Madrid to host a Munch exhibit at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

From October 6th to January 17th 2016 the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid will host a number of works by Edvard Munch. This is the first major exhibition dedicated to the Norwegian artist since 1984. 

Munch is one of the most famous Modernist artists and a pioneer in Expressionism at the turn of the 20th century. His most famous work, pictured here, is 'The Scream'. 

So anybody visiting Madrid during this time will have a unique opportunity to enjoy 80 of the artist's works, more than half of which come from the collection of the Munch Museum in Oslo. 

The Spanish Touch

1580 E. Butler Pike
Ambler, PA 19002

Toll free: 1-888-480-0013

Spanish office phone: +34 616-103-536
E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

The Spanish Touch: more than just day tours in Spain!

Since some of our clients have been writing reviews of The Spanish Touch, we made it official: now you can find us on TripAdvisor and write a review of your trip to Spain with us!

While reading some of the reviews, one specially caught my attention:

"We booked a two week Spain vacation with Eric (owner and guide) of the Spanish Touch in May 2012. There were 6 of us traveling together from the US. We began planning our trip via e-mail and Skype with Eric in late 2011/early 2012. Eric suggested itineraries based on our interests and our final tour took us from Barcelona to Malaga, Sevilla, Granada and Cordova. Eric took care of all arrangements from hotels (small boutique hotels), tours, driving and translating. He picked us up at the airport and remained with us throughout our two weeks in Spain. Eric conducted all of the tours in Barcelona and connected with local tour guides in the other cities/towns. We visited historic sites in and around Barcelona, Sevilla, Granada and Cordova. We also toured a sherry factory (something we asked Eric to add after we arrived), a cava factory, a vineyard and the large market in Barcelona (also added as a last minute request by us). The ladies in our party took a mosaic class at a wonderful shop owned by Eric's wife outside of Barcelona while the men in our group visited the local pub. Suffice it to say we had a fabulous two weeks. If you have any desire to tour any part of Spain do it with the Spanish Touch!"

And it's true. Day by day, we help our clients with anything of their trip to Spain: booking the right hotels, making lunch and dinner reservations, design a tour around Spain and adapting it to their needs and preferences, booking different activities (horse-back riding in Barcelona, cooking classes in San Sebastian, winery visits and tastings in Rioja, a hot-air ballon ride overlooking the volcanoes of La Garrotxa ...) or transportation. As a tour operator specialized in Spain, we can help you with as much or as little as you need us!

Contact us for more information:

The Spanish Touch

1580 E. Butler Pike
Ambler, PA 19002

Toll free: 1-888-480-0013
E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

Last call for the Camino de Santiago Train (The Pilgrim Train)

During the summer season, the Camino de Santiago train, also called 'The Pilgrim Train', is an alternate way of doing the Camino de Santiago. Each day the train stops at a different stage along the Camino de Santiago and you can either enjoy the city taking a tour with The Spanish Touch or discover it on your own or you can walk the stage or even take your bike. The train would meet you at the end of each stage if you decide to walk it or bike it!

Train Route: Madrid - Astorga - Ponferrada - Monforte de Lemos - Ourense - Santiago - Madrid

1st day: Madrid - Astorga

• The train leaves at 19:45 from Madrid. Dinner on board included. 

2nd day: Astorga - Ponferrada

• Breakfast on board. 
• If you want to walk: Bus transfer to start the stage Foncebadón - Ponferrada. 
• If you prefer to take your bike you would do the stage Astorga - Ponferrada. 
• Optional Astorga tour by The Spanish Touch. 
• The train continues on its way from Astorga to Ponferrada. 
• Guided visit to Las Medulas (included with the train ticket). 
• Night in Ponferrada. 

3rd day: Ponferrada - Ourense. 

• Breakfast on board while we continue our journey to Monforte. 
• If you want to walk: bus transfer to start the stage Triacastela - Sarria. 
• If you prefer to take your bike you would do the stage O Cebreiro - Sarria. 
• Optional Monforte tour by The Spanish Touch. 
• The train continues on its way from Monforte to Ourense. 
• Optional Ourense tour by The Spanish Touch. 
• Night in Ourense. 

4th day: Ourense - Santiago de Compostela

• Breakfast on board. 
• If you want to walk you will start the stage at O Pedrouzo and will finish at Santiago.  
• If you prefer to take your bike you would do the same stage. 
• Optional guided tour of Santiago de Compostela by The Spanish Touch. 
• The train continues on its way from Santiago to Madrid. 
• Dinner on board (included in the train ticket). Night on board. 

5th day: Santiago de Compostela - Madrid

• Breakfast on board. 
• Early arrival in Madrid. 
• Optional guided tour of Madrid by The Spanish Touch.  

Contact us if you want to book your train ticket! 

You can add extra days in Spain before or after taking the Pilgrim Train. We could arrange as much or as little as you want: accomodation, meals, entrance tickets, tours, etc. Contact us and let us help you plan your trip to Spain!

The Spanish Touch

1580 E. Butler Pike
Ambler, PA 19002

Toll free: 1-888-480-0013
E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

Toledo celebrates its anual festival during August

From August 13th to August 19th, Toledo is going to be celebrating its Fiestas (anual festival). These are very exciting days and looked forward to by all the people from Toledo. For a week, you can revive traditions like drinking water from a 'botijo', going to the 'feria' or enjoy the 'giants' parade. You can also enjoy Spanish music and the medieval market.

One of the main attractions will be the concert of Antonio Orozco: a very popular Spanish singer and one of the coaches of the Spanish version of the TV program 'The Voice'.

If you are going to be in Toledo or around the area, don't miss it out!

Contact us if you want to receive more information about all the activities!

The Spanish Touch

1580 E. Butler Pike
Ambler, PA 19002

Toll free: 1-888-480-0013
E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

August and September in Cordoba: some tours and special activities

During all of August and until mid-September Córdoba celebrates the summer with special activities that you can not miss if you are planning on coming to Córdoba!

Some of these activities are:

• The horse show 'Passion and Spirit of the Andalusian Horse'. The stunning historical venue of the Royal Stables of Córdoba brings this showcase of Andalusian horse riding skills an added charm. The show runs in Cordoba throughout the year, although it is in summer when it really comes into its own. Contact us if you want to book it. 
• Night-time visit to the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. The tour shows visitors the history of this unique religious site through a complex show of lighting, sound and voice-overs which really takes you back through the centuries. The visit lasts one hour. Contact us for more information and to book your tour. 
• 'Córdoba, the light of cultures' show. This is a stunning show featuring water, light and sound in the Alcázar (Arab Castle) of Cordoba, taking you on a nighttime tour through the history and culture of Cordoba in the unrivalled setting of the grounds of the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs. All the lastest techniques of lighting, projection and sound are used together with the water from the fountains and garden ponds to create attractive patterns and surprising effects that accompany visitors as they stroll through the grounds. Contact us if you want to buy entrance tickets for the show. 
• A night at the zoo. Try this new adventure ... if you dare! Spend a night camping in tents next to the animals of the zoo. Contact us for more information and to book a different night!
• Legends of Córdoba Tour. This tour will tell you about the city's legends, historical sites and unsolved mysteries, with local traditions and stories of ancient palaces. Contact us to book your tour. 

Contact us for more information or to book any of these activities:

The Spanish Touch

1580 E. Butler Pike
Ambler, PA 19002

Toll free: 1-888-480-0013
E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

'Passion and Spirit of the Andalusian Horse' show

'Cordoba, the Light of Cultures' show

Santiago de Compostela highlights

Santiago de Compostela is the capital of northwest Spain’s Galicia region. The city is known for being the culmination of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, the five-hundred-year-old University of Santiago, its gastronomy and festivals. Santiago de Compostela was born from a legend: the discovery in 813 A.D. of the sepulchre of St. James the Apostle who was beheaded in 44 A.D. in Palestine. King Alfonso II visited the site and ordered a modest temple and monastery to be built, erecting the center around which the city later grew. 

