It will only take you a couple of hours to drive to the Dolmen of Guadalperal from Madrid. And the best time to visit this monument – thought to be around 7,000 years old – is during a spell of dry weather. Zoom right in on the map below and you’ll...
To be fair I’ll have to admt that I don’t truly know what the top attraction is in Barcelona for visitors. But if I had to guess, I’d say the Sagrada Família, wouldn’t you?But I’d imagine that La Boqueria, the huge market, would run a...
Now I don’t know about you, but when I first saw the photograph above, I assumed that it was taken somewhere pretty rural. Definitely somewhere in the country and somewhere, I thought, with a tropical climate. Either that or maybe some sort of zoo or tropical...
For many years, the Chamberi station – part of Madrid’s metro system – was left abandoned.It was part of the original underground when it was built in 1919. It was one of the eight stations that formed the original network and was designed by...
When you’re travelling in the Mediterranean area, it may be that you have a good – or reasonably good – grasp of the languages you hear. Travelling through the South of France, into Monaco, over to northern Italy … those languages you hear are...
Recently, we’ve discussed the Swedish fika and the English custom of afternoon tea so it’s interesting to see what other countries have as afternoon traditions. What about the Spanish? When you’re visiting Spain will you find an afternoon tradition...
The Village of Juzcar nestles in a valley in the Andalusia area of Southern Spain. It is – or rather, was – one of the White Villages of Andalusia – the traditional whitewashed villages that have not changed for hundreds of years. And Juzcar was...
It’s very tricky to pronounce, it was used as a filming location for an episode of The Game of Thrones – and it’s totally amazing. For centuries, the sea of the Bay of Biscay has been pounding this Basque Country coastline and forming all manner of...
When you read about the history of this astonishing building – erected in 1975 – it’s likely that you’ll be told that the architect was Spaniard Ricardo Bofill. Well, yes, but in fact Bofill never completed his architectural training. The...
Spain remains the second most visited country in the world. But in the twentieth century many of its visitors were flocking to inexpensive coastal resorts for cheap beach vacations. People visited the country but saw nothing beyond the suntan and beachside bars....
Travelling these days is so different than in times gone by, especially for those of us who want – or need – to travel on a restricted budget. Staying in a hostel is a budget-conscious way to see the world and meet new people and costs are low. At time of...
If you’re not fond of heights then El Caminito del Rey is somewhere that you really shouldn’t go. But if heights don’t bother you, or if you enjoy being scared out of your wits then this scary hike is definitely for you. The walkway runs alongside...
For many years now, travellers have been attracted to abandoned places. This isn’t surprising as most have an atmosphere that’s hard to compare with anywhere else. It’s as though, forgive a little poeticness – these place still retain the...
One of the most famous buildings in Spain had its construction started in 1882. And it’s still not completed. It’s estimated that Gaudi’s Sagrada Família in Barcelona will finally be fully completed in 2026. Gaudi himself died exactly one hundred...
In the spring of 2017, it was announced that Antoni Gaudi’s Casa Vicens in Barcelona would be opened to the public as a museum later in the year. What wonderful news for those of us who have drooled over his other buildings in this fabulous city. We’ve...
Since 1961 Justo Gallego had had just one aim and that is to build a cathedral in Mejorada del Campo in the Community of Madrid, Spain. Opinions are still divided regarding Justo – is he devout or simply a madman? He has no permit to erect the building and there...
I’ve always loved Barcelona and if you want to stay there in style – in a wonderful historic building – then you’ll want to take a look at the Cotton House Hotel. You’ll see photographs and a video below. It’s certainly a luxury...
Restaurante Sobrino de Botín in Madrid claims to be the world’s oldest continuously operating restaurant in the world. Wikipedia, on the other hand, begs to differ and cites an older restaurant in China but really, the argument is a moot one as the Guinness Book...
Everyone has a holioday that truly stands out in their minds. For me, it happened many years ago – more years than I’d like to admit. It was a wonderful road trip through Europe (mostly Spain) and into Morocco. It was an excellent opportunity to explore...
