Read novels set in Spain to get you excited about your trip or, even better, to read while you’re there. Lots of authors have been inspired to set novels in Spain, many of which revolve around art.
Each of the novels listed in this post relates in some way to the arts–from flamenco to Cervantes to Spanish Baroque art and more.
In the heart of Granada, a family witnesses the worst horrors of the Spanish Civil War. Divided by politics and tragedy, everyone must choose a side, fighting a personal battle as Spain tears itself apart. With wonderful scenes featuring flamenco, this novel is a must-read for Spain bound travelers.
Dulcinea is a feminist reimagining of Cervantes’s Dolça, the fictional muse behind Don Quixote. The daughter of a wealthy merchant, young Dolça Llull Prat is besotted with the dashing, bootstrapping Miguel Cervantes from their first meeting. When Miguel renders her as the lowly Dulcinea in his great Quixote, revealing their association, he commits an unforgivable offense, and their decades-long affinity is severed—until he reaches out to her one last time.
Presented as a fictionalized autobiography, The Master of the Prado begins in Madrid in 1990, when Sierra encounters a mysterious stranger named Luis Fovel within the halls of the Prado. Fovel takes him on a whirlwind tour and promises to uncover startling secrets hidden in the museum’s masterpieces—secrets that open up a whole new world to Sierra.
This a dual-time novel about artists and identity. Esther Markstrom and her artist mother have always been proud of their ancestor, painter Francisco Vella. They even run a small museum and gallery dedicated to raising awareness of his scandalously underappreciated work. But when Esther reconnects with her former art history professor, she finds her once-solid family history on shaky ground as questions arise about Vella’s greatest work–a portrait entitled The Lady with the Dark Hair.
When art historian Cate Adamson discovers a hidden painting, possibly a Baroque masterpiece, she risks her career, financial disaster, and further alienation from her family and flees to Spain with the painting to consult art experts.
Following her birth 1500, Renaissance-era artist Mira is raised in a Pyrenees convent believing she is an orphan until she learns the terrible truth about her true origins, and must determine whether she possesses the strength to face those who would wish her harm.
Listed in the Literature category on Art In Fiction, The Lines Between Us is a dual-time book that takes place in Madrid in 1661 and Missouri in 1992. The connection between the two eras leads Rachel in 1992 to try healing the wounds caused by her mother’s lifelong reticence.
The bequest of a cello bow sets Feliu on the path to becoming a musician, an unlikely destiny given his beginnings in a dusty Catalonian village. When he is forced to flee to anarchist Barcelona, his education in music, life, and politics begins.
Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son who mourns his mother’s death, finds comfort in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julián Carax. But when he sets out to find the author’s other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written.
Want more novels set in Spain? You’ll find many more on Art In Fiction, the website I created to showcase novels inspired by the arts.
Guidebooks About Spain
My favorite travel writer, Rick Steves, of course has produced an excellent guidebook on Spain. Rick’s suggestions are pretty much always on the mark. I also enjoy Lonely Planet books for their comprehensive accommodation guides, particularly for budget places.
Tours Around Spain
Visit some of the destinations mentioned in the featured novel. This 5-day tour that starts in Madrid, takes you to Cordoba, Seville, Granada, and Toledo.
Have you read a novel set in Spain, particularly an arts-inspired one? Do you have a favorite guidebook? Share your recommendations with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below.
Check out these posts that provide suggestions for what to read in other European countries:
I spent two weeks exploring fascinating Madrid (minus a three-day excursion to Ávila and Cáceres at the end of week one) and fell hopelessly in love. Madrid is, quite simply, one of Europe’s easiest cities to visit and enjoy.
From sightseeing to strolling to eating to just chilling out in the many parks–Madrid is the place to hang out if you’re looking for a city that feels more like a cheerfully crowded village.
In this post, I chronicle my day-to-day activities during our two-week stay.
Before I launch into my celebration of Madrid, I’ll say a word about expectations. Gregg (husband, artist & frequent travel companion) and I first visited Madrid together in 2010 and stayed two nights. I remember Madrid as loud, noisy, crowded, and really not very nice. Also, on the second night, both of us came down with colds. This, of course, wasn’t Madrid’s fault, but our experience there did color our opinion of the city, already tainted by the fact that on Gregg’s solo visit to Madrid in 2004, he’d been pick-pocketed in the train station.
So when Gregg was given the opportunity to exhibit his paintings in Madrid, I was at first dubious. Did I really want to hang out in that big city for almost two weeks? Was it fair to judge Madrid on the basis on two not-so-great experiences of short duration?
Thank goodness we decided to give Madrid another shot. Staying for an extended period in Madrid was a wonderful experience. We are hooked on this city of four million souls.
Orientation to Madrid
The map below includes the places mentioned in this post. Click a number to find out more information.
We set off from Burgos around noon and drive two hours south to Madrid through beautiful mountainous country. I hadn’t realized that a mountain range—the Sierra de Guadarrama—runs to the north of Madrid.
Our drive into Madrid is smooth and thankfully uneventful. We follow the instructions provided by our accommodation to find the parking lot, and in no time are parking the car and making our way into the fabulous ApartoSuites Jardines de Sabatini.
ApartoSuites Jardines de Sabatini
Located just to the west of the center of Madrid and across the street from the Royal Palace (the rooftop terrace overlooks the palace), the ApartoSuites Jardines de Sabatini is the perfect place to stay in Madrid, particularly if you’re driving. It’s located just outside the Limited Access zone on a main road easily accessed from the motorway, and a short walk from the historical center of Madrid.
I can’t say enough about how great this place is. We stayed for twelve nights in two different but both excellent suites and could not have been more satisfied with our choice. The hotel is stylish and well-appointed and the staff are extremely helpful and friendly, always smiling and saying hola every time we leave or enter the lobby.
Here are pictures of the living room/dining room, the bedroom, and the very spacious bathroom with one of the largest bathtubs we’ve ever had in a hotel room.
As mentioned, the ApartoSuites Jardines de Sabatini is directly across the street from the Royal Palace. A lively rooftop bar takes full advantage of the stunning view, especially at night when the palace is floodlit.
Settling Into Madrid
Once settled into our one-bedroom suite, we stock up on a few food essentials at the small supermarket just down the street, and set off to explore.
We cross the busy street and climb the stairs to the broad plazas and formal gardens surrounding the Royal Palace. Over the next two weeks, we’ll walk this route many times, never tiring of the many views of the palace.
The changing of the guard is about to take place so we hang out for a few minutes to see the troops march past. Like Madrid itself, the ceremony is low-key and easy-going, lacking much in the way of pomp and circumstance. A handful of guards troops in, two guards on horses join them, there are a few salutes, and that’s about it.
In search of the historical centro of Madrid, we take a wrong turn and end up walking too far in the opposite direction! Tired now and in need of food, we retrace our steps to our hotel with the intention of further exploration the next day.
First Impressions
We have almost two weeks in Madrid—plenty of time to explore! And our first impressions are very positive. My only problem is that I have zero sense of direction in Madrid. In Paris and Rome, I pretty much know where I am most of the time, even without GPS. Landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Seine, or the Tiber and the Colosseum, help orient me. But in Madrid, I have no focal points yet, apart from the Royal Palace.
But orientation will come and I’m content to wait.
Eating In – Once!
In the evening, we decide to stay in and cook dinner—the only night we do so during our entire stay! Although our suite is equipped with a kitchenette, it’s a very small one with just a two-burner stovetop and very few cooking pots and utensils. But that’s okay. Madrid has thousands of restaurants catering to every taste, and prices are reasonable.
I make a tasty pasta dish with the limited facilities, declare that I’ll likely not cook in again, and then we’re early to bed.
Day 2: Wednesday, October 18 – Hanging the Exhibition in Madrid
The priority of the day is to visit the gallery and hang Gregg’s show. After a walk around the ‘hood in the morning, we take a taxi to the Gallery Captaloona where we finally meet Claudio, the gallery director, in person. He’s already got most of the paintings hung so after having a quick coffee in the bar next door, he and Gregg set to work hanging the framed pieces and tweaking the installation. I sit at Claudio’s spacious desk and work on my novel.
Public Transit in Madrid
Afterwards, we go in search of the Metro where we purchase a Metro card and load it with twenty rides—hopefully sufficient for the duration of our trip (it is). I ask the attendant if we need two cards, or if we can use just the one card with one of us going through the turnstile first, then handing it back to the other. I ask because in Paris both people require their own card. The attendant tells me that one card is fine and I confirm that Gregg and I must always stick together. He laughs.
We ride the Metro to Puerta del Sol, the very center of Madrid.
Puerta del Sol
Puerta del Sol (#1) (Gate of the Sun) is a large public square that is one of Madrid’s best known and busiest places. It is also the center (Km 0) of the radial network of Spanish roads.
Here also is the Statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree (El Oso y el Madroño) that was installed in 1967 and represents the coat of arms of Madrid. I take the obligatory picture and then we set off to explore the area.
Around the square is a warren of small streets, most pedestrianized. We soon relax into the Madrid amble as we window shop our way towards a stop for lunch and then home. We are slowly getting a handle on where we are so that my fixation on my phone’s GPS becomes less necessary as I become more familiar with the streets.
Plaza Isabel II
We emerge into the Plaza Isabel II (#2), the location of the Opera Metro and our touch point for entering and exiting the centro from our hotel. A quick stroll around the Opera house brings us to the Royal Palace in all its brilliant white-façaded glory.
We hang a right in front of the palace, wind through the formal palace gardens to the top of “our” stairs and moments later, we’re crossing the busy Cuesta de San Vincente and entering the ApartoSuites Jardines de Sabatini.
Day 3: Thursday, October 19 – A Day of Art in Madrid
The day dawns wet and cold. Really wet! The word monsoon comes to mind. It’s the first really wet day of our trip which, considering we’ve been on the road almost a month, means we have nothing to complain about. We receive a text from Claudio at the gallery warning us that attendance at the opening that evening will be sparse. However, since invitations have been sent, we decide to go ahead with the opening and then to have another opening (more of a closing) the following week.
First up is a visit to a local hairdresser. The staff at the Jardines made the booking for me the day before. I tell the stylist to give me a short cut and she does, charging me a mere 14 euros. What a bargain! It’s one of the best cuts I’ve ever had–easy to manage and perfect for life on the road.
I slosh back to the hotel and we get ready for a visit to the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza. It’s new territory for both of us and we’re excited to see what it has to offer. When we get down to the lobby and see just how ferocious the rain is, we ask the front desk to call a taxi. Sometimes comfort takes precedence over budget.
Well, quite often, actually, particularly as we get older!
Taxis in Madrid
Taxis in Madrid are very affordable, and Ubers are even cheaper, we discover later. We never wait longer than five minutes for either. A trip to the Thyssen on the other side of the centro costs about 10 euros and is well worth it. But even with an umbrella, I’m soaked by the time I exit the taxi, step into a puddle, and wrestle the umbrella open.
But no matter. Minutes later, we’re inside the Thyssen. The security guard deftly wraps my umbrella in plastic and directs us to the cloakroom where we join a long line-up to leave our coats and the umbrella. Better that than dripping all over the marble floors.
Visiting the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid
We start first with the marvelous collection of 19th-century art—mostly Impressionists—that graces the first floor. Within seconds, we are gobsmacked by the depth and breadth of the Thyssen’s (#3) collection. While it doesn’t contain many super-famous pieces like the Musée d’Orsay does, it contains a lot of variety and some truly stunning pieces.
Here are just a few highlights.
Reclining Nude Shepherdess, 1891, Berthe MorisotTwo Breton Women Under an Apple Tree in Flower, 1892, Paul SérusierThe Cliffs at Le Pouldu, 1884, Émile Bernard Still Life with a Parrot, 1907, Robert Delaunay
There are plenty more excellent pieces from all eras, starting in the 15th century right up to some by mid-20th-century masters such as Ernst and Dali. There’s also an interesting special exhibition of Picasso.
We see it all and then retire to the café for a well-deserved coffee and snack.
Opening of Flamenco Abstractions
We float out of the Thyssen and wash into a taxi for the rain-drenched journey back to our place for a quick pit stop before getting into another taxi to go to the gallery. We’ve been warned not to expect many people because of the rain, but as it turns out, quite a few people show up and we have many interesting conversations.
Afterwards, we ride the Metro back to our ‘hood and enjoy a late dinner in Old Madrid. The rain stops obligingly and we stroll home through the palace gardens. Madrid at night feels safe and family-friendly.
Day 4: Friday, October 20 – Cooking in Madrid
I start the day by walking a block down the street to a lovely coffee shop where I snag a table on the upstairs level and enjoy a caffe con leche, a fruit smoothie and a pastry while working on my novel. I’m in heaven! Here’s the view of the street from my writing perch.
Temple of Debod
After my writing stint, Gregg and I set off in search of an Egyptian temple. Called the Temple of Debod (#4), the monument dates back to the 2nd century BC. It was donated to Spain by the Egyptian government to save it from floods following the construction of the Aswan Dam. The temple was transported to Madrid and rebuilt stone by stone, opening to the public in 1972.
The park where the temple is located is just a few minutes’ uphill walk from our hotel. After the rains of the day before, the air is brisk and clear. We climb several flights of stairs to a viewpoint that overlooks a massive park to the west of Madrid, then head out in search of the temple.
It’s pretty darned impressive! We enjoy a walk around it and snap a few pictures.
Lunchtime calls so we descend to the Plaza de España to check out Cervantes and his most famous creation and find something to eat (not exactly difficult in Madrid!).
Plaza de España
The Plaza de España (#5) was renovated extensively a few years ago with all parking and traffic sent underground, and the plaza itself reopened only for pedestrians in 2021. It’s a delightful space with playgrounds, sculptures, parks, and a huge statue of Cervantes behind his two most famous creations.
Tapas Cooking Class
At 3 pm, I set off for a location in the centro to take a tapas cooking class. With great confidence, I make my way to the bus stop only to discover that the GPS was directing me to take the Metro, not a bus. Fine. I jump on a Metro and within seconds realize I’m on the wrong line. Sigh. Of course, the next stop is miles away—taking a good five minutes to get to.
Times a-ticking, so I jump off and onto another Metro only to discover that it’s also going in the wrong direction. What kind of a seasoned traveler am I? The next stop is even farther away—so far, in fact, that when I emerge onto the platform, I hear birdsong and see only trees. The station is outdoors and I must go up stairs and cross the tracks to get to the other side. Finally, I get on the right Metro going in the right direction. I still have a good ten minute walk to the cooking school from the Metro and arrive breathless and late. The chef has already started describing the ten tapas we will make.
Making Tapas
No matter. I tie on my apron and listen to her talk about the dishes. She then assigns a dish to each person. My job is to make a cold tomato soup. I cut up garlic and a lot of fresh tomatoes, then throw them in the blender and turn it on. I then add several pieces of bread which apparently will help the soup thicken. Interesting! Finally, I drizzle in about a quarter of a bottle of olive oil and keep blending until the final result is smooth and red.
And wow, does it taste amazing! So fresh—like eating sunshine from a spoon.
Over the next three hours, we make ten tapas. The chef/instructor never stops–she’s a whirling dervish tending to everyone’s questions and directing us to do something new when we’ve completed a task. I’m one of a few participants chosen to flip a potato and egg tortilla. The pictures show that I wasn’t wholly successful!
After all the tapas have been made, we take pictures and then dig in. My favorite is the tomato soup I’d made and the cheese popsicles. I’m not so keen on the tortilla, not being a potato lover, but I did enjoy learning how to make it.
Book a Cooking Class Through Get Your Guide
Here are some options; mine was the 2.5-hour Tapas class.
After the class, I walk home through narrow, twisting streets. When I get to the palace, I snap pictures of a luscious sunset.
Day 5: Saturday, October 21 – Art and Flamenco
After enjoying my morning routine of breakfast and writing at “my” local café, Gregg and I go for a splendidly solitary stroll in the Jardines Sabatini–the landscaped gardens attached to the palace that we access from an iron gate (closed at night) across the street.
