|
La Tomatina festival •
A knight to remember • Brutal
Ballet With Bullets • Ancient Vintages
& Modern Spain
Richly diverse, Spain convincingly assumes
many disguises for Hollywood • Spain
beyond the Costa
The cities • The
villages • Camino de Santiago
• Spain's unknown villages
Put your best foot forward: Dance in Spain
and afar
Barcelona shopping
Dominated by high plateaus and mountain ranges such as the Pyrenees
or the Sierra Nevada. Mainland Spain has major rivers running
from these heights such as the Tajo, the Ebro, the Duero, the
Guadiana and the Guadalquivir. Alluvial plains are found along
the coast, the largest of which is that of the Guadalquivir
in Andalusia, in the east there are alluvial plains with medium
rivers like Segura, Júcar and Turia. Spain is bound to
the east by Mediterranean Sea (containing the Balearic Islands),
to the north by the Bay of Biscay and to its west by the Atlantic
Ocean, where the Canary Islands off the African coast are found.
The intense Mediterranean-ness of Spain anifests itself in a
hundred subtle ways: in uncommon kindness and hospitality, in
multi-cultural culinary traditions based on ingredients from
Spain's own market gardens and orchards, in vibrant street life
by day and by night, in a rich program of contemporary cultural
activities, in the ever-present willingness to share a break
from the stultifying routine of modern life-"una copa,"
"un cafelito," "un paseo," "una noche
de marcha…" The Spanards need no excuse to get together
and enjoy life. One of their favorite pastimes of friends and
families is simply to "echar un rato juntos…"
"spend some time together…" Therein, along with
the olive oil & tapas cuisine, the music, dance, fiestas
and the siesta, lies the part of essence of 21st century Mediterranean
civilization.
If you’ve ever seen El Cid, you know that the Moors conquered
Iberia then the Catholics took over. Of course, that took almost
800 years—and in the process created Europe’s most
fascinating and frankly gorgeous fusion of cultures and traditions.
Andalusia (Andalucía in Spanish) is one of the seventeen
autonomous communities that constitute Spain. Its capital is
Seville. Andalucia is bounded on the north by Extremadura and
Castile-La Mancha, on the east by Murcia, on the south by the
Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and Gibraltar, and on
the west by Portugal. Tartessos, the capital of a once great
power, was located in Andalusia.
More can be found in the entry Hispania Baetica, the name of
the Roman province that corresponds to the region. The Islamic
history can be found in the entry al-Andalus; "Andalusia"
derives from this name the Moors gave to this land. The Spanish
spoken in the Americas is largely descended from the Andalusian
dialect of Castilian Spanish due to the role played by Seville
as the gateway to Spain's American territories in the 16th and
17th centuries.
A lot of Moorish architecture is found in Andalusia, because
it was the last stronghold of the Moors before the reconquista
by the Catholic Monarchs completed in 1492. The most famous
are the Alhambra in Granada, the Mezquita in Córdoba
and the Torre del Oro and Giralda towers in Sevilla. Archaeological
remains include Medina Azahara, near Córdoba.
The patios of Seville and the Alhambra Palace of Granada demonstrate
a unique beauty that stimulates more than just the eye.The flowers,
aromas and the way water in all its gurgling, splashing variety
is used to cool the air that whispers through beautiful stone
fretwork is unimaginable. The vastness of la vega—the
province’s plain—is truly cinematic, scattered with
whitewashed villages, punctuated by ruined alcazares (fortresses),
and carpeted in vineyards, swatches of gnarled olive trees and
stately groves of poplar. And the walks in the Pueblos Blancos
--white-washed medieval villages—are gentle revelations
every step of the way.
The rich nature in Andalusia offers the traveler snow and sea,
mountains and plains, cities and towns enveloped in a historical
ambience that, at times is as magical as the legends.Our resident
guides are exceptionally well-connected so you get introductions
to ceramicists, the families that own the olive groves, even
into the kitchen or a private art studio in Sevilla. Can you
tell? Andalucia is one of our favorite places on earth.
Seville, the former royal port became the richest city in Europe
after Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. Its now rich in
tapas cuisine, art, olive oil, architecture, bulls, Flamenco
dancers and hospitality. Seville’s beauty inspired Mozart,
Rossini and Bizet to compose operas such as “El Barbero
de Sevilla” , "Don Juan" and "Carmen".
Famous for its old monuments and intense nightlife, Seville
will inspire you on many levels. Those who appreciate architecture
should stop to see the 15th century Cathedral of Seville, the
largest gothic Cathedral in the world. Another heavenly inspiration
is the Giralda Tower, consisting of 5 naves and 25 chapels offering
great views. While you’re there, take time to soak up
the scenery of the small plazas and winding narrow streets where
you’re sure to find tapas and a flamenco festival.
Giralda Tower: The most striking monument in Seville without
a doubt, this dominating tower that can be seen from all parts
of the horizon with its ringing toll bells. Its construction
over Roman stonework dates back to 1184, whose gold had cost
4,000 dinars in 1198 during the Spanish Moorish period. Be sure
to climb the 300 feet to the top of Europe's tallest medieval
towers for a excellent panoramic view of 2000 year old Sevilla!
The oldest royal residence in Europe still in use was built
by Peter the Cruel (1350-69) in 1364, 78 years after the Moors
left Seville. Ferdinand and Isabella once lived here. It is
a example of the Mudéjar, or Moorish style and it was
done by workers from the Alhambra in Granada.
The Christians
are not the only occupants of Seville who considered this site
holy; an enormous mosque stood here before the Reconquista.
To quote the Christians who built the cathedral, they planned
one "so immense that everyone, on beholding it, will take
us for madmen." They succeeded. After St. Peter's in Rome
and St. Paul's in London, the cathedral of this Andalusian capital
is the largest in Europe.
, the prototype
of the Andalusian palace. The construction began at the end
of the 15th century and was finished by Don Fadrique de Ribera,
first Marquee of Tarifa, upon returning from his trip to Jerusalem
in 1519. The name of Pontius Pilot comes from a popular belief
that Don Fadrique reproduced the palace from the Roman's house
in Jerusalem
The Prado doesn't own all the great Spanish
art in the country. Located in the early 17th-century convent
of La Merced, this Andalusian museum is famous for its works
by such Spanish masters as Valdés Leal, Zurbarán,
and Murillo. Spain's golden age is best exemplified by Murillo's
monumental Immaculate Conception and Zurbaran's Apotheosis of
St. Thomas Aquinas.
Gracious Mediterranean Lifestyle Granada tends to take first-time
visitors by surprise. Most of them anticipate experiencing the
city's stellar collection of historic architectural monuments
from both the Arab and Christian traditions, starting with the
Alhambra, Spain's most visited monumental complex. Many of them
are acquainted with Granada's cultural heritage from pre-history
down through San Juan de la Cruz, Santa Teresa and Federico
García Lorca to our own times. All of them count on abundant
sunshine for their visit. But not many tourists visiting Granada
for the first-time are expecting the full immersion in the gracious
Mediterranean lifestyle which they find here.
The city which is today Granada was founded by the Romans under
the name of "Illibris." It was the Moors, who invaded
in the eighth century A.D. and stayed on for seven centuries,
who deemed the city "Granada." Ferdinand and Isabella,
Spain's revered "Catholic Monarchs," conquered the
Kingdom of Granada in 1492, culminating the Reconquest of the
Iberian Peninsula for Christiandom.
It was during the siege of the city that Isabella of Castille
conceded to Christopher Columbus the resources necessary to
launch his expedición to the West Indies. This long and
colorful history has left numerous imprints on Granada in the
form of palaces, churches and other noble buildings which proclaim
the rich cultural heritage of the city. The monumental duo comprised
by the Alhambra and the Generalife, fortress, medina and palace
of the Nazarí monarchs, is world renowned both for its
evocative architecture and for its privileged vantage point
overlooking the city of Granada. Within the same complex lies
the Renaissance Palace built there in the 16th century by the
emperor Charles the Fifth, grandson of the conquering Catholic
Monarchs.
On the opposite side of the valley of the River Darro lies the
Albaicín quarter, a fascinating collection of narrow
white-walled streets which half hide the traditional town houses
with gracious gardens which the Granadinos call "cármenes."
Here in the Albaicín is located the Mirador de San Nicolás,
the famous plaza where visitors are feted with one of the most
renowned views in the world, that of the Alhambra and Generalife,
with the snowy Sierra Nevada providing a backdrop so beautiful
it's almost kitsch.
Adjacent to the Albaicín, just a bit farther up the
River Darro but still with a commanding view of the Alhambra,
is Sacromonte, with its hallowed abbey and traditional Gypsy-cave
residences (most of which are now occupied by astute foreign
residents). It is here that Granada's "zambra" flamenco
shows have traditionally been staged in elaborate cave settings,
and it is here that the Granada town hall has recently installed
the Centro Flamenco de Estudios Escénicos. The new flamenco
studies center is under the direction of flamenco dancer, Mario
Maya, who initiated his distinguished career here in the zambras
of Sacromonte at the age of nine.
Granada also offers visitors a Renaissance cathedral considered
the first of its kind in Spain. Adjacent to the cathedral is
the Royal Chapel (Capilla Real), commissioned by Ferdinand and
Isabella as their last resting place. (Their first resting place
was a tiny chapel on the Alhambra hill which is today subsumed
by a hotel, the Parador de Turismo de Granada.) The city is
also blessed with a score of historic churches built by the
Christians after the Reconquest in a unique style which incorporated
Moorish architectural themes and came to be known as "mudéjar."
Another obligatory stop on anyone's discerning Granada itinerary
is the Casa-Museo Federico García Lorca in the Huerta
de San Vicente, located in the municipal park dedicated to Granada's
best-known and best-loved poet. The intimate little museum occupies
the house and gardens where Lorca spent his summers as a child.
Besides this opulent monumental legacy, Granada offers a wide
gamut of contemporary cultural attractions, starting with the
city's annual International Festival of Music and Dance, with
concerts and recitals staged in the Alhambra, the Palace of
Charles the Fifth and the gardens of the Generalife. Other annual
festival events in Granada are devoted to jazz, theater, and
the tango. Add to this the stable offerings of Granada's museums,
art galleries, public exhibition halls, theaters and auditoria
and you have one of Europe's most evocative and best endowed
destinations for cultural tourism.
The historic capital of the Catalan kingdom that once controlled
much of Mediterranean, is full of architecture that is unique
& inspiring. It has world class museums include the Picasso
Museum & the Fundacio Joan Miro. There is a fascinating
old quarter, the Barri Gotic and a night scene that rivals any
in the country. There are hundreds of cafes, bars, shops and
sights. The greatest concentration of bars and restaurants is
within walking distance of La Rambla. There is a Gothic cathedral
where each Sunday at noon crowds gather for the performance
of the sardana, a traditional Catalan dance. Also the architecture
of Anton Guadí and others of modernista style is incredible!
There are various one-of-a-kind home designed inside and out
by this Catalan genius in Barcelona. The park was started by
Gaudí as a real-estate venture for a friend, the wealthy,
well-known Catalan industrialist Count Eusebi Güell. However,
the project was never completed. Only two houses were constructed.
In 1926 the city took over the property and turned it into a
public park. Throughout the homes and park you will see the
surreal architecture for which Gaudí is famous.
Known as the Barri
Gótic, this is the old town district which is host to
a wealth of Gothic monuments. This area was formerly an ancient
fortified Roman village. It is the site of both historic monuments
and modern institutions. Here you can see the Plaça Nova
with its twin semicircular towers of the well-preserved Roman
walls, the aqueduct which transported water from the Collserola
hills, the Cathedral which dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries.
Picasso enthusiasts
will not want to miss this. Two old palaces were converted into
a museum to house a collection of works by Pablo Picasso. He
donated 2,500 of his paintings, engravings and drawings to the
museum in 1970. La Sagrada Familia: This amazing church, the
Church of the Holy Family, is Gaudís masterpiece and
one of the most recognizable landmarks of Barcelona. Unfortunately
Gaudí died before it could be completed. Today work continues
on the structure, but without any true idea of what Gaudí
intended. Some speculate that the church will be completed by
the middle of the 21st century.
This fantastic boulevard
runs between Plaça de Catalunya and the port. Here you
will find people of all ages and social classes enjoying the
small stands that sell flowers, vegetables, books and newspapers
as well as the street-theatres, cafes and terraces. Marvel at
the street performers such as jugglers, singers, dancers, sidewalk
artists and living statues.
This cosmopolitan city is the capital of Spain as well as the
home of the Spanish Royal Family. Characterized by intense cultural
& artistic activity & a very lively nightlife, there’s
little time for a siesta. Madrid really does stay open 24 hours
a day – restaurants do not even open until eight or nine
o'clock and many nightclubs are open until the early morning
hours. A pleasant refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city
is the Retiro Park, filled with statues and fountains and the
occasional exhibitions held in Crystal Palace. Another place
to escape is the Prado Museum, one of the world's finest art
museums with works by El Greco, Goya and Velázquez. Of
course, your trip would not be complete without a visit to the
Royal Palace, an enormous 18th century palace whose 2800 rooms
include tapestries, a royal clock collection and five Stradivarius
violins.
First opened
to the public in 1819, the Prado Art Museum remains one of Europe's
key art galleries. It houses all the finest works collected
by Spanish royalty. There are over 3,000 paintings including
the world's finest collections of Velázquez, Bosch and
Goya.
The most important
historical square in Old Madrid. Dating back to the 17th century,
it was originally planned by Phillip II as the public meeting
place for the new capital. Kings were crowned here, and demonstrations
and festivals took place here. It is still widely used. In the
summer months, it is an music stage and outdoor theatre; in
the fall it hosts a book fair; and around Christmas, it takes
on festive look with holiday decorations.
This is the most
popular of Madrid's parks and it covers 330 acres. It is situated
behind the Prado Art Museum and offers a nice combination of
wide open spaces and formal gardens. You can just sit on one
of the many park benches or if you prefer, you can take a jog,
row a boat, have a picnic or even have your fortune told.
Once the principal
royal residence until Alfonso XIII went into exile in 1931,
the Royal Palace is used by the present royal family only on
state occasions. It has more rooms and more pompous portraits
of the monarchs than any other palace in Europe and its library
has one of the biggest collections of maps, books, manuscripts
and musical scores in the world.
The Festival
de Otoño has a lineup that attracts the cream of the
European and Latin American musical communities. The usual roster
of chamber music, symphonic pieces, and orchestral works is
supplemented by a program of zarzuela (musical comedy), as well
as Arabic and Sephardic pieces that were composed during the
Middle Ages.
Passionate Flamenco: song, guitar & dance: It's best heard
in some old tavern, in a neighborhood like the Barrio de Triana
in Seville. From the lowliest taberna to the poshest nightclub,
you can hear the staccato heel clicking, foot stomping, castanet
rattling, hand clapping, and sultry guitar & tambourine
sound. Some say its origins lie deep in Asia, but the Spanish
gypsy has given the art form, which dramatizes inner conflict
& pain, an original style. Performed Flamenco is a song,
music and dance style which is strongly influenced by the Gitanos,
but which has its deeper roots in Moorish and Jewish musical
traditions.
Flamenco culture originated in Andalusia (Spain), but has since
become one of the icons of Spanish music and even Spanish culture
in general.
Etymologically, the word Flamenco in Spanish language originally
meant Flemish. probably because minorities targeted by the Spanish
Inquisition fled to more tolerant Flanders to avoid persecution.
These songs were referred to as flamenco songs by their kin
who remained in Spain, and later the term was applied to anything
scandalous, loud, libertarian and bordering on bad taste. [1]
Originally, flamenco consisted of unaccompanied singing (cante).
Later the songs were accompanied by flamenco guitar (toque),
rhythmic hand clapping (palmas), rhythmic feet stamping and
dance (baile). The toque and baile are also often found without
the cante, although the song remains at the heart of the flamenco
tradition. More recently other instruments like the cajón
(a wooden box used as a percussion instrument) and castanets
(castañuelas) have been introduced.
"Nuevo Flamenco", or New Flamenco, is a recent variant
of Flamenco which has been influenced by modern musical genres,
like rumba, salsa, pop, rock and jazz.
Many of the details of the development of flamenco are lost
in Spanish history. There are several reasons for this lack
of historical evidence: The turbulent times of the people involved
in flamenco culture. The Moors, the Gitanos and the Jews were
all persecuted and expelled by the Spanish Inquisition at various
points in time as part of the Reconquista. The Gitanos mainly
had an oral culture. Their folk songs were passed on to new
generations by repeated performances in their social community.
Flamenco was for a long time not really considered an art form
worth writing about according to Spaniards. Flamenco music has
also slipped in and out of fashion several times during its
existence.
Granada, the last Muslim stronghold, fell in 1492 when the
armies of the catholic king Ferdinand II of Aragon and queen
Isabella of Castile reconquered this city after about 800 years
of mainly Moorish rule. The Treaty of Granada was created to
have a formal base for upholding religious tolerance, and this
paved the way for the Moors to surrender peacefully. For a few
years there was a tense calm in and around Granada, however
the inquisition did not like the religious tolerance towards
Muslims and Jews. Therefore the inquisition used religious arguments
to convince Ferdinand and Isabella to break the treaty and force
the Moors and Jews to become Christians or leave Spain for good.
In 1499, about 50,000 Moors were coerced into taking part in
a mass baptism. During the uprising that followed, people who
refused the choices of baptism or deportation to Africa, were
systematically eliminated. What followed was a mass exodus of
Moors, Jews and Gitanos from Granada city and the villages to
the mountain regions (and their hills) and the rural country.
It was in this socially and economically difficult situation
that the musical cultures of the Moors, Jews and Gitanos started
to form the basics of flamenco music: a Moorish singing style
expressing their hard life in Andalusia, the different compas
(rhythm styles), rhythmic hand clapping and basic dance movements,
see Andalusian cadence. Many of the songs in flamenco still
reflect the spirit of desperation, struggle, hope, pride, and
late-night partying of the people during this time. Much later
other local traditional Spanish musical traditions would also
influence, and be influenced by, the traditional flamenco styles.
The first time flamenco is mentioned in literature is in 1774
in the book Cartas Marruecas by José Cadalso. The origin
of the name flamenco however, is a much-debated topic. Some
people believe it is a word of Spanish origin and originally
meant Flemish (Flamende). However, there are several other theories.
One theory suggest an Arabic origin taken from the words felag
mengu (meaning: 'peasant in flight' or 'fugitive peasant').
During the so-called golden age of flamenco, between 1869-1910,
flamenco music developed rapidly in music cafés called
cafés cantantes. Flamenco dancers also became one of
the major attractions for the public of those cafés.
Similarly, guitar players supporting the dancers increasingly
gained a reputation, and so flamenco guitar as an art form by
itself was born. Julián Arcas was one of the first composers
to write flamenco music especially for the guitar.
The flamenco guitar (and the very similar classical guitar)
is a descendent from the lute. The first guitars are thought
to have originated in Spain in the 15th century. The traditional
flamenco guitar is made of Spanish cypress and spruce, and is
lighter in weight and a bit smaller than a classical guitar,
to give the output a 'sharper' sound.
In 1922, one of Spain's greatest writers, Federico García
Lorca and renowned composer Manuel de Falla organised the Fiesta
del Cante Jondo, a folk music festival dedicated to cante jondo
("deep song"). They did this to stimulate interest
in this, by that time unfashionable, flamenco music style. Two
of Lorca's most important poetic works, Poema del Cante Jondo
and Romancero Gitano, show Lorca's fascination with flamenco
styles.
Flamenco Stylistic origins:Spanish, Gitano, Arab, Jewish folk
music
Cultural origins:Granada, Cádiz, Jérez de la
Frontera, Cordoba and Sevilla Typical instruments:Guitar, hand
clapping, cajón
Mainstream popularity:Sporadic except among Gitanos, mostly
popular in Spain and France
Derivative forms: Subgenres
Alegrías - Bulerias - Tangos - Fandangos - Farruca -
Guajiras - Peteneras - Sevillana - Siguiriyas - Soleares - Tientos
- Zambra - and many others, see the palos list below.
Fusion genres
New Flamenco Regional scenes
Other topics - Cante Chico - Cante Jondo - Cante Intermedio
- Falseta
Flamenco music styles are called palos in Spanish. There are
over 50 different styles of flamenco. A palo can be defined
as the basic rhythmic pattern of a flamenco style, but also
covers the whole musical and cultural context of a particular
flamenco style.
The rhythmic patterns of the palo's are also often called compás.
A compás is characterised by a recurring pattern of beats
and accents. These recurring patterns make up a number of differentrhythmic
and musical forms known as toques.
To really understand the different palos it is also important
to understand their musical and cultural context: The mood intention
of the palo (dancing - Fandango, consolation - Solea, fun -
Buleria, etc.). The set of typical melodic phrases, called falseta's,
which are often used in performances of a certain palo. The
relation to similar palos.
