Spanish Culinary, Wine & Cultural Tours
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About Spain & France
Fill yourself in on everything that makes Spain and neighboring French regions so luxuriously delicious and gorgeous place to experience. Discover hidden gems of Spanish history in Barcelona, Madrid, Girona, San Sebastian, Seville, Toledo, Alt Emporda, Bilbao, Calella de Palafrugell, Besalú or Tarragona, etc., develop your artistic sensibility visiting with us Dali's house and museum, or have an unwinding stroll on quiet cobblestoned streets of Pals or Cadaques. From Gaudi's masterpieces and the colorful La Boqueria market in Barcelona to the vineyards and archaeological sites across Spain; from the exclusive museums and art galleries of Madrid to the glorious histories of Seville and Toledo; the tapas bars and Michelin starred restaurants of San Sebastian to the Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao and the wondrous colours of rich, delicious and tantalizing wines in La Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Penedes, Priorat or Alt Emporda. The magical castle of Carcasonne, the Rose City of Toulousse, the very grand oysters in Collioure region, the age old grandeur of Biarritz and the humbling village of Lourdes in France. Our descriptions will summarize what you've got to look forward to in this treasured area of Europe. If you see something that isn't on the tour you're planning to take, remember one important thing: We can customize tours to meet your interests. Bienvenido!
Catalonia - a gastronomic goldmine hugging Spain’s northern Mediterranean coast - stretches from the Pyrenees at the southern border of France to Tarragona, once the capital of the Western Roman Empire. In between is Catalonia's cosmopolitan capital - Barcelona - a number of quaint cobble-stoned villages and several internationally renowned wineries. Catalonia produces more quality wines than any other region in Spain, selling about 200 million bottles of cava and 180 million bottles of other wines a year. Today Catalonia is also one of the biggest culinary hotspots in the world because of both its traditional and avant garde cuisine.
Though all inhabitants speak Spanish, this region has its own unique culture complete with its own language, Catalan and a national dance called the Sardana that has persevered through hundreds of years of political change.
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Barcelona is nowadays considered by many to be the capital of avant garde cuisine and the hottest gastronomic spot in the world. As you stand in the middle of Barcelona's vibrant Boqueria market - entranced by colorful spices, desserts, fruits, vegetables, seafood and meats from every angle - know that this is only where the sensual diversity and energy of Barcelona begins. From here, Barcelona's fashionable Ramblas lined by the legendary works of architects such as Antonio Gaudi take you through the Eixample District. Labyrinthine streets of the Barcelona Gothic Quarter lead you on a historical adventure through empires of Carthaginians, Romans (especially near Plaça Sant Jaume), Visigoths, Moors, Charlemagne, the Aragon kingdom and beyond.
But today, the combination of avant garde culinary genius, local world-class wines and traditional Catalan cuisine makes Barcelona the best place for a gastronomic tour one can find.
Any culinary authority today will tell you the chefs of Barcelona are the leaders in developing original gourmet menus. In Barcelona you’ll be served dishes you have never seen - like clams with grapefruit sorbet and Campari or sea bass lightly smoked with kefir—but you’ll love it. Barcelona chefs are able to work with a diverse set of fresh local produce and seafood thanks to nearby farmlands and one of the most accessible ports in Europe. This, in addition to creative chemical experiments, ensures that each dish fulfills its potential to all five senses.
Gourmands can also drop into boutiques across Barcelona city specializing in local wine, olive oils, cheeses and meats for exclusive tastings. Through the flavors themselves—perhaps authentic Iberic ham, Siurana olive oil or Mató cheese—you will go through a gastronomic tour of the unique Spanish regions in which each product originates.
Madrid, the capital of Spain, located in the heart of the peninsula and right in the center of the Castillian plain has a population of over three million. A cosmopolitan city, a business center, headquarters for the Public Administration, Government, Spanish Parliament and the home of the Spanish Royal Family, Madrid also plays a major role in both the banking and industrial sectors. Madrid is characterized by intense cultural and artistic activity and a very lively nightlife.