Jardines Sabatini
The gardens (#6) are simply magical–plenty of twisty paths and sunlit dells. For the remainder of our stay in Madrid, Gregg goes every day to the gardens to paint.
Visit to the Prado in Madrid
The main item on the agenda for the day is a visit to the Prado (#7)–one of Europe’s great art museums on par with the Louvre, the Uffizi, and the National Gallery. It’s a must-visit if you want to stand in the presence of some of western art’s most iconic pieces. What I love about the Prado as compared to the Louvre (not so much the Uffizi or the National Gallery) is that it’s very accessible. Yes, it’s large–three floors with dozens of rooms and hundreds of masterpieces–but it’s not too large. We are able to see almost every room and every time period, from medieval to 18th century, in about two hours of leisurely strolling.
I have bought tickets in advance (a must to avoid long lines) and within five minutes of arriving, we’ve sped past a long line and are standing at the entrance of the main gallery. I snap off this picture before discovering that photography in the Prado is forbidden. Oops!
No Pictures!
While at first I’m disappointed not to be able to snap pictures of my favorite paintings, I soon feel grateful for the photography prohibition. Often in art museums, I spend more time hovering in front of a painting waiting for others to move so I can get a good shot than I do appreciating the painting.
Freed of the compulsion to document our visit, Gregg and I wandered happily from room to room, thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to stop in front of paintings we like to discuss why we like them.
Get Your Tickets with Get Your Guide
I recommend buying your tickets in advance through Get Your Guide or even splurging for a guided tour. You’ll learn a lot and are sure to see all the highlights.
Banco d’Espagna
After our visit to the Prado, we walk over to the impressive Banco d’Espagna (#8) to catch the Metro home for a wee rest before another trip highlight to come–flamenco!
Here’s a shot of the wedding-cake banco d’Espagna. What a great building. It really says “Madrid” to me–so imposing and kind of in your face, but in a good way.
Plaza Mayor
Gregg and I love going to flamenco shows and so of course we’ve booked one in Madrid. We have an early dinner of tapas in the imposing Plaza Mayor (#9), then make our way to the Tablao Las Carboneras.
The Plaza Mayor, by the way, is a great place to visit, but I don’t recommend eating at the restaurants there. Most are multi-lingual tourist traps with food that is at best mediocre. At least that was our experience, and I have read other reviews that say the same. Visit the plaza to enjoy its architecture, then eat at a place in a side street nearby.
Flamenco at Tablao Los Carboneras
We arrive and are ushered into a “tablao.” This is a room with small tables where patrons are given one “free” drink and a small plate of olives and cheese. Unfortunately, we are seated to the left of the stage and so need to crane our heads around to see the dancers and can’t really see the singers and guitar player at all.
Oh well. Once the lights go down, the three dancers (two women and one man), a male singer, and a guitarist come out and start playing, and we are mesmerized. Flamenco is endlessly fascinating to me. Every performance is different with every dancer, singer, and musician bringing their own soul to the dance floor. Flamenco reminds us of jazz because, like jazz, it is improvisational. One dancer listens and then responds to the singer and the guitarist while the other dancers egg them on with cries of Huzzah and Ole! You can see that they are completely consumed by their performances.
The only fly in the flamenco ointment is that the group of girls next to us won’t stop talking, particularly during the guitar solo (which is heart-rendingly fabulous). I tried to ignore them, but it is irritating and takes away from the pleasure of the evening. We resolve to catch another flamenco performance at a different place before we leave Madrid.
Flamenco Shows on Get Your Guide
Here are a few flamenco shows sold through Get Your Guide. We went to performances at Los Carboneras and Emociones.
Joining the Throngs
After the show, we sail out into the evening and join the throngs of Madrileños out strolling on a Saturday night. The crowds move slowly, everyone chatting and enjoying each others’ company. It’s so darned civilized, and so very different from how we spend our evenings back home! The solitude of island living can be soul soothing, but sometimes, it sure is cool to join the human race in a city like Madrid.
Day 6: Sunday, October 22 – Off to Ávila
We leave the ApartoSuites Jardines de Sabatini for a three-day trip to two small cities to the west and southwest of Madrid. Our first stop is Ávila, a walled city sometimes called the Town of Stones and Saints. The medieval walls are impressive, but they are a good twenty minute walk through dreary suburbia from our hotel. Orson Welles once named Ávila as the place in which he would most desire to live, calling it a “strange, tragic place”. He filmed scenes of his 1965 film Chimes at Midnight in the town, and more recently, some of the town was used as backdrops in Game of Thrones.
I rather wish we’d booked a hotel within the walls, but Gregg has a horror of driving into medieval villages, based on several mishaps over the years! And why add to the stress? Our hotel–the Hotel Exe Reina Isabel–is lovely and was very easy to drive to so no complaints except for its distance to the medieval part of the city.
In Ávila we encounter the first chilly temps of our trip. I am obliged to bring out the hat, gloves, and scarf I’d brought and hoped not to need.
Getting Medical Attention in Ávila
Once we’re settled, we go in search of a doctor to look at my plugged ear. The pharmacist in Madrid told me that I really should see a doctor since over-the-counter remedies have done nothing for five days. After much walking and a taxi ride, we end up at a hospital emergency that won’t take me because they can’t accept payments. They kindly direct us to a clinic that turns out to be five minutes from our hotel. Once there, the nurse hums and haws and finally lets me pay 120 euros to get looked at by a doctor.
The nice doctor who doesn’t speak much English concludes I have an ear infection and writes out a prescription – antibiotics for five days plus spritzing twice a day with another concoction, presumably to soften the wax buildup. Fun.
We trudge back through the dreary streets to the magnificent medieval town to look for the only pharmacist for miles around that is open on a Sunday afternoon. We’re discovering that Spanish small towns on a Sunday can be very, very closed.
Fortunately, we find the pharmacy, get the prescription, wander a bit through completely empty streets, admire the impressive medieval walls, then return to our warm hotel room for an early night.
Day 7: Monday, October 23 – Cáceres
We’re up and on the road early for the 2.5 hour drive to Cáceres (#10), another medieval town quite close to the Portuguese border. We’re staying in a country resort that is remarkably reasonable considering it was once a palace. It’s called Hospes Palacio de Arenales and Spa.
We arrive after lunch and decide to stay put for the rest of the day. I try out the very warm swimming pool and various jacuzzi jets, then we have a light dinner in the bar. The weather outside is cold, so staying warm indoors wins over sightseeing. The palace itself is magnificent.
Day 8: Tuesday, October 24 – Exploring Cáceres
We are staying two nights in Cáceresso the next morning after a sumptuous breakfast, we drive into the town to check out the medieval center. Most of Cáceres is forgettable–a town like any town in Europe. We find a parking space and walk into the historical center. It’s pretty deserted but certainly atmospheric. We snap a few photos, visit the church, then have a hearty lunch in the main square.
Our three-day sojourn from Madrid has been relaxing but has involved a bit too much driving considering the payoff.
Day 9: Wednesday, October 25 – Return to Madrid
We are happy to return to Madrid this morning. The three-hour drive through fairly dreary landscapes flies by. Before we know it, we’re pulling into the parking lot next to the ApartoSuites Jardines de Sabatini. We are greeted like old friends and given keys to a new suite on the fifth floor at the back of the building.
Sunset View
The view of building rooftops is not particularly inspiring, but does include glimpses of some memorable sunsets.
Once settled, we go for a good long walk through the narrow streets of old Madrid before ending up at Plaza de España and the stairs leading down to “home.”
On this, our re-entry day into Madrid, we do very little beyond the walk. I have travel arrangements to attend to. We’ve decided to cut our trip short by two days, thereby eliminating a long drive from Padua to Lyon in France. As a result, I must spend several hours online with KLM making the flight changes, then reshuffling our accommodations.
Thank goodness for booking.com. I know that properties prefer clients to book directly with them because booking.com charges a 10% commission, and I sympathize. However, for a long trip such as ours, having all our accommodations together on one website is so convenient. I’ve never yet been on a trip when I didn’t make some changes to our itinerary and the associated accommodations. Canceling and rebooking accommodations on booking.com is a breeze.
For dinner, we opt for Thai food at a little place down the block. Its reviews are excellent and we are tired. Also, I’m craving Asian food after a fairly steady diet of Spanish tapas. They can be a trifle on the heavy side and vegetables are rarely featured. I want something spicy and fresh and Thai food fits the bill.
Turns out it is a good choice. We share one appetizer and one red curry made with crispy duck and are pleasantly full.
Day 10: Thursday, October 26 – A Day of Nothing Much in Madrid
Today is our day off from our 66-day sojourn. I start the day at my favorite café and write for an hour before Gregg comes by. We decide that a day off is a good day to go in search of a new suitcase for me. One of the wheels on my suitcase was broken on the plane and now lists to one side. I don’t fancy its chances of surviving two more flights.
Gran Via – The Heart of Madrid
Off we go up the stairs to Plaza de España and then along bustling Gran Via (#11)—the main artery that cuts through central Madrid. Gran Via is the Broadway of Madrid on which most of the theaters are clustered along with the big hotels, chain stores, and fast-food restaurants. It’s a delightful street to stroll along—wide and clean with imposing buildings on both sides. The Plaza de España is at one end (near where we are staying) and the Prado is at the other end. Here are some pictures of the magnificent architecture along the Gran Via.
Some Rest and Relaxation
When we get back from our shopping trip, new suitcase in tow, I indulge in an afternoon nap and it does feel good to just rest! Traveling is wonderful, but it can also be hard work. I’m grateful to have such a comfortable place to stay. In the evening, we climb the stairs back to Plaza de España and look for an Indian restaurant. We are the first customers at 8 pm. The food is plentiful and tasty.
Day 11: Friday, October 27 – A Visit to El Retiro
A sunny day! We plan another quiet day in Madrid prior to going to the second opening this evening. I start my day at my favorite café. By this time, the servers know me and smile with recognition first at my order and then point upstairs to my favorite table overlooking the action. I love starting my day this way—the bustle and clink, the murmur of voices—never too loud in Europe, the wagging tails of the dogs brought in by their owners. When I get upstairs to “my” table, three little mop dogs are tethered to the table behind. They get very excited when I come up and jump up with much wagging of tails and bodies.
After working for about an hour, I drop my computer back at the Jardines and we embark on our outing of the day—a walk through Retiro Park. We stroll across the street and up the stairs to the gardens flanking the Royal Palace, skirt the palace and go around the Opera house to arrive at the Opera Metro station. A few stops later, we emerge across the street from Retiro Park.
Retiro Park in Madrid
Paris has the Luxembourg Gardens, London has Hyde Park, Rome has the Borghese Gardens, Berlin has the Tiergarten, and Madrid has El Retiro (#12). I’ve been to all of them and I have to say that Retiro in Madrid is my new favorite.
Gorgeous trees, wide walkways, a large lake studded with rowboats being lazily propelled in the October sunshine, an exquisite rose garden, and a lot more make Retiro a delightful place to spend an hour or two. We walk from one end to the other, sometimes joining the throngs of people on the larger avenues, and other times veering off to small pathways where only the occasional jogger lopes past.
Retiro is 118 hectares of green space in the very center of the city and was built in the mid-17th century for King Felipe IV.
We walk the length of the park and emerge into a workaday neighborhood where I’m sure we’re the only tourists. We stop into a cafeteria for lunch and enjoy a bargain meal–two very filling sandwiches, two coffees, a soda water, and two desserts for about 12 euros. All very tasty and fresh! We are finding that food prices in Madrid, particularly away from tourist areas, are extremely reasonable. And even in the tourist areas the prices are still less than what I’d pay in Vancouver for comparable quality–a lot less!
Second Opening of Flamenco Abstractions
In the evening, we go again to Captaloona Gallery for the second opening. More people come and we enjoy many interesting conversations along with some sales. All in all, a successful evening! Afterwards, we take the Metro back into Old Madrid and enjoy yet another excellent meal.
Rez Mad Rid Festival
The Rez Mad Rid Festival (we finally figure out that it means Lights Madrid) has started and all over Madrid sound and light shows are set up. At the Royal Palace, black Hallow’eenish tendrils crawl across the facade to the accompaniment of suitably spooky sound effects. On the side of another building, the projection of an artist “painting” with light entertains us for several minutes.
The streets and walkways are teeming with people and the cold air is alive with their conversations.
Day 12: Saturday, October 28 – Royal Palace and More Flamenco
I’d booked a guided tour of the Royal Palace (#13) a few days earlier, and so at 9:40 set off from ApartoSuites Jardines de Sabatini to stroll across the road to the palace grounds and through them to meet the tour at the statue of Felipe II. The morning is chilly with a biting wind. I’m grateful when finally, after much milling about and waiting in line, we are ushered into the palace.
Our guide is a perky and well-informed young woman wearing a bright purple hat and blue raincoat so she’s easy to spot among the dozens of more soberly clad tourists.
I used to turn up my nose at guided tours, but I’m coming to see their worth in small doses—about two hours is my maximum. I learn more from a live guide than I do from the ubiquitous audio guides that always make me want to fast forward.
The Royal Palace Tour Begins
Our guide starts off by giving us a quick summary of the history of the palace, which is the official residence of the Spanish royal family (although they don’t live there). Back in the 1730s, Philip V decided to have a new palace built after the mouldering fortress that Spanish kings had been occupying for centuries burned to the ground. Apparently, the fire roared through the old place on New Year’s Day, not long after all the best paintings had been taken out. Coincidence?
Measuring 135,000 square meters with more than 1,400 rooms, the Royal Palace is massive. Thankfully, the tour explores only a handful of the rooms, but what a handful. The first room we enter is laden with massive chandeliers, and I snap a picture.
Seconds later, I’m almost bowled over by a very angry guard.
“No pictures!”
“Sorry!”
He wags a thick finger at me and for a second I’m worried he might tackle me to the ground and confiscate my phone. Instead, he turns away, grumbling under his breath as he readies himself to pounce on the next unsuspecting tourist.
The guide apologizes to the group for neglecting to tell us that photographs are not allowed. She also acknowledges that the guard was somewhat aggressive. No kidding! My heart rate doesn’t return to normal for two more rooms. I feel like the very worst sort of cultural criminal.
Sumptuous Rooms in the Royal Palace
Sumptuous is putting it mildly. Ceilings are covered in frescoes, walls with silks and paintings; objets d’art including some pretty nifty clocks sit atop beautifully carved tables, and there are chandeliers galore. It’s somewhat over the top but hey, it’s a palace. The guide provides just enough history and stories to bring the place alive without overdoing it.
One room displays a collection of five instruments made by Stradivarius. Each is worth tens of millions of euros and can only be played by a virtuoso. It would be amazing to hear how they sound!
We also check out the banquet room and the throne room, and learn that the current king came to the throne in 2014 after his dad, King Juan Carlos, abdicated following a series of scandals involving the misuse of government money. King Felipe VI looks to be an upstanding fellow. The palace is getting ready to host a major royal event when his eldest daughter, the heir to the throne, pledges her loyalty to the constitution. The palace will be closed for several days.
Should You Visit the Royal Palace?
Is a visit to Madrid’s Royal Palace worth a few hours of your time? I think so. Despite its massive size, it’s one of the more accessible palaces I’ve toured, and the history of the various kings and queens who inhabited it is fascinating. If you go, I suggest signing up for a guided tour and choosing the first tour of the day so you enter the palace when it opens at 10 am.
Access to the rooms is through very narrow entranceways. I find it crowded enough early in the day and can’t imagine what it would be like later on. I think getting from room to room would take twice as long.
When I emerge from the palace at 12:30 at the end of the tour, the line-up to get in stretches for a few blocks. So yeah, go early.
After my tour, I meander slowly through crowds of tourists (the most I’ve seen since arriving in Madrid) to return to the hotel. The air is still cool, but the sun is shining and the palace gardens are as inviting as ever. Once again, I’m struck with how comfortable a city Madrid is. People don’t rush around here, not like they do in Paris or Rome. There are also very few bikes and almost no cars in the center of the city so walking is a pleasure instead of an exercise in death-defying dodging.
