Even before I moved to Spain, and particularly before I started reading about Spain, I was fascinated by the clash between the idea of Catholic Spain and the other peoples, cultures and faiths who've lived here. The more I travelled around the country, and the more books I read, these others – particularly Moors and Jews – emerged as not just temporary alien visitors, but an enduring presence through the centuries. A plan formed, slowly, to visit Toledo, bringing these books along as guides, to see how this story of Spain might be written into the buildings of one of the country's most famously Catholic cities, a place described by Jan Morris as the “repository of all that is proudest, … [Read more...] about A literary trip through Toledo’s historical labyrinth
spain travel
Madrid’s new river
Unlike the great rivers of Europe - the Rhine, the Danube or the Seine, so often evoked in art and so historically significant as trade routes or the frontiers of empire, Madrid’s Manzanares is more likely to induce a shrug. Or, as is tradition amongst Madrilenians, a one-liner. In parts completely dry during summer, in other parts a series of large puddles, it’s often not much more than a riverbed with a stream running through it. Or, as one Spanish writer suggested, a trail of saliva. Descending from the Sierra de Guadarrama to the north of the city before - 87 kilometres later - giving up the ghost and dumping into the River Jarama to the south, it skirts Madrid’s western edge as … [Read more...] about Madrid’s new river
Córdoba
Andalusia has a handful of candidates for this list, not least Granada and Seville. But the former capital of the Islamic caliphate comes out on top for several reasons. The Mezquita is the obvious one: a massive, labyrinthine mosque that is beautiful despite having a Catholic cathedral dumped on top of it. In addition, central Córdoba has maintained its appeal despite the brutal urban development raging around it, and what’s better than a wander around the Jewish quarter after a plate of rabo de toro? … [Read more...] about Córdoba
Barcelona
An obvious choice for obvious reasons: the Sagrada Familia temple, the Gaudí park, Montjuïc, the finest football team on earth, more Gaudí, and a beautiful, freakish coastal skyline. But beyond the evident draws there is plenty more. The Ramblas may be a haven for pickpockets and boozy foreigners and have all the charm of a German autobahn, but just round the corner is the smaller, more pleasant Rambla del Raval. The most rewarding parts of Barcelona are where the visitors rarely tread. … [Read more...] about Barcelona
Vigo
Many will raise an eyebrow at the sight of this Galician industrial town being included and will argue that its more fêted rivals/neighbours Santiago de Compostela and A Coruña both make stronger cases. But anyone who has gazed across the Ría de Vigo to Cangas after strolling the length of this city’s immaculately maintained promenade will understand. There’s not much in particular to see or do in Vigo, but that’s part of its appeal: it’s not trying to pander to anyone. Cheap accommodation, a maze of knee-aching hills and stupendous octopus seal the argument. … [Read more...] about Vigo
Bilbao
Not so long ago, Bilbao was seen as an unattractive place, known for its industry and the dark-suited bodyguards who escorted public figures threatened by ETA around town. But today the city is perhaps the most obvious example of “modern Spain”. Much of its regeneration is due to Frank Gehry’s angled, shining Guggenheim Museum, perched on the bank of the Nervión river. The building boosted the economy, draws millions of tourists and has given the city a renewed confidence and sense of identity. Also, where else can you find such an artful giant spider? … [Read more...] about Bilbao
Madrid
When it comes to sights, the capital can’t compete with Barcelona. The Almudena Cathedral is pretty ugly, there’s no waterway to speak of, and the skyline is basically four massive, incongruous towers plonked at one end of town. But the point about Madrid is that you don’t see it, you live it. Go for a few drinks in Lavapiés, flea-market shopping in La Latina’s Rastro, or an autumnal walk through the Retiro, and tell me you’d rather be in Barcelona, queuing three hours to get into a cathedral that hasn’t even been finished… … [Read more...] about Madrid