Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Mishkabear

If you’re planning a trip to Spain in the future, these are some items you should definitely put in your itinerary:

1. Check out the Alhambra Complex.

The Alhambra is a breathtaking palace complex constructed by Moorish rulers in the mid-14th century. This fortress is so vast that it will take you practically an entire day to explore it!

2. Visit the Cathedral of Santiago.

Located in Galicia, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is one of Europe’s oldest churches and one of Spain’s most popular tourist spots. You will be amazed at this cathedral’s grand architecture and lavish interiors!

3. Visit the Guggenheim Museum.

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, designed by architect Frank Gehry, is one of the most unique buildings in the world. Catch world-class exhibitions inside this museum of modern and contemporary art.

4. Go skiing in Sierra Navada.

If you’re craving a little snow adventure, then head on to the Sierra Navada Mountains to do some skiing. The best months for snow are December up until April.

5. Walk by the Old Town of Avila.

The Old Town of Avila boasts of the most preserved and beautiful medieval walls in all of Spain and even Europe. Visit the Old Town of Avila and see just why it was made a World Heritage Site.

6. Stop by Cibeles Square.

Are you a Real Madrid football fan? Pass by Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid and have your photo taken at the traditional spot where die-hard fans celebrate their football team’s triumphs.

7. Spend a few hours at Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park.

If you’re looking to spend a relaxing afternoon enjoying the beautiful outdoors, then head on to Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park. You can also take the family for a scenic climb or hike!

8. Check out San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

This historical landmark less than an hour away from Madrid is home to the mausoleum where all Spanish kings and queens are laid to rest. If you’re a history buff, you’ll definitely enjoy the guided tour!

9. Witness the Running of the Bulls.

This 7-day festival in Pamplona is one of the most thrilling spectacles you could ever witness. Run with the bulls or watch others do it! Either way, your adrenaline will surely be pumping!

10.  Stroll around Las Ramblas.

Check out this lovely street in Barcelona lined up with charming cafes and restaurants, outdoor markets and various boutiques. You can also shop and dine at the indoor shopping center located at the end of the pier.

11.  Shop at El Rastro.

El Rastro, one of the largest open air flea markets in Spain, is a wonderful place to dine and shop to your heart’s delight. Bargain hunters most certainly need to do their shopping here!

12.  Experience Gaudi’s Architecture.

No trip to Spain is complete without experiencing Antoni Gaudi’s marvelous and magical architecture. Parc Guell, in particular, is home to tilting buildings, elaborate fountains and colorful tiles.

Of course, there are so many wonderful things to do and see in Spain. These are just 12 of the items to put on your itinerary the next time you are headed to Spain in order to make your trip one for the books!

About the Author:

Kristine M. is an adventure blogger who writes about the most exciting places to be in. She greatly fancies the various activities that anyone can do in the bustling nightlife in the various cities around the world. During her spare time, she helps Broadband Expert, a high speed internet provider, with its office administration and blogging activities. Check out her next blog post for her next adventure.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Greg Pye

Faro was originally just a fishing village built by the Romans, who called it Ossonoba. In 1249, thanks to Alfonso III. was freed from the power of the Moors and became to prosper as a city. But in 1596 a city suffered a damaging blow, it was burned by the Earl of Essex, who was a great favorite of Queen Elizabeth I. And later, in 1755, it was damaged again during the massive earthquake. Although the remnants of ancient city walls managed to preserve until today, most of the beautiful buildings either did not outlast the destruction or have been largely damaged. So the buildings that you can see today in Faro, come mainly from the late 18th and 19th century.

Faro is now a beautiful coastal city protected by a low sandy islands Ilha de Culatra, Ilha da Barreta and Ilha da Faro. Unfortunately, many tourists pass Faro without stopping here, even though it has the largest number of cultural and historical monuments from all the towns in the Algarve region. Preserved old town center around the cathedral and behind the old city walls, definitely worth a visit.

The historical center of Faro can easily be explored on foot. It lies in a small bay and is partly surrounded by medieval walls. The old harbor area has arched entrance gate with a bell tower called Arco da Vila. This arch was built in the 19th century for Bishop Dom Francisco Gomes do Avelar, who has decided to rebuild the dilapidated city. Street behind it, paved with cobblestones, leads to a beautiful Largo da Sé Square, where you can see the cathedral. From the original Gothic cathedral from the 13th century, which was destroyed in 1596 by English forces led by the Earl of Essex, are preserved only unusual tower, covered porches and two inner chapels. The reconstruction of the cathedral took a long time, so it is now built both in Renaissance, and Baroque style.

Inside the cathedral you can see a huge pipe organ decorated with spectacular Chinese motifs. During festive occasions, there are playing Europe’s leading organists. The cathedral also houses one of the most important Algarve’s collections of sacred art from the 17th and 18th century. And its tower offers a beautiful view of the city.