The layout of Santiago de Compostela is that of the typical walled medieval city. Born of and for the cathedral, the city radiates out from this building, running along a north-south axis, the only possible line along which it could develop because of the nature of the terrain. The main streets of the old quarter, the Rúa do Franco, the Rúa do Vilar and the Rúa Nova, are centered around this axis. The wall survived until the end of last century, and although it was later torn down, the city which it encircled remained. Narrow streets, alleyways, squares and half-squares reveal stunning views such as the squares of La Quintana, la Inmaculada and San Martín. It is a city of stone, a city to be walked in and discovered. Santiago is still surrounded by orchards.

Some of Santiago highlights are:

• The Square of El Obradoiro. This impressive square opens out in an enormous, almost moving sweep, comprising magnificent buildings which represent a thousand years of history and architecture: the College of San Jerónimo, the Antiguo Hospital Real (Royal Hospital), the Hostal de los Reyes Católicos or the Gelmírez Palace.
• The Cathedral has been the key to the city's identity for centuries. Altough the exterior has undergone successive renovation works, the interior has basically been preserved intact. Via the Obradoiro Facade we enter the Portico de la Gloria (Gateway to Glory). Through the Portico de la Gloria we gain access to the inside of the cathedral, the jewel in the crown of Romanesque architecture. The transept nave is undoubtedly the most solemn spot in the cathedral. The lantern is Gothic with Baroque detail. From this point hangs the Botafumeiro, the enormous censer which swings spectacularly from one of the nave to the other during days of solemn celebration. The Baroque altar of the Main Chapel rises above the crypt which contains the remains of St. James te Apostle.
• The Squares of Platerías, La Quintana and La Azabachería. The characteristic squares which surround the cathedral to the south, west and north play an important role in the medieval design of Santiago de Compostela. Don't miss out: the clock tower, Puerta Real (Royal Gate) and the Puerta Santa (Holy Gate), the Convent of San Paio, the church of San Paio and the Azabachería Gate.
• The monasteries. Some superb buildings reveal the importance of the religious orders to the history of Santiago. Along with the Convents of San Paio and San Francisco and the impressive Monastery of San Martiño, this itinerary includes other more modest buildings which are, nevertheless, very rich in artistic terms.
• The 'Rúas' (the 'Streets'). Although the buildings came later, the lay-out for the Rúas Franco, Vilar and Nova date back to the 12th century. The streets were originally completely flanked by colonnades but, as a result of their vulnerability to fires, they were partially destroyed. Santiago displays the full force of its charm in these streets.
• Convent of Santa Clara and Santo Domingo. The most unique aspect of Santa Clara's convent is the facade of the porter's lodge which was built in 1719. The convent of Santo Domingo houses the Museum of the Galician People and the Pantheon of Gallegos Ilustres, which contains, among others, Rosalia de Castro and Alfonso Rodríguez Castelao, the two leading figures of Galician literature. 

Contact us for more information:

The Spanish Touch

1580 E. Butler Pike
Ambler, PA 19002

Toll free: 1-888-480-0013
E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

I LOVE Maresme (Barcelona coast)

Sometimes I just think how fortunate I am to live where I live. Barcelona its a great city. It can be a busy and vibrant place but at the same time it is a pretty relaxed city if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle.

Barcelona is famous for Gaudí and his Sagrada Familia, for Las Ramblas, for its food, wine and cava ... but one of the biggest attractions is its location too. Barcelona its sorrounded by Collserola Mountain and the Mediterranean Sea. Some other time I'll talk about some of the fun activities you can do in Collserola, but today I want to talk about Barcelona's coast.

