Not all the photos, descriptions and guidebook texts could prepare me for the wonder of Sagrada Familia, the most famous church in Barcelona, maybe even Spain, maybe even Europe. The most imaginative and creative one, that is for sure. Continue reading “Sagrada Familia and the genius of Gaudi”
My first visit to Barcelona (and Spain in general) was in 2010, and the impression I got after 4 days of wandering around town in all types of weather was that it was a fascinating city I had to return to, sooner or later. It was not the Spain I expected and that I later on learned to know, but there was something about the city that urged me to return and rediscover it. Continue reading “Wandering around Barcelona”
It has inspired novels and poems; it featured in movies, shows and even video games. Its fortress-like exterior elevated above Granada, with the backdrop of Sierra Nevada’s snowy hilltops, its rich decorations, splendid rooms and inner patios – these are all truly iconic images. Alhambra is a palace woven in myth, history, supreme artistic value and wealth, telling a story of another time and life. Continue reading “The magic of Alhambra in 25 images”
Córdoba was the first town we visited during our trip to Andalucia, but for some reason, it ended up being one of the last ones I’m writing about. I don’t know why: it’s definitely not because the town disappointed us or because of its lack of beauty, for it just might be the loveliest of all Andalucian towns we got the chance to visit during our journey. Córdoba is extremely photogenic, unobtrusive and just plain lovely, a town where beautiful scenes and photo opportunities lie in every single corner. It is more peaceful and introverted than its famous Andalucian neighbors such as Sevilla or Granada, but well worth visiting for its fascinating history and some of the most important and spectacular monuments in the country. Continue reading “A day in charming Córdoba”
We remember some trips for the people we meet, some for the music we discover, some for the adventures we stumble upon… And some trips remain forever defined through color. Continue reading “Pueblos blancos y un pueblo azul”
Sevilla is full of grand buildings and public spaces, as can be expected from a royal city of such great history and heritage. On our last day in the city, we got the chance to see some of them: Continue reading “Splendid Sevilla, pt. 4: Tobacco and History, Immortalized”
Bullfighting is one of Sevilla’s (and Spain’s in general) oldest and most important traditions. Although I consider this „sport“ completely unacceptable and cruel, we were in the heart of the Spanish bullfighting tradition so we could not miss the chance to visit the Plaza de toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla, the oldest and one of the finest rings in Spain and the world. Proof enough of its significance is the grand name that it goes by, „Catedral del Toreo“. Continue reading “Splendid Sevilla, pt. 3: „Catedral del Toreo“”
Continue reading “Splendid Sevilla, pt. 2: A Palace of Sun and Lace”
I expected so much from Sevilla – it is one of those towns whose name alone is so laden with expectations and images inspired by literature, music and art that you actually think you know what the city will look, feel, smell and sound like. Finally arriving to the city after years of creating your own ideas about it and realizing – yes, we really are in passionate, romantic Sevilla, the very heart of Andalucia – was immensely exciting. Continue reading “Splendid Sevilla, pt. 1: A Warm Welcome and a Town-Within-a-Town”
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