Traveler's Spain Companion

by St. Jorre, John De; Wheeler, Nik

• ISBN13: 9780762702343
• ISBN10: 0762702346
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-12-01
• Publisher: Globe Pequot Pr

Summary

Few countries have such a clear signature as Spain. The mere sight of its name conjures up sunlight and beaches, flamenco dancers and bullfights, castles and cathedrals, and a proud people with a long, tempestuous history.

Author Biography

John de St. Jorre is a British freelance journalist and writer based in Mallorca. A former foreign correspondent of the London Observer in Africa, France, the Middle East, and the United States, he has been visiting Spain since he first crossed the Pyrenees as a hitch-hiker in the late 1950s.

Table of Contents

Maps
Spain	p. 8
Madrid	p. 90
Central Spain	p. 114
Catalonia and the Levante	p. 126
Andalusia	p. 178
Northern Spain	p. 202
The Balearic Islands	p. 238
Top Spots	p. 11
Sleep in a Castle, a Palace or a Monastery	p. 11
Grace and the Grape: Pilgrimage Through La Rioja	p. 12
Flamenco: Spain's "Deep Song"	p. 12
Tapas Tasting	p. 14
Bullfighting	p. 14
The Running of the Bulls	p. 16
Al Andalus -- Spain's Orient Express	p. 18
Triangle of Art (Madrid)	p. 19
Alhambra	p. 19
Monastery-Palace-Mausoleum: El Escorial	p. 22
Seville's Rites of Spring	p. 23
Your Choice	p. 27
The Great Outdoors	p. 27
Sporting Spree	p. 30
The Open Road	p. 34
Backpacking	p. 40
Living it up	p. 40
Family Fun	p. 42
Cultural Kicks	p. 44
Shop Till You Drop	p. 46
Short Breaks	p. 48
Festive Flings	p. 50
Spain's National Holidays	p. 55
Galloping Gourmets	p. 55
Special Interests	p. 59
Welcome to Spain	p. 61
The Sun-Tanned Hide	p. 63
Of Romans and Moors	p. 65
Before the Romans	p. 67
The Romans and Their Legacy	p. 67
The Visigoths	p. 68
The Moors	p. 69
The Catholic Monarchs	p. 70
The Monarchy in Decline	p. 72
The Spanish Civil War	p. 74
The Franco Years	p. 74
Into Today's World	p. 76
The Cultural Legacy	p. 79
A Legacy in Full View	p. 81
Spain's Great Buildings	p. 81
The Moorish Masterpieces
The Churches of Northern Spain
The Visual Arts	p. 84
Intellectual Life and Literature	p. 86
Music and Dance	p. 87
Madrid and Central Spain	p. 89
Madrid	p. 91
Seeing the City	p. 91
Public Transport
The Major Attractions	p. 92
Paseo del Arte
Retiro Park
Old Madrid
Palacio Real
Other West-Side Sights
Salamanca District
Tourist Information
Nightlife
Around Madrid
Toledo	p. 104
Seeing the City
Ecclesiatical Treats
The Jewish Quarter
Cristo de la Luz
Toledo's Festivals
Useful Information
Hotels and Restaurants
Sierra Guadarrama	p. 109
El Escorial	p. 109
Valle de Los Caidos
Avila	p. 115
Hotels and Restaurants
Segovia	p. 116
Hotels and Restaurants
Segovia to Madrid
Longer Excursions	p. 118
Valladolid	p. 118
Hotels and Restaurants
Salamanca	p. 119
Hotels and Restaurants
Zamora	p. 120
Extremadura	p. 121
Caceres
Trujillo
Monastery of Guadalupe
Badajoz and Merida
La Mancha	p. 122
Cuenca
Catalonia and the Levante	p. 125
The Mediterranean Connexion	p. 127
Catalonian Cavas
Catalans at Play
Barcelona	p. 129
Barri Gotic
Ramblas
Ensanche
Sarria
Getting Around
Tourist Information
Around Barcelona	p. 137
Montserrat
Sitges
Further Afield	p. 139
Tarragona
