Category Archives: Spain

Spain

A whirlwind trip through some of Spain’s amazing cities

Madrid

We met our friends Dan and Kathy from Canada in Madrid. From there we did a tour of some of the most beautiful cities of Spain. We of course began our adventure in Madrid. We walked the city centre exploring the architecture, food and culture of Madrid. 

Dan in front of a Bocadillo restaurant in Madrid

Ibérico de bellota, is a type of ham, the ¨bellota¨  refers to the acorn-rich diets of free-range Iberian pigs. It is considered one of the best type of ham in Spain.

Shelley, Kathy and Dan in front of the oldest restaurant in the world ¨Botin¨ located in Madrid.
View of the Palacio de Comunicaciones in Madrid
The front of the Royal Palace of Madrid

We decided to take a break and try some Madrid tapas. 

Dan enjoying tapas in Madrid

Toledo

The following day we took the high speed train to Toledo.

Kathy and Dan at the Toledo sign

The city of Toledo represents the essence and soul of Spain.  There are beautiful historical landmarks that are located throughout the city. Toledo was declared a Historic-Artistic Site by UNESCO in 1940 and later, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986 for its extensive monumental and cultural heritage.   It has a rich and long history and  dates back to the fifth century BC.  In 193 BC, it was taken by the roman empire and remained an important city. During the ages Toledo was known for the quality of the weapons it made for the Romans.

Store front in Toledo selling assorted swords and knives.

We went into the ¨Iglesia de los Jesuitas¨ a beautiful 18th-century baroque church.

Iglesia de los Jesuitas in Toledo Spain

We explored the church and even went up the tower and onto the roof area. 

From there we could see the spectacular views of Toledo and the surrounding area. 

View of Toledo Spain from the roof of the Iglesia de los Jusuitas

We had a wonderful day in Toledo exploring the many sites and historic areas.

Barcelona

The following day we took the high speed train from Madrid to Barcelona. The train speed was as fast as 300 kilometers per hour during the trip. We arrived in the heart of the city and began exploring the second largest city in Spain. 

We went to the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, known as the Sagrada Familia basilica. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is  an extraordinary cathedral. It is the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. Designed by the Famous  architect Antoni Gaudí,

Barcelona Cathedral

 

Dan in the base of the Sagrada Familia church

We went to see the Güel park which was built from 1900 to 1914. It was designed by the same architect Mr. Antoni Gaudí that was in charge of the construction of the Sagrada Familia Church. The Güel park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. It is one of the large green spaces in Barcelona, ​​with more than 17 hectares. We walked throughout the park admiring the unique designs of the walls and walkways. 

entrance area of the Guadi Park in Barcelona
The Entrance to the Güel park in Barcelona
One of the stone walls along the walkway in the Güel Park in Barcelona
Stone pillars of the bridge section in Güel Park
Shelley towards the top of the Güel park with views that overlook Barcelona

After exploring Barcelona for a few days we were off on the train again this time to Alicante

Alicante

Alicante is a historic Mediterranean port city with a long rich history.  The history of Alicante spans thousands of years. The first settlements in the Alicante area were made by Iberian tribes. Since then the area has been inhabited successively by Greeks, Romans, Muslims, and Christians. Today Alicante is a bustling city of over 320,000 population. 

Kathy and Dan near the entrance to the Castillo de Santa Bárbara in Alicante

We explored the city and walked the beautiful coastline of the Mediterranean sea enjoying the kilometres of white sandy beaches.

Kathy, Dan, Shelley and Ray on the beach in Alicante
Kathy and Dan walking in the Mediterranean sea in Alicante
Kathy and Dan leaving their mark on the shore of the mediterranean Sea.

Over the next few days we explored the city at a relaxed pace. We walked the promenade. It was decorated for Christmas and there was a very large nativity scene on the promenade.

Kathy and Dan at luceros plaza in Alicante
10 meter hight Nativity scene on the promenade in Alicante
Dan and Kathy on the Promenade in Alicante
Dan and Kathy in front of an old  Ficus Microcarpa tree in the Canalejas Park in Alicante.

We explored some museums which were quite unique. The Fogueres Festival museum was very special with different fogueres on display.

Kathy and Dan in the Fogueres Museum in Alicante

We went to the Castillo de Santa Barbara and explored this historic castle.

View of the Santa Bárbara castle from the waterfront of Alicante.

The medieval castle is a historic landmark and was built on the top of Mount Benacantil. The views of the mediterranean Sea where amazing and the colour of the water stunning.

View from the top of the Castle of Santa Bárbara in Alicante
Partial view of the castle and the mediterranean sea
Kathy and Dan with some Knights of the Castle of Santa Barbara
Kathy, Dan and Shelley on a section of the castle of Santa Barbara

Kathy in the lookout on the top of the Santa Bárbara Castle

Kathy on the lookout tower of the Santa Bárbara Castle in Alicante.

