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| Castile and La Mancha Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Castle and windmills of Consuegra Castle and windmills of Consuegra Jose Manuel Perulero La Mancha is part of Castile. It is formed by five territories Toledo, Ciudad Real, Albacete, Cuenca and Guadalajara. It is located in central Spain and the territory is mainly plane and dried, cold in winter and very hot in summer. There are several ranges like Cuenca range, Toledo mounts and Central Range. The most important river is Tajo, Guadiana and Júcar. Toledo and Cuenca are very historic and monumental centers but there are other wonderful cities and villages like Almagro, Talavera de la Reina, Campo de Criptana, Mota del Cuervo or Almansa La Mancha is Don Quixote land where Cervantes located the most important book in Spanish language. Don´t forget to visit the giant-mills in Campo de Criptana or Consuegra. Try some dishes like Pisto, Gachas or hunting meat. |
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| ::::::Albacete Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see :::::::::::Almagro Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Almagro main square Almagro main square Javier Gil In central Mancha, Almagro is a nice town with a theatral historical tradition. The most important monuments are the Theater, the main square and the National Tourist Hotel built in an old monastery ::::::::::Almansa Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Almansa has got an importan arab castle and shoes industry. ::::::::.Campo de Criptana Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see x Campo de Criptana Javier Gil Where Don Quixote fought against the giant mills. ::::::::Ciudad Real Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Ciudad Real Cathedral Ciudad Real Cathedral unknown Capital of la Mancha, Ciudad Real was built in the middle age. Important monuments are the Cathedral and the Toledo Gate. _______Getting There Edit This Ciudad Real is a little off the beaten track - your best bet is to get a flight to Barajas airport in Madrid. From the airport you can then get a train to Nuevos Ministerios - you are looking for Linea 8. When you get into Nuevos Ministerios you need to get off and take the train to Atocha, which is one of Madrid's two main stations. From Atocha, take the tren de cercanias to Ciudad Real which will cost you €17,10 and will take about an hour. Alternatively, you can take the AVE train from Atocha which will get you there in under 40 minutes, although it is more expensive. The bonus is that if the train arrives just 5 minutes late, you will be refunded your fair! (Although this never happens, Spanish public transport is incredible!). ::::::::.Consuegra Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Castle and windmills of Consuegra Castle and windmills of Consuegra Jose Manuel Perulero Was here where Don Quixote fougth with the mills? :::::::::::Cuenca Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Hanging houses Hanging houses Javier Gil In central Spain among beautiful mountains and pine forrests is a beautiful city surrounded by two rivers. The main monuments are the cathedral, the hanging houses, numerous churches. The Holly Week is very known all arround the world. It is also important the gastronomy and the natural landscape. :::::::Guadalajara Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see x Guadalajara Guadalajara Guadalajara is located at about 80 km North-East from Madrid and is connected by rapid trains every 30 min. It was founded by the Iberians and later conquered by the Arabs. It was reconquered in 1085 by Alvar Fanies de Manaya. The most characteristic building is the "Palacio de los Duques del Infanto", build in 1461 by Juan Guias. It is a splendid architectural example, with Renaissance and Mudejar details. Also outstanding is the "Palacio de los Mendoza"(1407), with two Plateresque doorways and a Renaissance courtyard. Among the noteworthy religious buildings are:"Santa Maria de la Fuente", which was build using the remains of a mosque, the church of Santiago, the convent of Santa Clara (XIV Century), the church of San Francisco (XV Century), the Renaissance-style church of San Gines, etc. ::::::::::Manzanares Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see ::::::Mota del Cuervo Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see :::::::Oropesa Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Oropesa is a ville located in the top of a mountain from which you can admire the magnificent view of Gredos Range Mountains. The ville was very important in the middle age and the conquer of America. In the high town there is a beautiful castle that today is la lovely hotel. There are lots of monasteries, churches and the ermitage of Saint Mary of Peñitas. Nice little restaurants and an interesant cultural life including a middle age market makes this village an important turistic center between Madrid and Portugal. :::::::Oropesa Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Oropesa is a ville located in the top of a mountain from