Posts by author Chris Ciolli
Templo de Debod. Photo jlcernadas
Without a doubt, Madrid deserves a place on your European itinerary. The third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, it’s packed with museums overflowing with amazing art, restaurants and bars serving up tasty tapas and local cuisine — but what about your budget? ¡Ningún problema! No problem — you don’t have » Read more
The Museo del Prado in Madrid. Photo: emijrp
Widely considered the world’s best single collection of Spanish art, The Prado Museum, in central Madrid, is not to be missed. Priceless paintings and sculptures by Spanish masters like Goya, Velázquez, and El Greco, not to mention the largest collection of works by Italian masters outside Italy, are housed in a beautiful 18th-century government building. » Read more
The iconic Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Photo: tchacky
There’s much more to Basque country’s biggest city than Frank Gehry’s iconic Guggenheim Museum. Beyond its stunning modern architecture, this gritty but charming metropolis is packed with historic churches and government buildings, and traditional shops on narrow cobblestone streets. An industrial center since the Roman era, Bilbao (Bilbo in Basque) is a combination of ancient » Read more
A lovely view of Toledo, Spain. Mussi Katz
An easy jaunt from Madrid with good rail connections, the charming city of Toledo makes an ideal day trip destination. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986, the city’s shared Christian, Jewish and Muslim roots are particularly evident in its mountaintop old town with its striking monuments and traditional shops. Once home to Spanish King » Read more
The historic Albaicín district in Granada. Photo: julianrdc
Anyone interested in Spain’s Moorish history must spend some time in Granada. Home to Europe’s most important Moorish fortress complex, the Alhambra, the city is packed with traditional Moroccan tea houses, not to mention Flamenco tablaos and restaurants in caves hacked into the soft rock of the mountain upon which the city is built. Then » Read more
Brush up on your language skills before a trip to Spain. Photo: Elliott B
Although it’s not necessary to be fluent in Spanish, it’s certainly worth taking some time to learn a few words and sentences in the language before your big trip. Spaniards age 30 and under have had plenty of English language lessons at school—generally more than enough to help you order lunch or find your size » Read more
Alhambra at sunset. Photo: Gregorio Puga Bailón
With its stone walls carved with elaborate arabesques and Islamic calligraphy, meticulously laid out gardens, bubbling fountains and ramparts with sweeping views of Granada and beyond—the Alhambra palace and fortress complex is easily Granada’s most famous monument. So it’s not surprising that sometimes the lines go on for days and ticketing technicalities can be somewhat » Read more