While in Alicante we enjoyed trying a few of the traditional Spanish restaurants and walking through the fresh food markets.

Dan and Kathy at one of the Spanish restaurants in Alicante
Guadalest

After spending time in Alicante we took a few day trips around the area. The first trip was to Gaudalest a small village anchored in a small valley. Gaudalest was declared a Historic-Artistic monument in 1974. It is known for its ‘castle’, which is literally hanging on the edge of the cliffs.

Kathy and Dan looking out over the Valley in Guadalest

We did a day trip with our friend and tour guide Filipe to a town called Novelda.

Novelda

The day began with a tour of the Mola castle which stands 360 metres above sea level. The castle was built in the late 12th century by  Islamic occupiers. The castle was originally a polygonal layout with eight square turrets jutting out from the outer wall, although only four still survive today.

Dan, Kathy and Shelley with Filipe explaining the history of the Mola castle

We climbed the steep narrow stairs inside the towers reaching the top of the tower. 

Narrow and steep staircase within the Mola castle

We also could see the remains of the 12th century layout of the castle from the rooftop.

View of the remains of the rooms within the 12th century castle

We could also see the church Shrine of Mary Magdalene .

View from Castle of the Church Shrine of Mary Magdalene
The church Shrine of Mary Magdalene in Novelda

We explored this amazing and unique church. Work began on the church in 1918 and was completed in three phases.  The architect Jose Sala Sala, who is a native of Novelda, he dedicated the church to Mary Magdalene, the patron saint of Novelda. 

The outside is made of stone, brick and marble with a similar style to the Sagrada Familia Church in Barcelona.

Outside walls of the church

The main entrance archway is made of large sections of marble and is quite  impressive. The marble organ system which is still under construction is made completely of marble. The three main marble pipes are mounted above the entranceway of the church. 

Shelley and Dan at the entrance area of the church

After visiting the church we finished our day by visiting the Bodega Casa Cesilia which has a great restaurant.  We enjoyed a great meal and then toured the winery.  

Casa Cesilla winery in Novelda

It was a great way to end our day.  Over the next few days we relaxed and enjoyed home cooked meals and some quiet time in Alicante before heading back out on our next adventure. 

“Las cosas bonitas se aprecian mucho mejor en compañía de amigos”

 

Spain

Oldest restaurant in the world in Madrid

We were in Madrid and exploring the streets when we came across the restaurant called Casa Botin. It is known as the oldest restaurant in the world and was founded in 1725. This is according to the Guinness Book of Records. 

Shelley Kathy and Dan outside of the oldest restaurant in the world Botin in Madrid

It was featured on several documentaries and was listed by Forbes magazine’s as third place of the world’s top 10 classic restaurants. It is renowned for its delicious suckling pig. 

We took a look at the outside of the restaurant and noticed a mockup model of the interior of the restaurant in the window. We stopped and checked out the layout of the nearly 300 year old restaurant. 

The Botin Restaurant model layout

Inside the restaurant was packed with patrons and it was very lively with lots of laughter and chatter..

We decided to ask on the off chance that we could get a table for dinner, even though we did not have a reservation. We were greeted by a friendly waiter who after looking for a few minutes found us a table. We were very fortunate to be able to be accommodated and had a table on the second floor. We walked along the main floor past the kitchen area which as we looked in we could see the wood fired oven and an array of meals being prepared.

The Botin restaurant wood fired oven
Suckling pigs and preparing area inside the kitchen area.

So upstairs we went for a meal at the oldest restaurant. We ordered several different meals including the suckling pig. We had some wine and enjoyed the amazing atmosphere of the restaurant.

Ray and Shelley at the Botin Restaurant in Madrid
Kathy and Dan at the Botin Restaurant in Madrid

 After enjoying our very tasty meals we mentioned to the waiter that we had seen a documentary on the Botin Restaurant. He was very friendly and we even were given a quick tour of the lower area of the restaurant which was quite interesting.

Dan walking down the stairs into the lowest level of the Botin restaurant in Madrid

Shelley, Kathy and Dan in the basement level of Botin Restaurant in Madrid

Down in the lowest level of the restaurant we could see the old curved brink walls of an ancient wine cellar. You could almost see the history come out of the walls. Earnest Hemingway was a regular at the Botin restaurant along with many other celebrities over the centuries.   It was truly a great experience to see and have a meal at the Botin restaurant.

“Disfruta cada día y la vida”

Spain

Vallodolid

We stayed for a few days in the city of Valladolid which is located in the autonomous region of Castile and León. This is also in the Riebera del Duero area. The city of 300 thousand is very beautiful with lots to see and do. 

Statue in front of the Calvary academy in Valladolid. Spain

There were lots of statues that appeared to be randomly placed throughout the city.

