Madrid's Prado Museum and other Spain Things to Do Tips

"Guernica" by Pablo Picasso

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Photographs:
1. Please click because this 1st photo is a panoramic photo of Pablo Picasso's "Guernica" 1937
2. Oil by Roger Von der Weyden [1399-1400]

I was so very impressed with Madrid's National Museum of Painting and Sculpture called the Prado. It has a brilliant cross section of the rich cultural heritage that Spain has brought to the rest of us. [See another tip in General tips]

I especially enjoyed the paintings by Diego Valazques who portrayed the personalities of the court official of his day. But it's not the subject, but rather the brilliant colors he uses that attracts me to his work.

I also like Francisco de Goya because with his art he depicted man's inhumanity to man. His style is distinctive as he used free brushwork and brilliant colors too.

For religious paintings, I loved Bartholome Esteban Murillo. There's such a spiritual quality about his work.

For modern art, I enjoy Goya and was impressed that this museum set aside one entire room for two of his paintings which portray a Spanish uprising against the French.

Even though El Greco was not born in Spain, he did spend most of his career in Spain. His name means "The Greek", and he was born in Greece, but his mystical and religious emotionalism of Spain is as good, if not better, at capturing the Spanish spirit than most of the native-born Spaniards.

But, it was Pablo Picasso's work that I spent the most time perusing. He uses the most unorthodox images, and my all-time favorite [see photo] is his depiction of the horrors of war called "Guernica". For the 100th anniversary of his birth, this large painting was brought to Madrid [it had been in New York for many years].

If you love art, you must spend several hours at the Prado in Madrid.

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Directions: Bourbon Madrid (just south of the Plaza Canovas del Castillo)

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Things To Do: Some Favorite Small Places in Spain

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Updated by deecat

on Apr 4, 2007

Small Town on Way to Ronda

by deecat

In an old town east of Madrid, Cuenca, Allan and I stayed overnight & loved it. Cuenca sits high on a steep cliff between two valleys. Casas colgadas [hanging houses built from stone] perch on the edge of the cliff. They have wooden balconies & look as though they are suspended in air. The hotel where we stayed was one such place.

The Small Villages that dot Spain's countryside. Many are built on top of hills. Most of them are far from any big city & a drawback for the residents is that they must travel a long way to find services such as hospitals.

But, they are so picturesque with the village houses sitting close together with very small gardens behind them. Some houses are made of mud brick or adobe. In the middle of each Spanish village is a main square which is called plaza mayor, and it is, indeed, the center of public life. It's also where the town hall & the church are usually located. Fiestas & markets take place in the plaza mayor. The evening paseo [evening walk where people socialize] usually takes place in this square. One such town which we really enjoyed was a called Figueras that is located on the eastern coast.

Most of these villages that we visited were built before there were cars, & some of the streets are too narrow for vehicles. Yet, they are just right for people on foot & donkeys. Another small village that we loved was Rupit with Thick-walled houses made of boulders and stones to help keep people warm during the colder weather & cooler during the hot weather.

Ronda, in the furthermost northwest tip of the province of Malaga, lies in a basin surrounded by mountains. It's one of the oldest towns in Spain. The gorge divides the new town from the old town, and there's a new bridge between the two. The oldest bull ring is also here.

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Things To Do: Churches in Spain

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Updated by deecat

on Apr 4, 2007

Giraldo bell tower of Sevilla

Cathedral

by deecat

There are many outstanding cathedrals in more than 40 cities in Spain. We saw some of the finest.

Seville has the tallest and biggest in Spain; it is the largest Gothic building in the world!

Perhaps the most impressive religious building in Spain is the Mezquita at Cordoba. Inside the Mezquita, it is breathtaking. The Mezquita began as a mosque built on the site of a Visigothic church. Then King Charles V built a baroque cathedral in the center of the Mezquita.

There's also the famous Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in the capital of Galicia. This cathedral contains the relics of St. James, the Apostle. Santiago has been a shrine for pilgrims since the Middle Ages.

