Photo by Mitchell

Spanish art is so distinct. It is characterised on experimented pictorial techniques and effects on light and textures. And this kind of exploratory trend finds its roots in painters such as Joaquin Mir and Casas who represent the predecessors of impressionists. Aside from this eccentric style, came the rise of avant –garde led by Pablo Picasso which made blares and hullabaloos. Later then, pop art, minimalism, modern art installations, and abstract expressionism crowded the European Art scene.

Barcelona, as Spain’s most cosmopolitan city and one of the Mediterranean’s busiest ports, also boasts in their arts competence, as shown in their numerous galleries and museums, amidst Europe’s heavy concentration on hi-tech and biomedical business. The racing heart of Barcelona never skipped a bit. Here’s the top 5 art museums/ galleries that Barcelona prides itself on:

1. Picasso Museum – This museum is located in Malaga City. It was inaugurated on the 27th of October 2003 by the King and Queen of Spain. And because Picasso’s works are too many to display, some are queued outside the museum’s narrow pedestrian for free public appreciation. Alongside the building are bookshops and cafés – all specialising in Picasso’s modern arts.
2. Joan Miro Foundation – This opened to the public on the 10^th of June, 1975. It has been dedicated to artists who saw the opportunity to promote and publicise their works. During when Spanish art was minimal, the Foundation conveyed a different yet refreshingly and dynamic concept of art.
3. Tàpies Foundation – This foundation is not only an avenue for arts but for education and research as well.  It seeks to protect and distribute all the museum’s significant documents and material, as well as its educational resources so it could help facilitate information about Antoni Tàpies’ contemporary works.
4. Mies Van der Rohe Pavillon – Exhibitions and lectures are hosted in this foundation. Aside from disseminating knowledge about its designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, it also features modern and contemporary architecture in general from either a historical or present-day point of view.
5. Catalan National Art Museum (Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya) – It is the national museum of Catalan visual art. It is especially noteworthy for its outstanding collection of Romanesque church paintings, and Catalan arts which includes: 1) Romanesque art; 2) Gothic art; 3) Renaissance and Baroque art; and 4) Modern art.

These are just among the many art wonders of Barcelona where one can visit, enjoy, and relive once again the historical impression set by its artists. Let me quote Octavio Paz’ statement: “Art is an invention of aesthetics, which in turn is an invention of philosophers… What we call art is a game.”

Author Bio: Mitchell Zavich Zunia is a native of Pennsylvania, and had graduated at Robert Morris University with a degree in International Studies. She is a field photographer for a high- flying publication in Pittsburgh. Also, she’s the online content coordinator for www.allseminyakvillas.com. You may follow her on Twitter @MitchellZunia

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by leoplus

Pena National Palace was built in 19th century but its history started already in the Middle Ages when a chapel was built here and later in 1493 also monastery, however it was severely damaged by lightning and later by the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755. After that only ruins remained here for many decades. King Ferdinand started reconstructions and rebuilt the place into a summer residence for the Portuguese royal family in 1847.

Pena National Palace is now a place of Portuguese government and president officials. Around the Palace there is 200 hectares large vast forest with lots of paths.

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The mining started already in the 1st Century. The Romans used the hydraulic mining technique. After two centuries of extremely profitable mining the Romans departed and left here a devastated landscape. But after centuries it has changed and now the country looks so much impressive that in 1997 was Las Médulas registered by the UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites.

Even today you can still see a mining operation there, at non-forested slopes, that are full of steep rocky bits in orange or almost red color. According to Pliny the Elder, it could be extracted about 1,650,000 kg of pure gold during the 250 years of mining.

Villages in the area of Las Médulas belong to the poorest in Spain. Once you come here you will feel that the time totally stopped. The buildings are abandoned and dilapidated, young people left to large cities. Just after including the area to UNESCO the first tourists started to arrive. Local residents are very sincere and offer their domestic products, especially wines, liqueurs and cheeses.

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Agrigento Greek colony was founded in the 6th century BC but already in 406 BC the town was destroyed by the Carthaginians. Until now there are still well-preserved ruins of ancient town.

The local archaeological area of Agrigento is the richest group of well-preserved Greek temples in the world. You can find here the remains of buildings from the later Hellenistic and Roman periods.

Since 1997, the archaeological area of Agrigento is registered on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.

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Coimbra is famous for its university, which dominates the city. It is the oldest university in Portuguese-speaking world. It was founded in the 1290. Coimbra is divided into two parts, upper and lower town. Both of them offer lots of monuments. The main center of the lower town is the square Praça do Comércio. The main center of the upper town is the square Praça da República.

