spain - Blogs - Tripatini2024-03-29T01:52:25Zhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/spainUnlocking the Magic of March: Your Guide to All-Inclusive Holidays in Spainhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/unlocking-the-magic-of-march-your-guide-to-all-inclusive-holidays2024-02-26T09:33:08.000Z2024-02-26T09:33:08.000Zjohn smithhttps://tripatini.com/members/johnsmith702<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/12389683873?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>As March unfolds, Spain beckons with its enchanting blend of culture, history, and diverse landscapes. This is the perfect time to embark on a memorable holiday, and what better way to experience it all than with all-inclusive holidays to Spain? In this guide, we'll explore the wonders that await you in Spain during March, offering a mix of vibrant festivities, scenic beauty, and immersive cultural experiences.</p><p><strong>1. Blossoming Beauty in Andalusia:</strong></p><p>March marks the beginning of spring in Spain, and Andalusia is a floral paradise during this time. Consider exploring the enchanting city of Granada, home to the iconic Alhambra. The Generalife Gardens, part of the Alhambra complex, burst into a riot of colors with blooming flowers, making it a mesmerizing experience for nature enthusiasts. With an all-inclusive holiday package, you can immerse yourself in this natural spectacle without any worries about the details.</p><p><strong>2. Festivals and Flamenco in Seville:</strong></p><p>Seville comes alive in March with the renowned Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations. Book your <a href="https://planmytour.co.uk/holidays-to-spain-all-inclusive" target="_blank">all-inclusive holiday to Spain</a> during this period to witness the grand processions, elaborate floats, and the vibrant atmosphere that engulfs the streets. After the religious festivities, indulge in the passionate rhythms of flamenco in the historic neighborhoods of Triana or Santa Cruz.</p><p><strong>3. Skiing in Sierra Nevada:</strong></p><p>While the south enjoys the bloom of spring, the Sierra Nevada in the south-eastern part of Spain offers a different kind of adventure. Take advantage of the lingering snow in the mountains and experience late-season skiing. With an all-inclusive package, you can seamlessly transition from the slopes to cozy evenings by the fireplace, ensuring a well-rounded holiday experience.</p><p><strong>4. Cultural Exploration in Barcelona:</strong></p><p>Barcelona, with its unique blend of modernist architecture and rich history, is a treasure trove for culture enthusiasts. Explore the works of Antoni Gaudí, stroll along La Rambla, and visit the Gothic Quarter. With an all-inclusive holiday, you can delve into these cultural delights without worrying about the logistics, allowing you to fully savor the city's unique charm.</p><p><strong>5. Culinary Adventures in Madrid:</strong></p><p>March is an excellent time to explore the culinary scene in the Spanish capital, Madrid. With the winter chill fading away, outdoor terraces and cafes become inviting spaces to enjoy tapas and local delicacies. An all-inclusive holiday ensures you have the freedom to savor the diverse flavors of Spanish cuisine without constantly checking your budget.</p><p><strong>6. Relaxation on the Costa del Sol:</strong></p><p>For those seeking sun and relaxation, the Costa del Sol is an ideal destination. With an all-inclusive package, you can unwind on the pristine beaches, take a dip in the Mediterranean, and enjoy the pleasant weather. The coastal towns of Marbella and Malaga offer a perfect blend of leisure and cultural exploration.</p><p><strong>Conclusion:</strong></p><p>March in Spain unfolds as a tapestry of experiences, from the vibrant celebrations in Seville to the tranquil beaches of the Costa del Sol. To make the most of your holiday, consider opting for all-inclusive packages to Spain. These packages not only provide convenience but also allow you to focus on creating memories without the hassle of planning and budgeting. So, pack your bags and get ready to immerse yourself in the magic of Spain's March allure.</p><p>Explore our all-inclusive holiday to Spain and unlock the wonders of March without any worries. Click here to book your stress-free Spanish getaway.</p></div>6 Scintillating Sparkling Wines from Europehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/europe-sparkling-wine2024-01-23T15:05:00.000Z2024-01-23T15:05:00.000ZBottle Barnhttps://tripatini.com/members/BottleBarn<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/11780451299?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><br /> Raise a glass to the world of <a href="https://bottlebarn.com/collections/sparkling" target="_blank">sparkling wine</a>! French Champagne is the most famous, of course, but there are many types of bubbly wine enjoyed around the world, and some of the best/most nobale hail from <strong>Europe</strong>. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or just want to enjoy a glass with friends, there is a sparkling wine out there for everyone. Here are some of the most popular types that you can find at your favorite wine shop or <a href="https://bottlebarn.com/collections/all" target="_blank">online</a>. </p>
<h3><span style="font-size:14pt;"><a href="https://bottlebarn.com/collections/champagne" target="_blank">Champagne (France)</a></span></h3>
<p>The world´s most renowned bubby is produced exclusively in the <strong>Champagne</strong> region of <strong>France</strong> using the traditional <em>méthode champegnoise</em> with the grapes of pinot noir, pinot Meunier, and chardonnay. Known for its high quality, Champagne is often associated with celebrations and special occasions. Look for bottles with the "Champagne" label, as this indicates they have been produced in the Champagne region and adhere to strict production standards. Our online wine store offers a selection of Champagne types, including brut, extra brut, and vintage Champagne, to cater to all tastes and preferences. </p>
<h3><span style="font-size:14pt;"><a href="https://bottlebarn.com/collections/prosecco" target="_blank">Prosecco (Italy)</a></span></h3>
<p>For those looking for a light and refreshing sparkling wine, this excellent sparkling wine is made from the Glera grape in northern Italian <strong>Veneto</strong> and <strong>Friuli-Venezia Giulia</strong> regions (the latter of which is home to the eponynous village of <strong>Prosecco</strong>, near<strong> Trieste</strong>). Known for its fruity and floral notes, it´s perfect as an aperitif, pairs well with light appetizers such as cheese and crackers, and comes in dryer versions from sweet to dry..</p>
<h3><a href="https://bottlebarn.com/collections/asti?pf_pt_product_type=Sparkling+Wine" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Asti Spumante (Italy)</span></a></h3>
<p>Also from northern Italy (the <strong>Piedmont</strong> region, to be precise, and named after the city of <strong>Asti</strong>), for those with a sweet tooth this beloved sparkling wine has a unique flavor profile. Produced from the Moscato Bianco grape, it´s known for its refreshing and delicate fruity and floral notes and high sugar content, pairing perfectly with desserts or enjoyed on its own. It also has a relatively lower alcohol content (7-9 percent), it's an excellent option for daytime celebrations, picnics, or brunch. Our online wine store has a variety of high-quality Asti Spumante options that will suit your taste and budget.</p>
<h3><span style="font-size:14pt;"><a href="https://bottlebarn.com/collections/cava" target="_blank">Cava (Spain)</a></span></h3>
<p>A popular sparkling wine produced in the <strong>Catalonia</strong> region of Spain using the traditional méthode champenoise from a blend of local grape varieties, including Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo, cava is known for its crisp and refreshing taste. Enjoy it on its own or paired with a wide range of foods. Our wine store offers a diverse selection of Cava bottle, from the classic brut style to the rosé and sweeter options, to cater to all tastes. </p>
<h3><a href="https://bottlebarn.com/collections/cremant" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Crémant (France)</span></a></h3>
<p>If you're looking for a high-quality sparkling wine that won't break the bank, this French bubbly is produced using the traditional method in several regions of France, including the <strong>Loire Valley</strong> and <strong>Alsace</strong>, and is made from a variety of grapes, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Chenin Blanc. Crémant is a versatile wine that pairs well with a wide range of foods and is a great choice for celebrations and special occasions.</p>
<h3><a href="https://bottlebarn.com/search?type=product&options%5Bunavailable_products%5D=show&options%5Bprefix%5D=last&q=sekt" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Sekt (Germany)</span></a></h3>
<p>Germany may not be known for its wine production, but it is home to some excellent sparkling wines, including Sekt. Made using the traditional method, it's crisp and refreshing and serves as a great alternative to Champagne. Made from a variety of grapes including Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, expecially in revions like Baden, Pflaz, and Mosel, Sekt comes in a range of dry and sweet options.</p>
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<p>Are you looking to expand your wine knowledge and become a connoisseur? <a href="https://bottlebarn.com/blogs/news">Our blog page</a> offers a wealth of information on all things wine, from the history and culture behind each region to the latest trends and recommendations. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned enthusiast, <a href="https://bottlebarn.com/blogs/news/">our blog</a> is the perfect destination to indulge in your passion for wine. Join us and start exploring the fascinating world of wine today!</p>
<p><em><br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;">Source> </span></em><a href="https://newyorkcity.bubblelife.com/community/bottle_barn/library/3511536822/key/359138111/Types_of_Sparkling_Wine_from_Around_the_World"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>https://newyorkcity.bubblelife.com/community/bottle_barn/library/3511536822/key/359138111/Types_of_Sparkling_Wine_from_Around_the_World</em></span></a></p></div>5 of Spain´s Special New Year´s Traditionshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/spain-new-years-eve-traditions2023-12-29T07:55:00.000Z2023-12-29T07:55:00.000ZJoseba Basabehttps://tripatini.com/members/JosebaBasabe<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12335576059,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12335576059,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12335576059?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Uvas_de_la_suerte_2012.jpg"><span style="font-size:8pt;">jacinta lluch valero</span></a></em></p>
<p><br /> We Spaniards love to ring out the old and ring in the new as much as anyone else on the planet. And whilst we of course share many NYE practices with the rest of the world (at least the Western world, I guess), there are several which are fairly unique to our country – and here´s a quirky quintet of them:</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Toasting with Bubbles - but with a Twist</strong></span><br /> <br /> Of course all of Spain raises a glass of <em>cava</em> (the <em>méthode-Champegnoise</em> sparkling wine – from sweet to dry – made in <strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/spain-catalonia-barcelona-girona-tarragona-lleida" target="_blank">Catalonia</a></strong>) to toast in the new year and tradition has it that for that extra edge of the year ahead bringing prosperity, Spaniards drop a gold object into the glass before the toast. A wedding ring or another bit of bling will do the trick for finances, but if it's love you´re after, some say plunking in a red fruit such as a strawberry or raspberry will make sure you meet that special someone. And remember: for the charm to work you need to down the cava in one gulp!<br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Grapes by the Lucky Dozen</strong></span></p>
<p>As midnight approaches on New Year’s Eve, many thousands of people across Spain will be clutching an important good-luck charm: 12 <em>uvas</em> (grapes) to bring fortune throughout the next 12 months. (LINK)</p>
<p>The idea is to pop one grape into your mouth as each stroke of midnight chimes. And it´s actually trickier than it sounds – chewing and swallowing one quickly in time to gulp the next one, and especially if you happen to be standing in a crowd surrounded by giggling friends or family. Supermarkets and shops cater to this by selling packages of a dozen seedless grapes to pop at a moment´s notice. <br /> <br /> (And an interesting historical note: this tradition dates back to 1882, when a Scrooge-like <strong>Madrid</strong> mayor imposed a tax (!) on holiday parties, discriminating against the less well off – so a bunch of workers staged a “protest” celebration in downtown´s <strong>Puerta del Sol</strong>, popping a grape at each ring of the bell to make fun of upper-crust dining customs.<br /> <br /> Also keep in mind that you´ll want to try to chew the grapes thoroughly to avoid choking, with old folks and young kids especially at risk)</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12335576889,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12335576889,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12335576889?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/wine-bottle-near-flowers-on-white-textile-h0dZX39mJRs"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Heather Ford</span><br /> </a><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Underneath, Go Red!</strong></span><br /> <br /> For those looking for love in the coming year, the belief is that wearing red underwear will make it happen (though claim say that it only works if these undies are a gift, and others hold that you need to give them away before dawn – er, whatever). <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Put Your Best Foot Forward</strong></span></p>
<p>For good luck in 2024, you should make sure not just to take your first step after midnight with your right foot but also for your first other major steps in the new year, like getting home that morning, leaving your house the next day, arriving at work, and so forth. Hey, what can it hurt, right?</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Down Some Lentils on January 1st</strong></span></p>
<p>Want more good fortune, as well as a boost to your wallet? Start your year off with a tasty dish of these lucky little legumes, And as it happens, lentejas estofadas (lentil stew) is a tasty classic of Spanish cuisine, with chorizo sausage, diced potatoes, and a smattering of veggies. And why lentils, you might wonder? Well, the little round buggers are said to resemble tiny coins, representing wealth. Again, whatever – it´s a tasty and healthy start to the year, so why not?</p>
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<p><em>Feliz Año Nuevo</em> to all!</p>
<p> </p></div>A Quirky Christmas to All! 10 of the World´s Weirdest Yuletide Traditionshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/unusual-christmas-traditions-of-the-world2023-12-24T10:05:00.000Z2023-12-24T10:05:00.000ZJosé Balidohttps://tripatini.com/members/JoseBalido<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12332141285,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12332141285,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12332141285?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Krampus_Salzburg_2.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">MatthiasKabel</span></a></p>
<p><br /> All across the world, all sorts of holiday activities– both religious and secular, age-old and relatively new – are in full swing during this season, including festive lights, special street markets, trees, Santa and elves everywhere, and the rest of it. But a handful of places feature oddities which range from whimsical to scary to occasionally potentially offensive. Here´s a particularly memorable top ten:</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Austria & Germany: Demonic Doings</strong></span><br /> <br /> December 5 is celebrated as <strong>St. Nicholaus Day</strong> in parts of <strong>Europe</strong>, particularly Austria and Bavaria, where it´s also known as <strong>Krampusnacht</strong>. It´s when folks dressed up as the half-goat, half-demon <strong>Krampus</strong> – thought to be rooted in pre-Christian folklore and used to scare kids into behaving – run rampant through the streets of various towns and cities, mock-terrorizing all and sundry but particularly the little ones. Charming bit of holiday cheer, eh? In my opinion it´s enough to keep the couches of <strong>Sigmund Freud</strong>´s descendants full for the rest of their lives. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Iceland: The Boys Are Back in Town</strong></span> <br /> <br /> In the 13 days leading up to Christmas, Icelandic kids get visits from the “<strong>Yule Lads</strong>,” a series of characters rooted in Icelandic folklore, with names like “Spoon-Licker” and “Door-Slammer,” and each with distinct personalities and behaviors, ranging from nice to naughty. Good little tykes might get good little gifts, and the bad ´uns rotting potatoes. So lick them spoons and slam them doors!</p>
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<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12331483460,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}&width=800"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12331483460,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}&width=800" alt="12331483460?profile=RESIZE_930x&width=800" /></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/truusbobjantoo/2177868558" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Truus, Bob & Jan too!!</span></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/truusbobjantoo/2177868558"><br /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Italy: Which Witch?</strong></span></p>
<p>Never mind Santa Claus, here on the eve of the <strong>Epiphany</strong> on January 6th (the 12th day of Christmas) a friendly <em>strega</em> (witch) called <strong>La Befana</strong> comes overnight to leave good children candies and presents and the bad ones lumps of coal (though since every kid (though since every kid has likely been bad once or twice during the year, in their stocking they´ll also get dark-colored rock candy, to symbolize coal).</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Japan: Finger-Lickin´ Weird</strong></span><br /> <br /> Though Christians make up just 1½ percent of all Japanese, but all the secular Yuletide trimmings are out in full force here. And the strangest tradition – which started as a marketing stunt in the 1970s – has many of the locals eating fried chicken at <strong>KFC</strong> on <strong>Christmas Day</strong>. WTF, you might say? Well, <strong>Colonel Sanders</strong> does look a little bit like Santa, don´t you think? Leave it to the Japanese. 😉</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Netherlands: Sooty Is the New Black</strong></span><br /> <br /> Like the Teutons have Krampus, on St. Nicholas Day the Dutch roll out <strong>St. Nick</strong>´s sidekick <strong><em>Zvarte Piet</em></strong> (<strong>Black Pete</strong>),– depicted as a “black Moor” in blackface, colorful Renaissance garb, red lipstick, and curly-haired wigs – who hands out cookies and candies to kiddies. Naturally, in this day and age blackface is frowned upon by many, so many places have a more politically correct version dubbed <strong><em>Roetveegpiet</em></strong> (<strong>Sooty Pete</strong>), with the actors´ faces streaked with black makeup (though who knows, maybe after the recent <strong>Geert Wilders</strong> election, full-on Zvarte Piet might just make a comeback!). And by the way, Piet can also be found to an extent in the Flemish part of <strong>Belgium</strong> as well as the Dutch <strong>Caribbean</strong> islands of <strong>Aruba</strong> and <strong>Cura</strong><strong>ç</strong><strong>ao</strong>.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Norway: Sweeping Brooms Under the Rug</strong></span></p>
<p>Instead of being wholly gung-ho about <strong>Christmas Eve</strong>, superstitious Norwegians take the alarmist view it´s a night when witches and malign spirits wake up and look for brooms on which to take joy rides hither and yon. Quick, stash ´em!</p>
<p><br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12331478096,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12331478096,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12331478096?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/caganer-gm499399498-80205375?phrase=caganer" target="_blank">agafapaperiapunta</a></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Spain: Catalonia Is Full of Shit</span> <br /> </strong><br /> Catalans are traditionally a bit scatological, and they’ve got not one but two traditions to prove it. First is a Christmas log called <strong>Tió de Nadal</strong> or <strong>Caga Tió</strong> (“pooping log”), a hollowed-out bit of rustic wood – usually around a foot long – with a smiley face and draped with a blanket. When kids smack it with sticks, they´re rewarded with candies, nuts, <em>turrón</em> (holiday nougat), and little gifts which get “pooped” out of its back end.<br /> <br /> More explicitly fecal-centered, the <strong><em>caganers</em></strong> (shitters) are small figurines which have adorned Nativity scenes and other holiday décor since at least the 18th century. They depict bare-assed peasants (inevitably dudes) in their traditional red caps, in the act of squatting and taking a dump. The idea is that they´re fertilizing the earth and thus bringing good luck. In recent years, variations have arisen of <em>caganers</em> depicting politicians and other celebrated figures both real and fictional – from Hollywood celebrities to the <strong>Pope</strong> to <strong>Darth Vader</strong> – meant as a satirical device to cut them down to size a bit.</p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Sweden: Giving Up the Goat</span> </strong><br /> <br /> This one´s particular to the little city of <strong>Gävle</strong>, in central Sweden a couple of hours north of <strong>Stockholm</strong>, which every holiday season since 1966 has put up a humungous <strong><em>Gävlebocken</em></strong> (<strong>Gävle Goat</strong>) made of straw – their version of the “Yule goat” which harks back to Norse mythology (the chariot of the thunder god <strong>Thor</strong> was pulled by a pair of goats). Anyhoo, contrary to the Swedes´ law-abiding reputation, most years the big guy ends up vandalized or even burned down despite efforts to protect him. Such kidders!</p>
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<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12331481898,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}&width=1000"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12331481898,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}&width=1000" alt="12331481898?profile=RESIZE_1200x&width=1000" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christmas_spider_ornaments_ukraine.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Erika Smith</span><br /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Ukraine: Itsy Bitsy Spiders</strong></span></p>