which you can admire the magnificent view of Gredos Range Mountains. The ville was very important in the middle age and the conquer of America. In the high town there is a beautiful castle that today is la lovely hotel. There are lots of monasteries, churches and the ermitage of Saint Mary of Peñitas. Nice little restaurants and an interesant cultural life including a middle age market makes this village an important turistic center between Madrid and Portugal. :::::::::::Talavera de la Reina Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see pottery seat in Pan Square pottery seat in Pan Square Javier Gil Ancient city in central Spain, 110 km from Madrid. It has got celtic ruins and it was very important since the Roman Empire when the city was called Caesarobriga. The Roman celebrates an important parade all springs that still exists called Mondas, where all the city and the villages of the surroundings come to the Virgin Mary of the Prado Basilic to make their gifts. The city is surrounded by three walls, one roman, other from the Muslim period and the biggest and better kept is the Christian one. Very interesant the Pan Square in which you can find the town hall, the Saint Mary the Major cathedral, the Misericordy Hospital and the Victoria Theatre. Other monuments are the Santiago church, the roman bridge and the bullfighting arena. Is interesant to walk on the Prado Park and Alameda Park, besides the River Tajo sidewalk. The gastronomy is very important with dishes made with local products like Carillas with chorizo (little white beans with pork), Pigeon, Deer, veal meat with peppers or Mazapan. Talavera is well known becouse of its traditional pottery industries, don´t forget to visit the Ruiz de Luna Museum where you will stare one of the most beautiful ceramics of the word. The night bars, discos, restaurants and tipical "tapas" will help you to end a nice visit to this city. :::::::::Tarancon Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Important city in Alcarria Conquense. Palace of Duke of Riansares, church, wall gate. :::::::Toledo Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see photo Toledo is known as the City of the Three Cultures, a name that refers to the Christians, Islamic and Jewish cultures that coexist during centuries. This union of traditions is reflected on the architecture, where it can be seen the Mudejar style, a mixture of Islamic and Christian styles, which predominates in the city. Rome conquered a stronghold of villages in 190 B.C and gave the name of Toletum. It became a very important town around the first century remaining until the present day the Greco-Latin cultural legacy. In the year 569, after the fall of the Roman Empire, the King of the Visigoths establishes his Court in Toledo and in 589 it became the political and religious capital of Hispania. In 712 the Moors conquered the city and occupied for 373 year. In 1085, when Alfonso VI took the city, many of the Muslim inhabitants decided to stay with Christians and Jews. The harmony between the three cultures bore fruits as notable as the School of Translators of Toledo. With the crowing of Charles V 1518, Toledo became the most important city, known as the Imperial Capital. In 1561 King Philip II decided to move the Court to Madrid, initiating a period of political decline, but without effect on religious, artistic and cultural aspects. It was right at that time when El Greco decided to settle in the city and to paint the majority of his famous works of art. In 1989 the UNESCO declared Toledo a cultural heritage of humanity city in recognition of its uniqueness, as it is almost impossible to walk without coming across an ancient mosque, a Gothic or Mudejar church, a Romanesque or Visigothic structure, a synagogue, or a Renaissance palace. :::::::::::Valdepeñas Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Church of "la Asunción", Valdepeñas Church of "la Asunción", Valdepeñas City of wine :::::::::Castile and Leon Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Cervantes' Plaza Cervantes' Plaza Webalcala.com The old region Castile and Leon encompasses two ancient kingdoms of the meseta- a flat semi-arid table-top 700-1000 m above sea level. Here they have nine months of winter and -as they say it in Castilian, three months of hell. Besides all this Castile and Leon contains much farmland, splendid cathedrals and palaces. Cities of interest here are Ciudad Quesada, Salamanca, Valladolidand Zamora. The region of La Mancha you find right beneath the centre of Spain. It's famous for its manchego cheese. It is a rather empty place, there are few notable towns and monuments, but the scenery is quite impressive. The main attractions here are Ciudad Real, Almagro, Cuenca Consuegra and Albacete. Central Castille is the most rich part of this region in which is located Madrid The capital of Spain and one of the most important, cosmopolite and funny cities of Europe. Closed to Madrid is Toledo ancient capital of the kingdom and cosidered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. You can find also near to Madrid, the city of Talavera de la