Day 1: September 25, 2018
Orange County, CA
Only 6 weeks ago we returned from our Eastern Europe Vacation and here we were on our way to a new adventure. Luie, our favorite Lyft driver picked us up and were on our way. After a layover in Chicago, we boarded the American Airlines Aircraft on our way to Barcelona, Spain.
Day 2: September 26, 2018
Barcelona, Spain
We arrived to Barcelona Airport and at around 9:00 am were heading to the Old City where we booked our Hotel Plaza Rialto on Carrer de Ferran in the Gothic City. The room that we got was horrible. I made a reservation to a double room, thinking it will be a good size for 2 occupants but what we had was a small room with a big bed. We couldn’t do much there. Even unpacking was a major task and to top it all, our window was facing rubbles of what used to be once a building. I tires to change the room but was told that the hotel is in full capacity and they cannot do anything with this. Nevertheless, we had no choice and decided to not let it get into our skins and just try to enjoy what we have. The hotel itself was in a great location, right next to the Historic District of the city, located in a beautiful promenade with many narrow alleys crossing it.
We walked down from the hotel to the nearby Plaza Reial (the Royal Plaza) where many locals and tourist were taking an early break. The square is enclosed by historic houses. These elegant buildings have arcades filled with shops, cafés, and restaurants.
We saw some tourist guides there and booked a tour with one of them for tomorrow afternoon. I asked the guide about the square and he told us that this square is one of Barcelona‘s most famous, if not THE most famous square. “Famous for what?” I asked. “Well, for many things, but for me personally, it’s been one of my favorite nightspots. A place to hang out with the right crowd, especially at night”.
We saw some tourist guides there and booked a tour with one of them for tomorrow afternoon. I asked the guide about the square and he told us that this square is one of Barcelona‘s most famous, if not THE most famous square. “Famous for what?” I asked. “Well, for many things, but for me personally, it’s been one of my favorite nightspots. A place to hang out with the right crowd, especially at night”.
We walked on the world famous Las Ramblas Boulevard, on our way to find lunch at the market. The boulevard which cuts through the heart of the city center is usually the first stop of every tourist, just like us! We passed some street performers including human statues.
We arrived to the famous Market a few minutes later. The market was busy with locals and tourists and all of the restaurants where full with diners. It looked like a loss cause but then we saw a couple leaving a seafood restaurant and we grabbed their chairs at the bar.
Lunch at Ramblero was out of this world. We ordered scallops and sea bass that were grilled to perfection. We walked around the familiar market, looking at the rich produce, meat, seafood, sweet products and more before heading out back to the busy boulevard.
We were super tired from the long flight plus the hours difference from California and decided that with a full stomach, napping is much better.
We woke in the late afternoon and met with our friend Adi Mahler, who was our guided in Barcelona few years ago. We met him at a nice café and he gave us some clues regarding our overwhelming itinerary for the next 4 weeks and some famous eateries in the city.
Day 3: September 27, 2018
Barcelona, Spain
We woke up early. It was still dark outside. After breakfast at the hotel we headed outside to the empty streets and alleys. We decided to walk the distance to our first destination of the day Sagrada de Familia.
The streets were empty except for some people walking their dogs and the local municipality workers cleaning the streets up.
The streets were empty except for some people walking their dogs and the local municipality workers cleaning the streets up.
We stopped for a good espresso and then continued to this beautiful and meaningful site.
The Sagrada Familia is a one-of-a-kind temple, for its origins, foundation and purpose. Fruit of the work of genius architect Antoni Gaudí, the project was promoted by the people for the people. Five generations now have watched the Temple progress in the city. Today, more than 135 years after the laying of the cornerstone, construction continues on the Basilica and is expected to be completed in 2026.
Gaudi was born in 1852 and tragically killed by a tram, which ran him over in one of the streets of the city in 1926. He was only 73 years old. He was ahead of his time. A man of faith, observer of nature and genius architect, he has become a universal figure in modern architecture. His contribution to this discipline broke all the established rules. With never-before-seen building and structural systems, he created his own unique, unprecedented methodology and a style suffused with symbolism with the utmost care in every detail, showing his love of artisan trades.
The name of the tempe is translated into English as “Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family. The large unfinished Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in November 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated and proclaimed it a minor basilica, as distinct from a cathedral, which must be the seat of a bishop.
The construction started In 1882, under architect Villar. In 1883, when Villar resigned, Gaudi took over as chief architect, transforming the project with his architectural and engineering style, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. Gaudi devoted the remainder of his life to the project, and he is buried in the crypt. At the time of his death, less than a quarter of the project was complete
Relying solely on private donations, Sagrada Família’s construction progressed slowly and was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War. In July 1936, revolutionaries set fire to the crypt and broke their way into the workshop, partially destroying Gaudi’s original plans, drawings and plaster models, which led to 16 years work to piece together the fragments of the master model. Construction resumed to intermittent progress in the 1950s. Since commencing construction in 1882, advancements in technologies such as Computer Aided Design (CAD) have enabled faster progress and construction passed the midpoint in 2010. However, some of the project's greatest challenges remain. It is anticipated that the building can be completed by 2026— in time to commemorate 100 years after Gaudi’s death.
We made reservations online, for the tour of the basilica, a month before our trip. An English speaking guide was assigned to us (a group of 12) and we walked through all the important rooms and monuments of the church, including a the Main Nave (that could hold 7,000 worshippers), Gaudi’s burial site, beautiful pillars all around the main floor, and the museum. The tour lasted an hour and a half and we continued to walk on our own marveling the beauty and glamour of this special place.
We resumed our walk, passing the Arc de Triomf leading to Parc De la Citutadella. In 1888 Barcelona hosted the Universal Exhibition. The Arc de Triomf was built as the gateway to the fair which was held in the Parc de la Ciutadella. The monument is classical in shape and proportions and features ground-breaking sculptural and decorative finishes replete with symbolism. It has become one of the city's iconic landmarks.
We were disappointed to see that the main attraction in the Parc was closed, due to constructions. We found a nice bench, next to a lake with ducks and watched the locals rowing small boats in the lake, while having our lunch, which we had purchased earlier.
After a nice and relaxing break we kept on walking towards the Gothic Quarter and arrived once again to Plaza Reial, where yesterday we booked a tour of the Old City.
This Square was so beautiful, it's no wonder it was named "royal" (reial Catalan for royal).
The tour started with some interesting facts about the plaza: The elegant ambiance of the Plaça Reial is highlighted by the fountain, streetlamps and palm trees, and it is one of Barcelona's busiest, most vibrant spots, particularly at night. This is Barcelona's best-loved square. “This is the place for party animals, tourists and restaurant lovers. This could be your ultimate playground”, he proclaimed. it was built in 1848 on the remains of the Santa Madrona Capuchin monastery.
It is also home to some of Antoni Gaudi’s earliest work: A set of lamps he designed for the Barcelona council which are by no means the focal point of this beautiful Spanish Plaza, but interesting all the same as it was the first work Gaudi was commissioned to do for the government of Barcelona. “Each lamp has a plaque on the floor with his name on. “These lamps are not the most famous of Gaudi’s work and most people don’t even notice them”, he said, “so make sure you get a picture of this little Barcelona secret!”
It is also home to some of Antoni Gaudi’s earliest work: A set of lamps he designed for the Barcelona council which are by no means the focal point of this beautiful Spanish Plaza, but interesting all the same as it was the first work Gaudi was commissioned to do for the government of Barcelona. “Each lamp has a plaque on the floor with his name on. “These lamps are not the most famous of Gaudi’s work and most people don’t even notice them”, he said, “so make sure you get a picture of this little Barcelona secret!”
In the center of the Plaza is a classically designed fountain where many people gather, seat at the fountain wall and take in the atmosphere. “It’s known as the “Fountain of Three Graces, which refers to the statue of the three women. The women are said to be the daughters of Zeus; Euphrsyne, Aglaea, and Thalia, representing beauty, charm, and joy which I think sums up this beautiful plaza quite well”, he added.
We started our walking tour, going through narrow allies and stopping numerous times as our guide stopped and told us interesting facts about our surroundings.
The highlight of our tour was a stop at The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia), also known as Barcelona Cathedral. This is the Gothic cathedral and seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona. The cathedral was constructed from the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries, with the principal work done in the fourteenth century. In the late nineteenth century, the neo-Gothic façade was constructed over the nondescript exterior that was common to Catalan churches. The roof is notable for its gargoyles, featuring a wide range of animals, both domestic and mythical.
Another interesting spot was one of the city's best-kept secrets in a building on Carrer Paradís. Inside a small medieval courtyard, the four columns from the Temple of Augustus have survived despite the passing of the centuries. They are more than 2,000 years old, like Barcelona itself. Zealously guarded by a medieval building, the four temple columns bear witness to the magnificent origins of Barcelona in the heart of the Gothic Quarter. Along with some fragments, the columns are all that remains of the Temple of Augustus.=====================================================================================================================================================================================================================
As Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, many windows in the city are covered with the Catalonian flag and other symbol to let the world know about their own crisis with the Spanish government in seeking Independence.
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At the end of the tour, our guide gave us all hints and tips of where to have dinner tonight. We returned to our hotel to freshen up and then went to one of his recommendations. We walked in some dark alleys crossing busy streets and then arriving (thank you Google Maps) to our destination: Cera 23 in Raval neighborhood. The restaurant was opened in 2011 by three childhood friends from Galicia. Situated in the heart of Barcelona, the restaurant serves Mediterranean and Galician Cuisine with Italian influences. While at our table in the dining room we could view the four chefs at work preparing the dishes using fresh, high quality market ingredients.
Day 4: September 28, 2018
Girona, Spain
After breakfast we checked out of the hotel. We left 2 big luggages with them to be picked up when we return from our 3 weeks adventure.
A taxi took us to the airport where we found the cars rental agency. We rented a midsize car and started our journey, driving north.
We stopped in a nice restaurant somewhere halfway for coffee and sandwiches. When we returned to the car we noticed that the interior lights won’t turned off. We stopped again and tried anything possible to make it work but for no avail. We finally gave up and just ignored it, not realizing what kind of a hazard it is when we would drive at night later on the trip.
We arrived to Girona around 1:00 and checked into the Hilton Hotel. We were upgraded to a nice room (what a difference from the hotel in Barcelona!) and parked the car in the hotel’s parking facility.
Few minutes later we were out and about the historic city. Girona is a small medieval city. Located halfway between the majestic peaks of the Pyrenees and the rugged Costa Brava coast, the town sits on the confluence of four rivers and has a rich history that goes back to the Roman ages.
We found our way to the historic quarter and stopped at Rambla de la Llibertat, the stretch that runs along the River Onyar. With its many interesting buildings displaying a variety of architectural styles, the street has long been a commercial and entertainment centre of Girona.
We walked for a few minutes alongside the river and arrived to a beautiful bridge. Beautiful for many reasons: The architecture is part of the reasons but the most important reason are the views from it. Buildings with their own reflections in the river’s water, was a sight I will never forget.
We stopped at Independence Square (Plaça de la Independència), one of the best-known and most frequented places in the city. The name refers to the War of Spanish Independence against Napoleon Bonaparte, and is not related to the recent attempts of the Catalan people to gain their independence. In the center of this neoclassical square, we saw a monument dedicated to the defenders of the city during the sieges from 1808 to 1809. We found ourselves a bench in the east corner of the square and ate the lunch we just bought from the sandwich shop nearby. Almost all the homes in the square were having the Catalonian flag in the terraces and windows. The square serves as a meeting place for dining or just a coffee break in the middle of the day. It is also a center for political activities by the Catalonians people in the region.
The capital of its own province in northeast Catalonia, Girona is a sublime medieval city with one of Spain’s last surviving Jewish Quarter. This was our next destination.
Girona had the second largest Jewish community in Catalonia after Barcelona and it played an important role in the city from the 10th until the 15th century, when they were forced to convert to Catholicism in 1492, just like the rest of Spain. Jews who refused to convert were expelled from the country.
We walked in numerous mazes of alleys and realized that this was one of the best preserved Jewish quarters we have ever seen.
We discovered the beautiful Historic Jewish quarter that was easy to see on foot. We found lots of museums there, and the buildings were all of stone, and squashed down narrow cobbled streets. We saw lots of quaint bars and restaurants in this area too, and judging by the number of tourists in the shops it is obviously great for antique shopping.
As Game of Throne fans, we realized that we have seen those grey stone streets in Season Six when it appeared as Braavos. (There was also a walking tour for GOT sites in the city).