The grand metropolis of Madrid can trace its origins to the times of Arab Emir Mohamed I (852-886), who ordered the construction of a fortress on the left bank of the Manzanares river. At the end of the 17th century, a defensive wall was built for the protection of the new outlying areas, tracing the roads of Segovia, Toledo and Valencia. During the 18th century, under the reign of Carlos III, the great arteries of the city of Madrid were designed, such as the Paseo del Prado and Paseo las Acacias.
Madrid is famous for its Museums: Located in an 18th building designed by Juan de Villanueva, the Prado is considered one of the most important art galleries in the world. The Prado houses masterpieces by for example, Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Botticelli among others. The Museum Thyssen-Bornemisza houses a splendid collection ranging from primitive Flemish to contemporary works. The Reina Sofia Museum is a cultural center containing a permanent collection of Spanish contemporary art and offering a wide variety of temporary exhibitions covering diverse modern artistic styles. The Palacio Real or royal palace is no longer used as a residence, but it has been kept intact since it last functioned as home to the king, primarily serving as a tourist attraction. The palace in Madrid is interesting in its own right, in particular its architecture and gardens
Biarritz has long made its fortune from the sea: as a whaling settlement from the twelfth century onwards, in the 18th century doctors recommended that the ocean at Biarritz had therapeutic properties, inspiring patients to make pilgrimages to the beach for alleged cures for their ailments. Biarritz became more renowned in 1854 when Empress Eugenie (the wife of Napoleon III) built a palace on the beach (now the Hôtel du Palais). The British royal family regularly took vacations in Biarritz: European royalty such as Queen Victoria, Edward VII, and Alfonso XIII of Spain were frequent visitors. Biarritz's casino (opened 10 August 1901) and beaches make the town a notable tourist centre for Europeans.
Seville is located in the South of Spain. The city of Seville is located on the plain of the Guadalquivir river which crosses the city from North to South. The river can be navigated from Seville all the way to its outlet near Sanlúcar de Barrameda, on the Atlantic coast. In the past the port of Seville played an important role in commerce between Spain and the Americas and it remains today one of the most active river ports of the Iberian peninsula.
The long Moorish occupation of the Iberian peninsula, from 711 A.D. to 1248 A.D., left indelible traces in Seville as in all of Al-Andalus. La Giralda, the tower of an important mosque, is the most well-known of the remaining Islamic monuments. In 1492 Seville played an important role in the discovery and conquest of America. Painters such as Velázquez, Murillo and Valdés Leal, and sculptors like Martínez Montañés were born in Seville and left behind important works. The city of Seville also assumed an important role in world literature and was the birthplace of the myth of Don Juan. For all its important monuments and fascinating history, Sevilla is universally famous for being a joyous town. It is the largest town in Southern Spain, the city of Carmen, Don Juan and Figaro
Located between the Jardines de Murillo and the Cathedral, the Alcazar or Royal Palace in Seville is still a vacation spot for the King and Queen; it is one of the best examples of mudéjar architecture in all of Spain. Barrio Santa Cruz originated as Seville’s old Jewish Quarter. Once Saint King Ferdinand III conquered the city, one of the largest Jewish communities in Spain came to Seville, second only to that of Toledo. The streets of Barrio Santa Cruz wind into an enchanting labyrinth, they are narrow and deep to keep out the burning sun of Sevillian summers and create currents of fresh air that relieve high temperatures and make any visit pleasurable. The courtyards, shaded and intimate, lush in plants and flowers, wrap us in their peace and freshness. At the beginning of the last century the decision was made to redevelop Barrio Santa Cruz, under the auspices of the first Regal Commissioner of Tourism, the Marquis de Valle Inclán.
The city of Toledo has its origins in Toletum, the name the Romans gave to this settlement on the banks of the River Tagus after its conquest in 190 BC. The arrival of the Arabs in the 8th century, together with the presence of Christians and Jews, made Toledo the “city of the three cultures”. Synagogues, mosques and churches jostle in the narrow streets of Toledo, which is characterised by the mixture of artistic styles.
