Barcelona, Catalonia (Spain)

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia. The city is located on the Costa Dorada and is one of the main ports in Europe.

The historic center of the “old” Barcelona – the Gothic Quarter. Its main attraction is the Cathedral, located on Plaza Catalunya. This is a real masterpiece of Catalan Gothic architecture. Its construction began in 1298, but was finally completed only in the 19th century. The huge bell towers of the Cathedral contain both elements of the medieval style and the Renaissance. Inside the building is the Museum of Medieval Art.

According to Getzipcodes, Sagrada Familia can be called a masterpiece of modern architecture. Its design was developed by the architect Antonio Gaudi at the beginning of the 20th century. He conceived 12 towers, symbolizing the 12 apostles and interconnected and 2 spiers – Mary and Jesus Christ.

In the western part of the city is the Rambla area, consisting of a chain of streets that form a single boulevard. Along it are restaurants, cafes and shops. Every day, street artists bring their paintings to passers-by, and musicians and actors cheer up passers-by. Leads Rumble to the statue of Columbus at the entrance to the harbor. There are many restaurants, bars and cafes in the port, there is a trendy cinema with a huge screen.

In Barcelona in 1963 the Picasso Museum was opened. It contains an extensive collection of works by this famous artist. In the vicinity of the Ramblas are the Museum of Theater Arts, the Arts Centre, the Wax Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. Mount Montjuic rises in the southwest of the city. At its top, sports facilities for competitions were built for the 1992 Olympic Games, including the Olympic Stadium and the Water Stadium.

Not far from Barcelona to the north on a hill is the famous Park Güell. It was created by the architect Antonio Gaudí between 1900 and 1914. From the hill you have a great view of Barcelona.

In addition to visiting the historical and cultural values ​​​​of Barcelona tourists enjoy relaxing on the sandy beaches of the city. Among them are Sant Sebastia, La Barceloneta, Nova Icaria, Bogatell, Mar Bella and Nova Mar Bella. The beaches are crowded in July and August at the peak of the season.

The international airport is located 12 km southwest of the city.

Valencia (Spain)

Valencia is located on the east coast of Spain. the city was founded by the Greeks in 138 BC. Throughout the history of the country, it belonged to the Greeks, Romans and Arabs until the 13th century, so the culture of various peoples left a trace here.

The square of the Virgin Mary, on which the Rio Turia fountain stands, is the center of the historical part of Valencia. In its vicinity are attractions such as the Cathedral, the Basilica and the Government Palace. The Cathedral was built in 1262. It is a mixture of Gothic, Baroque and Classicism. The altar of the Cathedral is decorated with paintings by Fernando Yanes and Fernando de Llanos, there is a museum, and on the bell tower (at a height of 50 m) there is an observation deck from which the whole city is perfectly visible.

Another square – the triangular Plaza del Ayuntamiento – is located in the southern part of Valencia and was built relatively recently, at the beginning of the 20th century. Here are the city hall, the building of the central post office, shops and cafes. There is a bullfighting arena nearby. If you walk a little further, you can get to the shopping area. The ancient building of Lonya in the past was a place for the sale of silk and other goods, the so-called “Silk Exchange”. The building is in Gothic style and dates back to the 15th century. This is the only building in the city that has been recognized by UNESCO as a Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Nearby is the Central Market. Previously, trade took place on the street, but in 1928 a special pavilion was set aside for this. It is one of the largest in Europe. On an area of about 8,000 sq. m presents a huge selection of all kinds of products and seafood. The market is closed on Sundays.

It is not possible to swim in the sea and sunbathe directly in Valencia, but 1 km north of the city is the place La Malvarrosa, and 5 km south – El Saler, where sandy beaches stretch.

Valgrande Pajares, Asturias (Spain)

The Valgrande-Pajares ski resort is located on the border of the provinces of Asturias and Leon in the Cantabrian Mountains, a 40-minute drive from Leon and Oviedo.

The slopes of the resort are suitable for skiers of any skill level. In total, there are 32 tracks, with a total length of 21.5 km (7 “green”, 9 “blue”, 12 “red” and 4 “black”). The elevation difference is 400 m (1464-1870 m), and the longest track has a length of 2000 m. The tracks are serviced by 9 lifts. Some trails are illuminated at night. The resort has an artificial snow system. In addition, in Valgrande Pajares 1 track for cross-country skiing with a length of 7 km was laid and a snowpark for snowboarding enthusiasts was equipped.

At the service of vacationers in Valgrande Pajares, a ski school, equipment rentals, a kindergarten, one cafe at the first stage of the lifts and one at the upper station are provided. To accommodate tourists in the resort there are 2 hotels. Also, a lot of places to stay can be found in the nearby villages.

From Valgrande Pajares, you can go to the nearby town of Pola de Lena, where the pre-Romanesque church of Santa Cristina de Lena of the 11th century is located, to the capital of the autonomous region of Asturias – Oviedo (Oviedo), or to travel in the protected areas of the Cantabrian Mountains: Picos de Europa National Park, Fuentes del Narcea, Degana and Ibias Natural Park, Redes Natural Park (Redes natural park) or Somiedo Nature reserve.