Before our trip I have read about Isaac the Blind: Yitzchak Sagi Nahor was a Provencal rabbi and kabbalist, was the son of the Ra'avad and was active at the time that Sefer HaBahir that was first emerging in public; in some circles he was considered its author. His students, Rabbi Azriel and Rabbi Ezra, taught Kabbalah to Ramban and Rabbeinu Bachaye who called him "the father of Kabbalah".
When we arrived to the museum, we found a bookstore on the bottom floor and the clerk told us that they are closing soon and that we will not have time to tour the museum. We looked around the bookstore (and souvenir shop) and left.
Not far from there, on the same street we noticed a Jewish Center, which was already closed (Siesta Time Baby!)
Not far from there, on the same street we noticed a Jewish Center, which was already closed (Siesta Time Baby!)
Our next attraction was the Girona Cathedral. We tagged along a tourist group and their English speaking guide and heard the following: The Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Girona, is a Roman Catholic church. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Girona. The cathedral's interior includes the widest Gothic nave in the world, with a width of 72 feet, and the second-widest of any church after that of St. Peter's Basilica. Its construction began in the 13th century in the Romanesque Architectural style, and continued in the 13th century in the Gothic style. Of the original Romanesque impressive building, only the 12th-century outdoor walkway and a bell tower remained. The second bell tower was completed in the 18th century.
A long flight of stairs took us from the street level up to the entry to the cathedral. Tova, who was hesitated to climb the many step surprised me as she climbed like a champ and made it quite easily.
We were standing on top of the staircase, which also lead to the famous Girona Medieval Wall.
Parts of the 14th century walls and towers were destroyed during the late 19th century to allow the city to expand. The missing parts have since been reconstructed.
We walked along the walls, for approximately 2 miles and enjoyed the views of the city and the surrounding countryside. There were a couple of additional towers that allowed me to climb 24 steps and see even better views of the entire town and the peaks of the Pyrenees Mountains in the distance!
Once we were back in the streets of Girona, we stopped at a bar and sipped cold draft lemon-beer.
Dinner was fantastic. We learned something today about “Fixed Menus” in Spain. They offer 3-4 course meal for a ridicules price and the dishes were all so good!
Day 5: September 29, 2018
Tossa De Mar & Figueres, Spain
We woke up rather early, had coffee in our room, checked out and then drove to our first destination of today, driving through breathtaking scenery.
We arrived at around 8:00 to Tossa De Mars, located at, what is called, Costa Brava, or “Wild Coast”, on the Mediterranean Sea.
We found a pretty town with cobbled streets, constructed around a magnificent ancient castle. The beautiful mountainous hinterland with lush green valleys, gorges and natural springs creates a stunning backdrop and bustling beach, make this town an attractive place to visit.
We drove the car, on a very narrow path, to the magnificent castle, on top of Mount Guardi, standing strategically on the summit of overlooking the sparkling sea and the town. We parked at the top.
The views were majestic, as the sun just rose above the sea. The photogenic castle was probably built in the 12th or 13th century to defend the town, and we could still see some of the original cannons perched on the watchtowers.
The views were majestic, as the sun just rose above the sea. The photogenic castle was probably built in the 12th or 13th century to defend the town, and we could still see some of the original cannons perched on the watchtowers.
We drove down the mountain, back to the beach, parked our car (literarily on the beach) and went to town to find breakfast.
We then walked to the beach and walked a stretch of about 2 miles. It was amazing. The terraces of some apartments were full with flower plants. What a sight!
At around noon we started our drive to Figueres, the birthplace of artist Salvador Dalí.
We did not have much time to explore the city as we still had to drive to France today and wanted to visit the Dali Theater-Museum as well.
We did not have much time to explore the city as we still had to drive to France today and wanted to visit the Dali Theater-Museum as well.
Now, who was Salvador Dali? Born here in Figueres, he was a skilled draftsman, best known for the striking and bizarre images in his surrealist work. His painterly skills are often attributed to the influence of Renaissance masters in the early 20th century. Dali was highly imaginative, and also enjoyed indulging in unusual and grandiose behavior. His eccentric manner and attention-grabbing public actions sometimes drew more attention than his artwork. His last request was to be buried in his own museum and his body as laid to rest in a crypt below the stage. We learned later on that the museum used to be a theater that was frequently visited by young Salvador.
The old theatre was burned during the Spanish Civil War and remained in a state of ruin. In 1960, Dali and the mayor of Figueres decided to rebuild it as a museum dedicated to the town's most famous son.
We stood in a short line and were scheduled to enter the museum in an hour. We found a corner café and spent the next hour there. We then entered the museum and our jaws dropped when we saw Dali’s creations in painting, statues and jewelry.
We toured the museum for the next three hours, while listening to a self guided phone.
The Museum holds the largest collection of major works by Dalí in a single location.
Some of his most important exhibited works were here: Port Alguer, The Spectre of Sex-appeal, Soft self-portrait with grilled bacon, Poetry of America—the Cosmic Athletes, Galarina, Basket of Bread, Leda Atomica , Galatea of the Spheres and Crist de la Tramuntana.
Some of his most important exhibited works were here: Port Alguer, The Spectre of Sex-appeal, Soft self-portrait with grilled bacon, Poetry of America—the Cosmic Athletes, Galarina, Basket of Bread, Leda Atomica , Galatea of the Spheres and Crist de la Tramuntana.
We also saw a set of works created by the artist expressly for the Museum, including the Mae West room, the Palace of the Wind room, the Monument to Francesc Pujols, and the Cadillac plujós.
A collection of holographic art by Dali, and a collection of jewels he designed are on display. Another room contains a bathtub and a side table with an open drawer and a lamp, all of which Dali had installed upside-down on the ceiling.
An extension to the museum building contains a room dedicated to optical illusions, stereographs, and anamorphic art created by Dali. The artist's final works, including his last oil painting, The Swallow's Tail are there as well.
It was time to leave and cross the border to France.
The hotel was located right next the city’s walls and on our way to the old city we stopped at some points along the wall.
We had breakfast at the town’s main square. We found a cute French Café and ordered Panini with cheese, croissants, juice and coffee. It was awesome.
The palace is in a center of one of the largest squares I have ever seen. The palace is considered to be one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe.
(Historians tend to believe that from the IV century onward there was a basilica here and close to it the bishop's residence.)Day 6: September 30, 2018
Avignon, France
The hotel was located right next the city’s walls and on our way to the old city we stopped at some points along the wall.
We had breakfast at the town’s main square. We found a cute French Café and ordered Panini with cheese, croissants, juice and coffee. It was awesome.
We headed to the palace. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Palais de Papes was the residence of seven Popes during most of the XIV century, and was built to accommodate the Popes who fled to Avignon from a corrupt Rome. The city was known then as “The city of Popes”.
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The palace is in a center of one of the largest squares I have ever seen. The palace is considered to be one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe.
We had a huge dilemma: spend half a day inside the palace, visiting its 25 rooms or try to see other attractions today. We decided to do the latter as it was a beautiful day to walk around.
To the left of the palace we saw a golden statue of the Virgin Mary. It was on top of the beautiful Notre dame Cathedral Des Doms, which comes from the Latin “Domus episcopali”, meaning "from the Bishop's house".
We climbed the few steps and entered this beautiful structure. A Baptism process was taking place as we walked in. It was awesome.
Later, we learned more about the Cathedral: The original structure has been there for more than 1,000 years but the current building has been subjected to a number of alterations. The eye-catching gold statue of the Virgin Lady on the top of the tower is about 18 feet in height and weighs 4,500 pounds.
The cathedral also holds two beautiful organs, both very old.
The old wall was only few feet to the left and this is where we were heading.
We tagged along an American tourists group and heard some facts about the wall:
The city walls surrounding Avignon were erected in the XIV century. Pope Innocent IV began the construction in 1355, when Avignon was seriously threaten by free bands of unemployed mercenaries, during truces between the French and the English kings and attracted by the Pope's wealth. The walls were finished 15 years later.
The walls are approx. 3 miles in length and were originally 24 feet high. The city walls are reinforced by 35 great towers and 50 smaller ones.
We walked for a few minutes and along with the tourists group arrived to our next attraction: Pont d’Avignon (The Bridge of Avignon), also known as Saint-Bénézet Bridge.
We learned the following from the guide: It is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO; the bridge attracts more than 300,000 visitors per year. Of the bridge itself, there only remains the four famous arches and the Philippe Le Bel Tower and of course, the famous song & dance known around the world.
Click on the following to watch and listen: Song of Pont d'Avignon.
The tour guide told us all about the legend of the bridge: In 1177, a young shepherd named Bénézet came down from the mountain. He said he was sent by God to build a bridge in Avignon. At first, people took him for a madman, but he had heard a voice from heaven telling him : "Bénézet, take your crook and go to Avignon, the capital by the water: you will speak to the inhabitants and you will tell them that a bridge must be built". One Sunday holiday, while the bishop of Avignon gave his blessing on the square in front of Notre-Dame, Bénézet called to him : "Lord Bishop, I have been commissioned by the Almighty to build a bridge across the Rhône"...
The Saint Bénézet Bridge is the oldest work constructed on the Rhône, between Lyon and the sea, in the XII century.
Click on the following to watch and listen: Song of Pont d'Avignon.
The tour guide told us all about the legend of the bridge: In 1177, a young shepherd named Bénézet came down from the mountain. He said he was sent by God to build a bridge in Avignon. At first, people took him for a madman, but he had heard a voice from heaven telling him : "Bénézet, take your crook and go to Avignon, the capital by the water: you will speak to the inhabitants and you will tell them that a bridge must be built". One Sunday holiday, while the bishop of Avignon gave his blessing on the square in front of Notre-Dame, Bénézet called to him : "Lord Bishop, I have been commissioned by the Almighty to build a bridge across the Rhône"...
Mocked by the worshippers, the shepherd was challenged by the high ranking clergy to take an enormous stone on his shoulders and throw it into the Rhône River. He doesn't hesitate for a second, and watched by the amazed crowd, picked up the stone block and threw it into the water, helped, they say, by divine intervention, and even by angels bathed in golden light. This beautiful legend of Saint Bénézet was passed down through popular beliefs, for the building of the bridge represented a challenge against the elements.
The Saint Bénézet Bridge is the oldest work constructed on the Rhône, between Lyon and the sea, in the XII century.
In the Middle Ages, the bridge was part of one of the most important pilgrimage routes between Italy and Spain. It would become essential to the pontifical court, which settled in Avignon in the XIV century.
Very soon, the cardinals moved to Villeneuve to escape the pollution of Avignon, at the time described by the poet Petrarch as the "most foul and stinking city on Earth". The bridge was at that time the most direct link between the many homes that the cardinals had built, and the Popes' Palace inside the city walls.
We said goodbye to the group and continued to walk on the walls, navigated through the narrow alleys and arrived to the main square of the city (where we had breakfast in the morning).
The first thing that caught our eyes was City Hall (Hotel de Ville d'Avignon). The Clock Tower could be seen in the distance and The National Opera Theatre was located immediately to the right of it.
We went inside City Hall and looked around. A plaque at the entrance told the history of the building: In the XIX century, the municipal council of Avignon decided to build a City Hall inside the city walls. They decided to renovate the ancient Gothic building that has served as the administrative center. A facade with Corinthian columns and balconies were added to the building. The Hôtel de ville was inaugurated in the middle of the XIX century by Louis Napoleon Bonaparte himself. The tower was transformed into a bell tower.
We walked around the old city and were impressed by the old buildings and beautiful streets. We arrived to the Central Market, which was not big enough but had many stalls full with seafood, cheeses, aperitifs, oils and spices. I bought anchovy spread, tasted all kind of cheese and then headed out.
We walked back to the main square, using a different route this time and right after we arrived, we found a table in the large patio facing City Hall of a Moroccan restaurant and order one of my favorite dishes: Couscous, ala Morocco style. It was served in 2 different dishes. The first one had the couscous itself and the second one was a soup bowl filled with meat, vegetables, grains and a delicious spicy sauce.
While eating, a man came to the center of the square and started to yell and curse the many North African immigrants that work in the restaurants in the square, telling them “sortie de mon pays“ or “Get out of my country”. A few minutes’ later 3 police cruisers came over and he was arrested.
We returned to our hotel and after a short break continued our tour.
Pont Du Gard was our next destination. Yesterday after our arrival to the hotel, the concierge told us that the best time to visit this attraction would be in the late afternoon and we followed her recommendation.
We arrived at 4:00, after 45 minutes drive in the countryside. The famous Aqueduct is located in the heart of a region and has a rich historical heritage.. We walked into the park and saw an introductory video about the site, in a beautiful museum:
It is the most visited ancient monument in France, listed a world heritage site by UNESCO, the aqueduct remains one of humankind's great masterpieces. A marvel of Antiquity and a true technical feat, it is also a stupendous site that has regained its unspoiled state since its refurbishment.
