lunes, 25 de noviembre de 2013

BARCELONA: PARKS AND GARDENS

In previous posts I talked about some well-known parks in Barcelona like the Park Güell or Ciutadella Park. Of course, in Barcelona there are more nice parks, as I will show you in this post. Some of them are really lovely, like Laberint d'Horta Park or Joan Maragall Gardens.


In addition to this parks, Barcelona has a large green area: Montjuïc, where you can walk from garden to garden.


These are the parks, gardens and leisure areas I will show you in this post:

  • Laberint d'Horta Park
  • Park Güell
  • Ciutadella Park
  • Pedralbes Gardens
  • Montjuïc - Joan Maragall Gardens
  • Montjuïc - Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer Gardens
  • Montjuïc - Mirador Gardens
  • Montjuïc - Mirador del Migdia Park
  • Joan Miró Park
  • Cervantes Park and Rose Garden
  • Castell de l'Oreneta Park
  • Collserola - Sant Pere Màrtir leisure area
  • Collserola - Carretera de les Aigües
  • Collserola - Pantà de Vallvidrera


Laberint d'Horta Park


Laberint d' Horta ParkThis maze is one of the main attractions in Laberint d'Horta Park, a really lovely park. I strongly recommend visiting it in spite of being a little out of downtown

Park Güell


Park GüellMain entrance to the Park Güell, one of the masterpieces of modernism in Barcelona


Colourful benchs in Park GüellColourful benchs in Park Güell, one of the most famous elements of this beautiful park designed by Antoni Gaudí

Ciutadella Park


Fountain in Ciutadella ParkJets and dragons are two of the main elements of the fountain of Ciutadella Park


Fountain in Ciutadella ParkOverview of the fountain of Ciutadella Park


Romantic image of Ciutadella ParkRomantic image of Ciutadella Park, one of the largest parks in Barcelona and located near the old town and the Barcelona Gothic Quarter



Pedralbes Gardens


Pebralbes Gardens in Barcelona
This nice pond with a marble sculpture in the middle is what you see as soon as you begin to walk inside the Pebralbes Gardens in Barcelona

Joan Maragall Gardens in Montjuïc


Joan Maragall Gardens in MontjuïcJoan Maragall Gardens, a really lovely place in Montjuïc to walk on saturday or sunday morning


Joan Maragall Gardens in MontjuïcOverview of Joan Maragall Gardens from the main entrance of the Palauet Albéniz. These gardens are located next to the Olympic ring in Montjuïc


Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer Gardens in Montjuïc


Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer Gardens in MontjuïcMossèn Cinto Verdaguer Gardens, located next to Montjuïc Castle, are a really peaceful place to walk and to spend a lovely sunday morning with the children

Mirador Gardens in Montjuïc


Mirador Gardens in MonjuïcFrom the Montjuïc Castle I could enjoy this view of the Mirador Gardens and the twin towers of the Olympic Village


Mirador del Migdia Park in Montjuïc


Moat of the Montjuïc CastleBehind the moat of the Montjuïc Castle you can see the Mirador del Migdia Park


MontjuïcCliking on this image of Montjuïc you will see the location of all the parks and gardens in Montjuïc, as well as the Olympic ring, the Magical Fountain and the Montjuïc Castle

Joan Miró Park


Joan Miró ParkJoan Miró Park is a large park located next to Las Arenas Shopping center

Palms in Joan Miró Park
Palms in Joan Miró Park in Barcelona

Cervantes Park and Rose Garden



Cervantes Rose Garden
The Cervantes Rose Garden has around 10,000 rosebushes of some 2,000 species and different varieties that, at the peak flowering period - between May and July - may produce 150,000 roses blooming at a time

Cervantes park in Barcelona
The Cervantes park in Barcelona is a magnificent and very open green space that is distinguished by its large expanses of grass, wide pathways and the gentleness of the slope of the land



Castell de l'Oreneta Park


View of Barcelona from Oreneta Park
Fantastic view of Barcelona from Castell de l'Oreneta Park


Picnic area in Oreneta Park
 Picnic area in Castell de l'Oreneta Park



Oreneta Park in Barcelona
Railway in Oreneta Park in Barcelona



Sant Pere Màrtir leisure area in Collserola




Sant Pere Martir leisure area in Collserola
Sant Pere Màrtir leisure area in Collserola


Pantà de Vallvidrera in Collserola


Panta de Vallvidrera in Collserola
Pantà de Vallvidrera in Barcelona


Carretera de les Aigües


Carretera de les Aigues in Barcelona
From Carretera de les Aigües you can enjoy fantastic views of Barcelona




Below you have some links to get more information about these parks and gardens:



Finally, clicking on the next link you will find links to other beautiful places in Barcelona, among them, more nice places to walk in Montjuïc and, of course, along the Barcelona beach and the Olympic Marina.

martes, 19 de noviembre de 2013

SPAIN: TAPEO IN ZARAGOZA

It is a pleasure to go de tapeo in Zaragoza and enter one of these bars full of tapas where it becomes difficult to choice. 

But sometimes some bars choose the option of specialization, like La Cueva de Aragón or La Ballena Colorá.

The bars and restaurants I will speak about below are located near El Tubo, a street whose official name is Calle de los Estebanes. Besides I went to these bars and restaurants with a relative who lives in Zaragoza, so these bars are some of the best ones of Zaragoza.


