Modern Barcelona with the Old Delights

Barcelona is one of the favorite cities in Spain. Its strategic location at the northern Spanish coast at the Mediterranean Sea makes it very lucrative to holidaymakers with its beautiful climate and lovely beaches.

Barcelona is a very cosmopolitan city with a thriving economy in Spain. Today, Barcelona is a modern city with many international standards adopted to create a most conducive business and living environment.

Buildings

This city has a lot of buildings; old and new structures reflect the progression of Barcelona from ancient epochs to current day architecture that gives the city its pulse today.

Barcelona has a colorful and long history with a lot of diverse influences in traditions, cultures and folklore. There are Romanesque, Renaissance and Gothic styled monuments still standing in the city and its surroundings.

But the old blends in well with the new architecture that was recently developed in the last 10 decades. The modern works of Antoní Gaudí give his contemporaries new insight and worry.

Another interesting building in Barcelona is the Olympic Ring or the Anella Olímpica. This is a series of sports installations for the 1992 Olympic Games’ main activities. More masterpieces are found in Fundacio Joan Miro which is a popular 20th century gallery displaying the best of works by this great artist.

Tibidabo

One of the interesting spots in Barcelona is the Parc d'Atraccions. This is like a theme park with interesting rides with a house of horrors. Tibidabo also has another hair-raising activity which is the Torre de Collserola. This is a 115m telecommunications tower which takes visitors up a glass lift to an observation area to view the panoramic surroundings.

Another interesting building is the Temple del Sagrat Cor which is equivalent to Paris’ Sacré Coeur; the Barcelona tower is more aesthetic with two churches built on top of each other. The higher one has a large Christ statue with a lift to the roof for some panoramic views. Tibidabo also has a unique funicular station, location en espagne.

Hotels

There are plenty of hotels in Barcelona which can easily fit any tourist’s budget. There are luxury hotels in the city center or simple hotels of lower rankings close to the city center. However, they are all of high standards and services to ensure a pleasant stay while at Barcelona. Most of these hotels are close to many of Barcelona’s interesting sights; if not, the public transportation is easily available at anytime of the day or night to the convenience of the tourists.

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Carefree Lifestyle around Pamplona

Although Pamplona may be very noted for its famous St. Fermin fiesta every July, there are several delightful choices around Pamplona for the tourists to get away from the maddening crowd; especially during St. Fermins. This popular festivity brings on a huge crowd which would not be quiet; if one desires relaxation during this time at Pamplona, it would be advisable to consider areas surrounding Pamplona.

One can consider Rioja which lies not too far away which allows tourists to get the best of both worlds; one can get into Pamplona easily while retreating into tranquility quickly when desired. Besides Rioja, the countryside is another excellent choice to enjoy a carefree lifestyle during a holiday vacation if one had planned for a refreshing and relaxing holiday in Spain.

Rioja

Rioja is located southwest of Pamplona in the wine region of Spain. It is a quaint little province that is unfazed by tourism. One of the best ways to explore Pamplona and its surroundings is by bicycle where there are plenty of bike routes passing fertile and rich vineyards. Wine can be savored as one explores the wine production process from the experts.

The day may be hot but this change quickly when night comes with the majestic northern mountains at the backyard.

Easy living

The locals live simply but to the fullest; they do not watch the time in their living. Hence, businesses can be on flexi-hours, so to say. Opening and closing hours for businesses are not strictly adhered to; breakfast can be served after 9am; lunch can commence from 2pm; siestas are a given for a couple of hours while dinner is likely to be at 9-10pm.

Rioja is a very small village which does not overly indulge itself with anything heavy. Hence, the locals relax throughout the day which makes the town quite a virtual ghost town during siesta and after sunset. Most locals would be at home relaxing in their favorite home activity, locations villa espagne .

Countryside

Navarra Province provides a slightly different type of take from sleepy Rioja. The rugged Basque country is vastly inhabited by the Basque people who are an ancient tribe having their own culture and language. There is a vast land in the Basque country with refreshing countryside scenes where the Basque people till the land for the myriad of fresh produce that is often found in their jealously guarded recipes.

There is no better place than these quiet spots around Pamplona to get a real taste of local cuisine and culture.

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An Exciting Experience in Pamplona with Bull Running

Everyone in Pamplona knows what July entails; once the clock strikes 8 in the morning, there would be a deafening silence as huge crowds lining the designated streets await the firing of the rocket to release the bulls.

Within seconds, a rumbling sound can be heard increasingly louder as hundreds of bulls charge through Pamplona along its narrow medieval streets with several thousands of brave runners.

St. Fermin festival.

Pamplona may only have a small population of 250,000 but this figure swells up triple times during St. Fermin fiesta. Thousands of participants and observers would come from all over Spain, Europe and across the globe to witness the adrenalin gushing event at Pamplona.

Hotels would be fully packed with advanced bookings; sometimes as early as a year in advance to secure a room closest to the bull-run route or bull ring.

Saint Fermin festival is a very important religious festival that is held in honor of the local patron, Saint Fermin. The annual run happens on 6-14 July with bulls running out from their pens every morning but the first day where an official opening happens with a rock concert, champagne water fight and soccer match.

The good natured crowds loose themselves easily into the celebrations to ensure a great time as well as to garner up the courage for the upcoming bull runs.

Bull runs

From the second day of the festival, bulls would be released through designated cordoned routes along Pamplona’s streets to the local bull ring just as in medieval times where herdsmen also did the same.

Bullfighting is considered a deeply entrenched Spanish tradition for decades. In the past, townsfolk helped the herdsmen drive their bulls to the bullrings for a bull fight which now has become an annual tradition. Ernest Hemingway, a famous author, put Pamplona on the map with his explicit mentions of this activity in his best-seller “The Sun Also Rises.”

A bull run is dangerous but there are hundreds of participants, both local and foreign, who want to have that exhilarating experience. Participating runners would be given a few minutes’ head start with a little distance between themselves and the bulls before the bulls are released. Some might give up at the sound of the stampede in the distance, locations villas espagne .

There is protective fencing for the observers along the route; ambulances, safety and medical crews as well as police are well positioned to assist in any emergency.

The air is electrified with screams and yells; a bull run may last only seconds but the memory would be etched in one’s mind, heart and soul forever.

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