HERDING HUMAN CATTLE THROUGH THE STREETS OF AVILA & SEGOVIA Avila and Segovia are small towns just outside Madrid, both with a lot to offer the keen tourist. Avila is famous for its grand city walls and as the birthplace of St Theresa, one of Spain’s most beloved […]
GRANADA’S GREAT FORTRESS Alongside Seville’s Alcazar and Cordoba’s Mezquita, the last (but certainly not least) of Spain’s triad of amazing Moorish sites is Granada’s Alhambra. This immense fortress dominates the skyline here in Granada, occupying the top of Sabika Hill to the East of the city. Within its […]
THE MYSTICAL MEZQUITA OF CORDOBA During the Muslim occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, Córdoba became one of the largest and most enlightened cities in the Caliphate. What is today a small, nondescript Andalusian town was once one of the greatest cities of the Medieval world, rivalling Constantinople in the […]
THE ASTONISHING ALCAZAR OF SEVILLE Seville has played host to a series of contrasting cultures from its Roman origins, followed by 500 years of Islamic occupation, and culminating in the Christian reconquest of the 13th century. The city’s architecture reflects its diverse history, no more so than the […]
THE PALACES OF SINTRA To escape the heat, every year the nobility of Portugal would retreat from Lisbon and go to Sintra for the summer. They built palaces in amongst the hills and forests of Sintra, transforming this small town into a wonderland of castles and magnificent manors. […]
ALFAMA: THE HISTORICAL HEART OF LISBON Today is officially our 200th day on the road (for this trip), and what a day it was! We got to explore Lisbon’s historical heart today: the Alfama. A Medieval maze of cobblestone streets, tiny squares, and breathtaking views, the Alfama is […]
PONFERRADA’S TEMPLAR CASTLE We left the vast expanse of La Meseta behind today, heading down into the comparatively verdant embrace of the Bierzo Valley. Our home-away-from-home for tonight is the town of Ponferrada, the largest city in El Bierzo and another popular stop along the Camino de Santiago. […]