With 160 feet high (!), it has three vertical rows of arche. Its upper part reaches a length of over 2.5 football fields. In a matter of fact, according to the video, 3 Boeing 747 could easily land on top of the bridge. It served as an aqueduct until the VI century before becoming a tollgate in the Middle Ages and finally a road bridge from the XVIII to the XX centuries.
The park had only few visitors by the time we arrived. All the busses, loaded with hundreds of tourists had already left, and we walked up and down the river banks to see the bridge in different angles and distances. The sun was rady to set off, displaying beautiful colors in the river.
When the evening arrived, there were only a handful of visitors left in the park. The show was about to begin: the bridge was lit with shower of lights in all different colors, changing alternately and making the bridge a fantastic display. (Fortunately I carried an extra battery for my camera as more than hundred camera clicks were used in the next hour.)
At around 9:00 PM we noticed that we were the only people left in the park. We were worried they would forget about us and will lock the exit doors. We rushed towards the exit (almost a mile in distance) and to our relief a guard was still there at the gate, waiting for us, the last tourists to leave the park. We greeted him with “Bon Nuit” (Good Night) and walked towards our car when I noticed that my glasses were not on my face. It was already too late to return and search for them. I retracted our steps in my mind and then remembered where I laid them down. We decided to return tomorrow early in the morning to retrieve them.
We returned to the hotel exhausted from such a busy day!
Day 7: October 1, 2018
Provence, France
We woke up and sang “Happy Birthday Noa”. Our youngest granddaughter turned 3 years young today. We had some coffee at the hotel and headed out to Les Baux de Provence. We drove the entire way in the countryside, passing charming villages and breathtaking views.
The village of the Baux de Provence is situated in the heart of the Alpilles, which could be seen from the look-out point!
Once we parked the car and entered the site we understood why this immense and superb stone fortress is without doubt one of the "must-sees" on the Provencal tourist trail! The village is officially classified and labeled as "one of the most beautiful villages in France".
Its cultural heritage is exceptionally rich, with 22 architectural treasures classified as "Historic Monuments" (including the church, chateau, town-hall, hospital, chapels, houses, doorways... without counting items of furniture and a collection of paintings).
The village has been painstakingly restored and is now one of the most popular attractions in the region. The 400 permanent residents must surely have the impression of living in a real-life museum!
The village can only be visited by foot, and as we walked the narrow streets, we admired the ancient houses that have been carefully restored, beautiful Renaissance façades and several magnificent "hôtels particuliers" which today serve as art galleries or museums. While wandering around we came across many craft shops selling Provençal products and souvenirs.
We entered the "Citadelle des Baux" at the huge summit of the village, which covers 7 hectares, and discovered the main ruins of its dramatic past: the keep, Saracen towers, chapel, old war weapons and more. The history of Provence unfolds before our own eyes amongst the rocks and stones.
A big part of the Chateaux was an exhibition of photographs of Pablo Picasso. The photographs were by his friend Lucien Clergue and were exhibited outdoors. They were taken in 2 different periods: between 1953, when he met Picasso, and 1973, the year of the artist’s death.
A big part of the Chateaux was an exhibition of photographs of Pablo Picasso. The photographs were by his friend Lucien Clergue and were exhibited outdoors. They were taken in 2 different periods: between 1953, when he met Picasso, and 1973, the year of the artist’s death.
The views from the top of fortress were breathtaking. We saw the richness of the villages down below with vineries, orchards and gardens.
We headed our way out and drove to our next destination: Saint Remy.We stopped at the tourists’ office and a sign welcomed us: “Welcome to the heart of the Alpilles at Saint-Remy de Provence - Tourist Office of Saint-Remy de Provence”. We already felt welcomed!
We asked the nice receptionist to tell us about this village and she provided us with some attractions information and directions. We were on our way to discover this charming village in the heart of Provence.
First we sat at an outside café, enjoying a warm welcome and then walked around the corner to a charming fountain. We found out it was called Fontaine Nostradamus, named after Nostradamus, who was born in this town and became a French astrologer, physician and reputed prophet, who allegedly predicted future events.
First we sat at an outside café, enjoying a warm welcome and then walked around the corner to a charming fountain. We found out it was called Fontaine Nostradamus, named after Nostradamus, who was born in this town and became a French astrologer, physician and reputed prophet, who allegedly predicted future events.
What was interesting was to learn that Vincent Van Gogh himself used to visit the town, quite often, and used to sit right here, next to the fountain, for meditation and quiet time. He used to sit for many hours and the locals who got used to him being there, did not bother him.
We walked through the beautiful and picturesque alleys and arrived to a beautiful Catholic church named Saint-Martin Collegiate Church of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Its Bell is dated to the XVI century and the church was rebuilt in the second half of the XIX century.
We headed back to our car and drove to STes Marie de la Mer, situated where Mediterranean Sea kisses the Rhone River. Why we drove there? Well, the concierge at the hotel told us that she loves to drive there, enjoy the fresh air and have a wonderful seafood dinner! "That was an excellent reason", we thought!
We strolled on the beach promenade and then, when we reached the end of it, we entered the old city, went through a beautiful market and were looking for a seafood restaurant that is opened at 5:00 for dinner. The French do not eat supper that early, and it was hard to find one opened. However, we noticed earlier, while walking on the promenade, that there was a seafood restaurant on the second floor of a building, overlooking the sea and I thought I saw some people eating inside. We returned to the beach promenade, and sure enough they were opened.
The name was La Belvediere, owned and operated by immigrants from Algiers. We sat outside on the balcony and enjoyed the picturesque views.
We ordered 2 dishes and that was a mistake, as the portions were huge. The food was so yummy but we had to leave half of it unfinished and explained to our waiter that though it was delicious we just could not consume so much food. He thought this was amusing!!!
We walked back to the car as the evening wind kicked in, coming from the sea and lowering the temperatures to the low 40's (in Fahrenheit). It was freezing cold breeze coming from the sea and we ran the rest of the way to our car.
We arrived about an hour later back to Avignon.
Day 8: October 2, 2018
Toulouse, France
We woke up early, had coffee at the hotel and checked out. We were on our way to Toulouse, France, not far from the border with Spain.
We arrived to our “Apartments Hotel” in the city and as it was too early to check in, we left our luggage with the concierge, parked our car at a nearby parking structure and started our walking tour in this gem of a city.
Tova & I love this kind of a big city: wide promenades, cafes’, restaurants, boutiques, shops, etc. At this time of the day, the rosy-toned brick buildings of Toulouse had a special glow, earning the city its title, "La Ville Rose" ("The Pink City"). It was so beautiful.
A 20 minutes walk took us to the hub of the city: The Town Square, where we found the Tourists’ Information Office inside City Hall. We got details of what’s worth visiting and started our self-guided tour.
The warm, sunny climate and friendly locals gave us the feeling of being invited to the city. We found out that although it's a major industrial city, Toulouse has a laid-back vibe. In this part of France, people speak slowly with drawn-out vowels, just as they linger over coffee at outdoor cafés and dawdle in the town squares.
As I mentioned, the City Hall is situated in a huge square, where the hub of Toulouse life is. It is called Place du Capitole, which showcases the classic architecture of Toulouse. On the west side of the square we saw beautiful arcades, and side street restaurants filled with many locals and tourist. On the east side of the square is the celebrated XVIII century Capitol building. The remarkable facade features eight immense columns of pink marble. The ancient XVI century defensive tower is visible behind the Capitol and the Theatre du Capitole is just a few steps away. We continued south to further discover the historic center of Toulouse and arrived at the Vieux Quartier (Old Quarter). This medieval quarter has many charming pedestrian streets lined with shops and cafés, especially the Rue Saint-Rome and Rue des Changes.
We arrived to a little square. Simona, my cousin, who was a huge part in preparing the trip, asked me to get to Place Rabin and “say hi to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin from me”. We sent him Simona’s regards and had lunch at a nearby café’.
Next thing on the agenda was a hair salon for Tova. The girl at the Tourists’ Information Center told us about a place she usually goes to and thanks to Google Map we were able to find it quite easily. I sat at a nearby café, looking at the beautiful fountain and many people walking by, while Tova had a stylist working on her hair.
We headed towards the river and arrived to Notre-Dame la Dalbade Church, in the heart of the Carmes quarter. The church stood out with its colorful entrance.
Built around the VI Century, this church was entirely reconstructed at the end of the XV Century following a fire. Originally, the exterior was covered in lime, which gave it an immaculate whiteness, a tribute to the Virgin. Nowadays, though white has given way to red brick outside, the color can still be seen in the interior.
We then headed to the river, just few steps away and looked at the marvelous bridges, connecting the two parts of the city. Few days ago I saw a picture of the river and the bridges where the Notre-Dame church was in the background. I thought it was a great picture and was desperately looking for this spot but could not find it (We will find it tomorrow, on our way out of the city).
We returned to the city’s center and visited the number one attraction of the city: Basilique Saint-Sernin.
As we were going to visit west of Spain in the coming days, we had planned to stop in a town called Santiago de Compostela. We learned that this basilica has been one of the churches on the medieval pilgrimage road to this city in Spain. This exquisite church, built between the XI to XIII centuries, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The church is dedicated to Saint Saturninus (Sernin) of Patras, who was martyred by being tied to a bull. The Basilica stands on the site of an earlier church where the Saint was buried (We saw his tomb later on).
We admired the magnificent doorway adorned with intricate sculptures such as King David and the Apostles and entered the ancient sanctuary to experience the serenity of the place. The interior featured a lovely XVI to XVII centuries choir encircled by nine chapels.
We then explored the main Nave, which has seven remarkable marble reliefs. In the north side we saw an enormous carved Romanesque crucifix. The Basilica's six-story Clock Tower had an octagonal shape.
Our next stop was at Couvent des Jacobins, a beautiful example of Southern Gothic architecture, the monastery was founded in the XIII century. The convent was constructed entirely from the red bricks of Toulouse and has a similar tower as the basilica we just visited.
The massive and simple exterior contrasts with the delicate interior architecture. Inside the convent's church, the two-aisled nave features inspiring vaulting, with the famous palm-frond shaped ribs radiating from seven central piers in the choir area.
The most tranquil area of the convent was the continuous covered outdoor walkway, an inspiring space of arched colonnades. We loved the courtyard with its columns and the symmetric garden.
The night has arrived and we were debating if to extend our stay here by one more day, as there was so much more to see but looking at our itinerary we decided to have dinner and call it a visit.
The room that we got at the Apartment Hotel was luxurious! With huge bedroom, spacious living room, a fully equipped kitchen and a large bathroom. We loved it!
Day 9: October 3, 2018
Toulouse & Lourdes, France
We had coffee in our room and checked out from the hotel.
The day started with a great surprise: The point where the beautiful picture of the river, bridges and the Notre-Dame church was taken, was found on our way out of the city, from the top of a bridge.
I parked the car in a construction zone and, left Tova in the car and ran about half a mile to be in the center of the bridge, so I could have the same angle as in the picture. When I got there all I could say to myself was WOW!
I parked the car in a construction zone and, left Tova in the car and ran about half a mile to be in the center of the bridge, so I could have the same angle as in the picture. When I got there all I could say to myself was WOW!
We made another unplanned stop. While driving west on the motorway we noticed a beautiful castle on the right hand side. We took the first exit and found our way to Saint-Elix le Chateaux. It was closed and a sign informed the visitors that this castle was built in the 1540’s, it is now privately owned and that it has been listed since 1927 as a historic monument by the French Ministry of Culture. That was a nice stop!
We were on our way to the Pyrenees Mountains, driving to a destination that was recommended to us by a couple of tourists we had met in Toulouse.
We left the main highway and entered the beautiful and picturesque mountains area, parked the car for a couple of times for pictures taking and stopped at a small village named Saint Lary-Soulan, servicing the ski resort above it, in the winter time and just a lazy little village in the rest of the year. We stopped at the Tourist Information Office and received some information of how to get to our next destination: Reserve Naturelle du Neouvielle.
We walked in the streets of this charming village and thought we are on a movie set. It was unbelievably peaceful and beautiful.
We then started our drive, driving through little towns and then drove onto an unpaved road, which climbed up the mountain peaks. We drove uphill for about 45 minutes, on an extremely narrow road, which was a real joy (for me, not Tova...) and finally arrived to this beautiful lake and a dam on top the Pyrenees Mountains. The reservoir was full of water and the colors of the mountains, surrounding the reservoir, reflected in the water. It was just picture perfect!
We returned to the towns down the mountains, stopped numerous times for pictures taking of flora, fauna and beautiful homes, built on the cliffs.