Cultural traditions associated with a palo (mens dance - Farruca).
Palos by a great artist, flamenco can tear your heart out with
its soulful singing. The most fundamental palos are: Toná,
Soleá, Fandango and Seguiriya. These four palos all belong
in the cante jondo category and form therhythmic basis for nearly
all the other palos.
Flamenco cante consists of a number of traditional (and not-so-traditional)
forms, with characteristic rhythmic and harmonic structures.
The rhythm (compas) is perhaps the most fundamental distinguishing
feature of the different flamenco forms. The cante jondo, called
the mother of flamenco, consists of 12 beats, with accents on
the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th beats. Songs are composed
of several falseta's with rhythms defined by the song form.
Some of the forms are sung unaccompanied, while others usually
have a guitar and sometimes other accompaniment. Some forms
are danced while others traditionally are not. Amongst both
thesongs and the dances, some are traditionally the preserve
of men and others of women, while still others would be performed
by either sex. Many of these traditional distinctions are now
breaking down; for example the Farruca is traditionally a man's
dance, but is now commonly performed by women too.
The classification of flamenco forms is not entirely uncontentious,
but a common and convenient first classification is into three
groups. The deepest, most serious forms are known as cante jondo
(or cante grande), while relatively light, frivolous forms are
called cante chico. Forms which do not fit into either category
but lie somewhere between them are classified as cante intermedio.
Many flamenco artists, including some considered to be amongst
the greatest, have specialised in a single flamenco form.
Cantes of Flamenco - Cante Jondo Cante Intermedio Cante
Chico
Siguiriyas Bulerias Alegrías - Soleares Tangos
Fandangos
Tientos Farruca - Peteneras Guajiras - Sevillana - Verdiales
Tapas, those bite-size portions washed down with wine, beer,
or sherry, are reason enough to go to Spain! Tapas bars, called
tascas, are a quintessential Spanish experience. Originally
tapas were cured ham or chorizo (spicy sausage). Today they
are likely to include everything--gambas (deep-fried shrimp),
anchovies marinated in vinegar, stuffed peppers, a cool, spicy
gazpacho, or hake salad. These dazzling spreads will hold you
over until the fashionable 10pm dining hour."
Spanish cuisine is made of very different kinds of dishes due
to the differences in geography, culture and climate. It is
heavily influenced by the variety of seafood available from
the waters that surround the country, Spain being the second
(after Japan) consumer of fish. As Spain has had a history with
many different cultural influences, the richness and variety
of its cuisine is overwhelming, but all these ingredients have
made up a unique cuisine with thousands of recipes and flavours.
The international influences are perhaps most obvious in Barcelona.
Next door to a shop selling ready-made falafels might be an
Asian food restaurant, which is next to a traditional tapas
bar, and on and on in amazing variety.
Much influence on Spanish cuisine has come from the Jewish
and Moorish traditions. The Moors were a strong influence in
Spain for many centuries and some of their food is still eaten
in Spain today. However, pork is popular and for centuries eating
pork was also a statement of ethnical limpieza de sangre. Several
products of the Americas were introduced in Europe through Spain,
and a modern Spanish cook couldn't do without potatoes, tomatoes,
peppers or beans. These are some of the primary influences that
have differentiated Spanish cuisine from Mediterranean cuisine,
of which Spanish cuisine shares many techniques and food items.
Daily meals eaten by the Spanish in many areas of the country
are still very often made traditionally by hand, from fresh
ingredients bought daily from the local market. This is more
common in the rural areas and less common in the large urban
areas like Madrid, where supermarkets are beginning to displace
the open air markets. However, even in Madrid food can be bought
from the local shops, bread from the panadería, meat
from the carnicería, etc.
Traditional Spanish cooking also often revolves around outdoor
cooking over a fire, perhaps in a special clay or brick oven.
One popular custom when going out is to take tapas with your
drink (sherry, wine, beer...). In some places, like Granada,
tapas are given for free with your drink and have become very
famous for that reason. It should be noted that almost every
tapas bar serves something comestible when a drink is ordered,
without charge.
Another traditional favorite is the churro with a mug of thick
hot chocolate to dip the churro in. Churrerías, or stores
that serve churros, are quite common. Specifically the Chocolatería
de San Ginés in Madrid is very famous as a place to stop
and have some chocolate with churros, often late into the night
(even dawn) after being out on the town. Often traditional Spanish
singers will be seen to entertain the guests.
A few Typical Spanish foods also include
Paella (saffron rice)
Fabada Asturiana (bean stew)
Mariscos (shellfish)
Gazpacho Soup
Lechazo asado (roasted milk-fed lamb)
Chuletillas (grilled chops of milk-fed lamb)
Tortilla de patatas (egg omelette, with potatoes)
Chorizo (spicy sausage)
Jamón serrano (cured ham)
Cocido (a chickpea and meat stew of sorts)
Arroz a la Cubana
Turrón, a dessert with almonds and honey, typical of
Christmas
Tortas de Aceite from Seville, a sweet Olive Oil pastry
Cooking
Catalan cuisine is based on the ingredients of the Mediterranean
area: fresh vegetables (especially tomato, garlic, aubergine,
red pepper, and artichoke), wheat products (bread, pasta), olive
oils, wines, legumes (beans, chick peas), mushrooms, all sorts
of pork preparations (sausages, ham), all sorts of cheese, poultry,
lamb, and many types of fish like sardine, anchovy, tuna, and
cod.
Some of the characteristic tendencies of traditional Catalan
cuisine have been fondness for pasta (only second to the Italian
cuisine) and for cod (salted, dried, fresh, etc.), preparations
that mix sweet and salty, stews with sauces based on botifarra
(raw pork sausage) and the characteristic picada (grinded almonds,
hazelnuts, pine nuts, etc. sometimes with garlic, herbs, biscuits).
Some concoctions that have been exported or adapted beyond their
original places are:
Calçots (grilled green onions)
Cod Catalan style, cod with raisins and pine nuts
Escalivada (various grilled vegetables)
Escudella (a soup)
Esqueixada, salted cod salad with tomato and onion
Fuet (a characteristic type of dried sausage)
Mongetes amb botifarra (beans and pork sausage)
Pa amb tomaquet (bread and tomato)
Tonyina en escabetx, tuna marinated in a characteristic sauce
with vinegar and herbs, named Salsa catalana even on canned
tuna packed in Galicia
Allioli, a thick sauce made of garlic and olive oil, used with
grilled meats or vegetables, and some dishes like Valencian
Fideua
Sweets and desserts:
Crema catalana (not so crème brûlée)
Mel i mató, a plain dessert of mató cheese with
honey.
Mona de Pasqua
Coca de llardons
Coca de Sant Joan
Panellets
Tortell, a typical O-shaped pastry stuffed with marzipan, that
on some special occasions is topped with glazed fruit.
Torró or nougat is a traditional Christmas confectionery
from Alicante to Perpignan. Nowadays many variants and flavours
exist, but the traditional ones are these kinds based on almonds
and honey:
Agramunt nougat
Marzipan
Alacant nougat
Xixona nougat
With origins as old
as pagan Spain and even the Roman gladiators, the art of bullfighting
is the expression of Iberian temperament and passions. Detractors
object to the sport as cruel, bloody, violent, hot, and savage.
Fans, however, view bullfighting as a microcosm of death, catharsis,
and rebirth. These philosophical underpinnings may not be immediately
apparent, but if you strive to understand the bullfight, it
can be one of the most evocative and memorable events in Spain.
Head for the plaza de toros (bullring) in any major city, but
particularly in Madrid, Seville, or Granada. Tickets are either
sol (sunny side) or sombra (in the shade); you'll pay more to
get out of the sun. Observe how the feverish crowds appreciate
the ballet of the banderilleros, the thundering fury of the
bull, the arrogance of the matador--all leading to "death
in the afternoon."
The running of the bulls in Pamplona: In 1926, Ernest Hemingway
brought the frenetic charge of Pamplona's Festival of San Fermin
to life in The Sun Also Rises. Today, that same energy still
exists for the thousands who descend upon the city each July.
At the center of the celebration is the famous encierro -- the
running of the bulls. It is held at eight o'clock each morning
from the 7th to the 14th of July inclusive. It consists largely
of young men (although it admits all types) who run in front
of the bulls to lead them from their pen up and into the bull-ring.
It usually lasts from two to three minutes - although if there
are complications due to loose bulls it can last much longer.
The length of the run is some 800 metres (about half a mile)
and you don’t have to sign up anywhere to take part; you
just enter into the run and choose the street where you will
run and try to do as best as you can.
In agriculture, olive oil is an oil extracted from the fruit
of the European olive tree (Olea europaea L.), which originated
in the Mediterranean area. It is used in cooking, cosmetics,
and soaps. It is also used by Eastern Orthodox Christians as
a fuel for their traditional oil lamps. Olive oil is regarded
as a healthful dietary oil because of its high content of monounsaturated
fat.
The extraction of Olive oil is traditionally, olive oil
was produced by beating the trees with sticks to knock the olives
off and crushing them in stone or wooden mortars or beam presses.
Nowadays, olives are ground to tiny bits, obtaining a paste
that is mixed with water and processed by a centrifuge, which
extracts the oil from the paste, leaving behind pomace.
In the United States, producers of olive oil may place the following
health claim on product labels:
Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that
eating about two tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil daily may
reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the monounsaturated
fat in olive oil. To achieve this possible benefit, olive oil
is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase
the total number of calories you eat in a day.
This decision was announced November 1, 2004 by the Food and
Drug Administration after application was made to the FDA by
producers. Similar labels are permitted for walnuts and omega-3
fatty acids which also contain monounsaturated oil.
One of the earliest documented historical uses of olive oil
is in religious ceremonies of the ancient Minoans. Olive oil
was a central product of the Minoan civilization, where it is
thought to have represented wealth. The Minoans put the pulp
into settling tanks and, when the oil had risen to the top,
drained the water from the bottom. It was also very common in
the cuisine of Ancient Greece and classical Rome.
Olive Oil was also used by the ancient hebrews, they poured
daily into the seven cups of the golden candelabrum in the Holy
Temple in Jerusalem. Olive oil was also used for anointing the
kings of Israel.
Historically, olive oil has been used for medicines, as a fuel
in oil lamps, and to make soap.
The main producing countries in 2003 were:
Country
Production
ConsumptionAnnual
Consumption/pp (liters)
Spain
44%
23%
15.0
Italy
20%
28%
13.5
Greece
13%
11%
26.1
Turkey
7%
2%
Syria
7%
4%
North Africa
4%
4%
United States
ni
8%
0.6
France
nil
4%
Othe
5%
16%
The International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) sets standards of
quality used by the major olive oil producing countries. It
officially governs 95 percent of global production, and holds
great influence over the rest. IOOC terminology is precise,
but it can lead to confusion between the words that describe
production and the words used on retail labels.
Classifying production
Olive oil is classified by how it was produced, by its chemistry,
and by its flavor.
All production begins by transforming the olive fruit into olive
paste. This paste is then macerated in order to allow the microscopic
olive droplets to concentrate, then the oil is extracted by
means of pressure (traditional method) or centrifugation (modern
method). After extraction the remnant solid substance, called
pomace, still contains a small quantity of oil. The several
oils extracted from the olive fruit can be classified as:
Virgin means the oil was produced by the use of physical means
and no chemical treatment. The term virgin oil referring to
production is different than Virgin Oil on a retail label.
Refined means that the oil has been chemically treated to neutralize
strong tastes (characterized as defects) and neutralize the
acid content (free fatty acids). Refined oil is commonly regarded
as lower quality than virgin oil; the retail labels extra-virgin
olive oil and virgin olive oil cannot contain any refined oil.
Olive-pomace oil means oil extracted from the pomace using chemical
solvents — mostly hexane — and by heat.
Quantitative analytical methods determine the oil's acidity,
defined as the percent, measured by weight, of free oleic acid
in it. This is a measure of the oil's chemical degradation —
as the oil degrades, more fatty acids get free from the glycerides,
increasing the level of free acidity. Another measure of the
oil's chemical degradation is the peroxide level, which measures
the degree to which the oil is oxidized (rancid).
In order to classify olive oil by taste, it is subjectively
judged by a panel of professional tasters in a blind taste test.
This is also called its organoleptic quality.
Grades on retail labels
The IOOC standards are complicated. The labels in stores, however,
clearly show an oil's grade:
Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the
olives, contains no more than 0.8% acidity, and is judged to
have a superior taste. There can be no refined oil in extra-virgin
olive oil. Extra-virgin oil typically has a noticeable green
color.
Virgin olive oil with an acidity less than 2%, and judged to
have a good taste. There can be no refined oil in virgin olive
oil.
Olive oil is a blend of virgin oil and refined virgin oil, containing
at most 1% acidity. It commonly lacks a strong flavor.
Olive-pomace oil is a blend of refined olive-pomace oil and
possibly some virgin oil. It is fit for consumption, but it
may not be called olive oil. Olive-pomace oil is rarely found
in a grocery store; it is often used for certain kinds of cooking
in restaurants.
Lampante oil is olive oil not used for consumption; lampante
comes from olive oil's ancient use as fuel in oil-burning lamps.
Lampante oil is mostly used in the industrial market.
]Label wording
Olive oil vendors choose the wording on their labels very carefully.
"Imported from Italy" produces an impression that
the olives were grown in Italy, although in fact it only means
that the oil was bottled there. A corner of the same label may
note that the oil was packed in Italy with olives grown in Spain,
Italy, Greece, and Tunisia. Since Spain produces nearly half
of the world's olive harvest, it is likely the oil "imported
from Italy" comes from olives grown in Spain.
"100% Pure Olive Oil" sounds like a high-end product,
but in fact is often the lowest quality available in a retail
store: better grades would have "virgin" on the label.
Having said that, 100% pure olive oil might be perfect for baking
and frying, since high heat can destroy the rich flavor of extra-virgin
oil.
"Made from refined olive oils" suggests that the essence
was captured, but in fact means that the taste and acidity were
chemically produced.
"Lite olive oil" suggests a low fat content, whereas
in fact it refers to a lighter color. All olive oil—which
is, after all, fat—has 120 calories per tablespoon (33
kJ/ml).
"From hand-picked olives" gives the impression that
extraordinary care went into the oil's production, whereas it
is not clear that a manual harvest produces better oil than
the common tree-shaking method.
The market
The International Olive Oil Council is an inter-governmental
organization based in Madrid, Spain that promotes olive oil
around the world by tracking production, defining quality standards,
and monitoring authenticity. More than 99% of the world's olives
grow in nations that are members of the Council. Current member
countries are Algeria, Croatia, Egypt, the EU, Iran, Israel,
Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Monaco, Morocco, Serbia & Montenegro,
Syria, and Tunisia.The United States is not a member of the
IOOC, and the United States Department of Agriculture does not
legally recognize its classifications (such as extra-virgin
olive oil). The USDA uses a different system, which it defined
in 1948 before the IOOC existed. The California Olive Oil Council,
a private US trade group, is petitioning the Department to adopt
terminology and practices that shadow the IOOC's rules.Among
global producers, Spain leads with more than 40% of world production,
followed by Italy and Greece. Much of the Spanish crop is exported
to Italy, where it is both consumed and repackaged for sale
abroad as Italian olive oil. Although boutique groceries sell
high-quality Spanish olive oil at a premium, Italian olive oil
has the popular reputation for quality.
Used as a medicinal agent in ancient times, and as a cleanser
for athletes (athletes in the ancient world were slathered in
olive oil, then scraped to remove dirt), it also has religious
symbolism related to healing and strength and to "consecration"
-- God's setting a person or place apart for special work. The
Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches use olive oil for the
Oil of Catechumens (used to bless and strengthen those preparing
for Baptism), Oil of the Sick (used to confer the Sacrament
of Anointing of the Sick), and olive oil mixed with a perfuming
agent like balsam is consecrated by bishops as Sacred Chrism,
which is used in conferring the sacraments of Confirmation (as
a symbol of the strengthening of the Holy Spirit) and Holy Orders
(by which deacons, priests and bishops are made), in the consecration
of altars and churches and, traditionally, in the "consecration"
of monarchs at their coronation.
To this day, Eastern Orthodox Christians use oil lamps in their
churches and home prayer corners. To make a vigil lamp, a votive
glass with a half-inch of water on the bottom, is filled the
rest of the way with olive oil. The votive glass is placed in
a metal holder; different kinds of metal holders may hang from
a bracket on the wall, or one that sits on a table. A cork float
with a wick is placed in the glass and floats on top of the
oil. The wick is then lit. When it comes time to douse the flame,
the float can be (carefully!) pressed downward into the oil,
and the oil douses the flame.
After the 10:00 p.m. dinner hour the streets of Granada blossom
with bars, pubs and discotheques where young visitors can party
till the wee hours of the morning, something the locals have
elevated to a high science. The classic night out on the town
in Granada ends up with a 6-7:00 a.m. breakfast of "churros
con chocolate," the local version of donuts and hot chocolate.
For those who prefer something more traditional than the disco
club, Granada also offers bars and restaurants with the Andalusian
flamenco flavor which the granadinos call "duende."
The most popular venue for these flamenco evenings is the Sacromonte
cave district, once the traditional Gypsy quarter, but now more
favored by bohemian foreign residents attracted to the sunny
hillside with its curious cave dwellings and astonishing view
of the Alhambra on the opposite side of the valley of the River
Darro.
Official office hours in Spain are from 8:30 or 9:00 to 14:00
or 14:30. That is the best time to contact any Spanish companies
or institutions. In the afternoon, most public services are
closed, except emergency services. Private companies are normally
open from 17:00 to 20:30 or 21:00 in the afternoon. During the
summer, many companies work a "jornada intensiva"
from 8:00 am till 3:00 p.m. and take the afternoon off.
Granada has excellent accesses via train, plane and automobile.
The airport is just 15 kilometers from Granada, close to the
historic town of Santa Fe. Cars can be rented at the airport,
and there is also a frequent bus service to the city. The train
station is in the city center, making it particularly convenient.
The A-92 freeway takes motorists to Seville in two-and-a-half
hours, to Málaga in an hour and a half, making Granada
an excellent base for touring in Andalusia. The city's new four-lane
"circunvalación" ring road greatly facilitates
motor traffic in and around Granada, elegantly resolving access
to both the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada ski station. (See
Access Map . More information in Granadatur.com .) The new bus
station on the city's northern edge provides bus service with
the four corners of the Spanish geography.
Distance
in KM to other major Spanish cities from Granada |
| Albacete
363 |
Cuenca
479 |
Pontevedra
1057 |
Almería
166 |
Girona 968 |
San Sebastian
903 |
Ávila 534 |
Huelva 350 |
Santander 827 |
Badajoz 438 |
Jáen
99 |
Segovia 521 |
Barcelona 868 |
León
761 |
Sevilla 256 |
Bilbao 829 |
Lugo 770 |
Soria 665 |
Burgos 671 |
Madrid 434 |
Tarragona 770 |
Cádiz 335 |
Málaga
129 |
Toledo 397 |
Cáceres
485 |
Murcia 278 |
Valencia 519 |
Ciudad Real 278 |
Oviedo 885 |
Valladolid 627 |
Córdoba
166 |
Palencia 674 |
Vitoria 785 |
La Coruña
1034 |
Pamplona 841 |
Zaragoza 759 |
|
|
|
Granada is situated at the foot of Sierra Nevada, the highest
mountain range of the Iberian Peninsula. Besides providing a
dramatic backdrop for the city, Sierra Nevada is home to Europe's
southernmost ski station, of of Europe's best, and the scene
of important international ski championships in recent years.
The ski area is less than an hour's drive from the city, via
one of Europe's finest ski access roads.
The Mediterranean beach is also within easy striking distance
of Granada, less than an hour by car, with resort and residential
towns like Motril, Almuñecar, Salobreña and many
more. The traditional summering spot for local families, the
Granada coast, with it's sub-tropical climate, and agriculture
dedicated to exotic fruits, is increasingly attracting foreign
visitors and residents.
A prime choice for rural tourism in the province of Granada
is the Sierra Alpujarra, actually Sierra Nevada's southern slopes
which drop all the way to the Mediterranean. Tucked into the
region's canyons and valleys are more than 50 villages. Its
bucolic air, its forests of oaks and chestnut trees and its
welcoming villagers, not to mention their renowned rosé
wines, mountain hams and local handicrafts, make this region
a powerful attraction for visitors both from the rest of Spain
and abroad.
Thanks to the numerous geographical accidents in its makeup,
the province of Granada offers enormous climactic contrasts
in a relatively small area. Within its essentially Continental
climate matrix, and despite a median year-round temperature
of 14,8ºC, the month of January sees a median temperature of
6º but with maximum values in the 20's, while August enjoys
a 25º average, with maximums passing 40º. There is a marked
contrast between the long durations of summer and winter and
the brevity of spring and fall. Rainfall is meager, an average
of 474 liters annually, and falls mainly between the months
of October and May. Granada summers are practically rain free.