Accessing Health Care in Madrid
Back “home” at the Jardines Sabitini, I connect with a local doctor to help me with my ongoing ear problem. Forty minutes after I call a number for a Madrid doctor on call, a doctor arrives at my door. She is from Colombia and quickly gets to work solving my ear problem and also providing help with some skin issues I’ve been having since coming to Europe. She is a wonder! The cost is 130 euros and she comes equipped with a Visa machine.
What a service! She tells me that she is on call for 24 hours and that the morning was very busy with people suffering from major hangovers after over-indulging in the Madrid night life. Many people told her they would never drink again, but she tells me with a twinkle in her eye that she doesn’t believe them.
Another Flamenco Show in Madrid
On the agenda for the evening is yet another flamenco show. Ever since seeing our first live flamenco in Barcelona in 2010, Gregg and I have been obsessed. In fact, Gregg’s exhibition in Madrid is heavily inspired by the flamenco shows we’ve attended over the years.
We opt for Madrid: “Emociones”, billed as one of Madrid’s best flamenco shows. It’s in a theater rather than a club and we hold out hope that we’ll snag better seats than we did for the flamenco show we attended a week earlier. With that goal in mind, we leave home at 5 pm and walk about 25 minutes through what are becoming the familiar streets of Madrid to get to the theater. Along the way, we join the throngs on Gran Via.
Saturday Night in Madrid
It’s Saturday night and the street is packed to the gunnels—and it’s only 5:30! But it will only become more crowded, as we’ll discover after the show.
We arrive and are shown to absolutely first-rate seats in the second row directly in front of the stage. The price includes one drink each. Gregg orders agua con gaz and gets a nice big bottle that I share, while I order a white wine (my first in over a week to celebrate finishing a round of antibiotics). It’s a good choice since it is a very small glass of white wine!
Still, we’re not there for the drinks. The lights go down and the hour-long show begins. We are introduced one by one to the six performers who will pour their hearts onto the stage, literally to be stomped upon. The cast consists of two female dancers, one male dancer, a guitarist and two female singers. Together, they present a mesmerizing show that really showcases the various roles each of the components play—dancers, musicians, singers.
The Flamenco Performance
The three dancers dance together and then each takes the stage separately to perform breathtaking solos. We are at eye level with the feet and especially during the man’s performance, I fix my gaze on his shoes and watch with wonder as he slides, slides, stomps, stamps, taps, and even jumps. Meanwhile, he fixes a haughty gaze high above the heads of the audience and with his hands alternates between slow snaps, sinuous arms movements, and then rapid grabbing of his jacket and wrenching it back and forth like a matador’s cape.
As in every flamenco show we’ve attended, the guitarist takes a solo.The flurry of runs shivering up and down the neck of the guitar has me swooning. I don’t think there’s any kind of guitar playing more perfect, more soulful than Spanish guitar playing. It truly is poetry performed by ten impossibly strong fingers.
Day 13: Sunday, October 29 – Tango in Madrid
In the morning, I go out to my favorite place for morning coffee and to work on my novel. At 11:30, we hop in a cab and go to the gallery where Gregg and Claudio take down and pack the show. It has been a success in many ways, not just with some sales but also because of the contacts made and people met.
Claudio is very supportive of Gregg’s work and promises more connections and possibly another show in Madrid. Will we return? Who knows? I certainly like this city with its calm and easy atmosphere. Madrid feels more like a village than a big city, despite the crowds. Perhaps it’s because there is virtually no traffic noise in the streets of Old Madrid. With almost all cars banned from the city center, most streets are either pedestrianized or have so little traffic that it’s common to walk most of the time in the center of the street, only moving calmly aside when a car comes sedately along. No cars horns blaring, no sirens, no feeling of imminent demise, and as mentioned, almost no bikes or scooters.
Uber in Madrid
After packing up the show, we call for our first Madrid Uber. I’m surprised that I’m required to enter my passport number before I can order one. Apparently, it’s a requirement of the Spanish government. I have no idea why but I guess I’ll forever be registered in some Spanish government archive as having ordering a 7 euro Uber on October 28, 2023.
Back “home,” we go for lunch at a nearby café that’s packed to the gills with locals enjoying a cheap Sunday lunch. The food is definitely budget-friendly and filling, but the one server is run off his feet and a good lunch is followed by twenty minutes of waiting for il cuenta. Finally, he tends to us after passing by numerous times with a promise to return, only to have us pay the wrong amount! He has to run out of the café to collect an extra thirty cents because I thought the bill read 20.50 and it was 20.80!
Gregg spends the afternoon drawing and I head out for a last swing through the centro to see if I can pick up some Madrid souvenirs. I’ve bought nothing so far in this wonderful city. Souvenir shops are brimming over with tackiness. I snag some jewelry, a flamenco fridge magnet and a mug.
Tango in the Evening
At 7 pm, we meet Claudio and his wife for what turns out to be an epic treat–a performance by two masters of the tango at Café Berlin. One sings and the other plays the harmonica and all the rhythms are inspired by tango.
What a tour de force! Accompanied by an amazing guitarist, the two men entertain us for over 90 minutes. In addition, every so often, guests come up on stage and sing. We love every minute of it. Here’s a link to a video Gregg took: https://www.facebook.com/1262160445/videos/350491717540159/
After the performance, we go out to a marvelous meal with our new friends. As we stroll home through the Sunday evening crowds, we feel very grateful for how well our Madrid odyssey has gone.
Day 14: Monday, October 30 – The Ballet
Last full day in Madrid! I have nothing planned beyond working on my novel in my favorite café, working on this journal, doing some research, going for lunch somewhere, and getting packed up before we head out of town tomorrow.
After my morning stint at the café, Gregg swings by and we go for our last stroll in the Jardines Sabatini across the street. We wind our way down sylvan paths completely alone with the trees and unable to hear the traffic from the street above us. We walk farther than we have in the past and discover a rose garden, more statues, and a few other follies, along with some great views of the palace up on the hill. The leaves are turning fast now and with the sun filtering through, we are in a magical place.
After dropping back into our place to recharge my phone, we set out again to find an art store. Gregg needs to stock up on more conté pastels before the next phase of our trip. During our travels, we spend a fair amount of time searching out art stores.
The big event of the day is a performance of Swan Lake by Ballet Kiev.
Swan Lake
Neither of us has ever seen a full-length ballet (with the exception of The Nutcracker when I was a little girl), so we are excited to see what Ballet Kiev has in store for us. The dancing is beautiful, with glittering costumes and sets. At a mere 40 euros for excellent seats (and no one next to us so we are able to stretch out), the evening is excellent value.
We dance our way home through almost empty streets. It’s a Monday evening and apparently even Madrid sometimes slows down.
Day 15: Tuesday, October 31 – Maestras
Our last morning in Madrid! We pack the car and set off via Uber for the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisz to see a special exhibition of women artists called Maestras.
Our driver is obliged to take almost an hour to get from our hotel to the museum (about a 30-minute walk away) because many roads are blocked off. The Crown Princess is giving her oath fo the constitution in Parliament today and security is tight.
Maestras at Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisz
Finally, we arrive (I add on an extra-big tip!) and we tour the exhibition. It’s excellent! Not only are the pieces chosen gorgeous to look at; the thematic organization is very thought-provoking. Works by so many of my faves are featured, including Artemisa Gentilleschi, Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, and Rachael Rausch.
Time to Say Goodbye
And finally, it’s time to say adios to Madrid and hola to Valencia. We say our good-byes to the staff at the ApartoSuites and promise to return! They have truly made our stay a pleasure.
Minutes later we’re on the road out of Madrid. The GPS doesn’t disappoint and before we know it Gregg’s staring down the A3 for the next three and a half hours.
Even after twelve days in Madrid, we missed a few museums I’d wanted to visit, such as the Costume Museum, and didn’t get a chance to pop into the Reina Sofia to say hi to Picasso’s Guernica. I also never visited the imposing cathedral and I’m sure missed a few more worthy sites.
But hopefully, we will return!
Madrid Walking Tours
GuruWalk lists pay-what-you-please walking tours that connect tourists with tour guides all around the world. Check out their tours of Madrid!
Madrid Tickets & Tours
Here are lots of options for getting tickets and tours through Get Your Guide. I use their tours frequently and can recommend them wholeheartedly.
I also like the tours and ticket options available through Tiqets.com
Conclusion
Have you been to Madrid? Share your recommendations in the comments below. Also, here are more posts about Spain.
Do you enjoy reading novels set in the places you are traveling to? I know I do. I love curling up at the end of a long day of sightseeing and reading a novel that helps me revisit the places I’ve seen.
I’ve chosen my top ten novels based on two criteria. First, the novel needs to evoke a sense of the place in which it was set, and second, it needs to relate in some way to the arts. You’re sure to find some new-to-you reads to take along on your next trip, or even to stay at home with.
England
Entertaining Mr Pepysby Deborah Swift
Entertaining Mr Pepys is the third novel in Deborah Swift’s “Women of Pepys’ Diary” series. All three novels are worth taking along if you are spending time in London and want a fascinating glimpse of what life was like in the 1660s. Famed diarist Samuel Pepys is at the center of this and the first two novels (Pleasing Mr Pepys and A Plague on Mr Pepys), each following a different woman who knew Samuel and was mentioned in his diary. In Entertaining Mr Pepys, the actress Elizabeth (Bird) Carpenter takes center stage as she navigates the world of the theater when women were finally allowed on stage as actresses. If you enjoy impeccably researched historical novels with plenty of intrigue, then the “Women of Pepys’ Diary” series is for you.
The Lost Book of the Grail by Charlie Lovett
While traveling in England, plan on touring some of its awesome cathedrals (don’t miss York Minster, Salisbury Cathedral, and Durham Cathedral to name just three of my faves!) and then settle down with The Lost Book of the Grail. The setting is an ancient cathedral in the fictional town of Barchester. Flashback chapters open with succinct descriptions of cathedral areas such as cloisters, the nave, chapels, and more that I found fascinating. Through a series of clever flashbacks, you navigate the history of the cathedral from its founding by a martyred saint through the Norman invasion, Reformation, Civil War, Victorian era, World War II, and modern times. The plot’s twists and turns provide enough mystery to make the denouement both surprising and satisfying.
France
Drawing Lessons by Patricia Sands
Are you taking a trip to Provence? Then pack or download a copy of Drawing Lessons, a delicious novel set in Arles that follows a woman’s quest to redefine herself after the death of her husband. Patricia Sands evokes the sensuous delights of Provence so beautifully that you’ll feel like you are there. And if, indeed, you are there, you’ll have the sights and smells that surround you confirmed in the story.
The Paris Hours by Alex George
This is the novel to read when you’re spending time in Paris. The Paris Hours tells the stories of four “ordinary” people during one day in Paris in 1927. Along the way, they encounter an extraordinary panoply of luminaries including Hemingway, Proust, Picasso, Gertrude Stein, Ravel, Josephine Baker, and even Sylvia Beach, the proprietor of Paris’s most famous English bookstore, Shakespeare & Company. Alex George brings the ambience, and the people, of Paris to life as he takes readers through streets and parks they can still walk through today. Surprises and twists abound in one of the most cleverly plotted and exquisitely written novels I’ve read in a long while.
Germany
And After the Fireby Lauren Belfer
I am a huge fan of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach (check out my visit to the Bach Museum in Leipzig) and so And After the Fire was the novel for me. It tells the fascinating story of a lost Bach manuscript with a disturbing message. The story spans over two hundred years, from Berlin in the 18th century through the Holocaust to New York in contemporary times. Inspired by historical events, the compelling narrative of this deeply researched and evocative novel resonates with emotion and immediacy.
Chasing the Wind by C. C. Humphreys
Heading for Berlin? Take along Chasing the Wind, a rollicking good adventure that mixes a Bruegel masterpiece, a female aviator, espionage, and the 1936 Berlin Olympics. It’s a page-turner, so make sure you’ve finished your sightseeing for the day before reading it, else you may decide to stay in your hotel room and read rather than go out to sample Berlin’s many museums (check out Booming Berlin: Your Artsy Guide for suggestions about what to do during a three-day visit to Berlin).
Italy
Raphael, Painter in Rome by Stephanie Storey
No trip to Rome is complete without experiencing the art of Raphael, Michelangelo and da Vinci. And the perfect novel to accompany you is Raphael, Painter in Romeby Stephanie Storey, and her other novel Oil and Marble. Both chronicle the lives of three of the most renowned artists in western Europe: Raphael in Raphael, Painter in Rome and Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci in Oil and Marble. Even in the 21st century, there are parts of old Rome in which only a small leap of the imagination is needed to be transported back to the Renaissance when intrigue lurked around every corner and the smell of oil paint was heavy in the air. Raphael. Painter in Rome takes you deep into the heart of a Rome that may be long gone but still lingers in the imagination after dark.
Netherlands
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
One of the things I love about touring the Netherlands is how the light often reminds me of an Old Master painting. One of the most famous is Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. So, the perfect read for fans of his work is the novel of the same name by Tracy Chevalier. Set in 17th-century Delft, Girl with a Pearl Earring is a richly-imagined portrait of the young woman who inspired the painting. I love how Chevalier seamlessly merges history and fiction in this and many of her other novels set in Europe, including The Lady and the Unicorn (14th-century France), Burning Bright(late 18th-century London), Falling Angels (early 20th-century London), A Single Thread(1930s England), and Remarkable Creatures (early 19th-century England).
Spain
The Return by Victoria Hislop
I picked up a copy of The Returnin a second-hand bookstore while wandering the back streets of Antibes seeking shade at the height of the 2019 heat wave (la canicule, as the French called it). It was the perfect novel to read while traveling west into Spain. It takes place both in the present and during the Spanish Civil War, a time in history about which I knew very little. The story of a flamenco guitar player (a tocadores) and a flamenco dancer (a bailaora) who fall in love in 1930s Granada and are separated during the terrible excesses of the Spanish Civil War will stay with you long after you leave Spain.
The Miramonde Trilogy by Amy Maroney
For a book lover, few things are more enchanting than enjoying a novel and then discovering that it’s the first in a trilogy. I had that experience after reading The Girl from Oto, the first offering in Amy Maroney’s trilogy about a female artist in Renaissance Spain, the other two novels being Mira’s Way and A Place in the World. I read all three not long after I traveled through the Pyrenees where much of the story takes place. Amy Maroney brings the region to life wonderfully—its wildlife and independent mountain people, the sweeping landscapes and harsh weather, and the turbulent history during the time when King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were on the throne.
What’s your favorite artsy novel set in Europe? Share your recommendations with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below.
When it comes to artsy favorites, Spain has more than its fair share of wonderful sights and experiences. From amazing flamenco to mind-bending modern art to soul-expanding palaces and cathedrals, Spain is a treasure that keeps on giving.
Every time I travel to Spain, I discover new layers of a culture that stretch back millennia.
In this post, I share some of my favorite artsy experiences in Spain.
Map of Spain: Suggested Artsy Favorites
The map below shows the locations of the artsy sightseeing favorites mentioned in this post. Click a number to read more about the location.
My husband Gregg and I are crazy for flamenco and see it every chance we get when we travel in Spain. In fact, Gregg loves it so much that he created a whole series of pastel drawings based on his experiences seeing flamenco in Spain.
Flamenco Abstraction 7 by Gregg Simpson
Flamenco Abstraction 6 by Gregg Simpson
We’ve experienced flamenco in Seville, Cordoba, and Barcelona.
Flamenco in Seville
Seville is the place to go to see a wide
variety of flamenco shows, although we’ve also seen good shows in both
Barcelona (even though it’s not flamenco country) and Cordoba.
When you’re in Seville (#1 on the map), start with the Flamenco Dance Museum. Purchase the combo ticket that includes the museum and a late afternoon flamenco show. On your second night in Seville (and seriously, spend at least two nights and preferably three in this most Spanish of cities), attend a flamenco show at Los Gallos.
