The Grandeur and Magnificence of Spain
One of Europe's best-known countries may also be one of its least understood
- Published: 28/03/2010 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Brunch
Spain could be Europe's most exotic country. From soulful flamenco and delicious food, to avant-garde architecture and cities, Spain is a beguiling mix of stirring and often curious traditions, live-for-the-moment hedonism and a willingness to embrace the future with a relentlessly adventurous spirit.
But let's start with the drama and diversity of the Spanish landscape. Some of Europe's most beautiful mountain ranges - the Pyrenees and Picos de Europa in the north and the Sierra Nevada in the south - are found there, and often close to coastlines of singular beauty, particularly in Asturias, Galicia and Almeri'a in Andaluci'a.
Adding personality to Spain's natural splendour, villages of rare and timeless beauty have colonised the most improbable locations. Whether in the postcard-perfect pueblos blancos (white villages) of Andaluci'a or the stone-and-timber architecture of hamlets across Central Spain and Aragon, these are vestiges of Old Spain that still cling to traditions like nowhere else in Europe.
A world away, Spain's dynamic cities are temples to all that is modern and cool. Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville have become bywords for that peculiarly Spanish talent for living the good life, and for doing so at full volume and all night. At the same time, most cities promise a daytime feast of more sedate but nonetheless exceptional sites, from world-class art galleries to graceful Islamic-era monuments, from barrios (neighbourhoods) overflowing with mediaeval charm to zany Gaudi flights of fancy.
And yet, for all of Spain's obvious appeal, some visitors feel as though visiting the country is akin to standing outside a riotous party with your nose pressed up against the glass. Spain is perhaps the best-known, least-understood country in Europe, but it's also one of the most welcoming and accessible. By demystifying the central pillars of Spanish life - such as flamenco, Spanish cuisine and eating customs - this guide takes you inside that party, where having a good time is almost guaranteed.
This is an edited extract from
'Discover Spain', Lonely Planet
Publications, 2010.
For more information
visit http://www.lonelyplanet.com.
TOP SPANISH ITINERARY
THE BIG THREE - TAKE FIVE DAYS AND CHECK OUT THE SIGHTS FROM BARCELONA TO GRANADA
DISCOVER SPAIN: Available from all good bookshops for 895 baht.
Even in five days, you can get a taste for what makes Spain special. Spend a couple of days in Barcelona, take a high-speed train to Madrid for one night, then a train (four to five hours) or flight to Granada for two more nights.
1. BARCELONA
There's no better introduction to Spain than strolling along La Rambla, then branching out into the 15th century Barri Gotic with its fine monuments, lovely plazas and mediaeval streetscape. You could pause in the Museu Picasso, but make sure you leave time for the city's astonishing collection of works left by Antoni Gaudi': La Sagrada Fami'lia is one of Spain's most extraordinary buildings, followed closely by Casa Batllo, La Pedrera and Park Guell. There's also some terrific shopping, and this is one of the best places in Spain to sample innovative Spanish (and Catalan) food.
2. MADRID
With just a day in the Spanish capital, head for the Museo del Prado with its masterpieces by Velazquez, Goya and a host of European masters, followed by a visit to the nearby Centro de Arte Reina Sofi'a for a dose of Salvador Dali' and Picasso's peerless Guernica. For some quiet down time, immerse yourself in the oasis that is the Parque del Buen Retiro. After dark, pass through the Plaza Mayor, then skip from bar to bar in La Latina, famous for its delicious tapas varieties. Dip into Madrid's nightlife and you may not emerge until dawn.
3. GRANADA
It's a four- to five-hour train journey to Granada, but consider flying to save time. Spend your first day exploring Albayzin, Granada's one-time Islamic quarter, with its whitewashed tangle of lanes that tumble down the hillside.
Also don't miss the gilded La Capilla Real, the city's extravagant Christian counterpoint to the dominant Islamic splendour. For food, Granada has some of Spain's most generous tapas and there are excellent places to sample some flamenco. But it's the Alhambra, arguably Spain's most beautiful collection of buildings and streets, that you came so far to see, so make sure you get an early start and plan to spend as much of your second day there as you can.
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น