We arrived to Lourdes in the late afternoon. We parked our car next to the main attraction of the city: La Grotte (The Cave).
Few words about the city: It is a small market-town lying in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, in western France. Prior to the mid XIX century, the town was best known for the Château fort de Lourdes, a fortified castle that rises up from a rocky escarpment at its center and seen from everywhere. (We will visit it tomorrow).
In 1858 Lourdes rose to prominence in France and abroad due to the unusual sight, of the Virgin Mother, claimed to have been seen by the peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous, not once or twice but 18 times! The Virgin Mother was healing people washing their faces and bodies with water that dripped from the cave’s walls. The water were from the nearby river. (Note: The peasant girl was later canonized.)
Shortly thereafter the city with the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes became one of the world's most important sites of pilgrimage and religious tourism. Today Lourdes hosts around six million visitors (!) every year from the all corners of the world. This constant stream of pilgrims and tourists transformed the quiet city into the second most important center of tourism in France, second only to Paris, and the third most important site of international Catholic pilgrimage after Rome and the Holy Land. Another interesting fact is that as of 2011, of French cities, only Paris had more hotel capacity.
The Sanctuary is a destination for pilgrimage; sick pilgrims are reputed to be miraculously healed by Lourdes water. This ground is owned and administered by the Roman Catholic Church, and has several functions, including devotional activities, offices, and accommodation for sick pilgrims and their helpers. It comprises an area of 51 hectares.
We walked in and found out that a procession had started only a few minutes ago. In front of our eyes there were approximately 20,000 handicapped participants, carried each by a volunteer, with the majority of them on wheelchairs. They carried flags from all over the globe, representing almost every county in the world.
We climb the stairs and stood initially on top of the Cathedral breathing in unbelief what we are seeing. It was unplanned and we just came in the right time on the right day. We then stood close to the parade and close to the marchers, who went around to the grounds’ entrance and then formed several lines, marching onto the center of the Sanctuary. An Archbishop was waiting for the march, on a huge stage, to welcome and then bless us all.
We later went to the cave and to the spot where the Virgin Mary was spotted healing people. Hundreds of people were standing in line so they could take the water with their hands and wash their entire face and parts of their bodies. Water faucets were also available nearby for the same purpose and also drinking.
We spent more than 3 hours there and then walked to the Tourists’ Information Office, walking in beautiful tiny streets in the Old Quarter, to get details about our visit tomorrow in the castle, when the receptionist told us how lucky we are to be in the procession that started today and also added that the same group of people are in town for 3 days and that tonight they are all going to return to the grounds and have the procession, only that this time they will carry torches. It was scheduled to start at 9:00.
We returned to our car, then found our hotel and checked in the 5 star Eurostar Hotel. We rested for awhile and then to find some food. We ended up in a 5 star French restaurant. I ordered the French onion soup and thought it was heavenly.
We then went back to the Sanctuary, just in time to see the night procession. It will be in my memory as long as I live, as the only lights in the grounds was that of the torches, carried by all participants.
Just unforgettable!!
Day 10: October 4, 2018
Lourdes, France & San Sebastian, Spain
We found an opened bakery at 8:00 in the morning and had Panini’s and coffee.
We headed by foot to the fort for an interesting tour.
The Chateau Fort is strategically placed at the entrance to the seven valleys of the Lavedan. Since 1933, it has been listed as a monument historic by the French Ministry of Culture.
The castle's origins go back to Roman times. We saw various remains from this era (fragments of sculpture, votive offerings and wall foundations). Today, the oldest remains date from the XI and XII centuries and consist of the foundations of the present fortifications.
The Notre-Dame-du-Château Chapel houses the furniture of the former parish church of Saint-Pierre de Lourdes, destroyed in 1904. The present chapel is constructed with recycled material from that church.
The views from the chateaux were, as expected, spectacular. The Cathedral, mountains and the green valley were right underneath us, begging me to take photos of them!
We toured the place for a couple of hours. At one point we saw few youngsters, who we recognized them as volunteers from the procession of last night. One of them spoke fluent English and he told us about their devoted and important deed.
We walked back to the hotel, picked up our parked car and started our way back to Spain and to San Sebastian.
We made reservations to an AirBnB and were there around 12:00. The hostess, a young pretty mother of a cute baby greeted us at the door. The room that we received was awful: A small room with a huge bed and a bathroom on the side. That’s it. We were not allowed to use the other facilities in the house, including the kitchen that had a pad lock on its door and the living room that was on the way to our bedroom. (Later on we found out that the heater did not work and the water in the bathroom were at warm temperatures only and never hot enough for a decent shower). However, we were already there and there was nothing we could do (only complain later to AirBnB).
We decided to walk the 2 miles down the hill to get to the Old Quarter (Parte Vieja in Catalonian) of this charming city.
We were there in 45 minutes. Lying between El Muelle Harbor and the River Urumea, San Sebastian’s Old Quarter has its origins in medieval times although it was largely rebuilt following the large-scale destruction of the city by fire in 1813.
We were there in 45 minutes. Lying between El Muelle Harbor and the River Urumea, San Sebastian’s Old Quarter has its origins in medieval times although it was largely rebuilt following the large-scale destruction of the city by fire in 1813.
We arrived to the dynamic Plaza de la Constitution Square, the first attraction on our agenda.
Upon arrival to the square, we first sat in a café to the side, sipped a delicious cappuccino and just watched the crowd passing by.
Constitution Square sits in the heart of San Sebastian’s old quarter. This arcaded and balconied square was once a bull-ring by day and by night it buzzed with laughter and chatter from the numerous crowded bars and restaurants.
We could still see remnants of the bull-ring today: looking above each of the balcony windows we found numbers denoting the former bull-ring boxes once rented by spectators. Since its construction in the early 1800s, it has served as the city’s main square.
The main square, which is dominated by the municipal library, resides in a part of town blanketed by a web of narrow medieval streets, each is highlighted by Basque Country’s answer to the tapas bar: the Pintxos Bars. These drinking-and-eating establishments typically pile high their counters with gourmet-style tapas-topped slices of bread, and are usually enjoyed by visiting one bar after the next.
We heard a lot of good things about such bar named Juatxi Taberna and asked Google Maps to find it for us. Few minutes later we entered the eatery and what we saw was something to remember: The bar was covered from one side to the other with (and I do not exaggerate) more than 40 different huge plates piled high up with beautiful looking food, all laid on slices of white bread or slices of tortillas. Nothing fancy - not very touristy - simple and excellent good sandwiches. We had 4 huge Pintxos with tuna, crab, calamari and shrimps and they were all delicious. The bar staff was extremely friendly even though we are not fluent in Spanish at all and barely managed to say "Gracias”. We paid under 15€ for that wonderful afternoon snack plus a couple of draft beers.
We headed to the gorgeous Church of St Vicente, not far from the bar, and marveled its gothic look. It was built in the early XVI century in the Basque Gothic style.
Next on our agenda was the Baroque basilica of Santa María del Corus. It is one of the most visited architectural works in San Sebastian. It dates from 1750. It was built on the site of an old Roman church and is thus considered the oldest church in the city.
We then left the Old Quarter and visited the Town Hall, located between La Concha Beach and the Old Quarter. It is one of the most majestic buildings of the city, located in a beautiful location alongside the water and the well-maintained Alderdi Eder Gardens.
We asked a gentleman that sat next to us on a bench about this place and he told us that it was originally built (in 1882) as a casino hall and once hosted parties when Europe’s aristocracy spent their summers in San Sebastian. During World War I, the casino was filled with an eclectic mix of political refugees, spies (such as Mata Hari) and those wealthy enough to flee the fighting in the north. Later on during the Spanish Civil War, the building was also caught up in the fighting between the nationalists and republicans.
We spotted few bullet holes on the facade of the building as a result of the bloody fighting that took place alongside it. Since 1947 the building has been used to house the city hall, which until then, was located at the Constitution Square.
Evening arrived and we found the local bus, which took us back to the apartment. A nice group of youngsters helped us on when to get off the bus and one of them accompanied us until we found the right building.
Day 11: October 5, 2018
San Sebastian, Spain
We woke up at 7:00 and walked until we found a nice little bakery, where we had breakfast.
It felt like summer and the forecast promised high temperatures (around 88 degrees Fahrenheit).
We then took the local bus to the Bay of Concha and located our first destination: The Royal Palace or as it is called here: The Miramar Palace.
We entered the palace and found out that it is now houses the Summer Courses of the University of the Basque Country.
It was built in the late XIX century and in 1893 was commissioned by the Spanish Royal Family.
We wanted to enter and view the palace but were told that seminars are now taking place and it was impossible. Nevertheless, we sneaked in and looked around.
For me the highlights were the beautiful views from the palace, which stands tall on top of a hill and was built to adopt this unbelievable setting.
The picture-perfect white sand beach of the bay is the most iconic sight in San Sebastian and we couldn’t get our eyes of it. With a wide shoreline and mesmerizing turquoise waves, this expansive beach extends for almost a mile. The beach, known as La Perla, overlooks the cityscape of the city and has an ambience of elegance.
We headed to the Funicular at the bottom of Monte Igueldo and were one of the first to stand in line. The ride, undoubtedly, is an attraction by itself, as it is not just another one in a theme park.
The 1,000 feet ride took only few minutes and we were at the summit.
The views underneath us were priceless. The bay, the beach, the city, the Caribbean Sea, the rocks and the status of Jesus that stood tall in the distance as to protect the city. I felt like a circling hawk staring down over the vast panorama of the Bay and the surrounding coastline and mountains.
We used the Funicular one more time to get down and started to walk towards the town, strolling on the beach. Hundreds of people were dipping in the oceans and thousands were lying down on the warm sand.
We arrived to San Sebastian Cathedral, also known as The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. It is the seat of a Christian Bishop and the most remarkable religious building of the city. It is endowed with a strong verticality and is the largest in the province. Its construction took place in the last years of the XIX century in a Historicist Neo-Gothic style. The church, dedicated to the Good Shepherd, has held the rank of cathedral only since 1953.
We enjoyed the interior, as well as its exterior. A beautiful Cathedral indeed!
We walked to the New Town by the Urumea River. We entered a famous and elegant hotel by the name of Hotel Maria Cristina, surrounded by gardens and views to the river, this hotel had had guests that included heads of countries, celebrities and the (very) rich and famous.
We entered the lobby first and its design of the Golden Age (Belle Époque) was magnificent. We then exited from the back and onto a promenade.
Next to the hotel is the majestic Victoria Eugenia Theater, one of the city’s most iconic buildings. Its doors opened in the year 1912, and it became the stage for San Sebastian’s most important cultural events. It is without doubt one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. Throughout the year, it stages several plays, musicals and other cultural events.
We headed to the Old Quarter to have some Tapas. Anthony Bourdain, when he visited the city, recommended an eatery names Bar Texpetxa. On the bar there were many of the house specialties - Anchovy Pintxos. We ordered the ones that the young lady at the bar recommended and they were prepared freshly; silvery fillets marinated (not salted) in a secret family recipe and arranged with sushi-type precision on a warm slice of baguette and topped with everything from spider crab, sea urchin roe and black olive pâté to redcurrants. We couldn't leave before sampling seven of them!
On the walls there were pictures of some famous celebrities who also had heard about this gem of a restaurant!
We were tired by now and decided to call it a day. We found the local bus and arrived 30 minutes to the room.
In total we walked for about 12 miles today!
Day 12: October 6, 2018
Bilbao, Santillana Del Mar & Cangas de Onís (Spain)
We woke up at 6:00 and headed west towards Bilbao. We got panicky when a couple of Israeli tourists, that we met yesterday, insisted that without reservations or eTickets, we would not be able to enter the Guggenheim Museum in the city. Our plan was to be the first people in the queue and beg.
We stopped for a couple of minutes on the highway and grabbed coffee and a dish from Spanish cuisine called Tortilla de Patatas. (It is an omelet made with eggs and potatoes).
We arrived to the city and located the museum, located in the Basque city of Bilbao. At around 8:00 we already were in the queue with the third position. The box office opened at 9:00 sharp and we got lucky to be one of the first 50 people in the queue. We got in!
Few words of this wonder of a museum:
When it opened in 1997, the Frank Gehry–designed Guggenheim Museum Bilbao—a spectacular structure made of titanium, glass, and limestone—was hailed as the most important building of the XX Century.
Gehry’s use of cutting-edge computer-aided design technology enabled him to translate poetic forms into reality. The resulting architecture is sculptural and expressionistic, with spaces unlike any others for the presentation of art.