Just north of Barcelona begins the Maresme county. That's where I live. To live in Maresme means to live almost touching the Mediterranean Sea. 16 towns are located along the 52 kilometers of its coast. The sea leaves an imprint on its people and their character. And the beaches offer different ways to enjoy them during the day as well as during the night, during summer or winter time.

• Chiringuitos (beach bars) are always there. You can drink something refreshing next to the sea, or enjoy live music, or have lunch or dinner ... 
• You can practice your favorite sport: volleyball, surfing, windsurfing, soccer, rugby ...  the list is so long! And of course, you can go fishing! It is also great (and my personal favorite activity) to just walk or run next to the sea. We have a long promenade that connects almost all of the different towns of the Maresme coast. 
• Once a year, during the Fiesta Mayor (festivities of each town) each local town prepares different activities. Some of them right at the beach: fireworks, havaneres (fisherman's songs), popular meals, life shows and performances, etc. 
• It is also nice to walk, drink or eat something at the port area. Or even have a fishing tour!

Coll i Regàs Modernista house in Mataró

The sea gives life to all the Maresme towns. We could finish here. A beach town is a beach town, right? But we would be very mistaken if we thought that's the end of the story. Every town has its own character, its own thing going on: modernista buildings and Gaudí's workshop in Mataró, famous Michellin star restaurants like Sant Pau in Sant Pol de Mar, majestic castles like Santa Florentina in Canet de Mar, Alella wine region (the smallest wine region in continental Spain) ... 

I hope that gave you a taste of my Maresme!

Manchego Cheese and Windmills Tour (some pictures)

In Spain we have a well known saying: 'Una imagen vale más que mil palabras' (a picture is worth a thousand words), so for those people who need them, here you have some pictures of different experiences you will have with us during your 'Manchego Cheese and Windmills Tour'.


If you want to see more pictures, check out our Facebook or Pinterest!

Contact us for more information:

The Spanish Touch

1580 E. Butler Pike
Ambler, PA 19002

Toll free: 1-888-480-0013
E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

Manchego Cheese and Windmills Tour

Manchego cheese is one of the most famous cheeses in Spain, and within Spain by a “denominación de origen protegida” (Protected designation of origin). The cheese is made from unpasteurized sheep’s milk from the Manchega sheep.

On this tour you will visit some of the most important cheese factories in Castilla La Mancha, including the one which won best cheese of the world in 2014. Sample dishes made using the cheese and enjoy the Manchega cuisine, where lamb and game are other central elements. Here we can visit castles, the famous windmills, follow the route of Don Quixote and enjoy the beautiful landscape and picturesque towns and majestic cities that seem to come straight out of a fairy tale.

We suggest combining this route with the Saffron route, as both Manchego cheese and saffron are produced in the same region (Castilla la Mancha).

Contact us for more information:

The Spanish Touch

1580 E. Butler Pike
Ambler, PA 19002

Toll free: 1-888-480-0013
E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

Food tours in Spain

If what you’re really looking for is an authentic Spanish experience and a great way to get to know the culture, customs and lifestyle of the the people, one of the best ways to do it is through the cuisine. Spanish cuisine incorporates a wide range of dishes with a heavy reliance on local ingredients. We have spent a lot of time developing tours based around some of the most noteworthy examples. These tours have been designed so that you will not only discover a new world of flavors and aromas, but you will also discover the real Spain. 

Check out the different tours are waiting for you!

> Truffle Tour

> new! Mushroom Hunting Tour

> new! Olive Oil Tour

> new! Iberico Ham Tour

> new! Manchego Cheese and Windmills Tour

> new! Saffron Tour

> new! Galician Sea Food Tour

Contact us for more information:

The Spanish Touch

1580 E. Butler Pike
Ambler, PA 19002

Toll free: 1-888-480-0013
E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

Spanish Codfish Salad (Empedrat)

The hot days of summer have arrived and all I want to eat is salad, fruit and refreshing things like ice cream! Since ice cream was not a valid option for lunch I made a decision: today is a perfect day for a Spanish codfish salad! It is very good, it has a lot of flavor (but not fishy flavor!), it's perfect served cold and you can prepare it in 10 minutes! 

