Yearly Archives: 2013

The Mudejar Towers of Teruel / Torres Mudéjares de Teruel

December 17, 2013Emblematic buildings, Terueljulia

Situated in the south of Aragón region, Teruel (35.000 inhabitants) is an ideal city to live and enjoy its interesting museums, unique architecture, traditional festivals, delicious gastronomy, among other things. Therefore, Teruel attracts visitors from all over the world in order to see its beautiful Mudéjar Towers of Santa Maria, San Pedro, Salvador and San Martín , which were declared World of Heritage sites in 1986 by UNESCO.

One option to know Teruel’s Mudéjar towers is to take a stroll around its streets , above all, distances are very short and are counted in minutes from Torico square to the Mudéjar towers.

San Pedro Tower

The San Pedro Tower was built in 1238 and is the most old Mudéjar building of Teruel city, its construction with rajolas (bricks) and green and manganese colour (dark purple) glazed ceramic tiles is very similar to Santa María Tower in the shape and decoration of its facades. Do not forget to go up to the tower from where one can see a scenic view of the city and surroundings.

Tourists should not leave this place without seeing the stunning San Pedro church which was built in 1319 and admiring the famous mausoleum of The Lovers of Teruel, all of them are worth a visit.

Tower of the Cathedral of Santa María

The Mudéjar Tower of Santa María de Mediavilla Cathedral was constructed between 1257 and 1258 with rajolas (bricks) of green and manganese colours (dark purple) glazed ceramic tiles in the decoration of its facades. Moreover, the Cathedral an interesting 13th century building is worth visiting. In fact, its wooden techumbre (roof / ceiling ) has unique Mudéjar paintings. Being the most beautiful Mudéjar wooden techumbre ( ceiling /roof ) in Spain.

These paintings were also declared a World Heritage site in 1986 by UNESCO, dating in the 13th century.

San Martín and Salvador Towers

The San Martin Tower was built between 1315 and 1316 in Mudéjar style, being very similar to tower’s Salvador in its construction and decoration with rajolas (bricks ) and green and white glazed ceramic tiles in its facades. Actually, it is one of the most beautiful tower of the Mudéjar aragones art.

The Mudéjar Salvador tower, which is said that is the twins of San Martin Tower, was constructed in the 14th century with rajolas (bricks) and green and white glazed ceramic tiles in its fine decoration.

In addition, if visitors watch one tower when the rays of sun cover its facades, they can understand why the tower seems as if it is moving while the bright sunlight changes the colourway and the shadows of its decoration. It is said that the towers Mudéjares should be stared in different days to be able to enjoy its artwork.

Teruel is between Zaragoza ( 173 km.), Valencia( 140 km. ), Madrid (300 km. ) and Barcelona (409 km.). Teruel has about 36000 inhabitants. It takes about one day to visit this city on foot.

More places to visit near Teruel

– Plaza del Torico: The Torico square is the most famous landmark of Teruel. The city is not only popular with the tourists because its restaurants and surroundings but also its festivals, its typical porches, the beautiful buildings, its architecture, its museums, its gastronomy and so on.

– Aragón: Read here more about this region, placed in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula and in the south of France.

The Debod Temple (Madrid)

December 16, 2013Emblematic buildings, MadridJorge

The Debod Temple (Templo de Debod) is an old Egyptian temple which nowadays is located in Parque del Oeste of Madrid. Although the temple was once in Egypt, it was disassembled in 1960 and translated to Spain ten years later to avoid its inundation because of the construction of a dam in Egypt.

To arrive at Debod Temple, take the metro Line 3 to Plaza España. The temple is four minutes on foot from Plaza España.

The history of the temple

The origins of the temple date from 2200 years ago when in the second century Before Christ, Pharaoh Ptolemy IV built it. Its original location was in the old Debod Town in the bank of the Nile River, in the south of Egypt. The temple was dedicated to the goddess Isis and also to Amun.

In 1961 Egypt started the construction of the Aswam Dam, so many temples placed in the area that would be affected by the flooding were disassembled and transported to other new locations. Then, four temples were translated to other countries which collaborated with its preservation: Dendur to United States, Ellesiya to Italy, Taffa to Holland and Debod to Spain.

Visiting the temple

People can visit the temple every day for free. Its doors are open from 10:00 to 14:00, and from 16:00 to 18:00.

The building has two levels. On the first level there are Egyptian statues and paintings which gives us a vision of how was the temple in the ancient times. Moreover, on the second floor there is a small museum with information about the original location of the temple and its history.