Remains of the Jewish community are still preserved in the city in the synagogues of Santa María la Blanca and El Tránsito. The former, built possibly in the 12th century, is also a good example of Toledo's Mudejar art. It has five naves with decreasing heights as well as the characteristic geometrical and botanical decoration and horseshoe arches. Meanwhile, in the synagogue of El Tránsito, built in 1357, you can admire one of the best Mudejar coffered ceilings of all those preserved in Toledo, along with walls richly decorated with geometrical and botanical designs and Hebrew inscriptions. Nowadays, this Jewish place of worship houses the Sephardic Museum, in which an interesting collection of pieces of art and various objects used in Jewish ceremonies are exhibited.
One of the most outstanding buildings in Toledo is the Cathedral, considered one of the high points of Gothic art. The construction of this monumental building, with a basilica floor plan and five naves, commenced in 1226, although it was not finished until the 15th century. On its main facade the outstanding feature is the doorway, made up of three doors: Infierno (Hell), Perdón (Forgiveness) and Juicio (Judgement). The exterior is topped by the two cathedral towers, one of them in flamboyant Gothic style and the other in Gothic-Renaissance.
Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes that are reported to have occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous. At that time, the most prominent feature of Lourdes was the fortified castle that rises up from a rocky escarpment at its centre. Since the apparitions, Lourdes has become one of the world's leading Catholic Marian shrines and the number of visitors grows each year. It has such an important place within the Roman Catholic church, that Pope John Paul II visited the shrine twice on 15 August 1983 and 14–15 August 2004. The five-domed St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Lourdes was designed by Myroslav Nimciv, while its Byzantine interior polychrome decorations were executed by famed artist Jerzy Nowosielski. The church is about a 10-minute walk from the basilica and the grotto, on a street named in honor of Ukraine, situated on a narrow piece of property close to the railroad station. Visible from the basilica, the height of the building makes up for its breadth.
The Walled City of Carcassonne is known first and foremost as a fortified medieval town; but this rocky outcrop has been occupied by man since the 6th century B.C., first as a gaul settlement, then as a Roman town fitted with ramparts as early as the 3rd and 4th centuries A.D. On the western face of this primitive fortification rests the castle, built in the 12th century by the vicomtes Trencavels.In the early 13th century, Carcassonne was taken by Simon de Montfort during the Albigensian Crusade, then annexed to the royal estate. Fortification works lasted throughout the 13th century, with the construction of the outer wall and the modernisation of the inner rampart, making this place an impregnable fortress. The Cité lost its strategic importance after the signing of the Pyrénées Treaty in 1659. In the second half of the 19th century, Carcassonne underwent a major restoration project supervised by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and was included by UNESCO in the World Heritage List.
The jewel of today's Town of Carcassonne, the bastide is hemmed by boulevards built in the 18th and 19th century over the old, once fortified town ditches. The military enclosure and the gates protect the ville basse or lower town. Carcassonne's surrounding wall was built betwen 1355 and 1359, under the orders of the comte d'Armagnac; it was 2,800 metres long; the bastions were built after 1359; at that time, people simply erected in the corners some round-shaped towers, greater than the other parts of the wall. Toward the end of the 16th century, during the wars of religion that devastated the South of France, the town was flanked with 4 bastions located at each corner: the bastion of Saint-Martial in the northwest, the bastion of la Figuières in the northeast, of Montmorency in the southeast, of la Tour Grosse or les Moulins in the southwest (now called du Calvaire).
On the eve of the French Revolution of 1789, the lower town of Carcassonne had yet only 4 gates:
- the western gate, porte de Toulouse or des Augustins (rue de Verdun), adorned with two handsome towers forming like a manor, which were restored in 1749. But because of a Council decree issued on 31 May 1778 ruling that the walls, towers, ditches, ramparts and walkways were to be handed in perpetuity to the Lower Town Community, the consuls let this monument fall into decay, and it was entirely destroyed in 1806.
- The northern gate, porte des Carmes (located at the end of today's rue Georges Clemenceau).
- The western gate, porte des Cordeliers, located at the eastern end of today's rue Aimé Ramond (formerly rue de la Mairie).
- The southern gate, porte des Jacobins, currently preserved and registered on the additional Historical Monuments inventory, together with its surroundings. In the early stages of the Town's construction, the porte des Cordeliers was originally located on the premises of the old Court House gate, at the eastern end of rue Mage (now called rue de Verdun). In 1571 it was moved to the end of rue de la Pellisserie (now rue Aimé Ramond).