<p>Plenty of Ukrainian Christmas trees feature ornaments in the form of spider webs. This comes not just from the tradition of spiders bringing could luck, but more specifically from an old western Ukrainian folk tale. It seems a family too poor to decorate their tree woke up on Christmas morning to find it covered with cobwebs. Then when they opened the windows, the sun´s rays turned the webs into gold and silver. Yuletide wonder restored and bye-bye poverty! Now if there were only some magic that could make these damn invading Russians disappear.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Venezuela: Roll ´Em!</strong></span></p>
<p>In capital Caracas, not only do some kids (and a few overgrown kids) set off firecrackers in the streets on Christmas morning, but quite a few caraqueños whimsically whizz themselves to church for Christmas mass on roller skates. The city authorities even close down key roads to facilitate this curious custom.</p>
<p><br /> .</p></div>Marbella Is Spain's most Stylish Holiday Destinationhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/marbella-malaga-andalusia-andalucia-spain2023-10-07T10:45:00.000Z2023-10-07T10:45:00.000Zmarcos stonehttps://tripatini.com/members/marcosstone<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/10930014683?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span style="font-weight:400;">The place that is known as the playground for famous and rich The up-market resort of Marbella has a lively vibe and is well-restored Andalusian tradition.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The city is situated in the Costa del Sol, this stylish destination is popular by the wealthy, who frequent the top restaurants, luxurious hotels as well as championship golf course.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Marbella is also known for its trendy boutiques, the luxurious Puerto Banus Marina and it's many lively nightclubs.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Make sure you dress to impress during your trip to Marbella when you walk through the quayside of the famed Puerto Bonus Marina, where million-dollar yachts are moored within the harbor.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">It is where famous people are entertained while they lounge on the beach sipping champagne that is expensive, Marbella is the place where jet-setters gather to display their wealth.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Its combination with the gorgeous Costa del Sol weather and the glamour and glitz create Marbella an ideal holiday location. There's not much that isn't appealing about this stunning region of southern Spain, There are many things to do when you are bored with stars and turning a greener with each luxurious yacht that enters the marina.</span></p>
<p>There are several places to discover and learn more about this place. So, if you’re visiting and taking <strong><a href="https://www.lowestflightfares.com/cheap-flights/europe/spain/malaga/marbella/" target="_blank">flights to Marbella</a></strong>, then take a stroll of the entire city and find out what’s hidden in those tiny bustling streets. Also, book your tickets with Lowest Flight Fare to avail impressive deals.</p>
<h3><strong>5 interesting facts about Marbella</strong></h3>
<ol>
<li style="font-weight:400;"><span style="font-weight:400;">Take yourself off the fun in the marina, and you'll discover that the town has many more things to offer, like its beautifully preserved old town.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight:400;"><span style="font-weight:400;">Foodies will have a ball of fun in Marbella because the town is home to three Michelin star restaurants, however, it is recommended to book your reservations in advance in case you wish to dine at one of them and perhaps meet some famous people.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight:400;"><span style="font-weight:400;">The late Saudi Arabian King Fahd had the extravagant Mar-Mar complex that included private mosques and a clinic in Marbella and, when he passed away in 2005, the town was able to hold three official funeral days.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight:400;"><span style="font-weight:400;">Because of its protected position as a result of its sheltered position in the Sierra Nevada peaks, Marbella is blessed with a unique microclimate, with mild seas.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight:400;"><span style="font-weight:400;">The dubious person, ex Marbella Mayor Jesus Gil, is credited with turning it into the luxury resort it is now.<br /> </span><span style="font-weight:400;"><span style="font-weight:400;"><br /> </span></span>
<p>Take some time to explore the splendid attractions of this place, and make your trip worthwhile. While booking your <strong><a href="https://www.lowestflightfares.com/cheap-flights/north-america/united-states/minnesota/minneapolis/" target="_blank">flights to Minneapolis</a></strong>, don’t just fool around restaurants and tall buildings. Instead, take a good note of what’s under the table.</p>
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</ol></div>8 Excellent Options for an Awesome Autumn Road Triphttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/autumn-fall-road-trips-motoring-holidays-vacations2023-08-26T09:20:00.000Z2023-08-26T09:20:00.000ZAuto Europehttps://tripatini.com/members/AutoEurope521<div><p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12201653061,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12201653061,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12201653061?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/coche-en-carretera-de-asfalto-en-el-d%C3%ADa-de-oto%C3%B1o-en-el-parque-gm1283692155-381017838?phrase=europe+foliage+road+trip" target="_blank">LeManna</a><br />
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</em><span style="font-size:10pt;">More and more travellers are choosing to get behind the wheel of a car and immerse themselves more deeply in the history and culture of a destination by means of a gorgeous, action-packed motoring holiday with family or friends - many with stunning autumn colours along the way. Some countries are more car-friendly than others - for instance, <strong>Austria</strong>, <strong>France</strong>, and the <strong>USA</strong> - but there are dozens of possibilities where your road will be smooth and packed with wonderful sights and experience. And here´s our look at eight of them:</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12200352062,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12200352062,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12200352062?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grossglockner_road.jpg" target="_blank">Sander Hoogendoom</a></em></span><br />
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<span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.autoeurope.com/car-rental-austria/" target="_blank">Austria</a></strong></span></p>
<p>For sweeping panoramas and headspinning mountain vistas, there’s no better place to take to the open road than one of the world’s most scenic motoring destinations. This friendly nation in the heart of Europe abounds with unique road-trip potential, such as the remarkable route through the <strong>Wachau Valley</strong> linking <strong>Vienna</strong> with <strong>Salzburg</strong> and the <strong>Grossglockner High Alpine Road</strong> (top), named after the country´s highest peak and encompassing some of its most stunning mountain passes. Austria is also one of the world’s easiest places to drive, with petrol stations galore and an abundance of road-side restaurants to offer, plus the vast majority of its roads are kept in pristine condition throughout the year.</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.autoeurope.co.uk/car-hire-australia/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Australia</strong></span></a> <br />
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The <strong>Land Down Under</strong> is a road-tripper’s dream come true with some of the world’s most iconic attractions to visit (such as <strong>Uluru</strong>/<strong>Ayers Rock</strong> in the <strong>Outback</strong> and the <strong>Sydney Opera House</strong>) and a succession of glorious, picture-book landscapes stretching as far as the eye can see. Top routes include Sydney to <strong>Brisbane</strong>; <strong>Cairns</strong> to <strong>Cape Tribulation</strong>, <strong>Perth</strong> to <strong>Esperance</strong>, and the east coast of <strong>Tasmania</strong>. And few drivers can resist the chance to experience the <strong>Great Ocean Road</strong>, a 240-kilometre (150-mile) coastal route embroidering the country’s spectacular southeast shoreline between the towns of <strong>Allansford</strong> and <strong>Torquay</strong> in the state of <strong>Victoria</strong>.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.autoeurope.com/car-rental-france/" target="_blank">France</a></strong></span><br />
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This country needs no introduction as a top-rated tourist destination, and many of its most popular driving itineraries involve stopovers at some of the world’s most famous vineyards in areas like <strong>Bordeaux</strong>, the <strong>Rhône</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>, <strong>Champagne</strong>, and many others. One classic French road trip is along the <strong>A8</strong>, which follows the enchanting <strong>Côte d'Azur</strong> coastline from <strong>Monaco</strong> to <strong>Aix-en-Provence</strong> just north of <strong>Marseille</strong>, passing some of Europe’s best beaches along the way. Equally exhilarating, the <strong>Napoleon Route</strong> starts in <strong>Grenoble</strong> and follows the trajectory followed by the emperor in 1815 when escaping to Grenoble from exile in on the island of <strong>Elba</strong>. Thirdly, the trip southwest from <strong>Paris</strong> to and through the lovely <strong>Loire Valley</strong> is another must for road-trippers looking for the most quintessentially French driving experience of them all.<br />
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<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.autoeurope.com/car-rental-italy/" target="_blank">Italy</a></strong></span><br />
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With a very strong automobile tradition, <strong><em>Italia</em> </strong>is well versed in welcoming motorists from all over the world. The choice of Italian road-trips is extensive, from the classic route down the idyllic <strong>Amalfi Coast</strong> to a day-long tour of the many castles, monasteries and medieval villages to be found in the sun-soaked region of <strong>Tuscany</strong>. And for the ultimate Italian driving adventure, a spin around the fabled island of <strong>Sicily</strong> (above) will certainly provide you with some unique motoring memories whilst serving up a mouth-watering taste of the real Italy and all its trimmings.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12201983083,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12201983083,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12201983083?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/pedrik/27371622654" target="_blank">Pedrik</a></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.autoeurope.com/car-rental-portugal/" target="_blank">Portugal</a></strong></span><br />
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This small country´s coast has long been popular as a holiday mecca, but its interior remains one of Europe’s best-kept secrets. But word of its immense rural charm is starting to spread to travellers all over the world, and it offers some magical motoring possibilies. For instance, the drive through port-wine country from <strong>Porto</strong> along the banks of the <strong>Douro</strong> <strong>River</strong> in the north is without doubt one of the most appealing road-trips imaginable, with many of the region’s famous wine estates now opening their doors for tours and tastings. Also largely undiscovered but definitely worth the effort is the leisurely drive east from <strong>Lisbon</strong> to <strong>Évora</strong>, a magnificent city located deep in the heart of the <strong>Alentejo</strong> region, a land of fertile pastures interspersed with dazzling whitewashed towns and villages.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.autoeurope.com/car-rental-spain/" target="_blank">Spain</a></strong></span><br />
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Another first-choice holiday destination for people who would prefer to explore such a wonderful country on four wheels, especially in the cooler autumnal months. Centrally located and bursting with tourist appeal, Capital <strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/10-musts-of-madrid-spain" target="_blank">Madrid</a></strong> is the perfect base from which to discover the country’s vast hinterland, which incorporates many fascinating places like <strong>Toledo</strong>, <strong>Córdoba</strong>, and the vibrant university city of <strong>Salamanca</strong>. Spain has many scenic coast roads to enjoy, such as the <strong>N-340</strong>, which starts just south of <strong>Barcelona</strong> and runs to <strong>Valencia</strong>, <strong>Málaga</strong>, and all the way to <strong>Cádiz</strong> on the country’s southwestern tip. Or take a cool drive through the green north, from <strong>Euskadi</strong> (the <strong>Basque Country</strong>) to <strong>Galicia</strong>, passing through <strong>Cantabria</strong> and <strong>Asturias</strong>.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.autoeurope.com/car-rental-switzerland/" target="_blank">Switzerland</a> </strong></span><br />
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This Alpine country is on a par with Austria for stunning mountain scenery and one itinerary in particular, called the <a href="https://www.myswitzerland.com/en/experiences/experience-tour/grand-tour-of-switzerland/" target="_blank">¨<strong>Grand Tour</strong></a>¨, exudes all the fun and thrills you could ever want from a road-trip in Europe. This popular 1,643-kilometre (1,021-.mile) circuit passes almost fifty of the country’s top tourist attractions, more than 20 lakes, five formidable Alpine passes, and more than a dozen <strong>UNESCO World Heritage Sites</strong>, including the famous fortress of <strong>Bellinzona</strong> and the beautiful Benedictine <strong>Convent of St John</strong> at <strong>Müstair</strong>. There’s much more to motoring in Switzerland than the Grand Tour though, with several other breathtaking routes from which to choose, such as a relaxing drive along the <strong>shores</strong> of <strong>Lake Geneva</strong> followed by a visit to some of the <strong>Lavaux</strong> vineyards, where the wine terraces date right back to the time of the Romans.</p>
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<span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12201980278,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12201980278,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12201980278?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Historic_Route_66.jpg" target="_blank">Randy Heinitz</a></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.autoeurope.com/car-rental-usa/" target="_blank"><br />
United States</a></strong></span><br />
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Whenever anyone mentions long drives in the <strong>USA</strong>, the <strong><a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/travelroute66/index.htm" target="_blank">Historic Route 66</a></strong> invariably springs to mind. Top of most drivers’ bucket list, the <strong>¨Mother Road</strong>¨ runs 3,940km (2,448 mi..) from <strong>Chicago</strong>, <strong>Illinois</strong> to <strong>Santa Monica</strong> on <strong>California</strong>’s glorious Pacific coast, passing through five other states en route: <strong>Missouri</strong>, <strong>Kansas</strong>, <strong>Oklahoma</strong>, <strong>Texas</strong>, and <strong>New Mexico</strong>. The <strong>Pacific Coast Highway</strong> picks up where the Route 66 leaves off, taking travellers to <strong>San Francisco</strong> (including the thrill of crossing the amazing <strong>Golden Gate Bridge</strong>) continuing all the way north to <strong>Seattle</strong>. A lesser-known but also enthralling U.S. road trip is a drive on the <strong>Blue Ridge Parkway</strong> which traverses the states of <strong>Virginia</strong> and <strong>North Carolina</strong> to showcase a completely different part of the United States. And of course for fall colours, nothing beats <a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/new-england-fall-foliage" target="_blank">a driving itinerary through the six states of <strong>New England</strong></a>, as well as <strong>New York State</strong>. <strong><br />
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<p>Wherever you choose to go you can rest assured that Auto Europe will be able to offer you the right car in the right place, and always at the right price. Established in 1954, Auto Europe is one of the world’s leading car rental companies with over 24,000 convenient pick-up and drop-off locations in more than 180 different countries all over the world.</p>
<p>Have a great drive!</p>
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<h2>A Glimpse into Malaga's Past</h2>
<p class="normal">Malaga boasts a history that spans millennia, with influences from Phoenician, Roman, and Moorish civilizations. As you wander through the city's streets, you'll encounter a mosaic of architectural styles that reflect its diverse heritage. The Alcazaba, a Moorish fortress overlooking the city, offers a glimpse into the past with its intricate designs and panoramic views. Adjacent to the Alcazaba is the Roman Theatre, a well-preserved relic that transports you to the days of ancient performances. Delve into Malaga's history by exploring its museums, such as the Picasso Museum, which celebrates the city's most famous native artist, Pablo Picasso. </p>
<h2>Coastal Splendors and Beach Retreats</h2>
<p class="normal">Malaga's coastal beauty is truly awe-inspiring. The city is blessed with a coastline that stretches along the Mediterranean Sea, offering a variety of beaches to suit every taste. Among them, Playa de la Malagueta stands out as a popular urban beach adorned with golden sands and a vibrant atmosphere, making it the perfect spot for sunbathing and people-watching alike. For those seeking a quieter escape, the enchanting shores of Playa de Pedregalejo beckon. This beach is renowned for its charming fishing village ambiance and a delightful array of seafood eateries that tantalise the taste buds. The allure of crystal-clear waters extends an invitation to swim, snorkel, or simply bask in the embrace of breathtaking views. As you plan your <a href="https://guidetoeurope.com/spain/best-vacation-packages/in-malaga"><span style="color:#1155cc;">Malaga, Spain vacation packages</span></a>, it's crucial to carve out ample time for beachside relaxation, allowing the soothing waves to wash away the cares of the world and rejuvenate your spirit.</p>
<h2>Gastronomic Delights and Culinary Adventures</h2>
<p class="normal">No trip to Malaga is complete without indulging in its culinary offerings. The city's cuisine is a celebration of fresh ingredients and traditional flavours. Start your day with a hearty Andalusian breakfast featuring "mollete" (a soft bread roll) paired with fresh olive oil and tomatoes. Seafood enthusiasts will be in paradise, as Malaga's coastal location ensures a steady supply of the freshest catches. Don't miss the opportunity to savour "espetos," skewered sardines grilled over an open flame, a local delicacy that embodies the essence of the Mediterranean. As you explore the city, you'll find charming tapas bars offering an array of small plates, perfect for sampling a variety of dishes in one sitting.</p>
<h2>Unveiling Malaga through Road Trips </h2>
<p class="normal">For those seeking to uncover the hidden gems surrounding Malaga, embarking on a road trip is the perfect option. The region offers an array of stunning landscapes, historic towns, and cultural landmarks waiting to be explored. One of the best road trips from Malaga takes you through the famed "Pueblos Blancos" (White Villages) route. Wind your way through charming villages like Ronda, perched atop dramatic cliffs, and Mijas, known for its whitewashed buildings and breathtaking views of the coast. The journey through these picturesque towns is a feast for the senses, with each corner revealing a new layer of Andalusian beauty.</p>
<h2>Embracing Festivities and Local Culture </h2>
<p class="normal">Immersing yourself in local festivals and traditions is an excellent way to experience the heart and soul of Malaga. The city hosts a plethora of events throughout the year that showcase its vibrant culture. The Feria de Malaga, held in August, is a lively celebration featuring flamenco performances, traditional music, colourful parades, and mouthwatering street food. During Semana Santa (Holy Week), the streets come alive with processions of religious statues and fervent displays of faith. Participating in these festivities allows you to connect with the local community and gain insights into the region's rich heritage.</p>
<h2>Crafting Your Perfect Malaga Getaway</h2>
<p class="normal">When planning your Malaga, Spain vacation package, consider the diverse experiences the city offers. Whether you're drawn to historical sites, beautiful beaches, gastronomic delights, or scenic road trips, Malaga has something to cater to every traveller's preferences. Embark on the <a href="https://guidetoeurope.com/spain/best-vacation-packages/road-trips-in-malaga"><span style="color:#1155cc;">best road trips Malaga</span></a> has to offer to venture beyond the city's boundaries and explore the wonders of Andalusia. Immerse yourself in the local culture, connect with the welcoming locals, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Marvellous Malaga awaits, ready to weave its enchanting spell on you. </p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p class="normal">In conclusion, a trip to Malaga, Spain promises a multifaceted adventure filled with historical richness, coastal wonders, and authentic cultural experiences. As you explore the city's past, relax on its stunning beaches, savour its delectable cuisine, and embark on road trips to neighbouring treasures, you'll undoubtedly fall under the captivating spell of Andalusia's hidden gem. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a beach lover, a food connoisseur, or an explorer at heart, Malaga has the power to fulfil your travel dreams and create cherished memories that will stay with you long after you've returned home.</p></div>What Not to Miss in Barcelonahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/barcelona-catalonia-spain-travel-attractions-guide2023-07-13T13:10:00.000Z2023-07-13T13:10:00.000Zrohny joneshttps://tripatini.com/members/rohnyjones<div><p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12131168299,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12131168299,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12131168299?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/barcelona-the-city-spain-3226639/" target="_blank">walkerssk/pixabay</a></em></span><br /> <br /> <br /> There's a good reason <strong>Spain</strong>'s second largest city after <strong><a href="https://martijnaroundtheworld.com/europe/spain/madrid-travel-guide-tips/" target="_blank">Madrid</a></strong> is one of Europe's (indeed, the world's) most popular cities - famous and beloved for its art, architecture, culture, cuisine, and nightlife ever since hosting the 1992 <strong>Summer Olympic Games</strong>. It's also the capital of the region of <strong>Catalonia</strong>, one of Spain's nations along with <strong>Galicia</strong> and <strong>Euskadi (</strong>aka the <strong>Basque Country</strong>), with its own distinct language and culture. Well, there's a lot to unpack here, so let's get to the highlights!<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12144914285,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12144914285,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12144914285?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pla%C3%A7a_del_Rei_2074102277.jpg" target="_blank">Carquinyol</a></em></span></p>