The park and the view point

The Debod Temple is placed in a strategic zone of the park. Just behind the temple there is a balcony from which it can be seen a nice panoramic of the north-west of Madrid. Also, from there you can take photos of the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral. This view point is very popular because its views at sunset. For that, this part of the park is one of the most romantic sites of Madrid.

Another interesting thing to do in Parque del Oeste is to go to the cable-way (Teleférico de Rosales). You can use it to go to another view point placed in Casa de Campo, from which you will see the whole city.

More popular places in Madrid, located near Debot Temple

– The Royal Palace: Nowadays, the Royal Palace is the official residence of the king of Spain Juan Carlos I, who uses it for important events because the King lives in a small palace called The Zarzuela. The palace was built between 1738 and 1755, and the king Felipe V (1683-1746) ordered its construction.

– Jardines de oriente (Oriente Gardens): A square with a beautiful gardens and two rows of statues on this sides. They are placed beside Palacio Real.

– Jardines de Sabatini (Sabatini Gardens): These gardens are placed by Real Palace, and also close to El Senado building.

– Catedral de La Almudena (Almudena’s Cathedral): This is the main cathedral of Madrid. It is placed in front of Palacio Real.

– Plaza de España: There you can find the first skyscrapers built in Spain, and a beautiful fountain in the middle of the square with a statue of Don Quijote and Sancho Panza.

– Gran via Avenue: Gran Via is one of the most famous streets of Spanish capital. It is situated in the center of Madrid and was built 100 years ago. The idea of the street was to join and improve the communication between the districts of the capital city.

Read also our post about What to see in Madrid in one week.

San Fermín: One of the most popular celebrations in the world (Pamplona)

December 12, 2013Celebrations, PamplonaJorge

San Fermín Celebrations, or Sanfermines, are the most famous Spanish festivals around the world. It takes place in Pamplona the first days of July from the sixth to the fourteenth of this month.

Every year, in the celebrations week Pamplona receives the visit of thousands of people from other parts of Spain and foreigners. All of them with the intention of having a good time, enjoying the beginning of the summer, dancing and participate in the traditional activities, as the chupinazo, the procession or the bulls running.

Pamplona: The city

Pamplona (Iruña) is the capital of the Navarra region, located at the north of Spain, between Aragon, The Basque Country and La Rioja, with The Pyrenees to its north.

Normally Pamplona is a wealthy and calm city which has about 200,000 inhabitants. Its climate is mild, with a lot of green zones.

For many people who appreciate this way of life, these cities placed in the north of the country are the best places to live in Spain. However, in Summer San Fermin transforms Pamplona into an overcrowded city full of tourists and visitors who want to have fun and party.

What to do in San Fermin?

The “chupinazo” marks the start of Sanfermines the 6th of July at midday. It consists on the launching of a firework rocket from the balcony of the Town Hall, in the Consistorial Square, which is full of people dressed in white clothes and a red neckerchief, waiting for the beginning of the festivals.

Then, the same day at 16.30 is the “Riau-Riau”. A tradition since 1914, in where the people go singing and dancing with the municipal band from the Town Hall to the San Fermín Church.

Once started the celebrations, a lot of activities take place in Pamplona: music, attractions, night life and many other activities for all kind of people. However, the most popular events are the bulls running (“encierros”), about which we will talk later.

Another traditional activity is the San Fermín Procession. The 7th of July at 10.00 the procession starts in San Lorenzo parish church and citizens carry the saint through the streets of the city.

Finally, the last day of San Fermin festivals take place the “Pobre de mi”. Here, the people sing lamenting the end of the celebrations.

Running by the bulls

The most famous part of the celebrations are the “encierros”(running of the bulls), a race where the participants dressed in white clothes, run down the streets of the city center to avoid being hit by the horns of the bulls.

This runs starts every day at 8.00 and only adult people are allowed to run. Is spite of this, every year many runners are severely injured by the bulls, so if you are thinking of running of the bulls, take into account that it can be very risky, especially if you haven’t slept the last night or there are too many people in the streets.

Also, in the afternoon the bullfights (corridas de toros) are celebrated. Although, these ones are less popular than the bulls running of the mornings.

More interesting activities to do in Spain

– Celebrations in Spain

– The most touristic cities and monuments

What to visit in the Zaragoza Expo 08 Zone

December 11, 2013Saragossa / Zaragoza, Tours and GuidesJorge

In summer 2008, Saragossa received the international exposition Expo Zaragoza 2008, which was placed aside the shore of the Ebro River, in Pablo Ruiz Picasso Avenue.

The buildings, squares and structures were situated from the city center, behind the Pilar Basilic to Delicias Intermodal Station, the main train and bus station of the city.