For sheer artistic beauty, I would choose the Temple Expitiori de la Sagrada Familia [Church of the Holy Family] in Barcelona. It was begun in 1882 and still is not completed. Gaudi was the architect, and he was killed by a streetcar. One of the reasons this incredible structure is not complete has to do with money. Another reason is that modern-day architects do not understand Guadi's plans.

My favorite cathedral in Spain is found in Toledo [see separate tip]. Toledo has a long, rich history that dates back to the Roman Empire. The Cathedral of Toledo took two centuries to build, and it is a magnificent edifice both inside and out. It has a stately tower 295 feet high which is one of the most impressive in all of Europe. The entire city of Toledo has been designated a national monument!

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Things To Do: Madrid's Puerta del Sol

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Updated by deecat

on Apr 4, 2007

Kilometer Zero in the Puerta del

Sol

by deecat

Madrid's Puerta del Sol is the crescent-shaped plaza in the central part of the city.
A symbol called Kilometer Zero is embedded in this square to mark the center of Madrid and of Spain. From this point, all distances in Spain are measured.

Some people in Spain say that "all roads converge at the Puerta del Sol" In English, Puerta del Sol means "Gateway of the Sun". Why? Well, once an ancient gate stood on this spot which was adorned with a huge sun carving. The gate disappeared in the 16th century, but Spaniards still have a warm spot for the plaza that bears its name.

I discovered an interest bit of trivia about Puerta del Sol. This square plays an important part of the New Year's celebration. If you are in the crowd in the square on New Year's Even, you will, no doubt, have a small bag of grapes. People do not eat them until the clock strikes midnight. With each chime of the clock, one grape is eaten. After eating 12 grapes [one for each strike of the chime], the New Year has begun.

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Things To Do: Seville:Narrow Streets, Tapas Bars, Gothic Church

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Updated by deecat

on Apr 4, 2007

Cathedra in Sevilla

by deecat , 3 more photos

One of the finest places to visit in Seville is the section called Santa Cruz. It's the old Jewish quarter (Barrio de Santa Cruz). It's made up of narrow alleyways, pretty flower-filled patios, souvenir shops, small plazas,and strolling guitarists.

This environment makes Seville quite romantic.
In addition, the mammoth Cathedral of Seville, which is the largest Gothic church in the world, resides in this area. Along side the cathedral is La Giralda, the bell tower with its 34 ramps plus ten more steps.

It is called La Giralda (which means Weather Vane).

The picture on the right I took of the nuns looking out of the top of La Giralda. The left side is a stained-glass windown inside the Cathedral.

In addition, the royal palace called Reales Alcazares and its wonderful gardens are here, too. We visited the Reales Alcazares, royal residence, as well as the Gardens of the Alcazares. This castle-like palace is of Moorish architecture and was built for Pedro, the Cruel. There are lovely court yards, exquisite gardens, secret chambers, reflecting pools, and cavernous vaults. I was most impressed by the "ahead of its time" water system.

Another plus of Seville is the charming Plaza del Salvadorand its wonderful architecture with ornate facades. I liked the Hospital de los Venerables which has Baroque frescoes. It was a home for elderly priests, and it has recently been renovated and is now a cultural center.

A favorite shopping street is Calle de las Sierpes.

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Address: Southern Spain
Directions: South East of Madrid

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Things To Do: Seville: Beautiful Streets for Wandering

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Updated by deecat

on Apr 4, 2007

Police on Horseback in old Sevilla

by deecat , 2 more photos

Seville[pronounced Sa vee a] is also a place to savor the beauty of the ancient structures, the joy of the friendly people, and the taste of the sumptuous food. We stayed almost exclusively in the old section of the town. One time, we ventured to the newer part, but quickly realized it was not for use.

We loved seeing the horse-drawn carriages, the police on horseback, and some streets lined with orange trees.

We spent most of our time exploring the old area, shopping in the quaint local stores, stopping for a snack when we felt thirsty, and staring in amazement at the incredible architecture.