Reina where you can visit ones of their famous potteries industries and some interesant monuments. The Land of the Conquistadores is located along the Portuguese border. The vast majority of Spain’s New World conquerors and explorers came out of this once-harsh region to win an empire for Spain. Today Extremadura is rarely visited by tourists yet it has several towns of interest, among them Merida Caceres (a picture-perfect Gothic town that retains much of its medieval character) and Badajoz (a quiet little town with nice architecture). Other towns of historical significance include Guadalupe where Columbus received the official orders for his first voyage; Medellin birthplace of Hernan Cortes (conqueror of the Aztec Empire and creator of Mexico); Trujillo where Francisco Pizarro was born (conqueror of the Inca Empire and founder of Peru); and Rio de Janeiro birthplace of Nunez de Balboa and Hernan de Soto European explorers of the Pacific Ocean and Mississippi River respectively. The area is particularly recommended for those who might be traveling by car to or from Portugal or who just want to see a part of Spain that’s very rustic and relatively unaffected by tourism. A new bridge spans the Guadiana River making it easier to go from Spain to Portugal’s Algarve coast. ________Tours and Excursions Edit This Tours and Excursions in Central Spain.... [Add New] Heritage Cities of Mankind: Salamanca, Avila and Segovia (Self Drive Tour: 4 Days / 3 Nights) Edit This photo A self drive tour visiting Avila’s Roman Walls, Salamanca’s Plaza Mayor, Segovia’s fine Roman Aqueduct and Alcazar. Cities worthy of their title... “UNESCO Mankind Heritage”. Each one of the 3 cities, Ávila, Salamanca, and Segovia responds to the requirements that the “Convención para la Protección del Patrimonio Mundial” (Convention for the World Heritage Protection) imposed to consider any space “Patrimonio de la Humanidad” (Mankind Heritage). On their diversity, their tinges, the peculiar way of keeping their history, the 3 cities converge in a common more.. World66 rating: [rate it] url: www.euroadventures.net address: Spain tel: +34 986 22 13 99 email: tours@euroadventures.net :::::::::: Alcala de Henares Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Cervantes' Plaza Cervantes' Plaza Webalcala.com Alcala de Henares is a monumental city. It is located at about 30 km from Madrid and connected by trains every 30 min. Its University, housed in a Renaissance building, dates back to 1498 and was founded by Cardinal Cisneros. The facade is the work of Rodrigo Gil de Ontanion. The University has received well deserved cultural notoriety through the centuries. The house of Cervantes, located on Calle Mayor, is a reproduction of a typical dweling at the time of the universally acclaimed author of Quijote. The palace of Archbishop is another beautiful example of the architecture of Alcala de Henares and it was almost completely destroyed in a devasting fire. It has some very important Renaissance pices. The Bernardine Monastery lies close by and its church has some valuable paintings and religions ornaments. Alcala also has the remains of a brick and rubblework wall that dates back to the 14th Century. ::::::::: Aranjuez Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see x Aranjuez Aranjuez Located at about 70 km South-West from Madrid, Aranjuez is officially proclaimed as a "Royal Site". Its most famous monuments are the Royal Palace, the "casa del Labrador"(farmer's scottage), which is a small neoclassical palace decoreated in a mixture of Rococo, Imperial and Pompeyan styles, and the French style gardens which are full of avenues flower gardens sculptures, fountains and rare tree species which were planted upon the request of Carlos IV. In addition to its monumental beauty, Aranjuez has many other treasures as well. All of Aranjuez, its streets, squares and gardens makes for a relaxing stroll after having contemplated the marvels of its past. :::::::::Avila Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Walls of the old city Walls of the old city davidx Enchanting Avila a wonderful 1000-year-old city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The surrounding region known as the Tierra de Cantos y de Santos (Land of Songs and Saints) is associated with Spain's great Christian mystics San Juan de la Cruz and Santa Teresa de Jesus. Avila's main attraction is its medieval wall which measures 1 mi/2 km in circumference and completely encircles the town. The ramparts have nine gates and 88 towers many topped with stork nests. Walk along the top of the wall or stroll around the outside. Just inside one gate is the Convent of Saint Teresa with a small church built over the saint's birthplace. Avila also has interesting narrow streets an intriguing cathedral and the Real Monasterio de Santo Tomas (the summer home of Ferdinand and Isabella). Plan an overnight stay-even if you?re not staying there drop by and soak up the atmosphere of the Nacional Parador Raimondo de Borgonia a palace-turned-hotel. 