So I took some pictures to share my Spanish summer meal with you! 

Ingredients (for 2 people):

1 pepper (I used just half but it was an enormous pepper!)

1 green tomato

1 onion

1 can of white kidney beans 

4-6 oz salted cod
olive oil

5 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Spanish black olives

Directions:

• Place the cod in a bowl and fill it with cold water. Let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. That way we get rid off most of the salt. I didn't have enough time and I let it soak for a couple hours, but didn't add any salt afterwards. 

• Chop the green tomato, the pepper and the onion. 
• Shred the cod with your fingers, making sure to take off the skin and remove any remaining bone. 
• Rinse the beans. 

• Mix all the ingredients together and add the black olives, the olive oil and the vinegar. Taste it before adding any salt (if necessary)!

Buen provecho!

Check out our food tours in Spain and our Cooking Classes!

The Spanish Touch

Toll free (US): 1-888-480-0013
Spanish office phone: (+34) 616-103-536

E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

Follow us on Facebook!

End of Summer Costa Brava and Barcelona Festival Tour. September 2015.

The Spanish Touch is offering a great chance to combine the end of summer with one of Barcelona's biggest festivals: The Diada, or Catalan National Day, which is celebrated every September 11 in commemoration of the fall of the city to the invading French army in 1714. As a regional holiday packed with folklore and over 300 years of history, the celebration offers visitors a unique glimpse into the complex character of the Catalan people and their culture.

Join us on this tour and you will discover some of the most beautiful aspects of this region, including the rocky Costa Brava, the Volcanic region of La Garrotxa and the wine region of the Penedes. We will help you have an unforgettable experience as you get in touch with the culture, people and traditions of the region.

Contact us for more information:

The Spanish Touch

1580 E. Butler Pike
Ambler, PA 19002

Toll free: 1-888-480-0013
E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

Spanish deserts for the San Juan Festival

San Juan Pastries.
On the left: coca de llardons.
On the right: coca de crema. 

On the 23rd Spain celebrates the San Juan night and during that night and the following day it is very traditional to eat those pastries. In Catalonia we have different type of 'coques', but today we want to share with you one of the most common in every house: 'coca de llardons'.  

You only need 20 minutes to make this pastry and it is the easiest one to make. 

Ingredients:

500 gr. puff pastry crust

250 gr. pork rinds

1 egg

Pine nuts

Sugar

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to about 425º F (220ºC). 
• Start with a thick layer of puff pastry pie crust like they sell in the supermarkets. Remove it from the fridge to bring it up to closer to room temperature. 
• chop up the pork rinds in the blender. How finely you chop the pork rinds is a question of personal taste.  
• Next pour out a healthy portion of the chopped pork rinds over the pie crust. Don't worry about whether or not it's evenly distributed, as later we are going to flatten it all with the rolling pin. 
• Now add a second layer of puff pastry crust and more pork rinds on top. 
• Fold the pastry crust and pork rinds in half. repeat as many times as necessary until you've got a good mix of puff pastry crust and pork rinds. Then using the rolling pin and a little bit of flour, roll the crust until it's about 2cm (about 1") thick. 
• Beat the egg and the paste the coca with the beaten egg. Don't be shy with the egg! 
• Add a generous portion of pine nuts on top. 
• And to add the finishing touch, pour a healthy measure of sugar on top of the coca (remember, up to this point the coca has no sweet flavors, and it is, after all, a dessert). So it's better to err on the side of too much rather than too little when it comes to adding the sugar, at least for the first few times. 
• Put the coca on the bottom rack of the oven at 425º for 3 minutes, then immediately drop the temperature to 350 and let it cook for 12 to 15 minutes more. 