The museum is a pinnacle in Gehry’s outstanding architectural career as well as in the field of museum design. It remains unsurpassed in its integration of art and architecture.
The museum is seamlessly integrated into the urban context, unfolding its interconnecting shapes of stone, glass, and titanium on a 32,500-square-meter site along the Nervión River in the old industrial heart of the city.
The museum features exhibitions organized by the Guggenheim Foundation and by the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, as well as selections from the permanent collection of the Guggenheim museums plus temporary exhibitions. Today’s the temporarily exhibition was called From Von Gogh to Picasso, which featured masterpieces by Cezánne, Degas, Manet, Picasso, Van Gogh and many more artists from the Renaissance and Post Renaissance eras. Taking photos of the famous and priceless art collection was forcibly enforced.
We spent around 4 hours, mostly in the exhibition section of the museum and then exited its doors and walked around the complex with “wow” and “unbelievable” every 5 seconds.
It was time to leave and we headed further west and to the little medieval town of Santillana Del Mar in the Cantabria Region, with its many historic buildings. The weather turned to be hot, humid and rainy. The town, whose origins date to the VIII century, has been declared a national monument.
We parked our car, after entering the village on a country road (and not from the main entrance) and tried to escape the rain, running under one umbrella. It was fun!
The historic town center is only opened to pedestrians. We arrived to a cobblestone pedestrian’s street in the village’s old section and hid from the heavy rain, inside a bar. We talked to a patron, who greeted us in English and when I asked him what we could do here today he smiles and said that first of all we need to know is that there is an old saying that Santillana del Mar is The Town of Three Lies, since it is neither a Saint (Santo), nor flat (llana), nor is it by the sea (Mar) as implied by its name. “But”, he continued, “It is the most enchanted village in all of Spain and this is my home”. (We found out later that the name is actually derives from Santa Juliana (or Santa Illana) whose remains are kept in the Romanesque Church nearby, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.)
He told us some more details of where to go and we used a break in the rain and walked in the muddy streets towards the famous church. On the way we saw many people, all dressed up with their best cloths heading that way. A wedding procession was to take place there today.
We met and talked briefly to the bride and she told us that both her and the groom are from Belgium and this is their “destination wedding”. All the guests that we saw earlier were from Belgium!
We asked her why they chose this place and she told us that she and the groom once did the pilgrimage from Avignon, France to Santiago de Compostela and that church has been on their minds that when they will get married they will do it here.
The church was closed to other visitors and hence we could not visit the famous cave that was described to us by the gentleman in the bar as “the Sistine chapel of cave art”.
We continued in the Historic District and arrived to the main square of the town: Plaza Mayor.
Lining this triangular square were the Parador Gil Blas Hotel, which occupies the lovely mansion of the Barreda-Bracho Family. The doors opened to reveal comfortable lobby that was bright and cozy. The floors were covered with wood and refined, elegant traditional décor.
We sat in the lobby and used the bathroom facilities to dry out our soaked socks (from the heavy rain), using the hotel’s hot air dryer!
Nest we visited the XIV century Merino and Don Borja Towers, which had elegant doorways with pointed arches.
The picturesque Town Hall, in the center of the square, occupies an XVIII century building.
We managed to find our car (we forgot the street name where it was parked but finally found the street!) and headed even more west to our next destination Cangas de Onís in the Asturias Province and the gateway to Covadonga and Parc Nacional Picos de Europa.
We located our hotel, which was adorable and then toured the streets, arriving to the magnificent bridge over the Sella River. Known as the Roman Bridge of Cangas de Onís, this is one of the best-known symbols of the area. The bridge dates to mediaeval times, possibly to the end of the XIII century.
Day 13: October 7, 2018
Covadonga, Los Lagos, Arenillas, LLastres, Oviedo (Spain)
Breakfast at the hotel was good and we were there early in the morning. The waiter was also a “security person”, making sure that we don’t take any food out of the dining room (LOL).
We checked out from the hotel and started our day.
First stop was only few miles away. Covadonga. The name means "Cave of Our Lady" in Asturian. The tiny village (population is only 50) is located on the slopes of Mount Auseva, in the massif of the Picos de Europa.
The village is noted as the reputed site of the defeat of the Moors in the Battle of Covadonga (VII century) between Islamic Moors and a force of Christians from Asturias in northern Spain—led by King Pelayo, the first king of Asturias.
We parked our car next to a monumental complex, which is made up of the Santa cueva de Covadonga (the cave), where the religious cult began and where the famous carving of Santina is found, the Monastery of San Pedro and the Basilica of Santa María la Real.
Light rain and cloudy skies just added to the spectacular and dramatic views around us.
The Basilica was probably the most beautiful one I have ever seen.
It was constructed between 1877 and 1901. It is a neo-Romanesque catholic temple and built entirely in pink limestone, which contrasts with the green of the landscape.
We went around structure, taking beautiful shots and admiring its architecture, when a priest approached the building with a huge set of keys (I thought I was inside a movie set at that moment). He opened the Basilica and we walked in. It was magnificent.
We decided to return to this complex later when everything else would be opened and since we were told by a policeman that we were not allowed to park there (parking there was reserved for tourist buses only!), we drove down the hill to a public parking lot and waited for the first bus to take us to the mountains. We wanted to hike today and even the rain could not stop us. The first bus of the day arrived at 8:00 sharp. We were the only passengers.
The bus ride was adventurous as the road was too narrow to have more than one vehicle. The bus driver would report to the center where he were, every couple of minutes, and they would advise him periodically if any vehicles are coming towards him, in which case he would find a curve and got as close as you could imagine to the side of the mountain, waiting for the other vehicle to pass him.
The bus finally arrived to the summit and we started our hike.
We were in the National Park of the Picos de Europa, on the Asturian side, where we found this wonder of nature, called the Lakes of Covadonga.
These glacial lagoons are formed by lago Enol, Lago Ercina and a smaller and temporary lake called Lago Bricial , the latter, only has water in times of melting of the mountains (May through August) and there was no good reason to visit it today.
Lago Enol was our first stop at over 3300 feet high. The colors mix of the water with the reflection of the mountains was astonishing.
We climbed higher to Lago Ercina above us, arriving to a spot from which both lakes could be seen in one glance. When we arrived we were the only visitors there and it felt great to be alone in such beautiful nature.
We were pleased to see herds of cows and horses grazing freely through the surrounding meadows.
Two buses loaded with Russian tourists arrived a half hour later and it was a good time to return to our bus stop. We found the main road and 45 minutes later we were on our way back to Covadonga. Once again we were the only passengers on the bus (one of the benefits of traveling in the off season and early in the morning!)
Once we arrived to town, we walked to The Santa Cueva de Covadonga, now crowded with hundreds of visitors. We stood in line to get close to the famous statue of the virgin and then were seated. Photos were not allowed from the inside of the cave.
The legend tells that in this cave, now with a chapel installed, the Statue of the Virgin, secretly hidden in one of the caves, supposedly appeared to King Pelayo's warriors and miraculously aided the Christian victory over the Muslims in 722 AD. Ever since then, this cave became a holly site.
We returned to the parking lot, where our parked car was, and saw many cars with drivers waiting for an empty spot (Few hours earlier, when we parked there, we were the only car in the lot).
It was time for lunch and we arrived at the local market back in Cangas de Onís and after the touring the market that was busy with buyers, buying produce, meat, baked goods and manly cheese, we were ready for lunch.
Before our trip I was told by Simona that when in Asturias, I must try a special dish that is very close to our traditional Jewish dish named Cholent (or Bean Stew). Here in Asturias it is called Fabada Asturiana.
We sat at a little restaurant, in the middle of the market, and ordered the famous dish, and when we asked the hostess (who also was the owner, the chef, the waitress and also did dishes) for the recipe, she said that she the recipe has been used in her family for generations and she used dried large white beans, (soaked overnight before use), shoulder of pork, black pudding, chorizo, saffron and some other secret ingredients. It was heavenly delicious!
We headed to Illanas to experience the Bufones de Arenillas (seawater geysers), located on a stretch of coastline of about a little less than a mile.
We exited the main highway and then drove in a narrow unpaved road (lots of dust!) for about 30 minutes and then arrived to the ocean side and to this amazing spot.
Surrounded by the postcard-perfect Spanish cliffs, nature has an impressive trick up its sleeve: When the sea gets rough, water shoots through holes in the rocks to create a series of natural fountains. Over time, the elements gnawed sizeable gaps within the rocks towering above the shore. There were about a dozen of these holes clustered together, which created the powerful and spectacular phenomenon.
Next on our agenda was LLaster, a fishing village that is famous for its picturesque setting. In 2009 it won the “Perfect City of Asturias”.
We headed towards the little port and sat down in an open café relaxing and enjoying our surroundings.
The views of the town above the cliff were astonishing.
We headed to Oviedo and once we arrived we checked in the beautiful 5 stars Eurostars Hotel de La Reconquista. With 300 years of history, this hotel, in the center of the city, was a gem!
We left the car with the valet services of the hotel and headed to the streets to find dinner and get acquainted. First, we visited the Tourist Information Center to get some details about the importance of the city and of course directions to the main attractions.
Oviedo was founded as a monastery in 757 AD and became the capital of the kingdom of Asturias in 810. It was one of the few Spanish towns never conquered by the Moors during the Middle Ages.
We entered one of the many eateries in a side street and had some local delicacies for dinner.
Day 14: October 8, 2018
Oviedo (Spain)
We woke up at 8:00 and headed to a bakery nearby the hotel.
We arrived to a pedestrian and historic Old Town and our first stop was at the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Saviour, with an array of architectural styles, from Pre-Romanesque to Baroque, including Gothic and Renaissance parts and with a history stretching back to the VIII century.. It began as a large Pre-Romanesque basilica in the present location of the Gothic cathedral, but nothing more is known about that first building, only that it was built by order of King Alfonso II of Asturias.
This Cathedral has been one of the main destinations for pilgrims since yesteryear. Here, the Way of St. James began during the reign of King Alfonso II the Strong. There is a famous in the Catholic movement in Spain: «Who goes to Santiago but not to Salvador, visits the servant but not the Lord» (Note: Santiago is the short name for Santiago de Compastella, which we will visit tomorrow).
We took an audio tour and enjoyed the entire experience for the next 3 hours.
There was a lot to see inside the cathedral. The central Gothic altarpiece, depicting a multitude of scenes from the life of Jesus and is considered one of the most important in Spain. For hundreds of years, pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago have venerated the Cathedral’s wooden statue of El Salvador, thought to be from the XIII century.
The most beautiful chapel in the church is the Capilla del Rey Casto, with an amazing Gothic portal and “Pantheon of Kings”, where the mortal remains of the “Chaste King” Alfonso II, along with numerous other rulers of Asturias, are kept.
The ambulatory, a Baroque semi-circular passage around the main altar, consists of a number of private chapels, each dedicated to a different saint.
Next, we decided to visit an important church named San Julian De Los Prados, from the beginning of the IX century, located outside the Old Town and next to a park.
It is one of the greatest works of Asturian art and was declared a Historical-Artistic Monument by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
When we arrived, we found the main entrance locked and a sign (in Spanish) announced that the “will be back at 4:00”. Another tourist that was there said: “I guess priest also deserve siesta time”.
We returned to the Old Town and found a restaurant named El Pigüeña de Gascona, located on the famous Boulevard de la Sidra, in the heart of the old city and very close to the Cathedral. They had a fixed menu where Fabada Asturiana was one of the selections. OMG, it was amazing.
Oviedo is famous around the world for being a great place for buying fine leather goods. We went windows shopping for shoes but couldn’t find anything we liked.
We walked on the main promenade, which connects the Old City with the New City. The pedestrian street was decorated with many statues, some modern.
We found our hotel and called it a day.
Day 15: October 9, 2018
Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
We woke up very early (5:00 AM) and headed westbound towards Santiago de Compostela. We arrived there 6 hours later and checked into the beautiful Virxe da Cerca Boutique Hotel with a charming garden, located in the Old City, next to a produce market.
The charming receptionist gave us a map and highlighted the main attractions of the city.
Pilgrims once traveled from all over Europe on months-long journeys by foot to arrive here. The ultimate goal of the faithful was to venerate the relics of Saint James (known in Spain as Santiago), that were miraculously transferred to this city from the Holy Land.
During the Middle Ages, this sacred city was equal to Jerusalem and Rome as a pilgrimage destination.
Still one of the most revered shrines in Christendom, the city continues to draw modern-day spiritual pilgrims. The ancient pilgrimage route is approached as an extended hiking, biking, or horseback tour.
The historic center is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We started our tour of the city as soon as our room was ready. First we visited the nearby Plaza de Abastos Market and had a light lunch there.