The topic of the exposition was the water and the sustainable development, and 108 countries were presented in their pavilions. Also, three bridges, one skyscraper, an aquarium, a park and many more structures were built for the exposition. Finally, at the end of the summer, more than 5 million people visited it.

Currently, the Expo Zone is open to all the visitors who want to see the area and enjoy its activities. Don’t miss it if you are visiting Zaragoza!

To arrive at the Expo zone, you can go by bus using the Ci1 and Ci2 lines.

The Pavilions

The pavilions were once the heart of the exposition. Nowadays, most of them have been recovered and transformed in offices.

Around the pavilions, you will find sculptures, squares and green areas. An ideal place to walk, rest and take photos.

The Ebro River

The banks of the Ebro River were recovered and improved for the exposition. As a result, now you can take a walk from the Pilar Basilic and the Roman Bridge (Puente de piedra) to the Park of the Water.

During this walk you will see a lot of green areas, fountains and cafes, all the time bordering the river in one of the most nice and calm routes of the city.

The Bridges

Three bridges were built over the Ebro River in the Expo Zone:

– The Bridge Pavilion (pabellón Puente) where there are periodical expositions organized just over the river – literally 🙂 -,

– The Third Millennium Bridge (Puente del tercer milenio).

– The bridge of the volunteers (pasarela del voluntariado). A pedestrian bridge dedicated to the people who worked in the exposition.

The Aquarium

Also, you can visit the Fluvial Aquarium on the Expo Zone.

It is the biggest fluvial aquarium of Europe, and it is placed close to the pavilions.

The Congresses Palace

The Saragossa Congresses Palace (Palacio de Congresos de Zaragoza) has an auditorium, a multipurpose room and other dedicated spaces, where can be organized a wide variety of events and meetings.

It is placed in the Expo 2008 Avenue, just near the Third Millennium Bridge and the Alma del Ebro sculpture.

The Tower of the Water (La Torre del agua)

This skyscraper was one of the icons of the exposition. It is placed in the Park of the Water and climbing its stairs you will see a nice landscape of the whole city.

During the night, the Tower of the Water is illuminated by colorful light which gives you a unique sensation.

The Park of the Water (El Parque del agua)

Finally, you have to visit The Park of the Water (Parque del Agua Luis Buñuel). This park is nowadays the biggest park of Zaragoza. Inside it, you will find a lot of green areas and activities: A lake with boats, An artificial beach with swimming pools, a whitewater channel, a golf camp, horses and many more.

Here you have a map of the park and the Expo Zone which includes the principal important points:

Other interesting places to visit in Zaragoza

– El Pilar (The Pilar Cathedral): This cathedral is placed in the centre of the city, near the Ebro river and in the same square than “La Seo” Cathedral. The current cathedral was built in the XVII century, based in earlier constructions.

– Paseo Independencia (Independence Avenue): The main street of Zaragoza. Beginning at the end of Gran Via, the avenue runs from Plaza Paraiso all the way to Plaza Espana.

– La Aljafería (The Aljafería Palace): A must for all tourists that arrive in Saragossa is to visit the stunning Aljaferia Palace, which is really the most visited historic site in Saragosse. This medieval islamic palace was built by muslims on the banks of the river Ebro in the 11th century.

– Parque Grande: The park was built between 1913 and 1927, and it was inaugurated in 1929, since then it has been improved many times. Currently it measures more than forty hectares, it has around 15 fountains, a botanic garden, a view point, many terraces, paths and statues, a swimming pool (for summer) and many more activities to do.

– What to visit in Zaragoza: Read here our two-days tour in Zaragoza.

El Rastro de Madrid / The most famous street market in Madrid

December 10, 2013Madrid, Streets and monumentsAnna

On Sunday morning you have to go to El Rastro of Madrid – the most famous and popular market in the capital city. The first sellers appear there at 8.30 – 9.00 a.m. and they stay there until 2.00 p.m. The best idea is to wake up early, drink some coffee, eat “tostadas” and go to La Latina district to buy something unusual for you.

The easiest way to get there is to do it by metro (La Latina metro station – green line/no. 5 or Tirso de Molina metro station – blue line/no. 1). If you arrive there early, you will avoid the crowd, because later, from 10 o’clock, the market is full of people. The main market is situated on Ribera de Curtidores Street and its surroundings. Also the nearest streets and squares are full of sellers, so it’s almost impossible to see everything in one day.

It is an unique place in the capital city, where you can buy everything, starting from t-shirts with the photos of Marlin Monroe or James Dean and ending on the old, massive desk from XVI century. You will also find there flowers, plants, toys, CDs, clothes, shoes, decorations, mirrors, souvenirs, lamps, furniture, books and antiques. Most of these things are very interesting and worth looking at. Also the prices seem to be attractive.