Costa Brava
Figueres
Girona
Rural Catalonia
Andorra
Levante	p. 143
Valencia	p. 143
Sightseeing
Tourist Information
Murcia	p. 145
Andalusia	p. 147
A Moorish Spirit	p. 149
Seville	p. 150
Seeing the City
The Giralda
The Cathedral
The Alcazar
Barrio de Santa Cruz
Other Sights
Museums
Wander, But Carefully
Seville's Festivals
Tourist Information
The El Rocio Pilgrimage: A Very Spanish Affair	p. 160
The Frontier Towns	p. 165
Arcos de la Frontera	p. 165
Jerez	p. 166
Hotels and Restaurants
The Bodegas
Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art
Los Alburejos Ranch
Sanlucar de Barrameda	p. 171
Cadiz	p. 171
Gibraltar	p. 172
Ronda	p. 172
Sightseeing
Hotels and Restaurants
Costa del Sol	p. 175
Accommodation: A Surfeit of Choice
Tarifa	p. 177
Estepona	p. 177
Marbella	p. 177
Fuengirola	p. 179
Torremolinos	p. 179
Malaga	p. 179
To the East	p. 179
Heading Inland	p. 180
La Alpujarra	p. 180
Lanjaron
Sierra Nevada	p. 181
Granada	p. 181
The Alhambra
The Cathedral
The Albaicin
Sacromonte Caves
The Cave Dwellers of Guadix
Tourist Information
Northern Andalusia	p. 190
Cordoba	p. 190
The Mezquita (Mosque)
The Old City
Juderia
Museo Taurino
Tourist Information
Aragon and Northern Spain	p. 199
Aragon	p. 201
Zaragoza	p. 201
Sightseeing
Tourist Information
Navarre	p. 203
Pamplona	p. 204
Festival of San Firmin
Tourist Information
Roncesvalles Pass	p. 209
The Pilgrims' Way	p. 209
Rioja	p. 210
Logrono	p. 211
Tourist Information
Haro	p. 211
Anguiano	p. 211
San Millan de la Cogolla	p. 211
Santo Domingo de La Calzada	p. 212
Burgos	p. 214
Tourist Information
Leaving Burgos
Santo Domingo de Silos	p. 216
Leon	p. 216
Sightseeing
Tourist Information
Santiago de Compostela	p. 219
An Improbable Legend
The Road to St. James
Sightseeing
Celebration of the Legend
Tourist Information
The Northern Coastline	p. 225
Galicia	p. 225
Asturias and Cantabria	p. 226
Picos de Europa: Spain's "Alps"
Santander	p. 229
Santillana del Mar and Altamira Caves
Tourist Information
The Basque Country	p. 231
San Sebastian	p. 233
Tourist Information
The Balearic Islands	p. 237
Spain's Mediterranean Islands	p. 239
Majorca	p. 240
Palma de Mallorca
Tourist Information
Seeing the Island
Minorca	p. 244
Cuidadela and Mahon
Minorca's Festivals
Tourist Information
Ibiza	p. 246
The Old Town
Around the Island
Tourist Information
Formentera	p. 249
Travelers' Tips	p. 251
Getting There	p. 252
By Air
By Sea
By Train
By Car
Frontier Towns
Visas
Spanish National Tourist Offices
Travel in Spain	p. 253
Internal Flights
Trains
Car Hire
Buses and Urban Transport
Accommodation	p. 254
Paradors
Eating and Drinking	p. 255
Tourist Offices	p. 256
Dress	p. 256
Currency	p. 257
Public Holidays	p. 257
Post Offices and Telephones	p. 257
Electricity	p. 257
Health	p. 257
Toilets	p. 258
Weather	p. 258
Embassies and Consulates	p. 258
Sports	p. 258
Golf
Hunting, Shooting and Fishing
Water Sports
Skiing
Soccer
Shopping	p. 260
Keeping in Touch	p. 260
Tipping	p. 261
Spanish: A Sampler	p. 261
Further Reading	p. 262
Quick Reference A-Z Guide	p. 263
To Places and Topics of Interest with Listed Accommodations, Restaurants and Useful Telephone Numbers
Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved.