Travel Itineraries

A Compact 10 Day Trip from Barcelona to Toledo

An old friend of mine told me that a cruise he was taking with some family and friends ended in Barcelona. “If I had ten days more and wanted to show them the Spain I love, where do you suggest we go?” This is what I suggested, and I have included quotes from him after he returned home to Texas. Day 1 - Barcelona To start, rent a car at the Barcelona Airport, the roads are excellent and a diesel car helps defray the cost of fuel. You will turn the vehicle in at the Barajas Airport in Madrid....
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The Byways of Galícia

Many people are unaware of this Celtic region in northwest Spain, north of Portugal. With bagpipes, rias / fjords and rolling green hills dotted with cows, Galícia reminds many people of Ireland. The Gallegos are distinct down-to-earth people. There is some evidence that the Celts of the British Isles migrated from this part of Spain. This compact itinerary we found very satisfying. We were in the region in March, 2011 and were surprised to find many fruit trees in bloom! Driving along the...
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Essential Spain: Off the Beaten Track

This is an itinerary I designed for a couple who wanted to get immersed in the heart of Spain while avoiding the usual tourist destinations. This was a little over two weeks, which I think is the minimum to do Spain justice. Even with that, we only concentrated on perhaps one third of the country, always bear in mind that there are 17 autonomous regions with their own distinct styles and sometimes languages. So it is essential to linger here and there, then come back again another day. Day 1...
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Pablo’s Short Tour of Galícia

This is an itinerary designed by my good friend Pablo Vázquez. -Don Galicia is a small area, so you can reach the farther place in less than 3 hours by car. Galícia is well connected from north to south and from the Atlantic Coast to Castilla by highways (AP-9 has toll, A-52 is free). If you like, there are thousands of forest with “green paths” to walk, for example near Silleda there is a hidden waterfall “Fervenza da Toxa”, the highest of Galícia. (Flickr album) and a 6km route that...
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A Romanesque Pyrenees Experience

This area of Spain contains an amazing treasury of art and architecture, some of which stretches back over a thousand years. It has been relatively untouched because the areas of interest are largely valleys nestled in the foothills of the rugged Pyrenees. The roads are winding and difficult to navigate in the winter contributing to a place minimally touched by modern life. Romanesque architecture reigns with its solidity and Pythagorean harmony. Toward the end of this itinerary I hope you will...
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Semana Santa and Liturgical Music in Cuenca

I have posted this itinerary in conjunction with my [link1]June 2011 Reflection[/link1] posted on www.latienda.com, which details this unique expression of piety and music in Cuenca (with the hope that you might be tempted to choose this wonderful experience in the future). Pictures of the Semana Santa processions can be found on [link2]Flickr[/link2] as well. Day 1 - Monday of Holy Week Iberia Airlines from Richmond, via Chicago, to Madrid/Barajas Airport. Day 2 - Tuesday of Holy Week Morning 07:40...
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A Trip Through Old Spain

Following this route we revisited some of our favorite towns of Andalucía before heading north along the Portuguese border in Extremadura. We turned west to the Celtic lands of Galícia including the pilgrimage city of Santiago de Compostela and along the Cantabrian coast to Asturias (where the Reconquista began in the 8th century). We headed south to León driving through a breathtaking mountain pass in the Picos de Europa lingering in the pilgrimage villages and the forgotten medieval towns of...
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A Walk Through Vigo, Galícia

Good morning everybody, I am Pablo Vázquez, a good friend of Don Harris. I wanted to show you a bit more of my city, Vigo, and its bay. I think the bay is the most beautiful part of the city, life goes around it, as Vigo was born around a fishing neighborhood: O Berbés . O Berbés, about the 1920's. The arches on the houses ere for guarding the boats. Many of these houses still exist today. Ok, let’s go! Today I went for a walk here (about 10 min. by car from home). This is Toralla Island,...
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