The market takes place every Sunday from the morning until 2 p.m. Be ready! It’s always full of people and… thieves! So, be very careful with your things, because unfortunately every Sunday the police has a lot of work… It’s definitely worth-seeing place, but don’t forget to hide well your precious things, especially if you are a tourist and you don’t speak Spanish.

To walk through the Rastro and to see the most important part of it, you need around 3 hours. I recommend you to take a break and spend some time in t he pubs of the area and drink a beer. That would be a great time to consider your shopping decisions.

More places to visit in Madrid

– La Latina: La Latina is a central neighborhood of Madrid whose bars and restaurants are highly popular among the citizens. At the weekends, La Latina is always full of people, especially on Sunday at lunch and dinner time, but also in the afternoon and night.

– Puerta del Sol: This emblematic place is one of the reference points more used in the city, and many citizens are used to dating with other people from this point.

– Plaza Mayor: In this traditional square there is a Felipe II statue rounded of white ancient buildings.

– Gran Via: The most famous avenue of Madrid. It has a lot of theaters, coffee and ice cream shops.

– San Miguel Market: Inside of this famous market you will find an incredibly variety of food: juices, “tapas”, “croquetas”, hamburgers, fruit, fish… all of this of the highest quality.

Read also our post about What to see in Madrid in one week.

Parque Grande de Zaragoza / The Main Park (Saragossa)

December 9, 2013Saragossa / Zaragoza, Streets and monumentsJorge

The Main Park of Zaragoza (popularly known as Parque Grande) is the most famous park of Zaragoza and one of the biggest ones of the city. It is placed at the beginning of Fernando el Católico Avenue, near the Romareda Football Stadium, and the university campus.

The park was built between 1913 and 1927, and it was inaugurated in 1929, since then it has been improved many times. Currently it measures more than forty hectares, it has around 15 fountains, a botanic garden, a view point, many terraces, paths and statues, a swimming pool (for summer) and many more activities to do.

As a curiosity, although most of the citizens call it as “Parque Grande”, the full name of the park is Parque Grande Jose Antonio Labordeta, since its previous name (Parque Miguel Primo de Rivera) was changed in 2010.

To arrive at The Main Park of Saragossa you can use the tram (Line 1 – Fernando el Católico / Parque Grande Tram Stop).

The fountains

One of the most famous things of the park are its fountains. The most visited are in San Sebastian avenue, between the main entrance and the stairs. They are famous because they make the water swing like a dance.

Also, during the afternoon and night, the fountains are illuminated with dynamic colorway lights which dance with the rhythm of the water.

The botanic garden

The botanic garden is placed in the centre of the park. Inside it, you can discover a variety of plants, a lake with ducks and birds.

The entrance to the botanic park is free, although visitors should take into account that it is closed during the night.

The statue of El Batallador and the panoramic view points

Climbing the stairs of Parque Grande you will arrive at the statue of El Batallador.

This statue represents to Alfonso I the King of Aragón, called “El Batallador” because its conquests. Alfonso I reconquered Saragossa from the Muslims in the 12th century.

Near the statue there are balconies where you will be able to enjoy a nice landscape of the city.

The terraces of the park

It is very popular among the citizens to rest and take drinks in the terraces of the park in summer. There are several bars inside the park, and also a swimming pool on summer near the main entrance.

By the way, there is a unique traditional train which runs around the park. It is not expensive and children will enjoy it a lot. Also, you can rent bikes and pedal cars in the stands to cycling on the paths.

More places to visit in Zaragoza

– Gran Via: Gran Via avenue of Saragossa is one of the most important streets of the city. It communicates Plaza Paraiso and Goya Avenue – Fernando El Católico Avenue.

– Paseo Independencia (Independence Avenue): The main street of Zaragoza. Beginning at the end of Gran Via, the avenue runs from Plaza Paraiso all the way to Plaza Espana.

– The Expo 2008 Zone: Currently, the Expo Zone is open to all the visitors who want to see the area and enjoy its activities. Don’t miss it if you are visiting Zaragoza!

El Escorial / The Royal Monastery of El Escorial (Madrid)

December 9, 2013Emblematic buildings, MadridJorge

The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial (popularly known as El Escorial Palace) is an impressive building located in the surroundings of Madrid where the kings of Spain used to live. The palace was built in the 16th century, and currently it has a museum, a monastery, a crypt, a basilic, a library and gardens.

