Summer 2011: Spain, Portugal and Morocco

---

Day 1: Barcelona
Arrived in Barcelona around 9 am. Arrived at our Hotel, Le Meridian, in Ramblas around 11.15am. We would recommend Le Meridian for your stay in Barcelona as it is very well located in the main boulevard, Ramblas and near the central square. Many visitors spend majority of their time walking Ramblas. First visit was to La Boqueria Market, lively place is an explosion of Spanish delicacies. Had to eat famous Spanish Sandwich Bacadillos as we were all hungry. Generally, a bocadillo is a 6 to 8-inch long portion of baguette, sliced in half and filled with chorizo sausage or another kind of cold cut of sausage, but can get with variety of other fillings. Next stop was Palau Guell, first of Gaudi’s innovative buildings. Afterwards, walked to the bottom of the Ramblas to see the Columbus Monument making the place where Ferdinand and Isabel welcomed Columbus after his trip to America. After a 2 hour siesta, evening took us to Cathedral of Barcelona (colossal Gothic cathedral), Avinguda Portal de I’Angel (sights, shopping galore) Placa de Catalunya (square that divides old and new Barcelona). From there took the metro to Placa Espanya to see the magic fountain in action. Music, colored lights and large amounts of water didn’t disappoint us. Number of people packed the area was enormous and they were all having a great time in evening sitting around the fountain and steps to the Catalan Art Museum, having picnics

Day 2: Barcelona
It was time to fulfill our son’s longtime wish to visit FC Barcelona stadium, Camp Nou. Took the Metro from Placa de Catalunya to Colblanc. Can walk to the stadium from there. The visit thrilled the kids to no end as they could visit not only the stadium and museum but the changing rooms, press boxes, players tunnel and multimedia area that let you relive the great moments.
Next stop was Sagrada Familia (Holy family Church), Gaudi’s most famous and persistent work with scheduled completion date in 2026. Gaudi worked on Sagrada Familia from 1883-1926. Local craftsman are said to spend last couple of years of their careers working on this church that will not be finished in their life time. It has a unique exterior with four different facades and absolute must see if you visit Barcelona. Final visit for the day was to Parc Guell, Gaudi’s colorful park. It was a quick taxi ride from Sagrada Familia to Parc Guell. It is advisable to take a Taxi that will drop you off in front of the main entrance. If taking metro, it is another 20 minute uphill walk to the parc. Parc is an absolute delight, offering another peek to eccentric genius of Gaudi.

Day 3: Valencia/Murcia
Most of the day was spent driving along the Mediterranean Sea. Valencia is the 3rd largest city and very industrialized. Paella- a simmered rice dish that includes seafood or meat, is known to be originated around Valencia. Overnight in Murcia.

Day 4: Granada and Gibraltar
Visit to Alhambra and Generalife. The Alhambra is the last and the greatest Moorish palace and is one of the Europe’s top sights. It was constructed during the mid 14th century and showcases the Moorish Civilization at best. It is decorated with water, plaster “stalactites”, scalloped windows framing Granada views, beautiful gardens and fountains. Generalife was the country estate of the Nasrid kings where they enjoyed the tranquility high above the city. The Gardens began is 13th century, have been modified over the years and provide setting for yearly international music and dance festival.
Alhambra visit needs pre-planning. Purchase the tickets online with preferred entry time to the palace. Only ½ hr time slot is allocated to entry and if you miss it, you cannot enter the palace.
Lastly, we visited the Gibraltar, a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean, in the evening. It feels very much like UK with pubs, fish and chips and English speakers. Gibraltar contains some of the most extensive military fortifications in Europe. Overnight in Algeciras.

