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Barcelona, Spain
A
tourist favorite, rising above the Barcelona
harbor is Hilltop Montjuic Park, which
was named for the Jewish community that
once lived on its slopes. It's popular
for the castle, amusement park, gardens
and cluster of museums that occupy the
land. If you are thinking of visiting,
a cable lift links the harbor to the
nearby park.
Barcelona's medieval Barri Grotic is
an open-air museum based in 12th- and
13th-Century architecture. When wandering
in the old quarters, stop in at a nearby
café to enjoy a quick bite. Many
of the nearby businesses make excellent
use of the area's old buildings. [Read]
Mellorca, Spain
Native son Guillermo Sagrera designed
the Llotja, Mallorca's 15th-Century
commodities exchange. Its rich carving
incorporates a fortified, defensive
façade, but the interior is as
elegant as architecture gets. Near the
old harbor, there is no way to miss
the Llotja. Behind the graceful structure
Mansion del Arte are some of Francisco
Goya's etchings and original works by
Pablo Picasso.
Palma's gothic La Seu Cathedral is one
of the most recognizable city landmarks.
Constrcution on the building beganin
the 13th century, but it took 300 years
to complete. The Cathedral is the final
resting place for the Mallorcan kings,
as their tombs line the chapel. There
are many steps, but the ornate interior
- designed, in part by Barcelona architect
Antonio Gaudi - is worth the climb.
Perhaps most impressive is the enormous
harbor-side doorway. [Read]
Valencia, Spain's Festival of Flowers, Fireworks and Flames
For Valencians, looking forward to spring does includes flowers, but it also includes lots of firecrackers, cannons, fireworks and flames.
Fallas, which runs from March 14 through 19 each year, is a ritual rooted in Pagan times that’s been recast as a Roman Catholic celebration of spring. It’s hard to imagine how any work gets done in this city of 820,000 during those six festival days.
On March 17 and 18, hundreds of thousands of blossoms are carried through the streets of this Spanish coastal town during two days of elegant ritual. Men, women and children dressed in traditional costumes — accompanied by bands playing everything from boleros to rock music — parade through the center of town carrying floral offerings to the plaza in front of the Basílica de La Virgen de Los Desamparados. [Read]
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