55 mi/85 km west from Madrid. As an introduction to the gastronomic delights of Ávila, nothing better than allowing oneself to indulge in the custom which is so rooted in our land of “going for tapas” (Ávila en Tapas), and thus tasting a multitude of different flavours and textures, which will bring you closer to the culinary habits of Ávila. _______Sights Edit This Section of the walls Section of the walls davidx Ávila's walls are its special glory and , if you have limited time there, it is worth taking the tourist vehicle like a train [articulated bus] which enables you to see practically the whole length. San Vicente is a beautiful church near to where this vehicle starts and to the gate by the cathedral. El Real Monasterio de Santo Tomás looks good from above and is well written up but it is a long way down and up well outside the walls. ________Tours and Excursions Edit This Tours and Excursions in Avilia... [Add New] Avila's Roman Walls and Old Quarter Walking Tour (Half Day Private Tour) Edit This photo Ávila is one of the oldest of all the cities in Castilla y León. The Celtic Iberians were the first to leave their mark, which can be seen in the stone boars and the nearby Castro de las Cogotas (hill fort), epicentre of the Vettone culture. The Romans also reached this area and the Arabs filled the area with their culture until the final conquest by the Christians. Proud of its perfect combination of old and new, the city of the river Adaja invites visitors to take a look inside the city from the tops of the crenellations that have protected the city walls for centuries. more.. World66 rating: [rate it] url: www.euroadventures.net address: Avila tel: +34 986 22 13 99 email: tours@euroadventures.net :::::::::Ciudad Rodrigo Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see In the city In the city davidx Ciudad Rodrigo is basically a frontier city although it is still some way to Portugal. A trip from Salamanca is a welcome change from the touristic frenzy which sometimes dominates Salamanca. Just inside the city walls from the bus stop, the Cathedral has some fine sculpture around the bases of the columns in the cloisters. However it is above all a city for just strollling, enjoying the narrow streets and the fine buildings. You can enjoy trying to count the stone sculpted coats of arms which abound in the city. The Plaza Mayor, whereas it does not hold a candle to that of Salamanca in grandeur, is very pleasant for a person-watching break over a cup of coffee. ::::::El Escorial Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see x El Escorial is just 47 km outside of Madrid and one of the highlights of central spain. It's a small city but it contains the 16th-century Royal Monastery of El Escorial which was built as a summer retreat by ascetic Philip II. It's a great site which you shouldn't miss. It's loaded with tapestry, sculptures and paintings. You can also visit the tombs of the Spanish monarchs. All the kings of the last 500 years from Charles V to Alfonso XIII are buried at El Escorial. El Escorial is actually two towns, the lower town (known as "Escorial de abajo") carries the name of El Escorial, while "Escorial de arriba" or "San Lorenzo" carries the name "San Lorenzo de El Escorial." The lower town is pleasant enough - however most attractions are in San Lorenzo - in the lower town the Church of San Bernabé and the Casita del Príncipe are worth seeing while in the upper town the Monastery and central quarter are obligatory. ::::::::::La Granja Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see photo The beautiful Palace La Granja de San Ildefonso, which is situated at about 15 km from Segovia, was built in 1720 by Felipe V, following the classical French model of Versailles. The most exciting are the beautiful gardens and fontains, and the surprising collection of carpets in the interior. :::::::León Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Parador San Marcos in Leon Parador San Marcos in Leon Grant Spangler León is one of the oldest cities in Spain. Full of history and art, specially its Gothic Cathedral, the romanic church San Isidoro and San Marcos 5 star Hotel. MUSAC, the new contemporary art museum of Castille and León, is already the first museum specialised in video creation. Enjoy the Barrio Humedo (the old area where you can eat, drink and dance till the morning) and eat the famous spicy fries in Casa Blas. Must do: 1. Gothic Cathedral: most beautiful ancient glass windows in Europe 2. MUSAC: every 3-4 months they change the exhibition 3. San Isidoro: best romanic paintings on the wall 3. Hostal de San Marcos: 5 star, you can sleep in the bed of the King 4. Barrio húmedo (from 13:00 till morning) 5. Food: Casa Blas, Vivaldi and other tipical restaurants (ask for cecina, morcilla and chorizo) :::::::::Pedro Bernardo Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Pedro Bernardo Pedro Bernardo unknown In Gredos mountains, Pedro Bernardo is located in the middle of a wonderful landscape. This town keeps the rural flavour of the tipical mountains villages. The forest arround are tupids with elms, pines, chestnut trees and hazzelnut trees. The waterfalls and rivers becomes the town a paradise