All posts by Jorge

What to visit in the Zaragoza Expo 08 Zone

December 11, 2013Saragossa / Zaragoza, Tours and GuidesJorge

In summer 2008, Saragossa received the international exposition Expo Zaragoza 2008, which was placed aside the shore of the Ebro River, in Pablo Ruiz Picasso Avenue.

The buildings, squares and structures were situated from the city center, behind the Pilar Basilic to Delicias Intermodal Station, the main train and bus station of the city.

The topic of the exposition was the water and the sustainable development, and 108 countries were presented in their pavilions. Also, three bridges, one skyscraper, an aquarium, a park and many more structures were built for the exposition. Finally, at the end of the summer, more than 5 million people visited it.

Currently, the Expo Zone is open to all the visitors who want to see the area and enjoy its activities. Don’t miss it if you are visiting Zaragoza!

To arrive at the Expo zone, you can go by bus using the Ci1 and Ci2 lines.

The Pavilions

The pavilions were once the heart of the exposition. Nowadays, most of them have been recovered and transformed in offices.

Around the pavilions, you will find sculptures, squares and green areas. An ideal place to walk, rest and take photos.

The Ebro River

The banks of the Ebro River were recovered and improved for the exposition. As a result, now you can take a walk from the Pilar Basilic and the Roman Bridge (Puente de piedra) to the Park of the Water.

During this walk you will see a lot of green areas, fountains and cafes, all the time bordering the river in one of the most nice and calm routes of the city.

The Bridges

Three bridges were built over the Ebro River in the Expo Zone:

– The Bridge Pavilion (pabellón Puente) where there are periodical expositions organized just over the river – literally 🙂 -,

– The Third Millennium Bridge (Puente del tercer milenio).

– The bridge of the volunteers (pasarela del voluntariado). A pedestrian bridge dedicated to the people who worked in the exposition.

The Aquarium

Also, you can visit the Fluvial Aquarium on the Expo Zone.

It is the biggest fluvial aquarium of Europe, and it is placed close to the pavilions.

The Congresses Palace

The Saragossa Congresses Palace (Palacio de Congresos de Zaragoza) has an auditorium, a multipurpose room and other dedicated spaces, where can be organized a wide variety of events and meetings.

It is placed in the Expo 2008 Avenue, just near the Third Millennium Bridge and the Alma del Ebro sculpture.

The Tower of the Water (La Torre del agua)

This skyscraper was one of the icons of the exposition. It is placed in the Park of the Water and climbing its stairs you will see a nice landscape of the whole city.

During the night, the Tower of the Water is illuminated by colorful light which gives you a unique sensation.

The Park of the Water (El Parque del agua)

Finally, you have to visit The Park of the Water (Parque del Agua Luis Buñuel). This park is nowadays the biggest park of Zaragoza. Inside it, you will find a lot of green areas and activities: A lake with boats, An artificial beach with swimming pools, a whitewater channel, a golf camp, horses and many more.

Here you have a map of the park and the Expo Zone which includes the principal important points:

Other interesting places to visit in Zaragoza

– El Pilar (The Pilar Cathedral): This cathedral is placed in the centre of the city, near the Ebro river and in the same square than “La Seo” Cathedral. The current cathedral was built in the XVII century, based in earlier constructions.

– Paseo Independencia (Independence Avenue): The main street of Zaragoza. Beginning at the end of Gran Via, the avenue runs from Plaza Paraiso all the way to Plaza Espana.

– La Aljafería (The Aljafería Palace): A must for all tourists that arrive in Saragossa is to visit the stunning Aljaferia Palace, which is really the most visited historic site in Saragosse. This medieval islamic palace was built by muslims on the banks of the river Ebro in the 11th century.

– Parque Grande: The park was built between 1913 and 1927, and it was inaugurated in 1929, since then it has been improved many times. Currently it measures more than forty hectares, it has around 15 fountains, a botanic garden, a view point, many terraces, paths and statues, a swimming pool (for summer) and many more activities to do.

– What to visit in Zaragoza: Read here our two-days tour in Zaragoza.

Parque Grande de Zaragoza / The Main Park (Saragossa)

December 9, 2013Saragossa / Zaragoza, Streets and monumentsJorge

The Main Park of Zaragoza (popularly known as Parque Grande) is the most famous park of Zaragoza and one of the biggest ones of the city. It is placed at the beginning of Fernando el Católico Avenue, near the Romareda Football Stadium, and the university campus.