On the square Largo da Sé is also a Bishop’s Palace Paço Episcopal. If you go through another stone arch in Arco Repouso, walk up to the church of São Francisco, which was built in the 18th century. It is decorated with tiles and scenes from the life of St. Francis. Further north, another church rises in Pé Nossa Senhora da Cruz, who is an exceptional oil paintings depicting episodes from Genesis.

In the monastery Convento de Nossa Senhora da Assunção (Monastery of Our Lady of the Assumption), which is the oldest Renaissance building in the Algarve, is probably the most beautiful cloister in southern Portugal, which was built in 1540 by Afonso Pires. The monastery was founded by Leonor, sister of Manuel I (king of Portugal). The monastery has been carefully restored and since 1973 houses a museum devoted to archeology where you can see the local archaeological finds. The collection includes also Roman, medieval and Manueline stone reliefs and sculptures. The main exhibit is a 2,000 year old Roman mosaic floor measuring 9 x 3 meters, showing a head of the god Neptune.

The most interesting church in Faro is Igreja do Carmo (Carmelite Church). It has an imposing facade with two towers and a beautiful gilded interior, but its biggest attraction is haunted Bone Chapel. Besides the Carmelite church from the 18th century is located another museum – Museo Marítimo exhibiting a small collection of marine exhibits, including model ships. You will see a flagship example of Vasco de Gama, which he used during his voyage to India. Plus you can learn here about the traditional methods of fishing on the coast of the Algarve.

The main artery of Faro is the elegant pedestrian street Rua de Santo António, which is full of shops, bars and restaurants. On the northeast of the city lies the Jewish cemetery, founded for the community, which was brought here by Marquis de Pombal in the 18th century.

About 7 kilometers from the town is a beach. The local coastline is attractive because it includes a number of small sandy islands with a unique nature reserve. In the vicinity of the bay is the Ria Formosa Natural Park, which is a favorite resting place for many species of migratory birds.

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However the first written document of the Telč dates back to the 1315. In 1334 Karel IV. (at this time as Margrave of Moravia) paid the mortgage of this municipality, and a few years later (1339) he replaced it by the Castle of Bánov, that belonged to Jindřich of Hradec.

The family of the new owner then established a new Telč. Unfortunately, the Memorandum has not preserved, but the first written report of Telč Burgess comes from 1353. It is assumed that it was Menhart of Hradec, who in 1354 built a castle, church, water fortification and Gothic houses (originally wooden) around the perimeter of a large marketplace. Other buildings and lake were built progressively.

Telč is a fascinating blend of architectural styles, and on many houses you can see a gradual evolution from Gothic style through Renaissance to Baroque style, in some cases also the later styles. The best example are the Gothic houses on the square, some with well-preserved typical pointed arches. They have Renaissance facades with beautiful gables, decorated with frescoes and paintings on the walls, or a baroque and rococo sculptures. The square is also decorated with two fountains and the Marian column.

Until now, well-preserved are also the medieval walls and city gates, the castle and other monuments, such as the former Jesuit college from 1655 (now high school).

The town of Telč is listed on UNESCO World Heritage List since 1992.

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The combination of geographical location, natural scenery and historical landmarks makes Veliko Tărnovo to be historically and architecturally one of the most important towns in Europe.

The first thing a visitor of Veliko Tărnovo will notice is the dominating feature of the city – a high rocky hill Carevec, surrounded by a massive medieval walls. The area is connected to the outside only by a narrow bridge and hide the ruins of Czar’s palaces and churches.

Steep slopes below the walls are several hundred meters deep. All the impressive scenery is completed with thousands of small houses from the 18th and 19th century, which, from the distance, look like they were built one above the other.

With a beautiful view of the city would be satisfied also the tourists who have no idea how many historical events took place in the context of European history.

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Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy by Chris Yunker

The castle is surrounded by a moat that is filled with water fed from the Po River. The castle dates back to the 14th century and features a number of towers, medieval walls and of course a draw bridge. In the basement of the Castle there is an old prison which is open to the public. While many parts of the castle today are open to the public, since the building still serves as the political seat of the city, there are parts that are non-accessible.

Not too far away from the fort is the city’s cathedral. It is here that you will find the Museo della Cattedrale which houses many beautiful tapestries, various manuscripts as well as the 1408 sculpture of Madonna. Since the city has been the home for many famous artists, there are many fine collections to view in the museum.

In 1492, the Duke of Ferrara planned an extension to the city which can be found along the northern edges of the town. The initial goal of the Duke was to create a very tasteful district in the city dedicated to the Renaissance. In this extension, you will find a number of fine attractions as well as the Palazzo dei Diamanti which is a museum today that houses many works from local artists.

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