The "bastide" has a regular shape, that of a chessboard organised around a central square, Place Carnot adorned with the Fountain of Neptune (1770). The Carcassonne market takes place every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning around this fountain and in the splendid grain exchange, Halle aux Grains (featuring an 18th century frame).
Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of Biscay, Spain. The city of Bilbao is the most financially and industrially active part of Greater Bilbao, the zone in which almost half of the Basque Country’s population lives. Greater Bilbao’s 953,152 inhabitants are spread along the length of the Nervión River, whose banks are home also to numerous businesses and factories, which during the industrial revolution brought heightened prosperity to the region. A major seaport and industrial centre, the city is located on the Estuary of Bilbao, the city's suburbs extending to the Bay of Biscay.
Instantly hailed as the most important structure of its time, Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum Bilbao with close to ninety exhibitions and over ten million visitors to its credit, forever changed the way the world thinks about museums, and continues to challenge assumptions about the connections between art, architecture, and collecting.
The Guggenheim Bilbao's collection spans from the mid-twentieth century to the present day, concentrating on post-war painting and sculpture in America and Europe. The collection includes key works by significant artists including Anselm Kiefer, Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, and Richard Serra, whose work The Matter of Time was created to be a permanent installation in Bilbao's largest gallery.
In Girona, you’ll find an eclectic collection of evidence that Iberians, Romans, Moors, Jews, Charlemagne’s French empire and even more cultures have had a turn at making their mark on “The City of a Thousand Sieges.” But you’ll also find Girona city so beautiful, stylish and peaceful today that Lance Armstrong made it his second home whilst training for 7 Tour de France Championships.
Your walk through one of the best-preserved historical sites in Girona, Spain starts by crossing a bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel, of Eiffel Tower fame, over the Onyar River. Past the facade of colorful buildings with line-drying clothes outside their windows there are ramblas and plazas full of cafes, tapas bars and shops leading you to The Jewish Call. The medieval walls and cobblestone streets of Girona hail from the 12th and 13th centuries when a strong Jewish community thrived here. From here you’ll encounter the towering cathedral of Girona, home to the largest gothic nave ever made. Inside is an embellished stone throne made for the legendary King Charlemagne.
Nearby, Arab Baths reflecting the same images they did 800 years ago await to reveal the influence of the Muslim community that once lived in Girona. Then climb up a hill a little further to find yourself overlooking the entire city, including a long and solid city wall built by the Roman empire stretching out beside you.
After taking in all this, relax in the evening at Michelin 3* Restaurant El Celler de Can Roca, located in Girona. Three brothers - Chef Joan, Sommelier Josep and Dessert Chef Jordí - are the stars here that will create an avant-garde take on traditional Catalan cuisine for your dinner and dessert. Original dishes, served at Celler de Can Roca, like clams with grapefruit sorbet and Campari or colorful perfumed desserts served with vintage wine are another adventure all on their own.
Hidden away from mass tourism, unlike some unfortunate resorts further down the shore by Barcelona, Calella de Palafrugell offers a relaxing break from Spain’s busier spots. This peaceful fishing village has some of the most tranquil seaside walkways in Spain. Visitors to Calella de Palafrugell get intimate views of a gorgeous blue shoreline while walking past the colorful fishing boats that dot the shore or enjoying meals at several shore-front restaurants.
Calella de Palafrugell is also known for its havaneres—old songs Cuban immigrant fishermen sung for over 100 years in local taverns; before the tradition completely died out, in the 1960s, the community started a summer festival to celebrate the custom and it is still popular to this day.
The Greek and Roman ruins of Empuries lie seconds away from waves crashing onto its beautiful beach. Three centuries after the Greeks established a busy trading post in Empuries in the 6th century B.C. Romans docked here to begin their conquest of the Iberian peninsula. The remains of temples, houses, cemeteries, city forums and more lie outside to town. In Empuries, several intricate mosaic floors lie in the same halls in which they laid more than 2,000 years ago. Empuries' living grape vines still wander around the columns of the Roman atriums and offer a sweet snack to summer visitors to Empuries. Because excavation is still in process in Empuries, visitors can also see archeologists at work while they peel more layers off this entire ancient city. The Empuries museum also houses several of the treasures unearthed so far, including intricate jewelry, pottery, mosaics and statues.