<h2><br /> Ciutat Vella (the Old Town)</h2>
<p>Barcelona's historic core dates back to ancient Bàrcino, founded around 13-15 BCE by colonists from the Roman Empire, with its spine the famous tree-lined pedestrian promenade <strong>La Rambla</strong> (aka <strong>Les Rambles</strong> or <strong>Las Ramblas</strong>) running 1.2 kilometres (three quarters of a mile) from <strong>Plaça de Catalunya</strong> down to the <strong>Christopher Columbus Monument</strong> near the waterfront. A onetime watercourse which developed into a street in the mid-15th century, these days it's touristy, yes (and watch our for pickpockets!), but undeniably marvelous for strolling, and also lined with kiosks, cafés, and shops. Here you'll also find landmarks such as the <a href="https://www.boqueria.barcelona/home" target="_blank"><strong>Mercat de Sant Josep</strong> (aka <strong>La Boquería</strong>)</a>, a huge and colourful covered market whose current iteration was established in 1853; the <strong><a href="https://www.liceubarcelona.cat/en" target="_blank">Liceu</a></strong>, the city's 176-year-old opera house; and the <strong><a href="https://www.mmb.cat/en/" target="_blank">Maritime Museum</a></strong>, housead in the onetime medieval shipyard. <br /> <br /> Flanking La Rambla to the east, the <strong>Barri Gòtic</strong> (Gothic Quarter, often referred to simple as <strong>El Gòtic</strong>) is a warren of narrow cobblestone streets which apart from various shops, restaurants, and hostelries is home to some of Barcelona's oldest sites, including excavations of the original Roman walls; the cathedral (dating back to the 13th century); the gracious <strong>Plaça Reial</strong> with its many restaurants and cafés; and the similarly named, 14th-century <strong>Plaça del Rei</strong> (above, where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella received Columbus in 1493 after his voyage of discovery) and the surrounding <strong>Reial Major Palace</strong>, from that same era.</p>
<p>South of El Gòtic, the <strong>El Born</strong> district was for centuries the economic heart of the city, and the <strong>Basílica of Santa Maria del Mar</strong> is the heart of the neighborhood, although other attractions include the <strong><a href="http://www.museupicasso.bcn.cat/en/">Picasso Museum</a></strong>, the two-year-old modern-art museum <strong><a href="https://mocomuseum.com/about-moco" target="_blank">Moco</a></strong> right next door; and the exubertant Art Nouveau classical-music concert hall <strong><a href="https://www.palaumusica.cat/en" target="_blank">Palau de la Musica Catalana</a></strong>. <br /> <br /> Finally, on the other side of La Rambla from the Barri Gòtic is <strong>El Raval</strong>, once known as the Barri Xinès (Chinatown) and long famous for its nightlife and cabarets (but also its prostitution and crime). Even so, iif you use caution and common sense, it's fun to hit the eateries and bars here. There are also a number of cultural draws, including the <strong><a href="https://inici.palauguell.cat/en/?q=en" target="_blank">Palau Güell</a></strong>, an early work (late 1880s) by Barcelona's -and indeed, all of Spain's - most famous architect, <strong>Antoni Gaudí </strong>(whose designs are collectively designated a <strong>UNESCO World Heritage Site</strong>), and the <a href="https://www.macba.cat/en" target="_blank"><strong>MACBA</strong> (<strong>Museum of Contemporary Art)</strong></a>. <span style="color:#202122;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:#ffffff;display:inline;float:none;"><br /> </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><span style="color:#202122;font-family:sans-serif;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:#ffffff;display:inline;float:none;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12145067862,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12145067862,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12145067862?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://pixabay.com/es/photos/alto-primero-gaud%C3%AD-barcelona-5049236/" target="_blank">pcsfish<br /> <br /> </a></span></em></span></p>
<h2>The Eixample (19th-century 'New Town')</h2>
<p>Above the Ciutat Vella, beginning with the big, pigeon-filled square <strong>Plaça de Catalunya</strong>, the <a href="https://pixabay.com/es/photos/alto-primero-gaud%C3%AD-barcelona-5049236/" target="_blank"><strong>Eixample</strong></a> is the gracious expansion (which is what the word literally means) of the city on a grid pattern which took place in the latter half of the 19th century. Its main avenues are the <strong>Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes</strong>, the <strong>Avinguda Diagonal</strong>, and the <strong>Passeig de Gràcia</strong>, which in addition to being lined cafés, restaurants, and mostly high-end retailers and galleries is also home to some gems of Catalan <em>modernisme</em> (Art Nouveau) - in particular the 1906 apartment building <a href="https://www.lapedrera.com/en" target="_blank"><strong>Casa Milà</strong> (aka <strong>La Pedrera</strong>)</a> and the 1904 <strong><a href="https://www.casabatllo.es/en/" target="_blank">Casa Batlló</a></strong> (above). Both are open to the public, but the entry fees are pricy - 35 euros - so you might find yourself choosing between one and the other (incidentally, next to Batlló, also in the photo above, another Modernist masterpiece well worth a visit is the <strong><a href="https://amatller.org/en/" target="_blank">Casa Amatller</a></strong>, whose design by another seminal architect, <strong>Josep Puig i Cadafalch</strong>, dates back to 1900. Farther north, several metro stops away, the most famous Gaudí building of all is of course the majestic <span style="font-size:10pt;"><strong><a href="https://sagradafamilia.org/en/tickets-individuals" target="_blank">Sagrada Familia Basilica</a></strong> (visible in the photo at top), whose </span>construction started in 1882 and is slated to <em>finally</em> be finished in 2026 (interestingly, tickets here start at just 26€.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12144912055,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12144912055,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12144912055?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parc_G%C3%BCell_27-2-12.jpg" target="_blank">Canaan</a></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>The Gràcia Neighborhood</strong></span></p>
<p>Above the Eixample, this onetime independent village is now Barcelona's smallest district but one of its most delightful, with a plethora of cool shops, eateries, and bars. Furthermore, it's not overrun with tourists - except for once a year, in August, during “<a href="https://www.festamajordegracia.cat/">La festa major de Gracia</a>.” its most important festival. when streets and squares compete for the best decorations. Perhaps the single most celebrated landmark here is <span style="font-size:10pt;"><strong><a href="https://parkguell.barcelona/en" target="_blank">Parc Güell</a></strong>, </span>a masterpiece by Gaudi, opened in 1926 and with beautiful views out over the cityscape (admission 10); you can get here easily my Metro; I took the Number 3 (green) line and got off at the Lesseps stop, a 15-minute stroll away (just be aware that it's a little hilly - be sure to wear decent walking shoes).<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12218914700,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12218914700,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12218914700?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parc_Montju%C3%AFc_(04-09-13).JPG" target="_blank">Canaan</a></em></span></p>
<h2><span style="font-size:14pt;">Montjuïc Hill</span></h2>
<p>Named ¨Jewish Mountain¨ for an medieval Jewish cemetery, this broad hill, flat-topped hill of parklands and woods is some 173 metres (568 feet) high and stretches from near the coast up to the <strong>Plaça d'Espanya</strong>. It´s played an important role in the history of Barcelona dating back to the city´s origins, and today is the site of many cultural and recreational venues as well as historical sites. The 1929 <strong>International Exposition</strong> and many events of the <strong>1992 Summer Olympics</strong> were held here, and you can visit their legacy in the form of the <strong>Olympic Stadium</strong> and the <strong>Palau Nacional</strong> (above), now home to the <strong><a href="https://www.museunacional.cat/en" target="_blank">National Art Museum of Catalonia</a></strong>. Other attractions include a 17th-century fort, the <strong><a href="https://poble-espanyol.com/en/" target="_blank">Poble Espanyol</a></strong>, an open-air museum of architecture of Spain´s various regions; other museums dedicated to <a href="https://visitmuseum.gencat.cat/en/museu-darqueologia-de-catalunya-barcelona" target="_blank">archaeology</a>, <a href="https://patrimoni.gencat.cat/en/collection/ethnology-museum-barcelona" target="_blank">ethnology</a>, <a href="https://www.museuolimpicbcn.cat/en/" target="_blank">the Olympics and sports in general</a>, and <a href="https://www.fmirobcn.org/en/" target="_blank">the work of Catalan artist <strong>Joan Miró</strong></a>; a <a href="https://museuciencies.cat/en/the-nat/venues/botanical-garden-of-barcelona/" target="_blank">botanical garden</a>; and various park areas and recreational facilities. Montjuich can be accessed via a funical and cable car from the south, and in the north just off the Plaça d'Espanya (which is accessible via Metro, bus, and taxi).<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12218930073,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12218930073,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12218930073?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/page/1114/barceloneta-beach.html" target="_blank">Barcelona Turisme</a></em></span></p>
<h2>The Beaches</h2>
<p>The city has more than a dozen, but three are best known - and connected by a promenade - starting with<strong> <a href="https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/page/378/la-barceloneta.html" target="_blank">Barceloneta</a></strong> (above), in the neighbourhood of the same name, once a quiet fishing village; it´s buzzing with people, water sports, bars, and restaurants, and can be a bit of a circus come warm weather. <a href="https://www.barcelona.cat/en/coneixbcn/pics/la-vila-olimpica_99400387334.html" target="_blank"><strong>Vila Olimpica</strong></a>, developed for the 1992 games, also has a nice beach with plenty of amenities but usually a bit less crowded than Barceloneta. Then there´s <strong><a href="https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/page/432/poblenou.html" target="_blank">Poblenou</a></strong>, a once industrial district fallen upon hard times and also renovated for the Olympics, becoming one of the city´s hip neighbourhoods; great beaches here with all the trimmings include the main one, <strong>Bogatell</strong>, as well as <strong>Nova Icària</strong> and gay-popular <strong>Mar Bella</strong> (which also has a clothing-optional section).</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9975734272,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9975734272,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9975734272?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><br /> Getting to and around Barcelona</strong></span></p>
<p>The main airport in Barcelona is <strong><a href="https://www.aeropuertobarcelona-elprat.com/ingl/index.html" target="_blank">El Prat</a></strong>, with two terminals and <strong><a href="https://www.tmb.cat/en/barcelona/metro/lines" target="_blank">Metro</a></strong> (2.40 euros), <strong><a href="https://aerobusbarcelona.es/">Aerobus</a></strong> (6<sub>€</sub> to Placa de Catalunya) and taxi service (30-40<sub>€</sub>). Many people also come and go by long- distance (including high-speed) and regional trains, in and out of <strong><a href="https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/page/35/estacio-de-barcelona-sants.html" target="_blank">Barcelona Sants</a></strong>, west of city centre, and the elegant, historic <strong><a href="https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/page/382/estacio-de-franca.html" target="_blank">Estació de França</a></strong> in the east of the city. There´s also good intercity motorcoach service based out of the <strong><a href="https://www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/bus-stations/barcelona-station" target="_blank">Estació de Sants</a></strong> (near the train station) and the <strong><a href="https://www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/bus-stations/barcelona-nord-station" target="_blank">Estació de Nord</a></strong> (near França). And of course there are also plenty of local and international car rental agencies both in town and at the airport.<br /> <br /> For getting around, city busses and the Metro are an excellent, frequent, and offer multi-day passes which can save you money. Taxis are also plentiful, and relatively affordable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1M7Ig-wSpcQ" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p><br /> Get the most out of your Barcelona visit with these <a href="https://bit.ly/travel-guide-barcelona" target="_blank">Barcelona travel tips</a>, along with even more information at <a href="https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/" target="_blank">BarcelonaTurisme.com</a> and <a href="https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/" target="_blank">VisitCatalunya.com</a>. As the Catalans say, <em>bon viatje</em> (have a good trip)!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p></div>A Pride Month Special: 3 of Europe's Most LGBTQ-Welcoming Citieshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/europe-gay-lesbian-lgbt-tourism-pride-travel2023-06-03T05:15:00.000Z2023-06-03T05:15:00.000ZAlex Belseyhttps://tripatini.com/members/AlexBelsey<div><p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}11147399476,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}11147399476,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="11147399476?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/selfie-en-el-r%C3%ADo-amstel-gm810680018-131194567?phrase=gay+amsterdam" target="_blank">SolStock</a></em></span><br /> <br /> <br /> Welcome once again to Pride month, celebrated in increasing numbers of destinations around the world - although also under pressure in some of them, sadly even including part of the <strong>United States</strong>, the very country where the celebration of Pride originated. Of course, depending on where you go, travelling while LGBT+ can be a challenge, particularly if you're with a same-sex partner and/or if you are visibly queer. Sadly, there are still many countries where being gay is still considered a crime, and even in some areas where it's legal there is always the risk of being harassed or even attacked simply for your sexual orientation or gender. Nobody wants to feel threatened, especially on a holiday where you are simply trying to have a good time, enjoy yourself, and be yourself.</p>
<p>That's why <strong>Europe</strong> - particularyl <strong>Western Europe</strong> - is an excellent choice of destination for LGBT+ travellers, being the most gay-friendly continent in the world with a long history of sexual liberation backed up by legal rights to marriage and other individual liberties. In many European countries there's also an abundance of gay and gay-friendly clubs, making it easy to go out for the night and have fun in a safe environment with like-minded people.<br /> <br /> These days gays, lesbians, and other queer travellers will find welcomes in all sorts of European cities, including <strong>Barcelona</strong>, <strong>Brussels</strong>, <strong>Copenhagen</strong>, <strong>Dublin</strong>, <strong>Edinburgh</strong>, <strong>Lisbon</strong>, <strong>London</strong>, <strong>Paris</strong>, <strong>Prague</strong>, <strong>Stockholm</strong>, and <strong>Vienna</strong>, to name just a few. But the following are perhaps the top three of the most LGBT+ friendly cities on the Continent, complete with numerous clubs, bars, restaurants, and other places where being queer is not only accepted, but positively embraced.</p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Amsterdam</span><br /> </strong></p>
<p>The <strong>Netherlands</strong> was one of the first countries in Europe to decriminalise homosexuality (<a href="https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/69611/pride-month-7-countries-with-liberal-lgbtq-laws" target="_blank">way back in 1811</a>), as well as the first to legalise same-sex marraige (in 2001), and the Dutch have long held liberal values with regard to sexuality and personal freedoms. And its largest city has famously been a magnet for visitors seeking both (although of late it has been scaling that back a bit, with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/25/amsterdam-public-weed-smoking-ban-begins" target="_blank">a new public weed-smoking ban in the red-light district</a> - which however doesn't affect its notorious "coffee shops" - and <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/amsterdam-considers-moving-legal-prostitution-from-red-light-district-to-suburban-erotic-center/ar-AA19Ma8x" target="_blank">plans to move the district's also notorious "window brothels" to the city's outskirts</a>).<br /> <br /> But anyway, if you’re a clubber, you can knock yourself out at the many gay bars and clubs across the city, or by visiting <strong><a href="https://www.milkshakefestival.com/" target="_blank">Milkshake</a></strong>, the enormous summer music festival at the end of July, featuring a wide variety of live bands, drag acts, and DJs. Other blockbuster events include a huge <a href="https://www.milkshakefestival.com/" target="_blank">Pride</a> celebration ( this year August 4-6), including a boat parade on the <strong>Amstel River</strong> starting at the <strong>Scheepvar</strong>t museum on the east side of the city out to <strong>Westerdok</strong> canal.</p>
<p>If you're into lower-key pursuits, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy yourself here, starting with A' dam's abundance of picturesque canals (top) and tulips, which are shipped around the world, making it a romantic destination for couples of any gender or sexuality. Check out the <strong><a href="https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/whats-on/calendar/attractions-and-sights/sights/homomonument" target="_blank">Homomonument</a></strong> on the Prinsengracht canal, and the main public library's <strong><a href="https://ihlia.nl/en/" target="_blank">IHLIA LGBTI Heritage</a></strong>, one of the world's largest archives queer literature and history; many of Amsterdam’s art galleries also feature a wide range of queer exhibitions for LGBT art connoisseurs.</p>
<p><br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}11147398481,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}11147398481,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="11147398481?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/pareja-gay-haciendo-signos-de-victoria-gm1331623921-414708566?phrase=gay+berlin" target="_blank">AndreyPopov</a></em></span></p>
<p><br /> <strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Berlin</span><br /> </strong></p>
<p>In the 1920s and 30s, Berlin was a major destination for homo-inclined visitors, as one of the world's first cities to become socially accepting of gays and lesbians. Several LGBTQ social movements and institutions were founded in Berlin, including the Institute Of Sexology and the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee, which campaigned for the equal rights of gay people in Germany in the early 20th century. Tragically, of course, all that came to an end with.the rise of the Nazis, but after the war, Berlin resumed its tolerant ways, and in the 1950s became one of the first cities in Europe to open public gay bars, and the city’s popularity among artists and writers fostered a liberated approach to sexuality, producing some of the first LGBTQ media in popular culture.</p>
<p>These days Germany's capital is home to more than 170 gay bars and numerous monuments in the memory of queer activists around the city. The nightlife in Berlin is famously popular due to its thriving music scene, and many gay bars and drag nights alike can be found within easy walking distance. Plus in late June through much of July, <strong><a href="https://csd-berlin.de/" target="_blank">Christopher Street Day</a></strong> (this year beginning July 22, the cultimation of Pride month starting une 28) is one of the world's largest gay pride parades in the world, featuring brightly coloured floats, music, and outrageous costumes.</p>
<p>This fun-loving city - and also one of the world's safest - is a friendly and vibrant destination for LGBT+ travellers. The premier gay neighbourhood is <strong>Schöneberg</strong>, a thriving community of gay clubs and bars (such as 24-year-old <strong><a href="https://www.prinzknecht-berlin.de/" target="_blank">Prinzknecht</a></strong> considered one of Berlin's best gay pubs), and the 38-year-old <strong><a href="https://www.schwulesmuseum.de/" target="_blank">Schwules (Gay) Museum</a></strong>. others include <strong>Prenzlauer .Berg</strong>, <strong>Friedrichshain</strong>, and <strong>Kreuzberg</strong>/<strong>Neuköln</strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}11147402662,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}11147402662,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="11147402662?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/ayuntamiento-de-madrid-y-fuente-de-cibeles-festejando-la-semana-del-orgullo-del-mundo-gm800966800-129892807?phrase=gay+madrid" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Javitouh</em></span><br /> </a></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Madrid</span><br /> </strong></p>
<p>These days, <strong>Spain</strong> is one of the world's most socially progressive countries - for example, it was the third to legalise same-sex marriage, back in 2005 - and has legal safeguards in place for marriage equality, same-sex adoption rights, and anti-discrimination laws. And its capital, despite being ruled by the rightwing <strong>Partido Popular</strong>, is in turn is one of the its most progressive, and is home to a community of a vigorous LGBTQ community estimatated at around a half million. The atmosphere is fun, friendly, and relaxed, with a high level of acceptance among the local population. In fact, as far as ten years ago, <a href="https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/10-reasons-why-madrid-is-the-worlds-best-lgbt-destination/">poll</a> cited 88 percent of Madrideños agreed that homosexuality should be accepted by society (in contrast to just <a href="https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/10-reasons-why-madrid-is-the-worlds-best-lgbt-destination/" target="_blank">60 percent in the U.S.</a>).</p>