The park was built between 1913 and 1927, and it was inaugurated in 1929, since then it has been improved many times. Currently it measures more than forty hectares, it has around 15 fountains, a botanic garden, a view point, many terraces, paths and statues, a swimming pool (for summer) and many more activities to do.

As a curiosity, although most of the citizens call it as “Parque Grande”, the full name of the park is Parque Grande Jose Antonio Labordeta, since its previous name (Parque Miguel Primo de Rivera) was changed in 2010.

To arrive at The Main Park of Saragossa you can use the tram (Line 1 – Fernando el Católico / Parque Grande Tram Stop).

The fountains

One of the most famous things of the park are its fountains. The most visited are in San Sebastian avenue, between the main entrance and the stairs. They are famous because they make the water swing like a dance.

Also, during the afternoon and night, the fountains are illuminated with dynamic colorway lights which dance with the rhythm of the water.

The botanic garden

The botanic garden is placed in the centre of the park. Inside it, you can discover a variety of plants, a lake with ducks and birds.

The entrance to the botanic park is free, although visitors should take into account that it is closed during the night.

The statue of El Batallador and the panoramic view points

Climbing the stairs of Parque Grande you will arrive at the statue of El Batallador.

This statue represents to Alfonso I the King of Aragón, called “El Batallador” because its conquests. Alfonso I reconquered Saragossa from the Muslims in the 12th century.

Near the statue there are balconies where you will be able to enjoy a nice landscape of the city.

The terraces of the park

It is very popular among the citizens to rest and take drinks in the terraces of the park in summer. There are several bars inside the park, and also a swimming pool on summer near the main entrance.

By the way, there is a unique traditional train which runs around the park. It is not expensive and children will enjoy it a lot. Also, you can rent bikes and pedal cars in the stands to cycling on the paths.

More places to visit in Zaragoza

– Gran Via: Gran Via avenue of Saragossa is one of the most important streets of the city. It communicates Plaza Paraiso and Goya Avenue – Fernando El Católico Avenue.

– Paseo Independencia (Independence Avenue): The main street of Zaragoza. Beginning at the end of Gran Via, the avenue runs from Plaza Paraiso all the way to Plaza Espana.

– The Expo 2008 Zone: Currently, the Expo Zone is open to all the visitors who want to see the area and enjoy its activities. Don’t miss it if you are visiting Zaragoza!

El Escorial / The Royal Monastery of El Escorial (Madrid)

December 9, 2013Emblematic buildings, MadridJorge

The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial (popularly known as El Escorial Palace) is an impressive building located in the surroundings of Madrid where the kings of Spain used to live. The palace was built in the 16th century, and currently it has a museum, a monastery, a crypt, a basilic, a library and gardens.

El Escorial is placed in a town called the same name, and every week hundreds of people visit it. To arrive there, you can go by car or by train (Cercanías, Line C3). It is about 40 minutes by train from the center of Madrid.

El Escorial: The building

King Felipe II started the construction of The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial in 1563. The objective of the palace was to build a place where Felipe II could bury the corpse of his father, Carlos V and his family. Since this moment, the royal family of Spain have been buried there.

Talking about the monastery, Felipe II wanted the building and the mausoleum were managed and kept by monks, so he gave the monastery to the Jeronimos Order that lived there for three centuries. Later, from 1885 to now, the Agustinian order is the designated to keep the monastery.

What to visit in El Escorial

The visitors can see the inside of El Escorial by paying a ticket which costs between 5 and 10 euros. The ticket includes a route where you can visit a museum, some rooms of the palace, the Kings’ Pantheon, some parts of the monastery, the basilica and the library. To see all of this can take between 2 and 4 hours.

Photo: Model of El Escorial.

The Museum

In the museum there are expositions of hangings and paintings of the period of the kings.

Furthermore, there is an architecture exposition in where the people can discover how El Escorial was built. There are models of the building, construction tools and planes which were used during the construction in the 16th century.

The Palace and the Pantheon

During the visit, you will also visit the palace. In there are shown the rooms were the kings lived many centuries ago.

After that, in the Royal Pantheon there are placed the tombs of the Kings of Spain and their relatives.

The basilica: San Lorenzo el Real

Finally, the basilica of San Lorenzo el Real is located in the center of the building. It has a Gothic architecture and nowadays, it is still used for the wedding celebrations of all the people who want to marry in there.

The town of El Escorial and “La casita del Principe” gardens

Once finished the visit to El Escorial, you can take a rest and dinner in the town.

Also, we recomend to visit “La casita del principe” (The prince little house) a park placed near the Monastery which includes a garden and a house where it is said that, long time ago, the princes used to go to rest and to stay in the free time.