Statue of person wearing a pointed hood which hides the identity. Traditionally this is done on the holy week where their faces are covered in mourning, and also as a sign of shame for the sins they have committed throughout the year. .
Statue to honour a police officer
Statues in water fountains

Many times we would be walking along a street and come across a bronze statue of some kind.

Bronze statue of a walking man with umbrella, Shelley taking a stroll with him.

It was easy to see where people sat or touched the statues by the polish on the bronze.

Bronze statue of a person with suitcase and umbrella- Note the polish of the suitcase where people have used as a seat

One in particular that we came across was part of a fountain and was a little bit unexpected and surprised us.

As we got closer to this particular statues it was clear that they were naked men. It was not hard to see where the bronze was polished.

There was a beautiful park located in the centre of the city, so we decided to walk through and check it out.

It wasn’t long after we entered the park that we were being followed.

Peacock in the park in Valladolid Spain
We stopped to take a selfie at one of the fountains located in the park.

We explored some of the many different churches in Valladolid. They were very ornate and quite beautiful. 

Modern Church in Valladolid

We explored the streets of Valladolid and worked our way to the Plaza Mayor.  

Shelley and Ray in Plaza Mayor in Valladolid Spain

The Pisuerga River flows through the city and has beautiful trails on the shoreline. We walked the trail for a while exploring this area of the city.

The city of Valladolid was a great experience and we enjoyed our time very much. I can see us returning in the future to explore more of this city. 

“La vida se trata de las aventuras que tomas y los recuerdos que haces.”

Spain

Bodega Remigio de Salas Jalón experience

We went to explore the Riebera del Duero wine region of Spain. It is one of the top wine making regions in Spain. The area is located on the extensive, elevated northern plateau of the Iberian Peninsula. It follows the Duero river and has ideal conditions for wine making. 

View of part of the Riebera del Duero region in Spain.

We were excited to visit some of the bodegas and experience some wine tours. We began with a visit to the bodega called Remigio de Salas Jalón located in the highest part of the urban centre of Dueñas. It is located in the side of a mountain and the majority of the bodega is located inside manmade caves and is underground. We did a little exploring in the area before heading to the bodega.

Shelley on the mountain side near the bodega
The road up to the bodega Remigio de Salas Jalón
The entrance to the bodega Remigio de Salas Jalón

This area has a long history of ancient wineries and the Salas family has maintained  an authentic age-old wine tradition. The Salas have been making wine since 1738 on this land. This is the fifth generation of the Salas family that has followed in the tradition of wine making on this land.

We were fortunate to have had a private tour of the winery and explored some of the caves that hold the wine.  The grapes are transported to the bodega by tractor and then brought into the bodega by a conveyor type system.  

Grapes brought to the bodega for processing into wine
Wine grapes being loaded into the bodega through a conveyor type system

We began our tour in the main entrance area and before long we were walking down a corridor that went into the dug caves created in the mountain side. It felt as if we were walking back in time to a different era. 

One of the corridors in the cave system of the bodega.

The entire bodega was very impressive but the most unique thing was the Original Roman era wine press that was still inside the bodega. 

The wheel section of the Roman wine press.

The lever area where the wine would be pressed.
Ray in front of the Roman wine press

Once we had toured the bodega of course we had to sample some of their wines. It was a great experience and very memorable. 

“El vino es un pasaporte al mundo.” – Thom Elkjer

Spain

Aljaferia Palace in Zaragoza

We went and explored the Palicio de la Aljafería located in Zaragoza Spain.

Shelley and Ray outside of the Aljaferia Palace in Zaragoza Spain

As we approached the palace it was obvious that this was a fortified palace build several centuries ago. We went through the main gate and into a beautiful inner courtyard. There were orange trees and the smell of orange was prominent in the courtyard. 

Centre courtyard of the Aljaferia Palace in Zaragoza Spain

There was an overwhelming islamic architecture design in the palace. 

From ornate islamic designed frames of doorways to unique ceilings.

Shelley in the Palace of Aljaferia checking out the islamic architecture

We soon discovered that the Palacio de la Aljafería palace was built during the second half of the 11th century in Zaragoza, Spain.  It was designated as a World Heritage Site in 2001 and known for its Spanish Islamic design.

Shelley and Ray in one of the palace rooms with an ornate ceiling design

We wandered through the different rooms and were amazed by the size of the palace even the staircase was massive.

Shelley on the large staircase
One of the staircases in the Aljaferia palace

The palace reflects the amazing details and ornate design during the period attained by the Taifa of Zaragoza. This history was preserved and today the palace is home to regional parliament of Aragon. 

Parliament room in the Aljaferia palace

It was a great place to explore and learn about the rich history of Islamic influence here in Spain. 

“Muchas flores diferentes hacen un ramo”. ~ Proverbio islámico