YA Eco Mysteries, Memoirs, Novels & Travel
7 Best Places on the Iberian Peninsula
03/09/15 10:49 Filed in: Travel
Galicia and Andalusia, Spain
1. The medieval towns of A Coruña (in Galician)/La Coruña, Betanzos, Vigo, and Baiona/Bayona are rich in the history and culture of this region.
Climb the Tower of Hercules, the lighthouse at the entrance to A Coruña, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the second century, it is the oldest Greco-Roman lighthouse constantly in use and the oldest existing lighthouse in the world.
1. The medieval towns of A Coruña (in Galician)/La Coruña, Betanzos, Vigo, and Baiona/Bayona are rich in the history and culture of this region.
Climb the Tower of Hercules, the lighthouse at the entrance to A Coruña, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the second century, it is the oldest Greco-Roman lighthouse constantly in use and the oldest existing lighthouse in the world.
1. A Coruña. Stroll the promenade sweeping along the beaches on the western side of town. Watch the Atlantic Ocean surge into the sparkling Bay of Biscay, then cascade wildly over the rocky outcroppings punctuating the shore. Across the road, rows of apartments with glassed-in balconies, or galerias, shimmer in reflected sunlight. The strikingly modern in-motion sculptures, the bracing sea breeze, and just being part of the local scene made this walk especially pleasurable.
2. Betanzos boasts one of the best preserved medieval quarters in Galicia. Chiseled into the steep hillsides, the medieval town spills down to the mouth of the Betanzos Estuary, where the ocean mixes with rivers.
3. Vigo, Galicia's historic fishing port, Vigo, dates back to Roman times. Wonderfully fresh seafood is always available in restaurants along the harbor. Half of the world’s mussels are harvested in Galicia. Vigo has beautiful beaches and is an interesting old town. The startling juxtaposition of the contemporary sculptures against the medieval buildings will linger in our memory long after other impressions have faded.
4. Baiona or Bayona
Take a drive from Vigo along the scenic coastal road to Baiona or Bayona (in Castilian). Along the way stop to explore the Celtic ruins of Castro de Santa Tegra on Santa Tecla Mountain. Break your journey with a tapas lunch at the charming Parador of Baiona where a tantalizing variety of cold tapas, including olives, tuna empanadillas, sardines, cured cheeses, and red wine await you on the terrace.
5. Cadiz, Andalusia
Explore the historic town center. Amble through alleys leading to historic churches, grand and humble; to graceful statues, honoring the people of the city from all walks of life; and to wide plazas, thronging with people young and old. One block away, there’s the impressive Plaza de Espana. The massive, white marble monument, anchoring the center of the plaza commemorates the signing of the Constitution of 1812.
6. Seville, Andalusia: the Alcázar Palace, the Cathedral of St. Mary, and the Plaza de España.
Devote several hours to enjoying Alcazar, an ancient fortified palace and also the oldest European royal residence still in use. Explore the dazzling, maze of buildings erected over different time periods, and designed in differing architectural styles. Just a short walk from the Alcazar Palace visit the Cathedral of Saint Mary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world. The remains of Christopher Columbus have been placed inside the Cathedral. The scale and magnificence of the Plaza de España stopped us in our tracks. In front of us floated an ornate semicircular building surrounded by a wide moat and connected to the plaza by gracefully arched bridges.
This imposing complex was built in 1929 for the Ibero-American Exposition World's Fair.
7. Granada: the Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens
Take a bus, which is faster than the train, from Malaga to Granada. The two-hour road trip through the Sierra Nevada Mountains offers a relaxing way to see the interior of Andalusia, the country’s premier olive-growing region.
The Alhambra Palace
Stepping through the stone gate opening onto a tree-lined path, you’ll get the sensation of time slowing down. From this impressive fortress-sanctuary there are panoramic views of Grenada in the valley below and mountains in the distance. You’ll be dazzled by the intricate variation of elegant columns and graceful arcades, lovely arabesques, flowing calligraphy, and colorful tiled panels, adorning every inch of the walls, ceilings, pillars, and arches. The delicate “wedding-cake” ceilings and elaborately decorated walls are nothing more than layers of stucco and plaster—and yet they have survived for centuries.
