar voorzichtig met calorierijke desserts! Voor een picknick is het intieme, met bomen bezaaide park van Podgorze een van de weinige rustige plekjes in deze drukke stad.

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