In Santiago de Compostela, a tomb was discovered that is supposed to be that of St James the Apostle.  Today, Santiago de Compostela is the third most important place of Christian pilgrimage, with the other two being St Peter’s in Rome and the city of Jerusalem.  Pilgrims and tourists follow the route to this towering cathedral.

Santiago Cathedral was built between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries and was the original site of a ninth century Basilica.  The interior has been left untouched, but there have been other additions, such as the Baroque Obradoiro facade, behind which stands the twelfth century Portico de la Gloria.

Portico de la Gloria has three decorated arches.  Christ is flanked by eight angels and four apostles at the central arch and St James stands below him on a column.

Within the cathedral, the altar is amazingly ornate with gilt and silver.  You can visit the museum and cloisters for a small entrance fee.

The city of Granada is in Andalucia in Spain, in the low hills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  Granada is a wonderful, historic city to visit and Andalucia is a popular area.  The imposing Alhambra palace overlooks the city.  The Alhambra is a Moorish palace that dates back to 1238 and was built by Muhammed I when he took control of the Granada city.

Granada quickly became a Moorish state of Spain and the finest art and architecture was the result.  The Alhambra nowadays is a series of halls and courtyards, decorated with ornate stucco, wood carvings, paintings and patterns of colourful glazed tiles. (more…)

Barcelona is not only a bargain holiday at most times of the year and the perfect city break, but it is also one of the easiest to get to with the cheapest flights and one of the busiest tourist attracting cities in Europe.

There are major events and festivals in this city all year round, so much so that it is difficult to decide when is the best time of year to go.  In fact, it is one of the few cities that people want to visit at various times of year as it attracts returning holidaymakers year after year, with each trip a different experience. (more…)

Valencia is in Spain, a city located about halfway between Madrid and Barcelona.  It is in fact, Spain’s third largest city.  It has a typical Mediterranean climate, dry in the summer and fairly mild but humid in the winter.  If you’re considering taking a short weekend break, Valencia is perfect for that city getaway.

It’s always a good idea to have one or two places in mind or things you want to do before you go, so here’s a few pointers:

Bus Tour - Make sure you take the open top bus tour (weather permitting of course!) to get the gist of the city and to take in the sights (more…)