El Escorial is placed in a town called the same name, and every week hundreds of people visit it. To arrive there, you can go by car or by train (Cercanías, Line C3). It is about 40 minutes by train from the center of Madrid.

El Escorial: The building

King Felipe II started the construction of The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial in 1563. The objective of the palace was to build a place where Felipe II could bury the corpse of his father, Carlos V and his family. Since this moment, the royal family of Spain have been buried there.

Talking about the monastery, Felipe II wanted the building and the mausoleum were managed and kept by monks, so he gave the monastery to the Jeronimos Order that lived there for three centuries. Later, from 1885 to now, the Agustinian order is the designated to keep the monastery.

What to visit in El Escorial

The visitors can see the inside of El Escorial by paying a ticket which costs between 5 and 10 euros. The ticket includes a route where you can visit a museum, some rooms of the palace, the Kings’ Pantheon, some parts of the monastery, the basilica and the library. To see all of this can take between 2 and 4 hours.

Photo: Model of El Escorial.

The Museum

In the museum there are expositions of hangings and paintings of the period of the kings.

Furthermore, there is an architecture exposition in where the people can discover how El Escorial was built. There are models of the building, construction tools and planes which were used during the construction in the 16th century.

The Palace and the Pantheon

During the visit, you will also visit the palace. In there are shown the rooms were the kings lived many centuries ago.

After that, in the Royal Pantheon there are placed the tombs of the Kings of Spain and their relatives.

The basilica: San Lorenzo el Real

Finally, the basilica of San Lorenzo el Real is located in the center of the building. It has a Gothic architecture and nowadays, it is still used for the wedding celebrations of all the people who want to marry in there.

The town of El Escorial and “La casita del Principe” gardens

Once finished the visit to El Escorial, you can take a rest and dinner in the town.

Also, we recomend to visit “La casita del principe” (The prince little house) a park placed near the Monastery which includes a garden and a house where it is said that, long time ago, the princes used to go to rest and to stay in the free time.

More Royal Palaces to visit near Madrid

– The Royal Palace (Madrid): Nowadays, the Royal Palace is the official residence of the king of Spain Juan Carlos I, who uses it for important events because the King lives in a small palace called The Zarzuela. The palace was built between 1738 and 1755, and the king Felipe V (1683-1746) ordered its construction.

– Granja de San Ildefonso: The Royal Palace of San Ildefonso (popularly known as La Granja de San Ildefonso) is a magnificent palace located in San Ildefonso, a small town of Segovia. This palace is famous for its wide gardens with fountains and statues, which are visited by many tourists both in summer and winter.

La Torre del Oro / The Gold Tower (Seville)

December 1, 2013Emblematic buildings, Seville / SevillaJorge

The Gold Tower (La Torre del Oro) of Seville is a unique tower located beside the Guadalquivir River. The tower measures 36 metres on height and can be seen from San Telmo Bridge. The first part of its structure was constructed in the 13th century when the Muslims lived in Andalusia, one century later it was improved and finished by Pedro I.

There are many suppositions about the name of the tower: On one hand some rumors say that the tower was used by the governors of the 14th century for storing the treasures (mostly gold) which came from America. On the other hand, other experts say that its name became from the color of its surface, that it reflected from the water of the river.

The Gold tower is in the centre of the Seville, close to the Cathedral, the Royal Alcazar the Bullfighting Ring of La Maestranza and near Maria Luisa Park, where is the most popular square of Seville: Plaza de España.

More buildings and monuments to visit in Seville

– Plaza de España: Plaza de España is located in the middle of Maria Luisa Park, in the city center. The square has a fountain in the middle, rounded for a small lake and a building behind it that gives a traditional style to all the place.

– Santa Maria Cathedral and La Giralda: Situated in the heart of Seville, near Guadaquivil river, the Gothic Santa María Cathedral in Seville is the largest Cathedral in Spain, and the largest Gothic Christian Cathedral in the world. In fact, the imposing Cathedral measures 116 metres in length and 76 metres in width, being together with the Zaragoza and the Toledo Cathedrals the three unique Gothic Cathedrals with five naves in Spain.

– Plaza Nueva: There is the Seville’s Town hall.

– Plaza de toros de la Maestranza.

– Archeological Museum and Arts Museum of Seville: Both of them are placed on Maria Luisa Park.

– Canal de Alfonso XIII: This watercourse passes just alongside Maria Luisa Park.

– Metropol Parasol: Metropol Parasol is the official name of this construction placed in Plaza de la Encarnación, near the city centre of Sevilla. Popularly, the structure is known as “Setas de la Encarnación” because of its similarity to a big-scale mushrooms.