of nature. History The origins of Pedro Bernardo are still not clear; the original name of the village is suppossed to be Navalasolana, and there´s a popular local legend that talks about the leaders of two groups of shepherds, Pedro Fernández and Bernardo Manso, both from Ávila (the first one) and from León, north-western Spain (the socind one). The started to fight to get the control of the village, and finaly, the feudal lord of the council, Sir Beltrán de la Cueva, Duke of Albulquerque and Count of Ledesma, decided to change the name of Navalasolana to Pedro & Bernardo, to make peace and stop the struggles between the two bands. But in fact, it´s impossible to be true. The change of the name was supposed to be in the 15th century, but there are documents from the 12th and 13th century that reflects the name of "Pero Bernaldo", the actual name, but writtwn in the old castilean language. For example, the village is named several times in the medieval codex "Libro de la montería de Alfonso XI" (something like the hunting diary of King Alfonso XI), where the castilean king used to hunt bears and wolves. Later on, in the 17th century, the Church of St. Peter Ad-Vinculae started to be builded. In the same century, Pedro Bernardo got the independence from the feudal territory of the Alburquerque dinasty, the council of Mombeltrán, were the castle was located. To remember the independence of Pedro Bernardo from the feudal lands, the "Rollo" a stone column decorated with dragon heads was situated in the place, now recognised as a town, and meant the authority of the town to execute it´s own justice and law. In the 18th century, the protoindustrialization of Pedro Bernardo brought a domestic system industry of manufactures, such as wool fabrics and wooden spoons that people in town used to make with juniper wood. That´s the reason why today, Pedro Bernardo´s cityzens are known as "cuchareros" (people who produces spoons). The industry in later years started to produce wool rounded and conic hats, and blankets to protect shepherds from the inhospit and wet winters of the region. In 1755, an earthquake susrprised the "cuchareros" and almost 90 years later, Pedro Bernardo suffered a flood when in a stormy night the river that crosses the village growed and destroyed some houses. The 19th was not many different, and the production of wool fabrics, hats and blankets continued. This rural area was really undevelopped in comparison with Europe in general: no roads, no electric light or water in houses, even though there was easy to take water due to the richness of water in this area in the middle of Castile. In the 20th century, the most spectacular happening in Pedro Bernardo was the Civil War. In 1936, the "Doval section" of the General Franco´s insurgence, entered in the town to get the control of the village. There was a big fight in the mountain of La Abantera. but the worse part of the story happened later, in the post-war period. The mountains of this part of central Spain were the perfect place for the republicans to be hidden, and try to reorganice themselves. The "maquis", I mean, the comunists and republicans, were hidden in the surroundings of Pedro Bernardo for many years (until the 50`s), and they had to steal and extorsion to be able to survive. The oublied agricultors and farmers to kill cattle for them, such as goats, sheep or chickens, in a risky politic situation in Spain. If the police (the Guardia Civil) discovered somebody helping the ´maquis`by suministrating food or anything, they could be sent to prison or even executed. But the republicans continued extorsioning, kidnapping and stealing poor farmers to survive, even killing theyr families if they did´nt help the maquis. It was a difficcult time, but finally everithing stopped. Itñs time to talk about the most famous son of this small town: Proffessor Arturo Duperior, who was born in Pedro Bernardo in 1898 and who could have won the Nobel Price after his important discoverings in Phisics. He emigrated to England to be able to study the cosmic rays, and he could do it in the Imperial College of London, also in Manchester and finally in many labs around the world. This eminence of phisics came back to Pedro Bernardo in the 50´s, and then received several tributes of his home village. In the 80´s, concretely in 1985, our village suffered a big fire that distroyed the 98% of the forest area, over 6000 hectareas of pinetrees and other kinds of vegetation. A man died trying to stop the fire and the local economy was seriously damaged. The 40 per cent of the population migrated, because almost all families in town lived from the wood industry. In 1990 another disaster, a new flood, this time in the "Garganta de la Eliza" distroyed the natural environement and another guy lost his life. The new 21th century had also another natural disaster; another huge fire that destroyed again the forests of the surroundins of the village, where another man died again. It affected the tourism in the village, buet fortunately now the surrundinsg are slowly getting green again. Since the fire, many popular associations has born to try to do something for the future of our beautifull village. The Foro de Pedro Bernardo (Forum of PB), or the PLataforma por el futuro de Pedro Bernardo are only two of those associations that are fighting to achieve something better for our village. Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: Pedro Granado ::::::::Salamanca Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see photo Salamanca is located by the Tormes river and is one of the most spectacular Renaissance cities in Europe. It is well-known for its very old university (founded in 1218)and probably the most popular place to learn the Spanish language. This university is still what gives ambiance to the town. You can see hundreds of students passing through the streets and enjoying numerous and beautifully decorated bars until late at night. In the city, golden sandstone has lent itself to every major architectural style from Romanesque to baroque, even the modern quarters are largely built from it. The city has been declared "City of Mankind's Heritage" by UNESCO. The city is large enough (180.000 inhabitants) to be able to offer the advantages of a real city, but at the same time it keeps the intimacy of a village. It is very easy to meet people - just got to the Plaza Mayor, one of the finest squares in Spain and meeting point for the Spaniards and foreigners alike. ::::::::::Segovia Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see The Alcázar The Alcázar davidx A perfectly preserved Roman aqueduct is the fitting symbol of this 2 000-year-old city: It's full of structures from the past performing the duties of the present including many shops restaurants and hotels housed in ancient buildings. The 1 800-ft/550-m aqueduct provides water for most of the city's fountains. Elsewhere along the winding streets you?ll find a 16th-century cathedral monuments-look for the statue of the Roman wolf suckling Romulus and Remus-and several monasteries. Queen Isabella was crowned in Segovia's Alcazar, whose throne room has a magnificent handcrafted gold-leaf and ivory ceiling. It is also widely known as Walt Disney's inspiration for Cinderella's Castle, and it was also featured in the Orson Welles film, Chimes at Midnight. Segovia is a very pleasant city and an easy day trip from Madrid. 45 mi/70 km northwest of Madrid. ________-_________Sights Edit This The Alcázar The Alcázar davidx Apart from the Aqueduct shown on the main page, Segovia's principal sight must surely be its fairytale Alcazar but from the small park just outside you can see another worthwhile sight, the twelve sided church of Vera Cruz ___________Tours and Excursions Edit This Tours and Excursions in Segovia... [Add New] Segovia's Roman Aqueduct and Alcazar Walking Tour (Half Day Private Tour) Edit This photo Half Day tour with a private guide to visit Segovia's Roman Aqueduct and Alcazar. One of the most striking Roman treasures in Europe can be found in Segovia. This dual treasure consists of an amazingly preserved aqueduct, left by the Romans as a symbol of their greatness, fairytale castle, standing high up on the hilltop, the Alcázar. 2000 year old Segovia defies time and carries its history into the future, a history. Segovia's historic centre begins with the aqueduct leading us through its beautiful cobble streets surrounded by protective walls and fortified more.. World66 rating: [rate it] url: www.euroadventures.net address: Segovia tel: +34 986 22 13 99 email: tours@euroadventures.net ::::::::::::.Valladolid Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Plaza Mayor and the City Hall Plaza Mayor and the City Hall French people Valladolid is the capital of the province of the same name, and of the region of Castile-Leon in Spain. Valladolid is a reasonably large, industrial city to the northwest of Madrid. It is the capital of Castile-Leon and a major regional centre. The city has an older core with some interesting buildings, however it has focussed more on industry than tourism. Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: http://wikitravel.org/en/Valladolid_%28Spain%29 ::::::::::Zamora Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Zamora Cathedral Zamora Cathedral davidx Zamora is accessible from Madrid, Ávila or southern Galicia by Talgo and from Salamanca or León by bus, bus from Salamanca taking less than an hour. It is probably the least well known of Spain's grand old cities, perhaps because of the lack of any specific mastersight, other than its cathedral. However it does not deserve to suffer from people not knowing it. The site is great and it used to be known as 'the Closed One' because it was easily defended on its hill. The steep streets down to the river, where there is a Roman bridge, are spectacular and there are some good looking art nouveau shops near its Plaza Mayor. Its main features, however, are the cathedral [photoed with some difficulty in avoiding scaffolding at the time] and its number of small Romanesque churches, one of which is also a museum for the artefacts used during the famous Semana Sancta processions in the city. davidx 2 July 2004 |