Three of the year's fiestas are considered essential in Granada:
Holy Week, the Crosses of May and Corpus Christi. The first
of these, "Semana Santa," is celebrated in March or
April when local "cofradías" take their precious
images of saints and virgens out on the streets in ritual processions
which attract thousands of visitors every year. The one-day
"Cruces de Mayo" fiesta is unique to Granada and is
perhaps the most delightful of all for its contest of flower-bedecked
giant crucifixes in most of the plazas of the city and its cheerful
and colorful rites of spring. Corpus Christi, Granada's principal
fiesta, takes place in June. The procession itself is limited
to Thursday but the festivities in the fairgrounds just outside
the city are spun out for a whole week. First-time visitors
are invariably captivated by the stellar levels of eating, drinking,
dancing, fun and high folderol.
More
information on the fiestas of Granada
Granada hosts one of Spain's most prestigious annual musical
events, the International Festival of Music and Dance, in its
52nd edition this year. This festival has grown over the past
half century in program, attendance and stature and this year
offers three stunning weeks (the last two of June and the first
of July) of musical programming. The concerts, camera music,
recitals, ballets, contemporary dance, antique music, electro-acoustic,
flamenco and contemporary music events
take place in the most beautiful settings all over the city:
in the Alhambra and Generalife, the Albaicín, the Cathedral
and many other evocative historical places.
The Granada Jazz Festival has also established itself as a
favorite in Granada and done its part to foment genuine "afición"
for this black American musical idiom. Since 1980 it has brought
to this city jazz legends like Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson,
Charlie Haden, Art Blakey, Tete Montoliu, Dizzy Gillespie, Wayne
Shorter, Herbie Hancock or Chano Domínguez.
Granada's Tango Festival is in its 15th edition this year and
has consolidated itself as one of this city's most interesting
initiatives, not only in musical terms, but as a valuable cultural
interchange between two cultures which are so close and, at
the same time, so distant.
Granada also hosts a series of other festivals which reinforce
this city's devotion to artistic and cultural matters. These
include the annual Theater and Short Film Festivals, as well
as other one-time events which arise periodically.
Cosme Damián Churruca (1761–1805), explorer, astronomer
and naval officer, mapped the Straight of Magallanes (1788–1789)
Hernán Cortés (1485–1547), conquistador
of old Mexico
Lope de Aguirre (1511–1561), soldier, adventurer, killer
and traitor, explored the Amazonas looking for El Dorado
Diego de Almagro (1475–1538), explorer and conquistador,
first European arriving Chile
Juan Bautista de Anza (1736–1788), soldier and explorer,
founded San Francisco, California
Pedro Arias de Ávila, Pedrarias Dávila (1440–1531),
conquistador, founder of Panama and governor of Nicaragua
Fray Tomás de Berlanga (1487–1551), bishop of Panama,
discovered the Galápagos Islands
Gaspar de Espinosa (1467/77?–1537), soldier and explorer,
first European reaching the coast of Nicaragua, co-founder of
Panama City
Hernando de Soto (1500–1542), explorer and conquistador,
first European exploring Florida and the plains of eastern North
America, discovered the Mississippi river and the Ohio river
Juan Sebastián Elcano (1476–1526), explorer and
sailor, first man circumnavigating the World
Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1475–1519), first
to sight the Pacific Ocean, founding Darién
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca first European
exploring southwestern United States, 1527–1536, also
explored South America, 1540–1542.
Francisco de Orellana, first European exploring the Amazonas
river.
Francisco Pizarro (1471–1541), conqueror of the Inca Empire
in Peru
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo (1499–1543), explorer,
founded the city of San Diego, California
Pedro Almodóvar (born 1949)
Alejandro Amenábar (born 1972)
Montxo Armendáriz
Juanma Bajo Ulloa
Iciar Bollaín
José Luis Borau
Luis Buñuel (1900–1983)
Mario Camus
Isabel Coixet
Fernando León de Aranoa (born 1968)
Alex de la Iglesia
Agustín Díaz Yanes
Víctor Erice
Fernando Fernán Gómez
Marco Ferreri
Jesus Franco
José Luis Garci (born 1944)
Luis García Berlanga
Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón
Bigas Luna (born 1946)
Julio Medem (born 1958)
Fernando Méndez Leite
Pilar Miró
José Luis Sáenz de Heredia
Carlos Saura (born 1932)
Santiago Segura
David Trueba
Fernando Trueba
Benito Zambrano
Iván Zulueta (born 1943)
Trajan (53–117), Roman Emperor, 98–117
Hadrian (A.D. 117–138), Roman Emperor Under his orders
"Hadrian Wall" was built in the UK.
Marcus Aurelius (r. 161–80), Roman Empero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (born 1960), President
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, Duke of Alba (1507–1582)
José María Aznar (born 1953), former President
Spanish monarchs - Juan Carlos de Borbón (born 1938),
King of Spain since 1975
Josep Borrell (born 1947), President of the European Parliament
José Antonio Cánovas del Castillo President and
historian
Rodrigo 'Ruy' Díaz de Vivar, El Cid (c. 1045–1099),
Spanish knight and hero
Buenaventura Durruti (1896–1936)
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, El Gran Capitán,
(1453–1515)
Francisco Franco (1892–1975), army general and political
leader. Ruled Spain for 41 years as 'Caudillo'
Felipe González (born 1942), former President
Queen Isabella I, Queen of Spain (1451–1504)
Casto Méndez Núñez (1830–1880), naval
officer
Leopoldo O'Donnell Y Jorris (1809–1861), former President
and military Spanish
Rodrigo Rato (born 1949) Director of the IMF
Javier Solana (born 1942), ex Secrtetary General of NATO, EU
foreign policy chief
Victoria Abril
Elena Anaya
Antonio Banderas
Celso Bugallo
Mark Consuelos
Penélope Cruz
Angelines Fernández
Fernando Fernán Gómez
Sancho Gracia
Alfredo Landa
Jordi Molla
Sara Montiel
Marisa Paredes
Francisco Rabal
Fernando Rey
Pepe Sancho
Paz Vega
Ricardo Bofill (born 1939)
Santiago Calatrava (born 1951)
Ildefons Cerdà (1815–1876)
Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926)
Rafael Moneo (born 1937)
Eduardo Torroja (1899–1961)
Enric Miralles (1955–2000)
Mateo Alemán (1547–c. 1609)
Vicente Aleixandre (1888–1984), poet, Nobel prize 1977
Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer (1836–1870), poet
Jacinto Benavente (1866–1954), dramatist, Nobel prize
1922
Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600–1681), playwright
and poet
Rosalía de Castro (1837–1885), poet
Camilo José Cela (1916–2002), novelist, Nobel prize
1989
Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616), author and soldier, writer
of El Quijote, or Don Quixote
Miguel Delibes (born 1920), novelist
José Echegaray (1832–1916), dramatist, Nobel prize
1904
Leandro Fernández de Moratín (1760–1828),
dramatist and neoclassical poet
Antonio Gala
Benito Pérez Galdós
Federico García Lorca (1898–1936), poet and playwright
Luis de Góngora, poet and priest
Juan Ramón Jiménez (1881–1958), poet, Nobel
prize 1956
Jon Juaristi
Mariano José de Larra (1809–1837), journalist
Antonio Machado (1875–1939), poet
Salvador de Madariaga
Javier Marías (born 1951), novelist and translator
Juan Marsé (born 1933), novelist
Joanot Martorell
Tirso de Molina (1571–1648), playwright
Agustín Moreto y Cavana, playwright
Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (1744–1811), statesman and
author
José Ortega y Gasset (1883–1955), author
Emilia Pardo Bazán (1851–1921), author
Arturo Pérez-Reverte (born 1951), novelist and war reporter
Francisco de Quevedo (1580–1645)
Fernando de Rojas
Francisco de Rojas Zorrilla, playwright
José Martínez Ruiz (1863–1967), journalis,
poet, political radical, writer
Juan Ruiz de Alarcón, playwright
Pedro Salinas, (1891–1951), poet
Ramón J. Sender (1901–1982), novelist, journalist
and anarchist
Torcuato Luca de Tena (1923–1999), novelist, journalist
and lawyer
Miguel Unamuno (1864–1931), existentialist author
Ramón María del Valle-Inclán (1866–1936),
author
Garcilaso de la Vega (1501–1586), poet
Félix Lope de Vega (1562–1635), poet and playwright
Cristóbal Zaragoza (1923–1999), novelist and philosopher
María de Zayas y Sotomayor
José Zorrilla y Moral, poet and playwright
Spanish language poets Musicians
Isaac Albéniz (1860–1909), composer
Pau Casals (1876–1973), cello
Manuel de Falla (1876–1946), composer
Enrique Granados (1867–1916), composer
Antonio Katrasca
Paco de Lucía (born 1947), guitar
Miguel Pardos (born 1989), guitar
Andrés Segovia (1893–1987), guitar
Joaquín Turina (1882–1949), composer
Xavier Cugat (1900–1990), bandleader
Edward Aguilera (born 1976), first European member of Menudo
Victoria de los Ángeles (born 1923), soprano
Miguel Bosé
Nino Bravo (1944–1973)
Montserrat Caballé (born 1933), soprano
José Carreras (born 1946), tenor
Charo
Plácido Domingo (born 1941), tenor
Enrique Iglesias (born 1975), pop singer
Julio Iglesias (born 1943), pop singer
Julio José Iglesias (born 1973), pop singer
Alfredo Kraus (1927–1999), tenor
La Pandilla teen group, all members are from Spain
Raphael
Los del Río
Enrique Urquijo (1960–1999), New Wave musician
Joan Manuel Serrat
Salvador Dalí (1904–1989), visionary artist
Francisco Goya (1746–1828), painter
El Greco
Juan Gris (1887–1927), cubist painter from Madrid
Jesús Mari Lazkano
Joan Miró
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1618–1682), painter
Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), painter
Antoni Tàpies
Darío Urzay
Diego Velázquez (1599–1660), painter
Ignacio Zuloaga (1870–1945), painter
Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1644), painter
Abraham ben Samuel Abulafia (1240– probably 1292), Philosopher,
an early cabbalist
Maimónides (1135–1204), Philosopher
José Ortega y Gasset
George Santayana (1863–1952), US writer
Fernando Savater (born 1947), Philosopher
Lucius Anneo Seneca (4 bC–65 aC), Philosopher
Algafequi, glasses inventor (Cordoba)
José María Algué (1856–1930), Meteorologist,
inventor of the barocyclometer, the nephoscope, and the microseismograph
Martín de Azpilicueta (1492–1586), economist, theologist
and philosopher
Ángel Cabrera (1879–1960), naturalist, investigated
the South-American fauna
José Celestino Bruno Mutis (1732–1808), botanicist,
doctor, philosopher and mathematician, carried out relevant
research about the American flora, founded one of the first
astronomic observatories in America (1762)
Mateo José Buenaventura Orfila (1787–1853), doctor
and chemist, father of modern toxicology, leading figure in
forensic toxicology.
Juan de la Cierva y Codorníu (1895–1936), aeronautical
engineer pioneer of rotary flight inventor of the autogyro
Jaime Ferrán (1852–1929), doctor and researcher,
discovered several vaccines
Francisco Hernández (1517–1587), botanicist, carried
out important research about the Mexican flora
Manuel Jalón Corominas (born 1925), aeronautical engineer,
inventor, and officer of the Spanish Air Force
Carlos Jiménez Díaz (1898–1967), doctor
and researcher, leading figure in pathology
Gregorio Marañón (1887–1960), doctor and
researcher, leading figure in endocrinology
Narcís Monturiol (1818–1885), physicist and inventor,
pioneer of underwater navigation
Severo Ochoa (1905–1993), doctor and biochemist, achieved
the synthesis of ribonucleic acid (RNA), Nobel prize in 1959
Joan Oró (born 1923), biochemist, carried out important
research about the origin of life
Julio Palacios Martínez (1891–1970), physicist
and mathematician
Isaac Peral y Caballero (1851–1895), engineer and sailor,
designer of the first operative submarine
Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852–1934), father of Neuroscience,
Nobel prize in 1906
Julio Rey Pastor (1888–1962), mathematician, leading figure
in geometry
Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente (1928–1980),
naturalist, leading figure in ornithology, ethology, ecology
and science divulgation
Miguel Servet (1511–1553), scientist, surgeon, geographer,
linguist, helenist, humanist, and philosopher
Leonardo Torres y Quevedo (1852–1936), engineer and mathematician,
pioneer of automatic calculation machines, inventor of the automatic
chess, pioneer of remote control, designer of the funicular
over the Niagara Falls
Antonio de Ulloa (1716–1795), scientist, soldier and author
Fernando Alonso (born 1981), Formula One driver
Severiano Ballesteros, golfer
Galo Blanco, tennis player
Fermin Cacho Ruiz, athlete, Olympic 1,500 Gold Medalist
Pedro Carrasco, world champion boxer
Javier Castillejo, world champion boxer
Juan Carlos Ferrero, tennis player, French Open champion
Sergio García, golfer
Pau Gasol, NBA basketball player
Miguel Induráin, Tour de France champion cyclist
Raúl López, NBA basketball player
Feliciano López,tennis player
Carlos Moyà, tennis player
Rafael Nadal,tennis player
Ángel Nieto, motorbikes pilot, 12+1 times champion of
the world
José María Olazábal, golfer
Manuel Orantes (born 1949), champion tennis player
Raúl, football player
Carlos Sainz, rally driver
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, tennis player, French Open champion
Javier Sánchez, tennis player, brother of Arantxa
Manuel Santana (born 1938), champion tennis player
Ferrán Adriá, cook
Karlos Arguiñano, cook and entertainer
Carlos D. Cidon, chef
Joaquín Cortés, dancer
Luis Miguel González Lucas, better known as Luis Miguel
Dominguín, bullfighter, father of Miguel Bosé
Chabeli Iglesias, reporter, daughter of Julio Iglesias
Federica Montseny, anarchist, politician, writer
Diego Salcedo, priest, first Spaniard killed by Puerto Rican
Taínos
Juan Sánchez Vidal, renowned collector
Pedro Subijana, cook
Cristina Sánchez, bullfighter
Aguas Santas Oca & Navarro, first lady of Honduras
Torquemada, inquisitor
Joan March Ordinas, political and businesmen.
The original peoples of the Iberian peninsula (in the sense
that they are not known to have come from elsewhere), consisting
of a number of separate tribes, are given the generic name of
Iberians. This may have included the Basques, the only pre-Celtic
people in Iberia surviving to the present day as a separate
ethnic group. The most important culture of this period is that
of the city of Tartessos. Beginning in the 9th century BC, Celtic
tribes entered the Iberian peninsula through the Pyrenees and
settled throughout the peninsula, becoming the Celt-Iberians.
The seafaring Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians successively
settled along the Mediterranean coast and founded trading colonies
there over a period of several centuries.
Around 1,100 BC Phoenician merchants founded the trading colony
of Gadir or Gades (modern day Cádiz) near Tartessos.
In the 8th century BC the first Greek colonies, such as Emporion
(modern Empúries), were founded along the Mediterranean
coast on the East, leaving the south coast to the Phoenicians.
The Greeks are responsible for the name Iberia, after the river
Iber (Ebro in Spanish). In the 6th century BC the Carthaginians
arrived in Iberia while struggling with the Greeks for control
of the Western Mediterranean. Their most important colony was
Carthago Nova (Latin name of modern day Cartagena).
The Romans arrived in the Iberian peninsula during the Second
Punic war in the 2nd century BC, and annexed it under Augustus
after two centuries of war with the Celtic and Iberian tribes
and the Phoenician, Greek and Carthaginian colonies becoming
the province of Hispania. It was divided in Hispania Ulterior
and Hispania Citerior during the late Roman Republic; and, during
the Roman Empire, Hispania Taraconensis in the northeast, Hispania
Baetica in the south and Lusitania in the southwest.
Hispania supplied the Roman Empire with food, olive oil, wine
and metal. The emperors Trajan, Hadrian and Theodosius I, the
philosopher Seneca and the poets Martial and Lucan were born
in Spain. The Spanish Bishops held the Council at Elvira in
306.
Most of Spain's present languages, religion, and laws originate
from this Roman period.
From the 8th to the 15th centuries, parts of the Iberian peninsula
were ruled by Muslims (the Moors) who had crossed over from
North Africa. Christian and Muslim kingdoms fought and allied
among themselves. The Muslim taifa kings competed in patronage
of the arts, the Way of Saint James attracted pilgrims from
all Western Europe and the Jewish population of Iberia set the
basis of Sephardic culture. Much of Spain's distinctive art
originates from this seven-hundred-year period, and many Arabic
words made their way into Spanish and Catalan, and from them
to other European languages.
By 1512, most of the kingdoms of present-day Spain were politically
unified, although not as a modern centralized state. The grandson
of Isabel and Fernando, Carlos I, extended his crown to other
places in Europe and the rest of the world. The unification
of Iberia was complete when Carlos I's son, Felipe II, became
King of Portugal in 1580, as well as of the other Iberian Kingdoms
(collectively known as "Spain" since this moment).
During the 16th century,with Carlos I and Felipe II, Spain
became the most powerful European nation, its territory covering
most of South and Central America, Asia - Pacific, the Iberian
peninsula, southern Italy, Germany, and the Low Countries. This
was later known as the Spanish Empire.
It was also the wealthiest nation but the uncontrolled influx
of goods and minerals from Spanish colonisation of the Americas
resulted in rampant inflation and economic depression.
In 1640, under Felipe IV, the centralist policy of the Count-Duke
of Olivares provoked wars in Portugal and Catalonia. Portugal
became an independent kingdom again and Catalonia enjoyed some
years of French-supported independence but was quickly returned
to the Spanish Crown, except Rosellon.
A series of long and costly wars and revolts followed in the
17th century, beginning a steady decline of Spanish power in
Europe. Controversy over succession to the throne consumed the
country during the first years of the 18th century (see War
of the Spanish Succession). It was only after this war ended
and a new dynasty was installed — the French Bourbons
(see House of Bourbon) — that a centralized Spanish state
was established and the first Borbon king Philip V of Spain
in 1707 cancelled the Aragon court and changed the title of
king of Castilla and Aragon for the current king of Spain.
Spain was occupied by Napoleon in the early 1800s, but the Spaniards
rose in arms. After the War of Independence (1808–1814),
a series of revolts and armed conflicts between Liberals and
supporters of the ancien régime lasted throughout much
of the 19th century, complicated by a dispute over dynastic
succession by the Carlists which led to three civil wars. After
that, Spain was briefly a Republic, from 1871 to 1873, a year
in which a series of coups reinstalled the monarchy.
In the meantime, Spain lost all of its colonies in the Caribbean
region and Asia-Pacific region during the 19th century, a trend
which ended with the loss of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Philippines
and Guam to the United States after the Spanish-American War
of 1898.
The 20th century initially brought little peace; colonisation
of Western Sahara, Spanish Morocco and Equatorial Guinea was
attempted. A period of dictatorial rule (1923–1931) ended
with the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic. The Republic
offered political autonomy to the Basque Country and Catalonia
and gave voting rights to women. However, with increasing political
polarisation, anti-clericalism and pressure from all sides,
coupled with growing and unchecked political violence, the Republic
ended with the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936.
Following the victory of the nationalist forces in 1939, General
Francisco Franco ruled a nation exhausted politically and economically.
After World War II, being one of few surviving fascist regimes
in Europe, Spain was politically and economically isolated and
was kept out of the United Nations until 1955, when it became
strategically important for U.S. president Eisenhower to establish
a military presence in the Iberian peninsula. This opening to
Spain was aided by Franco's rabid anti-communism. In the 1960s,
more than a decade later than other western European countries,
Spain began to enjoy economic growth and gradually transformed
into a modern industrial economy with a thriving tourism sector.
Growth continued well into the 1970s, with Franco's government
going to great lengths to shield the Spanish people from the
effects of the oil crisis.
Upon the death of the dictator General Franco in November
1975, his personally-designated heir Prince Juan Carlos assumed
the position of king and head of state. With the approval of
the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the arrival of democracy,
the old historic nationalities — Basque Country, Catalonia,
Galicia and Andalusia— were given far-reaching autonomy,
which was then soon extended to all Spanish regions, resulting
in one of the most decentralized territorial organizations in
Western Europe. However, the radical nationalism in the Basque
country and the terrorist group ETA continues to be one of the
most important problems facing Spain.
Adolfo Suárez González, Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo
Bustelo, after an attempted coup d'état in 1981, Felipe
González Márquez (when Spain joined NATO and European
Union), José María Aznar López and José
Luis Rodríguez Zapatero have been prime ministers of
Spain.
Spain is a constitutional monarchy, with a hereditary monarch
and a bicameral parliament, the Cortes Generales or National
Assembly. The executive branch consists of a Council of Ministers
presided over by the President of Government (comparable to
a prime minister), proposed by the monarch and elected by the
National Assembly following legislative elections.