<p>The central-city <strong><a href="https://www.visitchueca.com/en/" target="_blank">Chueca</a></strong> neighbourhood with its two main squares <strong>Plaza de Chueca</strong> and <strong>Plaza Zerolo</strong>, is gay ground zero, with a variety of bars, clubs, and gay-friendly restaurants and cafés (you can also take a <a href="https://www.visitchueca.com/en/guided-tours/10-visitas-guiadas/116-the-chueca-phenomenon-beginning-and-history" target="_blank">guided walking tour</a>); next-door <strong>Malasaña</strong> is a bit straighter but is also home to a number of queer venues including the city's most popular gay men's sauna, <strong><a href="https://saunaparaiso.com/" target="_blank">Paraíso</a></strong>. <a href="https://www.madridorgullo.com/en/" target="_blank"><strong>Madrid Orgullo</strong> (Pride)</a> is held in late June/early July (this year the dates are June 23-July 2) includes one of the Europe's biggest Pride parades along of course with plenty of partying.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p></div>Spain's 21 Niftiest Nude Beacheshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/spain-beaches-nude-naturist2023-02-20T06:35:00.000Z2023-02-20T06:35:00.000ZJosé Balidohttps://tripatini.com/members/JoseBalido<div><p><a href="http://www.muchosol.co.uk/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/05/L2F-May-15-pic-Spain-nude-beaches-graphic-MuchoSol.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-May-15-pic-Spain-nude-beaches-graphic-MuchoSol.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><span style="font-size:8px;"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="http://www.muchosol.co.uk/" target="_blank">MuchoSol.co.uk</a>,</span></span></em></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><span style="color:#000000;">Thinking of coming to the <em>playa</em> in Spain this coming summer? Well, if you're also a fan of all-over tans, nude beaches mark nearly a half century in this country, which has sprouted a whopping 400 where you can swim starkers and sun your bum to your heart's content. Here are nearly two dozen of the top choices!</span><!--more--></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/05/L2F-May-15-pic-Spain-Analusia-Almeria-Vera-Playa-Bah%C3%ADa-Fenicia-Flickr.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/05/L2F-May-15-pic-Spain-Analusia-Almeria-Vera-Playa-Bah%C3%ADa-Fenicia-Flickr.jpg?profile=RESIZE_1200x" alt="L2F-May-15-pic-Spain-Analusia-Almeria-Vera-Playa-Bah%C3%ADa-Fenicia-Flickr.jpg?profile=RESIZE_1200x" width="1024" /></a><em><span style="font-size:8px;"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/bahiafenicia/4494767034/sizes/l" target="_blank">Bahía Fenicia</a></span></span></em></p>
<h3><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /> Andalusia</span></strong></span></h3>
<p><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Bolonia</strong></span> (<strong>Tarifa</strong>, <strong>Cádiz</strong>) One of Cádiz province's loveliest and most popular strands, with turquoise waters and natural pools created by the rocks; its far left end, called <strong>El Chorrito</strong>, is designated nekkid.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Nueva Umbría</span></strong> <span style="color:#000000;">(<strong>Lepe</strong>, <strong>Huelva</strong>) On Huelva's west coast, 40 minutes from Huelva city, you can strip down in the central section of this unspoiled stretch a whopping 7½ miles (12,000 meters) long.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>El Ruso</strong></span> <strong>(Albuñol, Granada) </strong>An isolated, 984-foot (300m) stretch of gray sand and limpid water seven kilometres (just over four miles) outside town. Fun fact: it's dubbed "The Russian" after a 1920s Soviet defector who lived nearby and built the pathway here. Очень хорошо!</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Vera Playa</span></strong> (<strong>Vera</strong>, <strong>Almería</strong>) In this famously nude-oriented beach community (above) seven mi. (10km) from the slightly inland town of Vera, the top <strong>clothing-optional</strong> area is toward the north in an area called <strong>El Playazo</strong>. (site of the <strong>Guiness World Record skinny dip</strong>). Spain's only nudist hotel, the <strong><a href="http://veraplayaclub.com/portfolio.html" target="_blank">Vera Playa Club Hotel</a></strong>, is located nearby.</p>
<h3><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Asturias</span></strong></span></h3>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Torimbia</span> (Niembro, Llanes) </strong>One of Asturias' prettiest <em>playas</em> features 500 metres (feet) of fine white sand and chilly surf, surrounded by cliffs more than 50 metres (feet) high. The trail is fairly easy, and it's 12 km (7½ miles) to the picturesque seacoast city of Llanes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/05/L2F-May-15-pic-Spain-Balearic-Islands-Formentera-Illetes-beach-Ferran-Nogu%C3%A9s-Flickr-Wikipedia.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/05/L2F-May-15-pic-Spain-Balearic-Islands-Formentera-Illetes-beach-Ferran-Nogu%C3%A9s-Flickr-Wikipedia.jpg?profile=RESIZE_1200x" alt="L2F-May-15-pic-Spain-Balearic-Islands-Formentera-Illetes-beach-Ferran-Nogu%C3%A9s-Flickr-Wikipedia.jpg?profile=RESIZE_1200x" width="1024" /></a></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em><span style="font-size:8px;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/fnogues/297523798/sizes/o/" target="_blank">Ferran Nogués</a>, </span></em></span></strong></p>
<h3><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><br /> Balearic Islands</span><br /> </span></strong></h3>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Cala del Pilar</span> (Minorca) </strong>At the foot of a cliff on the island's north coast, northeast of the city of <strong>Ciutadella</strong>, this a u-shaped cove has reddish-golden sand and calm, shallow waters. It's a little bit of a hike to get to, though - just over a mile (nearly two km) on a path through woods.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Es Cavallet</span> (Ibiza)</strong> A drive of just 15 minutes or so from <strong>Eivissa</strong>/<strong>Ibiza Town</strong>, you'll find a picturesque setup tucked behind dunes, a woodsy strip, and an area of salt flats and boasting lovely white sand and turquoise waters. There are several restaurants, kind of a party atmosphere, and at the far end also a gay scene.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ses Illetes</span> (Formentera) </strong>Sunbathing in the buff is <em>permitido</em> on all the beaches of the smallest Balearic island, and this is Formentera's premier strand, a paradisiacal spit of sand on the north coast across a lagoon from the island's main town Sant Francesc, lapped by crystalline azure waters, and surrounded by lush scenery.</p>
<h3><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Basque Country</span></strong></span></h3>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Meñakoz</span> (Sopelana/Barrika, Vizcaya)</strong> With some of Europe's biggest waves (and therefore a favourite of surfers), this cove 15 mi. (24km) east of <strong>Bilbao</strong> is stony rather than sandy, windy, and backed by cliffs. Access is down on foot via a long path.</p>
<p> <br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10951950263,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10951950263,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10951950263?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/tedandjen/5453413126" target="_blank">Ted and Jen</a></em></span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Canary Islands</span></strong></span></h3>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Cofete</span> (Pájara, Fuerteventura) </strong>Down on an isolated stretch of the windward coast of Fuerteventura's southernmost <strong>Jandía Peninsula</strong>, this 7½-mi. (12km) beach , strong currents, and is a bit of a production to get to, via bumpy dirt roads. Well worth it, say fanny-flashing fans!</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Maspalomas</span> (Gran Canaria)</strong> At this island's southernmost point, one of its most famous beaches is famous for the huge sand dunes behind it (above), with a fair bit of letting it all hang out (and even the occasional frisky activity). The main stretch is usually fairly crowded, the clothing optional sections a bit less so.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Los Patos</span> (Tenerife) </strong>The volcanic-black-sand "Ducks Beach," in one of a trio of coves just outside <strong>Puerto de la Cruz</strong>, below <strong>Orotava</strong>. It's a little tricky to find - then involves negotiating a steep trail down to the sand.</p>
<p><br /> <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/05/L2F-15-pic-Spain-Cantabria-Covachos-beaches-Natursports-shutterstock_151694513.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/05/L2F-15-pic-Spain-Cantabria-Covachos-beaches-Natursports-shutterstock_151694513.jpg?profile=RESIZE_1200x" alt="L2F-15-pic-Spain-Cantabria-Covachos-beaches-Natursports-shutterstock_151694513.jpg?profile=RESIZE_1200x" width="1000" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-151694513/stock-photo-liencres-spain-august-some-unidentified-tourists-in-the-beach-of-covachos-one-of-the-most.html?src=l6uQk10yCdn2xHqoogQrRQ-1-3" target="_blank">Natursports<br /> </a></em></span></p>
<h3><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Cantabria</span><br /> </span></strong></h3>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Covachos</span> (Santa Cruz de Bezana, Cantabria) </strong>Considered one of Cantabria's loveliest beaches, this 690-metre half moon with fine golden sand is framed by limestone cliffs and located just across from the even more sheer cliffs of Castro Island (which can be reached on foot at low tide). It's some 10 kilometres (seven miles) west of <strong>Santander</strong>.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10951955272,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10951955272,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10951955272?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Platja_de_l%27Home_Mort_03.JPG" target="_blank">Isidro Jabato<br /> </a></em></span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Catalonia </span></strong></span></h3>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">La Mar Bella</span> (Barcelona city)</strong> Brought into being on Barcelona's <strong>Poblenou</strong> waterfront by the urban renewal generated for the <strong>1992 Olympics</strong>, this four-kilometre (-mile) city strand (above) between two breakwaters along the <strong>Passeig Marítim</strong> promenade is popular especially with young people, gay folks - and nudies, yay.<br /> <br /> <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">El Torn</span> (Vandellòs/Hospitalet de l'Enfant, Tarragona)</strong> Fine sand and crystal waters backed by low woods, this tranquil, 4,593-ft.1,(400m) gem of a naturist beach is near the resort town of <strong>Salou</strong>. There's easy on-foot access, and a nudist campsite nearby.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Platja de l'Home Mort/Playa del Muerto </span></strong>(<strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/sitges-spain-a-gay-euro-classic-for-summertime-play" target="_blank">Sitges</a></strong>, Barcelona), or "Dead Man's Beach" in English (abpve), is a bit of a stretch past the main city strands - 50 minutes on foot, or you can take a taxi to the old <strong>Atlántida</strong> disco and walk the last ten minutes. One of these pebbly stretches is more "general public" (including families with kids), while the other is for gay men (including some degree of frolicking in the shrubbery above the beach).</p>
<p><br /> <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/05/L2F-May-15-pic-Spain-Galicia-Vigo-Islas-C%C3%ADes-Figueiras-nude-beach-M%C3%A1rio-Jos%C3%A9-Martins-Wikipedia.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/05/L2F-May-15-pic-Spain-Galicia-Vigo-Islas-C%C3%ADes-Figueiras-nude-beach-M%C3%A1rio-Jos%C3%A9-Martins-Wikipedia.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-May-15-pic-Spain-Galicia-Vigo-Islas-C%C3%ADes-Figueiras-nude-beach-M%C3%A1rio-Jos%C3%A9-Martins-Wikipedia.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="800" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a class="external text" href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Praia_de_Figueiras_-_Illas_C%C3%ADes,_Vigo.jpg" target="_blank">Mário José Martins</a></em></span><br /> </span></strong></p>
<h3><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Galicia</span></span></strong></h3>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Figueiras</span></strong> (<strong>Cíes Islands</strong>, <strong>Pontevedra</strong>) In a lovely natural setting out on the islands across from the city of <strong>Vigo</strong>, this strand with 1,150 ft. (350m) of white sand and chilly Atlantic waters is one of the most popular in Galicia, as well as particularly popular with folks who like to take their clothes off.</p>
<h3><span style="color:#ff0000;font-size:14pt;"><strong>Murcia</strong></span></h3>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">El Portús</span> (Cartagena)</strong> A rocky, sheltered cove some six mi. (10km) from downtown Cartagena is home to a pebble beach that's one of the Mediterranean coast's butt-baring meccas, with a nudist colony right alongside. Amenities include a <em>chiringuito</em> (snack bar) and toilets.<br /> <br /> <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /> </span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10951959464,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10951959464,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10951959464?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="http://altea.costasur.com/sites/playa-la-solsida/es/index.html" target="_blank">Costasur.com</a></em></span><br /> </span></strong></p>
<h3><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Valencia</span></strong></span></h3>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /> La Cala de Aiguadolç</span></strong> (<strong>Dénia, Alicante</strong>) In a nature reserve a short hop south of the popular resort city of Dénia is another discreet clothing-optional cove with a petite (262-ft./80m), pebbly strand, fine snorkeling, and nearby restaurant.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">El Saler</span> </strong>(<strong>Valencia</strong>) South of Valencia city and a five-minute stroll south of the town of El Saler is one of the region's more popular beaches, some 8,530 ft. (2,600m) of tawny sand with clothing-optional areas next to the <strong>Albufera Nature Reserve</strong>.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">La Solsida </span></strong>(<strong>Altrea</strong>, Alicante) On a pebbly, semi-wild, half-mile (800m) stretch (above) amid lush vegetation just north of the marina of a resort town (20 minutes north of Benidorm and 45 to Alicante city), there's a zone that attracts enthusiasts of swimsuit-free beaching.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p></div>Landscape of Light: Celebrating Madrid's Very First UNESCO World Heritage Sitehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/madrid-spain-unesco-world-site-paseo-prado-el-retiro2021-09-07T10:35:23.000Z2021-09-07T10:35:23.000ZJosé Balidohttps://tripatini.com/members/JoseBalido<div><h6><em><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}11018875452,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}11018875452,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="11018875452?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profile/JoseBalido?xg_source=profiles_memberList" target="_blank">José Balido</a></span><br /> </em></h6>
<p><br /> </p>
<p>Congratulations are in order! <strong>UNESCO</strong> (the <strong>United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization</strong>) has just this summer honored <a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/10-musts-of-madrid-spain" target="_blank"><strong>Spain</strong>'s capital city</a> with <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1618" target="_blank">its first <strong>World Heritage Site</strong> designation</a>, elevating <strong>Madrid</strong> to the ranks of destinations with districts or monuments worth preserving for future generations (the larger Madrid community surrounding the capital already had UNESCO sites, including <a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2015/01/delightful-day-trips-from-madrid/" target="_blank">the royal complexes of <strong>El Escorial</strong> and <strong>Aranjuez</strong>, which make marvelous day trips)</a>.</p>
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<p><br /> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AhVWiYQ1Ghs?wmode=opaque" width="640" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
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<p>The leafy <strong>Paseo del Prado</strong> boulevard, long a favorite of urban strollers, joins the nearby <a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2015/08/retiro-park-madrid-spain/" target="_blank"><strong>Buen Retiro Park</strong></a> and 90 other adjacent monuments and institutions to form the "<strong>Landscape of Arts and Sciences</strong>," reflecting a true gem of urban planning: the unique mix of culture, learning, nature, and leisure that have been brought together in this beautiful corner of our city whose universal value UNESCO has just recognized.</p>
<p>Arts and sciences being the light that guides our civilisation, this corridor has also been dubbed the "<strong>Landscape of Light</strong>," doubly appropriate for its allusion both to the Enlightenment of the 18th century, a period during which many of its key elements were built, and to the intense luminosity of our Madrid skies, born of our clear dry air and setting high on the <strong>Meseta Central</strong> plateau near the <strong>Guadarrama Mountains</strong>.</p>
<p> <img src="https://ning.zendesk.com/attachments/token/gQKzCkDdMHMXMuNVWIK4e8R8N/?name=L2F+Sep+21+pic+Spain+Madrid+UNESCO+World+Heritage+Site+Plaza+Cibeles+iStock-508451794.jpg&lotus_request=true" alt="L2F Sep 21 pic Spain Madrid UNESCO World Heritage Site Plaza Cibeles iStock-508451794.jpg" /></p>
<h6><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/fuente-de-la-cibeles-en-la-plaza-de-cibeles-en-madrid-gm508451794-85266395" target="_blank"><em><span style="font-size:8pt;">GoranQ</span></em></a></h6>
<p><br /> The district includes some of the city’s most iconic landmarks and cultural institutions along the tree-lined Paseo del Prado running just under a mile (1.5 kilometres) between a pair of squares - the <strong>Plaza de Cibeles</strong> at its northern end south to the <strong>Plaza de Atocha</strong> (officially the <strong>Plaza del Emperador Carlos V</strong>). With roots in the mid-17th century, it's a lovely stroll (about 20 minutes without stops), along a verdant landscaped median past statuary and monumental fountains – most notably the late-18th-century <strong>Neptune Fountain</strong> and especially the also neoclassical <strong>Cibeles Fountain</strong> (above), built around the same time. This depicts the Roman goddess of fertility riding in a chariot drawn by a pair of lions, and it's a truly inspiring and iconic sight, especially as set against the elaborate Madrid city council building, a glorious mix of Modernist, Art Deco and other styles designed by prominent Madrid architects of a century ago <strong>Antonino Palacios</strong> and <strong>Joaquin Otamendi</strong> and inaugurated as the national postal-service headquarters in 1919.</p>
<p> <img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/Interior_del_Museo_del_Prado.jpg/800px-Interior_del_Museo_del_Prado.jpg?20150321234218" alt="File:Interior del Museo del Prado.jpg" /></p>
<h6><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Interior_del_Museo_del_Prado.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">FouPic</span></a></em></h6>
<p><br /> </p>
<p>And it's here, too, that the arts and sciences come into play, because on and around the Paseo del Prado are several of <a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2014/05/the-impressive-museums-of-madrid/" target="_blank">Madrid's most distinguished museums</a>. The top of the list is of course the <a href="https://www.museodelprado.es/en" target="_blank"><strong>Museo del Prado</strong></a> (above), Spain's foremost art museum, while other institutions include the <a href="https://www.museothyssen.org/en" target="_blank"><strong>Thyssen-Bornemisza</strong></a> (spanning eight centuries of European and U.S. artists) and the <a href="https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/caixaforum-madrid" target="_blank"><strong>CaixaForum</strong></a> (international art from the 1980s to the present day), the astronomical <a href="https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/real-observatorio-de-madrid" target="_blank"><strong>Royal Observatory</strong></a> (dating back to the end of the 18th century and open for visits/tours) and the <a href="https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/real-jardin-botanico" target="_blank"><strong>Royal Botanical Garden</strong></a> (occupying this site since 1781 and home to some 30,000 plants plus 1,500 trees). Meanwhile, just a block away from the Paseo you'll find the <a href="https://www.museoreinasofia.es/en" target="_blank"><strong>Reina Sofía</strong></a>, Spain's premier modern art museum, as well as the <a href="https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/museo-arqueologico-nacional" target="_blank"><strong>National Anthropology Museum</strong></a>, specialising in non-European cultures and particularly those once ruled by the Spanish empire - not just in <strong>Latin America</strong> but <a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2019/05/spain-spanish-history-asia-africa-colonies/" target="_blank">also in <strong>Asia</strong> and <strong>Africa</strong></a>.</p>
<p> <img src="https://ning.zendesk.com/attachments/token/BeThW2w7OLOZMgWY4euJNlUVC/?name=L2F+Sep+21+pic+Madrid+UNESCO+World+Heritage+Sites+Buen+Retiro+Park+lake+iStock-672802922.jpg&lotus_request=true" alt="L2F Sep 21 pic Madrid UNESCO World Heritage Sites Buen Retiro Park lake iStock-672802922.jpg" /></p>
<h6><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/buen-retiro-park-en-madrid-espa%C3%B1a-gm672802922-126309243" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Ershov_Maks</span></a></em></h6>
<p><br /> </p>