More Royal Palaces to visit near Madrid

– The Royal Palace (Madrid): Nowadays, the Royal Palace is the official residence of the king of Spain Juan Carlos I, who uses it for important events because the King lives in a small palace called The Zarzuela. The palace was built between 1738 and 1755, and the king Felipe V (1683-1746) ordered its construction.

– Granja de San Ildefonso: The Royal Palace of San Ildefonso (popularly known as La Granja de San Ildefonso) is a magnificent palace located in San Ildefonso, a small town of Segovia. This palace is famous for its wide gardens with fountains and statues, which are visited by many tourists both in summer and winter.

La Torre del Oro / The Gold Tower (Seville)

December 1, 2013Emblematic buildings, Seville / SevillaJorge

The Gold Tower (La Torre del Oro) of Seville is a unique tower located beside the Guadalquivir River. The tower measures 36 metres on height and can be seen from San Telmo Bridge. The first part of its structure was constructed in the 13th century when the Muslims lived in Andalusia, one century later it was improved and finished by Pedro I.

There are many suppositions about the name of the tower: On one hand some rumors say that the tower was used by the governors of the 14th century for storing the treasures (mostly gold) which came from America. On the other hand, other experts say that its name became from the color of its surface, that it reflected from the water of the river.

The Gold tower is in the centre of the Seville, close to the Cathedral, the Royal Alcazar the Bullfighting Ring of La Maestranza and near Maria Luisa Park, where is the most popular square of Seville: Plaza de España.

More buildings and monuments to visit in Seville

– Plaza de España: Plaza de España is located in the middle of Maria Luisa Park, in the city center. The square has a fountain in the middle, rounded for a small lake and a building behind it that gives a traditional style to all the place.

– Santa Maria Cathedral and La Giralda: Situated in the heart of Seville, near Guadaquivil river, the Gothic Santa María Cathedral in Seville is the largest Cathedral in Spain, and the largest Gothic Christian Cathedral in the world. In fact, the imposing Cathedral measures 116 metres in length and 76 metres in width, being together with the Zaragoza and the Toledo Cathedrals the three unique Gothic Cathedrals with five naves in Spain.

– Plaza Nueva: There is the Seville’s Town hall.

– Plaza de toros de la Maestranza.

– Archeological Museum and Arts Museum of Seville: Both of them are placed on Maria Luisa Park.

– Canal de Alfonso XIII: This watercourse passes just alongside Maria Luisa Park.

– Metropol Parasol: Metropol Parasol is the official name of this construction placed in Plaza de la Encarnación, near the city centre of Sevilla. Popularly, the structure is known as “Setas de la Encarnación” because of its similarity to a big-scale mushrooms.

La Barceloneta: A beach in the touristic centre of Barcelona

November 29, 2013Barcelona, Beach, mountain and nature, Streets and monumentsJorge

La Barceloneta beach (Playa de la Barceloneta) is probably the most popular beach of Barcelona. It is placed in the city touristic centre, at 5 minutes on foot from La Rambla and Columbus Monument.

Also, La Barceloneta is the name of the marine neighborhood which occupies the area around the beach. This historic neighborhood was designed and built in the XVIII century, taking the ground from the sea.

To arrive at La Barceloneta, you can take the metro (Line 4) until Barceloneta Metro Station or Ciutadella – Vila Olímpica Metro Station.

What to visit in La Barceloneta

– The beach (Playa de la Barceloneta): As Barcelona has a warm climate; its beaches have many people during all the year (except maybe in winter).

Frequently, most of the people who go there to have a bath, swim and sunbathe are tourists. That is because the citizens of Barcelona prefer to go to other places where there are fewer people. However, we highly recommend to visit La Barceloneta beach and its surroundings, surely you will enjoy it.

– Ronda Litoral and the seafront: This avenue starts in Barceloneta Metro Station, near the old port and Marina, and goes along the beaches which are in this part of the city.

– Marina / Port Vell: A nice place to see the sea and the ships. Also in there you will find some restaurants and cafes.

– The olimpic port of Barcelona: The olimpic port is placed between La Barceloneta and “Nova Icaría” beach.

More popular places to see near La Barceloneta

– Columbus Monument (Monumento a Colón): One of the most famous statues of Barcelona city. It was built in 1888 for a Universal Exposition and it represents a statue of Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colon) above a pillar, pointing with his right hand to the sea.

– Las Ramblas Avenue: Las Ramblas goes from Catalonia Square to the seaport, and it has a lot of cafes, terraces, pubs and discotheques. In the end of the street, there is the Cristobal Colon statue, one of the icons of Barcelona.