Buen provecho!

Check out our food tours in Spain and our Cooking Classes!

The Spanish Touch

Toll free (US): 1-888-480-0013
Spanish office phone: (+34) 616-103-536

E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

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Simple and delicious: bread with garlic, tomato and olive oil (pà amb tomàquet)

This is super easy to prepare. It's perfect for one of those dinners where you don't feel like cooking or don't have enough time. Pà amb tomàquet (literally translated as bread with tomato) is a common dinner for many people in Catalunya, Spain. And they eat it with cheese, ham and other cold cuts or even a Spanish omelette (tortilla de patatas). 

Buy some good bread. 

We bught the traditional 'pà de pagès' 

(a rustic bread from Catalunya). 

Toast it!

Spread some garlic on it. 

Spread some tomato. We pureed some tomatos but

you can just spread the tomato on the bread. 

Now the olive oil. 

Add some salt and the bread is ready to be enjoyed!

Check out our food tours in Spain and our Cooking Classes!

The Spanish Touch

Toll free (US): 1-888-480-0013
Spanish office phone: (+34) 616-103-536

E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

Follow us on Facebook!

San Juan Festival 2015

Yesterday Spain celebrated the San Juan Festival, a fiesta where people welcome summer by eating fish and traditional pastries (next to the beach if possible), fireworks, bonfires, friends and music all night long!

We took some pictures you can see on our Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheSpanishTouch

And Estrella Damm, one of the beer brands of Barcelona, made this cute video and we wanted to share it with you:

Rituals, màgia, llum, color, amics i Estrella. La nit més curta és també la més intensa. Viu-la #mediterràniament! https://t.co/Smdci0ERDI

— Estrella Damm Cat (@EstrellaDammCat) June 23, 2015

The International Rose Festival of Barcelona 2015

This is one of our favorites for this year's competition

Our previous post was about our new Day Tour in the Pedralbes neighborhood of Barcelona. And today we spent the afternoon in one of their gardens to go to the '15th Barcelona International New Roses Competition'. Professionals from around the world bring their best roses to compete for the first prize called 'Barcelona'. The winning rose takes its place among the previous winners in the rose garden of Cervantes Park.

People painting or just enjoying the roses, people voting for the best rose, an orquestra playing, floral art presentations, a demonstration on how to cook with roses ... the competition is the perfect place to have a very enjoyable day.

Check out more pictures on our facebook page.

When are you coming to Spain?

Contact us for more information:

The Spanish Touch

1580 E. Butler Pike
Ambler, PA 19002

Toll free: 1-888-480-0013
E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

One of the most astonishing traditions during 'Semana Santa' in Spain

I can only imagine the pain one can suffer being an 'empalao' during the Via Crucis in Jerez de los Caballeros (Badajoz). An 'empalao' is a person who carries approximately  a 60 kg (about a 130 pounds) wooden post plus 60 m of a thick rope (covering the upper body and binding the arms to the wood to support the weight and ankle chains on their feet. 12 people carry that weight for 2 hours through the town barefoot in a complete and respectful silence where the only noise is the clanking of the ankle chains against the ground. Faith and a promise are the motivation that keeps them coming back year after year.

Roasted Bass and Xató Recipe

After spending the day in Sitges (http://thespanishtouch.blogspot.com.es/2015/03/sitges-day-trip-part-i.html), we decided the best way to celebrate our day trip was to make a Sitges-style meal at home. As Sitges is a beach town, the dish was inspired by the sea but the star of the show is the 'xató', a Sitges specialty: an almond based sauce that can go with salads (as we choose to do) or fish.

The first stop: the fish market! It is always fun to buy fish at the market. Our choice was 'llobarro' (sea bass). And the recipe is Roasted Sea Bass.