- La Cueva de Aragón
  • Address: Calle de la Libertad, 16

- La Ballena Colorá


  • Address: Calle de la Libertad, 16

- Vinos Nicolás


  • Address: Calle Estebanés, 4

- Erzo


  • Address: Calle Santa Catalina
  • Website: erzotapas.com

- El Portón


  • Calle Estudios



El Tubo (Calle de los Estebanes)




El Tubo in Zaragoza
Calle de los Estebanes (Estebanes Street), also known as El Tubo, is the best place to enjoy Tapas in Zaragoza



El Tubo in Zaragoza
Mudejar bell tower beside Calle de los Estebanes (Estebanes Street), also known as El Tubo, in Zaragoza


La Cueva de Aragón



Tapa de Champiñones in Zaragoza
Tapa de Champiñones (Mushrooms Tapa) we enjoyed in La Cueva de Aragón in Zaragoza


La Ballena Colorá




Montaditos in La Ballena Colora
Montaditos (small sandwiches) of with anchovies and pepper in La Ballena Colorá Snack Bar in Zaragoza


Vinos Nicolás




Tapa in Vinos Nicolas in Zaragoza
Croqueta de Jamón Ibérico (Iberian Ham Croquette), Taco de Ternera Picante (spicy beef piece) and Carioca (stuffed mussel) we enjoyed in Zaragoza



Erzo Restaurant



Erzo restaurant in Zaragoza
Erzo restaurant in Zaragoza



Tapa in Erzo restaurant in Zaragoza
Montadito (small sandwich), Pimiento relleno (Stuffed red pepper) y Croqueta de Jamón Ibérico (Iberian Ham Croquette) we enjoyed in Erzo restaurant in Zaragoza


El Portón


El Porton bar in Zaragoza
Table with different kinds of cheese, pate and prosciutto we enjoyed in El Portón snack bar in Zaragoza


Other restaurants you can try in Zaragoza are:

  • Estudios Snack Bar (Calle Estudios, Estudios Street)
  • El Fuelle Restaurant (Calle Mayor, Mayor Street)

If you are interested in visiting Zaragoza, below you have the most interesting places of this city:


  • Basílica del Pilar
  • Area of the Expo Zaragoza 2008
  • Aljafería Palace
  • Mudéjar church of San Pablo
  • Seo or Cathedral of Zaragoza
  • Church of Santa María Magdalena
  • Lonja
  • Mudéjar Tower of Zuda
  • Parque Grande

Finally, other beautiful places you can visit in Spain are:


- Catalonia



- Basque Country

- Cantabria

- Granada

- Sevilla, Córdoba, Cádiz and Costa de la Luz

martes, 12 de noviembre de 2013

BARCELONA GOTHIC QUARTER: SANTA MARIA DEL PI

After having spoken about the lovely Plaça del Rei in a previous post, today I would like to show you another charming square inside the Barcelona Gothic Quarter: La Plaça del Pi.

This nice square is located in front of a jewel of Catalan Gothic Architecture: Santa Maria del Pi. This church, together with Santa Maria del Mar basilica and the Cathedral of Barcelona, are the most important gothic religious buildings in Barcelona. There is also another nice example of catalan gothic style in Barcelona: Pedralbes monastery.



Santa Maria del Pi in BarcelonaMain facade of Santa Maria del Pi, one of the most important gothic churches in Barcelona. Els Pintors del Pi (Pi painters) also appear showing their paintings



Plaça del Pi inside the Barcelona Gothic QuarterYou will find these artists on saturdays (from 11am to 8pm) and on sundays (from 11am to 2pm) showing their paintings at La Plaça del Pi, a lovely square in Barcelona Gothic Quarter



Gothic rose window of Santa Maria del PiFrom Plaça del Pi I took this picture of the gothic rose window of Santa Maria del Pi



Gothic archivolts of the main entrance to Santa Maria del PiGothic archivolts of the main entrance to Santa Maria del Pi. The tympanum is divided by two small columns into three arched areas. In the central area is a statue of the Virgin and Child



Bell tower of Santa Maria del PiThe bell tower, built in octogonal shape, is one of the characteristics elements of the gothic church of Santa Maria del Pi



Gothic church of Santa Maria del Pi in Barcelona
Inside the gothic church of Santa Maria del Pi, one of the most beautiful gothic churches you can visit in Barcelona



Santa Maria del Pi in Barcelona
Altar of Santa Maria del Pi in Barcelona



Plaça del Pi in BarcelonaFinally, a nostalgic look of Plaça del Pi, a lovely square which shows the essence of the Barcelona Gothic Quarter


Santa Maria del Pi in Barcelona

Gothic chuch of Santa Maria del Pi lit at night in Barcelona



If you like gothic architecture, you would be interested in visiting the following religious buildings in Barcelona:





In the old city of Barcelona you can also visit other beautiful places:



Next, some useful information in case you want to visit this lovely church:


- Address: Pl. del Pi, 7
- How to get there:
  • Metro L3: stop Liceu.
  • Bus: 14, 59 and 91.
- Web site: www.parroquiadelpi.com
- Opening time: Daily, from 9.30am to 1pm and 5pm to 8.30pm.


Finally, clicking on the next link you will find more links to other beautiful places in Barcelona, among them, more nice squares in the Gothic Quarter.