– Maremagnum: This commercial center is located between Colón Monument and La Barceloneta (Moll d’Espanya del Port Vell), just above the sea. In there, you will find shops, terraces, discotheques and a lot of hobby activities.

– The Aquarium of Barcelona (l’Aquarium): The aquarium is in the same location than Maremagnum Comercial Center. They have almost 4 millions tons of water in their pools, where you will be able to see the best of the Mediterranean Sea.

Other buildings and monuments in Barcelona

– The Güell Park: People who visit the beautiful Güell Park can enjoy strolling in its area, sitting down on its decorated benches or admiring its fantastic architecture and the perfection the artwork.

– Church of the Holy Family (La Sagrada Familia): It is a must for tourists that arrive in the Condal City see its outstanding architecture, design and sculptures.

More places nearby

– Sitges: Sitges is also known for its Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, the Barcelona-Sitges Vintage Car Rallys and its Carnival Celebration.

– Castelldefels: Castelldefels is located on the Mediterranean Sea coast of Catalonia, just to 18 km away from Barcelona city.

– La Pineda: With only 3,000 inhabitants, La Pineda (Vila-Seca) is a small town located in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula, at Tarragona Province.

– Salou: Salou is a reference for the holydays of Spring and Summer in Spain.

If you want to visit the whole county, read also our post about the best cities and monuments in Spain.

Estatua de Colón / Columbus Monument (Barcelona)

November 26, 2013Barcelona, Streets and monumentsJorge

Columbus Monument (Monumento a Colón) is one of the most famous statues of Barcelona city. It was built in 1888 for a Universal Exposition and it represents a statue of Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colon) above a pillar, pointing with his right hand to the sea (metaphorically, pointing to America, although actually the statue is pointing to Italy).

Columbus statue is placed in the “Peace Square” (Plaza de la Paz in Spanish or Plaça de la Pau in Catalan), which is between La Rambla Street and the port, at the cross of Colon Avenue. The monument measures 60 metres in height, and it is made of iron and bronze.

This area of the city is one of the most popular among the citizens and tourists who visit Barcelona: That is because, staying at Colon, on one direction you will find the Port and the beach, and in other direction there is Las Ramblas Street, where you can visit some important museums, the Gothic neighborhood, La Boquería Market, Catalonia Square, Barcelona Cathedral and many more places. Also, it’s a good place to have a lunch and at night there are many bars and pubs for young people in the area.

To arrive at Columbus Monument, you can go by metro (Line 3, Drassanes Metro Station).

More important places near Columbus Monument in Barcelona

– Las Ramblas: “La Rambla” is a famous street in the centre of Barcelona where citizens and visitors can walk, visit monuments, eat and rest in the terraces, see the port of Barcelona, go shopping or go to pubs during the night. Generally, the whole area around this street is full of people, not only during the day, but also in the night.

– Maremagnum: This commercial center is located beyond Columbus Monument, just above the sea. In there, you will find shops, terraces, discotheques and a lot of hobby activities.

– La Barceloneta beach: In summer, you can sunbathe or swim in the beach of La Barceloneta, which is 5 minutes walking from Las Ramblas – Columbus Statue.

La Latina Neighborhood: Eating and drinking in the center of Madrid

November 24, 2013Gastronomy, MadridJorge

La Latina is a central neighborhood of Madrid whose bars and restaurants are highly popular among the citizens.

In Madrid, many people is used to going to La Latina at the weekends (especially on Sundays, at midday and afternoon), and visit its bars to eat “tapas” (small dishes of food) and “cañas” (glasses of beer) or wine.

To arrive at La Latina in Madrid, you can go by metro (La Latina Metro Station, using the Line 5) or walk from Puerta del Sol or Plaza Mayor (10mins approx.).

Bars, restaurants and terraces in La Latina

At the weekends, La Latina is always full of people, especially on Sunday at lunch and dinner time, but also in the afternoon and night.

Once you arrived at the metro station, you will see premises everywhere. If you want to eat, our recommendation is to go to “Cava alta” and “Cava baja” streets and check the offers of the different bars and restaurants of the area.

On Cava alta and Cava baja streets, there are a lot of premium places, and also much cheaper ones which offer original and good quality food (from my point of view they are the best places). Finally, some restaurants are cheap but the quality of the food is not the best, so we recommend to look for the best places which could offer a good price.

Other interesting places in the neighborhood: Cebada Market and La Latina theater

Apart from the restaurants, La Latina is also known for its Theater (Teatro de La Latina) and its Market, called Mercado de La Cebada. Both places are visible from the exits of the Metro Station. Read also our post about What to see in Madrid.