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| The Castile, León
and La Rioja The Castile, León and La Rioja - TravelPuppy.com The inland region of Castile and León lie to the north and northwest of Madrid and occupy the northern part of the Meseta Central, the plateau that covers much of central Spain. Like the Madrid region, Castile and León are hemmed in by high mountains to the north, east and south and are the catchment area for a large river, the Douro, which flows westward into Portugal. Hot and dry throughout much of the year, the region’s extensive plains nonetheless make it an important agricultural asset for a country as mountainous as Spain. The wine region of La Rioja is small and tucked away to the northeast of Castile and León. Castille La Vieja Superbly situated on a plain overlooked by the Sierra de Gredos and the highest provincial capital in the country is Avila. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is famous for its perfectly preserved 11th-century walls and as the birthplace of the 16th-century mystic, St Teresa. Walking the ramparts is the most obvious attraction. The sights most closely associated with St Teresa are the 17th-century Convent now named in her honour with a small museum exhibiting items of clothing and other possessions, the Convento de la Encarnación, where she served as a nun and the Convento de San José which she founded in 1562. The Cathedral is a curious hybrid of the Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles. Segovia is renowned for its 800m-long Roman aqueduct, one of the best preserved structures of its kind in the world. Its other attractions include 18 outstanding Romanesque churches and a Gothic cathedral by the Arab Alcazar. The turrets soaring from its rocky outcrop are said to be the inspiration for Walt Disney’s fairytale castles. A short distance from the town is the wonderfully sited Summer Palace and gardens of La Granja, built in the first half of the 18th century for Philip V. The province of Soria has a large number of archaeological remains of the Celtiberian and Roman civilisations, many of which can be seen in the Museo Numantino in the provincial capital of the same name. Around 9km (6 miles) north of the town is the site of Numancia, a fortified Celtiberian town. Attractions in the town of Soria include the 13th-century Church of San Juan de Duero, the Cathedral of San Pedro and the Renaissance Palacio de los Condes de Gómara. Burgos was the birthplace of the knight El Cid, the embodiment of the chivalric tradition. His tomb, and that of his beloved Doña Jimena, can be viewed in the magnificent Gothic cathedral. Palencia, the capital of the province of the same name, was the one-time residence of the Kings of Castile and seat of the Cortes of Castile. The 15th-century Gothic Cathedral is the main point of interest, though it can not stand comparison with Burgos. The city has several other late-medieval buildings and an archaeological museum. The industrial city of Valladolid with a population of approx 500,000, capital of a province rich in castles and other ancient buildings, is famous for the Holy Week Procession at Easter and the Ferias Mayores (Great Fairs) in September. At the end of October, the city hosts a major international film festival. Book ahead if a visit is planned at any of these times. The city is associated with some of the most famous names in the history of the Iberian peninsula. Columbus (although not a Spaniard) died here in 1506, the Museo de Colon has objects and artefacts from the Mayan, Aztec and Inca civilisations, the great Spanish poet, Miguel de Cervantes, also had a home here, which is now a museum. The Museo Nacional de Escultura has the best collection of polychromatic religious sculpture in the world. There’s also a beautiful medieval cathedral and a university. The superb castle at Peñafiel houses a Museum of Wine of the Ribera del Duero region, and commands stunning scenic views. León The lively city of León was recaptured from the Moors during 850, and the architecture reflects its long history under Christian rule. The cathedral is one of the finest examples of the Gothic style in the country and boasts some outstanding 13th-century stained glass. Also worth seeing is the Pantheon in the Church of San Isidoro, which contains the tombs of the medieval kings of Castile and León and is decorated with Romanesque wall paintings. There are several places of interest within easy reach of León, including the fabulous Puerto de Pajares, Benavente and the attractive region around Astorga, a town which, like other towns in the region, was a stopping point on the Way of St James (see Santiago de Compostela in the Northern Region section). South of León is the province of Zamora, the provincial capital of the same name was the scene of many fierce struggles between the Moors and the Christians during the Reconquista, in which the Spanish hero El Cid figured prominently. The town has a Romanesque Cathedral and several 12th-century churches. Approximately 19km (12 miles) northwest of Zamora is an artificial lake, created in 1931, on the