Flamenco dancers in Seville
The Flamenco Dance Museum exhibits a marvelous collection of flamenco-related objects, films, and paintings and explains the history of flamenco and the meaning of the various terms. Baile is dance, Bailaor is dancer, cantaor is singer, palmas is the rhythmic hand-clapping that accompanies flamenco song and dance, and duende is the soul force that inspires the art of flamenco.
The flamenco dancers and musicians at the Flamenco Museum put on a heart-stomping hour-long concert. Get your tickets in advance. The room was packed!
Options for Seeing Flamenco in Seville
The show at Los Gallos is intimate and incredible. We’ve seen it twice and both times we were completely blown away.
Seeing Flamenco in Barcelona
Catalan Barcelona (#2) is not a center for flamenco. However, we saw our first performance of flamenco there at the Palau de la Música. Called Opera y Flamenco, we enjoyed an utterly spellbinding evening of opera arias by a tenor and a soprano, flamenco dancing by a man and woman, and traditional flamenco singing by a woman. A band of about eight that included guitars, piano, cello, violins, and drums blew the roof off.
I was having heart palpitations by the end. Rarely, if ever, have we experienced such an awe-inspiring evening of music. The flamenco dancing was enough to turn even the most hardened non-romantic into a giant goose bump.
The concert we saw may not be playing when you’re in Barcelona but definitely make room in your itinerary to tour the Palau de la Música or take in a concert. The stunningly ornate modernista building will take your breath away. I write more about it in Favorite Concerts & Performances in Europe.
Seeing the Palau de la Música in Barcelona
Historical Art–a Must See for the Artsy Traveler
Historical art in Spain takes in a lot of centuries, going as far back as 30,000 years ago and beyond. Spain has several cave art sites and is world-renowned for its master artists, including Velasquez, El Greco, and Goya, among others.
Cave Art
So far, we’ve visited only one cave art site in Spain—La Pileta (#3) near Ronda in southern Spain. The hour-long tour in the dimly lit cave took us past paintings that are at least 30,000 years old. Reservations are required; check the website to book your tour time. The drive up a steep and winding road to the entrance of the cave is half the fun of a visit here.
We learned about the Caves of Pileta (Cueva de la Pileta) from the owner of the beautiful little hotel we stayed at out in the countryside near Ronda (see Where to Stay in Spain: My Best Picks).
We’re big cave art fans and plan to visit the ‘queen’ of the cave art sites –the Cave of Altamira (Cueva de Altamira) in northern Spain near the charming town of Santillana del Mar. Featured are charcoal drawings and polychrome paintings of animals and human hands.
Detail of the replica of paintings of the Cave of Altamira
The Cave at Altamira is the premier site for exploring prehistoric art in Spain. Buy tickets in advance from the website.
The Prado
The Prado in Madrid (#4) is one of the world’s major art galleries, on a par with the Louvre and the Rijksmuseum. We enjoyed touring the Prado which exhibits many of the biggies, including Bosch’s TheGarden of Earthly Delights, Velasquez’s Las Meninas, Goya’s 6th of May, and a whack of Raphaels, Rubenses, Durers, El Grecos, et al.
Shown above is the Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, surely one of the coolest paintings ever!
Although large, the Prado not as daunting as the Louvre and certainly not as crowded. You can get fairly close to masterpieces that you’ve seen in art books for years. There’s no doubt that the real thing is, well, the real thing! There’s no comparison to a reproduction.
Put the Prado at the top of your artsy must-see list when you visit Madrid.
Options for Touring Art Museums in Madrid
Modern Art for the Artsy Traveler
Spain is home to several modern art museums, the most famous being the Reina Sofia and the Guggenheim Bilbao. Don’t miss either one if you’re a modern art fan.
Reina Sofia
The Reina Sofia (#5) is the major modern art museum in Madrid and houses Picasso’s Guernica along with assorted works by Miró, Dalí, etc. Guernica did not come to Spain until the 1980s after the death of Franco. Now it has pride of place in a room of its own.
The painting is massive and far more powerful in real life than in reproduction. You’ll sense how enraged Picasso felt as he painted it.
The Reina Sofia is a well-designed gallery that
combines a modern area with the arched hallways and barred windows of an old
hospital. In many of the rooms, a film representative of the period is playing.
Most were from the silent era which made following them a lot easier.
The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao (#6) is hands down one of my very favorite modern art museums in Europe. The building itself is fabulous as are the many sculptures surrounding it, including the beloved Puppy. He’s the massive Highland Terrier created by Jeff Koons and made from living flowers that guards the entrance to the museum.
Several of the most famous artists of the 20th century were born in Spain including Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Salvador Dalí. Each has museums dedicated to their art along with pieces in most major collections.
Picasso Museum
For more Picasso, visit the exquisite Picasso Museum (Museu Picasso) (#7) in the Barri Gòtic, the medieval center of Barcelona. Picasso truly was a master of it all—a painter, printmaker, ceramicist, sculptor, stage designer, and even a poet and playwright. The Museu Picasso includes over 4,000 works artfully displayed.
Miró Foundation
A visit to the Miró Foundation (Fundació Joan Miró (#8)) in Barcelona is just plain fun. Located in the Parc de Montjuïc, it’s a subway or bus ride from the Plaça de Catalunya and well worth an afternoon of your time. I write more about it in my post Two Packed & Fabulous Days in Trendy Barcelona.
Dalí Museum
If you’re driving from southwest France into Spain, consider stopping in Figueres to visit the majorly quirky Dalí Theatre-Museum (#9). If you are a Dalí fan (I confess I am not), the museum is a worthwhile stop. The area also has other Dalí sites including the Salvador Dalí House in Portlligat near the charming little town of Cadaques.
Cathedrals to Awe the Artsy Traveler
In this very Catholic country, you’ll find lots of
churches and cathedrals, many dripping with gold brought back from the New
World by the conquistadors.
My favorite cathedral, hands down, is the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Still unfinished after decades of building, the Sagrada Familia is so incredibly quirky at the same time as being heart-stoppingly stunning. The stained glass floods your senses, blocking out the sounds of fellow travelers. Stop, sit, and let your soul be stirred.
Allocate at least two nights in Granada so that you can spend the entire day touring the Alhambra and the Nasrid Palace. The complex is massive and requires stamina to enjoy. Pace yourself and make sure you get reservations well in advance of your visit.
The fabled Alhambra in Granada
In Madrid, the Royal Palace is also definitely worth a visit.
Conclusion
One of the many things I love about traveling in Spain is the variety of interesting sights and regions. At least two weeks is needed to even scratch the surface of Spain. It’s a huge country!
Must-see regions are Catalonia to visit Barcelona, Andalusia to visit Seville, Cordoba, and Granada, Madrid and Toledo in the center, and northern Spain from Santiago de Compostela in the far northwest to Bilbao and Basque country and the Pyrenees in the far west.
Artsy travel experiences abound. Here are more posts to explore:
My two Spain itineraries last for three weeks each because, frankly, you can’t “do” Spain in one trip. But in a three-week period, you can see a fair bit of it by focusing on either the south or the north.
This post presents two itineraries that both include Madrid.
Itinerary 1 starts in Barcelona, goes down the coast to Andalusia, swings by Madrid, visits charming Zaragoza and ends in Barcelona.
Itinerary 2 starts in Madrid and explores Salamanca and northern Spain, before swinging south to take in Burgos and ending back in Madrid.
Sample Itinerary 1: Barcelona and the South
The map below shows the route for a three-week trip to Spain starting and ending in Barcelona.
Day 1: Arrive in Barcelona
Go into Barcelona and get settled. You’ll spend three nights here so you have plenty of time to explore one of Europe’s most visited destinations.
Days 2 to 3: Barcelona
Spend three nights and two full days exploring Barcelona. Highlights include the Sagrada Familia, the Gaudi architecture, the Picasso Museum, the Palau de la Musica, and the Miro Foundation. Read more in How to Spend Two Packed & Fabulous Days in Beautiful Barcelona.
Many Catalan people would prefer Catalonia not be a part of Spain. The last time I was in Catalonia staying for a week in Girona, a Catalan stronghold, Catalan flags bloomed from the windows of many buildings and people spoke Catalan more readily than Spanish.
But don’t worry, most people in the service industries will likely speak English to you or at least respond to your attempts at Spanish.
Memories of Barcelona
One of my most vivid memories of Catalonia was during
a visit to Barcelona when I was 21. I had traveled for two weeks with friends
along the Costa Brava and then returned to Barcelona to spend a day sightseeing
before flying back to England where I was studying. This was in the mid-1970s when
Franco was in power and Spain was not the hip, happenin’ and awesome place to
travel that it is now.
I walked into the Plaça de Catalunya and sat on
the edge of one of the fountains to watch the world go by. The sun shone,
people strolled, all seemed peaceful.
Suddenly, a handful of young men entered the plaza from a side street. They carried two or three placards and were chanting. I stood up for a better look, fascinated by this evidence of Spanish protest in the midst of fascism. I started walking toward the protestors.
Bad move.
A phalanx of armed soldiers started marching directly towards me, sub-machine guns cocked and ready. I looked around. The people who had filled the plaza with noise and laughter moments before were gone. I was completely alone—just me and my orange backpack with its grubby Canadian flag.
I picked up my pack and retreated as smartly as I
could. The soldiers veered away, presumably to arrest the protestors, and I
boarded the first bus I found to take me to the airport—seven hours before my
flight was scheduled to take off.
Barcelona Today
I returned to Barcelona in 2010 and again in 2015.
What a difference!
Barcelona is fun to visit, although in recent years it’s become extremely crowded. Avoid it at the height of summer and plan your time to avoid the worst of the crowds.
Pick up a car at Barcelona airport and start driving south. Spain is BIG! You can’t easily drive from Barcelona to Andalusia in one day so I suggest breaking your trip in Valencia. It’s a pleasant city and the City of Arts and Sciences (La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias) is a spectacular and imposing space well worth a few hours of your time.
Days 6 to 11: Andalusia
You should really spend at least a week in this iconic area of Spain, but if you only have fivedays, then focus on Granada and Seville. Both are Spain must-sees. If you have time for only one of the two cities, then my vote is Seville. I never get tired of visiting this beautiful city with its wonderful food, fiery flamenco and great atmosphere.
You could easily spend a week in this region of Spain enjoying the historic Seville and Granada, before exploring the stunning White Towns – Los Pueblos Blancos—and Ronda with its gorgeous gorge.
On your way north to Madrid, stay a night in Cordoba, one of Spain’s most magical cities (and that’s saying something). Explore La Mezquita, the immense mosque dating from 784 A.D, that features a magnificent columned prayer hall and Byzantine mosaics. In the evening, wander the tiny streets of this lovely city and take in a flamenco performance. I don’t think an artsy traveler can ever see too much flamenco..
Day 13: Toledo
Toledo makes a good stop for a peaceful night before driving into Madrid. It’s a lovely little town with plenty to see. At nights, it’s particularly stunning when the crowds have dissipated and you have the floodlit cathedral to yourself.
Days 14 to 18: Madrid
Drive north to Madrid, leave your car in a parking lot outside the city, or better yet stay at my favorite Madrid hotel: Sabataini drop your car off at the airport, and then spend your last day exploring Spain’s capital. You could easily spend a week in Madrid, but if you only have time for one day, check out my post How to Enjoy a Perfect Artsy Traveler Day in Madrid.
Day 19: Zaragoza
Although on the tourist trail, Zaragoza is a wonderful place to spend the night. We toured the magnificent baroque Nuestra Señora del Pilar basilica, checked out the Aljafería, an 11th-century Moorish palace, and enjoyed some of the best tapas of all our trips to Spain. Zaragoza makes a good place to break the trip from Madrid to Barcelona.
Day 20-21: Barcelona
Drop your car at the airport and spend another night in Barcelona. You could spend your final day taking a tour to stunning Montserrat.
Sample Itinerary 2: Madrid and the North
The map below shows the route for a three-week trip to Spain starting and ending in Madrid that skips Barcelona and southern Spain but does include western and northern Spain.
Day 1: Arrive in Madrid
Go into Madrid and get settled. You’ll spend three nights here so you have plenty of time to explore one of my favorite European cities.
Days 2 to 4: Madrid
Visit Madrid for its fabulous art museums—the Prado and the Reina Sofia. Also, stroll through Retiro Park (El Parque del Buen Retiro or just El Retiro), then join the locals for a late dinner.
Madrid is definitely worth at least three nights so you can thoroughly enjoy seeing some of Europe’s greatest art “in the flesh” and be a part of the lively evening scene.
Pick up a car at Madrid airport and drive to Toledo, a truly delightful place to visit. Perched high on a hill famously depicted in the painting View over Toledo by El Greco, Toledo pulses with history.
Walk the narrow streets, buy some objects made from the world-famous Toledo steel and check out the stunning cathedral.
Panorama of Toledo with the Alcantara Bridge – Spain
Day 6: Salamanca
We visited Salamanca on a driving trip that took us diagonally across northwest Spain from San Sebastian in the northeast to Salamanca in the west, near the Portuguese border and on the same latitude as Porto in northern Portugal.
I highly recommend adding Salamanca to your itinerary. It’s a laid-back, inviting, and friendly Spanish city with a fabulous art nouveau museum.
Enjoy a glass of wine in the massive Plaza Mayor, one of Europe’s most spectacular living rooms, and listen to roving bands of guitarists dressed in medieval garb play vaguely Mexican-sounding music.
Apparently, many people who emigrated to Mexico came from Salamanca and some of the wealthier ones have returned to make Salamanca prosperous. It certainly is a beautifully maintained city.
Days 7 to 10: Santiago de Compostela
Take your time driving from Salamanca to Santiago de Compostela, perhaps stopping enroute in Vigo before heading north. Santiago de Compostela can be crowded, but it’s a fascinating city to explore with an amazing food culture. Definitely check out some of its wonderful restaurants.
Days 11 to 16: Northern Spain
The landscape in the north is mountainous and lusciously green—not the seared brown plain you expect to see in Spain. You could easily spend a week traveling from west to east (or the reverse). I provide a suggested itinerary in my post Exploring Northern Spain & Basque Country.
Fuente Dé mountains in the Picos de Europa, Camaleño, Cantabria, Spain
You can also walk the width of northern Spain on the Camino. I haven’t, but I know many people who have, including guest poster Elizabeth Petrie. Read her two posts about her trip:
The big attraction in Bilbao is the Guggenheim, which you can see in a few hours, and then choose to move on to San Sebastian where sampling pinxhos makes for a fabulous evening out.
Day 19: Burgos
Break your journey between Bilbao and Madrid in historic Burgos. You’ll find lots there to keep you busy, including a visit to the terrific Museo de Evolución Humana (Museum of Human Evolution).
Days 20/21: Madrid
Drop your car at the airport, spend another night in Madrid (take in a flamenco show!), and start planning your next trip to Spain.
Tours in Spain
Here are some tours available through GetYourGuide:
One of the great joys of traveling in Europe as an Artsy Traveler is discovering amazing single-artist museums.
By single-artist museum, I mean a museum established to showcase the art of a specific artist, even if the museum also hosts exhibitions by other artists.
This post recommends lesser known single-artist museums in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, and Spain. I’ve visited all of them, with the exception of the Sorolla Museum in Madrid. Information about this luscious, single-artist museum comes from guest poster Liz Reding who visited the Sorolla Museum in March of 2020, just days before the pandemic shut down Europe.
Map of Europe Showing Museum Locations
The number assigned to each museum in this post corresponds to the number on the map below. For example #1, the Ernst Fuchs Museum is in Vienna (#1 on the map below).
Start in Austria with one of Europe’s weirdest single-artist museums!
If you’re in the mood for quirky and wonderful, then make your way to the Ernst Fuchs Museum in the Wien Hütteldorf, the 14th district of Vienna. You can drive there from central Vienna in about 25 minutes or hop on a bus.
Ernst Fuchs (1930-2015) was an extraordinarily prolific artist who created works infused with eroticism and myth. In the sixties, Fuchs became a style icon and designed architecture, furniture, tapestries, and jewelry. He was a founder of the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism and was celebrated internationally.