The legislative branch is made up of the Congress of Deputies
(Congreso de los Diputados) with 350 members, elected by popular
vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve
four-year terms, and a Senate or Senado with 259 seats of which
208 are directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed
by the regional legislatures to also serve four-year terms.
Spain is, at present, what is called a State of Autonomies,
formally unitary but, in fact, functioning as a Federation of
Autonomous Communities, each one with different powers (for
instance, some have their own educational and health systems,
others do not) and laws. There are some problems with this system,
since some autonomous governments (especially those dominated
by nationalist parties) are seeking a more federalist—or
even confederate—kind of relationship with Spain, while
the Central Government is trying to restrict what some see as
excessive autonomy of some autonomous communities (e.g. Basque
Country and Catalonia).
The terrorist group ETA (Basque Homeland and Freedom) is trying
to achieve Basque independence through violent means, including
bombings and killings of politicians and police. Although the
Basque Autonomous government does not condone any kind of violence,
their different approaches to the separatist movement are a
source of tension between the federal and Basque governments.
On May 17, 2005, all the parties in the Congress of Deputies,
except the PP, passed the Central Government's motion of beginning
peace talks with the ETA with no political concessions and only
if it gives up all its weapons. PSOE, CiU, ERC, PNV, IU-ICV,
CC and the mixt group -BNG, CHA, EA y NB- supported it with
a total of 192 votes, while the 147 PP parliamentaris objected.
On February 20th 2005, Spain became the first country to allow
its people to vote on the European Union constitution that was
signed in October 2004. The rules states that if any country
rejects the constitution then the constitution will be declared
void. The final result was very strongly in affirmation of the
constitution, making Spain the first country to approve the
constitution via referendum (Hungary, Lithuania and Slovenia
approved it before Spain, but they did not hold referenda).
Administratively, Spain is divided into 50 provinces, grouped
into 17 autonomous communities and 2 autonomous cities with
high degree of autonomy.
Autonomous communities
Autonomous communities of Spain Spain consists of 17 autonomous
communities (comunidades autónomas) and 2 autonomous
cities (ciudades autónomas; Ceuta and Melilla).
Andalusia (Andalucía)
Aragon (Aragón)
Principality of Asturias (Principáu d'Asturies in Asturian/Principado
de Asturias in Spanish)
Balearic Islands (Illes Balears in Catalan / Islas Baleares
in Spanish)
Basque Country (Euskadi in Basque/País Vasco in Spanish)
Cantabria
Castile-La Mancha (Castilla-La Mancha)
Castile-Leon (Castilla y León in Spanish)
Catalonia (Catalunya in Catalan/Cataluña in Spanish/
Catalunha in Aranese)
Extremadura
Galicia (Galicia or Galiza in Galician)
La Rioja
Madrid
Murcia
Navarre (Nafarroa in Basque/Navarra in Spanish)
Valencia (Comunitat Valenciana in Valencian /Comunidad Valenciana
in Spanish, as official denominations).
The Spanish kingdom is also divided in 50 provinces (provincias).
Autonomous communities group provinces (for instance, Extremadura
is made of two provinces: Cáceres and Badajoz). The autonomous
communities of Asturias, the Balearic Islands, Cantabria, La
Rioja, Navarre, Murcia, and Madrid are each composed of a single
province. Traditionally, provinces are usually subdivided into
historic regions or comarcas (main article: Comarcas of Spain).
There are also five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberanía)
on and off the African coast: the cities of Ceuta and Melilla
are administered as autonomous cities, an intermediate status
between cities and communities; the islands of the Islas Chafarinas,
Peñón de Alhucemas, and Peñón de
Vélez de la Gomera are under direct Spanish administration.
The Canary islands, Ceuta and Melilla, although not officially
historic communities, enjoy a special status.
Mainland Spain is dominated by high plateaus and mountain ranges
such as the Pyrenees or the Sierra Nevada. Running from these
heights are several major rivers such as the Tajo, the Ebro,
the Duero, the Guadiana and the Guadalquivir. Alluvial plains
are found along the coast, the largest of which is that of the
Guadalquivir in Andalusia, in the east there are alluvial plains
with medium rivers like Segura, Júcar and Turia. Spain
is bound to the east by Mediterranean Sea (containing the Balearic
Islands), to the north by the Bay of Biscay and to its west
by the Atlantic Ocean, where the Canary Islands off the African
coast are found.
mostly temperate
in the eastern and southern part of the country; rainy seasons
are spring and autumn. Mild summers with pleasant temperatures.
Hot records: Murcia 47.2 ºC, Malaga 44.2 ºC, Valencia 42.5 ºC,
Alicante 41.4 ºC, Palma of Mallorca 40.6 ºC, Barcelona 39.8
ºC. Low records: Gerona -13.0 ºC, Barcelona -10.0 ºC, Valencia
-7.2 ºC, Murcia -6.0 ºC, Alicante -4.6 ºC, Malaga -3.8 ºC.
Very cold winters
(frequent snow in the north) and hot summers. Hot records: Sevilla
47.0 ºC, Cordoba 46.6 ºC, Badajoz 45.0 ºC, Albacete and Zaragoza
42.6 ºC, Madrid 42.2 ºC, Burgos 41.8 ºC, Valladolid 40.2 ºC.
Low records: Albacete -24.0 ºC, Burgos -22.0 ºC, Salamanca
-20.0 ºC, Teruel -19.0 ºC, Madrid -14.8 ºC, Sevilla -5.5 ºC.
precipitations
mostly on winter, with mild summers (slightly cold). Hot records:
Bilbao 42.0 ºC, La Coruña 37.6 ºC, Gijón 36.4
ºC. Low records: Bilbao -8.6 ºC, Oviedo -6.0 ºC, Gijon and La
Coruña -4.8 ºC.
subtropical
weather, with mild temperatures (18 ºC to 24 ºC Celsius) throughout
the year. Hot records: Santa Cruz de Tenerife 42.6 ºC. Low records:
Santa Cruz de Tenerife 8.1 ºC.
Madrid 5 603 285
Barcelona 4 667 136
Valencia 1 465 423
Sevilla 1 294 081
Malaga 1 019 292
Spain has called for the return of Gibraltar, a tiny British
possession on its southern coast. It changed hands during the
War of the Spanish Succession in 1704. The most recent talks
dealt with the idea of "total shared sovereignty"
over Gibraltar, subject to a constitutional referendum by Gibraltarians,
who have expressed opposition to any form of cession to Spain.
The talks have been frozen, after the result of a referendum
in Gibraltar where 98% of the people opposed them. See Gibraltar
for more information.
Morocco claims the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and
the uninhabited Vélez, Alhucemas, Chafarinas, and Perejil
("Parsley") islands, all on the northern coast of
Africa.
Portugal does not recognize Spain's de facto sovereignty over
the territory of Olivença.
Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per
capita basis is 87% that of the four leading West European economies.
The centre-right government of former President Aznar successfully
worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching
the European single currency, the euro, on 1 January 1999. The
Aznar administration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization,
and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms
to that end. Unemployment fell steadily under the Aznar administration
but remains high at 11.7%. Growth of 2.4% in 2003 was satisfactory
given the background of a faltering European economy. Incoming
Prime Minister Rodríguez Zapatero, whose party won the
election three days after the Madrid train bombings in March 2004,
plans to reduce government intervention in business, combat tax
fraud, and support innovation, research and development, but also
intends to reintroduce labour market regulations that had been
scrapped by the Aznar government. Adjusting to the monetary and
other economic policies of an integrated Europe - and reducing
unemployment - will pose challenges to Spain over the next few
years. Spain is nowdays considered as the 8th economic World power.
The Spanish Constitution, although affirming the sovereignty
of the Spanish Nation, recognises historical nationalities.
The Castilian-derived Spanish (called both español
and castellano in the language itself) is the official language
throughout Spain, but other regional languages are also spoken.
Without mentioning them by name, the Spanish Constitution recognizes
the possibility of regional languages being co-official in their
respective autonomous communities. The following languages are
co-official with Spanish according to the appropriate Autonomy
Statutes.
Catalan (català) in Catalonia (Catalunya), the Balearic
Islands (Illes Balears) and Valencia (València).
Basque (euskara) in Basque Country (Euskadi), and parts of
Navarre (Nafarroa). Basque is not known to be related to any
other language.
Galician (gallego) in Galicia (Galiza).
Occitan (the Aranese dialect). Spoken in the Vall d'Aran in
Catalonia.
Catalan, Galician, Aranese (Occitan) and Spanish (Castilian)
are all descended from Latin and have their own dialects, some
championed as separate languages by their speakers (the Valencià
of València, a dialect of Catalan, is one example).
There are also some other surviving Romance minority languages:
Asturian / Leonese, in Asturias and parts of Leon, Zamora and
Salamanca, and the Extremaduran in Caceres and Salamanca, both
descendents of the historical Astur-Leonese dialect; the Aragonese
or fabla in part of Aragon; the fala, spoken in three villages
of Extremadura; and some Portuguese dialectal towns in Extremadura
and Castile-Leon. However, unlike Catalan, Galician, and Basque,
these do not have any official status.
Berber language is spoken among Muslims in Ceuta and Melilla.
In the touristic areas of the Mediterranean costas and the
islands, German and English are spoken by tourists, foreign
residents and tourism workers.
Many linguists claim that most of the Spanish language variants
spoken in Latin America (Mexican, Argentinian, Colombian, Peruvian,
etc. variants) descended from the Spanish spoken in southwestern
Spain (Andalusia, Extremadura and Canary Islands).
Spain is considered by some, including a part of Spanish population
(aproximately 10% according to the latest surveys), to be a
group of nations unified under a single State, much like Belgium,
Switzerland or the United Kingdom. Despite this, the common
history, the common features of the country and the policy of
many Spanish governments has led to a "Spanish nationhood"
which is the one people identify with Spain internationally.
The Spanish Constitution of 1978, in its second article, recognizes
historic entities ("nationalities", not "nations")
and regions, inside the unity of the Spanish nation.
But Spain's identity is sometimes, in fact, an overlap of
different national identities, some of them even conflicting.
Castile is considered to be by many the "core" of
Spain. However, this may just be a reflection of the fact that
the Castilian national identity was the first one to be quashed
by the Spanish Empire in the revolt of the Communards (comuneros).
Today, Castilians generally consider themselves to be Spanish
first, with regional identity being of lesser importance.
The opposite is the case of some Galicians, Catalans and Basques,
who quite frequently identify primarily with Galicia, Catalonia
and the Basque Country first, with Spain only second, or even
third, after Europe. For example, according to the last CIS
survey, 25% of Basques identify themselves only as Basques;
16.8% of Catalans do so with their autonomous community, and
7% Galicians with Galicia.
The situation is even more confusing, since there are regions
with ambiguous identities, like Navarre, Valencia, the Balearic
Islands, the Canary Islands, etc. There has been a lot of internal
migration (rural exodus) from regions like Galicia, Andalusia
and Extremadura to Madrid, Catalonia, Basque Country and the
islands.
Spain was the first European country to become a unified nation,
with the union of Castile and Aragon) in 1492 and the annexation
of Navarre in 1515. Until 1714, Spain was a loose confederation
of kingdoms and statelets under one king, until King Philip
V removed the autonomous status of the Aragonese crown. Navarre
and the Basque Country, however, kept a high degree of autonomy
within their legal and financial system (Fueros). Moreover,
the creation of a unified state in the 19th and 20th centuries
has led to the present situation, which is apparently simple,
but sometimes extremely confusing. During the Second Spanish
Republic (1931–1936), Catalonia and the Basque country
were given limited self-government, which was lost after the
Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) and restored in 1978 during
the transition to democracy.
Survey of the latest CIS (Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas)
survey from which concrete data of this article have been extracted
Since the 16th century, the most important minority group in
the country have been the Gitanos. Other historical minorities
are Mercheros (or Quinquis) and Vaqueiros de alzada. The latter,
meaning "Mountain cow-breeders" dwell in mountain
ranges in the Principality of Asturias and have kept historically
apart from the valley dwellers.
The number of immigrants or foreign residents has tripled
to 3.69 million in less than five years, according the latest
figures (2005) of National Statics Institute. They currently
make up around 8.4 percent of the total population. The rise
of population in Spain in recent years was largely due to them.
Nearly half of all immigrants have neither residence nor work
permits.
The largest foreign minorities are Moroccans (365 846), Equadorians
(202 294), Colombians (128 367) and British (121 107), followed
by other nationalities, as Argentinians, Filipinos, Germans
etc.
1928 Spanish one-peseta postage stamp pairs Pope Pius XI and
Alfonso XIII
Roman Catholicism is, by far, the most popular religion in
the country, with four in five Spaniards (80%) self-identifying
as Catholics. The next group (one in eight, or 12%) is represented
by atheists or agnostics. Minority religions account for one
in seventy (1.4%) of all Spaniards.
It is important to note, however, that many Spaniards identify
themselves as Catholics even though they are not very religious
at all. According to recent surveys (New York Times, April 19,
2005) only around 18 percent of Spaniards regularly attend mass.
Of those under 30, only about 14 percent attend.
Further evidence of the secular nature of modern Spain can
be seen in the widespread support for the legalisation of marriage
for homosexuals - over 70% of Spaniards support gay marriage
according to a 2004 study by the Centre of Sociological Investigations.
Indeed, in June 2005 a bill was passed by 187 votes to 147 to
allow gay marriage, making Spain the third country in the European
Union to allow same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual
ones. Proposed changes to the divorce laws to make the process
quicker and to eliminate the need for a guilty party are also
popular. In many ways modern Spain can be described as a secular
country with a strong Catholic tradition.
According to membership [1], the second religion of Spain
is the organization of the Jehovah's Witnesses with 103 784
active publishers; there are also many Protestant denominations,
all of them with less than 50 000 members, and about 20 000
Mormons. Evangelism has been better received among Gypsies than
among the general population; pastors have integrated flamenco
music in their liturgy. Taken together, all self-described "Evangelicals"
slightly surpass Jehovah's Witnesses in number.
The recent waves of immigration have led to an increasing
number of Muslims, who have about 800 000 members. Muslims were
forcibly converted in 1492 and then expelled in the 16th century.
Since the expulsion of the Sephardim in 1492, Judaism was
practically nonexistent until the 19th century, when Jews were
again permitted to enter the country. Currently there are around
14,000 Jews in Spain, all arrivals in the past century. There
are also many Spaniards (in Spain and abroad) who claim Jewish
ancestry to the Conversos, and still practice certain customs.
Spain is believed to have been about 8 percent Jewish on the
eve of the Spanish Inquisition. See History of the Jews in Spain.
Over the past thirty years, Spain has become a more secularised
society. The number of believers has decreased significantly
and for those who believe the degree of accordance and practice
to their church is quite diverse.
According to the latest official poll (CIS, 2002), 80% of
Spaniards self-identify as Catholic, 12% as non-believer, and
1% as other (the remaining 7% declined to state). Of the 1.4%
identifying as other, 29% identified as Evangelical Christian,
26% as Jehovah's Witnesses and 3% as Muslim (the rest either
mentioned smaller religions or declined to state). According
to the same poll, 73% believe in God, 14% don't and 12% are
unsure (1% declined to state). Additionally, according to this
poll, only 41% believe in Heaven. 24% of the Spaniards think
that the Bible is just a fable. Only 25% of Catholics go to
church at least once a week.
According to the CIA World Factbook, 94% of Spaniards are
Roman Catholic. This is consistent with the Catholic Church's
practice to claim all baptized as Catholic regardless of self-identification,
and with the CIS poll's finding that 91% to 96% of all parents
are remembered as being Catholics. While 80% of Spaniards self-describing
as Catholics, 94% report having baptized their children but
only 79% being inclined to baptize new children. 90% had a religious
wedding.
Reporters without borders world-wide press freedom index 2002:
Rank 39 out of 139 countries (2 way tie)
The Economist Intelligence Unit's worldwide quality-of-life
index 2005: Rank 10 out of 111 countries (above countries like
the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and France)
John Hickman and Chris Little, "Seat/Vote Proportionality
in Romanian and Spanish Parliamentary Elections", Journal
of Southern Europe and the Balkans Volume 2, Number 2, November
2000.
Harold Raley, "The Spirit of Spain",Houston:Halcyon
Press 2001.(ISBN 0970605498)
First and Second Centuries A.D. - After having hosted the Phoenician,
Carthaginian and Greek settlements (the Greeks called the place
"Elybirge"), Granada is occupied by the Romans who
call it "Illiberis."
Fifth Century A.D. - Visigothic occupation, the city maintains
its civil, military and religious importance.
711 - Tarik, deputy of the North African governor, Musa ben
Nusayr, leaves Tangier at the head of an army of 9,000 men and
lands in Gibraltar. The total occupation of the Iberian peninsula
takes them just five years.
713 - Definitive occupation of Granada by the Moors, who call
the city "Ilbira," ("Elvira" for the Christians).
929 - Abdelrahman III proclaims himself Prince of the Believers
and declares independence from Bagdad; the Cordoba caliphate
is born.
1010 - Internecine strife among groups of different cultures
and ethnias lead to the destruction of the city, after which
it comes to be known as "Garnata," from which "Granada"
later derives.
1031 - With the fall of the Omeya dynasty, independent kingdoms-"reinos
de taifa"- begin to arise in all of al-Andalus
1212 - The united armies of the kingdoms of Castille, Aragon
and Navarre defeat the Almohades in the battle of Navas de Tolosa.
1231 - Al-Ahmar ibn Nasr, founder of the Nazari dynasty, is
named governor of Arjona, the city of his birth, and shortly
afterwards extends his power over the cities of Jaén
and Guadix. He establishes his capital in Granada.
1237 - The construction of the Alhambra begins, under the direction
of al-Ahmar.
1314 - Work begins on the construction of the Generalife.
1482 - The War of Granada begins. Prince Boabdil siezes the
throne from his father.
1491 - Boabdil, the last Nazarí king, capitulates before
Ferdinand and Isabella and negociates the surrender of Granada
on November 25.
1492 - The Catholic Monarchs enter Granada triumphantly on January
2.
1492 - Cardenal Cisneros decrees obligatory baptism for all
the Moriscos.
1568 - Led by Aben Humeya, and due to the repression they endure,
the Moors of the Albaicin rebel. Don Juan de Austria puts down
the rebellion and the Moriscos are expelled from Granada.
1883 - The first concerts are staged in the Palacio de Carlos
V during the Corpus Christi celebrations, concerts which are
the foundations of Granada's International Festival of Music
and Dance .
1922 - Federico García Lorca and other intellectuals
promote Spain's first Flamenco Song Contest (Concurso de Cante
Jondo).
1936 - The Spanish Civil War breaks out. Federico García
Lorca is assassinated outside the city.
1939 - End of the Civil War. Francisco Franco is autoproclaimed
"generalísimo," 36 years of dictatorship follow.
1975 - Franco dies, the so-called "Transition" (to
democracy) period begins.
1977 - First democratic elections after Franco regime. The centrist
UCD party wins and Adolfo Suarez is named president.
1978 - The new Spanish Constitution is adopted.
1980 - First edition of the Granada Jazz Festival.
1982 - Failed coup d'etat in the Congreso de los Diputados,
the Spanish legislature.
1995 - Granada named starting point of the Rally París-Dakar,
a position it will retain in the years 1996, 1998 and 1999.
1996 - Sierra Nevada organizes the final of the World Alpine
Ski Championships.
Nobleza Obliga
No one is quite sure how this felicitous situation came about.
Perhaps it's because Granada has her feet in the Mediterranean,
perhaps it has to do with the city's multi-national population
of some 60,000 students, or with the city's racial and cultural
mix over the past thousand years or so. The Moorish kingdom
of Granada once covered half of the geography of Andalucía
and, as everyone knows, nobleza obliga .
Anyone planning a visit to Granada would be well advised to
prepare accordingly, in order to take maximum advantage of the
city's special hospitality. It would be useful to learn a bit
of Spanish; just a smattering of the language will go a long
way here. One might consider finding an excuse to stay a little
longer, a short course, time for writing or for painting. Granada's
rewards are proporcional to the time one is willing to spend.
It's a sure investment with only one "danger" of which
visitors should be aware: many visitors who came to Granada
to stay for a week or a month are still here years later!
Granada is the capital city of the province of the same name,
located in southeastern Spain between the shores of the Mediterranean
and the Andalusian hinterland. The city is located at the foot
of Sierra Nevada, the highest mountain range of the Iberian
peninsula. With more than a thousand years of recorded history,
Granada enjoys one of Spain's most important cultural and architectural
patrimonies. Besides the Alhambra, the world renowned palaces
and fortresses of the Nazarí dynasty, and the historical
Moorish Albaicín quarter, both designated as Patrimony
of Humanity by the UNESCO, Granada boasts a Renaissance cathedral
dating from the 16th century and many other architectural monuments
of the first magnitude.