<p>Just east of the Paseo del Prado, the new UNESCO site also includes one of Madrid's onetime city gates, the 243-year-old <strong>Puerta del Alcalá</strong> (top) and adjacent to it the city's most prominent park, the aforementioned Buen Retiro. Created in the late 17th century as a <em>buen retiro</em> ("pleasant retreat") for the royal court and since 1868 a public park, this 120-hectare (297-acre) spread is anchored by a manmade water basin presided by a 1922 colonnade and equestrian statue of late-19th-century king <strong>Alfonso XII</strong> (these days it's plied by rentable dinghies). Notable buildings in the park include the <strong>Palacio Velázquez</strong> and <strong>Palacio de Cristal</strong>, both built in the 1880s, as well as the 17th-century <strong>Salón de Reinos</strong> ("Hall of Kingdoms"), a remnant of the original Buen Retiro royal palace; all are used these days for temporary exhibitions. Meanwhile, out amid the woodsy and grassy patches interspersed with smaller ponds you'll find plantings including a rose garden. Among the statuary, one especially curious standout is possibly the world's only public statue of Lucifer, the 1878 <strong>Fountain of the Fallen Angel</strong>. Most days and especially on weekends, you can find both locals and visitors strolling, biking, sunbathing, and sitting in outdoor cafés.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>So whether you’re looking for an city stroll, culture, learning, or a spot of nature, Madrid’s newly anointed Landscape of Light is certain to illuminate your visit to our capital city, as it will now continue to do for generations to come.</p>
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<p> </p></div>Spain off the Beaten Path: Albacete in Castile-La Manchahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/albacete-castile-la-mancha-spain2021-08-26T09:31:27.000Z2021-08-26T09:31:27.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell16<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10906429686,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10906429686,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10906429686?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pasaje_Lodares.jpg" target="_blank"><em>Chowdon</em></a><br /> </p>
<p>There are of course enough varied destinations within this incredibly diverse country to keep visitors coming back repeatedly. And part of the pleasure of getting to know <strong>Spain</strong> in depth is going beyond the usual "greatest hits" and striking out off the beaten track. In that spirit, this blog has covered destinations like <strong><a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2019/09/exploring-spains-lesser-known-ciudad-real-province/" target="_blank">Ciudad Real</a></strong>, <a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2019/11/guadalajara-castile-la-mancha-spain-travel-attractions/" target="_blank"><strong>Guadalajara</strong></a>, <a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2019/04/soria-castile-leon-spain/" target="_blank"><strong>Soria</strong></a>, and <a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2019/07/medieval-zamora-castile-castilla-leon-spain/" target="_blank"><strong>Zamora</strong></a>. And today I'd like to introduce you to another ancient, under-the-radar gem of which you may not have heard: the city and surrounding province of <strong>Albacete</strong>. It's a place that doesn't get a lot of attention or even respect from other Spaniards as a travel destination - reflected by a well known saying, "<em>Albacete, caga y véte</em>" ("have a poo and get out"). But this is pretty unfair, as the capital and especially the province have quite a bit to offer, have a read and you'll see what I mean.</p>
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<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RJi77qcMWKs?wmode=opaque" width="640" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
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<p>The economic and judicial capital of the autonomous community of <strong>Castile-La Mancha</strong> like (which is also home to Ciudad Real and Guadalajara, as well as much better known <a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2014/11/cuenca-spain/" target="_blank"><strong>Cuenca</strong></a>, <a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2014/08/toledo-spain-travel/" target="_blank"><strong>Toledo</strong></a>, and the <strong><em>Don Quixote</em></strong> windmills of <a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2016/01/windmills-la-mancha-spain/" target="_blank"><strong>La Mancha</strong></a>), Albacete city is set in a landscape in south central Spain mixing the plains of the <strong>Meseta Central</strong> (in fact, its name comes from the Arabic <em><strong>Al-Basit</strong></em>, "the plain", from the days when the Moors ruled this region) with wooded mountains in the northeast, crossed in the northeast by the <strong>Júcar River</strong>, known for its deep gorges and forests.</p>
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<h6><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/ALBACETE_1_001.JPG/800px-ALBACETE_1_001.JPG" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/ALBACETE_1_001.JPG/800px-ALBACETE_1_001.JPG?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-ALBACETE_1_001.JPG?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><em><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:Paseo_Ferial_de_Albacete.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Chowdon</span></a></em></h6>
<p><br /> </p>
<p>Unsurprisingly, the best place to start exploring is the eponymous capital, about 90 minutes from Madrid by train and a bit over 2½ by road. Though these days it's a largely modern city, strolling its downtown high street <strong>Calle Ancha</strong> and surrounding streets you'll still come across a good bit of striking 19th- and early-20th-century architecture, such as the handsome, late-19th-century <strong>Casa Cortés</strong>, once the city hall. There are especially several notable Art Nouveau buildings, like the soaring, 95-year-old <strong>Pasaje Lodares</strong> shopping arcade (top) and <strong>Casa de Hortelano</strong> (above after a 1912 makeover of an existing mansion, and incorporating neo-Gothic elements), since 2004 home to the, er, cutting-edge <strong><a href="http://www.museocuchilleria.es/en/" target="_blank">Museum of Cutlery</a></strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10906430693,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10906430693,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="10906430693?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albacete_Cathedral_2021_-_west_fa%C3%A7ade.jpg" target="_blank">Fernando</a></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>But you'll also see a number of striking older landmarks, like the 16th-century <strong>Casa de los Picos</strong>, with its jutting, diamond-patterned Renaissance façade, and the <strong>Posada del Rosario</strong>, a typical La Mancha manse now housing the city tourism office and mixing Gothic, Renaissance, and <a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2018/12/mudejar-spain-architecture/" target="_blank">Mudéjar</a> (the post-15th-century style influenced by that which was prevalent during the 700 previous years of Muslim rule over most of the <strong>Iberian Peninsula</strong>). And of course there's the <strong>Cathedral of San Juan Bautista</strong>, which though begun in 1515 wasn't finished till a whopping 434 years later, ending up with an austere neo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic façade.</p>
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<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tX34G25OKlw?wmode=opaque" width="640" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
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<p>When it comes to museums, besides taking a stab at the cutlery you might also find the provincial <a href="https://cultura.castillalamancha.es/museos/nuestros-museos/museo-de-albacete" target="_blank"><strong>Albacete Museum</strong></a> in <strong>Abelardo Sánchez Park</strong> interesting as a catch-all of archaeology back to prehistory (including a noted collection of ancient Roman ivory); fine arts (especially strong in 20th-century works). You might also head to the aforementioned Casa Cortés, on downtown's iconic <strong>Plaza de Altozano</strong>, for a look at the expositions hosted by the <a href="http://www.albacete.es/es/turismo/museos/museo-municipal-1" target="_blank"><strong>Municipal Museum</strong></a>, as well as the <a href="http://www.artepopulardelmundo.es/" target="_blank"><strong>Museum of World Folk Art</strong></a>. On a greener note, the 18-year-old <a href="https://www.jardinbotanico-clm.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Botanical Garden of Castile-La Mancha</strong></a> in an outlying southeastern neighbourhood is petite (seven hectares/17 acres) but charming.</p>
<p> </p>
<h6><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Paseo_Ferial_de_Albacete.jpg/800px-Paseo_Ferial_de_Albacete.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Paseo_Ferial_de_Albacete.jpg/800px-Paseo_Ferial_de_Albacete.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Paseo_Ferial_de_Albacete.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:Paseo_Ferial_de_Albacete.jpg" target="_blank">Alejandro Navarro López</a></em></span></h6>
<p><br /> </p>
<p>Beyond history and culture, this city also sports a lively free tapas as well as signature scene of <em>la marcha</em> (nightlife), especially in districts like downtown's <strong>La Zona</strong>, with its mostly pestrian streets like <strong>Calle Tejares</strong>; <strong>El Campus</strong>, in the south of the city near the university; and <strong>Los Titis</strong> in the northeast with its extensive sidewalk cafés. And speaking of partying, the biggest fiesta of the year, the <a href="http://feriadealbacete.es/en/" target="_blank"><strong>Feria de Albacete</strong></a> (above), takes place in early to mid-September with ten days of processions; concerts; folk dancing; a fair with rides and plenty of eating, drinking, and activities - all mostly centred in and around the circular 18th-century fairgrounds.</p>
<p> </p>
<h6><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/ALCAL%C3%81_DEL_J%C3%9ACAR_2.jpg/800px-ALCAL%C3%81_DEL_J%C3%9ACAR_2.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/ALCAL%C3%81_DEL_J%C3%9ACAR_2.jpg/800px-ALCAL%C3%81_DEL_J%C3%9ACAR_2.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-ALCAL%C3%81_DEL_J%C3%9ACAR_2.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ALCAL%C3%81_DEL_J%C3%9ACAR_2.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Pacodonderis</span></a></em></h6>
<p><br /> </p>
<h3><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Provincial Perambulations</strong></span></h3>
<p><br /> </p>
<p>Out in the province, there are a number of atmospheric and historic towns within a two-hour drive of the capital. Among those of particular note is <a href="http://www.turismoalcaladeljucar.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Alcalá del Júcar</strong></a> (an hour away), with barely 1,200 residents and sitting atop a hill above a gorge carved by the Júcar River. Considered one of Castile-La Mancha's most charming villages, it boasts among other things an atmospheric stone bridge; steep, narrow streets winding up toward a 12th-century Moorish castle; a unusual wavy bullring; and limestone caves expanded into storehouses in the early 20th century and these days home to a bar, a restaurant, and a nightclub. Talk about underground nightlife...</p>
<p> </p>
<h6><a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/L2F-Jun-20-pic-Spain-Albacete-Almansa.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/L2F-Jun-20-pic-Spain-Albacete-Almansa.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="L2F-Jun-20-pic-Spain-Albacete-Almansa.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="1268" /></a><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/ayuntamiento-y-el-castillo-de-almansa-espa%C3%B1a-gm1016098988-273394882" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">venemama</span></a></em></h6>
<p><br /> </p>
<p>Just over an hour southwest, you'll find <strong>Alcaraz</strong>, just a tad larger than Alcalá and boasting another of Albacete's loveliest historic quarters, packed with Renaissance landmarks, also loomed over by a ruined castle, dating back to the 13th century. Much larger <strong>Almansa</strong> (above, pop. 25,000), a couple of hours east, is noted besides its own marvelous old town for its especially evocative Gothic castle, built in the 14th century. Meanwhile, an hour south of Albacete and with a population under 1,000. Also profoundly picturesque <a href="https://ayna.es/" target="_blank"><strong>Ayna</strong></a> calls itself "the <strong>Switzerland</strong> of La Mancha", whose <strong>Alps</strong> are the <strong>Segura Range</strong> - and specifically a gorge created by the <strong>Mundo River</strong>, into which farming terraces have been carved out.</p>
<p> </p>
<h6><a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/L2F-Jun-20-pic-Spain-Albacete-Chinchilla-de-Montearag%C3%B3n-cave-houses-Wikipedia.png" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/L2F-Jun-20-pic-Spain-Albacete-Chinchilla-de-Montearag%C3%B3n-cave-houses-Wikipedia.png?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="L2F-Jun-20-pic-Spain-Albacete-Chinchilla-de-Montearag%C3%B3n-cave-houses-Wikipedia.png?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><em><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:Casas_-Cueva_de_Chinchilla_de_Montearag%C3%B3n.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">David Daguerro</span></a></em></h6>
<p><br /> </p>
<p>Closest of all to the capital city (just 20 minutes southeast), <a href="http://chinchillaturismo.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Chinchilla de Monte-Aragón</strong></a> (pop. 4,200) like Alcalá boasts its own impressive castle on high and under the streets another set of cave dwellings, the <strong>Cuevas del Agujero</strong> (above), believed to have been built by Muslims (and some Jews) expelled from <strong>Granada</strong> after it fell to the forces of <strong>King Ferdinand</strong> and <strong>Queen Isabella</strong> in 1492; several are now for let as <a href="http://chinchillaturismo.com/" target="_blank">holiday rentals</a>,</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W_8m_d-EkpM?wmode=opaque" width="640" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Or check out one of the largest towns, <strong>Hellín</strong> (pop. 31,300), just over an hour south, whose historic centre and castle are also something of an open-air, mazelike museum of the Middle Ages both Muslim and Christian, and which also offers several interesting museums, including one devoted to local history, another to bullfighting, and the third being the <a href="http://www.camposdehellinqr.com/index.php/hellinp/96-museo-de-arte-contemporaneo-castilla-la-mancha" target="_blank"><strong>Contemporary Art Museum of Castilla-La Mancha</strong></a>. One especially cool spot right nearby is the seven-hectare (17-acre) <a href="https://tolmodeminateda.es/" target="_blank"><strong>Tolmo de Minetada</strong></a>, the ruins of a settlement dating back to the Bronze Age of the 2nd century BCE, including the Contestani (<a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/2017/02/who-were-the-iberians-of-spains-distant-past/" target="_blank">ancient Iberians</a>), Romans, Visigoths, Moors, and medieval Christian (there's also a good interpretation centre here). Hellín is also known in Spain for its special Semana Santa (Easter week) tradition of <em>tamborada</em>, processions of up to 20,000 people whaling away rhythmically on their drums.</p>
<p> </p>
<h6><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Lagunas_ruidera_11_JMM.jpg/800px-Lagunas_ruidera_11_JMM.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Lagunas_ruidera_11_JMM.jpg/800px-Lagunas_ruidera_11_JMM.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Lagunas_ruidera_11_JMM.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a></span><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lagunas_ruidera_11_JMM.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Josemanuel</span></a></em></h6>
<p><br /> </p>
<p>Finally, fans of nature and outdoor recreation might want to check out the <a href="https://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/naturaleza/espacios-naturales/parque_natural_de_las_lagunas_de_ruidera.html" target="_blank"><strong>Lagunas de Ruidera Nature Park</strong></a>, near the town of <strong>Ossa de Montiel</strong>, just over an hour west of the capital and centred around more than a dozen interconnected lakes with a wide variety of bird life as well as beaches and various recreational facilities.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>More info in English: <a href="http://en.turismoenalbacete.com/" target="_blank">TurismoenAlbacete.com</a>.</p>
<div class="col22 listaDestinos"> </div></div>The Good Life in Barcelona, Spainhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/the-good-life-in-barcelona-spain2018-11-08T20:40:09.000Z2018-11-08T20:40:09.000ZShareef Abdouhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShareefAbdou<div><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;"><img width="1200" height="1067" class="attachment-primer-featured size-primer-featured wp-post-image" style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;display:inline-block;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;height:394.47px;letter-spacing:normal;max-width:591.5px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;vertical-align:middle;white-space:normal;width:591.5px;word-spacing:0px;" alt="Best Barcelona Guide - Shareef Abdou" src="http://shareefabdou.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/barcelona-cityscape-overlook-PTF55Q7-1600x1067.jpg" /></span></p><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">Food, wine, mountains, and beaches make up the wonderful landscape of Spain, and when you visit Barcelona, you are in the center of it all. Sophisticated and devoted to the good life, Barcelona invites travelers to experience a different lifestyle that does not cater to anyone but itself. The city’s streets inspire long walks with a tapas café or bodega on every corner, but the nightlife will thrill you.</span></p><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">So what can you expect when you visit this Catalonian capital?</span></p><h2 style="background-color:transparent;color:#353535;font-size:48px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:300;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:67.2px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><b style="font-weight:bold;line-height:67.2px;">Quick Guide to Travel in Barcelona</b></h2><h3 style="background-color:transparent;color:#353535;font-size:25.93px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:300;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:36.3px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:uppercase;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><b style="font-weight:bold;line-height:36.3px;">Language Spoken:</b> <span style="font-weight:400;">Spanish</span></h3><h3 style="background-color:transparent;color:#353535;font-size:25.93px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:300;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:36.3px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:uppercase;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><b style="font-weight:bold;line-height:36.3px;">Currency:</b> <span style="font-weight:400;">Euros</span></h3><h3 style="background-color:transparent;color:#353535;font-size:25.93px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:300;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:36.3px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:uppercase;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><b style="font-weight:bold;line-height:36.3px;">Electric:</b> <span style="font-weight:400;">Type E two-prong plug</span></h3><h2 style="background-color:transparent;color:#353535;font-size:48px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:300;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:67.2px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><b style="font-weight:bold;line-height:67.2px;">Weather</b></h2><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">Humidity reigns supreme during July and August, so unless you like to sweat, it is better to visit in early summer from May to June. Fall is also a beautiful time to visit Spain. Beginning in late September, the nights are balmy. October is the perfect travel month if you want to run around the city with pleasant days and mildly cool nights.</span></p><h2 style="background-color:transparent;color:#353535;font-size:48px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:300;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:67.2px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><b style="font-weight:bold;line-height:67.2px;">Transportation</b></h2><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">You don’t need an Uber here. You can simply use public transportation. You can get a T10 pass from any ticket machine or get select one-way tickets for $11. These passes are available for all metros. Barcelona is noted for its clean public transportation network. It is the cheapest and best way to see the city.</span></p><h2 style="background-color:transparent;color:#353535;font-size:48px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:300;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:67.2px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><b style="font-weight:bold;line-height:67.2px;">Remember the Good Life in Spain</b></h2><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">Timing for shopping and dining is very important in Spain. Restaurants are typically open from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM for lunch. Restaurants close until 8:30 PM, when they re-open for dinner and close at 11:00 PM. Most stores close for lunchtime siesta, typically between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM. Sundays and public holidays typically mean that most stores and restaurants will be closed as well. August is a difficult time for travelers as most businesses close for the entire month.</span></p><h2 style="background-color:transparent;color:#353535;font-size:48px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:300;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:67.2px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><b style="font-weight:bold;line-height:67.2px;">Must See Barcelona Sights</b></h2><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">There are a few places that command a presence in Barcelona. These are a few of the top experiences to explore. They provide a genuine beauty and historical look into the rich culture of this city.</span></p><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">La Sagrada Familia</span></p><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">Park Güell</span></p><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">La Catedral</span></p><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">Museo Nacional d’Art de Catalonia</span></p><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">Fundacio Joan Miro</span></p><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">Museo Picasso</span></p><h2 style="background-color:transparent;color:#353535;font-size:48px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:300;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:67.2px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><b style="font-weight:bold;line-height:67.2px;">Mange This Food & Drink in Barcelona</b></h2><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">Some of these restaurants have been noted for their cuisine and aesthetic atmosphere for over a decade. If you want to take a bite of local cuisine, just be sure to remember NOT to tip!