Archive

Posts Tagged ‘Barcelona’

4 Lesser Known Must See Cities In Europe

September 30th, 2009 No comments
by Morten Elm

There are 50 countries in Europe ” so you cannot visit all of them on a trip to Europe (unless you have several months). Instead you should focus your energy on a few large cities. In the following you can read about 4 cities in 4 countries, which have unique sights, food and/or nightlife.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands. If you are looking for a very liberal minded city with legal hash and sex, Amsterdam is the place to go. You can buy hash in the so-called coffeeshops or sex (which comes in all kind of sizes and nationalities) in the Red Light District.

But Amsterdam is much more than a city of sins. You can also find museums with great art from Van Gogh and Rembrandt. Or you can visit the Anne Frank House ” the place where the Anne Franks Diary was written.

Barcelona, Spain. The capital of Spain is Madrid ” but the most interesting city is without doubt Barcelona. The city has everything: great food, interesting sights and a very fine nightlife. And then there is FC Barcelona ” the famous football club with the amazing stadium Camp Nou.

On a visit to Barcelona you also have to see Sagrada Famlia ” the unfinished cathedral by Antoni Gaud. Finish your day by a stroll down the La Ramla to the great harbor area, and eat tapas in Barceloneta.

Budapest, Hungary. The capital of Hungary is divided in two parts by the famous Danube (know for the waltz by Johann Strauss). The hilly Buda-part is on the left side while the Pest-part is on the right. The best sights are either located on the Castle Hill in the Buda-part or in central Pest.

Sights not to bed missed are the National Gallery and the Royal Palace. On Margaret Island there are great parks to relax and wander. For shopping you should go to the Vci Street or the largest shopping centre in Central Europe, Westend City Center.

Prague, the Czech Republic. If you need a cheap vacation, Prague could be the place to go. Even though the prices have gone up since the Cold War, you can still find cheap accommodation and eating in Prague.

The city has many great sights. A good place to start is Star Mesto, which is the old part of the city. Here you can see the impressive Astronomical Clock. From there you can follow the Charles Bridge over the Vltava River ” remember to look at the paintings and souvenir. On the other side you find the Prague Castle ” known as the biggest ancient castle in the world. Other great sights are the Jewish Museum, the Kafka Museum and the historical Jewish ghetto Josefov.

About the Author:

This Part of Spain Gets Very Hot

June 2nd, 2009 No comments
by Ken Morris

Antonio Gaudi gave so many gifts of architecture to Barcelona. In 1972, UNESCO designated this gift from Gaudi, ‘Parc Guell,’ as a World Heritage Site. He constructed the ‘parc’ between 1900-1914 as a commission from a royal patron of the day. This oasis 20-hectare park situated on a group of northern hills belongs to a central district of Barcelona.

Until 1972, it was a peaceful oasis of greenery holding other natural elements. It is from this vantage point that the holidaymaker can get a stunning view of Spain’s beautiful Barcelona laid at their feet. The nearby terraced gardens offer a brilliant combination of the natural and the artificial. There is an ample example of a colorful mosaic tile art form that Gaudi loved to incorporate into his work.

While you are there stop at the small cafe on the outer edge of Parc Guell. It is best to go before entering the park when you can enjoy a cool drink. This part of Spain gets very hot and the walk though this work of art is energizing. Holidaymakers who are adventurous will enjoy the teck but they’ll also require some sustenance. If you feel you need a bite to eat before e setting off on the tour there are some small eateries that you can choose from. Of particular interest to most guests and holidaymakers is the dazzling dragon-themed fountain. Take a minute to enjoy the multi-colored tiles, which adorn it.

Now you can take in walkways with seemingly endless flowerbeds that are dotted with the celebrated Gaudi touch. Now you can stroll down seemingly endless walkways as you take in the vista that seems awash with flowerbeds dotted with the famous Gaudi approach. He sprinkled the area with numerous mosaic tiles as his signature on the scene. There are a lot of unique sights deeper inside the park itself. The park has a gallery devoted to Gaudi’s art, stuffed with photos and other Gaudi items that will let you in on the life of the man himself. This gallery was at one time the man’s home and it contains furnishing he designed for himself.

Now outside again you may want to remember your sun block. Strolling alongside the lush green shrub border you’ll find countless interesting sights that include sculpture, columns, more eateries, and other museums. Here in the park even the benches are art works. There is a giant, curved on the Paseo de Palmas instance that is celebrated right through the city. Further on, there are still more instance of marvelous sights. Visit the (Sala de las Cien Columnas) Hall of the Hundred Columns which offers an array of classical art. But, what the columns support is drawn from later styles, portraying the romantic-era,

The exhibit is adorned in mosaic tiles of a more contemporary design. Close by there’s another walkway that is bordered by twisted rock pillars. This introduced yet another style. Gaudi embraced an organic fashion that also lends itself to organic eclecticism. There are numerous gates leading into the park. You as a visitor should choose according to where in the park you’d like to visit first.

Taking the subway travel to the Lesseps station. From this station, there will be a steep climb up a hill to where the ‘parc’ is situated. Admission to the park is free and most buildings open at 10 a.m.

About the Author: