Category: Travel

Last stop: Barcelona

The third and final stop on our late September tour of Portugal and Spain takes us to beautiful Barcelona! Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and famous for it’s rich history , fantastic cuisine, and Art Nouveau architecture Barcelona is a “must see” city for world travelers. Here are some of the highlights of our trip.

Amazing Architecture

 On our 3 hour walking tour of modernist architecture, we learned the history of Barcelona’s architecture. As the city prospered in the late 1800s to early 1900s, Barcelona grew from its medieval roots (still evident in the Gothic quarter) where streets are narrow and dark. The city planners wanted something different and planned the new city in a grid of wide streets. Buildings could not be taller than the street was wide and all buildings had to have inner courtyards, green spaces to let in light and air. This was Intended for the common people, but the wealthy moved there leaving the cramped inner city to the poor. They hired only the best architects to design elaborate homes to showcase their wealth. Along came Antoni Gaudi, a lesser known architect who abandoned the trends of the day and did his own thing…some liked what he did, some hated it…but he stayed with his vision and refused to compromise. He left an amazing legacy in Barcelona. His crowing jewel is the Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family) Cathedral, still under construction today.

Barcelona Between the Mountains and the Sea

Besides several days exploring the city, we enjoyed a day trip to Montserrat, a spectacularly beautiful Benedictine mountain retreat about an hour north of Barcelona. And, a highlight for me, a trip to the beach where I walked in the Mediterranean (without losing my phone, for those of you who’ve read my book Until Italy, you understand…) and enjoyed a lovely seaside lunch.

And so, our three week trip to Lisbon, Seville, and Barcelona comes to an end. Thanks for coming along. I hope you’ve enjoyed the pictures and stories I’ve shared. I’d like to leave you with a final word and the most important and memorable picture of all of my travel photos:

And this is why I travel…

An empty table in Barcelona soon fills with people from Australia, England, Hawaii, and Arizona. Over tapas and wine we get to know one another. We discuss homes and jobs, and children and grandchildren. We laugh together and also share our dismay about the state of the Earth: frequent volcanic eruptions in Hawaii, sweltering summers in England, wildfires out of control in Australia and Arizona, hurricanes in Florida. For a few hours our diverse nationalities dissolve. We are friends, citizens of planet Earth, and we leave the table richer for the experience. This, this is why I travel.

Happy travels, my friends!

The second stop on our late September tour takes us out of Portugal and into the quintessential Spanish city of Seville. Here we found:

Churros and Chocolate for Breakfast

(Ok, yes, this looks like a lot of Churros. I did share with my husband Ed. Some.) One of the first things we noticed about Seville is the relaxed attitude about dining. Churros and chocolate for breakfast? Why not?! Just don’t look for them early in the morning. One local told us that breakfast is usually a cappuccino or espresso and a pastry around 10 or so. Lunch maybe 1:00-3:00. Then everything shuts down for the afternoon. Even some schoolchildren come home for a two hour break. Dinner? Don’t even think about it until 8 or 9 when the streets come alive with sidewalk cafes serving tapas and drinks. Traveling musicians add to the ambience.

Mercado de Triana

Beautiful produce awaits at the Mercado de Triana just across the river. We signed up for a cooking class located in the Mercado and learned how to make gazpacho, paella Valenciano, and lemon sorbet with cava. Recipes to try at home make for the perfect souvenirs.

History, Culture, Busy Tourist Sites, and Quiet, Ancient Streets

The tourists among you will want to visit the Alcazar(one of the best examples of Moorish and Christian architecture in the world), the Seville Cathedral (the world’s largest Gothic cathedral and Christopher Columbus’ resting place), and the Plaza de Espana. Be sure to buy tickets ahead of time for these major tourist attractions and , depending on the time of year, expect large crowds. But be sure to save time to wander Seville’s quiet, ancient streets.

Perfect Ending

A tapas and sangria cruise along the river. A perfect ending to our stay in beautiful Seville.

Adios Seville!

On my blog, Facebook, and Instagram profiles, I describe myself as a former educator, sewist, traveler, author, and blogger. In this post, I can check two of those boxes by filling the role of travel blogger. I recently had the opportunity to travel to three amazing cities in Portugal and Spain. My first stop: Lisbon.

Here are Three reasons to love Lisbon:

Beautiful Tilework

The first thing you will notice about Lisbon is the amazing tilework. Originally introduced by the Moors in the 13th century, they were used to decorate the sides of buildings and pathways. You have to admire a culture that took the time to decorated even the paths you walk along. There is a Tile Museum in the city that traces the history of these iconic designs in tile throughout Lisbon’s history.

Pasteis de Nata

Ok…this alone would warrant a trip to Lisbon. Pasteis de Nata ( Pastel de Nata is singular, but you will never use this term because you won’t want to buy just one, trust me), Portugal’s famous custard pastries can be found all over the city. We found these in the Time Out Market, but the most famous place to eat pasteis de nata is in the district of Santa Maria de Belem at the Fabrica de Pasteis. We had one (um, maybe two) each morning with tea or coffee for breakfast. Best served warm with a dusting of cinnamon.

Seafood and Beverages

If you are a seafood lover, Lisbon is the place! We also sampled local drinks including ginja ( Portuguese liquor made by infusing a cherry-like berry with alcohol and sugar. The edible berry is included, watch out for the pit), green (young) wine sangria, and port.

In conclusion I’m going to borrow something I wrote on a recent FB post:

Lisbon: an ancient city of astonishing tiles, blue sky, white-washed buildings with terra cotta roofs, grilled sardines, seafood stew, cod cakes, flakey, creamy Pasteis da Nata, many cultures blend with tourists, countless Ubers and tuk-tuks, green wine sangria, impossibly narrow roads wind up steep hills, bring sturdy walking shoes and watch your step, but the view from the top is worth it.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks as I take you to two of Spain’s beautiful cities!