</span></p><h2 style="background-color:transparent;color:#353535;font-size:48px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:300;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:67.2px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><b style="font-weight:bold;line-height:67.2px;">Barcelona is Best By Bike</b></h2><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">The thrill of the city is best explored on foot or by bike according to most travelers. With incredible architecture on every street and paths that lead directly to gorgeous botanical gardens, the atmosphere is just perfect for a bike ride in spring and fall months.</span></p><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">If you have the chance, take a day to rent a bike or go on a bike tour to immerse yourself in this city’s wonderful culture.</span></p><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">See the original or other great travel articles on <a href="http://shareefabdou.com/barcelona-travel-guide/" target="_blank">my blog</a>. </span></p><p style="background-color:transparent;color:#252525;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:33px;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;padding:0px;margin:32px 0px 16px 0px;"></p></div>6 of the Best Museums in Barcelonahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/best-museums-barcelona-catalonia-spain2018-09-28T12:43:59.000Z2018-09-28T12:43:59.000Zamit singhhttps://tripatini.com/members/amitsingh622<div><p class="p1"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/WLM14ES_-_Museu_Picasso%2C_Ciutat_Vella%2C_Barcelona_-_MARIA_ROSA_FERRE.jpg/800px-WLM14ES_-_Museu_Picasso%2C_Ciutat_Vella%2C_Barcelona_-_MARIA_ROSA_FERRE.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/WLM14ES_-_Museu_Picasso%2C_Ciutat_Vella%2C_Barcelona_-_MARIA_ROSA_FERRE.jpg/800px-WLM14ES_-_Museu_Picasso%2C_Ciutat_Vella%2C_Barcelona_-_MARIA_ROSA_FERRE.jpg" class="align-center" alt="800px-WLM14ES_-_Museu_Picasso%2C_Ciutat_Vella%2C_Barcelona_-_MARIA_ROSA_FERRE.jpg" /></a></p><p class="p1"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WLM14ES_-_Museu_Picasso,_Ciutat_Vella,_Barcelona_-_MARIA_ROSA_FERRE.jpg" target="_blank">Maria Rosa Ferrer/Museu Picasso</a></em></span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><br /> <br /> Barcelona is awash with fantastic museums and galleries.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> So, if you find yourself in the Catalan capital, then be sure them out.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Here's a high-powered half dozen to get you started. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2"></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Museu Picasso</strong></span></p><p class="p2"></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">This absolute must (top), opened in 1963, houses the most extensive collection (4,251 paintings) from Picasso’s formative years.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Spread across five contiguous medieval stone mansions, three of which boast permanent collections and two temporary exhibitions, this museums is proof, if we ever needed it, of the depth of Picasso genius.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> It also illustrates the artist’s strong relationship with Barcelona, the city he where Picasso really developed as an artist.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> As you move through the rooms, you can take in some of Picasso’s first ever sketches, oils and earliest paintings.</span></p><p class="p2"></p><p class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">Fundació Joan Miró</span></strong></p><p class="p2"></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Barcelona born painter, sculptor, and ceramicist Joan Miro is one of Spain's most important artists.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> When you arrive in the city at Barcelona’s El Prat airport (Terminal 2), one of Joan Miro’s beautiful mosaics is waiting to greet you.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> What an introduction!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> But for a more complete look at the artist’s work then make your way here to the Fundació Joan Miro.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> His work has been interpreted as surrealism, and here, in the light-filled buildings, rooms are crammed with more than 14,000 seminal works that span the artist's life<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and demonstrates the breadth of his artistic development and style. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Camp_Nou_aerial_(cropped).jpg" target="_blank">Oh-Barcelona.com</a><br /> <br /></span></span></p><p class="p2"></p><p class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">FC Barcelona Museum (Camp Nou Experience)</span></strong></p><p class="p2"></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Football fans would be remiss if they didn’t make it to the Catalan capital’s footballing temple, the Camp Nou (well, unless of course they're Madrid fans).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>As the title suggests, visiting FC Barcelona’s museum is an experience.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> There are touchscreen displays that allow you to explore the club’s history, video’s of the club’s best goals, and amazing sound installations that include the clubs anthem and the deafening roar of a crowd.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> A self-guided tour of the stadium takes you from the changing rooms, down the tunnel and to the edge of the pitch where you can look up at the 105,000-seat stadium in all its glory. </span></p><p class="p1"></p><p class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA)</span></strong></p><p class="p2"></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">One of the highest concentrations of contemporary culture in all of Catalonia, MACBA was conceived as part of the Raval neighborhood’s urban regeneration, part of the city government attempt to bring people back to the area, and in that a resounding success. MACBA is a world-class contemporary art museum with both a permanent collection of over 5,000 works and rotating exhibitions that showcase some of the world's most cutting-edge contemporary art. Before heading in, take a second to take in the square out front where skateboarders slip and slide across ledges while onlookers drink beers, listen to music and hang out.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Meister_aus_Tahull_001.jpg/907px-Meister_aus_Tahull_001.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Meister_aus_Tahull_001.jpg/907px-Meister_aus_Tahull_001.jpg" class="align-center" alt="907px-Meister_aus_Tahull_001.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Meister_aus_Tahull_001.jpg" target="_blank">The Yorck Project</a></em></span><br /> <br /></span></span></p><p class="p2"></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>CosmoCaixa</strong></span></p><p class="p2"></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Here's one for the kids, an interactive museum that makes for a great day out for the whole family, participate in games and educational activities.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> And, unlike at other museums, here pretty much everything on exhibit is “on-limits.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> This means your kids can explore freely without you having to worry about them touching some priceless piece of art.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> You can explore the universe in the planetarium.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Or, and this is, without a doubt, the centerpiece of the museum walk through over one square kilometer of a replica rainforest.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> When you’re done inside, head out to the garden and stroll through the garden with its abundance of Mediterranean flora.</span></p><p class="p2"><br /> <strong>Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya</strong><br /> <br /> The crowning gem of Montjuïch Park, the grandiose Palau Nacional near Plaça d'Espanya was built in 1929 for the World Exposition of that year, and now houses the National Art Museum of Catalonia, <span>especially notable for its outstanding collection of Romanesque </span><span>church paintings (above) and Catalan art </span><span>and design from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including Modernisme, the distinctive local flavor of Art Nouveau epitomized by Antoni Gaudí's Sagrada Familia Church. The rest of the park is not only fantastic for strolling, but also home to a number of other interesting cultural attractions.<br /></span> <br /></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><a href="https://dotravel.com/ticket/show/1232/barcelona-park-guell-tickets" target="_blank"></a></span></p></div>The Vivanco Family Winery in Spain's Rioja Regionhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/spain-s-la-rioja-vivanco-family-winery2018-03-24T21:05:19.000Z2018-03-24T21:05:19.000ZSteve Mirskyhttps://tripatini.com/members/SteveMirsky964<div><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/vivancolarioja.jpe" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/vivancolarioja.jpe?width=1000" class="align-center" width="1000" alt="vivancolarioja.jpe?width=1000" /></a></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><br /> A vast valley protected between two mountain ranges, northern <a href="http://www.spain.info/en_US/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/comunidades-autonomas/la_rioja.html">Spain's La Rioja</a> features terrain, wind conditions, and soil that differs from one village to the next. The River Ebro flows through it all from west to east flanked by the Cantabria Mountains to the north and the La Demanda Range to the south.</span></p><p></p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009228056,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009228056,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="9009228056?profile=original" /></a></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><a href="http://www.vivancowines.com/welcome"><br /> Vivanco Family Vineyards</a>, a fourth-generation estate established 100 years ago by great grandfather Pedro Vivanco González, remains a small operation in La Rioja's Alberite. It wasn't until third-generation Pedro Vivanco Paracuellos, father of brothers Rafael and Santiago (who run the winery today) received formal training in wine making. Eventually a museum and restaurant were added to the vineyard operations enhancing the overall experience for those visiting in person.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/vivancofamily.jpe" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/vivancofamily-1024x701.jpe?width=1024" class="align-center" width="1024" alt="vivancofamily-1024x701.jpe?width=1024" /></a></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><br /> Today Rafael and Santiago each bring their unique skill sets to Vivanco, complementing each other's strengths. Rafael leads wine production, while Santi shares and promotes his passion of wine culture through the <a href="https://vivancoculturadevino.es/en/foundation/">Foundation and Museum devoted to the Culture of Wine</a>.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/vivancowinery.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/vivancowinery.jpg?width=940" class="align-center" width="940" alt="vivancowinery.jpg?width=940" /></a></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><br /> Rafael was first inspired by weekends spent as a child traveling from Rioja's provincial capital Logroño up to Briones to work in the family vineyards. At age 18, he enrolled in an agricultural engineering program in Pamplona, learning the technique, science and all aspects of wine making. He fell in love with Bordeaux wines leading him to study at the Faculty of Oenology for 2 years. As part of his training, he worked at some of the most renowned wineries in the region inspiring him to deeply reflect and capitalize on the potential of La Rioja and its <em>terroirs</em>.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/vivancomuseumofwineartifact.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/vivancomuseumofwineartifact.jpg?width=1000" class="align-center" width="1000" alt="vivancomuseumofwineartifact.jpg?width=1000" /></a></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Santiago is in many ways the direct opposite of Rafael, inspired by the interdependence of wine and culture. “Wine has always been much more than aromas, flavors, textures, and the vineyards they come from. I'm interested in the human side of wine and its 8,000 years of history."</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/vivancomuseumofwine.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/vivancomuseumofwine.jpg?width=1000" class="align-center" width="1000" alt="vivancomuseumofwine.jpg?width=1000" /></a></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">Santiago studied law in college, where he discovered the classics, philosophy, ethics, and poetry, particularly Neruda's ode to “wine, spiraling, swirling (...) never has a glass been able to hold you, nor man.” The more he read and studied, the more he learned that history was intertwined with wine inspiring him to eventually build the <a href="https://vivancoculturadevino.es/en/foundation/vivanco-museum-of-wine-culture/">Museum of Wine Culture</a> in 1998, celebrating the symbiotic relationship between these fermented juices and culture.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><br /> Here are 2 of Vivanco's youngest vintages that are sure to inspire you as well:</span></p><p></p><p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6795" src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/vivancotempranillogarnacha.jpg" alt="vivancotempranillogarnacha" width="750" height="188" /></p><p><a href="http://opiciwines.com/wines/rosado/"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><b><br /> Vivanco Tempranillo Garnacha 2016</b></span></a> - <span style="font-size:12pt;">The Tempranillo and Garnacha Blanca grapes used in this blend come from three regions in the Rioja. About 15 miles south of Briones at about 1,900 feet above sea level in Aleson, only grape varieties like Tempranillo with less need for light and warmth to ripen are able to thrive in their Finca San Antón, featuring loose, stony soils with a southeastern exposure. In San Vicente, the River Ebro climbs up towards the Sierra de Cantabria. The higher altitudes overlooking the Ebro in El Bosque promote greater freshness and slower ripening. Located just five miles from Logroño in Rioja Central, Villadmediana is situated at 1,400 feet, where winds coming from the interior are milder and less humid bringing less rain than any of the Rioja Alta terroirs.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Tasting Notes:</strong> A lively bright pink with purple hues, its nose unfolds with red licorice, raspberry, and hints of strawberry. Fresh in the mouth, with a pleasant acidity, you get a bright fruity finish perfect with spicy Asian dishes and fresh pan seared seafood.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/vivancotempranilloblanca.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/vivancotempranilloblanca.jpg?width=750" class="align-center" width="750" alt="vivancotempranilloblanca.jpg?width=750" /></a></p><p><a href="http://opiciwines.com/wines/blanco/"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><b><br /> Vivanco Tempranillo Blanca 2016</b></span></a> - <span style="font-size:12pt;">The Tempranillo Blanca grapes used in this vintage are sourced from two regions in the Rioja. One of the most demanding terroirs, Briones is situated at 1,600 feet ,where vigorous winds blow from the Bay of Biscay, bringing moisture, rain, and freshness. The soils are stony and loose packed with yellow limestone and red clay. Just the right balance of not too much sun or cold ensures slow ripening perfect for Tempranillo Blanca, a delicate grape variety that Vivanco calls The Damsel since it is so capricious. But here it is satisfied with these ideal conditions rewarding you with fruity, fine, elegant aromas.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;">At an altitude of 2,296 feet, their other source of Tempranillo Blanco is the Rioja Oriental's Tudelilla supporting one of the highest vineyards in the region yielding an excellent balance of maturity and freshness.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Tasting Notes:</strong> Clean and bright pale-yellow with green hues, this sprightly vintage is very fresh and well-balanced, with a spicy patina and well balanced minerality on the mouth feel that continues into a bright palate cleansing finish.</span></p><p></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Photos courtesy of Vivanco Family Wines. Coverage made possible by participating in a sponsored tasting.</em></span></blockquote></div>5 Madrid Mustshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/5-places-to-see-in-madrid2018-04-20T14:36:16.000Z2018-04-20T14:36:16.000Zviajero222https://tripatini.com/members/viajero222<div><p><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Madrid_-_El_Oso_y_el_Madro%C3%B1o.jpg/800px-Madrid_-_El_Oso_y_el_Madro%C3%B1o.jpg" alt="File:Madrid - El Oso y el Madroño.jpg" /><br /> <br /> <br /> In its central area, Spain''s capital has many characteristics that make it stand out among other important cities, which by 2012 made it the thirty-first city most visited worldwide by international tourists, nothing more and nothing less than 4.1 million.</p><p><br /> All that there is to see in Madrid, everything that this beautiful city offers to its visitors, you will know it because we will talk about five more important sites that you should visit in Madrid. This city, capital of Spain, has an excellent metro network, good communications, and an airport with great importance in the European framework.</p><p><br /> Undoubtedly Madrid with its cosmopolitan atmosphere, and its great hospitality becomes a tourist site that you can not miss, it is the headquarters of the World Tourism Organization and also of the International Tourism Fair. Let's know all these wonderful features or places you have to see in Madrid.<br /> <br /> <br /> <strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009219286,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009219286,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="600" class="align-center" alt="9009219286?profile=original" /></a></strong></p><p><br /> <br /> <strong>Casa de Campo</strong><br /> <br /> If you enjoy and spend the day with your family, you must visit the <strong>Casa de Campo</strong>, located in the west of the city, this place is an ideal park to observe nature, wildlife, lake, flora. There is not a more perfect and natural place to do your picnics in Madrid.</p><p><strong><br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009219659,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009219659,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="600" class="align-center" alt="9009219659?profile=original" /></a></strong></p><p><br /> <strong>Temple of Debod</strong><br /> <br /> There are so many cool places to see in Madrid, and the Temple of Debod is another of these sites that we want to present you. This is a building of ancient Egypt that is located in this wonderful city, as it was a gift that Egypt made to Spain in the year 1968, and its antiquity is approximately 2,200 years.</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009220065,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009220065,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="600" class="align-center" alt="9009220065?profile=original" /></a></p><p><br /> <strong>Puerta del Sol</strong><br /> <br /> A square located at the centre of the city, well known as Spain's Times Square or Picadilly Circus, and where locals gather every New Year's Eve to count down to the clock of the Interior Ministry. There's also a plaque marking SPain's Kilometer Zero, this indicates the origin of the mileage of the different radial roads of the country, right there is the statue of the <em>Oso y Madroño</em> (Bear and Strawberry Tree, top), key icons on the city's coat of arms.</p><p><strong><br /></strong> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009220653,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009220653,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="600" class="align-center" alt="9009220653?profile=original" /></a></p><p><br /> <strong>Plaza de Oriente</strong><br /> <br /> A beautiful monumental square that houses artistic and historical gardens, together with a sculptural collection; it is presided by two important buildings of the city: the Royal Theater and the Royal Palace. When visiting the Plaza de Oriente you can enjoy the aforementioned buildings, and you can also enjoy your view with the gardens of Sabatin, those of the Cape Noval, and it will be interesting to see the monument to Felipe IV.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009221063,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009221063,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="600" class="align-center" alt="9009221063?profile=original" /></a></p><p><br /> <strong>Madrid Rio</strong><br /> <br /> In Madrid Río Park you will find an immense playful and cultural enclave with historical monuments and children's games such as: swings made with materials that gives the same nature. An excellent place to share <a href="https://www.fotoviaje.net/en/holidays-in-spain-visit-madrid.php" target="_blank">in Madrid</a> with family because there is entertainment for adults and children.</p><p></p></div>Visit Asturias (Spain)https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/visit-asturias-spain2017-12-05T15:00:00.000Z2017-12-05T15:00:00.000Zviajero222https://tripatini.com/members/viajero222<div><p class="center"><font><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009208054,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009208054,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9009208054?profile=original" /></a>If we focus on talking about tourist stays</font><font style="line-height:1.3;">, we are excellent places in Spain, as in the case of</font> Asturias <font style="line-height:1.3;">. Splendid, varied tourist spots that will be able to please a wide variety of people,</font> Asturias <font style="line-height:1.3;">has become one of the most visited of the Iberian Peninsula and it is not very difficult tounderstand why places.</font></p><p class="center"><font>One of the most striking aspects when traveling to</font> <font>Asturias</font> <font>is the cuisine; in few places in Spain you'll get a variety so exquisite and striking as in this area. <font class="goog-text-highlight">One of the favorite dishes are tops with more known Asturian cider, which becomes a very complete and appetizing dish.<a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009208497,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009208497,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9009208497?profile=original" /></a></font></font></p><p class="center"><font>Asturias</font> <font>is a vast territory in Spain, where Oviedo stands as a city we can not ignore, since it has many interests and beauties that can become of interest. There we can find an infinite number of statues, for example; is one of the cities in the world with more statues and sculptures, the vast majority being created by some of the most important artists from around the world. A clear example of this is the statue of Ana Ozores, known to The Regent; It is a sample of the countless interesting statues mushrooming this Asturian zone.<a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009209054,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009209054,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9009209054?profile=original" /></a></font></p><p class="center"><font>From an aesthetic point of view,</font> <font>visit Asturias</font> <font>is unmatched by the wide variety of landscapes it has. We can take the case of Senda del Oso, for lovers of</font> <font> hiking and where you can make many kinds of such activities. <font>It is an area covering about 22 kilometers and is located from Tuñón to Entrago, compressed by a vast terrain on asphalt, fences and others;</font> a land quite striking and where you'll be able to perform such activity.</font></p><p class="center"><font>If we go to Muros del Nalon, we will be able to find one of the most beautiful beaches of</font> <font>Asturias</font> <font>, Aguilar Beach. Here you can enjoy some of the most sweeping landscapes throughout the territory, having arrived there through a highly rocky northern road and eucalyptus.</font></p><p class="center"><font>Visit Asturias </font><font>is to visit a lush blend of nature with people and modernity; <font>It is a fascinating blend where there is</font><font>something that could interest all kinds of people, regardless of their position and their interests when traveling.<a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009209276,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009209276,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9009209276?profile=original" /></a></font></font></p></div>A Closer Look at Spain's Garnacha Wines from Aragonhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/a-closer-look-at-spain-s-garnacha-wines-from-aragon2016-12-14T15:02:02.000Z2016-12-14T15:02:02.000ZSteve Mirskyhttps://tripatini.com/members/SteveMirsky964<div><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/zaragozacathedral-e1481570460186.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/zaragozacathedral-e1481570460186.jpg?width=720" class="align-center" width="720" alt="zaragozacathedral-e1481570460186.jpg?width=720" /></a></p><p><span class="font-size-3"><br /> The Aragon region of Spain is filled with castles, cathedrals, monasteries, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites dotting the Pyrenees foothills, desert plains, fertile deltas, and the bustling city of Zaragoza. In addition to being a major cultural and agricultural powerhouse, Aragon's vineyards are renowned not only for their Tempranillo but for their venerated Garnacha's increasing popularity.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/terraaltavineyards2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/terraaltavineyards2.jpg?width=624" class="align-center" width="624" alt="terraaltavineyards2.jpg?width=624" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">This is the land where Garnacha cultivation began in Roman times yet was under siege by market forces until the 1990s when Aragon vineyards banded together forming the <a href="http://winesofgarnacha.com/">Five Designations of Origin (DOs)</a> of <strong><em>Somontano, Campo de Borja, Carinena, Calatayud</em>,</strong> and <strong><em>Terra Alta</em></strong>. Sick and tired of watching French vintners growing their namesake heritage grapes for prestigious labels like <em>Gigondas</em>, <em>Châteauneuf-du-Pape</em>, and <em>Vacqueyras</em>, they developed a plan to reclaim their heritage.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/oldvine.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/oldvine.jpg?width=656" class="align-center" width="656" alt="oldvine.jpg?width=656" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">First D.O. members had to resist the temptation to uproot their gnarled heritage vines ranging in age from 40 - +100 years that each yielded on average a measly two pounds of grapes. This was particularly challenging since farmers were being offered EU subsidies to rip them out to raise more profitable crops like almonds, olives, avocados, and other more market-oriented grapes.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/grapes-e1481577189360.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/grapes-e1481577189360.jpg?width=690" class="align-center" width="690" alt="grapes-e1481577189360.jpg?width=690" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">Next, D.O. members determined that many of the inferiorities plaguing their Garnachas like quick oxidation and mediocre flavors resulted from their grapes being a commodity rather than specialty heirlooms showcasing their unique richly concentrated expressions.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/stonysoil-e1481572704243.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/stonysoil-e1481572704243.jpg?width=662" class="align-center" width="662" alt="stonysoil-e1481572704243.jpg?width=662" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">Most importantly, winery owners needed to rediscover and capitalize on what actually makes Aragon's terroir the most difficult yet commensurately rewarding. Soils here are unforgiving and difficult to cultivate littered with chunks of slate or carpeted in round stones. But it is through this adversity that stressed vine roots reach deeper into the mineral rich detritus year after year for scarce yet vital moisture.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/vintnersinvineyard-e1481572291122.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/vintnersinvineyard-e1481572291122.jpg?width=776" class="align-center" width="776" alt="vintnersinvineyard-e1481572291122.jpg?width=776" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">And so it is that a new generation of winemakers are now adopting modern cultivation techniques, experimenting with fermentation, and improving barrel selections while reconnecting with ancient practices like preserving old vines, as well as hand harvesting and sorting. Many of these Garnacha varietals are now unblended standing on their own from the following Aragon Denominations of Origin with distinct character and flavor expressions:</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/calatayudvillage-e1481572096558.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/calatayudvillage-e1481572096558.jpg?width=673" class="align-center" width="673" alt="calatayudvillage-e1481572096558.jpg?width=673" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Calatayud</strong> – <span lang="en" xml:lang="en">Located a little over 55 miles southwest of Zaragoza, the name Calatayud is derived from <em>Qalat</em> (the Arabic word for castle) and <em>Ayub</em> (name of a fabled Moorish governor). Established in 1990, wineries here have adopted the latest in weather data tracking and GPS mapping technology to determine the best grapes based on color, structure, minerality and ageability. A mix of privately owned vineyards as well as cooperatives, Calatayud wineries are now turning heads with some unique Garnacha labels like <a href="http://www.castillodemaluenda.com/vinos/punto-y-coma_19.html">Punta y Coma</a> and <a href="http://www.san-alejandro.com/en">Las Rocas de San Alejandro</a>.</span></span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/calatayudterroir.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/calatayudterroir.jpg?width=697" class="align-center" width="697" alt="calatayudterroir.jpg?width=697" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">Extreme weather conditions and patchworks of rusty red and yellowish clay sands, sometimes evident in the same vineyard due to the erratic nature of glacial deposits thousands of years ago. The <span lang="en" xml:lang="en">south facing foothills just over 3,000 feet above sea level on the Moncayo range provide an extra special growing environment</span> o<span lang="en" xml:lang="en">verlooking the River</span> Ebro.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/GrapeHarvest-e1481577450482.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/GrapeHarvest-e1481577450482.jpg?width=975" class="align-center" width="975" alt="GrapeHarvest-e1481577450482.jpg?width=975" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">Watered by a complex hydro geological network of various tributaries like the Jalon and Jiloca that feed the River Ebro, <span lang="en" xml:lang="en">over 55 percent of red wine production here is from vines more than 50 years old. Weather that's dry and windy with threats of frost during autumn produces sweet velveteen ripeness prominently figuring in 100-percent Garnachas from <a href="http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/altovinum+evodia+old+vines+garnacha+calatayud+aragon+spain">Altovinium</a> and <a href="http://www.castillodemaluenda.com/vinos/alto-las-pizarras_1.html">Bodegas y Vinedos del Jalon Alto Las Pizarras Collection</a>.</span></span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Monestary-1024x768.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Monestary-1024x768.jpg?width=774" class="align-center" width="774" alt="Monestary-1024x768.jpg?width=774" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Campo de Borja</strong> – Viticulture has monastic roots here dating back to 1145. Established in 1980, today this D.O. is best known for rich and intensely fruity reds as well as <em>rosados</em> (rosés) blended with Macabeo and Chardonnay. The small percentage of Garnacha whites they do produce are refreshingly light with delicate floral aromas. Almost half of their 12,355 acres of their Garnacha-producing vines are between 30 and 50 years old.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CampoVineyard-1024x768.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CampoVineyard-1024x768.jpg?width=739" class="align-center" width="739" alt="CampoVineyard-1024x768.jpg?width=739" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">Farmer-owned cooperative wineries play a key role here promoting excellent quality and availability. Altitude and climate shapes the dramatic extremes of long hot summers and cold winters tempered by the Ebro River and Dry Ciero winds. Growing in sandy earth over limestone and ferrous clay that's stony and well drained translate into a powerfully elegant tasting experience.</span></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">Lately, Campo de Borja has been turning heads for easy-drinking Garnachas like <a href="http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/aragonez+coto+de+hayas+garnacha+centenaria+campo+borja+aragon+spain">Centenaria's Coto de Hayas</a> and their more concentrated, new French oaked <a href="http://faguswine.com/">Fagus</a> with a minerality that enables structural and aromatic complexity.</span></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-5869" src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CampoWines-e1481642170194-1024x621.jpg" alt="" width="794" height="481" /></span></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">The <a href="http://www.docampodeborja.com/en/wine_museum_campo_de_borja.php">Campo de Borja Wine Museum in the Cistercian Monastery of Veruela</a> makes a great starting point for exploring this D.O.'s eight centuries of wine making. Following their wine route exposes you to well established vineyards as well as small family-run wine presses and historical wine cellars. Along the way, you're sure to revel in Romanesque cathedrals and monasteries as well as the distinct Mudéjar Arabic brickwork and glazed ceramic tiling most prominently evident on bell towers and village squares dotting the region.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CarinenaVineyard1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CarinenaVineyard1.jpg?width=769" class="align-center" width="769" alt="CarinenaVineyard1.jpg?width=769" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Cariñena</strong> – Although the region's namesake Carinena grape is still planted in close to 55 percent of the vineyards here, Garnacha has lately surpassed it in popularity. Established in 1932, Carinena is the oldest, largest, and most diverse D.O. in the Aragon region with vineyards ranging from family-owned plots to quality-obsessed cooperatives.</span></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">Varying elevations produce dramatic swings in temperature promoting even ripening and flavor development. Soils are defined by four types of Miocine clay, the most common being iron laced rusty limestone, and bleached-out white from slate and granite layered on rocky subsoils. Throughout the vineyards, chunks of broken rock and multicolored stones shape the minerality that produces crisp, fruit-forward rosé sans the malolactic fermentation made by <a href="http://www.nextgreatgrape.com/paniza-garnacha-vinas-viejas/">Paniza's</a>, as well as dense and powerful reds that undergo carbonic maceration unencumbered by harsh tannins like <a href="http://www.besodevino.com/en/wines/old-vine-garnacha-2014-16.html">Beso de Vino</a>.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CarinenaWines-e1481644529843.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CarinenaWines-e1481644529843.jpg?width=832" class="align-center" width="832" alt="CarinenaWines-e1481644529843.jpg?width=832" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">Unlike the other D.O.s, winemaking is the primary industry in Carinena making it number 6 in export volume among all of Spain's wine regions. This high volume has actually yielded better quality production.</span></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">Following their <a href="http://www.rutadelvinocampodecarinena.com/#">42-kilometer Ruta de Vino</a> is the best way to experience the wide range of Carinena Garnacha vineyards dotting the Ebro Valley with the spectacular Sierra de Algairén mountain range as a backdrop.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/SomantanoCastle-e1481645123329.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/SomantanoCastle-e1481645123329.jpg?width=692" class="align-center" width="692" alt="SomantanoCastle-e1481645123329.jpg?width=692" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Somontano</strong> – “Under the mountains” as translated and situated about 35 miles south of the French border, Somontano is the northeastern-most D.O. established in 1984. Vineyards are situated on foothills of the central Pyrenees, where high elevations and extreme temperature fluctuations along with reddish soils packed with sandstone and clay help vines retain higher acidity.</span></p><p><span class="font-size-3"><br />Warm days and cool nights prevail thanks to the Pyrenees mountains blocking northerly winds. As may be expected due to geographic proximity, Somontano Garnachas most closely resemble those from France with lower alcohol, freshness, and salinity.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Somantano-e1481645212991.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Somantano-e1481645212991.jpg?width=861" class="align-center" width="861" alt="Somantano-e1481645212991.jpg?width=861" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">Both red and white Somontano Garnachas like those produced by <a href="http://garnachaorigen.com/product/pirineos-garnacha/">Pirineos</a> and <a href="http://garnachaorigen.com/product/la-miranda-de-secastilla-garnacha-blanca/">La Miranda de Secastilla</a> are elegant with a complex intensity. Red plum and cherry fruit is matched with vanilla and toasty oak of new barrels. Secondary flavors figuring prominently on the palate include chocolate, licorice, coffee, spice, herbs, and black olive.</span></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">The <a href="http://turismosomontano.es/en/organiza-tu-viaje/rutas-en-coche/ruta-del-vino">Somontano's Wine Route</a> takes the hassle out of not only exploring the more than 30 vineyards here but also highlights its unprecedented natural beauty and wide range of first-rate artistic and cultural heritage. Cave paintings, Medieval towns, Romanesque chapels, Gothic churches, Baroque temples, and ancient fortifications await exploration.</span></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">In Babastro, <a href="http://turismosomontano.es/en/organiza-tu-viaje/oficinas-de-turismo/oficina-de-turismo-de-barbastro">The Tourist Information Center</a> doubles as D.O. Somontano headquarters featuring interactive displays and a <em>Wine Space</em> with a cutting-edge tasting room.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/TerraAltaWinery.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/TerraAltaWinery.jpg?width=716" class="align-center" width="716" alt="TerraAltaWinery.jpg?width=716" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Terra Alta</strong> – This D.O.'s “high land” wine production took root during Roman times but first legal documentation dates back to <em>Las Costums d’Orta</em> from 1296 and <em>Las Costums de Miravet</em> in 1319. D<span lang="en" xml:lang="en">ue to its geographical isolation, wines were only made for local consumption up until recently.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">Many vineyards look out over the River Ebre and Tarragona below, a scene that once inspired a young Pablo Picasso. Pre-coastal limestone mountain ranges, holm oak & white pine trees, and soil worked for centuries with almond and olive groves make it equally inspiring for Garnacha.</span></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">Vineyards are concentrated on plateaus and the valley floor benefiting from abundant sunshine as well as convergent winds bringing cold from the north and humidity from the south with severe cold and a danger of late frosts in the spring.</span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/TerraAltaWines.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.gastrotraveling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/TerraAltaWines.jpg?width=709" class="align-center" width="709" alt="TerraAltaWines.jpg?width=709" /></a></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3">Promoting white Garnachas, to this day only accounting for a fraction of Spain's total Garnacha output, cooperatives flourished here starting in the 1920s with an oxidized “amber blanc.” It wasn't until establishing their D.O. in 1984, that longstanding cooperatives began cultivating both native and international varietals.</span></p><p><span class="font-size-3"><br />The Terra Alta now produces 30 percent of the world's Garnacha, 100 percent of which are monovarietals displaying unique punctuations of juicy acidity, creamy texture, and bright flavors particularly in <a href="http://www.cellersunio.com/gb/terra-alta-do-wines/17-clos-dalian-garnatxa-negra.html">Clos Dalian's</a> Crianza and Blanca. Minerality derived from the terroir's chalky limestone belies citrus, peach, lemon, and honeysuckle. Reds like <a href="http://www.cellerbatea.com/en/vino/tipicitat-red-wines-do-terra-alta/">Cellar Batea's Tipicitat</a> exude a mineral streak with a concentration of raspberry and cherry fruit.</span></p><p></p><blockquote><em><br />Photos: Steve Mirsky. Coverage made possible by participating in a sponsored trip.</em></blockquote></div>GIVE AND RECEIVE ! A NEW SHARING ECONOMY PROJECT IS ON !https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/give-and-receive-a-new-sharing-economy-project-is-on2013-06-24T08:30:00.000Z2013-06-24T08:30:00.000ZgrandtourGOhttps://tripatini.com/members/grandtourGO<div><div>In today’s world the sharing economy or collaborative consumption is changing the way we do business and we socialize with others.</div><p><br /> Some experts believe that this new trend is the next generation of the internet, which provides the social context for a peer-to-peer connections. The sharing economy is a revolution of underutilized time, space, skills and resources.<br /> <br /> Today anyone can be a <b>tour guide</b> a car rental agency, a professor, offer his home as a hotel or offer other services. People can save or make money easily with web-based services that provide them with the social context to do so.<br /> <br /></p><div>Nowadays instead of buying or renting from a company, neighbors, friends-of-friends and perfect strangers can do business with each other. Now anyone can be a <b>social entrepreneur</b>… virtually overnight.</div><div><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008773658,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="639" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008773658,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="9008773658?profile=original" /></a></div><div>Picture of Naoaki</div><div><div>Aware of that unstoppable trend , we encourage passionate people like you to <b>share their local knowledge and expertise </b>with worldwide travelers.</div><div>You know better the unique characteristics of you place and community and how can enrich others in many ways.</div><div>In grandtourGO (<a href="http://www.grandtourGO.com">www.grandtourGO.com</a>) we have broken down a wide range of activities into four main categories:</div><div>-Culturally</div><div>-Socially</div><div>-Gastronomically</div><div>-Physically</div><div>Don’t hold back in creating your own experience or tour! Look around you and start thinking which will be your contribution to the society and make money at the same time.</div><div><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008773880,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="571" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008773880,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="9008773880?profile=original" /></a></div><div>Picture of Tolga</div><div>These are our recommendations:</div><div>-Try to be original and creative and, above all, makes sure that the activities and experiences you offer highlight the cultural and social values of the community.</div><div><div>-Take a moment to see what other locals offer elsewhere and be inspired.</div><div>-Do not limit yourself to one activity. The more activities you provide, the more opportunities you have to share your special places and to offer your expertise.</div><div>Meet some <b>local entrepreneurs</b> from the four corners of our planet:</div><div><a href="https://www.grandtourgo.com/en/local-guide/japan/Taito/5184a453117f4c385a00004b">Naokai</a> is a passionate traveler and japanese culture lover who offers tours in Tokyo.</div><div><a href="https://www.grandtourgo.com/en/local-guide/turkey/Istanbul/518032a1117f4ce02800007d">Tolga</a> is a professional and highly knowledgeable tour guide from Istanbul who has designed an exclusive portfolio of cultural activities to seduce the most demanding travelers.</div><div><a href="https://www.grandtourgo.com/en/local-guide/france/Biarritz/517fe070117f4cfc2500001c">Beatrice</a> is a very active person with an excellent touch and sophistication capable of offering super exclusive tours around France and Spain.</div><div><a href="https://www.grandtourgo.com/en/local-guide/vietnam/Hanoi/518337d1117f4c63490000b5">Gem</a> is a foodie and very spiritual person with a great concern of needy people who loves sharing her cooking knowledge with worldwide travelers visiting Hanoi.