History of the Ernst Fuchs Museum
Fuchs’s work is displayed in the fabulously restored Wagner House, designed and built in 1888 as a summer house by the renowned Jugendstil architect Otto Wagner. The place is, quite simply, spectacular. Inspired by Palladio, Wagner designed the house in the style of a Roman villa.
Back in the day, the design attracted international attention. The press wrote: “A strange allure is evoked by this peculiar villa . . .Completely deviating from the usual appearance of similar buildings, the frontal view of the house that sits on the flank of a hill only shows a large open hall between two side wings.”
Fuchs bought the villa in 1972 when it was derelict and scheduled for demolition. In two years, he restored the house to its original architectural glory and for many years used the house as his private studio. In 1988, the centenary of the building of the original villa, the Ernst Fuchs Museum opened.
Work of Ernst Fuchs
Fuchs’s work combines the fantastic with elements of the visionary and spiritual, all infused with a healthy dollop of sixties psychedelic and a lot of naked bodies.
You’ll find eroticism everywhere. Even if you’re not a big fan of the work, you will appreciate its complexity and awesome technique. You come away with a new appreciation for the heights made possible by the human imagination.
Although I wasn’t hugely taken by the overly florid and fantastical artworks, I loved the unique architecture, whimsical design elements, gorgeous mosaics, and above all, stunning stained-glass windows.
Images of Ernst Fuchs Museum
I highly recommend a visit to this unique museum that also includes beautifully landscaped gardens. Here are photographs of some of the rooms in the Ernst Fuchs Museum. Source: Ernst Fuchs official website.
Adolf Boehm Salon at the Ernst Fuchs Museum
Grand Salon at the Ernst Fuchs Museum
Roman Bath at the Ernst Fuchs Museum
Explore Ernst Fuchs Museum in 3D
This fantastic website allows you to walk through the museum and use your mouse to zoom in on every painting and design element. It’s one of the best virtual tours I’ve come across.
Visitor Information
The Ernst Fuchs Museum is located at Hüttelbergstraße 26, 1140 Wien and is from from Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. Tickets cost €11 for adults and €6 for students and seniors or €8 with the Wiencard. For more information, see the Ernst Fuchs Museum website.
#2: Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi, France
Located in the charming town of Albi in southwest France, the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec is a total treat. If you’re in the area, put it on your list and leave yourself lots of time to tour the extensive collections.
Who is Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec?
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) was a leading French artist famous for capturing the personalities of his subjects in loose, free-flowing lines. Born into a wealthy family in Albi, Toulouse-Lautrec’s interest in art flourished following accidents to his legs in his childhood that incapacitated him and resulted in permanent damage.
In the mid-1880s in Paris, Toulouse-Lautrec began his lifelong association with the bohemian life of the cafés, cabarets, entertainers, and artists in Montmartre.
Henri Toulouse-Lautrec Source: Wikipedia
History of the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec
The Musée Toulouse-Lautrec is housed in the Bishop’s Palace (Palais de la Berbie) next door to Albi Cathedral (also worth a visit). The original palace was built in the 13th-century as a fortress to house the bishops of Albi. The original medieval architecture has been maintained with high, thick walls, and a central courtyard.
Palais de la Berbie in Albi, France (Albi Cathedral to the left)
From the Renaissance to the 18th century, the fortress was transformed into a pleasure palace that included sumptuous state rooms and landscaped formal gardens which you can still visit today.
Overlooking the gardens at the Palais de la Berbie that houses the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi, France
When we visited the museum soon after it opened in the morning, we practically had the place to ourselves.
And it’s huge! Room after room feature the world’s largest public collection of Lautrec’s paintings, lithographs, drawings, and posters. The collection is laid out in chronological order, starting with Toulouse-Lautrec’s early work and leading to the massive posters for which he is most famous.
In addition to exhibiting Toulouse-Lautrec’s work, the museum includes a large collection of art from the early 20th century. You’ll also view a fine collection of art from earlier periods, displayed in the sumptuously restored palace rooms.
A visit to the museum includes access to the palace’s classical gardens and panoramic views over the Tarn River.
View over the Tarn River in Albi, France
Work of Toulouse-Lautrec
I was fascinated with the looseness of Toulouse-Lautrec’s work. He uses freely handled lines and colors to convey the idea of movement and to infuse his subjects with personality. You can imagine meeting the same people on the streets of Paris today.
Here are two of the works you’ll see in the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec. Both pictures are taken from the website of the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec.
You’ll likely recognize several of the posters that were used to advertise the Moulin Rouge and other popular entertainment venues in late-19th-century Paris.
Moulin Rouge: La Goulue (1981) by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec Photo: Wikipedia
Ambassadeurs – Aristide Bruant (1892) by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec Photo: Wikipedia
Visitor Information
Tickets for adults cost €10 and €5 for students. The address for the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec is Palais de la Berbie, Place Sainte-Cécile. Find the cathedral and you’ll find the adjacent palace. Hours vary depending on the time of year, but for most of the year, the museum is open from 10 am to noon and 2 pm to 6 pm. From June 21 to September 30, the museum is open from 9 am to 6 pm.
Both the cathedral and the palace are built from bricks that glow pink in the setting sun. Here’s a shot of the cathedral from across the river where we stayed in a bed-and-breakfast.
Albi Cathedral in the setting sun
#3: Musée National Fernand Léger in Biot, France
If you’re staying in the Côte d’Azur, put a visit to this museum on your list of must-sees. As the only museum in the world dedicated to the work of Fernand Léger, this purpose-built museum is truly delightful. You’ll see a fabulous collection of Léger’s paintings, sculptures, drawings, ceramics, and tapestries.
Musée National Fernand Léger Photo Credit: Hans G. Oberlack, Creative Commons
Who is Fernand Léger?
Fernand Léger (1881-1955) was a French painter, sculptor, and filmmaker known for his bright and colorful work–a personal form of cubism known as “tubism”. He often depicted industrial subjects and objects of the consumer age–an art ‘first’–and is considered the forerunner of the pop art movement.
Léger was born in Argentan in Normandy. I recently read that his childhood home is being turned into a museum. That will definitely be on our itinerary the next time we travel in northern France. Check out the article.
In 1955, not long before his death, Léger purchased a villa on the property upon which the museum now stands. Supervised by his widow, construction of the museum began in 1957 with the museum opening to great fanfare in 1960.
The museum exhibits Léger’s work in chronological order, beginning with his realist early work and progressing to his “tubism” period prior to World War I with its emphasis on cylindrical forms and then to his “mechanical period” that was heavily influenced by his war experiences. The collection includes over 450 pieces.
In addition to the collection inside the museum, you’ll want to linger awhile on the grounds to enjoy Léger’s massive sculptures and especially to view the huge murals that cover the outside of the museum.
If you’re traveling with children, the Léger Museum is an excellent stop.
We first visited the museum when Julia was nine years old. She loved it! I think her appreciation for modern art stems partially from that visit. Mind you, growing up surrounded by her dad’s work also likely played a role!
Work of Fernand Léger
Léger’s work is bright, bold, and beautiful. It’s impossible, I think, to tour this museum and not enjoy yourself. The more you study his work, the more you appreciate it.
Here are two works by Léger. Regrettably, I did not take pictures when I visited the museum, so these photos are from the WikiArt website.
“Contrast of Forms” (1918) by Fernand Léger Source: WikiArt
“The Man with the Cane” (1920) by Fernand Léger Source: WikiArt
Visitor Information
Visit the museum every day except Tuesdays, December 25, January 1, and May 1. From November to April, the museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm, and May to October from 10 am to 6 pm. Tickets cost €7.50. Admission is free on the first Sunday of the month. The museum is located at Chemin du Val de Pome, very close to Biot, a small village in the hills above the Côte d’Azur. If you’re traveling by car, you will find it easily. While you’re in the area, don’t miss several other wonderful museums showcasing the work of other 20th-century modern artists.
Two other single-artist museums—the Marc Chagall National Museum in Nice and the Musée National Pablo Picasso in Vallauris— are, like the Léger Museum, part of the network of French National museums in the Alpes-Maritimes department dedicated to 20th-century artists.
#4: Fondation Vasarely in Aix-en-Provence, France
On the outskirts of Aix-en-Provence (one of my favorite towns in the south of France), you’ll find the impressive and undervisited Fondation Vasarely. The museum showcases the massive artworks of Victor Vasarely, a Hungarian-French artist (1906-1997) considered the grandfather and leader of the op art movement.
Fondation Vasarely near Aix-en-Provence, France
Who is Victor Vasarely?
Victor Vasarely (1906-1997) was a French-Hungarian artist who used colorful geometric shapes to create compelling 3D optical illusions.
After settling in Paris in 1930, Vasarely experimented with Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism in the 1940s, then developed his hallmark checkerboard paintings.
Victor Vasarely Source: Wikipedia
History of the Fondation Vasarely
The Fondation Vasarely was opened in 1976 by French president Georges Pompidou.
Each of the seven hexagonal galleries contains six monumental works of art. On our most recent trip there in 2018, some of the artworks were in need of restoration, which is a shame.
Help support the continuation of this stunning museum by paying it a visit when you’re in the area.
Visiting here is like walking through posters from the swinging sixties, which is hardly surprising since the 3D optical illusions that characterize Vasarely’s work have graced the dorm rooms of students for decades.
Work of Victor Vasarely
Here are some of the massive pieces you’ll see at the Fondation Vasarely.
Visitor Information
Located at 1, Avenue Marcel Pagnol on the outskirts of Aix-en-Provence, the distinctive museum is easy to find. Admission is €9 for adults. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm.
#5: Max Ernst Museum near Cologne, Germany
The stylish Max Ernst Museum is located in Brühl, about a twenty-minute drive from Cologne on the way to Bonn. For Gregg, a visit there on a recent trip to the area was akin to a pilgrimage. Gregg has been a fan of surrealist Max Ernst for decades—pretty much since he first became an artist himself.
Gregg outside the Max Ernst Museum in Brühl near Cologne, Germany
Who is Max Ernst?
Max Ernst (1891-1976) was born in Germany and became a naturalised American in 1948 and a French citizen in 1958. He was a painter, sculptor, graphic artist, collagist, and poet, a pioneer of the Dada movement, and a member of the surrealist group.
Towards the end of his life, Max Ernst, along with his wife, noted painter Dorothea Tanning, moved to the charming village of Seillans in the Var region of Provence. We spent two weeks in Seillans in July 2019 where Gregg had an exhibition in a space close to where Ernst and Tanning lived.
The museum features a marvelous collection of Ernst’s work displayed in a thoughtfully renovated space. A modern glass pavilion is integrated into the horseshoe floor plan of the late-classicist Brühler Pavillon, a popular ballroom and social venue that was erected in 1844 and that Max Ernst himself visited in his youth.
Stylishly renovated Max Ernst Museum in Brühl, Germany Photo: Max Ernst Museum Website
You’ll find an extensive collection of paintings, drawings, frottages, collages, and sculptures spanning over 70 years of Ernst’s influential career, including his time in Brühl and Bonn, his Dadaist activities in the Rhineland, his contributions to the Surrealist movement in France, his exile in the United States during WWII, and finally his return to Europe in 1953.
I especially loved the sculptures on the grounds of the museum.
Work of Max Ernst
Max Ernst was a fabulously prolific artist with work that is detailed and complex and wholly distinctive. Here’s a selection of some of my favorite works by Max Ernst. Pictures are all from the max-ernst.com website.
The museum is located at Comesstraße 42 / Max-Ernst-Allee 1, 50321 Brühl and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. At present (May, 2020), admission to the museum is free. For current information, check the museum website.
#6: René Magritte Museum in Brussels, Belgium
The full name of the museum is the René Magritte Museum – Museum of Abstract Art, a double museum dedicated to Surrealism and Abstraction. Now that’s a double bill I can get behind.
On a recent short visit to Brussels, we made a beeline for the Magritte Museum and were not disappointed. As one of the most iconic figures in the surrealist movement, René Magritte deserves his own museum, and this one is first rate.
Who is René Magritte?
René Magritte (1898-1967) was a Belgian artist and probably one of the best-known surrealists after Salvador Dali. Back in the 1970s, I had a poster of his iconic painting of a massive dove called “The Large Family” on the wall of my student dorm–and I was not the only one.
In the 1920s, Magritte moved to Paris from Belgium and became involved with André Breton and the Surrealist group, of which he was a leading member. He exhibited in 1929 with several of the leading surrealists of the time, including Salvador Dalí, Jean Arp, de Chirico, Max Ernst, Joan Miró, Picabia, Picasso, and Yves Tanguy.
In 1930, Magritte returned to Brussels and continued painting there until his death. His imagery has heavily influenced pop, minimalist, and conceptual art.
The museum is relatively new, opened in 1999 shortly after Magritte’s one hundredth birthday. It’s built inside a house that Magritte lived in with his wife and includes an adjoining building that was renovated to showcase 250 masterpieces of Belgian abstract art.
You’ll tour the reconstruction of Magritte’s apartment on the ground floor and then view artworks from a collection that includes over 400 archive documents, photos, and objects, as well as 30 original works. You won’t see some of his most famous works, but you will get a good overview of Magritte’s development.
We loved it!
Work of René Magritte
Magritte’s work is endlessly fascinating–both for its meticulous technique and for its subject matter. Bowler hats, floating rocks, figures that are half animal/half people, and strange juxtapositions of everyday logic. When you tour the museum, you never know what you’re going to see around the next dimly lit corner.
Take your time and enjoy! Here are some of Magritte’s the works from the collection. Photos are all from the Magritte Museum pages on the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium website (Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique)
L’empire des lumières by René Magritte Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Bruxelles / photo : J. Geleyns – Art PhotographyLe Domaine d’Arnheim (1962) by René Magritte – Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Bruxelles / photo : J. Geleyns – Art Photography
La magie noire (1945) by René Magritte Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Bruxelles / photo : J. Geleyns – Art PhotographyGolconde (1953) by René Magritte – Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Bruxelles / photo : J. Geleyns – Art Photography
Visitor Information
Located at Place Royale, Koningsplein 1 in Brussels, admission to the museum is €10 for adults, €8 for seniors, and €3 for students. Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and weekends from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Check the website for up-to-date information.
#7: Museo Sorolla in Madrid by Guest Poster Liz Reding
This description of the Sorolla Museum is written by guest poster Liz Reding. She and her husband visited in March, 2020, days before the museum closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Liz Reding: My husband and I have been admirers of the paintings of Joaquín Sorolla for many years, so on our recent trip to Madrid, a visit to the Museo Sorolla was top of our list.
Who is Joaquín Sorolla?
Born in Valencia, Spain, JoaquínSorolla y Bastida (1863-1923) received his art education in Madrid, Rome, and Paris and was a contemporary of Picasso, Matisse, John Singer Sargent, and Andreas Zorn. He and his wife, Clotilde, had three children.
He painted portraits, landscapes, and monumental works depicting social and historical themes.
The Museo Sorolla is located in the home that Sorolla shared with his family, and is considered one of the best-preserved artist houses in Europe. The collection of more than 1,200 pieces is displayed along with the house’s original furniture and objects.
The house is surrounded by a delightful garden, a real oasis from the rumble of the cars and buses just outside the gate.
Garden at the Museo Sorolla in Madrid, Spain Photo Credit: Liz Reding
By urban standards, this museum is relatively small, but packed with dozens of gorgeous paintings, as well as sculptures, sketches, photographs, water colors, and writings.
One noteworthy feature of this museum is that all the works are expertly hung and well lit. Most of the viewing rooms have deep colors that enhance the paintings with light-diffusing devices, such as a window shade or ceiling tapestry. What a pleasure!
Interior of the Museo Sorolla in Madrid, Spain Photo Credit: Liz Reding
Work of Joaquín Sorolla
Sorolla’s wife and children are featured in a significant number of Sorolla’s paintings, and his love and admiration for them clearly shows. In addition, Sorolla painted many portraits of important people, including U. S. President Taft, and is known for his masterful handling of light, as evidenced by his many beach-scene paintings.