Day 5: Morocco
Arrived at 8am at Tarifa port for 9am embarkation to Tangier, Morocco. Tangier lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean. We purchased the FRS excursion tour that includes overland visits and ferry crossing. Boarding started at 8.35am and ferry left exactly at 9am contrary reports of frequent delays. It was supposed to be a fast ferry that takes only 35 mints, but took over an hour. When you're staying around in Tarifa, you are so close to Africa that a day trip to Morocco is a must do activity. We recommend taking a guided tour like we did for a quick visit. We were met by a guide, taken on a bus tour and a walk through the old town market (The Medina area is a complex array of alleyways some of which can only be accessed on foot), and given lunch (Couscous/veggies/meat on skewers/flat round bread that looks like Roti finished off with delicious mint tea) with live Moroccan music. Camel riding, pharmacy visit (Moroccan spices and medicine), carpet store visit was included also. People are always trying to sell you something; you just need to be prepared to say no. Visit to Morocco was indeed a very cultural and interesting experience. Back to Tarifa around 5pm. Overnight in Seville. chapathi

Day 6: Seville
Day started with a visit to Bullfight ring. The Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza is one of the oldest bullrings in Spain (construction started in 1758). Viewed by most as a cruel and torturous act, the Spanish believe it to be a highly skilled art form that requires courage, and technique. The guided tour not only showed different parts of the Seville Bullring, such as the infirmary, the Museum, the chapel of the bullfighters and the stables, but offered a journey through centuries of bullfighting history, with explanations on the peculiarities of one of the oldest bullrings in the world.
Had Seville’s famous Frito pescado (fish fry) for lunch. It is battered and fried different kinds of fish sold by weight ( 150g were 3.90 Euros). It comes in a paper bag, like a paper cone, absorbs excess oil and makes it easy to eat. Freiduria Puerta de la Carne is supposed to be one famous fish fry place in Seville.
Next stop was the Seville Cathedral. Biggest Gothic Church and 3rd largest church in Europe, contstruction began in 1401 and took just over a century to complete. According to the oral tradition of Seville, it was built that: "Let a church so beautiful and so great that those who see it built will think we were mad". It occupies the site of a great mosque built by Almohads in the late 12th century. La Giralda, its bell tower (35 stories high climb offers superb views over the city), is the legacy of Moorish Structure. The church contains the tomb of Columbus.
After a seista it was time to visit the city once again and have dinner at El 3 de Oro. The Paella dinner was just perfect ending to an enjoyable stay in Seville. Overnight in Seville.

Day 7: Lisbon, Portugal
Drive to Lisbon from Seville was quick and scenic. After resting at the hotel, afternoon took us to Sintra, a major tourist attraction, with many day-trippers visiting from nearby Lisbon. Sintra was the summer retreat of Portuguese kings from 13th to late 19th centuries. Its cooler climate and ample greenery make it a very picturesque place. Visited the Palacio National in the center of Sintra with distinct twin chimneys and mix of styles from baroque to Moorish. 8th century Castle above the town is majestic and pretty. Drive back to Lisbon through coastal roads was amazingly scenic and enjoyable.

Day 8: Lisbon, Portugal
We started our day with a visit to Discovery Monument. Located along the river were ships departed to explore and trade with India and Orient, the monument celebrates the Portuguese Age of Discovery (or Age of Exploration) during the 15th and 16th centuries. Next stop was Torre de Belem, a defensive tower with a distinct Portuguese Manueline architectural style- combination of Moorish, Renaissance and gothic styles. The tower was commissioned by King John II to be part of a defense system at the mouth of the Tagus River and a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon. Visit to Mosterio dos Jeronomos was a grand treat. It is a beautiful and historic monastery. Within the church is the stone tomb of Vasco da Gama whose mortal remains were transferred to the tomb in 1880.
After another siesta, it was time to visit Castelo de Sao Jorge, a hilltop castle traditionally regarded as Lisbon’s founding settlement. The castle is one of the main historical and touristic sites of Lisbon and its oldest parts date from the 6th century. We climbed the towers and walked along the ramparts taking in views of the city. Garden is a place to relax where peacocks, geese and ducks march around.

Day 9: Lisbon, Portugal and Merida, Spain
We wanted to travel the Vasco da Gama bridge when leaving Lisbon to Madrid. Vasco da Gama Bridge is 17km (11 miles)long, making it the longest bridge in Europe when it opened in 1998 and still today one of the longest in the world. It is so long that engineers are said to have factor in the curvature of the Earth during its construction. It felt like forever to cross over to the other side and we were off to Merida. Merida was the largest Roman city in Iberia, has the finest ruins remaining in Spain. The Acueducto de los Milagros originally brought water to the city from a reservoir around 5 km (3 miles) to the north-west of Mérida. It is thought to have been constructed during the 1st century AD. The Puente Romano (Spanish for Roman Bridge) is a Roman bridge over the Guadiana River. It is the longest surviving bridge from ancient times. Those two sites are among the most interesting Roman ruins we visited. Then we were off to Madrid and arrived at Palace Hotel around 7pm.