It is Granada's young people who have converted this provincial
Andalusian city into the vibrant, active place that it is today.
The University of Granada brings together some 60,000 students
from all parts of Spain and the rest of the world, and the interaction
of their different cultures yields a refeshing, ever-changing
"ambiente" as the city continually adapts itself to
their image and necessities.
While Granada offers the three, four and five-star hotels
which are standard tourist and business lodging, it also provides
a wide selection of humble "pensiones" at student-friendly
prices, as well as shared flats and rooms for longer stays.
Granada nights are renowned for their lively social scene
thanks to the students who pour onto the streets after sundown
in search of camaraderie in the city's bars. As one of the the
few Spanish cities where a tasty hors d'oeuvre is still served
with every drink at no extra cost, Granada is justly proud of
its tapas tradition. Everyone agrees that to share with friends
a glass of wine accompanied by a tapa of saucy meat, fried fish
or "patatas bravas" in one of Granada's evocative
historic settings is an experience not to be missed.
Holy Week or Semana Santa, is Andalucia quintessential fiesta,
and the one which attracts the most visitors from abroad. This
traditional rite of spring condenses better than any other event
the mix of cultures which came together to form Granada's distinct
character. It is a rare privilege to contemplate the Christian
imagery as it wends its way through the narrow streets of the
Moorish Albaicín quarter, or through the Alhambra itself.
The origins of this celebration in Granada hark back to the
end of the 15th century, with the conquest of the city by Ferdinand
and Isabella, the Catholic Monarchs.
Most of the other Andalusian capitals had already established
Holy Week brotherhoods by that time, and they soon flourished
in the recently conquered Granada. These first associations,
sober and severe, did not much resemble today's versions, more
ornamental and passionate. Despite the prohibition of the brotherhoods
in 1573, they were permitted again in 1611.
Due to the rigorous religious orthodoxy imposed by the new
"señores" of Granada, these "cofradías"
infused Holy Week with an intensely intimate religious carácter.
Today, after 2000 years, the fiesta commemorates the events
narrated in the New Testament, from the entrance of Jesus Christ
in Jerusalem until his crucifixion and resurrection on the third
day. The object of this exercise, in the Spanish Catholic tradition,
is to evoke the transition of Jesus Christ from Christ the Crucified
to Christ the Reborn.
The baroque imagery, with its glaring realism and almost mystic
religious fervor, contributes a magical atmosphere to the processions
through this city which is an artistic experience in itself.
When these "pasos" traverse the streets of Granada,
both locals and visitors unite to create an atmosphere of solemnity,
admittedly not without its festive side, but always within the
bounds of profound respect.
Holy Week in Granada posseses not only religious significance,
but also artistic and theatrical value. The routes of the processions
pass through the most beautiful and evocative quarters of they
city, creating an imcomparable aesthetic experience for thousands
of observers from all over the world. Some of them approach
the processions as a participatory event, singing flamenco "saetas"
or reciting poems the the passing polichromed saints and virgens
in a spectacle which combines art, religion and tradition, and
is impossible to comprehend outside of its historical and cultural
context.
MY first contact with the Sierra de Aracena came in a tapas
bar in Seville, more than an hour's drive from the region. Casa
Roman was and remains a cacophonous, atmospheric place full
of smoke-streaked oil paintings and wooden stools; of neatly
dressed, slick-haired locals; and of tourists trying their best
to keep their guidebooks tucked out of sight.
The Three Ages of a Pig. From top, fattening up on the farm;
plates of ham to be served; a souvenir.
Casa Roman became my family's neighborhood watering hole during
the many years we lived in Seville's labyrinth of an old city.
Yet the bar was renowned not for its ambience, but for its ham.
And it is where, in 1996, I first tasted the Spanish acorn-fed
variety, jamón ibérico de bellota, that comes from the Sierra
de Aracena, the hill country northwest of Seville.
The Spanish have long considered it the world's finest ham,
and the world is increasingly in agreement, even though it remains,
at least for another year or two, impossible to buy it in the
United States.
At Casa Roman, as in many Spanish restaurants, the hams dangle
like stalactites from the rafters. As you snuggle up to the
bar and reach for your glass of Cruzcampo beer or Fino Quinta
sherry, you find your nose only a few inches from the moist,
mold-streaked piece of cured meat that is still sweating just
enough to require the appendage of a small white cup to trap
the occasional drop of golden fat that oozes down its sides
at a leisurely, Andalusian pace.
"Our good customers like to say, 'Serve me a ham that cries,'
" said Rafael Escobar, a 65-year-old Sevillano who began working
behind the bar at Casa Roman in 1983.
Up so close, the smell is vaguely sweet, vaguely musty. But
once the ham has been carefully, artfully sliced into thin,
dark red, nearly translucent rectangles and placed before you
with requisite pride on a plain white plate, the taste is anything
but vague: It is an unctuous blend of tender, nutty flesh and
savory fat that does not quite melt in your mouth, which is
for the best considering that you are in no hurry for it to
go away.
Unlike some of the other best things in life, jamón de bellota
was not an acquired taste. It was something to relish from the
start, even for my two very young daughters, who would devour
it by the plateful at no small expense considering that a plateful
often costs 15 euros ($18.50) or more. As the weeks turned into
months and then years, my family and I began making regular
pilgrimages to the region where these remarkable hams were produced.
The Sierra de Aracena has long been a popular weekend retreat
for Sevillanos, and it is a place of subtle charm rather than
lunge-for-your-camera splendor: much more the Berkshires than
the Grand Tetons. None of its peaks exceed 3,000 feet. Its rustic,
whitewashed villages are not as postcard-ready as the artfully
tended hill towns of Tuscany or the spectacularly situated white
towns like Ronda that lie to the southeast of Seville. If you
are looking for a week of elaborate, high-end cuisine, you're
much better off heading to the rolling countryside of Burgundy
or Catalonia.
But there is a roughhewn authenticity in the stone walls,
wooded pastureland, medieval castles and unpretentious bars
and restaurants of the Sierra de Aracena. It is an area best
visited in spring or autumn - the winters are clammy and the
summers hot - and when we returned in April for three days of
hiking, exploring and eating, it was, as always, not quite enough.
The best-known town is Jabugo, famous because it is the center
of the ham industry. The sound of its name is enough to make
most Spaniards start scouting for a place to have lunch, but
aficionados know that Jabugo is not the only town in this region
that produces top-quality ham. Producers like Lazo in Cortegana
and Chacón in Cumbres Mayores also have excellent reputations.
And, from a scenic perspective, Jabugo, with its scruffy outskirts
and inelegant mix of old and modern facades, is hardly the highlight
of a region that extends from the clifftop town of Zufre in
the east to Aroche in the west, close to the Portuguese border.
The area, part of a protected region that regulates further
development, is at its most appealing on the meandering two-lane
road of uneven quality that leads from the town of Aracena to
Cortegana through rolling, wooded scenery, passing through the
hamlets of Linares de la Sierra, Alájar and our family's favorite,
Almonaster la Real.
Almonaster's exclamation point is its small jewel of a mezquita,
or Moorish mosque, with an attached bullring. The mezquita dates
from the 10th century and is the only significant Islamic building
in the Sierra. The mosque, with its red brick arcades, is rarely
used for worship, and the bulls are fought next door just once
a year in mid-August. But the view from the mezquita's steps
at sunset - with the undulating green hills changing tones before
you - is there in all seasons, and it is one of the finest in
these mountains.
It has competition, however, including the more exposed, panoramic
view from atop the battlements in Cortegana's well-restored
castle, which was part of the defenses built throughout the
region in the late 13th and 14th centuries after the reconquest
of this part of Spain from the Moors.
A more isolated fortress across the border in Portugal is
a scenic detour: north of Aroche to Barrancos and then along
a lonely seven-mile dirt track to the castle of Noudar, a birdwatcher's
delight that sits high above a big bend in the Ardila River.
From Aroche, reaching Noudar takes about an hour, and you can
drive to the castle or stop and park when it comes into view
and hike the other mile or three. We hiked, which was good for
the constitution but not for the reward. We just missed closing
time at 5 p.m. and had to peek through slits in the gate to
glimpse the resident sheep, goats and guard dogs of this fortified
medieval village that was home to 300 people and is now home
to a caretaker and his livestock.
Back on the much more beaten track in Aracena the following
day, we arrived in time to revisit one of Europe's most remarkable
caves - the Gruta de las Maravillas - whose entrance point is
not in a remote valley but in the middle of town. Open to visitors
since 1914, it has long been the primary tourist magnet in the
region, and the cobblestoned path that leads to the entrance
is lined with souvenir shops, ham emporiums and restaurants,
although the better restaurants are found elsewhere in this
pleasant, attractive town of about 7,000.
The remnants of the city's Moorish castle loom overhead, but
what is below is more spectacular: more than a mile of mineral
formations, crystalline pools and chambers with apt names like
the Cathedral. In nearly a century of human impact and less-than-optimal
lighting have damaged the cave's integrity, generating algae
and lichen growth on some of its features, it is worth the walk
and the often cramped quarters.
But the destination should not be the absolute priority in
the Sierra de Aracena, which is best treated not as a checklist
but as a wandering zone. It is a place to follow the small footpaths
that link villages; a place to catch a glimpse of that monastery
perched high above the road and try to find a way to reach it;
a place to walk into a noisy, humble local restaurant full of
families whose children keep migrating from the table to the
street and to order a glass of sherry or red wine from Rioja
to go with some dish, any dish that comes from the local pigs.
You see the pigs frequently as you travel here, and they hardly
resemble the lumbering pink variety that produce fillings for
American sandwiches. Iberian pigs are smaller, darker and hairier,
with comparatively long and slender legs. They are the descendants
of wild boars, although they scatter in a hurry if you make
a brusque movement. Their color is where the term pata negra
(black leg) originates, and breeders of pata negra maintain
that what really separates their pigs from the rest of the world's
herd is their unusual metabolism, which allows fat to permeate
into their muscles, giving the meat the sort of marbled quality
that Texas ranchers appreciate.
The pigs' active lives help in that process. In late October,
they are sent into the dehesa - the wooded pastures of Andalusia
- for the montanera, where amidst the holm oaks and cork oaks
that cover the Aracena region, they stuff themselves on grass
and acorns during the fattening process before the slaughter.
It has been estimated that each pig will eat 1,000 pounds of
acorns or more during the next three months.
After the slaughter, which in Spanish translates as "the sacrifice,"
they are packed in sea salt for one day for each kilogram (2.2
pounds) of weight and then kept in two types of storage rooms
to sweat. From cradle to grave to tapas bar, the process takes
at least two years, and though the clientele remains largely
Spanish, that is beginning to change.
Top French chefs like Alain Ducasse have also become converts,
and several restaurants in Paris now specialize in "Jabugo."
There is increasing demand in Japan, and though true jamón ibérico
has long been banned in the United States because no Spanish
slaughterhouse or curing facilility met United States Department
of Agriculture standards, that changed in July when a small
producer in northern Spain became the first to receive a permit
to export to the United States. Some producers from Aracena
are also seeking permits, and one American online store, La
Tienda in Williamsburg, Va., is taking preorders on Iberian
hams for 2007 or 2008 (estimated price is $800 to $1,000 per
ham).
Nonetheless, enjoying the best that the Sierra de Aracena
has to offer in the United States won't have the same subtle
appeal (or price tag) as enjoying it in the Sierra de Aracena,
where the mood and the crowds remain agreeably light, and where
the black pigs meet their makers after a long, sweet feed under
the oak trees.
The airport of Seville, the closest major gateway to the region,
is about a 90-minute drive from the town of Aracena. But you
can also rent a car and make the longer drive from airports
in Madrid, Málaga or even Lisbon or Faro in Portugal. There
are regular buses to Aracena that leave from Plaza de Armas
in Seville (one way, 6 euros; round trip, 9 euros, or $7.40
and $11, at $1.23 to the euro).
Though supply is increasing, luxury accommodations are not abundant
in the Sierra de Aracena. One of the most charming and welcoming
options is the guesthouse Finca Buen Vino, (34-959) 124034,
www.fincabuenvino.com/house.html, an extensive property in Los
Marines, about four miles west of Aracena on the N-433 road.
It was built and is operated by Sam and Jeannie Chesterton,
who raise their own lambs and pigs, and offer rooms and elegant
meals in a family atmosphere in the main house (dinner is 35
euros a person, with wine). There are also three private cottages
in an isolated corner of the property. Rates vary by season,
peaking in summer at 140 euros for a double, with breakfast,
and 800 to 1,000 euros a week for a cottage. The rest of the
year, doubles are 120 euros; a cottage is 150 euros a day.
The La Posada de Cortegana, (34-959) 503301, has rustic cabins,
too close together for some tastes, about one and a half miles
north of El Repilado near Cortegana. Set next to a stream with
excellent hiking trails nearby and a reasonably good restaurant
on site. Prices, including breakfast, start at 70 euros, double
occupancy. Extra beds are 10 to 12 euros. Full board is also
available.
One of the most creative and atmospheric restaurants in the
region is Restaurante Arrieros on Calle Arrieros in Linares
de la Sierra, (34-959) 463717. The chef, Luismi Lopez, is a
former photographer who takes an original approach to the region's
local products, such as pork cheeks in red-wine sauce, wild
mushrooms caramelized in sweet Pedro Ximénez sherry, and Iberian
ham from the town of Corteconcepción. Desserts are also good,
particularly the quince paste between slices of mild goat cheese.
Lunch only; about 45 euros for two, without wine.
In Aracena, Restaurant Jose Vicente at 53 Avenida Andalucia,
(34-959) 128455, has a well-established reputation for serving
top-quality pork products; cured legs of ham are hardly the
only savory part of the Iberian pig. It also offers top-notch
cuts of meat, including the presa and the solomillo (12 euros
each).
In Almonaster la Real, Las Palmeras on the Cortegana-Aracena
road, (34-959) 143105, has a fine view of the mezquita, and
a leafy patio for warm weather. The restaurant serves simple,
hearty but excellent fare, and most of the pork products come
from the proprietor Alejandro González Vázquez's own stock.
The plate of jamón ibérico was one of the best for the price
(13 euros) that we tasted, and value for money is the rule.
A full lunch for four without wine came to about 50 euros.
By VALERIE GLADSTONE
Published: September 11, 2005
SITUATED on the rugged foothills of the Sierra Nevada, the
southern Spanish city of Granada has long been famed as the
site of the Alhambra, the spectacular 14th-century palace built
under Moorish rule. Recently, however, Granada has begun showing
signs of transformation, thanks to an ambitious campaign by
the Andalusian Legacy Foundation to revive Granada's rich Hispanic-Moorish
past.
Nowhere is the revival more noticeable than in the Albaicín
quarter, built around a citadel founded in the 11th century.
In a labyrinth of narrow streets and whitewashed homes with
secluded inner patios, boutique hotels have opened in meticulously
restored medieval buildings, and new restaurants offer an intriguing
mix of Middle Eastern fare and traditional Andalusian cuisine.
During the day, Moroccan tea and spice shops and bazaars full
of wares like handmade jewelry, brass tea sets and colorful
paper lanterns draw tourists and residents, including many of
the 60,000 students who attend the city's ancient university.
On most evenings, people gather on the Mirador of San Nicolás,
a park near the Albaicín quarter's high point, to watch the
sunset over the Alhambra, then head to one of the many pretty
garden restaurants nearby. As the night progresses, flamenco,
American pop, Arabic chants and even reggae can be heard emanating
from intimate clubs and on the streets surrounding the Plaza
Nueva and the historic center.
A tour of the Albaicín quarter should start with a visit to
the Bañuelo, (34-958) 229 738, Carrera del Darro, 31, 11th-century
Moorish baths, which were originally a meeting place where people
got haircuts and massages. Though they are no longer functional,
you can still admire the classical symmetry of their design
and the light filtering through the star-shaped openings in
the ceiling. The Archaeological Museum, Carrera del Darro, 43,
(34-958) 225 640, has a remarkable collection of pottery, jewelry
and architectural fragments from prehistoric to Phoenician and
Iberian times. Near Calle Calderería Nueva, you'll find intimate
Moroccan tearooms, called teterías, which serve honey cakes,
tea and coffee in quiet rooms with dim lighting. The most atmospheric
of them are Tetería Alfaguera, Calderería Nueva, 7, and the
candlelit Kasbah at Calderería Nueva, 4.
After a long walk around the easily navigable city, you can
soak in a warm bath the size of a small swimming pool and perhaps
get an invigorating massage at the Hammam Baños Arabes, Calle
Santa Ana, 16. The $25 charge, at $1.25 to the euro, includes
a 15-minute massage and 90 minutes in the baths; without a massage.
it's $16. For reservations, call (34-958) 229 978. At the adjoining
tea shop, Hammam Tetería, traditional live music, dancing and
old-fashioned Andalusian storytelling take place Thursday and
Friday evenings.
A good way to get a sense of Granada's energy is to spend
some time in some of its tapas bars, where you'll find traditional
specialties like grilled shrimp and red pepper salad. Among
the best in the city center are Ajo Blanco at Calle Palacios,
17, known for its cheeses and ham products, and Om Kalsoum Calle
Jardines, 17, which offers Moroccan tapas.
Granada's streets and plazas abound with cafes and restaurants,
with the main action around Calle de Elvira, Plaza Nueva and
Carrera del Darro. While eating and drinking are the main entertainment,
there's also a lot of good music, both outside and in the cafes
along the Darro River, in nightspots like the Upsetter, Carrera
del Darro, 7, where you can listen and dance to reggae, (34-958)
227 296, and Eshavira, Postigo de la Cuna, 2 (34-958) 290 829,
a hidden cavelike place, which features flamenco on Sundays
and jazz the other nights of the week. All shows start around
11 p.m. The cover charge is $7.50, which includes one drink.
Avoid the expensive touristy flamenco in the Gypsy caves in
the Sacromonte district but try La Peña Flamenca Platería, at
Placeta de Toqueros, 7, (34-958) 210 650. The club features
authentic flamenco several times a week.
Shoppers will want to wander over to the Moroccan bazaars
in the streets near Calle Calderería Nueva, where you can find
brass tea sets, colorful woven rugs and hand painted lanterns.
A good bet is Bazaar Nueva Karavan, Carrera del Darro, 1, which
sells attractive leather bags and glass lamps with fringed shades.
You can also find fine reproductions of ancient Granada pottery
and woodwork at Alhacaba, Plaza Almona 2-Bajo in the Albaicín,
(34-958) 205 024. In the bustling Alcaicería market, vendors
sell local and Moroccan handicrafts and aromatic herbs and spices.
The Huerta de San Vicente Museum, Calle Virgen Blanca, (34-958)
258 466, is dedicated to the poet and playwright Federico García
Lorca. He wrote some of his best-known works, including ''Blood
Wedding'' and ''The House of Bernarda Alba,'' in the building,
which was his family's home. He spent his summers there from
1926 until his death in 1936.
Of course, it would be foolish to visit Granada and not spend
some time at the Alhambra. Surrounded by woods, gardens and
orchards, the magnificent palaces, citadel and fortress of the
Alhambra were the home of the Nasrid sultans, who ruled Granada
from 1232 to 1492. Intricately tiled rooms, ornate hallways
and courtyards planted with fragrant trees can be explored independently
or with a guide. Because of the site's popularity, the number
of visitors is limited and reservations are needed.
The Alhambra becomes even more magical at night, when most
visitors depart. In the relative silence, you can hear the fountains
in the glorious Patio of the Lions and Court of the Myrtles,
and as the sky darkens, see the stars reflected in the shimmering
pools.
Tickets to the Alhambra are $12.50. Reservations should be
made at the Alhambra ticket office in the Entrance Pavilion,
or by calling within Spain at 902 224 460 or from the United
States at (34-915) 379 178. To book on the Internet: www.alhambratickets.com.
Granada also offers a City Pass for $25, available at the Alhambra
ticket office, covering entrance fees to the complex and most
other important monuments and museums. For information, contact
the Andalusian Legacy Foundation at www.legadoandalusi.es or
the Granada Tourist Office (34-958) 226 688.
The 126-room Alhambra Palace Hotel, perched on a hill near the
Alhambra at Plaza Arquitecto García de Paredes, 1, (34-958)
221 468, www.h-alhambrapalace.es, reproduces the splendor of
a Moorish palace, with sumptuous public areas lighted by brass
lanterns, carpeted with oriental rugs and adorned with mosaic
tiles. Doubles start at $209, at $1.25 to the euro, not including
7 percent tax.
The elegant new 70-room Hotel Hesperia Granada (34-958) 018
400, on the Web at www.hesperia-granada.com, in the small Plaza
Gamboa, is set in a quiet area of the old city. The serene,
plant-filled courtyard, fountain and stained-glass windows of
the lobby evoke the Moorish past as do the spacious pastel rooms
with handsome dark wood furnishings. Doubles start at $187.50.