Among major attractions of Coimbra is the Cathedral Sé Velha, which was built in 1064 in honor of the victory against the Moors. Then it is a botanical garden, cathedral Sé Nova, founded by Jesuits in 1598, the church of Santa Cruz from 1131 and two monasteries, the Santa Clara-a-Velha and Santa Clara-a-Nova. Coimbra has many more sites, that you cannot visit in one day.

Coimbra hosts during the year many celebrations and festivals. Among the most important there is a student ceremony Quiema das Fitas, during which students are celebrating the end of graduation courses, symbolized by the ritual burning of the ribbons representing each faculty of the University of Coimbra (UC), it takes place at the second semester (starts on the first Friday of May at 00:00), being among the biggest student festivities in Europe. It lasts for 8 days, one for each UC’s Faculty: Letters, Law, Medicine, Sciences & Technology, Pharmacy, Economics, Psychology & Education Sciences and Sports Sciences & Physical Education. During this period, a series of concerts and performances are held, turning Coimbra in a lively and vibrant city. It also includes a parade of the university students, sport activities, gala ball, and many other public events and traditions, such as the historical nighttime student fado serenade (Serenata Monumental) which happens in the stairs of the Old Cathedral of Coimbra for a crowd of thousands of students, tourists and other spectators.

Other festivals are e.g.:
In May – Festival de Queima das Fitas
In June – Festival de Santos Popular
In July – the Festa da Rainha Santa Isabel and Festa da Cidade

If you are planning your trip to Portugal, you shouldn’t miss Coimbra.

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Lago di Garda, Italy by Elliott Brown

Beauty hurts, or is more expensive than the sea
Lago di Garda enjoys a large tourist popularity. This corresponds to a number of first-class hotels and guesthouses. With the mark of prestige, prices are higher here than in other Italian resorts (apartments for around €20, campings for €10).

Even lake queen would not have to be ashamed of the lake – 346 meters depth is really impressive. Glacier Lake Garda was founded thanks to the global warming about 10 thousand years ago. Receding Alpine glaciers created this beautiful water world. The upper part of the lake is narrower, surrounded by great rock massifs. Towards the south, the lake opens up and allows visitors easier access. The lake lies at an altitude of 65 meters. Its maximum depth is 346 meters and if you would like to walk it all around, you have to prepare to about 160 kilometre-long way.

The right place for more demanding tourists and adventure lovers is the northern part of Lake Garda. Biking, hiking, rock climbing is just a fraction of what the area offers. Lake Garda is ideal for active holidays. You find here hundreds of kilometres of marked cycling and hiking trails that lead deep into the mountains, on the water you can enjoy boating, scooters or just play a beach volleyball.

Lago di Garda Italy by Robert Wirrmann

If you decide to go on a proper mountain hike, do not forget the map. It can be obtained in tourist centers or hotels. Losing here is really not hard at all. The ideal starting point for tours is the town of Riva del Garda, where you can go either west or east. The western side offers steep rock walls, suitable more for hiking. The eastern hills are a paradise for passionate cyclists. (You can rent bikes and all the amenities from some of many rental services here, but prices are often quite high).

In addition to alpine tours and resting at blue lake you can also go for culture or rich night life, which is characteristic for Italy and its inhabitants. Visit a town of Riva del Garda. This place is ideal for lovers of history.

Lake Garda, Italy by Marjolein Knuit

In the southern part of the lake, you can visit a spa town Sirmione, known as the “Pearl of Lake Garda.” The Romans built here two castles, ports, and a whopping villa of Grotte di Catullo. On the ruins of one of the ports you can now visit the castle Scaligeri Rocca, which is one of the landmarks of Sirmione.

Glacier Lake Garda is truly one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy. It is suitable for everybody – hikers, adventurers, historians…

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Pavia is the capital of a fertile eponymous province known for agricultural products including wine, rice, cereals, and dairy products. The town has the peaceful atmosphere and is home to the ancient University of Pavia.

Main Pavia’s sights

• The most famous landmark of Pavia is the Certosa, or Carthusian monastery, founded in 1396 (approx. 8km north of the city)
• Cathedral of Pavia (Duomo di Pavia), the 3rd biggest dome in Italy (after St. Peter’s Basilica and Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence)
• San Michele Maggiore – Lombard-Romanesque church where the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa was crowned in 1155
• The Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro (“St. Peter in Golden Sky”), where Saint Augustine, Boethius and the Lombard king Liutprand are buried
• San Teodoro – the third romanesque basilica in the city
• The large fortified Castello Visconteo – the Castle, home to the City Museums (Musei Civici) with the park, popular attraction for children.
• The church of Santa Maria del Carmine – the second largest church in the city after the cathedral
• The renaissance church of Santa Maria di Canepanova

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