Lavapiés: Another zone to eat, near La Latina

If you have already been in La Latina and you want to try something new to eat, Lavapies Neighborhood is placed really close to La Latina and there you will find many more restaurants. When we talk about restaurants, Lavapiés is divided in two zones: On one hand, in Lavapiés Street there are plenty of places to eat ethnic food (Indian, Turkish, Libyan, African…). On the other hand, in the surroundings of Lavapiés Metro Station you will have the opportunity to eat tapas and Spanish food.

More places to visit in Madrid, near La Latina

– El Rastro: (Only on Sundays) In this street market you will find clothes, books, art, antiquities and any other kind of objects. The market is placed at Ribera de Curtidores Street and its surroundings all Sundays from 9:00 to 14:00 h. – Puerta del Sol: This emblematic place is one of the reference points more used in the city, and many citizens are used to dating with other people from this point. – Plaza Mayor: In this traditional square there is a Felipe II statue rounded of white ancient buildings. The young people in the city are used to going to this square to eat squid sandwiches. Moreover, some politicians told once about taking a coffee in there… but from our point of view, there are a lot of better -and cheaper- places in Madrid places to do it). – San Miguel Market: Inside of this famous market you will find an incredibly variety of food: juices, “tapas”, “croquetas”, hamburgers, fruit, fish… all of this of the highest quality. – San Anton Market: This market is placed in the center of Chueca Neighborhood, It is focused in “tapas” and premium food to eat in its stalls and restaurants.

Granja de San Ildefonso: A Royal Palace with gardens and fountains (Segovia)

November 22, 2013Emblematic buildings, SegoviaJorge

The Royal Palace of San Ildefonso (popularly known as La Granja de San Ildefonso) is a magnificent palace located in San Ildefonso, a small town of Segovia. This palace is famous for its wide gardens with fountains and statues, which are visited by many tourists both in summer and winter.

San Ildefonso is 90km away from Madrid. To arrive there you can go from Madrid by car (1 hour trip aprox.) or from Segovia, which is really close to the palace.

The Royal Palace of San Ildefonso

The Royal Palace of San Ildefonso is a group of buildings that includes the palace, a church, a square and some other buildings. It is surrounded by the town at the entrance of the palace and, behind it, it is placed the gardens with its fountains and statues.

Talking about its history, the palace was rebuilt in 1700 by Carlos II, after several fires. Some years later, in 1724, Felipe V lived there twenty years of his life and improved a lot the gardens and fountains, which currently are the most famous part of San Ildefonso.

Visiting the interior of the palace can cost between 4 and 9€. However, to visit the gardens and its fountains is free. (Many people go there only to see the gardens).

The gardens

The gardens of San Ildefonso have an XVIII style and were designed by René Carlier. They consist on a combination of forest areas with paths, statues and fountains inside them.

To visit the gardens is free, and it is a perfect place to stay one day resting, taking photons and enjoying the nature.

The fountains

Inside the gardens, the most popular elements are the fountains. They are placed all in the gardens and some of them have marble statues of gods as Apollo and Neptune. Also, you will find some waterfalls, bridges and many more.

In total, there are eleven fountains: Carrera de caballos (Horse race) , La cascada (The cascade), El canastillo (The basket), Las ocho calles (The eight streets), Las ranas (the frogs), Los baños de Diana (Diana baths), La Fama (The fame), La selva (The forest), Los dragones (The dragons) and Las Tazas (The cups).

San Ildefonso: The town

San Ildefonso Town is by the entrance of the palace. Although is a small town, is the perfect place to park your car, to rest, to take a coffee and eat the traditional food of Segovia in its restaurants.

Touristic map of El sitio de San Ildefonso: Royal Palace, gardens and fountains

Here you have a map of the palace and the gardens with its fountains and statues.

More cities to visit near San Ildefonso

– Segovia: With its impressive roman aqueduct and its Alcazar, Segovia is a must for tourists who are visiting the central region of Spain.

– Madrid: The capital of the country is always plenty of cultural and leisure activity.

– Salamanca: Salamanca has the most ancient university of Spain. Also, visiting its historic centre is like to stay in the medieval age, surrounded of elegant stone-made buildings, churches, squares and monuments. Salamanca is surely one of the best maintained traditional cities of the country.

– Toledo: Toledo is an historical city with a lot of ancient buildings and monuments which make a medieval atmosphere for everyone who want to visit it.

– The best cities to visit in Spain: Read here our list with the best destinations of Spain.