Even as you approach the shore at Empuries there is more evidence of ancient Greek society in a large jetty, which is also where the 1992 Olympic flame first came ashore for the Barcelona games. A short walk away from the Empuries Greek Ruins is a quaint collection of restaurants and cafes next to an ancient church in the village of Sant Martí de Empuries.
The small village of Besalu seduces you with tall medieval bridges stretching over the Fluvia River. Inside is one of the most complete and best-preserved collections of Romanesque architecture in Catalonia. This makes Besalu a beautiful town to stroll around, while popping into shops every now and then to taste sausages, cheeses, olive oils and their local specialty, ratafia. This drink is a homemade liquor made out of varying combinations of herbs and nuts grown in the city gardens of Besalu.
Besalu also houses the only remaining Jewish bath house in Europe, the Mikwé. This was a place for ritual cleansing before prayer, marriage and childbirth before the thriving Jewish community was expelled in 1492.
Pals is the best preserved medieval town in Catalonia. In the town of Pals, located in the beautiful Emporda region, you will find a collection of medieval constructions such as Romanesque houses, walkways and a clock tower as well as award-winning restoration. Pals was abandoned during the tumultuous Spanish Civil War, but carefully restored afterwards by a local doctor.
Pals is also home to the oldest rice mill in Europe and the town's economy is still greatly benefited by is successful rice production. Visitors to Pals rice mill can take a glimpse of the process, participate in it if they want and buy the product that has provided the base of traditional paella and other dishes for hundreds of years. Nature lovers will also appreciate that the Pals rice mill beautiful marshlands are home to over 300 species of birds.
Though Figueres has its own remarkable history, most tourists here are on a pilgrimage to a memorial for one of their favorite artists — Salvador Dali. The Dali Museum in Figueres does not just house some of Dalí’s best works, it is one of his best works. Dali himself transformed an old Figueres theater into a museum in order to provide the kind of environment in which he always wanted his work to be viewed - one without catalogs or guided tours. Instead, visitors to the Dali Museum in Figueres are led by their senses from wall to wall and from room to room.
With sofas turning into Mae West’s lips, a portrait of his wife turning into Abraham Lincoln and an outdoor statue turning into an interactive aquatic attraction, visitors are hard-pressed not to investigate every corner of the egg-adorned building of the Dali Museum in Figueres. Paintings to look out for here are The Spectre of Sex Appeal, The Apotheosis of the Dollar, The Happy Horse, Galarina and Self-Portrait with L’Humanité.
Cadaques, in addition to the pleasant features of other nearby seaside villages - the relaxed pace of life, magical coast-line views, quaint and colorful fishing boats moored on the shore - was also the home of Salvador Dali. The town of Cadaques is known for its breathtaking beauty and history of famous Bohemian artists. You will notice the artistic influence on Cadaques as it is apparent in the lingering feel of the laidback and creative atmosphere. In the summer seaside home of Dali, now converted into the Dali House-Museum, complete with his works and arrangement of rooms, you can have a glimpse into his life. Dali's original décor - including a stuffed bear at the entrance, a fountain adorned with tacky Spanish souvenirs and kitchy rooms - remains to inspire the wild interior designer in everyone. Dalí produced many works in Cadaques that started his legendary painting career. As the popularity of his surrealistic genius escalated, Dalí’s creative aura drew flocks of artists small and large, including guests like Mick Jagger and Walt Disney. And, as you enjoy all the bohemian artists lining its fashionable back streets, you’ll see his spirit is still present in Cadaques.
The colorful, energetic and artistic culture of Sitges is famous for being one of the most festive seaside locales in Catalonia. In addition to its vintage car rally, street flower-carpets, film festival and Fiesta Major, Sitges holds a wild pre-Lenten Carnival. There are vivid parades for both children and adults, masked balls and “battle of the sweets” for everyone who wants to give in to their sensual side.