Originally the home of a noble family, Casa del Capitel Nazarí,
Cuesta Aceituneros, 6, (34-958) 215 260, on the Web at www.hotelcasacapitel.com,
retains original ceramic tiling and antique detailing. The owner,
Angel Pinto, rescued Roman columns from a nearby site and installed
them in the patio. The hotel has 17 rooms with doubles starting
at $87.50.
Many Granada restaurants offer both Andalusian specialties like
broad beans and ham and Moroccan dishes such as meat pastry
with pine nuts and almonds and savory almond cream soup. Among
the best of them is Restaurant Sibari, Plaza Nueva, 3, (34-958)
227 756, a friendly, casual place to watch people inthe plaza.
Dinner for two with wine runs about $50.
On the crest of the Albaicín, you'll find two charming restaurants
both with breathtaking views of the Alhambra. At Carmen Verde
Luna, Camino Nuevo de San Nicolás 16, (34-958) 291 794, a seafood
dinner for two is about $75.
The nearby Mirador de Morayma, Pianista García Carrillo, 2,
(34-958) 228 290, Granadine remojón, with codfish, oranges and
olives, and Alquería lamb stew with prunes costs about $62 for
two. In most restaurants a bottle of local wine, like the white
Castillo de San Diego and red Corral de Castro, costs $10 to
$15.
Granada is an hour's flight or a six-hour train ride from Madrid.
(Round-trip air fare is $421 on Iberia or Air Europa. By train,
one-way tickets are $42 for tourist class, $56 for first class).
The 20-minute taxi ride from the airport costs about $27. For
train information, call (1 902) 240 202, for flights (34-958)
245 200 and for buses (34-958) 278 677.
Granada is easy to navigate: most of the important sites are
within walking distance of one another. If the hills of Albaicín
and the Alhambra are too strenuous, you can take the No. 31
or No. 32 bus, which runs every few minutes from Plaza Nueva
to the peaks of both districts. The ride costs a little more
than $1.
(756-1236):
Medieval Europe's Cultural Capital
After his family was slaughtered by political rivals (750 A.D.),
20-year-old Prince Abd Al-Rahman fled the royal palace at Damascus,
headed west across North Africa, and went undercover among the
Berber tribesmen of Morocco. For six years he avoided assassination
while building a power base among his fellow Arab expatriates
and the local Muslim Berbers. As an heir to the title of "caliph,"
or ruler of Islam, he sailed north and claimed Moorish Spain
as his own, confirming his power by decapitatin g his enemies
and sending their salted heads to the rival caliph in Baghdad.
Thus began an Islamic flowering in southern Spain under Abd
Al-Rahman's family, the Umayyads. They dominated Sevilla and
Granada, ruling the independent state of "Al-Andalus,"
with their capital at Córdoba. By the year 950 - when
the rest of Europe was mired in poverty, ignorance, and superstition
- Córdoba was Europe's greatest city, rivaling Constantinople
and Baghdad. It had more than 100,000 people (Paris had a third
that many), with hundreds of mosques, palaces, and public baths.
The streets were paved and lighted at night with oil lamps,
and running water was piped in from the outskirts. Medieval
visitors marveled at the size and luxury of the Mezquita mosque,
a symbol that the Umayyads of Spain were the equal of the caliphs
(rulers) of Baghdad.
This Golden Age was marked by a remarkable spirit of tolerance
and cooperation among the three great monoth eistic religions:
Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. The university rang with voices
in Arabic, Hebrew, and Latin, sharing their knowledge of al-jibra
(algebra), medicine, law, and literature. The city fell under
the enlightened spell of the ancient Greeks, and Córdoba's
70 libraries bulged with translated manuscripts of Plato and
Aristotle, works that would later inspire medieval Christians.
Ruling over the Golden Age were two energetic leaders - Abd
Al-Rahman III (912-961) and Al-Hakam II (961-976) - who conquered
territory, expanded the Mezquita, and boldly proclaimed themselves
"caliphs."
Córdoba's Y1K crisis brought civil wars that toppled
the caliph (1031), splintering Al-Andalus into several kingdoms.
Córdoba came under the control of the Almoravids (Berbers
from North Africa), who were less sophisticated than the Arab-based
Umayyads. Then a wave of even stricter Islam swept through Spain,
bringing the Almohads to power (1147) and driving Córdoba's
best and brightest into exile. The city's glory days were over,
and it was replaced by Sevilla and Granada as the centers of
Spanish Islam. In 1236, Christians conquered the city, it declined
in importance, and "Ave Marias" soon echoed through
the columns of the mosque.
- was
built on a ruined cathedral, served as a mosque, and is now
a cathedral again. The massive former mosque - now with a 16th-century
church rising up from the middle - was once the center of Western
Islam and the wonder of the medieval world. It's remarkably
well-preserved, giving today's visitors a chance to soak up
the ambience of Islamic Córdoba in its 10th-century prime
(•8, free entry until 10:00 Mon-Sat, covered by Córdoba
Card, Mon-Sat 8:30-19:30, Sun 9:00-10:45 & 14:00-19:30,
tel. 957-470-512).
The mosque reveals
itse lf bit by bit. You enter through the Patio de Naranjas.
When this was a mosque, the Muslim faithful would gather in
this courtyard in the shade of orange trees to ritually wash
themselves before entering. Gaze up through the trees for magnificent
views of the Baroque bell tower, which encases the original
minaret - the tower where a muezzin would call out five times
a day to alert Muslims to face Mecca and pray.
Entering the church
from the Patio, you pass from an orchard of orange trees into
a forest of columns. The 850 red-and-blue columns are topped
with double arches - one horseshoe arch atop another - made
from alternating red and white stone. Many of the columns and
capitals (of marble, porphyry, jasper, and onyx) were recycled
from ancient Roman ruins and conquered Visigoth churches. Perhaps
the column-and-arch shape reminded Muslim worshippers of a grove
of Arabian date palms. Or, as the columns seem to recede to
infinity, they may have been intended to reflect the immensity
and complexity of Allah's creation.
At 85,000 square feet (including the Patio), the Mezquita is
nearly as big as St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, but the low ceilings
and dense columns create a different atmosphere than many religious
buildings, whether churches or mosques. Unfortunately, the Mezquita
is dimmer today than intended, because entrances to the Patio
and the street were later closed up by Christians.
From the entrance, look straight ahead, through the rows of
columns, to locate the mihrab - the ornately-decorated Muslim
prayer niche - in the far south wall. This was the focus of
the original mosque and the highlight of the Mezquita today.
Picture 7,000 men kneeling in prayer, facing the mihrab, rocking
forward to touch their heads to the ground, and saying, "Allahu
Akbar, La illa a il Allah, Muhammad razul Allah" - "Allah
is great, there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet."
Before leaving the entrance area, find the Roman mosaic (near
entrance) from a Temple of Janus that stood here long before
the mosque. Roman Corduba was the main city of central Spain.
Now, approach the mihrab at the far south wall - bypassing,
for now, the cathedral rising from the center of the Mezquita.
The mihrab, a feature
found in all mosques, is a decorated "niche" - in
this case, more like a small room with a golden-arch entrance
- that served as the focal point of the mosque. In a service,
the imam (prayer leader) stood here to read scripture and give
sermons. The mihrab sits in a screened-off room (maqsura, or
prayer hall) reserved for the emirs and caliphs who ruled Al-Andalus.
Built by Al-Hakam II (962-965), the room reflects the wealth
of Córdoba in its prime. Three thousand pounds of glass-and-enamel
cubes panel the walls and domes in golden mosaics designed b
y Byzantine craftsmen, depicting flowers and quotes from the
Quran. Overhead rises a colorful, starry dome with skylights
and interlocking, lobe-shaped arches.
In most Muslim mosques, the mihrab indicates the direction
the faithful should face during prayer, namely toward the holy
city of Mecca. This is where Muhammad first received his call,
but contrary to popular belief, Muslims face Mecca not for that
reason but because it's the city of the prophet Abraham. Mecca
(in modern Saudi Arabia) is east of Córdoba, but get
out your compass, and you'll see that this mihrab actually faces
roughly south, towards Kenya, Africa. One theory is that Abd
Al-Rahman and his (homesick?) Umayyad descendents built the
mosque facing the direction Mecca is from their ancestral hometown
of Damascus.
To the left of the mihrab/maqsura is the Treasury (Tesoro),
with display cases of finds from recent excavations. Opposite
the mihrab is the Villaviciosa Chapel, where you'l l also find
the Royal Chapel and the Visigoth ruins.
On display are some of the Visigoth
ruins of the fifth-century Christian church of San Vicente that
preceded the mosque. Abd Al-Rahman I bought the church/monastery
from his Christian subjects before leveling it to build the
mosque.
In 1236, Christians conquered the city and turned the mosque
into a church. Still, the locals continued to call it La Mezquita,
and left the structure virtually unchanged. The exceptions are
the Villaviciosa Chapel and Royal Chapel (Capilla Real), built
for Christian worship, but lavishly decorated in the 1370s in
Mudejar style - azulejo tiles, lobed arches, and stucco-work
- by Muslims still living in the city.
From here, it's fairly apparent from the general outlines of
the building how this great mosque was built in stages, over
two centuries, by four different rulers:
- The original mosque - the area near the entrance, north
of the cathedral - was built by Abd Al-Rahman I (784-786).
- As Córdoba itself grew, the mosque was expanded southward
- where the cathedral now stands - by Abd Al-Rahman II (833-852).
- At the city's peak, Al-Hakam II built the extension south
of the cathedral, including the lavish mihrab (961-976).
- Finally, Al-Mansur added the massive (and plainer) expansion
to the east, turning the rectangular mosque into a square
(987).
Remarkably, each ruler kept to Abd Al-Rahman I's original
vision - of rows and rows of multi-colored columns topped by
double arches. Then came the...
Rising up in the middle
of the forest of columns is the cathedral, oriented in the Christian
tradition facing the altar at the east end.
In 1523, Córdoba's bishop proposed building this church
in the Mezquita's center. The town council opposed it, but King
Charles V ord ered it done. However, when he saw the final product,
he declared that they'd destroyed something unique to build
something ordinary.
The basic structure is Gothic, complete with buttresses. The
Baroque-era choir stalls (1750) are made of New World mahogany,
and the twin pulpits feature a marble bull, lion, and eagle.
The nave's towering Renaissance arches and dome emphasize the
triumph of Christianity over Islam in Córdoba.
Rich Mudejar decorations - of intertwined flowers, arabesques,
and Stars of David - plaster the inside walls of this small
Jewish synagogue (•0.30, covered by Córdoba Card,
Tue-Sat 9:30-14:00 & 15:30-17:30, Sun 9:30-13:30, closed
Mon, Calle de los Judíos 20, tel. 957-202-928). What
appear to be quotes from the Quran in Arabic are actually quotes
from the Bible in Hebrew. On the east wall (the symbolic direction
of Jerusalem), find the niche for the Ark, where they kept the
scrolls of the Torah (the Jewish scriptures, including the first
5 books of the Christian Bible). The upstairs gallery was reserved
for women.
The synagogue was rebuilt in 1315, under Christian rule, but
the Islamic decoration has roots way back to Abd Al-Rahman I
(see sidebar). During Muslim times, Córdoba's sizable
Jewish community was welcomed, though they paid substantial
taxes to the city - money that enlarged the Mezquita and generated
good will. That good will came in handy when Córdoba's
era of prosperity and mutual respect came to an end with the
arrival of the intolerant Almohad Berbers. Christians and Jews
were repressed, and brilliant minds - such as the rabbi and
philosopher Maimonides (see below) - left for safer climates.
The Christian Reconquista of Córdoba (1236) brought
another brief period of religious tolerance, and this synagogue
was built, a joint effort by Christians, Jews, and Muslim (Mudejar)
craftsmen. By th e end of the 14th century, Spain's Jews were
again persecuted, then were finally expelled or forced to convert
in 1492. This is only one of three surviving synagogues in Spain
built before the completion of the Reconquista, and it's preserved
largely unaltered.
Statues of Maimonides and Averroes: Statues honor two of Córdoba's
deepest-thinking homeboys - one Jewish, one Muslim - who both
fell victim to the wave of Islamic intolerance after the fall
of the Umayyad caliphate. (Find Maimonides just south of the
synagogue. Averroes is northwest of the synagogue, outside the
Puerta de Almodovar gate.)
Maimonides (1135-1204) was born in Córdoba and raised
on both Jewish scripture and Aristotle's philosophy. Like many
tolerant Córdobans, he saw no conflict between the two.
Maimonides - sometimes called the "Jewish Aquinas"
- wrote the Guide of the Perplexed (in Arabic), in whic h he
asserted (as the Christian philosopher Thomas Aquinas later
would) that secular knowledge and religious faith could go hand-in-hand.
Córdoba changed in 1147, when the fundamentalist Almohads
assumed power. Maimonides was driven out, eventually finding
work in Cairo as the sultan's doctor. Today tourists, Talmudic
scholars, and fans of Aquinas rub the statue's foot for good
luck.
The story of Averroes (1126-1198) is a mirror image of Maimonides',
except that Averroes was a Muslim lawyer, not a Jewish doctor.
He became the medieval world's number one authority on Aristotle,
influencing Aquinas. Averroes' biting tract The Incoherence
of the Incoherence attacked narrow-mindedness, asserting that
secular philosophy (for the elite) and religious faith (for
the masses) both led to truth. The Almohads banished him from
the city and burned his books, ending four centuries of Córdoban
enlightenment.
Literally the "Castle of the Christian Monarchs,"
this fortress sits strategically on the Guadalqivir River. Constant
reuse and recycling of the building has left very little of
the original Visigothic structure, which was built along the
Roman walls. The castle was rebuilt and expanded by the Moors,
who added gardens and an enormous library. Ferdinand and Isabel
donated the castle to the Inquisition in 1482, and it became
an administrative and ecclesiastical center. It was central
in the church‚s effort to discover "false converts
to Christianity" - mostly Jews who had decided not to flee
Spain in 1492. The interior is currently threadbare, with the
exception of large Roman mosaics uncovered in the Plaza de Corredera.
Medusa could use a comb, but don‚t stare too long (•4,
covered by Córdoba Card; May-mid-June Tue-Sun 10:00-14:00
& 17:30-19:30, closed Mon; mid-June-mid-Sept Tue-Sun 8:30-14:30,
closed Mon; erratic ho urs in winter - check with TI).
In Córdoba, patios
are taken very seriously, as shown by the fiercely fought contest
that takes place the first half of every May to pick the city's
most picturesque. Patios, a common feature of houses throughout
Andalucía, have a long history here. The Romans used
them to cool off, and the Moors added lush, decorative touches.
The patio functioned as a quiet outdoor living room, an oasis
from the heat. Inside elaborate ironwork gates, roses, geraniums,
and jasmine spill down whitewashed walls, while fountains play
and caged birds sing. Some patios are owned by individuals,
some are communal courtyards for several homes, and some grace
public buildings like museums or convents.
Today, homeowners take pride in these mini-paradises, and have
no problem sharing them with tourists. Keep an eye out for square
metal signs that indicate historic homes. As you wander Córdoba's
backstreets, pop your head into any wooden door that's open.
The owners won't mind (they keep inner gates locked), and you
may be treated to a view of a picture-perfect patio. A concentration
of previous patio-contest award-winners runs along Calle San
Basilio and Calle Martín Roa, just across from the Alcázar
gardens.
The ruins of a once-fabulous palace of the caliph, five miles
northwest of Córdoba, were completely forgotten until
excavations began in the early 20th century. This site was a
power center built to replace Córdoba in 929 A.D. Legend
has it that Abd Al-Rahman III erected it on a whim to please
his favorite concubine, but recent investigations have discovered
that it was much more important than a love token. Madinat Al-Zahra
was both a palace and an entirely new capital city - the "City
of the Flower" - covering nearly half a square mile (only
about 10 percent has been uncovered). Exte nsively planned with
an orderly design, Madinat Al-Zahra was meant to symbolize and
project a new discipline on an increasingly unstable Moorish
empire in Spain. It didn‚t work. Only 75 years later,
the city was looted and destroyed. No wonder it was forgotten
for so long.
What remains is more like a jigsaw puzzle that is being slowly
reconstructed. Throughout the site are millions of bits and
pieces waiting for reassembly by patient archaeologists. Upper
terrace excavations have uncovered stables and servants‚
quarters. (The terraced location shows off the surrounding countryside
well.) Farther downhill, the house of a high-ranking official
has been partially reconstructed. Continuing around to reach
the lowest level, you'll come to the remains of the mosque -
placed at a diagonal, facing true east. The highlight of the
visit is an elaborate reconstruction of the caliph‚s throne
room, capturing a moody world of horseshoe arches and delicate
stucco. Accounts by contemporaries (which border on legend)
say the palace featured waterfall walls, lions in cages, and
- in the center of the throne room - a basin filled with mercury,
reflecting the colorful walls. The effect likely humbled anyone
fortunate enough to see the caliph.
1.50, covered
by Córdoba Card, Tue-Sat 10:00-20:30, Sun 10:00-14:00,
closed Mon.
Madinat Al-Zahra
is located on a back road five miles from Córdoba. By
car, head to Avenida Medina Azahara (one block south of the
train station), following signs for highway A431. Go through
Plaza del Poeta ibn Zaydun and turn onto Calle Periodista Quesada
Chacón, still following A431. It curves to the right
and becomes Carretera a Palma del Río. Turn right at
signposted CV119, and continue on to the site.
No regular public transportation goes to the ruins, but you
can get there via a tourist bus - set up by the TI - that leaves
in the morning and returns two hours later (Tue-Fri at 11:00,
Sat-Sun at 10:00 and 11:00, year-round). Catch the bus either
at Avenida Alcázar, along the river, or on Paseo de la
Victoria, in front of the Mausoleo Romano (•5, free with
Córdoba Card, bus ticket includes informative English
booklet).
Photo: Reuters
|
Spain
Bunol
100% puree
GALLERY
La Tomatina festival
Nearly 40,000 people bombarded each other with more than 100
tonnes of tomatoes Wednesday in one of Spain's most original
summer festivals.
Throwing tomatoes is 'wonderful for getting rid of stress',
said Pilar Garrigues, culture councillor in the eastern town
of Bunol, where the festival known as La Tomatina started spontaneously
six decades ago.
Five lorries dumped more than 110 tonnes of mushy tomatoes
in the town centre. By the time the one-hour battle was over,
the streets were filled with tomato-covered participants ankle-deep
in tomatoes between splattered houses.
Participants rushed to use the 500 showers prepared for the
purpose, while squads of cleaners moved in to clean up the mess.
The Tomatina is believed to have begun in 1945, when a scuffle
broke out between two groups of youths and fruit stalls were
overturned. One of the stalls was full of tomatoes, and the
first tomato fight lasted throughout the evening.
For 15 years local authorities have tried to ban the event,
but its popularity is growing and the festival now draws tens
of thousands of visitors annually from as far away as Japan,
Australia and the US.
Last year, 42 million Spaniards traveled as tourists within
their own country. Spaniards like to say that 41 million of
them traveled in search of a good meal.
Spaniards spend more money on food per capita than anyone
else in Europe. That's not because eating out in Spain is expensive
- menu prices are among the cheapest in Europe - but because
the regional varieties from which to choose are seemingly without
limit. Travel from one Spanish village to the next and you'll
soon discover that each has its own specialty, from variations
in the humble art of tapas to innovative nouvelle cuisine.
Most Catalans complain that if it wasn't for the Basques,
their cuisine would be considered the finest in Europe. They
have a point.
Not only do the good people of Barcelona live in one of Europe's
most exciting and cosmopolitan cities - think the astonishing
architectural creations of Antoni Gaudi and the pulsating street
theatre of Las Ramblas - they also call home a city dedicated
to the creative fusion of international tastes.
Less tied to tradition, and even less recognizably Spanish,
Catalan kitchens - unlike those of the fiercely independent
Basques - pride themselves on being ever open to the influences
of the world. Catalans freely admit that they consider themselves
Catalan first, European second and Spanish only third, and that
they are experts in taking the best on offer from other European
cultures and adding their own special twist.
In Barcelona, pastas abound - cannelloni with a Catalan twist
has been adopted as Catalonia's own - as do pastries that could
emerge from the finest Parisian patisserie. Mercat La Boqueria,
on Las Ramblas, is one of Europe's best fresh food markets,
a feast for the senses of French cheeses, Italian delicacies
and German sausages. As such, it's an ideal starting point for
sourcing provisions for your picnic on the steps of Gaudi's
otherworldly La Sagrada Familia, an extraordinary work-in-progress
that could only arise in Barcelona.
If Spaniards elsewhere love their food, Basques are obsessed
with it. They talk about it endlessly. They plan their day around
it. And then they spend the rest of their time dreaming about
it. So seriously do they take their food that the Basque country
is awash with secret gastronomic societies whose sole purpose
is the enjoyable art of eating.
San Sebastian is invariably the first stop on the discerning
Spaniard's gastronomic tour and it should be yours as well.
