Spain

Las Meninas Route in the Canido neighborhood in Ferrol in Galicia The history of the Canido neighborhood in Ferrol is the story of a local artist who, after a genius of which he is not yet aware, has managed to create a social phenomenon at the level world of such a level that has attracted the attention of the greatest benchmark of street art, Banksy.

Miraflores Castle in the surroundings of Lake Alqueva Did you know that Extremadura is the community with the most inland coast? Indeed, a third of Spain's dammed water is in this region. And the best example is Lake Alqueva, the largest artificial lake in Western Europe with more than 1,200 km of shore, which in some sections acts as a natural border between Spain and Portugal.

Plaza de la Paz in Haro in La Rioja Wine tourism is surely the main reason that will take you to visit Haro in La Rioja, as I did many years ago on my first trip to this community. But Haro is much more than the wine capital of Rioja, which is how it is known. On the contrary, it is a town with a long history whose historical center already justifies a getaway, beyond the essential visit to one of its wineries.

Landscapes of the Jerte Valley in autumn Although you have not yet had the opportunity to visit it, surely you are aware of the great attraction of the Jerte Valley during the time of cherry blossom, in the last weeks of March or early April. At that time the Jerte Valley is covered in white ... and also visitors who come to enjoy its beautiful landscapes.

White town of Fregenal de la Sierra south of Badajoz Two may be the highlights of the southwestern area of ​​the province of Badajoz, the beautiful landscapes of the Extremadura pasture and, of course, the cuisine of Iberian ham. But in these lands of southern Extremadura there are also towns that preserve important vestiges of history.

Walls of Plasencia in Extremadura If you like to walk through a monumental city with medieval layout, Plasencia, north of the province of Cáceres in Extremadura, is a highly recommended visit. In recent years I have had the opportunity to visit this city several times, because although Plasencia is not a provincial capital, due to its size and population, about 40.

Murcia Cathedral There are cities in Spain whose attractions we have all heard of, and we will have visited them several times, but the truth is that there are others that are big strangers. In my case that happened with the city of Murcia until my recent getaway to live the atmosphere of its unique Holy Week processions.

Butrón Castle in the Uribe region near Bilbao Mansions, manor houses, hamlets, that is the type of architecture whose image is sure to be associated with the rural landscapes of Euskadi. And, of course, the image of a castle, so common in other regions of Spain, will not come to mind. That is why you may be surprised to know that there is a castle in the Basque Country.

Lighthouse of Cabo Vilán on the Costa da Morte in Galicia For those who still do not know it, Galicia is one of the great hidden secrets that Spain keeps. There you can see perfectly how the human being has adapted to live in a place where nature is what sets the rules. The strength and influence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabrian Sea have shaped a landscape of huge and steep cliffs, spectacular estuaries and green mountain landscapes typical of northern European countries such as Scotland.

Winery in Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa Talking about Rioja is synonymous with talking about wine and wine tourism. But you may not know that Rioja, the denomination of origin of wines perhaps with more prestige in Spain and outside our borders, is not synonymous with La Rioja as an autonomous community. On the contrary, this designation of origin covers the lands of Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa.

Sailboat ride through the Mar Menor and its surroundings in Murcia As you can imagine, nautical activities are one of the attractions of a getaway or a vacation in the Mar Menor of the Region of Murcia. In addition, the special geographical features of this huge salt lagoon favor all kinds of activities, both in Mar Menor itself and in the adjacent waters of the Mediterranean coast with which it is separated by La Manga.

Bardenas Reales in Navarra One of the most amazing visits you can make on a tourist trip through Navarra is the Bardenas Reales natural park, which you find southeast of the community, not far from the town of Tudela. There is no doubt that one of the iconic images of Navarra are the beautiful and green landscapes of the Navarrese Pyrenees, which reach their maximum expression in corners such as the Selva de Irati or the town of Ochagavia.

San Javier Jazz Festival in Murcia @Photo: Rafa Mellado The Mar Menor is not only the largest salt lagoon in Europe or an exceptional place to practice water sports. Each summer its banks also become the cultural center of the Region of Murcia thanks to its many festivals.

Mirador del Cerro in Las Hurdes in Cáceres The recent trip to Las Hurdes has allowed me to recall the reason for my first trip to this region of Extremadura many years ago, the curiosity to know a place whose history has been marked by a black legend. A legend of geographic isolation and poverty to unsuspected limits that still remains in the memory of the Hurdan and many of those who travel to Las Hurdes in a tourist getaway to this area of ​​the province of Cáceres.

Rincon de Ochagavia in the Pyrenees of Navarra Not long ago I had the opportunity to make a four-day trip to Navarra, which allowed me to recall a similar trip that I made many years ago. This new trip allowed me to reinforce the excellent memories I had of the beautiful land of Navarre.

Salon Pompeyano of the Casino de Murcia Before traveling to the city of Murcia with the purpose of living the atmosphere of Holy Week, with its unique processions of the Coloraos and the Salzillo, I already knew that the most prominent places to visit were its Great cathedral ... and the casino.

Baroque cover of the cathedral of Murcia My first "contact" with the city of Murcia was quite a distance. I explain. I was on the road to visit Cartagena and we passed the ring road in Murcia, a city that caught my attention an imposing tower that turned out to be the cathedral.

Tasting cider in an Astigarraga cider house in Guipuzcoa I must admit that until my most recent trip to Euskadi on the occasion of the opening of the txotx season, I had not had the opportunity to enjoy the cider house menu in a traditional Basque cider house. In Madrid, where I live, and in other large cities in Spain abound the so-called Basque cider houses.

Cherry landscape with cherries in the Jerte Valley If you still do not know the Jerte Valley, surely you know of the fame that has been gained by the beauty of its landscapes during the time of cherry blossom, at the beginning of April. I have been able to verify this during my visits to that valley at that time of the year, with beautiful car routes between cherry blossoms.

Casa Antón, a modernist building in Ferrol Sometimes you arrive at a place on the occasion of an event or to visit a specific corner, and discover a tourist attraction of which you had no knowledge and becomes one of the great surprises of your trip. This has happened to me on a trip to Ferrol, in the province of A Coruña, which I did on the occasion of the FEVINO international fair.