Day 10: Madrid
First of order of business is to visit Reina Sofia Museum to see world famous painting Guernica. Guernica is a painting by Pablo Picasso. It was Picasso’s illustration of the bombing of Guernica, by German and Italian warplanes in 1937, during the Spanish Civil War. Guernica shows the tragedies of war and the suffering it inflicts upon individuals, particularly innocent civilians and has become a perpetual reminder of the tragedies of war.
Next visit was to National Archeological Museum, to see the chronological history of Iberia from Celtic, pre-Roman, Roman, Moorish and beyond.
After a long lunch and siesta, it was time to visit the long awaited treat and top Madrid cultural sight, Prado Museum that houses one of the world's biggest and best collections of classical art. It's the walls adorned with the works of revered artists such as Goya, Velasquez, El Greco, Raphael and Rubens. One of the Prado Museum's most powerful Goya works is his “Shooting of May 3rd 1808” – a shocking firing squad scene recalling a dark period in Spain's history when 5,000 civilians were executed in Madrid for resisting Napoleon's army during the Peninsular War. The sheer scale of the collection can make it daunting, so it is important to arrive with a few of the highlights in mind and concentrate on those. The Prado is worthy of repeat visits, but if you are able to only visit it once, it is important to have a list. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the originals works of Goya, Velazquez, Ruben and Titian selecting certain painting that of interest to us.
We ended the day with the visit to Reitro Park, a former Royal Park; it belonged to the Real Sitio del Buen Retiro palace. In 1632, the palace was built by King Philips IV as a retreat for the Royal family. The magnificent park, filled with beautiful sculpture and monuments, galleries, a peaceful lake and host to a variety of events, it is one of Madrid's premier attractions. Around the lake, Retiro Pond, many puppet shows perform, and all manner of street performers and fortune tellers. Rowboats can be rented to paddle about the Estanque, and horse-drawn carriages are available. We enjoyed watching people go about enjoying their evening with various activities.

Day 11: Madrid
Palace Hotel is at a great location in Madrid, walking distance to almost all the attractions. This morning, we walked to the Royal Palace via Puerta del Sol. The Puerta del Sol is the location of the most famous symbol of Madrid: a 20 ton statue of a bear eating fruits from a tree. The official name of the statue is 'El Oso y El Madroño'. In the middle of the Puerta del Sol is a large equestrian statue of King Carlos III, installed here in 1997. The King looks out on a beautiful 18th century red brick building, the Casa de Correos. In front of the Casa de Correos, on the pavement, is the 'kilometer 0' plaque, marking the center of the Spanish road network. It is the starting point from where all the highway distances are measured.
Next stop was the Royal Palace, Palacio Real de Madrid. It is the official residence of the King of Spain in the city of Madrid, but it is only used for state ceremonies. King Juan Carlos and the Royal Family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the more modest Palacio de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid. The palace has (1,450,000 sq ft of floor area and contains 2800 rooms. It is the largest palace in Europe. Next we visited the cathedral which was adjacent to the Royal Palace.
Final place we visited in Madrid was Royal Botanical Gardens. At 20 acres, the Royal Botanical Garden in Madrid is certainly not one of the world's largest, but it does boast an incredible variety of trees, shrubs, plants, and flowers. After a hearty meal of Paella we called it a day.

Day 12: Madrid
After a sweet filled breakfast, it was time to leave to Madrid Airport for the flight back home. On our way, we passed the Atocha Station, site of 2004 Madrid train bombs that killed almost 200 people.
We were glad we made the choice to fly into Barcelona and fly out of Madrid saving us unnecessary driving time. We had a grand time in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, appreciating its natural beauty and architectural and historical heritage. We savored the wonderful food and slow pace of life. What a trip!

---