Here are two of Sorolla’s works exhibited at the Museo Sorolla.
Painting by Joaquín Sorolla at the Museo Sorolla, Madrid Photo credit: Liz Reding
Painting by Joaquín Sorolla at the Museo Sorolla, Madrid Photo credit: Liz Reding
Visitor Information
Located at Paseo General Martínez Campos, 37, the Museo Sorolla is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 8:00 pm and on Sundays and holidays from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Tickets cost €3.
Other Single-Artist Museums in Europe
I wish I could say that I’ve visited all the single-artist museums that I’d like to in Europe, but not yet!
Here are just some of the museums I look forward to visiting in the next few years. If you’ve been to any of them, add a comment to let other Artsy Travelers know what you think!
Fondation Jean Dubuffet
Located in Périgny-sur-Yerres in the department of Val-de-Marne, the Dubuffet Foundation includes paintings and massive outdoor sculptures by Jean Dubuffet. Many years ago, we went there only to find it closed, but we did manage to peek through the fence! It looked amazing!
Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern, Switzerland
I’m a big fan of the work of Paul Klee and have his museum on my list for the next time we drive through Switzerland. Check the website for details.
Franz Marc Museum in Kochel, Germany
A modern extension has extended the exhibition space of this beautifully-situated museum, It overlooks a lake near the little town of Kochel in Bavaria, about an hour west of Munich. Franz Marc’s colorful work makes me smile. Check the website for details.
Conclusion
Have you visited any of the museums listed in this post? If so, let Artsy Traveler readers know what you think.
To keep reading about art in Europe, check out these posts:
Burgos is the provincial capital of Castilla y León in northern Spain. Its location on the Camino de Santiago route makes it a natural stopping point for pilgrims traveling the Way. This gorgeous medieval city is well worth a day or two of any traveler’s time.
If you’re traveling in northern Spain, put Burgos on your itinerary. Major sights include:
One of Spain’s most magnificent cathedrals
A castle
An atmospheric old city
Excellent museums, including the world-class Museo de Evolución Humana
The wonderfully photogenic Arco de Santa Maria
Wonderful food.
Museo de Evolución Humana
The Museo de Evolución Humana (#1) (Museum of Human Evolution) is simply terrific and a highlight of our travels in northern Spain. The modern glass construction with high open spaces houses three floors of authentic and reproduction artifacts, including bones, skulls, animal jaws, tools, and portable art.
Adults and kids alike enjoy the interactive displays and quizzes, the videoclips of recent discoveries, the various re-enactments and interpretations of early humans’ social behaviours, and marvellous representations of various members of Australopithecus and Homo.
The museum also includes exhibits on Atapuerca, the archaeological site north of Burgos. Here, Europe’s oldest human fossil remains were discovered in 2007. We walked past Atapuerca on our way into Burgos.
Standing stones near Atapuerca in the Province of Burgos and near the Way
Lucky for us, the museum was almost empty. We were able to spend as much time as we liked in front of the various displays and interactive activities.
Statue of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar
On your way from the museum back to the central plaza in Burgos, you pass a statue of hometown boy Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, better known as El Cid, who was born in Burgos in 1043 and died in 1099.
Statue of El Cid mounted on horseback with sword in Burgos
El Cid was a Castilian knight and warlord who became a Spanish folk hero and national icon as a result of his service in the armies of both Christian and Muslim rulers, and his temporary conquest of Valencia. El Cid is the protagonist in the most significant medieval Spanish epic poem, El Cantar de Mio Cid.
The Cathedral of Burgos
The 13th-century Cathedral of Burgos (#2)—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—is massive, incorporating the church itself, the cloisters, the Bishop’s Palace, and part of the original city walls. The interior has three naves separated by rows of huge columns and flanked by fifteen side chapels containing altars, tombs, relics, and precious artifacts.
Burgos Cathedral is one of the most important cathedrals in Spain.
Everywhere you look, whether on the facades or inside the cathedral, you’ll see decoration or carving. The term “el horror del vacío” (“the horror of empty space”) was never so applicable as in the interior of Burgos Cathedral.
The magnificent star-vaulted dome and the spectacular rose windows are awe-inspiring. Also amazing are the gold plating and ornate carvings on the retablo of the high altar that depicts the life of the Virgin Mary.
Altar in the Cathedral of Burgos
Saints, angels, the nobility, important clergy, and the monarchs appear below the deities—a reminder of God’s absolute power.
One of the highlights in the cathedral is a portrait of Mary Magdalene by Leonardo da Vinci (~1515 ). We also saw one of El Cid’s trunks and a small wooden door with a carved face into whose mouth pilgrims inserted small coins.
If you go, rent the audio guide to learn about the art and architecture. The Cathedral of Burgos ranks alongside the likes of Westminster Abbey, Notre Dame in Paris, and Milan Cathedral—but without the crowds.
Burgos Castle
Include a visit to Burgos Castle (#3), with its original structure and fortifications dating to the 9th century. The small museum is interesting, but the real attraction is the spectacular view over the city of Burgos.
Arco de Santa Maria
The Arco de Santa Maria (#4) is one of the twelve medieval doors that led into the medieval city of Burgos. Rebuilt by Charles V in the 16th century, the structure is worth a stop to admire the carvings on the facade. You can go inside to view special exhibitions and a small museum. At night, the Arco de Santa Maria is beautifully illuminated.
Arco de Santa Maria in Burgos
Tours in Burgos
Here are some options for tours in Burgos through GetYourGuide:
León is a delightful small city that is a bit off the beaten path but worth a visit for its magnificent cathedral, beautiful old town, and the chance to stay in Parador de León, Hostal de San Marcos, Spain’s top parador (see description below).
We stayed two nights in León which, like Burgos, is situated on the Camino. In fact, the Camino crosses the large plaza in front of the parador. The distinctive concha design symbolizing the Camino is everywhere in León, including on the facades of the buildings.
Historic Center of León
The historic centre of León is utterly charming, with narrow streets and very old and historic buildings. Some of the architecture incorporates the city walls of Roman times. You’ll find plenty of small and large plazas lined with outdoor cafés and interesting shops.
Take time to wander around the town, even occasionally getting lost while appreciating the beauty of this wonderfully walkable city.
León Cathedral
Often dubbed La Casa de la Luz (House of Light), the 13th-century Catedral Santa María de León (#5) is magnificent. Soaring sandstone towers glow in the evening light, and the interior is breathtaking, with three rose windows instead of the usual one.
Cathedral of León in Spain
The cathedral was built on the site of the 2nd-century Roman baths, which were converted to a royal palace around the year 1000. A masterpiece of Gothic architecture, the cathedral consists of two towers with a large portal between them, and flying buttresses crusted with gargoyles on the exterior walls.
León is often referred to as the city of stained glass, and no wonder. Windows dating from the 13th to the 15th century contain over 1,800 square meters of stained glass. Also inside the cathedral are hundreds of pieces of sacred art, including examples from Romanesque to Neoclassical times.
León’s cathedral is one of the most important along the Way.
Basilica of San Isidro
Don’t miss the smaller but equally enchanting Basilica of San Isidro (#6). Located on the site of an ancient Roman temple, the church’s Christian roots extend to the early 10th century when a monastery for Saint John the Baptist was erected on the grounds.
Basilica of San Isidro, León – Spain
Built in the Romanesque style, the basilica also has elements of both Gothic and Islamic architecture. Check out the 12th-century painted murals in the funeral chapel of the kings of León. The exceptionally well-preserved murals present New Testament subjects as well as scenes of contemporary rural life.
Stay at the Parador de León
The Parador de León (#7) is one of the most luxurious places I’ve ever stayed. Sponsored by the Spanish government, the parador system of lodgings includes refurbished historic buildings, such as castles, monasteries, and royal residences. The system also includes some purpose-built, modern hotels.
Parador San Marcos in León
For five-star luxury, we paid about €170 each for two nights—a serious bargain, considering the service and surroundings.
King Ferdinand founded the Parador de León, Hostal de San Marcos in the early 16th century as a church and hospital for knights of the Order of Saint James. Some of the original staircase has been preserved, as have the curved ceilings, chandeliers, and cloister windows. Fabulous portraits and Renaissance artifacts and armour adorn the lobby and corridors.
Our room—which we accessed with a large skeleton key—was located in one of the converted monks’ cells in the cloister. The room was beautifully appointed with 1000-count monogrammed sheets, slippers, and luxury toiletries.
Museum at the Parador
Visit the church and museum attached to the parador. The original buildings were erected on the remains of a Roman fortress, and the church dates from the mid-12th century. Many sarcophagi and Roman stelae from ancient times dot the lovely cloister gardens. Sadly, parts of the church grounds have a darker past when they served as a prison for suspected or accused fighters in the Spanish Civil War.
Tours in León
Here are some options for tours in León through Tiqets.com:
Conclusion
Even if you’re not walking the Camino, put Burgos and León on your itinerary in northern Spain. For more information about places to visit in northern Spain, including both Santiago de Compostela and Bilbao, see Exploring Northern Spain and Basque Country.
Everyone I know who has walked the Camino of Santiago (the Way) to Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain raves about the experience.
My friend and guest poster Elizabeth Petrie is no exception. She and her friend, Cheri, walked the Camino from Pamplona to Burgos and from Sarria to Santiago, with train travel between Burgos, León, and Sarria.
Elizabeth shares her experiences and recommendations in three posts on Artsy Traveler. In this post, learn her top tips for enjoying the Camino of Santiago. To find out how Elizabeth and Cheri organized their walk, read A Camino Journal: Pamplona to Santiago de Compostela. Elizabeth’s recommendations for Burgos and León are included in Exploring Burgos and León.
Guest Poster Elizabeth Petrie
Retirement brings new opportunities, and one of my most cherished is having the chance to travel. New places, unique experiences, wonderful memories—what could be more enticing?
For a long time, walking across northern Spain on the Camino has topped my “bucket list.” My friend, Cheri, shared the same interest, so we decided to make plans to walk the Camino together.
Guest poster Elizabeth Petrie on the Camino of Santiago
Here are tips for helping you plan an awesome experience on the Camino of Santiago.
Prepare for the Camino of Santiago
Distance walking was new to me, so I started training about a year before leaving for Spain. Cheri and I began with modest treks of six to eight kilometers twice a week and worked up to walks of ten to twelve kilometers. By the time we left for Spain, we could comfortably walk about fourteen kilometers with our backpacks partially full.
Plan Your Itinerary
The Camino of Santiago extends across several countries and hundreds of kilometers. Start in France on the Camino Francés or complete all or a portion of the Camino del Norte like we did.
We put together an itinerary that included stays in four-star hotels in the cities we’d pass through: Pamplona, Burgos, León, and our final destination, Santiago de Compostela. We knew we’d appreciate a bit of luxury after days of slogging along and nights spent in the dormitory-like albergues.
An albergue is a hostel that provides accommodation only for pilgrims walking the Camino of Santiago. To stay in an albergue, you need to have a Pilgrims Passport.
Obtain a Pilgrims Passport
The Pilgrims Passport contains spaces for the sellos (stamps) that prove you’ve walked that day and are entitled to stay in one of the state-run albergues.
If you start the Camino from St. Jean in France or from Pamplona, like we did, you need to get one stamp per day. If you walk only the last 100 kilometers from Sarria, you need to get two stamps each day.
So long as you have sufficient stamps and you state at the Pilgrims Office in Santiago de Compostela that you’ve completed the Camino for religious or spiritual reasons, you’ll receive the Compostela at the end of the journey in Santiago.
If you state other reasons for completing the Camino, you receive a different certificate to commemorate your journey.
You can also get a passport at some albergues and pilgrims’ offices along the Way.
However, to save time, I recommend you obtain your Pilgrims Passport before you leave. To do so, connect with the Pilgrims’ Association in your home country.
For other organizations, search online for Pilgrims’ Association and the name of your country.
Choose When to Go
Consider walking the Camino in May or September. The weather from June to August is too hot, the hotel prices are higher, and the Way is much more crowded.
We found that May was perfect with regard to both the weather and the crowds (or lack of!). While you definitely won’t run into crowds in the winter months, be aware that many of the smaller albergues are closed from mid-October to mid-April.
Purchase a Guidebook
I recommend A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago (Camino Francés): St. Jean – Roncesvalles – Santiago by John Brierley. The book includes all the information you’ll need: route and town maps, and the location of coffee shops, restaurants, and albergues. The book also lists telephone numbers of the albergues so that you can book ahead.
Plan Your Daily Walk Duration
Plan to walk no more than 15 to 18 kilometers in a day (about five hours), depending on the terrain.
This distance is long enough to give you a reasonable goal, time to stop for sightseeing and meals, and the best chance of finding accommodations. Also, we found that blisters started forming if we attempted to walk more than 22 kilometers in one day.
On most days, we left the albergue around 8 am and arrived at our next albergue in the mid-afternoon. The earlier you get to the albergue you plan to stay in, the better your chances of finding accommodations. Many albergues do not take reservations, although sometimes you can speak with the hospitalero and ask them to call ahead for you.
Book Accommodations for the Final 100 Kilometers
While you do not need to book accommodations along the early stretches of the Way (and often you cannot), you should book places to stay along the last 100 kilometers.
The Way becomes increasingly crowded the closer you get to Santiago. We used booking.com to book small hotels along the last stretch of the Way and were glad we did. Each place we booked was clean and conveniently located.
Here are some tips for helping you enjoy your time on the Camino.
Use the Send-Ahead Pack Service
Send your main pack ahead and hike with just a day pack. The send-ahead service was well worth the few extra euros (usually €3 to €5 per pack). You can send your pack from any Camino albergue in the morning to the albergue at your next stopping point. Call ahead to make sure the albergue you plan on staying at has available beds and will be open when the van arrives with your pack.
Take a Day Pack
Pack the following items in your day pack:
A full first-aid pack, complete with Compeed*and blister treatment, a needle and cotton thread, antibiotic ointment, Band-Aids, antiseptic spray, antihistamines, Afterbite, an elastic bandage, and sunscreen. You’ll find plenty of pharmacies along the Way in case you run out of anything.
A liter of water. If you sweat a lot, you will occasionally need to supplement your water with a local version of Gatorade.
A change of socks. Sweaty socks can bring on blisters.
A change of shirt and rain gear if rain threatens.
Fresh or dried fruit, nuts, protein, etc. Depending on your route for the day, you’ll usually find small coffee bars and restaurants along the Way where you can purchase lunch.
Your passport, credit cards, and other essential documents. Also, carry a day’s worth of currency and never flash around large amounts of cash.
*Compeed is a miracle blister treatment available in Spanish farmacias.
I suggest stocking up on Compeed before you leave by buying it online. As soon as you feel a friction blister coming on, put the clear plastic Compeed over it and leave it on. You’ll never have another blister!
Limit Technology
On the Way, consider forgoing technology as much as possible. If you take a SmartPhone to check weather reports and make hotel bookings, particularly in the last 100 kilometers, purchase a cell phone package for Europe from your service provider or pick up a SIM card at a local provider such as Vodafone or Orange.
Use your phone to take pictures instead of carrying a heavy, expensive camera. Also, I suggest not wearing earbuds while you’re walking or you’ll miss the bird song and conversation.
One of my lasting memories on the Way is the sound of an amazing variety of bird songs.
Enjoy the Pilgrim’s Dinner
Have the pilgrim’s dinner when it’s offered at the albergues. You’ll get a cheap and tasty meal that includes soup or salad, a fish or pork entrée, dessert, and a glass of local wine. The local soups are delicious and filling.
Use Other Transportation as Needed
Consider occasionally taking a taxi or public transit when you get tired rather than risking injury. Walking the Camino in short stages will help conserve your energy.
Take Good Footwear
Wear hiking boots that are well broken in. Also, pack a pair of lighter shoes, such as Teva sandals, to occasionally give your feet a rest. Wear flip flops in the shower and around the albergue at the end of the day.
Some markers are decorated imaginatively.