Our next stop was at the Convent and Church of Santo Agostino, located in a square with the same name, and was built in the mid XVII century. We entered the church and visited the interiors.
The next attraction was the Main Attraction: It is the reason that pilgrims and tourists are flowing to this city. We arrived to a huge square, where hundreds of people (mostly pilgrims) were gathering in groups. They arrived to the city this morning after marching or riding bikes for days. Some of them started the march in The Provence, France and walked for more than 30 days.
In the center of the square stood tall the most sacred Christian monument in Spain the magnificent Cathedral de Santiago . It is a “must” destination for any pilgrim's journey and is one of the most outstanding monuments in Spain.
The cathedral stands majestically on the Plaza del Obradoiro with its towers soaring above the town. An outstanding example of Early Romanesque architecture, the building was constructed between 1075 and 1211 on the site of an earlier IX century church that was destroyed in 997 by the Moorish army.
The cathedral was renovated numerous times in different architectural styles, including Gothic and Neoclassical.
Welcoming pilgrims is done in a splendid entrance called the Portico de la Gloria. Created in 1188, this doorway is a profusion of sculpture featuring 200 figures from the Apocalypse story and the figure of Saint James the Apostle.
The Facade (facing the square is considered to be the finest example of Spanish Baroque style. The cathedral's grand first impression sets the stage for an inspiring spiritual experience.
Inside the sanctuary we saw a grandiose space of three naves with an astounding surface area. Directly beneath the main altar is the main attraction for all pilgrims to Santiago, the Crypt of Saint James the Apostle. The Cathedral also contains tombs of kings and queens of the XII to XV.
To the left of the Cathedral we saw a hostel catered to serve those pilgrims (that made reservations in advance). Lots of guests were standing in line to register before exploring the Cathedral and the city.
We walked in the very narrow alleys, connected by plazas and city squares. In one of them we saw a group of a local band, playing and singing beautiful Spanish sounds.
The atmospheric Old Town of Santiago extends south of the cathedral and the Plaza de las Platerías. At the center are two parallel streets, the Rúa Nueva and the Rúa del Villar with the 18th-century Casa del Dean at its near end. These two arcaded streets are the hub of the town's life and are filled with cafes, restaurants, and boutiques. We enjoyed strolling around these charming pedestrian streets. Much of the Casco Antiguo (Old Town) and the area around the cathedral is closed to automobile traffic, adding to the quaint Old World ambience.
The receptionist at the hotel had told us earlier that we should have dinner at her favorite restaurant in town but she could not guarantee that they will have a table for us as it is a very popular stop for pilgrims, tourists and locals. "You have to order the bar-b-q Octopus", she added.
We found O Dezaseis Restaurant and realized why it was so popular. It is located on the street that leads to the Cathedral and any pilgrim, coming to the city, needs to walk in this street and pass by the restaurant. A couple just left the restaurant and the waiter nodded to us to sit there. The atmosphere was great so were the food and the service.
Our next stop was pretty far from the restaurant and we needed to climb many steps and steep streets to get there. We arrived to a river called Sar and toured The Church of Santa María a Real do Sar.
It was built in the XII century on the outskirts of the city. The 2 Euros entry was worth it. It was wonderful to look at the exhibits in the museum and the cozy garden plus the interior of the church.
We returned to the hotel, once again walking in endless alleys, and once we arrived we chilled outside in the garden drinking cold beer.
We switched to the Red Line and it made stops at Ribeira neighborhood, made up of medieval streets and seedy alleyways. It is a crumbling but fascinating place, ending at a riverfront square.
We crossed at the lower deck, along with hundreds of tourists all advancing very slowly to Gala, and taking pictures was the main idea here. On our right were the charming buildings, decorated with different colors, in the middle was the sparkling river and in front of us to our left was Gaia.
An introduction of the city that was given to us, and here are some of the highlights:The town was founded in 417 AD. Over the centuries it had various rulers, among others the Suevi, the Goths and the Moors.
However it was not until the “Age of Discoveries” (Early XV century through the XVII century) that Portugal and Porto had an important role in the European affairs.
We started our walking tour and first stop was at the XIX century Sao Bento Station, the city’s railway station. The beautiful station was named after a Benedictine monastery that once occupied its space back in the XVI century.
We started our descend back to the Old City, walking though very narrow alleys.
In a tiny square, on Rua de Quebra, we saw a beautiful status of a sitting woman carrying a pitcher of water. It was the Statue of the Tricana of Coimbra. The woman is dressed in the traditional clothing, with a shawl and apron, and carries a pitcher, with which she would fetch water from the Mondego River. I loved the way the statue sits along the street, with her sandals kicked off, as if she was resting before the long climb up the hill.
As we started to walk, we noticed that many homes are covered with lively hand painted ceramic tiles on their façade. Louis stopped and told us that Street Art is an important part of the Portuguese culture. The most popular art in Portugal is the beautiful hand painted ceramic tiles. Throughout the city many of the facades awee covered in colorful ceramic tiles that give the buildings such charm.
Luis mentioned that the lift’s frame and battleship-grey paint conjure images of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and there is a connection: the French architect Raoul Mésnier du Ponsard, an apprentice of Gustave Eiffel, designed the elevator, which was inaugurated in 1901.
Few words about the ruins of the church: It was once the city's most distinguished church. But on a Sunday morning in November 1st , 1755 (which happened to be All Saints' Day), a devastating earthquake struck the Portuguese capital. The violent tremors almost destroyed most of the building, and hundreds of worshippers perished under falling masonry. The chancel withstood the shockwaves, but the rest of the church was never rebuilt.
We reached the top of the hill. Spectacular views of the city and the ruins of the church created a real beautiful scene.
The square and its surrounding streets are packed with some of the city’s most famous restaurants, bars and shops.
One more attraction was Café Nicola, one of the most famous coffee shops in Lisbon. It has a beautiful art deco façade and was opened over 200 years ago.
We entered Sao Domingos Church Across the Memorial that is actually a strange and creepy attraction. The dim interior is painted a haunting orange; with ruined sections of old fire damaged church jutting out from the walls. Hidden in the small alcoves are gruesome and disturbing depictions of Jesus’ death and decaying body. The massive stone pillars are scorched from the fire that ravaged the church and there is still a lingering smell of burning in the air. No other church in Lisbon has this chilling yet morose atmosphere and the church was truly unique sight.
The next attraction was located in a quiet back street, Rua dos Sapateiros, just off the Rossio Square. It was an old cinema named Animatografo do Rossio. It opened in 1907 and has remained unaltered since then. The beautiful facade is adorned with a highly detailed Art Nouveau style, with styled females surrounded by fruits and flowers. It later became a children theater and then a regular live theatre. Since at least 1990, the cinema has been in use as an ‘adult’ cinema screening sexploitation movies and a strip club.
Next, Luis took us to the hub of the city, where thousands of locals and tourists gather.
We arrived to The Praça do Comércio, the largest of Lisbon’s mighty plazas that is positioned on the edge of the Tagus River. This location was traditional where traders would sell their foreign wares and financiers would fund perilous expeditions to the far reaches of the known world.
We were exhausted but nevertheless, decided to walk (rather than ride) back to the hotel, using Google Maps as our guide. We went through neighborhoods, some were beautiful but some were slums.
We rested for awhile in our room and then asked the concierge where we could get a good steak in this part of town. The concierge did not hesitate: “Go to BIF Steakhouse” he recommended, “Excellent traditional Portuguese food at a bargain price”, he added. He also suggested taking umbrellas as the forecast called for shower tonight.
We looked outside and the skies were clear but Tova insisted to take “at least one umbrella” and luckily we did.
As we started heading back to the hotel a tremendous storm arrived and we were soaked. The umbrella we had helped a bit but then caved in to the gusty winds.
Rising from a thickly wooded peak and often enshrouded in swirling mist, Palácio Nacional da Pena (Pena Palace) is a wacky confection of onion domes, Moorish keyhole gates, writhing stone snakes and crenellated towers in pinks and lemons. It is considered the greatest expression of 19th-century romanticism in Portugal.
Day 16: October 10, 2018
Porto (Portugal)
Once again, wake up call was early. We were now heading to the most western country in Europe: Portugal.
As we crossed the border, we had an “event” in the toll booth when their credit card reader was not working. They asked us to pay in cash but I refused and finally they asked me to give them my phone number so they could text me the invoice, for about 35 Euro, which I never received till today.
We arrived at 10:00 to the 4 stars Axis Hotel, located on the beach in a city called Matosinhos, outside of Porto (about 10 miles). Our room was not ready and we left our luggage at the hotel and headed to the historic city of Porto.
I “asked” Google maps to guide me to the nearest parking lot to one of the city’s main attractions: Clérigos Church & Clérigos Tower, and (with traffic, mainly in the city) it took us about 25 minutes from the hotel.
The first destination was obviously the tower. The Baroque Clérigos Church or "Church of the Clergymen". Its tall bell tower, the Torre dos Clérigos, can be seen from various points of the city and is one of its most characteristic symbols.
Few steps away there was a bus station. We made reservations earlier for the Double Decker “Hop-on-Hop-off” and started the tour.
Porto is Portugal's second largest city. We began the journey on the Blue Line and some of the highlights included Liberdade Square – The main square of the city, with the Statue of King Peter IV riding a horse. The monarch is holding the Constitution that he had fought to protect during the Liberal Wars.
At one stop we saw 2 churches: Igreja das Carmelitas, and Carmo Church. The latter is one of the city's most eye-catching buildings due to the array of blue and white tiles on the walls. The two churches are separated by a very narrow (3 feet wide) house that was inhabited until the 1980's. The house was built so that the two churches would not share a common wall and to prevent any relations between the nuns of Igreja dos Carmelitas and the monks of Igreja do Carmo.
We headed on down to the water and at one of stops we saw Cais de Gaia, where we were able to witness the stunning riverfront and its glorious boats.
We switched to the Red Line and it made stops at Ribeira neighborhood, made up of medieval streets and seedy alleyways. It is a crumbling but fascinating place, ending at a riverfront square.
We enjoyed the view the spectacular Pálacio da Bolsa, the Stock Exchange Palace, which is a key to Porto's heritage.
We were stunned by the out-of-this world views of the water as we passed the Cais das Pedras and made our way back to the Torre dos Clérigos, where we hopped off.
The entire trip was a delight, as an audio was narrating the highlights: The cobble streets, many colorful tiles at almost every corner, the colorful buildings, the views of the bridges, the river, the graffiti on the walls (I will talk about it later in more details) and so many other attractions. We decided that this city is one of our favorites.
It was still early and we continued our visit in the city, but first stopped for a light lunch at one of the restaurants.
Now, with full stomachs, we decided to walk towards the famous bridge of the city (which we saw from the bus), climbing many stairs and finding our way in the narrow alleys.
We finally arrived to one of the best attractions of the city: The Dom Luís I Bridge, which is a double-deck metal arch bridge that spans the River Douro between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia (or simply Gaia, as it is called by the locals).
When the bridge was built, its 550 feet span was the longest of its type in the world.
We crossed at the lower deck, along with hundreds of tourists all advancing very slowly to Gala, and taking pictures was the main idea here. On our right were the charming buildings, decorated with different colors, in the middle was the sparkling river and in front of us to our left was Gaia.
Gaia is not famous for its rich history or authenticity, but for its famous caves, where Porto wine is stored.
The evening arrived with a beautiful sunset and we decided to have dinner and then locate our car and return to the hotel.
Once again we were climbing stairs and steep roads up. We crossed back to Porto but now were on the 2nd deck of the bridge. We looked west and the most beautiful sunset was in the horizons.
We had dinner in Ribeira where we found a restaurant in one of the narrow alleys. The dining room was on the second floor and the first floor served as a bar. The food (mainly seafood grille to perfection) was fantastic (at a very low cost!).
We located our car and headed back to the hotel. Our room was now ready and was very comfortable with a balcony looking over the ocean and to the gorgeous pool.
Day 17: October 11, 2018
Porto (Portugal)
We had breakfast at the hotel that had many guests from France.
Driving to Porto this morning was not as bad as yesterday and we parked in the same parking garage as we had done yesterday.
Our reservation for a walking tour was scheduled to start at 10:00 and we just walked slowly towards Liberdade Square, in front of King Peter IV Statue and met with our guide: a charming lad by the name of Daniel. We still had 45 minutes for the start of the tour and he recommended to go to the nearby café.
At 10:00 sharp we started the tour. Daniel is an actor and makes ends meet by also being a tour guide. He is a proud resident of Porto and loves his city.
However it was not until the “Age of Discoveries” (Early XV century through the XVII century) that Portugal and Porto had an important role in the European affairs.