Palace of the Generalife Gardens
Adjacent to the Alhambra is the Generalife, a retreat for the Nasrid Emirs (kings) between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries. The tranquil Moorish Patio de la Acequia (Court of the Water Channel) creates the focal point for the palace complex. It’s worth the time to explore the Italianate terraced flower gardens bordered by cypress hedges and fountains on the site of the Moorish fruit orchards and vegetable patches.
For more fascinating information visit : The Passionate Traveler Vol 4: Iberian Peninsula.
2. Betanzos boasts one of the best preserved medieval quarters in Galicia. Chiseled into the steep hillsides, the medieval town spills down to the mouth of the Betanzos Estuary, where the ocean mixes with rivers.
3. Vigo, Galicia's historic fishing port, Vigo, dates back to Roman times. Wonderfully fresh seafood is always available in restaurants along the harbor. Half of the world’s mussels are harvested in Galicia. Vigo has beautiful beaches and is an interesting old town. The startling juxtaposition of the contemporary sculptures against the medieval buildings will linger in our memory long after other impressions have faded.
4. Baiona or Bayona
Take a drive from Vigo along the scenic coastal road to Baiona or Bayona (in Castilian). Along the way stop to explore the Celtic ruins of Castro de Santa Tegra on Santa Tecla Mountain. Break your journey with a tapas lunch at the charming Parador of Baiona where a tantalizing variety of cold tapas, including olives, tuna empanadillas, sardines, cured cheeses, and red wine await you on the terrace.
5. Cadiz, Andalusia
Explore the historic town center. Amble through alleys leading to historic churches, grand and humble; to graceful statues, honoring the people of the city from all walks of life; and to wide plazas, thronging with people young and old. One block away, there’s the impressive Plaza de Espana. The massive, white marble monument, anchoring the center of the plaza commemorates the signing of the Constitution of 1812.
6. Seville, Andalusia: the Alcázar Palace, the Cathedral of St. Mary, and the Plaza de España.
Devote several hours to enjoying Alcazar, an ancient fortified palace and also the oldest European royal residence still in use. Explore the dazzling, maze of buildings erected over different time periods, and designed in differing architectural styles. Just a short walk from the Alcazar Palace visit the Cathedral of Saint Mary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world. The remains of Christopher Columbus have been placed inside the Cathedral. The scale and magnificence of the Plaza de España stopped us in our tracks. In front of us floated an ornate semicircular building surrounded by a wide moat and connected to the plaza by gracefully arched bridges.
This imposing complex was built in 1929 for the Ibero-American Exposition World's Fair.
7. Granada: the Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens
Take a bus, which is faster than the train, from Malaga to Granada. The two-hour road trip through the Sierra Nevada Mountains offers a relaxing way to see the interior of Andalusia, the country’s premier olive-growing region.
The Alhambra Palace
Stepping through the stone gate opening onto a tree-lined path, you’ll get the sensation of time slowing down. From this impressive fortress-sanctuary there are panoramic views of Grenada in the valley below and mountains in the distance. You’ll be dazzled by the intricate variation of elegant columns and graceful arcades, lovely arabesques, flowing calligraphy, and colorful tiled panels, adorning every inch of the walls, ceilings, pillars, and arches. The delicate “wedding-cake” ceilings and elaborately decorated walls are nothing more than layers of stucco and plaster—and yet they have survived for centuries.
Palace of the Generalife Gardens
Adjacent to the Alhambra is the Generalife, a retreat for the Nasrid Emirs (kings) between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries. The tranquil Moorish Patio de la Acequia (Court of the Water Channel) creates the focal point for the palace complex. It’s worth the time to explore the Italianate terraced flower gardens bordered by cypress hedges and fountains on the site of the Moorish fruit orchards and vegetable patches.
For more fascinating information visit : The Passionate Traveler Vol 4: Iberian Peninsula.
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