Enjoy Meeting New People on the Camino
A highlight of walking the Way is meeting many wonderful and interesting people. People in the albergues and elsewhere along the Camino could not do enough for us. We always left our packs closed, and they were never disturbed, even when we left them in dormitories to go sightseeing.
Slow Down
My best advice for walking the Camino is to slow down and savor the experience. In other words, stop and smell the roses!
Check out as many churches, shrines, historical sites, and civic plazas as you can. You’ll be amazed at the unexpected beauty and fascinating art and architecture.
Sign on the Camino de Santiago
Northern Spain has been home to human beings for tens of thousands of years, from Neanderthal times to the present. You can hardly take a step without passing a fascinating site of historical significance.
For example, on some sections of the Way, you’ll be following, if not actually walking on, the original Roman roads. And in some of the smaller villages where the Spanish Civil War was fought in the 1930s, you’ll still see bullet holes in the walls of old barns and houses.
Suggested Itinerary
For a detailed breakdown of our itinerary that started in Pamplona, Spain and included stops in Burgos and León,along with a few train journeys, see the post A Camino Journey: Pamplona to Santiago de Compostela.
I can’t imagine how our trip could have been any better. We enjoyed pretty much perfect weather, and we both kept well and healthy. In addition, we met interesting people, enjoyed delicious and reasonably-priced meals, and soaked up some of the rich history and culture of Navarra, La Rioja, and Galicia.
We also appreciated the spiritual nature of our journey to Santiago, taking time every day to reflect with humble gratitude upon our many blessings. Our trip was a pilgrimage in many senses of the word.
Is walking the Camino (walking the way) across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela on your travel wish list? Artsy Travelers who Walk the Way will view countless treasures, including the portrait of Mary Magdalene by Leonardo da Vinci in Burgos, tiny medieval churches steeped in history, and soaring architectural wonders, such as the cathedral at León.
I haven’t walked the Way, but I’m considering it! Fortunately, Elizabeth Petrie, my friend and an Artsy Traveler guest poster, walked the Camino with her friend, Cheri, and shares her experiences and insights.
Overview of Walking the Way from Pamplona to Santiago de Compostela Camino Route
Elizabeth and Cheri walked first from Pamplona to Burgos. After a few days sightseeing in Burgos, they took the train to León and then to Lugos. From Lugos, they rejoined the Way at Sarria and walked the last 120 kilometers to Santiago de Compostela.
Elizabeth shares her experiences and recommendations in three posts on Artsy Traveler.
Guest poster Elizabeth Petrie on the Camino of Santiago
Elizabeth’s lively description of her journey is excerpted from the journal she kept while walking the Way between May 3 and June 1, 2017.
Part 1: Walking the Camino from Pamplona to Burgos
Welcome to Pamplona
The capital of Navarra, Pamplona charms us with its pretty streets, attractive green spaces, and many historical buildings. From our window at the NH Pamplona Hotel, we enjoy a southeast view of a nearby quarry that glows in the evening sun.
A short stroll along the main boulevard brings us to La Cittadella, an old, star-shaped fortress with huge, thick walls. The fortress is situated in a large park through which the Camino passes.
On the day we start our Camino journey, we’ll only need to walk a short distance from our hotel to pick up the trail.
What to See in Pamplona
The central Plaza del Castillo is an attractive public square surrounded by beautiful old buildings. Pamplona is full of monuments, typical in a country with thousands of years of history. All the statues and monuments are well signed and beautifully maintained.
Especially interesting is the large bronze statue depicting the famous “running of the bulls” (elencierro de toros). The portrayal of some unfortunates being trampled or gored by the bulls looks very realistic. There’s not enough money in the world to convince me to do it, which is just as well since women typically don’t participate.
Running of the Bulls Monument in Pamplona, Spain
Walking Tour of Pamplona
Consider taking a free walking tour with Free Walking Tour Pamplona. You’ll explore the old town and visit the Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria, the Plaza del Castillo, and the impressive fortifications that once protected the city. There’s a lot to see in Pamplona!
We’re On Our Way!
At the pilgrims’ albergue in front of the Gothic cathedral, we get our first stamp (estampilla) in our pilgrims’ passports (pasaportes de peregrinos).
We have officially begun walking the way from Pamplona to Santiago de Compostela!
Day 1: Walking the Way from Pamplona to Puente la Reina: 27 kilometers
After three nights in lovely Pamplona, we’re feeling well rested and ready to begin walking the way on our first stretch of the Camino.
Starting Out
As the sun rises in a clear blue sky, we walk through the beautiful grounds of the Universidad de Navarra and out into lovely rolling countryside. Wild poppies are scattered among fields of newly planted crops. We hear birds singing in the fields and hedgerows.
Setting off on the Way, west of Pamplona
We stop to get a stamp at a private albergue next to the 12th-century Iglesia de San Miguel. The fortified tower of the church was part of the Monasterio de los Hospitalarios de San Juan de Jerusalén.
The knights of the Hospitallers eventually became the Knights of St. John of Malta from which we get the St. John Ambulance service today.
Our First Steep Section
The Alto del Perdón—the first steep section we encounter on the trail—is described in our guidebook as “not as difficult as you will have heard” and is estimated to take “only a half-hour”.
Wrong on both counts!
The trail climbs pretty much straight up—the hardest ascent along the whole Camino. Whenever we start feeling weary, we chant “Alto del Perdón, Alto del Perdón! Nothing is as hard as Alto del Perdón” in rhythm with our steps.
Eventually, we make it to the top where the views are spectacular. Both nearby and in the distance we see one of the many wind farms that take advantage of the strong breezes coming from the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay.
Modern metal cut-outs describe the various methods that pilgrims used over the centuries to travel the Camino. One of the inscriptions reads, “where the road of the winds crosses the road of the stars.”
Cut-outs and view at the summit of the Alto del Perdón
Albergue de Santiago Apóstel in Puente la Reina
At our first albergue, we’re assigned two upper bunks (no ladders!) in a four-bunk room. After a hot shower, we enjoy a pilgrim’s dinner of salad, fish, water, and yogurt, all for just €20, including accommodation.
We’re gratified to have virtually no injuries or aches other than a couple of small blisters. I decide to alternate boots with shoes to avoid putting too much pressure on any one spot on my feet.
Bridge leading into Puente la Reina
Day 2: Puente la Reina to Ayeguí: 20 kilometers
The next morning, the owner kindly calls ahead to book beds at the albergue in Ayeguí. He also confirms transportation of our packs for only €5 each. Normally, albergues do not take advance reservations. I wonder whether the fact that I speak Spanish helped!
The second day of walking the way is much easier than the first, even with a few strenuous uphill stretches. (Altos del Perdón, Altos del Perdón…). The countryside continues to amaze us with its many crops, flowers, and birdsong. Small lizards sun themselves on the stone walls that mark the route.
Lorca
We stop for coffee in Lorca, a medieval hill town with a wonderful view of the surrounding valley. The route out of Lorca drops very steeply down what is little more than a slippery, rocky gully. After a few more hours of walking, I feel a blister starting on my heel. We decide to take a taxi the rest of the way to Ayeguí.
I recommend making occasional use of taxis and public transport to save your feet. A small blister can become a large one very quickly and make walking agony.
Day 3: Ayeguí to Torres del Río: 27 kilometers
Our third day walking the way is a long one! We take a break in Irache, where a fountain with a dual spigot offers both water and wine. We fill our water bottles from one and take a sip from the other.
The sign on the fountain reads Pilgrim! If you wish to arrive in Santiago full of strength and vigour, just take a drop of this great wine and jump for joy. Another sign notes We invite you to enjoy in moderation; if you wish to take some wine along, you will have to buy it!
The Camino winds past numerous churches and historical buildings—too many to count and, unfortunately, too many to visit. Many are Romanesque in style, reminding us again of the extent of the Roman Empire at its height.
Sometimes, we walk at the side of the local highway and at other times on gravel paths dating from ancient times. The Way between Villamayor de Monjardín and Los Arcos typifies the Camino. It’s a long, narrow road stretching into the distance between open fields, with very little shade and no place to fill our water bottles.
Los Arcos
Arriving in Los Arcos is a relief for our feet and our thirsty throats. It’s a beautiful old town that has been inhabited since Roman times. The Iglesia de Santa María has a mixture of architectural styles (Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque), and the series of arches along the walls of the original cloisters gives the town its name.
Los Arcos is a popular stopping point, but we decide to continue another six kilometers to Torres del Río. Hmm…perhaps not the best idea, as it turns out! The weather has warmed considerably, and there’s not a breath of wind. We sing, make lists of places we’d like to go someday, and generally distract ourselves from the trudge.
Some of the markers along the Way have been decorated by passing pilgrims
Finally, we arrive at the delightful little town of Sansol and take a taxi to Albergue La Pata de Oca at Torres del Río. What a treat! The main building is hundreds of years old, with thick stone walls and solid beams in the ceilings, all covered with plaster.
Our private room is upstairs under the rafters. The ceiling slopes so much that we have to stoop to open the window. The patio is lovely, with lots of flower pots filled with bright red geraniums.
We enjoy a delicious dinner of bean and chorizo soup, chicken, flan, and wine. After a long, hot day, we collapse into bed about 9:15.
Day 4: Torres del Río to Ventosa: 4 kilometers
We decide to take it easy after yesterday’s long walk and opt for a later start and a shorter walk with a taxi ride in between.
While relaxing over breakfast on the terrace, we meet Ian from Ireland. He tells us that he’s a former addict who has been clean for 26 years and has adopted his nephews (one of whom is on the autism spectrum) after the death of their parents.
Encounters with people like Ian and others from all over the world and with a variety of backgrounds is one of the most enjoyable aspects of our journey.
Before starting our walk, we visit the Romanesque Church of the Holy Sepulchre across the street from the albergue. Dating from the 12th century, the small, octagon-shaped church was founded by the Knights Templar during the time of the Crusades.
The dome’s ribbing forms the outline of an eight-sided star, typical of Moorish Spain. The 13th-century crucifix depicts Christ’s feet separately rather than crossed one over the other as is typical.
Day 5: Logroño to Ventosa: 21 kilometers
We stop for lunch in Navarrete, an attractive hill town with narrow cobblestoned streets leading to the town plaza. A small church–La Iglesia de la Asunción–doesn’t look particularly special from the outside. We almost don’t go in. Luckily, we did and found one of the most amazing Baroque retablos (altarpieces) in all of Spain.
Our albergue in the tiny village of Ventosa has a typical set-up, with ten bunks to the room, plenty of hot water and many modern conveniences. Again, our pilgrims’ meal is delicious and very reasonably priced. For €10, we dine on paella with chorizo along with salad and a beer.
Day 6: Ventosa to Nájera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada: 5 kilometers
Cheri’s blister and ankle are acting up, so we take a taxi and then a local bus to Santo Domingo where we stop for the night.
A rooster motif is everywhere in Santo Domingo, reflecting the legend of how a young man had been wrongly accused and executed for theft.
One version recounts that his parents had seen a vision of St. Dominic holding their son up alive. When they rushed to the magistrate to report this miracle, the judge laughed and said that the boy was as dead as the rooster and chicken on his plate. At that, the birds came alive and fluttered about the room, thereby “proving” that the young man was innocent.
To this day, a pen inside the cathedral holds a rooster and a hen (different ones every two weeks). It’s a sign of good luck if you hear the rooster crow.
Day 7: Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado: 21 kilometers
On a day of mixed sun and cloud, we pass through the town of Viloria de Rioja, the birthplace of St. Dominic and from there into the province of Castilla y León.
At the albergue in the evening, we enjoy our €10 pilgrims’ dinner of two courses and wine and chat with Marcelo from Argentina and David from San Sebastián. Our pleasant conversation covers everything from politics, to films, to the various people we’ve met on the Way, to our common love of travel and adventure.
Day 8: Belorado to Cardeñuelo Río Pico: 9 kilometers
We carry our big packs today and find that after more than a week of walking the way on the Camino, we’re getting stronger.
The Albergue Santa Fe in Cardiñuela where we stop for the night has just one double room left, complete with a private bath, towels, soap and shower gel, and a television. With the pilgrims’ dinner included, the cost is about €55 each—another example of the excellent travel bargains to be found on the Camino.
Day 9: Cardeñuela Río Pico to Burgos: 17 kilometers
A strong, cool breeze in the morning makes for good walking weather. As we approach Burgos, we pass through several prosperous-looking neighbourhoods which likely are bedroom communities of the city itself.
The Camino enters Burgos via a pretty walk along the river. When we finally reach the center of town, we take a taxi to the AC Hotel which is perfectly situated about two blocks from the central plaza and the cathedral.
We enjoy tapas at one of the outdoor cafés in the colonnaded central plaza.
Part Two: Walking the Way from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela
Days 10 to 14: For the next several days, Elizabeth and Cheri tour Burgos and then León. Read Elizabeth’s suggestions about what to see there in the post Exploring Burgos and León.
Day 15: Samos to Sarria: 21 kilometers
After several days exploring Burgos, León , and Lugos (see Exploring Burgos and León ), we take the train to Sarria, drop off our packs at the albergue La Casona de Sarria and then take a taxi to Samos to explore the Benedictine Monastery.
Wow! The Benedictine monastery at Samos is stunning, with some sections dating back to the 6th century. Currently, only eight monks and two novices are in residence, with some of the original monks’ cells now serving as simple accommodations for people participating in organized religious retreats.
Benedictine monastery of San Julian de Samos located in Samos, Lugo, Galicia
The interior cloister at the monastery is the largest in Spain, and some of the walls display original frescoes.
Back on the Camino: Samos to Sarria
After a quick lunch, we resume walking after our days off for sightseeing in Burgos, León , and Lugo. We set off back to Sarria, a walk of about twelve kilometers and one of the most beautiful stages of our journey.
The route starts behind the monastery, winds past the kitchen gardens and along cool shaded paths alongside a small river, with some ascents and some descents but few signs of modern habitation. We pass a couple of 12th-century wayside chapels, small abandoned houses, wooden bridges, and old slate drystone walls.
You can almost imagine yourself a thousand miles from any center of population and thousands of years back in time. One farmer is repairing his drystone slate wall and lets us fill our water bottles from his well. We stop a bit farther on for a cold drink in a typical taberna do Camino.
Day 16: Sarria to Portomarín: 24 kilometers
We start our day by crossing the old Roman bridge just down from the albergue. The stela marker informs us that we are 113 kilometers from Santiago.
At this point of our walk, we’re encountering many more people on the Camino, particularly Europeans taking a week to do the minimum journey (100 kilometers). To receive the completion compostela in Santiago, pilgrims must present their passports bearing at least two stamps per day for the final 100 kilometers.
As we’ve come to expect, the countryside is absolutely beautiful, with rolling hills, manageable ascents, and plenty of lush vegetation providing shade in the increasingly hot weather. This region is quite well watered by rain, and there are lots more dairy cattle and other livestock grazing in green pastures.
Countryside along the Way in Galicia
At one short rest stop, we listen to a piper in Galician dress—a reminder of the strong Celtic influence in this part of Spain. Much of the day’s route follows the old Roman road, with some of the original Roman stone walls still marking out different pastures.
A very old church marks the beginning of the final 100 kilometers to Santiago.
Day 17: Portomarín to Palas de Rei: 26 kilometers
Today’s route includes ups and downs through rolling and beautiful countryside. We’re starting to become blasé about the medieval churches. Ho hum, 14th century.
We find a fair bit of traffic along the Camino and several small tour groups.
Part of the Camino passes through thick stands of eucalyptus trees, originally imported from Australia. The scent of the leaves that have fallen to the ground and crushed by passing feet is delightful.
Day 18: Palas de Rei to Melide to Arzúa: 17 kilometers
Despite the heat, we enjoy a good night’s sleep followed by an excellent breakfast.
In a small chapel along the route, I’m fascinated by a poster of a stunning Madonna and Child (Mater Divinae Providentiae) painted by Scipione Pulzone da Gaeta in the mid-16th century.