</div></div></div></div>Salamanca, The Soul of Spainhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/salamanca-the-soul-of-spain2010-09-10T20:30:00.000Z2010-09-10T20:30:00.000ZKaleel Sakakeenyhttps://tripatini.com/members/KaleelSakakeeny<div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9LP-Ah1mEHT0y2YofKJnAQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_AnBusKXSA8o/TIf1vS1OmiI/AAAAAAAAB_s/SIADJuwE6FQ/s800/salamanca_plaza.jpg" alt="salamanca_plaza.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/travel.video/NMTImages?feat=embedwebsite">NMT Images</a></td></tr></table>Please watch the 1 min, sound-rich Travel Video PostCard at the end of this post<br /><br />Salamanca sits at the edge of a greening plane, dominated by a skyline of domed cathedrals and dun-colored walls, embracing the town in a timeless medieval clinch. <br /><br />The Spaniards call Salamanca “the soul of the Spanish nation," because it's the birthplace of Castilian,the Spanish language. <br /><br />Walk Salamanca's streets. It’s the only way to experience the layers of Roman, Visigothic, Islamic cultures that shaped the city for centuries. <br /><br /> “starting point” has to be the sprawling University, a 13th century masterpiece that still gives off a powerful sense of history and learning. Today, beautiful students stride with youthful confidence, chatting on smart phones as they pass beneath imposing arches where some of the world's greatest scholars walked and taught. <br /><br /> Look into the perfectly preserved classroom of Friar Luis de Leon. The hapless but gutsy priest infuriated the Spanish Inquisition by translating forbidden books, was arrested in his classroom. Tortured and imprisoned for five years by the Inquisition, he was eventually released, and when he was he walked back into to his classroom, he resumed teaching with the words all of Salamanca will never forget: “<span style="font-style:italic;">Como decimos ayer</span>.” As we were saying yesterday. <br /><br />Throughout the narrow,twisting streets of this walled city, plazas and parks peek out from towering church buttresses. <br /><br />They're magically tucked away in the shadow of a cathedral or defunct convent, centers of conversation and laughter. <br /><br />Stop at cafe for a taste of Salamanca’s salty, tangy cheeses, exceptional local sausages and smoked meats with a glass of the local, inexpensive red wine from <span style="font-style:italic;">Rioja</span>. <br /><br />You'll always hear the strains of a sad, solitary violin from a musician somewhere in the maze, echoing off the cloistered homes and curving walls. <br /><br />By night, Salamanca is a different place. The vaulted arches and multi-leveled, intricately carved spires are tinted with a pink glow from artfully arranged lights that highlight the ornate designs and architecture. <br /><br />Clusters of costumed dancers, castanets snapping, spill from a restaurants, performing a local dance to the delight of passersby. <br /><br />The restaurants and cafes are open until very late, and since there are no characterless chain hotels, you'll stay at one the boutique accommodations on any side street or plaza. Learn a little Spanish. Not much English is spoken here, but in this old and proud city, manners and simple courtesies matter more. <br /><br /> You might enjoy this <a href="http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/fall03/pfeiffer/plazamayor.htm">Walking Tour of Salamanca</a> before you go. But do go!<br /><br /><br /><object width="480" height="385" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/azHaFJM9obg?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/azHaFJM9obg?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" ></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="false" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/azHaFJM9obg?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" width="480" height="385" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div>Chasing Ghosts, Ghouls & the Devil in Barcelonahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/barcelona-catalonia-spain-haunted-ghosts-devil-ghouls2019-10-31T09:30:00.000Z2019-10-31T09:30:00.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><img class="aligncenter" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_FeSj78HuI/TT7arjKbe_I/AAAAAAAAB48/LmLfo-FX7oI/s898/Bloc%2BFantasmes%2B%25282%2529.jpg" alt="Image result for fantasmes de barcelona" width="870" height="441" /><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="http://fantasmesdebarcelona.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">fantasmesdebarcelona.blogspot.com</a></em></span></p><p><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>by Inka Piegsa-Quischotte</em></span><br /> <br /> <br /> 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 <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/10-barcelona-bucket-listers" target="_blank">Barcelona</a></strong> last winter that was hair raising – in a good way. And what better day than Halloween to tell you about it?</p><p>Like most ancient cities, <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/spain-catalonia-barcelona-girona-tarragona-lleida" target="_blank">Catalonia</a></strong>’s capital is chock-full full of history, legends – and ghosts. And if that kind of thing gets your ecoplasm going, the city’s tourism office runs a creepy little stroll that might be right up your dark alley.</p><p>Conducted from 10:30 pm to midnight on Fridays during winter and Fridays/Saturdays the rest of the year, “<a href="http://bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com/shopv3/en/product/22112/ghosts-of-barcelona.html" target="_blank"><strong>Fantasmes de Barcelona</strong></a>” is based on an eponymous book by Catalan author <strong>Sylvia Lagarda Mata</strong>, who collected stories about ghosts, murders, legends, and mysteries of the city, especially during the Middle Ages.<br /> </p><h6><em><a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/L2F-Oct-17-pic-Spain-Barcelona-ghosts-alleyway.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/L2F-Oct-17-pic-Spain-Barcelona-ghosts-alleyway.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="L2F-Oct-17-pic-Spain-Barcelona-ghosts-alleyway.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a></em><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Barcelona Turisme</em></span></h6><p> </p><p>Our little group, bundled up and wearing sensible shoes, gathered under the late-19th-century <strong>Arc de Triomf</strong>, and off we went, wandering deep into the shadowy, creepy alleys and byways of the <strong>Born</strong>, <strong>Ripoll</strong>, and <strong>Ciutat Vella</strong> to our final destination at <strong>Santa Maria del Mar Basilica</strong>.</p><p>Along the way, our entertaining guide Carme’s stories turned from weird to gruesome, sending delicious shivers down all of our spines (in addition to those induced by the clammy nighttime cold). According to her, the spirits of exorcists, murdered maids, and apprentices roam the streets of the Born and their wailing can be heard on nights with a full moon.</p><p>One example came on our first stop in the <strong>Port Nou</strong> waterfront district: a house which once belonged to a farmer known for growing the best onions in town (in mediaeval times, this area outside the old city walls was largely farmland). Our farmer was so proud of them, he counted them every day. One day, he noticed that onions were missing and discovered that the <strong>Devil</strong> had stolen them. He cursed the Devil, and for his effrontery was turned into a ghost who was hunting for his treasures in eternity, pockets bulging with onions, and trailing the smell behind him forever.</p><p><strong>Old Nick</strong> does feature a fair bit in these stories. For example, <strong>Santa Catarina Market</strong> is a lively produce market by day, remarkable for its recently added, undulating, multicolour roof. But at night the underlying ruins of the onetime <strong>Santa Catarina Convent</strong> are illuminated. The legend goes that one night a stranger entered the church and asked the priest who was about to shut things up for the night to urgently hear his confession. The priest told him to come back the next day and the stranger, no other than Satan, set fire to the convent, which was never rebuilt (why the <strong>Prince of Darkness</strong> would want to confess to a priest was never made clear).</p><p> </p><h6><em> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12270471874,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12270471874,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="12270471874?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;">Barcelona Turisme</span></em></h6><p><br /> At one point we came stopped at the entrance to a narrow, particularly mean looking narrow alleyway barely lit by a single lightbulb. “Do people actually live here?” one of us asked incredulously. “Oh yes,” Carme replied. “They have since the Middle Ages, and that’s where our next story happened. You are facing Barcelona’s narrowest street, the <strong>Carrer de les Mosques</strong> (Street of the Flies) . At the time, people had the bad habit of throwing their water and waste just out the windows. You can imagine the smell and the number of mosquitoes which just thrived on it. One night, a maid fell out of a third floor window. To everyone’s surprise she didn’t suffer even a scratch. Legend has it that the mosquitoes formed a dense cloud on which she safely glided to the ground.” That story caused a few chuckles at the thought of those pesky little bloodsuckers as life savers.</p><p><br /> More twists and turns, and then Carme stopped in front of a wall with an inlaid arch. “Look closely,” she said. “You’ll see faces in the stones.” With a bit imagination you could see the outlines of noses, eyes and mouths. “We are standing in front of the <strong>Hostal Flor de Lliri</strong>, in the Middle Ages the city’s best and most famous hostel, much in demand and always booked. A merchant had walked all the way from <strong>Zaragoza</strong>, and dead tired, got lost trying to find the hostal. Out of the blue, a beautiful lady materialised, taking him by the hand and leading him to the door. Before she disappeared she whispered ‘don’t sleep in the bed’. Happy to get the last available room, the traveller looked around but couldn’t see anything wrong. However, tired as he was, he heeded the advice of the mystery lady and slept on the floor alongside the bed. He was woken by desperate screams. As it turned out, the landlord was a vicious murderer who had fixed ropes to the legs of the bed connected to a pulley outside which turned the bed into a trap, folding up on the unsuspecting guests and suffocating them so he could calmly rob them. Legend has it, that the faces in the stones are those of his many victims. “I guess, I’ll look closely at my hotel bed tonight”, another group member commented wryly.</p><p><br /> <br /> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/47pNpkc5qAM?wmode=opaque" width="750" height="415" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> After several more stops and follicle-raising anecdotes, the tour ended at the 14th-century basilica of <strong>Santa Maria del Mar</strong>, a wonderful example of <strong>Catalan Gothic</strong> and the scene of a long story involving a young nun, a secret lover and a miraculous rising from the dead by night. As Carme explained, this event led to the practice of attaching a wire connected to a bell in the graveyard to the fingers of recently buried bodies, so they could raise the alarm if they were still alive.</p><p><br /> On the dot of midnight, with church bells tolling all around, Fantasmes de Barcelona came to an end. The appeal of <a href="http://bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com/shopv3/en/product/22112/ghosts-of-barcelona.html" target="_blank">this 14-euro tour</a> is not only the fascinating frissons from the past but also to see well known buildings like the market and basilica in a new light. Happy Halloween!</p><p> </p></div>Gibraltar: Experience a European Relic From Colonial Timeshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/gibraltar-experience-a-european-relic-from-colonial-times2013-08-13T11:30:00.000Z2013-08-13T11:30:00.000ZTraveling Erikhttps://tripatini.com/members/TravelingErik<div><p><span class="font-size-5">With its strategic position overlooking the strait that parts the Mediterranean from the Atlantic, <em>Gibraltar</em> remains in British hands. For tourists, it also makes an almost unique journey back to the colonial times when Britain ruled the world, reports Erik Bergin.</span></p>
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<p><strong><span class="dropcap">A</span>fter the British</strong> handed back <a href="http://travelingreporter.com/hong-kong/">Hong Kong</a> to China in 1997, there’s not much left of the former glorious British Empire, that once ruled land and seas around the globe.But one British outpost remains, undisturbed by Spain’s opposition: <em>Gibraltar</em>, with its mighty cliff looming over the Mediterranean on the northern, Spanish side of <em>Strait of Gibraltar</em>.<br /> </p>
<div id="attachment_9832" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="http://travelingreporter.com/gibraltar-tourism-experience-a-european-relic-from-colonial-times/gibraltar-map/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://i0.wp.com/travelingreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/gibraltar-map.png?resize=615%2C283&b6da7a&profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="gibraltar-map.png?resize=615%2C283&b6da7a&profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text"><em><span class="font-size-1">Google Maps.</span></em></p>
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<p><strong>One can understand</strong> Spain’s frustration over the fact that London stubbornly refuses to hand back the cliff, which has been in British possession since 1713. On the other hand, why should they – after the War of the Spanish Succession the territory was ceded to Britain “in perpetuity” under the Treaty of Utrecht, quickly becoming an important naval base for the Royal Navy. Three hundred years later, tourism, gambling and shipping are the main driving forces behind the economy of Gibraltar.</p>
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<p><span style="color:#ff0000;">•</span> <span style="color:#808080;">MORE ON TRAVEL: </span><a href="http://travelingreporter.com" target="_blank">TravelingReporter.com</a></p>
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<div id="vcmad_65172">Gibraltar is a peculiar place. This small peninsula holds a transit and customs area, an airport, a port, a British village and two settlements, offices and the cliff itself, all in an area no larger than 6.8 km². It holds a position as one of the world’s most populous regions, with an average of 4,290 people per square kilometer.</div>
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<div id="attachment_10800" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="http://travelingreporter.com/gibraltar-tourism-experience-a-european-relic-from-colonial-times/gibraltar-1/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://i0.wp.com/travelingreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/gibraltar-1.jpg?resize=601%2C352&b6da7a&profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="gibraltar-1.jpg?resize=601%2C352&b6da7a&profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text"><em><span class="font-size-1">A much-viewed angle of the Gibraltar rock. Photo: <a href="http://travelingreporter.com" target="_blank">TravelingReporter.com</a></span></em></p>
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<p><strong>We arrive by car</strong> from Spain, approaching the cliff from west. This makes for a good photo opportunity, with Gibraltar’s mountainous geography towering over the surrounding landscape (picture above).</p>
<p>Hitting the customs station a few minutes after our photo session, we expect entering Gibraltar to be an easy procedure. After all, it’s all Europe, right? </p>
<p>“Passports if you would, please, Sir.” A stiff British customs officer thoroughly examines our documents. He glares suspiciously at our rental car, with Spanish plates. We suddenly get the feeling that our passage into Gibraltar is not about experiencing a historic landmark, but exiting Spain and entering Great Britain. You can say much about the British, but they don’t take their duties lightly.</p>
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<p><strong>Having not pre-arranged</strong> any lodging, we go about finding a hostel in the small village. We soon find out it’s not cheap. In fact, prices seem higher than normal. A British bar tender explains why.</p>
<p>“The Brits fiddle with the exchange rate,” he says, apparently including himself in the ongoing scam. “Normally, the rate between the Euro and the Pound might be like 1.2–1.3. Here in Gibraltar, it can be like 1.7,” he says happily.</p>
<p>This means it is more expensive to buy British pounds in Gibraltar than in the UK, so it is a good idea to bring Sterling that you might have lying around at home into the colony.</p>
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<div id="attachment_9833" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="http://travelingreporter.com/gibraltar-tourism-experience-a-european-relic-from-colonial-times/gibraltar-satellite-photo/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://i1.wp.com/travelingreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/gibraltar-satellite-photo.png?resize=615%2C1100&b6da7a&profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="gibraltar-satellite-photo.png?resize=615%2C1100&b6da7a&profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text"><em><span class="font-size-1">Google Maps</span></em></p>
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<p><strong>Tales of high price tags</strong> in Gibraltar are plenty around the Internet’s many travel blogs, too.</p>
<p><em>“The lunch we had in a cafe in one of the side streets was quite forgettable and memorable only for how much it cost after the cheap meals in Spain. We were happy to leave Gibraltar and see no need to go back,</em>” writes a couple of Aussies on their European <a href="http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Gibraltar/blog-795168.html" target="_blank">road trip blog</a>.</p>
<p>The Lonely Planet notes on its <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/gibraltar/practical-information/money-costs#ixzz2ZsZaR2Fu" target="_blank">Gibraltar guide page</a> that, <em>“You can spend euros (except in pay phones and post offices) but conversion rates are poor.” </em></p>
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<div id="attachment_10801" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="http://travelingreporter.com/gibraltar-tourism-experience-a-european-relic-from-colonial-times/gibraltar-2/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://i1.wp.com/travelingreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/gibraltar-2.jpg?resize=604%2C453&b6da7a&profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="gibraltar-2.jpg?resize=604%2C453&b6da7a&profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text"><em><span class="font-size-1">The postcard view from atop of the Rock offers a spectacular panorama over the strait between Africa and Europe. Photo: <a href="http://travelingreporter.com" target="_blank">TravelingReporter.com</a></span></em></p>
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<p><strong>The actual town isn’t</strong> much to see either, carrying none of the charm and coziness that are generally found in small towns around Britain. As Photito writes on his <a href="http://photito.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/eyes-on-gibraltar/" target="_blank">blog</a>, <em>“Visually Gibraltar is not particularly pleasing to the eye. The population of roughly thirty thousand is rising, and as a small peninsula with a very large Rock in the middle, land is scarce. They reclaim land from the sea – almost continuously – in order to construct tall tower blocks, and in spite of short distances, the Gibraltarians are fond of their vehicles. Too much traffic and a lot of ugly high risers are not my favourite two things in the world, but if you manage to see beyond this, Gibraltar actually has a lot going for it.”</em></p>
<p>Really, Gibraltar tourism isn’t about offering an abundance of sights and experiences, but rather for the visitor to be able to pick out the good pieces from a rather narrow selection. It helps if you are into history, too, as this is first and foremost a historic landmark.</p>
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<p><strong>Gibraltar has some beaches,</strong> on the peninsula’s eastern side, so it is possible to stay and relax here for a few days if you pass the place on a Spanish road trip. However, considering the quite high prices and the fact that nearby Spain itself provides an endless row of beaches of all kinds, you probably shouldn’t travel to this British outpost just for the opportunity to go and have a swim. </p>
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<p><strong>Instead, Gibraltar’s main drawcard</strong> is the imposing Rock, rising 426 meters off the ground. You can buy a tour to the summit, or get the cable car to the top, but it’s also very much possible to drive yourself there. This is done via narrow serpentine roads, winding themselves upwards, passing lookouts and passages good for photos.</p>
<p>The cliff is home to a peculiar sort of monkeys, not afraid of humans and quite intrusive. Suddenly we hear a bump on the roof of the car. The next second a monkey sits on the hood, looking at us inside the vehicle as if we were animals ourselves.</p>
<div id="attachment_10802" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="http://travelingreporter.com/gibraltar-tourism-experience-a-european-relic-from-colonial-times/gibraltar-3/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://i2.wp.com/travelingreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/gibraltar-3.jpg?resize=604%2C453&b6da7a&profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="gibraltar-3.jpg?resize=604%2C453&b6da7a&profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text"><span class="font-size-1"><em>The curiosity of his monkey got the better of him of her. Photo: TravelingReporter.com</em></span></p>
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<p><strong>But it is the spectacular view from</strong> the Rock’s summit that is the real drawcard of Gibraltar. From here, one can easily spot numerous vessels lying at anchor awaiting their turn to approach the port of Gibraltar, which is situated on the west side of the peninsula.</p>
<p>It is an eerie sight, which also explains why Gibraltar was, and apparently is (but perhaps for other reasons), such an important stronghold for the British. From the Rock, it is possible to keep track of virtually every vessel (above water) trying to make it in or out of the Mediterranean. During wartime, possession of the Rock was thus a huge strategical advantage.</p>
<p>These days, it at least makes for a good tourist destination, albeit not much more. But as a monument over Europe’s past, dark times, Gibraltar stands its ground.</p>
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