Notre Dame in Paris, London's St. Paul, St. Peter's in Rome - some of Europe's greatest cathedrals are justly famous and huge tourist draws. But of course Christian Europe offers myriad other cathedrals which are lesser known but als
Feet firmly planted on the ground, left elbow out, forearm straight, hand and wrist covered with a thick leather glove, I looked apprehensively at the master falconer standing by my side. He had just sent a magnificent Harris's hawk into
Mysterious figures mixing potions; skull rituals; and tales of witches on October 31st? All par for the course on Halloween night. But in Galicia, these creepy doings go back thousands of years, when back in the mists of time this
Congratulations are in order! UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) has just this summer honored Spain's capital city with its first World Heritage Site designation, elevating Madrid to the rank
European tourism is finally open for business again, and plenty of great deals are available to entice visitors back, from city culture to delightful road trips to dreamy beach getaways - or combinations of all the above. And here's
Read more…Stunning architecture, sea views, and sandy beaches, vivid and passionate culture, superb cuisine — hese are just some of the many reasons why Spain's second-largest city is a wonderful place to live. And to study, as Barcelona is home to some of
It’s that time of year again. In Spain, practically every day is the “feast day” of at least one Catholic saint. But the most famous of all is today, the Feast of Santiago (St. James the Greater), a disciple of Jesus Christ whose relics after his
With just over a week to go before Christmas, cities across Spain, as many other cities in the world, are pulling out the stops and decking the halls with boughs of jolly. This blog has covered the festivities in biggies like Madrid and Barcelona
Read more…
Each year since 1976, Spain's Ministry of Culture has awarded the country's equivalent of the Booker or the Nobel Prize for Literature to one of the world's most distinguished living Spanish-language writers. Past laureates have included not jus
Read more…
“There are no unsacred places; there are only sacred places and desecrated places.”
― U.S. novelist, poet, essayist, environmental activist, & cultural critic Wendell Berry
If you’re a "seeker," who travels in part to
Read more…
Across the world, throughout the spring of 2020 we've all been living through a global public-health emergency unprecedented in our lifetimes. But now, after the extraordinary measures due to the coronavirus and COVID-19 which closed borders and
Read more…
Spain's third largest city (with a population of just under 800,000) is situated halfway down Spain's eastern Mediterranean coast, in between Barcelona and Murcia. It's easygoing, easy to get to (with links from all over Europe), and easy to get
The pre-Lenten season is upon us once again, and although the Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro is the most famous, many other fun, fantastic examples abound across the Americas and Europe - including, of course, right here in Spain. Allow me to introduce
Read more…
Yesterday marked the 528th anniversary of the fall of Islamic Granada to the armies of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, marking the culmination of the Reconquista from the Moors - whose Umayyad Caliphate forces had swept into the Iberian Penins
Read more…Like so many European cities and towns, as of the last week in November, Catalonia's capital dons its Yuletide best and does its best to transform the dark, chilly days of winter into a festive celebration, lasting through January 6 (the "12th day
Read more…
Turrón, Spain‘s traditional holiday sweet, is as iconic here as the Reyes Magos (Three Wise Men) who bring presents to children each 6 January. Spaniards won’t ask you where you spend Christmas, they will say, “where do you eat your turrón“? If it
Read more…
Dank chill, drizzle, and streetlamps shrouded in fog are bad weather? A bad time for touring? Depends! In fact, they were just perfect for a nocturnal outing I had in Barcelona last winter that was hair raising – in a good way. And what better day
Millions of visitors flock to Catalonia in Spain's northeast each year, lured especially by its marvelous beaches and spectacular capital Barcelona. But there's a lot more to this varied land, from medieval towns to wine to ecotourism, all flavour
Read more…