There are many reasons to visit San Sebastian, among them the
Playa de la Concha (a perfect arc of sand that has been described
as the world's most beautiful city beach), the views from Monte
Igueldo out over the Cantabrian Sea, the cobblestone medieval
quarter (casco viejo) and the friendly locals.
But for all of the city's considerable charms, the most compelling
reason to visit is San Sebastian's well-deserved title as Spain's
culinary capital, as the place where tradition meets innovation
and food is elevated to an art form.
The bars of the casco viejo are home to Spain's most creative
and abundant tapas (known in the Basque country as pintxos).
The counter of each bar groans under the weight of bite-sized
portions of seafood, mushrooms, meats and cheeses. Each of these
foods would be tempting enough on its own, but the combinations
are staggering: anchovies with Roquefort cheese and caviar;
goat's cheese, salmon and eggplant, perhaps with a splash of
strawberry jam; zucchini with crab; prawns with mushrooms. The
list seems endless. Accompanied by a glass of the renowned Basque
idra (cider) - poured straight from the barrel and from a great
height - or a glass of txakoli (a slightly tart but refreshing
white wine) and you're likely to set about planning to extend
your stay.
The windmills of Consuegra that
Quixote mistook for giants.
|
Even after the Spanish Government has spent millions of euros
on publicity, prettification and signposting, it's still difficult
to know where the Don Quixote trail really begins.
In Madrid's Plaza de Espana, perhaps, where busloads of Japanese
come to be photographed with the imposing equestrian statue
of the wizened knight, his scrawny, much sat-upon horse, Rocinante,
and his scruffy, much put-upon squire, Sancho Panza?
In the rolling plains and gentle hills of Castilla-La Mancha,
under vast skies dotted with monumental profiles of the potty
couple and with the windmills he mistook for giants?
Or, everywhere, in the imaginations of millions of Spaniards
for whom Quixote is - much like his creator Miguel de Cervantes
- a national hero, international moneyspinner and universal
dreamer and idealistic adventurer?
It does not much matter. As the guide, Corrine Samper, explains:
"He may have been around for more than four centuries,
but our Don Quixote is timeless and he's everywhere."
In art galleries, where he has been captured by artists such
as Goya, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso and, more literally, Alexandre
Decamps. In recipe books: no fewer than 150 ways of preparing
food is mentioned in Miguel de Cervantes's masterpiece.
In the Real Jardin Botanico Madrid, which displays plants
mentioned in the book. And standing, somewhat forlornly, in
fields out along the A4 autovia that quickly runs south of the
city out through La Mancha, originally an Arabic word meaning
"dry, waterless land".
Having been to Barcelona and having decided to postpone the
Basque country to another time, we have flown into Madrid -
its airport a postmodern barn of a place, big enough to lose
baggage, people and even planes, one suspects - with a double
whammy in mind. We want a week in the capital, wining and dining
and doing the museums and galleries, targeting the Prado collection
of Goya's so-called Black Paintings. And a week hiding away
in the hills of Andalusia, walking, bird watching, making day
trips to the great heritage centres of Seville, Granada and
Cordoba, and to Malaga for the new Picasso galleries.
Both missions are accomplished (see panel), but Quixote proves
irresistible, especially once the Penguin Classics edition of
the 1000-page book, voted the greatest novel ever by the Nobel
Institute, has been started.
The trail - as much eco as it is literary - is more than 2500
kilometres long and comes packaged in a series of 10 colour
brochures, available in Spanish from the new Castilla-La Mancha
office in Madrid.
But there are many easy excursions into that landscape in
which Quixote - inspired by the exploits of knights of old -
fumbles forth, mistaking not just windmills for giants, but
dust clouds of sheep for armies, humble inns for castles, and
dumpy matrons for distressed damsels.
A popular place to start is Consuegra. Not only is it just
a few kilometers from the freeway, but it has a 13th century
castle, originally of Moorish construction, and some of the
finest molinos de viento, or windmills, in La Mancha. White-bodied
and black-capped, they seem, from a distance, to march like
some squat army across the hills. No wonder Quixote mistook
them for giants - even though Sancho, a Baldrick-like character
but with more brains, tried to dissuade him.
"Look, your worship," he says, "what we see
there are not giants but windmills, and what seem to be their
arms are the sails that, turned by the wind, make the millstone
go."
When Quixote finally concedes they are windmills, he claims
a wizard has transformed them from giants "to rob me of
the glory of vanquishing them". Two of the windmills have
been transformed into a tourism office and a shop. Despite these
modern conversions and the intrusion of dozens of tourist coaches
daily, Consuegra's windmills have become the most photographed
in Spain.
Nearby is Puerto Lapice, with distant glimpses of windmills
and plenty of bars, shops selling Quixote memorabilia and restaurants.
One claims to be the inn where Quixote was "knighted"
by a long-suffering innkeeper. Closer to town are the windmills
of Campo de Criptana, a white-washed place that seems to tumble
down the hill onto the plain. It also has a historic granary,
a hermitage and several churches.
Many of the windmills have disappeared, but once there were
34, sufficient to support local views that this is the place
Cervantes had in mind when Quixote and Sancho "caught sight
of 30 or 40 windmills which were standing on the plain".
Such has been the success of the Ruta de Don Quijote, details
of which can now be found in English on the internet (search
for ''Don Quixote route'') that there can be few places in La
Mancha that do not claim a literary reference.
But the pretty town of El Toboso can fairly lay claim to be
the home of the idealized Princess Dulcinea, whom Quixote describes
as the "mistress of [his] hapless heart". It even
has a museum and an attractive, abstract statue of the knight
and his lady to prove it. Belmonte demonstrably has the impressive
15th-century castle by which Quixote and Sancho camped. And
Herencia is the place where Quixote killed a monk in another
comical misadventure.
Despite the wealth of localized anecdote and detail in Cervantes's
book, the precise locations of his hero's exploits are elusive.
Realistic glimpses of the author may be gained in places he
touched, such as Madrid, near his birthplace and where he died
and was buried; Cordoba, where he lived; and Seville and Valladolid,
where he stayed, either voluntarily or through imprisonment.
Despite the many kilometers of signposts and information boards
throughout La Mancha, looking for his famous creation is today
as much an exercise in imaginative recreation as physical verification.
But then that, along with the fine local food, the friendly
people, plentiful history and wonderful bedtime reading, is
precisely what makes the pursuit so enjoyable.
Few places, perhaps, come as close to that travel writer's
cliche "a land of contrasts" as Andalusia. One false
turn has the unwary visitor likely to encounter English lager
louts and lobsters who still rush to Torremolinos and other
resorts on the Costa del Sol. But several smart moves have the
traveler transported into a magical countryside of dancing hills,
dotted with postcard-pretty, whitewashed villages and defined,
almost geographically, by some of the world's truly great heritage
cities:
* Cordoba, for the miraculous Mezquita, which, depending on
your perspective, is a wonderful blending of Islamic and Christian
architecture, or an absurd display of vandalism by the latter
on the former. Either way, a visit to the Mezquita - or the
"Holy Cathedral Church (former Mosque of Cordoba)",
as it is described in local tourist literature - is a highlight
of any trip to Spain. Far from creating awe with steepling,
vaulting verticality, the mosque created by Abd al-Rahman I
is a maze of low, red-and-white striped arches, stretching in
all directions. Truly amazing. And the bird watching along the
nearby river is excellent, too.
* Granada, home of what Lonely Planet describes, with good
reason, as the "one don't-miss destination" in Andalusia
- the Alhambra. From a distance, the setting, against the snow-covered
Sierra Nevada, looks more impressive than the structure, which
is plain. Once inside the walls, though, a fairytale world of
palace, gardens and ramparts unfurls, revealing glimpses of
history dating back to Moorish times. Or so we were told. Along
with several hundred other people, we arrived too late to buy
tickets. So be warned. Go early or, like us, you can spend a
pleasant day visiting the cathedral and unrestricted parts of
the Alhambra, walking the streets of the old Muslim quarter,
climbing to the Mirador San Nicolas for views across the city
to the fortress.
* Seville, the biggest city in Andalusia, rightly famous for
its bullrings, its tapas bars, its flamenco culture and the
rich diversity of its Roman, Islamic, Gothic and renaissance
architecture, highlighted by the cathedral and the peaceful
gardens of the Alcazar. Even better if, like us, you visit Seville
during Semana Santa, or Holy Week, when the city stops for colorful
processions, many of them accompanied by penitents wearing long
robes and Ku Klux Klan-like hoods.
* Malaga, a tourist hot spot, with plenty of beaches such
as the Costa del Sol, but with other attractions, such as the
Alcazaba fortress, the botanical gardens and the new, back street
Picasso Museum, dedicated to the works of the city's most famous
son. So much to see, so little time. One solution is to locate
centrally in an area such as the Subbetica, making day trips
to the bigger cities and coming home to the setting sun, a bottle
of wine and a view of the olive groves. There are hundreds of
pretty, unspoiled villages to choose from. Our choice was a
one-bedroom casita in La Parrilla, near the not-much-bigger
village of Villanueva de Algaidas.
La Parrilla (the owners, Simon and Emily Green, said the name
means "the grill", as high-summer visitors will understand)
is 10 kilometers from the nearest shop and 25 kilometers from
the nearest supermarket, at Antequera. It was perfect for walking,
bird-watching, exploring other historical attractions, such
as those at Iznajar and Antequera, and natural curiosities,
such as the amazing rock formations of El Torcal, and relaxing.
A place where life continues at a leisurely pace, the peace
broken only by birdsong, the buzz of mopeds and the grind of
the olive-processing plant.
Helmets are now sensibly used
in jai alai. Geoffrey Gray takes a peek at Basque Country
and finds one of the world's fastest, most dangerous sports.
|
THE PELOTA went screaming down the side wall and, seemingly,
out of reach. Adolfo Elizegi, the fiery backcourter, fuming
and down on points, dived headfirst into the fronton's cold
granite floor, scooping the goatskin ball deep in the belly
of his cesta.
Then, twisting in one fast, desperate motion, he fired the
rock-hard sphere against the front wall with a sound of shattered
glass. Winner!
The crowd of a hundred or so sitting at the historic fronton
in Gernika, Spain, the Basque town that Picasso made famous
with his massacre-inspired abstractions, responded with a clamour
of claps and hoots.
Mucho! Mucho! (nice shot!). Venga! Venga! (Come on, let's
go!).
If you want to watch pure jai alai, the speedy, acrobatic
attraction promoters once called "the game of dodging death"
and "ballet with bullets", you have to make the trip
back to its birthplace: Basque Country.
It was here during the 1850s that a lazy farmer in the French
town of St Pee sur Nivelle learnt he could hurl potatoes faster
and longer with a narrow, scooped-out basket. A century and
a half later, those baskets are called cestas and, strapped
to the hand of a professional jai alai player, can wing a pelota
(a rock-hard ball with a rubber core and wrapped in goatskin)
as fast as 290 km/h and shatter bulletproof glass.
An international obsession during the early part of the 20th
century, when hundreds of Basque peloteros (players) played
the tricky, handball-like game on frontons (courts) in China,
Egypt, Cuba, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Macau, Indonesia, Australia,
Argentina, Colombia and other places, jai alai is flirting with
extinction.
In the United States, only two frontons remain open full-time,
in Miami and Dania Beach.
These South Florida courts are often empty, dingy destinations
inhabited by wayward gamblers who feast on promotions such as
hot dogs and cups of beer that cost only a quarter.
But in summer the action shifts to the north of Spain, where
the most talented players in the world return to visit their
families and compete in feisty head-to-head matches.
"What you see here is the sport as it's meant to be played,
and played in the same way that it's always been," said
Inigo Calzacorta, a former professional who promotes matches
in the Basque Country.
From June to August, partidos (matches) can be found virtually
every night of the week in a dozen eclectic frontons on the
northern tip of Spain and the south-west corner of France.
Finding all the games can be a challenge (partidos are often
poorly advertised), but the hunt will take you through the best
of the Basque region: medieval fishing villages and surf towns
such as Getaria, where the surviving sailors of Magellan's famed
voyage landed in 1522; rustic mountain hamlets such as Tolosa,
famous for its hearty red beans; seaside resort towns such as
Biarritz and St Jean de Luz; and San Sebastian, with its Belle
Epoque boulevards, ornate bridges and postcard-perfect beaches.
The tournaments, which can span several weeks, draw a varied
crowd: families, wrinkled-face farmers, courting couples, retired
players, politicians and an ever-present mob of loud-mouthed
gamblers who suck on cheap cigars and flood the court with a
sweet, smoky haze.
Partidos are grueling contests. The hypnotizing rallies can
rage on back and forth for an hour or more. The players' jerseys
become drenched with sweat. Drama builds. There is - as Ernest
Hemingway said when he passed through here so many years ago
to chase bullfighters - aficion (fondness).
The mountain town of Markina (population 4752) is considered
the home of jai alai. The best way to get there from San Sebastian
is to follow the water. Drive along N-634, the dizzying pass
that runs along the Cantabrian Coast with craggy cliffs that
end on pristine beaches, and surf side restaurants that serve
up grilled sardines and squid. The vista quickly changes from
endless sea to Alpine mountains: sloping hills dotted with slashing
pines and stone cottages trimmed in dark red paint, colour once
taken from cattle blood.
Winding along these roads, it is easy to see why the Basques
have been so aggressive about keeping this picturesque land
their own. Reminders of the Basque separatist movement are everywhere,
not just in the spray-painted slogans along the roads.
In small villages, the sidrerias, old-world restaurants that
barrel a young and tart hard apple cider, use recipes for a
codfish omelet that date to the days when Basques were known
as whale hunters.
In the tavernas in the town squares, often next to the frontons,
men wear traditional Basque berets, drink gritty coffee and
feast on slices of ham hide that dangle from the ceiling by
the hoof. They speak only in Basque, using tongue-twisting words
- words whose origins seem as mysterious and unknown as the
Basques themselves.
Egunon degizula jainkoak! (Translation: Hope you all have
a good day, God willing.)
The sports here are tough-knuckled pastimes that demand the
grit and raw display of machismo that is central to the Basque
mystique. Boulder lifting, grass cutting, log chopping and tug-of-war
are important contests in summer festivals.
Of the Basque games that involve a pelota, jai alai is one
of at least 23 variations that require a medley of sticks, paddles
and gloves. The most popular pelota game here now is the oldest,
cheapest and most likely to cause injury: mano, in which only
the hand is used to swat the pelota.
"There was a time when going to a jai alai match was
like going to the finest bullfight in Madrid or going to the
opera," said Gonzalo Beaskoetxea, a former world champion
and author of Historia de la Cesta Punta, a self-published book
that is perhaps the sport's most complete history. To drum up
new interest, some entrepreneurs are also trying to make jai
alai more accessible to play for young players and a draw for
tourists. Calzacorta, for instance, is exploring the manufacturing
of a cesta made from plastic synthetics that can be sold for
$60 or so. (The current cestas, made from Spanish chestnut and
reeds, take about a year to make and cost several hundred dollars.)
Calzacorta is also seeking support from investors and government
in the hope of building the first jai alai museum, in Markina.
Among its holdings would be sepia-toned photographs showing
the first peloteros donning berets and riverboat moustaches
and noble snow-white uniforms colored with sashes wrapped around
their waists, along with shots of the fashionable old frontons,
circa 1887, in San Sebastian, or circa 1895, in Bilbao.
The crowds were standing-room-only then, thickets of fine
tailored suits and dresses, top hats, bonnets and parasols.
Included, too, would be photographs of Hemingway, who romanticized
the game and all its innate contradictions: skill and speed,
courage and danger, grace and violence. "It is a grand
sport," Hemingway said.
So many years later, traces of the grandeur remain. You have
to look hard and far to find them. But if you listen close,
they are not hard to hear.
Mucho! Mucho! Venga! Venga!
Dale Fuchs looks round architect
Frank Gehry's latest masterpiece, a wavy titanium-clad
hotel.
|
Spain
Driving south from Bilbao in Spain's Basque country, through
swathes of fertile countryside, stone churches and rustic towns,
you don't expect to stumble across an example of splashy modern
architecture.
But there it is, sprouting from the vineyards, a sculpted
metallic hulk - tinted wine red, gold and silver - rather like
the twisted foil discarded from a bottle of rioja.
The hotel at the 150-year-old Marques de Riscal bodega near
Elciego in La Rioja, which opened on September 27, bears all
the wavy titanium-clad hallmarks of its designer Frank Gehry.
Ever since Gehry's Guggenheim put Bilbao on the map almost
a decade ago, designer buildings and bridges have been shooting
up throughout Spain, from Santiago Calatrava's ship-shaped opera
house in Valencia to Sir Richard Rogers's rainbow-colored airport
in Madrid. Now bodegas have joined the quest, with the likes
of Calatrava's avant-garde cedar-clad, barrel-like winery installation
at nearby Bodegas Ysios, which is open for public tours.
The Marques de Riscal has gone one better, creating a wine-themed
hotel. Part of an EUR80 million ($140 million) overhaul, it
is aimed at design-conscious and gastronomic tourists who don't
mind paying EUR300 to EUR1350 for a room with red velvet curtains
and marble baths.
Here ordinary baths will not suffice. Instead, at the "wine-therapy"
spa, travelers can soak in tubs that look like oak barrels,
bubbling with wine extracts.
The grape is everywhere, from the cellar beneath the lobby
to the curled metallic canopies on sandstone pillars meant to
suggest a vine sprouting from the ground.
Take the first sip on a 90-minute tour ( EUR6), which begins
at stainless steel fermentation vats and concludes in a century-old
stone cellar where oak barrels line dark, mould-stained walls.
Next to the Guggenheim the interiors of the hotel seem a bit
tame. You expect every space to be mind-blowing, like the museum,
and it is more standard urban chic. But a few curvy walls and
the Gehry-designed chairs and lamps keep it interesting.
The best place to be is on one of the many outdoor decks enjoying
the view of distant mountains while watching the sun reflect
on titanium ribbons. The contrast of the avant-garde building
with the surrounding countryside is exhilarating.
Back inside, the chef, Francis Paniego, hails from Michelin-starred
Basque restaurant El Portal, known for its creative cuisine.
The EUR90 tasting menu includes dishes such as foie gras custard,
Iberian ham ice-cream and sweet tomato tartar with cold garlic
cream soup.
Watch out if you drink too much wine at dinner: some of the
the sleek rooms are slightly dizzying at first, with undulating
leather headboards and slanted windows that follow the contours
of Gehry's design.
Next year, a spokeswoman says, the hotel plans to offer grape
harvest packages for do-it-yourself tourists who think strenuous
exercise is romantic. The sauvignon massage may just come into
its own.
ONE of Spain's main attractions is that everywhere seems a
little bit different. If you lined up pictures of sun-parched
Almeria, mountain towns in the Pyrenees and the green countryside
of the north-west, the impartial observer would never place
them in the same nation. It is arguably more diverse than any
other country in Europe, slotting together scenes that could
be from all over the world in one peninsula. This is something
that has not gone unnoticed by filmmakers over the years. And
when it is necessary to cut costs, when American film crews
aren't welcome or the original site is just plain inaccessible,
a Spanish location is often the remedy. Some of the most famous
movies have been shot on Spanish soil. Here are a few:
A Fistful Of Dollars; For A Few Dollars More; The Good,
The Bad And The Ugly
Spain came to prominence as a cheap staging ground for Hollywood
films when the so-called spaghetti westerns were shot in the
Tabernas desert near Almeria. Although financed by Italian corporations,
there were no suitable outdoor locations in Italy for the famous
shoot-out scenes, but Tabernas was a great double for southern
California and New Mexico. Of the films shot here, the moody
gun slinging epics of Sergio Leone's "Dollars" trilogy,
which catapulted Clint Eastwood to fame, are the most recognizable.
While filming has wound down in the area, sets can still be
visited. One of them, Mini Hollywood (+34 95 036 5236) is now
a theme park, with staged shoot-outs all part of the fun.
Die Another Day
Though part of the 20th James Bond film was set in Havana,
due to American sanctions against the Caribbean island, filming
there was an impossibility. After scouting around the world
to find something similar, the producers eventually thought
the old, pastel-colored buildings of Cadiz were the perfect
match. Cadiz was founded by the Phoenicians as a trading centre
back about 1100BC, and was Spain's most important port for centuries.
Columbus set off on his second and fourth voyages from here,
and there is Roman, Carthaginian and Moorish heritage. For those
more concerned with topping up a tan than the knowledge bank,
the beaches are superb. La Caleta beach, in particular, may
seem familiar - it is the spot where Halle Berry emerges from
the water in homage to Ursula Andress in Dr No.
Dr Zhivago
When David Lean wanted to film Doctor Zhivago, Boris Pasternak's
epic story of love and revolution, it was fairly obvious that
the Soviet regime was not going to allow him a free rein on
the streets of Moscow. The logical place, therefore, to create
accurate portrayals of a Russian winter was a big plot of land
near Madrid's international airport, yes? The set included a
replica of the Kremlin, but one thing was missing - snow. They
had to use ground marble instead. The set is no longer there,
but you can visit the film's version of the Ural Mountains.
The scenes of Zhivago crossing the steppes were filmed at the
height of summer on the northern slopes of the Sierra de Guadarrama.
The range is a short drive out of Madrid, and usually offers
a cooler alternative to the city heat. Try telling that to Omar
Sharif and the rest of the cast, who were forced to swelter
in huge fur coats.
Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
The Moorish influence on Granada made it an obvious choice
as the double for the Turkish port of Iskenderun. The city easily
fulfils the requirement of bustling streets and Arabic architecture.
The Muslim rule may have been relinquished in the 15th century,
but its influence remains, most noticeably in the justly famous
Alhambra Palace. This is one of Spain's biggest tourist attractions,
and despite the hype, it never fails to disappoint. The Arab
quarter, or El Albaicin, is the best place to get a taste of
the past while experiencing a different culture.
Lawrence Of Arabia
While the famous desert scenes were mainly filmed in Jordan,
ironically the Jordanian seaport of Aqaba wasn't deemed up to
the task of playing itself. The seaport ended up being built
from scratch on Playa del Algorocibo, near Almeria. Many of
the other cities featured in David Lean's epic turned out to
be Seville, though. The Cairo officer's club is the Palaio Espanol
in Plaza de Espana, while the buildings around Plaza De Americas
double as Jerusalem and the Casino de la Exposicion fills in
for the town hall in Damascus. The Moorish influence on Andalucia's
biggest city was the clincher, but there is more to the city
than old buildings. It is arguably the home of flamenco and,
more controversially, bullfighting.
Kingdom Of Heaven
Ridley Scott's big-budget vision of the Crusades started off
with Orlando Bloom's character plying his trade as a blacksmith
in a French village in the shadow of a great castle. This mighty
fortress was actually Loarre Castle, in the Huesca province
of Aragon. Later on, the Valsain forest near Segovia was used
for the pivotal ambush scene. This woodland is a nature-lover's
paradise. Wild boar and deer still gambol through the densely
packed trees and, unless you do something to really annoy them,
they are happy to share their territory with walkers.
Fairytale Alcazar of Segovia
|
MORE tourists - 53 million to be exact - visit Spain than
any other country in Europe, but the overwhelming majority of
these book the usual flights to the beach, dip across to Barcelona
or are otherwise drawn by a heady mix of sun, sand and sangria.
These are indeed worthy pursuits, but there is another Spain,
one that is essential to understanding Europe's most popular
holiday destination.
Castilla y Leon is the Spanish heartland, ranged across the
high plateau of the Iberian interior and home to some of the
country's most intriguing cities, medieval villages and a castle
perched atop seemingly every hilltop. Better still, fewer than
1 per cent of visitors to Spain come here, which may in itself
be reason enough to come.
One of Spain's most charismatic cities, Salamanca combines an
august history and stunning sandstone buildings with a lively,
live-for-the-moment soundtrack. Salamanca's university - one
of Europe's oldest, dating from 1218 - is the Spanish equivalent
of Oxford, but from its magnificent courtyards students from
all over the world spill into restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
As a result, Salamanca's streets throng with people and its
grand edifices - the soaring old and new cathedrals, the Casa
de las Conchas with its distinctive shell-decorated facade and
the splendid Renaissance cloisters of the Convento de San Esteban
are just a few highlights - provide one of Spain's most expansive
and uniformly picturesque city backdrops. But for all Salamanca's
grandeur, it is the monumental 18th-century Plaza Mayor that
will leave the most lasting impression. Perhaps Spain's most
beautiful city square, it comes alive at night.
The walled city of Avila rises from the plains of south-western
Castilla y Leon like an apparition, its formidable stone walls
and 88 watchtowers encircling a town that provides a sober counterpoint
to the energy of Salamanca.
It's a place that lends itself easily to legends - a local
myth asserts that the town was founded by one of Hercules' sons
- and that's perhaps why it has become one of the most revered
centers of Spanish Catholicism. The city's favorite daughter
is St Teresa, a Catholic mystic who revolutionized the Carmelite
order in the 16th century and left behind an architectural legacy
of rare beauty. The cathedral, with its red and limestone columns,
El Greco paintings and astonishing altar pieces, is Avila's
centerpiece, but the monasteries and churches that dominate
the town serve as striking signposts to this most loved of
Within the walls, Avila huddles amid narrow streets and dark
stone. Beyond the walls, the views back towards the town resemble
nothing so much as the embodiment of a fairytale. Semana Santa
(Easter) is the most evocative time to visit as hooded supplicants
march slowly and silently through the streets as if returning
the city to its Middle Ages heyday.
If Avila resembles a fairytale, it is Segovia that brought at
least one fairytale to life. Locals claim that Segovia's castle
served as the Walt Disney prototype for Sleeping Beauty's castle.
A precipitous moat, towers that seem to spring from a child's
imagination and stalactite-dominated salons set this fortress
above so many others in Spain. The views from the castle's tower
are exceptional, as are those back towards the Alcazar from
the Iglesia de Vera Cruz, one-time home to a reputed piece of
Christ's cross. Segovia also has a mind-blowing Roman aqueduct
- held together with no mortar - and another important secret:
this is one of the finest places in Spain to eat cochinillo
(roast suckling pig), a winter obsession of fine-dining Spaniards.
For pilgrims who traverse the long roads of the Camino de Santiago,
Leon, in the north of Castilla y Leon, is more than just holy
ground and few cities wear their mix of sacred and profane with
such style. On the one hand, there is Leon's world-famous cathedral,
one of Europe's most outstanding showcases for stained-glass
windows - 128 of them covering 1800 square metres - which flood
the magnificent interior with colorful, spectral light. At the
same time, Leon's new showpiece Museum of Contemporary Art has
become a poster boy for the innovations sweeping Spanish architecture,
using as it does in its facade 37 shades of color that are pixelizations
of one of the cathedral's windows. It's a city with so many
sights to occupy the days and so much fun to fill your night.
Spain may have a reputation for boisterous and seemingly non-stop
hedonism, but there is another, more reserved side to the character
of inland Spain, a phenomenon fostered by the region's long,
bitterly cold winters and baking summers.
Such is Burgos, a quiet, inward-looking city that can seem
like a study in sobriety. It is home to what could be Spain's
finest Gothic cathedral, awash with spires, flying buttresses
and interior detail. Buried beneath the cathedral is El Cid,
that heroically flawed figure of Spanish legend. There's also
a castle overseeing the town, a riverfront promenade that is
one of Spain's most tranquil, some fine monumental gates and
a cluster of bar-restaurants where you'll eat as well as anywhere
in Spain.
The mountains of south-western Castilla y Leon are among Spain's
best-kept secrets, home to an array of villages as beautiful
as they are time-worn. The Sierra de Francia was once one of
Spain's poorest regions, so poor in fact that renowned filmmaker
Luis Bunuel set his Land Without Bread here in the 1930s, while
King Alfonso XIII found that the only milk available here for
coffee during his 1922 visit was human milk. Although now fully
integrated into Spain's economic success story, the sierra's
hitherto isolation fostered a way of life and architecture that
has changed little with the passing years.
La Alberca, a quaint and exceptionally pretty village of half-timbered
houses and cobblestone streets, is the region's crowning glory.
But smaller villages like San Martin del Castanar and Mogarraz
are equally beautiful with their stone churches, twisting lanes,
village bullrings and the sound of meandering streams filling
the pristine mountain air.
Less a village than a small town whose name resounds across
the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, Astorga, in north-western
Castilla y Leon, was once a Roman camp whose primary purpose
was to guard the nearby gold mines of Las Medulas. The Romans
left their mark. Astorga now boasts an outstanding Roman museum
and its quiet streets conceal old Roman villas, Roman-era city
walls and thermal baths. The Episcopal Palace is a flight of
fancy designed by renowned Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi -
turrets, playful concoctions of space and light and interior
details that are a study of Gaudi's zany aesthetic vision. In
keeping with this whimsy, the town also boasts a chocolate museum.
Entering the village through a monumental gate is like being
transported into medieval Spain as the clamour of car noise
from the outside world yields to quiet. It's the sort of place
where antique buildings overlook old men in berets who pass
the afternoon beneath the shade of balconies.
Not many villages can claim monks who have starred on the world's
pop charts. The monks of the Monastery of Santo Domingo gained
fame in the 1990s when their Gregorian chants gained worldwide
attention; they can still be heard chanting to much more modest
audiences most days at 9am and at midday on Sundays.
Calatanazor is home to 64 souls and a ruined castle lauding
it over valley and plains. It also has an epic history that
encompasses the filming of Doctor Zhivago and an 11th-century
battle between Muslims and Christians that gave name to its
"Valley of Blood". Gormaz has even fewer people, 18,
but the castle that overlooks the town could easily fit the
combined populations in one of its towers. Strung out along
a ridge and visible for kilometers around, the fortress of Gormaz
is one of Castilla y Leon's most imposing. And then there's
Medinaceli, another stone ensemble on a hilltop where the Plaza
Mayor is magnificent, the Roman arch surprising and an overall
air that captures the essence of Castilla y Leon - quietly beautiful,
scarcely known and all the better for it.
Getting there: Qantas/Air France fly Melbourne-Madrid via Singapore
and Paris, about $2000.
I'D NEVER been sadder. I lay on the hospital bed in Logrono,
Spain, wearing tears of self-pity. A week earlier, armed only
with a backpack, a block of brie and no idea, I signed on at
the office in Saint Jean Pied de Port as a peregrina (pilgrim),
and the officer there asked me what I was looking for. "A
horse," I told him.
I'd just discovered there were three types of pilgrim - on
bike, horse and foot. I'd also just discovered that it was 800
kilometers to Santiago in Spain. I was assured St Jacques would
bring me what I asked for, and I regretted not asking for lower
interest rates and a Latin lover who could salsa.
Or an extra anterior cruciate ligament that wasn't complaining
at having run 250 kilometers with a 10-kilogram backpack. But
the doctors were smiling. At the first major hospital on the
route, these docs have seen it all: blisters that have to be
punctured by jackhammers and heatstroke from the Spanish sun.
I was told to jettison half my load, behave more like the small
cucaracha (cockroach) I was, and ask for help from St Jacques.
Many people undertake the Camino walk (actually a cobweb of
routes across southern Europe), reliving the odyssey of medieval
Christians carrying the remains of martyr St Jacques to Santiago
- to gain enlightenment, as penance, or simply to get fit and
take in the sights.
Some complete only the last 100 kilometers Others, like me,
start at the foot of the Pyrenees in France. One walker I met
began at his front door, 2600 kilometers away in Holland. The
route, which many compare to a "journey of life",
has peaks and valleys, desolate plains, rainforests and wheat
fields surrounding medieval houses. Plus the occasional brush
with the 21st century in the form of four-lane highways and
pilgrims yelling "I'm on the Camino!" into mobile
phones.
Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't rain on the plains
in Spain. Instead, they are an empty, 250-kilometre stretch
of nothingness from Logrono to Burgos. But it was here, limited
by the heat, that life slowed and the people passing, calling
out "Buen Camino!", became friends.
I learnt many unexpected lessons: biblical songs in Portuguese,
how to sleep in a room of 50 snoring Frenchmen and, courtesy
of a medical student, how to blow up oranges.
Along the way I met Domingo from Venezuela. When I asked him
about a medal he wore, he kissed it and gestured at the sky.
"He's up there," he said, "My son." Seven
days earlier he had buried his nine-year-old son, Jose. Unable
to cope at home, Domingo and his wife had this week together
to grieve, comfort one another and prepare for the task of looking
after their 10-month-old baby they had left at home.
At this point the Camino stopped being about a destination,
but rather about the journey - and not the road but the people
on it. Slowly but surely, with only a few hundred kilometers
to go, I was becoming a pilgrim.
On a rainy Saturday I arrived in Santiago and stayed a week,
alone, in the bustle of the city, eating tapas, watching pilgrims
arrive and new friends depart. But more than that, I digested
my experience.
I realized I had learnt lessons that would help me in other
journeys, including the most important journey of all - the
camino of life.
Sea wall Cadiz, Andalucia.
|
Spain has countless beautiful villages that best reveal the
country's true nature and history provided the visitor keeps
well away from the big cities and beaches.
Almost every region in Spain has something to offer and the
villages and towns can be reached easily with a hired car.
Deia on the northwestern coast of the island of Majorca was
made famous by such artists as Joan Miro and Frederic Chopin.
Olive trees and jasmine bushes 1,000-year-old line the path
leading to the church, towering over the village. British writer
Robert Graves (1895-1985), who lived in Deia for several years,
was one of the famous who appreciated the view of the coastline
from the terraced cemetery.
Peter Ustinov, Kate Moss, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Geldof
are others who enjoyed the atmosphere in the idyllic village.
The bay of Deia is probably one of the most beautiful beaches
of Majorca.
. Vejer de la Frontera is situated in the province of Cadiz
and is a classic example of the white villages of Andalusia.
With its steep alleyways and white-walled homes decorated with
geraniums it was named in 1978 as the most beautiful village
in Spain. King Fernando II conquered the town from the Muslims
in the year 1250 and it then for a long time marked the border
between the Christian Spain and the rest of Spain ruled by the
Arabs.
. Albarracin in the Aragon province is more like an open museum.
A walk through the paved streets reveals palaces, villas and
churches with impressive Renaissance art. Moorish inhabitants
built many of the impressive buildings hewn from the rocks in
the cliffs around the year 970.
. Santillana del Mar in northern Cantabria has a history doing
back to the Stone Age. The Altamira Caves with their prehistoric
wall paintings have made the town famous. Stone houses dating
back to the 15th century line the cobblestone streets with the
Plaza Mayor and the Merino Tower as the main tourist attraction.But
the town has more to offer than buildings. Cantabria is well
know for its cuisine of traditional stews, cheeses and sea foods.
Kick up your heels:
mix flamenco dancing with a bit of sightseeing in Spain.
|
It might be time to cha-cha-cha your way through a dance holiday,
writes Lisa Bachelor.
If you have a sense of rhythm - rather than two left feet
- you might enjoy a dancing holiday. There are many styles to
choose from, from flamenco to ballroom or belly dancing.
One of the favorite dance styles, salsa is taking off around
the world. Not surprisingly, Spain, Cuba and South America are
the preferred destinations for mastering the moves. A number
of companies now offer holidays that incorporate salsa classes
with learning a bit of Spanish. One is Cactus Language, which
offers holidays in Spain or Cuba. The one-week Spanish and Salsa
holiday in Barcelona has an intense timetable featuring 20 one-hour
Spanish lessons and two hours a day of salsa. It also offers
a two-week Spanish and Salsa holiday in Santiago de Cuba. See
cactuslanguage.com
If you are after something more sedate, where better to learn
the old-fashioned art of ballroom dancing than in Britain? HF
Holidays offers four-night Beginners Ballroom dancing holidays
in various locations. Accommodation is in stately homes and
mansions. Prices are inclusive of accommodation, meals and tuition.
If you can already dance the basics of waltz, quickstep, rumba
and cha-cha-cha, you can improve your steps at the Ballroom
Beyond Basics holiday.
You have to relax your jaw and hands and use your arms like
the conductor of an orchestra. These are just some of the secrets
of successful belly dancing, according to instructor Keti Sharif.
You can watch the experts and learn a few moves on a 10-day
music and dance tour of Egypt with Oceana International. It
starts and ends in Cairo and includes eight music and dance
workshops, a tour of the pyramids, boating on the Red Sea, market
shopping and optional scuba diving and horse riding. Costs are
exclusive of flights and depart in April, June and September
next year. See oceana.net.au
If line dancing and country music is more your thing, Australian-based
Bootscootin' Travel Club has an array of musical adventures
to suit. In March, you can have a week-long line dancing holiday
in Tasmania. But it's not all dance - there are excursions to
Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park as well as stop-offs
in Hobart, Port Arthur and Launceston. Elvis fans might want
to consider the two-week trip to the World Line Dance Gathering
in Nashville, Memphis and Las Vegas. See bootstravelclub.com
Add a few flamenco lessons to a sightseeing holiday in Spain
for local flavor. Viva Flamenco Promotions runs twice-yearly
week-long flamenco holidays to Mijas, a picturesque village
in Andalucia. Courses consist of daily two-hour classes. The
October holiday coincides with the Fuengirola Festival, while
the May holiday coincides with the Alhaurin el Grande Festival.
See www.vivaflamencopromotions.com
Long regarded
as one of Europe's most vibrant cites, Barcelona has something
for everyone, whether they want art and architecture, cuisine
and culture, sun and shopping or simply to spend a weekend in
an alcohol-fueled haze.
Arriving on a Friday, I was confronted with a swarming crush
of tourists clearly seeking the latter.
The introduction of cheap flights from Britain and northern
Europe has led to an invasion of the mini-break brigade, intent
on downing their body weight in San Miguel and sangria over
the course of a weekend.
Somewhat alarmed by the sheer number of grog-guzzling tourists,
I decided to focus on the positive: at least they wouldn't be
crowding into Barcelona's historic buildings, world-famous galleries
and gorgeous shops.
Shopping is increasingly becoming one of Barcelona's main
attractions, along with its art, architecture and aforementioned
alcohol.
Leaving the crowds to the tourist-trap tapas bars, I ventured
out to make a dent in Barcelona's 35,000 shops, not to mention
my credit card.
Whether you're in the market for clothes, shoes, jewelry and
accessories or antiques, glassware and ceramics, Barcelona is
shopping heaven.
It doesn't have the distinction of other European style capitals
such as Paris or Milan, nor does it have the hefty price tags.
Not that Barcelona is a bargain hunter's paradise. The Catalonian
capital knows it is a tourist magnet and the prices have been
adjusted accordingly. While it's not cheap, it's not particularly
expensive either and visitors during the sale times of January/February
and July/August may be pleasantly surprised by what they can
pick up at a reasonable price. At other times of year, shoppers
on a budget should just follow the time-honored rules of rip-off
avoidance: the more touristy the area, the greater the price,
and the lesser the quality.
Thus Barcelona's colorful main thoroughfare, La Ramblas, lined
with tacky souvenir shops selling over-priced kitsch, is best
bypassed unless you're desperately seeking an ashtray in the
shape of a castanet or the Sagrada Familia in a snow dome.
Instead, head for the narrow pedestrian-only streets of the
Barri Gotic or the wide boulevards of the upmarket Eixample,
both of which encourage leisurely browsing. As well as being
home to some of Barcelona's most beautiful historic buildings,
the old quarter, or Barri Gotic, also offers some of the best
shopping. The shops are concentrated in a relatively small area
east of La Ramblas with the best to be found on Calle Portaferrissa,
Calle del Pi, Av. Portal de l'Angel, Calle Boqueria and Baixada
de la Libreteria. Here you'll find countless small specialty
shops as well as two of Spain's better known chain stores: Zara
and Mango, which stock high-fashion clothes and accessories
at mid-range prices.
The main streets branch off into a maze of smaller alleyways
some only the width of the average Sydney footpath and unless
you're blessed with a GPS-like sense of direction, you're bound
to get lost but fear not, everything is well sign-posted and
Barcelona's streets are not nearly as mean as its reputation.
This is not to say that the city is a crime-free zone and you're
best advised to cling limpet-like to your belongings to deter
Barcelona's opportunistic bag snatchers who gravitate to the
dark alleys of the Barri Gotic.
North of La Ramblas, the area known as the Eixample is much
easier to navigate with its elegant, tree-lined thoroughfares,
Rambla de Catalunya and Passeig de Gracia. The vibe here is
definitely Double Bay with names and price tags to match.
Along the Passeig de Gracia you'll find designer labels Calvin
Klein, Versace, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and MaxMara as well as
some of architect Antonio Gaudi's most extraordinary creations,
Casa Batllo and La Pedrera. As well as designer fashion, Passeig
de Gracia is also a good spot to hunt for antique jewelry, furniture
and art.
Another good area for antique browsing is along the slightly
faded Circuit del Born in the Ribera district, where you'll
also find numerous galleries, small artisan and jewelry stores
and craft shops.
Those who prefer to do their shopping in the open air will
enjoy Barcelona's numerous flea markets, stocked with a variety
of pre-loved books, clothes, nick-knacks and assorted curios.
Three of the most popular sites are the Mercat de les Encants
in the Placa de las Glories Catalanes, the Mercat de San Antoni,
and the Mercat at Placa Villa de Madrid. And then there is Barcelona's
most famous market, the Mercat de la Boqueria, which opens on
to La Ramblas. The cavernous produce market sells everything
from fruit to freshly slaughtered meat and is a feast for the
eyes, if not the stomach. It's also a good place to grab a cheap
snack before finding a bench space on La Ramblas and watching
the passing parade even if that consists of teeming tourist
hordes.
|