But a fun day and night out can be had in Sitges at almost any time throughout the year, because of its beach culture, art galleries and Carrer I de Maig, otherwise known as the “street of sin.” This street features designer bars, clubs, salsa and flamenco dancing that keep themselves going strong until the early hours of the morning.
After miles of flat, straight coastline, the 'feet' of Languedoc's Pyrenees spill down to the coast, causing it to undulate and rise steeply from the ocean, Collioure feels more like an Italian seaside town, with its impressive fortifications rising from the bay, its pretty pastel houses, and the (often) snow-capped Pyrénées rising impressively in the distance. Coliure is also an oasis of sophistication, with chichi cafés and restaurants catering to Languedoc's wealthier residents - many of whom have apartments there.
Collioure may officially be in France, but is really still part of the Catalonia region. You will find, however, that the combination of French and Catalan culture is a delightful one especially when it comes to food. Visitors to the beach town of Colliure will notice a lively but relaxing café culture without the throngs of tourists inhabiting other surrounding cities. Nearby, ancient vineyards and a towering castle await you for an enriching excursion.
Those wanting to get in touch with the Costa Brava fresh seafood - pun intended - can go to a fish auction like the big one Palamos holds every weekday afternoon at 4:30 or even earlier in the day to see fishermen at work. While investigating the lively culture of Palamos fishing port, watch the windsurfers and sail boats float alongside beautiful harbor views. The sailing culture in Palamos is especially strong since this area served as the venue for the 1992 Olympic sailing competition. Palm-lined promenades can lead you to either the beach or an old quarter of the city of Palamos largely unaffected by tourism.
Once the capital of the Western Roman Empire, the seaside city of Tarragona still has a captivating amount of archeological finds. In Tarragona, an amphitheater where gladiators made the show, a circus where legendary chariot races took place, museum of artifacts and archeological passage give visitors a fabulous setting to envision the ancient empire that once thrived here.
After enriching yourself with these archeological destinations, relax at the beach of Tarragona, in an atmospheric fisherman’s quarter called El Serralló or go shopping on the wide avenues of Tarragona. If you feel like visiting a relaxing hidden treasure, Altafulla is a quaint seaside town near Tarragona with boutique hotels and quiet seashores to walk along.
Peratallada is in the province of Girona in Catalonia and is nowadays considered to be one of the most beautiful villages in Spain. It has a maze of narrow streets and sunny squares, various towers and an 11th – 14th Century Palace. Peratallada village is surrounded by a moat and defensive walls are still in evidence in parts of the village. Peratallada was one of the best fortified medieval villages in Spain. The castle of Peratallada has two main towers, one of which is particularly huge. The palace of Peratallada was built during the 11th to 14th centuries and is made up of a number of buildings surrounding a courtyard. These include the old hospital, the old prison and a tower. There is also the gateway of the virgin. The main square of Peratallada, The Place de les Voltes, is surrounded by arcaded buildings – the original medieval arcades are hidden inside as the buildings were extended out and over the top of them.
Unusually the church of Peratallada, which is Romanesque and from the 13th century, sits outside the main village and rumour has it that this was due to an argument between the priest and the lord of the castle.
Peratallada medieval village is a wonderful place to visit and after a stroll, sit and sip a glass of wine or a coffee in one of the many little cafes hidden in the winding streets or indulge in a tapa or two on the terrace of one of the bars in the square.
Ullastret is a small historic village on the Bay of Emporda and one of the most picturesque villages in the Ampurdan hinterland, with medieval streets typical of a rural settlement and surrounded by three distinct lines of defensive walls. In the centre of the village of Ullastret is the Church of Sant Pere, which is a fine example of the Romanesque style of Ampurdan, with its basilica shape and fine Lombard decoration; note the Gothic ossuary and the carved fantasy animals on the imposts. The old lagoon or lake of Ullastret, which dried up at the end of the 19C, is now a pleasant fertile plain dotted with olive and cypress trees.