Ingredients for 2 people:

2 cleaned Sea Bass.
1 Lemon.
4 medium potatoes.
1 large onion.
1 cup white wine.
Parsley, pepper and salt to taste.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF (180º celsius). While the oven is heating up, prepare an oven tray with a coating of olive oil. Peel and slice the potatoes and layer them on the tray. Salt and pepper potatoes. Slice the onion and put it on top of the potatoes. Bake the potatoes and onion for 10 minutes. 
• Once the potatoes and onion are ready, rinse the fish and put it on top of the potatoes. Stuff the fish with sliced lemon and season it with pepper, salt and parsley. Add the wine. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. There should be a layer of juice at the bottom of the tray. If you see the fish looks too dry, you can pour some water on top. 

While we wait those 20 minutes for the fish to be ready, we can prepare the Xató for our salad.

Ingredients:

100 gr. roasted almonds.
60 gr. roasted hazelnuts.
2 anchovies.
2 cloves of garlic.
1 nyora (a type of dried red pepper).
Half a chilli pepper.
2 or 3 dry bread slices (or toasted).
Oil, salt and vinegar.

Directions:

Mix all the dry ingredients using a morter and pestle. Add the oil and vinegar until you achieve the right consistency.

Check out our food tours in Spain and our Cooking Classes!

The Spanish Touch

Toll free (US): 1-888-480-0013
Spanish office phone: (+34) 616-103-536

E-mail: info@thespanishtouch.com

Follow us on Facebook!

Sitges Day Trip - Part I

Half an hour south of Barcelona is the charming seaside town of Sitges, not only known for its beach and shopping area, but also for its Horror Film Festival and its Carnaval celebration. But its more than that too.

We got to Sitges just after lunch time on a mild, breezy Saturday. The first thing we did was wander down to the beach, where we saw the statues of Modernista painters Santiago Rusiñol and Ramon Casas. Behind us, standing proudly above the beach was Sant Bartomeu and Santa Tecla Church. On the stairs leading up to the church we stopped to admire the mermaid statue overlooking the rocky coast.

Once we got up to the top, we strolled around the old town, taking a walk past the museums and the town hall and into the maze of streets packed with boutique shops and the delectable smells of the tapas restaurants.

Finally we made our way along the Passeig Maritim, the seaside promenade which stretched all the way down the coast until we reached the "hippie fair", a series of stalls set up on the promenade itself selling an array of clothes, jewelry and accessories.

Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla Church

Sitges Mermaid

Streets in the old city

Streets in the old city

Hippy fair on the promenade

Northern Spain Tour

Here you have an example of one of the tours we have done for one of our clients a few years back. 

JUNE 14 - VIELHA (PYRENEES) AND MONTSERRAT MOUNTAIN

Breakfast at hotel. Morning trip to Vielha. Stop along the way in Montserrat Mountain. Night in Vielha Parador.

JUNE 15 - VALL D'ARAN (PYRENEES) AND SAN SEBASTIAN

Breakfast at hotel. Enjoy the morning in the spectacular Vall D'aran. In the afternoon drive to San Sebastian. Night in Hondarribia Parador.

JUNE 16 - SAN SEBASTIAN AND BILBAO

Breakfast at hotel. A morning visit to San Sebastian, one of the most beautiful cities in Spain, on the Bay of Biscay. After a traditional "tapas" lunch, drive over to Bilbao for a half-day day visit to Bilbao, including the Guggenheim Museum. Night in Hondarribia Parador.

JUNE 17 - SAN SEBASTIAN

Breakfast at hotel. Day at leisure in San Sebastian. Night in Hondarribia Parador.

JUNE 18 - OVIEDO AND ALTAMIRA CAVES

Breakfast at hotel. Morning transfer to Limpias Parador. Afternoon visit to Altamira Caves. Farewell dinner.Night in Limpias Parador.

JUNE 19

Transfer to Bilbao airport for return flight to the USA.