1. Police on horseback
2. Plaza Virgen de los Reyes with horse-drawn carriages and the fountain by Jose Lafita.
3. Panoramic view of new part of Sevelle taken from top of Bell Tower.

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Address: Plaza Virgen de los Reyes

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Things To Do: Flamenco in Seville

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Updated by deecat

on Apr 4, 2007

Traditional Flamenco in Seville

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One of the nights that we were in Seville, we went to the 11:00 P.M. Flamenco show. It was not the typical "tourist" Flamenco show. Mostly locals attended this remarkable presentation.

1. The first picture was taken at the show. It is of the excellent Flamenco dancers.
2. The second photographs is the tiled entrance that names the location.

The Flamenco is an Andalusian art form that shows all the emotions from sorrow to joy The origins of flamenco are not clear, but most think that it was begun by Gypsies but mixes with Indian culture, and Jewish and Christian music.

We were surprised at how emotional the dancers and the crowd become. The guitar seems to be another "actor" in the Flamenco Dance. The singers or singer usually is quite important. The voice that we heard was rather harsh but powerful. The rhythm of flamenco is by the guitar but accompanied by hand clapping and the tap of the dancer's shoes as well as the castanets.

All-in-all, it was quite an evening. We all felt "drained" after it was over because of the high emotion.

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Address: Santa Cruz section at Los Gallos

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Things To Do: Ronda: one of the oldest Towns in Spain

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Updated by deecat

on Apr 4, 2007

New Bridge divides Old and New

Ronda

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Photographs:
1. The bridge that divides Ronda [the ancient part from the newer portion].
2. Oldes Bull Ring in Spain [Ronda, Spain].
3. Street Performer in Ronda.
4. Entrance ticket to Ronda's Bull Fighting Ring and Bull Fighting Museum.

Being one of the oldest towns in Spain,Ronda's origins are in the prehistoric period.

Near Ronda is the Cave of the Pileta, a true relic of Andalusian rural art.

The most visible cultural heritage of Ronda and its surrounding area is Arabic. When Ronda was under Muslim rule, it became important as the capital of one of the five Kovas of AL--Andalus. This influenced Ronda's architecture, food, and traditions.

But it was after the conquest by Catholic Kings that Ronda's most important monuments were built: the New Bridge and the Bull Ring (the oldest in Spain)

We had a hotel that overlooked the gorge that divides the old and new Ronda. We visited the bull ring and the bull ring museum, which was very enlightening.

Ernest Hemingway and Orsen Wells were both here to see bullfights in their lifetime.

In the evening we joined the nightly stroll. The new (not new in American terms) part has extra wide streets, unique shops, and quaint little restarurants. We also saw the Paradore (see culture tips). The views behind the Paradore were marvelous.

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Address: Northwest tip of the province of Malaga

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Things To Do: Nerja: Caves, Resort Beaches, and Ruins

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Updated by deecat

on Apr 4, 2007

Photographs:
1. Church in plaza in Nerja
2. Allan and Sand in Nerja
3. Allan overlooking Nerja
4. People eating paella near Nerja beach.

We stayed in a private villa in Nerja, Spain, called "Nerja Villa".

Nerja has a population of 10,000 and is a well established resort community. It is built on a cliff above sandy beaches and coves, and it is at the bottom of the Sierra de Almijara. What a location!

From the famous Balcony of Europe (El Balcon de Europa), one can see sweeping views up and down the coast. Along this Balcony of Europe is a promenade which has cafes, restaurants, and shops.

A little east of Nerja is a series of caves that were discovered by 5 boys from the small, neighboring village of Maro. These young boys squeezed through a narrow opening at the bottom of a small hallow. Seeing these caves was an unique experience.

(see tip off beaten path)

Staying in a private villa was quite nice. Even though we had a kitchen, we ate out all the time. The food was delicious, especially the Paella (a rice dish).

The villa we stayed in overlooked the Mediterranean....WOW!

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Address: Southern Spain, Andalusia Region

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Things To Do: Alicante: Castle, Promenade, Natural Harbor

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Updated by deecat

on Apr 4, 2007

Alicante Marina

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