shores of the lake, in El Campillo, is a Visigoth church dating from the seventh century, which was moved when its original site was flooded by the new reservoir. The southernmost province of León, Salamanca, has as its capital the ancient university town of the same name, awarded the title of European City of Culture in 2002. It is situated on the swiftly flowing Tormes River and has many superb Renaissance buildings, weathered to a golden-brown hue. The most famous of these are the two Cathedrals, one Romanesque, the other late-Gothic in style but not completed until the 18th century. The university and the fine houses around the Plaza Mayor are also striking. More unusual is the Museo Art Nouveau y Art Deco, with its fascinating collections of objets d’art from the first half of the 20th century. The fiesta in September is very popular and bookings should be made well in advance. La Rioja La Rioja is famous for its vineyards. The capital, Logroño, is in the centre of the Rioja region. It is a district with a great historical past, the origins of poetry in the Castilian language lie here and it contains the channel of a European stream of culture, the Road to Santiago. :::::::::::::::::::: astile La Mancha and Extremadura Castile La Mancha and Extremadura - TravelPuppy.com This inland region lies between Madrid and Andalucia. Bordered by mountains in the north, east and south, it is irrigated by two large rivers, the Guadiana and the Tajo, both of which flow westwards to Portugal and thence to the Atlantic. Castile/La Mancha, the higher, western part of the region, is also known as Castilla La Nueva (New Castile). Castile La Mancha South of Madrid is the ancient Spanish capital of Toledo. Rising above the plains and a gorge of the Rio Tajo, the city is dominated by the magnificent cathedral and Alcazar. The town seems tortured by streets as narrow as the steel blades for which it is quite famous. Toledo is justly proud of its collection of paintings by El Greco, who lived and worked here. El Greco’s most famous painting, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, is preserved in the Santo Tomé Church. There are more El Grecos as well as works by Goya and other artists in the Hospital y Museo de Santa Cruz, a magnificent Renaissance building with a Plateresque façade. Other reminders of Toledo’s rich cultural heritage are its two medieval synagogues and a 10th-century mosque, currently undergoing restoration. Guadalajara is the capital of the province of the same name and is situated northeast of the capital, on the Rio Henares. Sights include the 15th-century Palacio del Infantado and the Church of San Gines. The provincial capital of Ciudad Real is the chief town in the La Mancha region, the home of Don Quixote. There are many places in the surrounding area associated with Don Quixote, including Campo de Criptana, believed to be the setting for his fight with the windmills. Cuenca, also a provincial capital, is most famous for its hanging houses. It is one of the most attractive of Spain’s medieval towns and the Gothic cathedral is particularly richly decorated. The countryside nearby includes woods, spectacular caves, lakes, towering mountains and valleys, many with fortified towns and villages clinging to their sides. Albacete is the centre of a wine-producing region. The town witnessed two exceptionally bloody battles during the Reconquista, but the considerable rebuilding of the town has left few reminders of its history. More evidence, is scattered in the surrounding countryside, where such places as the Moorish castle at Almansa and the old fortified towns of Chinchilla de Monte Aragón and Villena reflect the area’s stormy past. Extremadura This region consists of the provinces of Cáceres and Badajoz. Cáceres was founded in the first century BC by the Romans, and was later destroyed by the Visigoths and rebuilt by the Moors. There are traces of all the stages of the city’s history, although most of the buildings date from Cáceres’ Golden Age during the 16th century. Nearby is the beautiful village of Arroyo de la Luz. Around 48km (30 miles) away is the walled town of Trujillo the birthplace of the conquistador, Francisco Pizarro. Apart from two museums devoted to the conquest of the New World, visitors can see the fortress, a number of Renaissance town houses and historic churches. In this province is Plasencia, founded in the 12th century, which has a beautiful medieval aqueduct, cathedral and a 15th-century convent that has retained much of its original architecture, masonry, painting and murals. The ancient fortified town of Badajoz, in the province of the same name, is situated very close to the Portuguese frontier and was founded by the Romans. The Alcazaba, the Moorish part of the town, is on a hill in the northeast of the town. Not far away is the town of Albuquerque, which has the ruins of a massive castle and a large Gothic church. In the same province is the town of Mérida, famous for ancient Roman ruins, and the remains are housed in the Museum of Archaeology. A few kilometres away is Medellín, where Cortés was born during 1485 |