Ullastret is also the site of the remains of an Iberian oppidum which recalls the occupation of the region by Greeks from Marseille. The ruins of this former stronghold are a valuable archaeological resource, as they provide a picture of the life of its inhabitants in the 4C and 3C BC. Set on a lush hillside, this area was inhabited continually from 7BC until its mysterious abandonment in the late 17th century. The Ullastret Greek ruins have been carefully excavated to reveal Cyclopean (pre-Iberian) foundations and the remains of houses, water reservoirs and canalisation, and the main square resembles those of certain Greek settlements. The former 14th Century chapel of Sant Andreu now houses the small but excellent Museu Arqueológic d’Ullastret. Here you can really see the impact of the Greeks on Iberian culture.
Ullastret is very unspoiled and as you sit with a coffee at one of the café tables you can easily imagine you are back in medieval times!
Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonised southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name of Granada.
Granada was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon. The name Granada is ancient and mysterious. It may mean "great castle", for the Roman fortress which once stood on the Albaicin Hill.
One of the most brilliant jewels of universal architecture in the Spanish City of Granada is the Alhambra, a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th C. This mighty compound of buildings – including the summer palace called Generalife, with its fountains and gardens - stands at the foot of Spain's highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, and overlooks the city below and the fertile plain of Granada. At the centre of the Alhambra stands the massive Palace of Charles V, an outstanding example of Spanish Renaissance architecture.
Other major Christian monuments found in the city of Granada are the Cathedral, including the Royal Chapel where Isabel and Ferdinand lie buried, the Monastery of La Cartuja and many churches built by Moorish craftsmen after the Reconquest, in Granada's unique "mudéjar" style.
In Granada, the hill facing the Alhambra is the old Moorish casbah or "medina", called the Albaicin, a fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and whitewashed houses with secluded inner gardens, known as "cármenes". The Plaza de San Nicolas, at the highest point of the Albaicin, is famous for its magnificent view of the Moorish palace.
The Sacromonte hill, which overlooks Granada from the North, is famous for its cave dwellings, once the home of Granada's large gypsy community.
Cordoba is steeped in over 2,000 years of history – the Romans, the Visigoths, the Jews, the Moors and then the Spanish all left their distinct imprint on Cordoba, making it one of the most mesmerizing and interesting cities in Spain.
Cordoba was founded by the Romans and due to its strategic importance as the highest navigable point of the Guadalquivir River, became a port city of great importance, used for shipping Spanish olive oil, wine and wheat back to Ancient Rome. The Romans built the enormous bridge crossing the river, now called "El Puente Romano". But Cordoba's hour of greatest glory was when it became the capital of the Moorish kingdom of El-Andalus, when work began on the Great Mosque, or "Mezquita", which after several centuries of additions and enlargements became one of the largest in all of Islam.
When the city of Cordoba was reconquered by the Christians in 1236, the new owners were so awed by the Mezquita’s beauty that they let it remain, building their cathedral in the midst of its rows of arches and columns and creating the extraordinary church-mosque of today.
As well as the unique mosque-cathedral, further treasures of Cordoba include the Alcazar, or Fortress, built by the Christians in 1328; the Calahorra Fort, originally built by the Arabs, which guards the Roman Bridge, on the far side of the river from the Mezquita and the ancient Jewish Synagogue, now a museum. Cordoba's medieval quarter, once the home of the Jewish community, is called "La Judería" (The Jewry), a labyrinth of winding, narrow streets, shady flower-filled courtyards and picturesque squares such as La Plaza del Potro.
A local saying is "Com a Olot enlloc" which means "there's no place like Olot" and this saying is certainly very true of this charming and exuberant town. Olot was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake in the 14th century but has managed to regain its lost charm. Among its historical buildings are the Parish church of Sant Steve that dates back to the 18th century and the sanctuary of Mare de Déu Del Tura. Modernist artworks are housed at the regional museum and the Claustres Del Carme or Carmelite cloisters and are the epitome of Renaissance.
Olot is the hometown of several illustrious artists; Ramon Amadeu, Josep Clarà and Rosa Serra to name several. In fact, sculpture, ceramics, music and fine art seem to be the 'raison d'etre' of Olot.
Near Olot and not far from the town, is the La Garrotxa volcanic. Extending over an area of more than 11,000 hectares, this vast nature reserve contains quite a few active volcanoes.
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