I’ve never seen a Madonna which so tenderly expresses the love of mother for child. How different from the usual dreamy, remote images of Mary and the baby Jesus. This one is all about maternal love and one of the loveliest I’ve ever seen. I’ve never heard of this artist, and I plan to learn more about him.
The Camino from Melide to Arzúa is not a difficult stage, but it does have ascents and descents virtually the entire way. Fortunately, the many groves of fragrant conifers and eucalyptus trees along the path are very pleasant and make the steeper inclines much more manageable. The official markers remind us that we’re getting closer to our final destination.
Later this afternoon, I suffer the only mishap of the entire trip when I stumble into a patch of nettles. Ouch! But Cheri quickly pulls out the antihistamine tablets and After Bite lotion, and, almost immediately, the rash subsides and the itch disappears.
Day 19: Arzúa to Pedrouzo: 22 kilometers
Our water and energy drinks at the ready, we set off early before the heat sets in and make pretty good time, even on the up and down stretches. The crowds are certainly growing.
At one stop, we purchase coffee, bananas, and small concha patches sold on the honor system/por donativo. Next to the building is a “wall of wisdom” (muro de la sabiduría) containing interesting quotes and reflections on travel. I’m sure the quotes keep conversation going among the pilgrims as they near the end of a long journey.
An interesting feature of the places we pass are the corn cribs—large covered storage areas on stilts. The walls are perforated to allow air circulation but not rodents, and their height prevents livestock from investigating too closely and knocking them over.
Day 20: Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela: 22 kilometers
Our last day of walking the Camino!
We’re up and away before sunrise on what promises to be another warm day. The crowds have become thick, and we sometimes have to jostle for room to manoeuvre around groups.
Approaching Santiago de Compostela, the Camino skirts the northern end of the airport, which is clean and modern. We encounter a couple more steep spots, and then, suddenly, we’ve reached the official city limits of Santiago.
To enter the city proper, we cross a rickety plank footbridge into a semi-residential area and up into the original medieval town. We descend a flight of stairs, walk through a large portal set into very thick stone walls, and enter the central plaza of Santiago de Compostela.
The scaffold-covered cathedral looms into the rapidly clouding sky. We’ve made it!
We head to the new tourist center to get our official completion credential. There’s a long queue, and for a while we wait outside in the patio area. Almost immediately after we enter the building, a big thunderstorm breaks, rain teeming down on the poor folks still out walking on the Camino or waiting outside to get their final stamp.
Arrival in Santiago de Compostela
We celebrate our achievement with an empanada and beer in the restaurant of the Santiago Parador—a former hospital founded by Ferdinand and Isabella in the 1490s.
We enjoy a deep, restful sleep, despite the thunderstorms. By mid-morning, the weather has cleared, and we return to the cathedral and tour the adjacent museum, timing it so that we can enter the cathedral itself from the cloister.
Visit to the Cathedral of Santiago
The entrance to the cathedral closes at 11:45 in preparation for the Pilgrims’ Mass, and by 11:15, it’s already filling up. We snag a spot on a small ledge at the base of one of the huge pillars near the back and have a reasonably good view.
The Cathedral at Santiago de Compostela
The service starts, and the nun leading the chants and responses has the most glorious voice. We recognize many of the service prayers, even though they are in Spanish: the collect, the Lord’s Prayer, the reading from the Old and New Testaments (Corinthians and John), the general confession, and so on.
The highlight of the service, and the reason that many people are there, is the swinging of the enormous censer across the transept. At least five or six deacons or lay brothers manoeuvre it into place and set it swinging, and the sweep of its pendulum action gets higher and higher. Ropes and pulleys are affixed to the ceiling, and the angle of the swing is maybe 120° or more.
After the service, people line up behind the main altar to hug a plaster statue of St. James. Meanwhile, there are practically no people lined up to descend to the crypt to see St. James’ ossuary, an amazing chest of embossed silver. If the bones of the saint are really contained within, it’s interesting to think that here was someone who actually knew Christ.
Back at the hotel after a bit of shopping, we calculate the distance we’ve walked. From our first day of walking on May 6 to our final day in Santiago de Compostela on May 26, we logged 338 kilometers!
Conclusion
Would I do the Camino again? Absolutely! Do I recommend it to anyone who is reasonably fit and looking for an adventure? Of course!
Something magical happens when you slow down to tread in the footsteps of the thousands of pilgrims who have walked the Way.
You hear birdsong, feel the sun warm your face, view stunning landscapes steeped in history, enjoy wonderful food, and meet people from all over the world.
Northern Spain stretches from the Atlantic to the Pyrenees, a distance of almost 700 kilometers. This area of Spain boasts extraordinary scenery and something else you won’t see much of in the rest of Spain: rain.
Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain is green and gorgeous, with a culture that owes more to its Celtic neighbors in Brittany and Cornwall than to the rest of Iberia.
You’ll find a lot to enjoy in northern Spain—historic Santiago de Compostela, the Picos de Europa mountains, pinchos (pintxos) in San Sebastian, and the Guggenheim Bilbao, one of Europe’s top modern art museums.
Devote at least a week to this area of Spain. To help you plan your tour of northern Spain, I’ve compiled a ten-day itinerary that starts in Santiago de Compostela and ends in San Sebastian.
Orientation to Northern Spain
The map below includes the places mentioned in this post. Click a number to find out more information.
My itinerary presumes you’re driving. It’s possible to visit this area by train, but if you rent a car you can explore more of this fascinating and beautiful region, particularly the Picos de Europa.
Consider flying to Santiago de Compostela and touring the city for a few days before picking up your car and heading east. Drop it off in Bilbao and take a train to San Sebastian, or drive all the way to France and drop the car off there. Bordeaux is a convenient choice.
I suggest spending two days and three nights in Santiago de Compostela, one night on the north coast, three nights in or near Llanes to explore the Picos de Europa, one night in Santillana del Mar, one night in Bilbao, and one night in San Sebastian.
That’s a lot of one-night stands, so if you prefer and have the time, add more two-night stays. There’s a great deal to see in northern Spain!
Days 1 to 3: Santiago de Compostela
We spent a week in Santiago de Compostela a few years ago when Gregg had a major exhibition at the Granell Museum. The city of 100,000 people is a compact and lovely place with wonderful restaurants and parks and an atmospheric old town.
One of my favorite things to do was hanging out in the Praza do Obradoiro in front of the cathedral to watch Camino pilgrims enter the plaza. Santiago de Compostela, while not the actual end of the Camino de Santiago, is commonly the place most pilgrims stop.
The Cathedral at Santiago as seen from the Praza do Obradoiro
It was moving to see the pilgrims enter the plaza. Some were limping after weeks on the road, and most carried their pilgrim’s staff topped with a distinctive scallop shell similar to the shells that mark the Camino route. I saw a lot of tears and hugs and selfies.
Catedral de Santiago de Compostela
Pilgrims crowd into the cathedral (#1) where the remains of Saint James are allegedly buried. The cathedral is a jumble of architectural styles— Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque. A highlight inside the west entrance is the Pórtico de la Gloria, containing 200 Romanesque sculptures dating from the late 12th century.
Truth be told, I found the cathedral dark and overcrowded, but there’s no denying the atmosphere of piety, particularly from the pilgrims who walked the Camino for religious reasons.
The Old Town
Wander the granite streets of the old town of Santiago, enjoying the arches, squares, and monuments that contributed to the city’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. You’ll find plenty of good shopping, particularly for jewelry. The atmosphere is laid-back and friendly, with throngs of students, pilgrims, tourists, and locals.
A street in the Old Town in Santiago de Compostela
Parks and Museums
Alameda Park (#2) is a large green space, wonderful to chill out in away from the crowds in the Praza do Obradoiro. You also get a marvelous view of the cathedral from the park.
When Gregg was in Santiago on a solo trip, he came across a large group of people in traditional costumes playing instruments and dancing in San Domingos de Bonaval Park. Watch his video on YouTube. Notice how Celtic the music sounds with the drums and bagpipes—completely different from the flamenco rhythms in the south.
In Bonaval, you’ll also find the Galician Contemporary Art Centre and the Museum of the Galician People (Museo de Pobo Galego).
In Santiago de Compostela, you’ll notice that you’re in Galicia first, Spain second. Local people speak Galician and are proud of their heritage. You’ll be understood in Spanish, and likely in English, in restaurants and hotels.
On the Pazo de Bendaña, not far from the cathedral, is the Granell Museum, housed in a beautiful old Baroque building. If you’re a fan of Surrealism, check out this museum that includes an extensive collection of work by Eugenio Granell and other artists linked to Surrealism, including Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, Joan Miró, and Roberto Matta.
Dining in Santiago de Compostela
With so many students, tourists and pilgrims swelling its population
every year, Santiago de Compostela has become known for its excellent
restaurants. We enjoyed several memorable meals during our week-long visit.
Check restaurant apps and reviews and make reservations.
Day 4: North Coast
Head north from Santiago de Compostela to the coast then meander eastwards into Asturias, stopping at one of the many beachside towns. Magnificent rock formations are a draw at Playa Las Catedrales (#3), located near Ribadeo on the north coast.
Playa Las Catedrales beach near Ribadeo, Galicia of Lugo, Spai
Slow down and get off the main roads. Oviedo, the capital of Asturias, is a possible stopping place for the night. The Fine Arts Museum of Asturias looks intriguing.
Days 4 to 5: Llanes and the Picos de Europa
You’ll encounter rugged mountain vistas as you continue east toward the Picos de Europa. The jagged peaks of Picos de Europa (#4) National Park, Spain’s first national park, are nicknamed “Spain’s Dolomites.”
The mountains straddle southeast Asturias, southwest Cantabria, and northern Castilla y León. If you’re a hiker, you’ll want to spend a few days here.
One option is to home-base in the charming coastal town of Llanes (pronounced YAH-ness).
We discovered Llanes (#5) by accident on our drive across northern Spain. For once, I hadn’t booked a hotel, deciding that we’d just stop driving when we got tired and hope for the best. I don’t recommend that approach, particularly in the busy summer months, but sometimes it’s fun to live dangerously!
I saw the sign for Llanes, figured it was as good a place as any, and directed Gregg to the old town.
What a fortuitous decision! The little seaside town of Llanes turned out to be delightful, with beautiful buildings covered in fine woodwork and small windows. An inland waterway lined on both sides with cafés runs through the town center. Pull up a chair in one of the cafés to enjoy some tapas and beer, and watch the boats go by.
Traditional houses in Llanes, Asturias, Spain.
Take a walk out to the breakwater. An artist has painted the huge concrete blocks that protect the town from high tides with all sorts of crazy patterns.
Painted cement blocks on a jetty in Llanes, Spain
Watch the sun set over the Atlantic and prepare to be enchanted.
Eat dinner at an outdoor café in the network of tiny lanes in the old town. Two three-course meals and several glasses of red wine cost us just €10. Now, that’s a bargain!
The waiter insisted on giving us several of his cards so we could tell everyone we met about his restaurant. We wandered back through picturesque squares to our hotel, situated in a renovated convent.
In the middle of the night, I woke up, terrified that something—someone—was in the room. Perhaps a nun, long dead, was not happy to find me sleeping in a room that had once been her cell. I was so frightened that I had to wake up Gregg!
Is it likely that thousands of years of history—much of it violent—has produced its share of discontented ghosts?
Maybe.
Day 6: Santillana del
Mar
The Caves of Altamira are located close to Santillana del Mar (#6). Seventeen caves are decorated with art of the Paleolithic age dating from 35,000 to 11,000 BC. Because of their deep galleries, isolated from external climatic influences, these caves are particularly well preserved. You can visit the replica caves. Check out the official website.
Bilbao
The drive from Santillana del Mar along the coast to Bilbao (#7) is gorgeous. Get off the highway and explore some of the windswept, rock-choked coves. This part of northern Spain is spectacular.
Bilbao is a large port city with a tangle of highways leading to the Nervión River and the Guggenheim. Use your GPS to navigate into the city, and avoid hotels in the old town. We chose the Hotel Melià, a modern hotel on the river, which was easy to find and included a large parking garage.
The street signs written in the Euskara language are daunting and largely unpronounceable, at least for foreign tourists like us! Many of the streets have names consisting of 20 letters, most of which are X’s and Z’s. When you’re in Basque country, you may forget you’re still in Spain.
Fortunately, you’ll easily get by in Spanish and English.
The big attraction in Bilbao is the Guggenheim Museum (#8), one of the world’s top modern art museums. I love that the city of Bilbao decided to revitalize itself and attract tourist euros by building a world-class art museum. That choice showed vision along with a heartening belief in the importance of art and culture.
Exterior of Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Basque, Spain
We chose one of the ultra-modern hotels in an ultra-modern area of Bilbao about a ten-minute stroll along the river from the Guggenheim. Read my suggestions for hotels in Bilbao in Where to Stay in Spain: My Best Picks.
Likely your first view of the
Guggenheim will be of Puppy, the colossal topiary of a West Highland
White Terrier that stands guard in front of the museum. With its variegated
coat of flowers that changes with the season, Puppy is remarkably
photogenic.
Puppy at night in front of the Guggenheim Bilbao
After you’ve satiated your thirst for Puppy pics, walk around the building to admire the silvery-gold slabs of hammered, stamped steel of Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim and to view more of the modern sculptures.
You’ll see Anish Kapoor’s astonishing sculpture of huge silver orbs stacked almost as high as the roof of the museum and facing the river. The piece is perfectly situated to catch the sun, turning the entire column of orbs into one pulsing, glistening beacon. Another marvelous sculpture is Maman by Louise Bourgeois—a massive spider and not recommended for arachnophobes.
Once you’ve had your fill of the
exterior, enter the Guggenheim and get your bearings. See what the special
exhibition is, study the maps or download the app, and plan your route.
A highlight is the enormous sculpture by Richard Serra on the ground floor. The work consists of six steel slabs bent and curled in various ways that invite you into their depths to wander until you feel dizzy. We went into two of the sculptures, and that was enough! The effect is startling, and a little goes a long way.
When we visited, we saw a stylishly
curated exhibition of new paintings and digital works by David Hockney.
Following your visit to the Guggenheim, stroll across the bridge to the old town to spend your evening enjoying tapas and drinks. On your way back, you’ll see the Guggenheim and Puppy evocatively floodlit.
San Sebastian
If you’re driving to San Sebastian—called Donostia (#9) by the Basques—your first view may be nondescript suburbs miles away from the famous sweep of beach. Persevere until you reach the water and the old town.
Our hotel was situated at the top of Mount Urgull, one of two mountains that flank San Sebastian. Here’s the stunning view of San Sebastian from near our hotel.
Overview of the Bay of San Sebastian, Spain
Traffic in
San Sebastian was remarkably sedate when we were there. Head for one of the big
parking lots in the commercial center and then explore San Sebastian on foot.
San Sebastian consists of three main areas – the long sweep of beach bristling with frolicking holiday-makers, the modern town built on an easy-to-navigate grid system, and the old town with its narrow streets and intriguing aromas.
Spend your evening in San Sebastian bar-hopping in the old town to sample as many pinchos (pintxos) as possible.
Squeeze
into a bar (they’re all crowded!), grab a plate, select a few cold pinchos from
the platters lined up on the bar (so many varieties to choose from!), grab a
glass of local wine, eat standing up amid the crowds, then saunter off to
another place.
Spanish tapas called pintxos of the Basque country served on a bar counter in a restaurant in San Sebastian, Spain
Each
pincho is a mini work of art. If you don’t see something you like on the cold
platters, order hot pinchos listed on chalkboards behind the bar.
The
incredibly efficient servers keep track of what you’ve eaten by the number of
toothpicks left on your plate. You also crumple up your used napkins and throw
them on the floor—a practice that takes some getting used to!
Go from bar to bar sampling two or three pinchos at each, along with a glass of wine. Prices are amazingly reasonable. Our evening of pincho-eating and wine-guzzling cost just €30, including two gelatos.
Everyone
seemed in great humor. Families with little kids filled the streets late into
the evening. The San Sebastian people know how to live!
