I enjoyed this post on the iberianatureforum by Maria:
Outside the tapas bars of Lanjaron temperatures reached 30 degrees. 2500m above we donned our duvet jackets as an icy wind tore across the white snow filled plateau. Such are the contrasts this year in southern Spain’s Sierra Nevada, a legacy of the worst winter weather in living memory.
Read the original story here:
The earthquake in Arenas de Rey, Granada in 1884 was the most deadly in modern Spanish history. The earthquake had an estimated magnitude of 6.5-7 (Richter) and an intensity of 10 (MSK). Almost 800 people were killed and 1,500 were injured. 14,000 homes were destroyed. Most of the town was destroyed and so today’s centre dates back to the end of the 19th century, which was rebuilt with money raised throughout Spain.
The Baños Arabes in Jaén are considered one of the best examples Moorish hammams in Spain. They were built between the 11th and the 12th centuries, and cover an area of 450m2 making them probably the largest in Europe. The horseshoe arches and brickwork ceilings with their famous star-shaped windows give a nice, airy feel to the place. Most of the baths have been well restored.
The baths are in the Palacio de Villardompardo which also worth a visit. They are free to visit and are open from 9am-8pm between Tuesdays and Fridays and from 9.30am-2.30pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
The Playa de Mónsul is one of the most beautiful beaches in Cabo de Gata. The beach is flanked by weird overhanging volcanic rocks, and there is a large mobile dune in the shape of a half-moon (technically a barchan dune) at the entrance to the beach.
Cabo de Gata is the best example of fossil vulcanism in the Iberian Peninsula. It was caused by the crashing together of the Eurasian and African plates during the Miocene.
Set in the heart of the rugged and arid Cabo de Gata, the abandoned gold mines of Rodalquilar are a fascinating and extremely atmospheric spot to visit. The mines experienced a minor gold fever in the 1880s . They were reopened for a brief flash in the pan in 1989, before finally closing a year later. There are a number of abandoned mining cottages in the deserted village of San Diego, though some have been renovated now for tourism accommodation. At the bottom of the slope, the village of Rodalquilar itself is attractive and has a few bars offering cool drinks after a visit to the mines.
La Cueva de los Murciélagos – The Bat Cave is a system of caves in Zuheros, Córdoba, and one of the largest in Andalucia. It is situated on the edges of the limestone Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park. The cave is famous for its rock paintings and archaeological remains dating from Neolithic times, and features beautiful stalactite and stalagmite formations.
The 18th century Cortijo del Fraile (The Friar’s Estate) is a wonderfully atmospheric spot in Cabo de Gata Natural Park with a dark secret. The farmstead was the site of the tragic Crime of Nijar, the murder which inspired Lorca to write Blood Wedding. Scenes from The Good the Bad and the Ugly and several other films were also shot here. Photo by Enkayte on Flicr.
El Torcal de Antequera in Malaga is one of the most impressive karst landscapes in Europe. Photo by Jakub Botwicz from Wikipedia.
Spanish Civil War guided tours in Barcelona
Guided tour around Spain
Spanish natureTravelling around Spain on a scooter
Entertaining video from the Guardian here showing a woman travelling around rural Almeria on a Vespa scooter.
Best tapas bars in Palma de Mallora
The Guardian has this article on the best tapas bars and bodegas in Palma de Mallorca, home to an an impressive ranges of good eateries. I particularly liked the sound of Bodega Bellver:
Tucked up a side street around the corner from the theatre, Bellver is about as far away from Palma’s gleaming 21st- century tapas bars as it’s possible to imagine. Dark and shadowy, with shelves lined with dusty bottles and wine barrels, and rickety wooden tables scattered around the small space, it is steeped in history, atmosphere and the smell of spicy pork frying on the tiny grill beside the bar. Order up icy beers and pinchos and settle into a slice of unchanged Mallorquin life.
Trekking in the Sierra Nevada in June
I enjoyed this post on the iberianatureforum by Maria:
Outside the tapas bars of Lanjaron temperatures reached 30 degrees. 2500m above we donned our duvet jackets as an icy wind tore across the white snow filled plateau. Such are the contrasts this year in southern Spain’s Sierra Nevada, a legacy of the worst winter weather in living memory.
Read the original story here:
Travel guide to Osana
Good review of the county of Osana here from Barcelona writing.
On food of Osona
Pork and its by-products may be the most emblematic food of the county, but Osona has much else to offer gastronomes. The truffle (trufa), a black mushroom that grows underground and is highly prized, and a wide range of bolets (Catalan mushrooms) including pinetell, rovelló, rossinyol, cep and fredolic are found locally, as are the white beans (mongetes) of the Collsacabra Mountains, characterised by their small size. For dessert, the pa de pessic de Vic (sponge cake) is worth trying as are the regional cheeses, curds, honey and jam.
Teruel bat
Detail of modernist forge of the Staircase of the Paseo del Óvalo. The monumental staircase was built in 1921 to link the new railway station with the old part of the city. The work has modernist and neomudejar details. By SantiMB on Flickr
History and culture Notes from Spain