Porto became a major trading port and in the XV century it was one of the greatest ship building centers in the country. In the late XIV century Prince Henry the Navigator was born in this city; he was the fourth son of John I, King of Portugal. He played a large role in the country’s history.
We started our walking tour and first stop was at the XIX century Sao Bento Station, the city’s railway station. The beautiful station was named after a Benedictine monastery that once occupied its space back in the XVI century.
The transportation hub does more than shuttle people back and forth: It also tell the history of the city in a display of 20,000 magnificent tin-glazed ceramic tiles depicting Portugal’s past - its royalty, its wars, and its transportation history. The blue and white tiles were placed over a period of 11 years (1905–1916).
A short distance away we saw a beautiful church, also with tiles on the front: Parish Church of St. Nicholas.
At our next stop, Daniel was proud to tell us that this is where he sometimes works: The São João National Theatre. This classic building was constructed in 1910 on top of the ruins of the Real Theatre, which burned down in 1908. The main façade was inspired by its renovation in the style of French king Louis XVI, which is typical of the early years of XX Century.
Next we went through narrow and beautiful alleys and then arrived to the Walls of D. Fernando with its rich history: It was built to substitute the old late-medieval defensive wall that, by the XV century, had become too small for the growing city. It was rebuilt by king Fernando, after whom it was named.
We entered through the gate and into a square where we saw the beautiful Se’, the city's Cathedral. This Roman Catholic church, is one of the city's oldest monuments and one of the most important local Romanesque monuments.
What impressed us the most, was the large square in front of the Cathedral. It is high up on the hill and offers a panoramic point for looking around the city and down into the river Douro valley.
Daniel was generous with the details: The large square in front of Porto's Cathedral was built during the Middle Ages. It had many functions over the years. The original one was where the congregation could meet before going into church. It was also a place where craftsmen, farmers and merchants could set up stalls to conduct business. On religious festivals, particularly saint's days, it was used to hold celebrations.
Another function it served was by the military as a place where troops could be paraded and inspected by their commanding officers and visiting dignitaries. The three story square tower would have been part of the city defense.
We stopped next to graffiti, just before the bridge, and Daniel told us that Street Art is very popular in the country and that the government actually encourages the artists. There are official competitions in every major city and the one in front of us won first prize in 2018. He also added that art is one of the major attractions for tourists, with international recognition for the quality of the works. Several Portuguese artists already made a name for themselves around the world. He told us that there are actually “Street Art Tours” in Porto (and also in Lisbon) and they are usually sold out.
We were heading to the (now familiar) Dom Luís I Bridge and of course new looks at the River Douro and once again we marveled the beauty and serenity of the area.
We said our goodbyes to the group and of course to the charming Daniel and walked back to the Old Town and toured the many alleys.
On our way back to the center we stopped in the very busy Rua Santa Catarina the main pedestrian walkway in the city with many tourists and locals and then found the historic Majestic Cafe, the most beautiful cafe in Porto. Actually, it’s on the Top 10 of the most beautiful cafes in the world. It dates back to 1921 located on Santa Catarina Street. The façade was gorgeous and as we went inside our mouth opened and the sound “WOW came out!
This cafe used to be the meeting point of the elite of the city. Writers, politicians, artists, thinkers and more, when the elites met to exchange ideas and discuss different topics over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.
Once again we used our (2 days) tickets to ride with the Double Decker Bus and stopped at the six lanes Arrábida Bridge. We took some pictures of the arch bridge and then walked back to our car.
Dinner we had at the Tourigalo Restaurant, a family eatery in the city. The dishes were enormous and the food was pretty good.
Day 18: October 12, 2018
Coimbra, Nazare’, Peniche, Lisbon (Portugal)
We checked out and headed our way to Coimbra,
Last night we made a reservation for a walking tour in Coimbra, which was once the capital of the Portuguese nation. (When the country was established in 1139, Lisbon was still held by the North African Moors.)
We parked our car at the university and used Google Map to locate the meeting point. We arrived just in time. There was only one more person who joined us to the tour. She was from Santa Barbara, California.
Our guide introduced himself as Eddy and before heading off to the streets he told us about the city:
Coimbra nestles on the banks of the River Mondego and is famed for its university, the oldest in the country, and a fantastic collection of handsome churches, serene monasteries, and lively cultural institutions.
The city is also a busy commercial hub with its many shops, boutiques, and appetizing choice of cafés and restaurants. The city center is divided into two neighborhoods, the Lower Town and the Upper Town.
Its historic heart lies high above the river on a hill. Here, medieval convents, cathedrals, and some fine museums cluster around the old University. Kings were born here; they are entombed here, too.
This place is also a stopping place for pilgrims, who would make the trip from the city of Covadonga in Spain on their way to the Capital.
We began our tour walking tour on a wide promenade with touristy shops and then entered a square where we saw a very old Monastery.
The name was Igreja de Santa Cruz and Eddy added details:
The Monastery is a National Monument in Coimbra. Because the first two kings of Portugal are buried in the church, it was granted the status of National Pantheon. Founded in 1131 outside the protecting walls of the city, the Monastery was the most important monastic house during the early days of the Portuguese monarchy.
The ancient church is the final resting place of Portuguese kings and has numerous glaring design flaws and an organ that is so complex it can only be played by four people!
The most notable feature of the church were the Azulejos Tiles that line the walls of the church and depict key events in Portugal’s history.
We walked through the public market and then arrived to the main boulevard of the city, where we saw an entire wide wall all decorated by the popular tiles. Eddy explained that they represent the most important sites of the city.
We arrived to the Jardim Botânico (Botanical Garden) and were told that it is the oldest in Portugal and is associated with the nearby University of Coimbra. Students from the university, majoring in Biology are responsible for the garden.
The garden is situated adjacent to the amazing San Sebastian Aqueduct, built over what was once a Roman aqueduct in the XVI century. The graceful arches of the aqueduct, carrying water into the city, helped to fuel the city's growth at the time.
We climbed a very steep road and finally arrived to the highlight of the tour: The University of Coimbra. Established in 1290 in Lisbon, it went through a number of relocations until it was moved permanently to its current city in 1537, being one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in the world, the oldest university of Portugal, and one of the country's largest museums of higher education and research institutions.
The university is organized into eight different faculties according to a wide range of fields, granting academic bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees in nearly all major fields of knowledge, such as arts, engineering, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, medicine, sports and technologies.
Eddy told us that if we styed longer in the city, he would recommend a tour in the Johannine Library. The Baroque library was built between 1717 and 1728 and was constructed to exalt the monarch and the wealth of the empire, including the wealth of Brazil. it was elected as the most beautiful academic library in the world!
In 2013, UNESCO added the university to its World Heritage List.
We toured the school huge courtyard and looked at the panoramic views of the river and the hills.
We started our descend back to the Old City, walking though very narrow alleys.
In a tiny square, on Rua de Quebra, we saw a beautiful status of a sitting woman carrying a pitcher of water. It was the Statue of the Tricana of Coimbra. The woman is dressed in the traditional clothing, with a shawl and apron, and carries a pitcher, with which she would fetch water from the Mondego River. I loved the way the statue sits along the street, with her sandals kicked off, as if she was resting before the long climb up the hill.
We now arrived to a historic monument, the Arco de Almedina.
The historic gate was part of the solid mediaeval wall and it is the only surviving gate from the three that once led into the citadel. It now marks the entrance into the old part of Coimbra, where a sculpture can be seen from the workshop of Jean de Rouen.
It is surmounted by a tower that has had various functions. In the XIV and XV centuries, this was the seat of the Casa da Câmara, the municipal power, and later the place where council meetings were held.
At the top we saw the bell that used to announce the council meetings, as well as the times when the gates would be opened and closed to the local population, a procedure that was continued until 1870. This was also once the site of a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Conception, where mass would be celebrated before meetings.
We were now at the end of this tour and headed southbound, on the Silver Coast highway, towards Nazare’, possibly the most famous fishing town in Portugal.
Nazare has been a popular beach resort among the Portuguese for many years now and this is unsurprising given the town's fantastic stretch of golden sand. Over recent years though, it hasn't been just for visitors who have been drawn to the coast around it, but some of the world's best and bravest surfers.
Long regarded as the home of big wave surfing in Portugal, Nazare has recently put itself firmly on the global map with the biggest waves ever being recorded. In January 2018 a surfer rode a record-breaking 35 meter (100 ft+) wave at Praia do Norte.
We drove to the hilltop O Sitio, the town’s highest point, overlooking the city and the ocean. The sights were just so beautiful.
The sight is also associated with the cult of Our Lady of Nazaré, who according to the XII century legend, saved the life of the commander of the fortress there, while he was hunting a deer and was about to fall down into an abyss with no possible salvation. As a sign of gratitude for the mercy he received, he ordered a small chapel to be built,
and the constructions began for the very important, Chapel of São Gião, one of the rare holy places in Portugal.
The Nazaré people’s connection with the sea is reflected in the local handicrafts, in particular the nets, buoys, baskets and women dressed in the traditional costumes of seven skirts.
We continued our day and drove in country roads to a beautiful sea resort by the name of Peniche, and headed straight to Cabo Carvoeiro Lighthouse. We wanted to make it on time to see the beautiful sunset we were promised by few of the tourists and guides we have met in the country.
We parked the car at the edge of the cove, right next to the beautiful lighthouse. We were at the westernmost point of the Peniche peninsula, and there was nothing between us and the Atlantic Ocean and we breathed in the breathtaking views.
Many locals and tourists were there already and we felt great, anticipating the sunset.
Many locals and tourists were there already and we felt great, anticipating the sunset.
The show began at around 8:00 and it was astonishing.
A local coffee shop owner recommended to have dinner at a restaurant called Popular. We entered the city, parked about a mile from the restaurant and walked onto the main road until we reached the location of the restaurant.
This harbor side spot serves up good seafood. The tasty daily specials reflect what's been caught locally today. We ordered a couple of skewers of mixed fish and they were very tasty.
A short drive on the main highway took us straight to the 4 star Holiday Inn, Lisbon.
Day 19: October 13, 2018
Lisbon, (Portugal)
We woke up at around 7:00 and had breakfast at the hotel. It was fantastic!
We made reservations for a walking tour and headed our way to Parca de Luis de Cameos (Cameos Square). The way to the square was mostly uphill and sometimes even difficult, but we braved it out and kept on walking.
The meeting point with the guide Louis, was right next to statue to the poet of the Lusíadas.
The meeting point with the guide Louis, was right next to statue to the poet of the Lusíadas.
We met our guide and started the tour. As always he gave us a brief summary about the status and the city in general:
The status is a monument for the work of epic poetry by the Portuguese writer Luís Vaz de Camões (Hence, the name of the square), considered the "Portuguese epic par excellence". His work was probably completed in 1556.
“Lisbon is the hilly coastal capital and the largest city of Portugal”, he started, “and is one of the most charismatic and vibrant cities of Europe. It is a city that effortlessly blends traditional heritage, with striking modernism and progressive thinking”, he added.
The city is recognized as one of the greatest cities in the world, a claim confirmed by the “Lonely Planet Guides", who named Lisbon one of the world’s top 10 cities.
As we started to walk, we noticed that many homes are covered with lively hand painted ceramic tiles on their façade. Louis stopped and told us that Street Art is an important part of the Portuguese culture. The most popular art in Portugal is the beautiful hand painted ceramic tiles. Throughout the city many of the facades awee covered in colorful ceramic tiles that give the buildings such charm.
As I mentioned earlier in my journal, graffiti (or Street Art) is very popular in this country and we stopped at many walls covered with (some) beautiful art pieces.
We arrived to Chiado Square and in front of an enigmatic status commemorating the satirical poet of the XVI century by the name of António Ribeiro Chiado.
Not far from there we entered a bookstore named The Bertrand Chiado, which was recognized in 2011 by the Guinness Book as the oldest bookstore in the world still in operation! Having opened its doors in 1732, this store has several rooms and a few spots so the visitors can sit and read.
We arrived to Baixa District and to the odd looking Elevador de Santa Justa, a XIX century lift that transports passengers up the steep hill from the Baixa district at the bottom to the Largo do Carmo neighborhood and to the ruins of Carmo Church. The lift dates from an era when wrought-iron was both a construction material and art form, and the structure is adorned with glorious neo-gothic arches and geometric patterns, while inside two sumptuous polished wood carriages whisk passengers up in style.
Luis mentioned that the lift’s frame and battleship-grey paint conjure images of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and there is a connection: the French architect Raoul Mésnier du Ponsard, an apprentice of Gustave Eiffel, designed the elevator, which was inaugurated in 1901.
Few words about the ruins of the church: It was once the city's most distinguished church. But on a Sunday morning in November 1st , 1755 (which happened to be All Saints' Day), a devastating earthquake struck the Portuguese capital. The violent tremors almost destroyed most of the building, and hundreds of worshippers perished under falling masonry. The chancel withstood the shockwaves, but the rest of the church was never rebuilt.
Today the lift is primarily a tourist attraction and one of the most unique sights of the city.
We reached the top of the hill. Spectacular views of the city and the ruins of the church created a real beautiful scene.
We walked back to the Baixa neighborhood and to our next stop: Rossio Square, or as it is called by the locals: Pedro IV Square.
It is located in the downtown area of the city and has been one of its main squares since the Middle Ages. It has been the setting of popular revolts and celebrations, bullfights and executions and is now a preferred meeting place of Lisbon natives and tourists alike.
It is located in the downtown area of the city and has been one of its main squares since the Middle Ages. It has been the setting of popular revolts and celebrations, bullfights and executions and is now a preferred meeting place of Lisbon natives and tourists alike.
The square and its surrounding streets are packed with some of the city’s most famous restaurants, bars and shops.
In the center of the Square sits the Column of Pedro IV of Portugal, known as “the Soldier King”. At the base of the pillar are four female figures that represent the King’s various qualities: Justice, Wisdom, Strength and Moderation.
Another attraction was the National Theatre D. Maria II, which was founded in 1842. It replaced the old Estaus Palace, headquarters of the Portuguese Inquisition since the mid XV century. On top of the Theatre’s façade is a statue of Gil Vicente, a Portuguese playwright and father of the country’s theatre.
On the left-hand side of the National Theatre is the Rossio Railway Station, built in 1887. Its façade is striking with an unusual entrance.
One more attraction was Café Nicola, one of the most famous coffee shops in Lisbon. It has a beautiful art deco façade and was opened over 200 years ago.
In front of the Square is the Lisbon Jewish Memorial and it was a good time to talk about Jewish history of the city: In 1492 over 100,000 of the Jews expelled by Spain came to Portugal. In 1497 Portuguese Jews were forcibly baptized so the Portuguese King could appease the King of Spain and tell him that there were no Jews in the country. Today there are about 400 Jews (in a population of 357,000) with two synagogues and a virtual museum which aims to be a vital component in the cultural life of Lisbon.
The Memorial was built to commemorate the 1506 massacre: In the early 1500's, drought and plague swept through the country (as the rest of western Europe). Jews preparing Passover feasts (unleavened bread, bitter herbs, lambs) when the population of the city could not prepare their traditional Easter meal. The Jews were thought to have caused the plague/drought. Easter and Passover were in close proximity in 1506.
Not even infants survived the slaughter that continued for weeks, their fragile bodies thrown against stone walls.
Not even infants survived the slaughter that continued for weeks, their fragile bodies thrown against stone walls.
A plaque is found there that reads: “In memory of the thousands of Jews who were victimized by intolerance and religious fanaticism, killed in the massacre that started on 19 April 1506”.
On the wall to the left of the Memorial there is a wall that the words “Lisbon, City of Tolerance” are translated to any language in the world.
We entered Sao Domingos Church Across the Memorial that is actually a strange and creepy attraction. The dim interior is painted a haunting orange; with ruined sections of old fire damaged church jutting out from the walls. Hidden in the small alcoves are gruesome and disturbing depictions of Jesus’ death and decaying body. The massive stone pillars are scorched from the fire that ravaged the church and there is still a lingering smell of burning in the air. No other church in Lisbon has this chilling yet morose atmosphere and the church was truly unique sight.
When we regrouped outside the church, Luis told us that no other church of Lisbon was pitted against so many natural disasters; the earthquake of 1531 and 1755 (which destroyed most of the Baixa neighborhood) and a major fire in 1959.
Just before we left the square I entered to a Ginjinha Shop. Before our trip a friend told me that I must try the famous and popular liqueur because “You hadn’t been in Lisbon if you haven’t had a shot of it”
The Portuguese liqueur is made by infusing ganja berries, (sour cherry) in alcohol and adding sugar together with other ingredients. There was quite a long line at the stand. We were all given a complimentary small cup (shot form) of the liqueur, with a piece of the fruit in the bottom of the cup. It was heaven. I purchase a bottle for a merely $3.
The next attraction was located in a quiet back street, Rua dos Sapateiros, just off the Rossio Square. It was an old cinema named Animatografo do Rossio. It opened in 1907 and has remained unaltered since then. The beautiful facade is adorned with a highly detailed Art Nouveau style, with styled females surrounded by fruits and flowers. It later became a children theater and then a regular live theatre. Since at least 1990, the cinema has been in use as an ‘adult’ cinema screening sexploitation movies and a strip club.
The street is very historical and in the old days it used to be called “The Shoemakers Street”, which is the direct meaning of its name. “The best restaurants in town are here”, Luis told us.
Next, Luis took us to the hub of the city, where thousands of locals and tourists gather.
We arrived to The Praça do Comércio, the largest of Lisbon’s mighty plazas that is positioned on the edge of the Tagus River. This location was traditional where traders would sell their foreign wares and financiers would fund perilous expeditions to the far reaches of the known world.
The southern end of the plaza is open and looks out onto the river. The other three sides have yellow-colored buildings with arcades all along the façade. When the square was first built, the commercial ships would unload their goods directly onto this square, as it was considered the “door” to Lisbon.
Located on the north side of Commerce Square is the Rua Augusta Arch that gives way to the boulevard Rua Augusta, the most prominent boulevard in Baixa. This triumphal arch was designed to celebrate the reconstruction of Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake. It was completed in 1873. On top of its several pillars, it is adorned with numerous statues that represent important Portuguese figures like Vasco da Gama, the great discoverer.
The imposing statue is of Don Jose is located at the waterfront, the Portuguese king at the time of the 1755 earthquake that devastated the city.
The imposing statue is of Don Jose is located at the waterfront, the Portuguese king at the time of the 1755 earthquake that devastated the city.
This was the last stop of this interesting (and long) tour.
We were exhausted but nevertheless, decided to walk (rather than ride) back to the hotel, using Google Maps as our guide. We went through neighborhoods, some were beautiful but some were slums.
We rested for awhile in our room and then asked the concierge where we could get a good steak in this part of town. The concierge did not hesitate: “Go to BIF Steakhouse” he recommended, “Excellent traditional Portuguese food at a bargain price”, he added. He also suggested taking umbrellas as the forecast called for shower tonight.
We looked outside and the skies were clear but Tova insisted to take “at least one umbrella” and luckily we did.
We walked about 15 minutes and arrived to the restaurant, located next to a square. It was still early for Portuguese to have dinner and we were seated as soon as we arrived. We ordered a steak and a grilled Ahi Tuna. A waitress came with a set of knives and asked us to pick the size of the knife we prefer. Small steamy of bread rolls arrived straight from the oven, smelling like heaven. They were accompanied by 5 different butter flavors. The main dishes arrived a few minutes later, accompanied by 7 different salt flavors (Sea, orange, ginger, blended with pepper, seaweeds, coffee and jalapenos). The steak was the best I have ever eaten and the tuna was prepared to perfection. Both the service and the presentation of the dishes were impeccable.
In the restaurant we met few Israelis that also knew about this fabulous restaurant. One of them, from San Jose, california just arrived from Porto, walking the entire distance with friends.
In the restaurant we met few Israelis that also knew about this fabulous restaurant. One of them, from San Jose, california just arrived from Porto, walking the entire distance with friends.
As we started heading back to the hotel a tremendous storm arrived and we were soaked. The umbrella we had helped a bit but then caved in to the gusty winds.
Day 20: October 14, 2018
Sintra, (Portugal)
Once again we woke up early and after breakfast drove to Sintra, near the capital. We were one of the first people in the park and were able to find a parking spot near the 2 main attractions.
We were fifth in line to purchase tickets to the amazing Palace.
Rising from a thickly wooded peak and often enshrouded in swirling mist, Palácio Nacional da Pena (Pena Palace) is a wacky confection of onion domes, Moorish keyhole gates, writhing stone snakes and crenellated towers in pinks and lemons. It is considered the greatest expression of 19th-century romanticism in Portugal.
We entered the park and walked to the palace (A tram was offered but we declined). What we saw was something taken from a fairytale. It stood on one of the rocky peaks of the Serra de Sintra and blended in a fortunate manner with its natural background of greenery and the steep rugged rocks.
A pilgrimage site since the Middle Ages, the Chapel of Our Lady of Penha was replaced by a monastery in 1503 by King Manuel I, the monarch during the great Portuguese discoveries. The monastery was greatly damaged by the 1755 earthquake and finally abandoned after the nationalization of the monasteries in the middle of the XVIII century.
In 1838, Ferdinand the German King Consort of Queen Maria II, bought the ruins of the monastery, the woods and the nearby Castle of the Moors (we would visit it next) and initiated the construction of a road that would link the palace to Sintra. The remodeling of the old monastery (red buildings) began in 1840 and around 1845, Ferdinand extended it by building another complex (yellow buildings) which was known as the "New Palace" inspired by the palaces and castles of Bavaria. It became the summer residence of the Royal family.
Under his explicit command, the monastery was painted in red and the new building in yellow.
We toured the whole exhibit: The structure, church, rooms and gardens.
It was an absolutely one of the highlights of our entire trip!
We toured the huge garden and ended up in the Valley of The Lakes area, a string of five lakes surrounded by the lush forest. In the center of the last lake we saw a little castle for ducks. We were told that The Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, one of the most famous fairytale writers in history, spent much time in here, once describing it as "where nature and art complete each other wonderfully."
We exited the park via a gate at the end of the park and continued to our next attraction: The nearby Castle of the Moors, which dates back to the early days of the Moorish occupation (8th century).
We toured the grounds. At one point I climbed the many stairs to reach the highest point of the surrounding wall and the views from the summit were worth it, as Pena Palace was viewed with all its glory!
It was time to drive to one of my “bucket List” item: Cabo da Roca, the rugged headland that marks the most westerly point of mainland Europe. The windswept cliffs of Cabo de Roca were believed to be the edge of the world up until the late XIV century and the spectacular, desolate scenery added to the allure of the location. The raging Atlantic Ocean waves pound the base of the massive jagged cliffs while challenging hiking trails follow the coastal paths.
Around 500 feet above the sea, we had a panoramic view over the Sintra Mountains and the coast.
We spent about an hour there and also visited the beautiful lighthouse, having in mind that it is the first light sailors see when they approach the continent from the east.
We drove a short distance and arrived to Cascais and headed straight to the shores.
We stopped at a restaurant, named Monte Mar, recommended to us as a great place to sit, relax and for a cup of coffee we could sit outside and enjoy the scenery.
Huge waves shattered on the rocks and create a spectacular scene.
We sat there for more than an hour, along with other tourists from Germany, hypnotized by what we had seen.
We sat there for more than an hour, along with other tourists from Germany, hypnotized by what we had seen.
We waited for the amazing sunset and then had a delicious seafood dinner, at a local restaurant.
We arrived back to our hotel in Lisbon around 10:00 pm.
We reached the plaza, as heavy rain was falling down on us and found a tapas bar, specializing in Moroccan’s tapas dishes, by the name of Arte Y Sabor. The menu featured a fusion cuisine serving tapas, medium and full plates and a large menu with selections from Spanish, Moroccan, and other fusion dishes from around the world.
We arrived back to our hotel in Lisbon around 10:00 pm.
Day 21: October 15, 2018
Seville, Spain
We woke up early and after our breakfast we headed out of the city and towards Seville, Spain. We made the 300 miles trip in about 5 hours and found our AirBnB in the neighborhood of Santa Cruz in the old city, . We parked our car at a public garage, as the apartment was in a pedestrian-only street, and then were welcomed by our host Adriano.
The apartment was spacious, modern, clean and comfortable. Its location was perfect! Adriano provided us with some tips, amenities (including a bottle of wine) and after using the modern washer & dryer, in the apartment, we went down to the beautiful and picturesque streets, looking for Alameda De Hercules Plaza.
Adriano told us that this location is his favorite hangout place thanks to the many bars and tapas restaurants. He also told us that many students and artists head to this plaza for vibrant nightlife. Here, tapas bars serve modern fare like ceviche and sushi, while music venues offer live jazz and clubs parties into the night.
We reached the plaza, as heavy rain was falling down on us and found a tapas bar, specializing in Moroccan’s tapas dishes, by the name of Arte Y Sabor. The menu featured a fusion cuisine serving tapas, medium and full plates and a large menu with selections from Spanish, Moroccan, and other fusion dishes from around the world.
