Spain and Portugal, which was one country about 860 years ago, are really a collection of distinct regions unto themselves.
In the South: Lisbon, Southern Portugal and Andalusia
Stretching from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean along a fabled sun coast, the south is the home of stereotypical Iberian scenes, whitewashed houses rising up coastal hillsides, sunny beaches and stylish golf courses. Equestrian parades and lively festivals along with sherry wineries and fishing villages dot the horizon with the influences of the Moorish in Cordoba, Grenada and Seville.
On the Mediterranean Side: Catalonia and Valencia
Catalans are autonomous, use their own language and have a vibrant culture. Many feel their historical ties lean more toward Italy than Iberia. In its capital, Barcelona, Pablo Picasso, Antoni Gaudi and Joan Miro became the most famous examples of a city whose heritage is art with original flair. To the south, Valencia’s orange groves stripe a fertile citrus wonderland. And just to the south lies the city of Cartagena, from where Columbus set sail on his journey to the New World.
The Heart of Spain: Castile La Mancha, Madrid, and Castile and Leon
The towns of central Spain are clustered around 10,000 castles, like islands poking up from seas of agricultural lands. This is where windmills still grapple with the ghost of Don Quixote, and the memory of El Cid remains alive. In Madrid, on can spend the afternoon strolling a choice of excellent museums. The Prado exhibits art masterpieces that can render you silent. El Greco, Goya, Mantagna, Raphael, Titian, Botticelli and more, with a little Fra Angelico and Rubens on the side. At Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Picasso, Dali and Miro keep you company.
The Art centered Tour of Spain
The palaces of Spain combine with the museums of Madrid and Bilbao. Add El Greco’s Toledo, Segovia, the Paleolithic caves at Altamira and the culturally rich boulevards of Barcelona, and what do you have? Abercrombie & Kent’s twelve-day “art Treasures of Spain,” a fully escorted, deluxe tour departing September 17 and October 01, 2000.
Madrid and Andalucia
In Madrid, celebrate Spanish heritage at the proud Prado Museum and with Spanish tapas dining, then take in the evocative, dramatic scenes of the Alhambra, Seville and the rest of Andalucia, where the Moors ruled for 700 years, leaving their imprint on architecture at the Mezquita in Cordoba, the Alhambra in Granada and the Giralda in Seville. This is also the home of regal equestrian arts and horse breeding. See it on a deluxe Abercrombie & Kent tour, nine days in length, departing two or three times each month in September and October 2000. If you would like to know more about these tours into Spain please call James TravelPOINTS at 1-800-538-7461/303-442-2340, www.travelpoints.com.
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