Part II - Spanish sun, culture & art

With the organised part of our trip over, we were on our own to tackle Spain. We spent three days in Barcelona exploring the sites in the hot 35 degree weather! Barcelona is bursting with culture and plenty of modern architecture, much of which is inspired by Gaudi. I’m pretty much confident to say that we covered the majority of the sites which Barcelona has on offer, including:

• Barri Gothic – the gothical part of town, with buildings dated from the medieval times.
  
• Park Guell – A comprehensive architectural garden designed by Gaudi, which has stunning views over the city.
  
• La Barceloneta – the beach lining the warm Mediterranian Sea.

  

• Art & museums galore including the Picasso museum & National Art Museum of Catalonia, with plenty of intricate handiwork from the Romanesque period (10-13th century) as well as modern art.

• The famous Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, designed by Gaudi which has been in construction since 1882 and is expected to be finished in another 20 years.


• The site of the 1992 Olympic games, including the main stadium where an archer lit the Olympic flame from the centre of the stadium into the caldron.
  
• Arc de Triomf - built in the 19th century.

From Barcelona, we took an overnight train to Granada which in itself was an interesting experience! Granada is home of the famous Alhambra, a palace and fortress complex built in the 13th century. The amazing site surrounded by massive outer walls exhibits the country’s most famous Islamic architecture, together with Christian 16th century influences. The centre piece is the Palacio Norcaries, the intricately designed Islamic building with moulded stucco walls, beautiful tiling and fine carved wooden ceilings worked together in geometrical style. Other impressive buildings include the Palace de Carlos, a huge Renaissance square palace with a circular, two-tiered courtyard in the middle and the watchtower (Torre de la Vela) with panoramic views over Granada. The main site is overlooked by the Generalife, an exquisite summer palace and gardens.

With only a few days of our trip remaining, we headed two hours south to Malaga on the south coast. We relaxed and chilled out at a little hotel in the hills of Malaga – it was great to be away from the hustle and bustle of the cities. Our two days consisted of a little hiking in the national park, swimming in the pool, reading, writing postcards and sleeping. It was a great way to end the trip.

For our final afternoon, we headed back to town and relaxed on the beach. I’m happy to report that my pale English skin has now seen some light & [arguably] has a little colour. I’m sure it won’t last long as I now head back to reality. It’s a shame holidays have to end, but it won’t be long till I’m off again… :)