Visiting the Sagrada Familia temple

It is a must in Barcelona, so there are hundreds of webs, blogs and guides talking about the Sagrada Familia temple. In the official website you will find practical information to organise your visit, online ticket sales and explanations about the genius Antoni Gaudí, the history of the Basílica and much more. 

My only goal in this post is to share some photos, personal feelings and advices from our family visit in September 2014. 

Buy your tickets in advance

Tickets lines to Sagrada Familia visit are famous in Barcelona, they sometimes circled the building, so the Town Hall has urged the patronage of the temple to reorganize queues in order to not occupy sidewalks. 

On the other hand, the capacity for visiting the towers is limited and each ticket has a concrete schedule. 

We didn't want to waste time on queues or risk to miss the tower visit, so we bought online tickets a few days in advance.   

Audio guide for children

Audio guides are available for adults and for children. We took both, because my 7 and 9 year old daughters love to find the number that corresponds to the listening in each room, to click it and listen to the explanation until the following point the speaker says. 

However, I don't recommend it in a crowdy day because kids have a shorter version than adults, and although it's really funny for them (it's like a game, asking to find figures and hidden letters on the facade) it's very easy to lose sight of our little detectives. If I did it again, I'd ask for the children version for all of us!

Two times better than one

I had read about the temple before getting there, but I was not prepared for what I saw when I entered the temple after the explanations of the Nativity facade:

The picture only takes an aisle of the temple and it's far from describe the feelings I had on the view of all these colours entering through the windows while the sun set. 

We were lucky because we could see it although it wasn't planned. 

During the visit I realized how Gaudí took light as an instrument to transmit feelings: the rising sun light enters through Nativity facade windows, with colours that talk about  joy for the birth of Jesus; mid-day light goes through the Glory facade to illuminate the main entrance; and the sun set lights of the Passion facade give a more serious atmosphere. 

The Towers

Sagrada Familia will have a total of 18 towers, eight among them are presently completed (four on the Nativity facade and four on the Passion facade).

It is possible to go up to one of the towers in each facade, but you must buy a special ticket (4,5 €), which will indicate the 15 minute time for your visit. When buying the ticket you must choose the tower: note that the tower on the Passion facade offers views over the west (see photo), and the one on the Nativity facade over the east of the city.

The entrance to the Tower's visit is inside the enclosure of the temple, so it is easy to fit the time to the Tower during the temple visit, just take the lift to go up, step down the staircases (recommended) and return to the visit where you left off. 

And before going out

The Crypt

A quite wide stairs lead down to the crypt, where spaces are as large as in the basilica. 

There is a Chapel of the black Holy Virgin of Montserrat, the patron saint of Catalonia, and the tomb of Gaudí at the feet of the Holy Virgin of Mount Caramel.

The School

Outside the basilica, near the way off, take a minute to entry to the small school that Gaudí designed for the sons of the workers on the temple. 

It is built using Catalonian brick and has a beautiful wavy roof. Unfortunately, this building will be demolished to make way for the construction of the temple. 

 

The Museum

I especially like structures, so I loved the collection of original models and design techniques used by Gaudí in his creations. 

Top 5 Tourist Destinations In Spain

It is a honour for me to share with you this post, written by the blogger and travel expert Nicola Williams, whom I am grateful for the opportunity.

Spain is a country known for its fascinating and famous tourist attractions. You can enjoy seeing the amazing architecture of Frank Gehry and many other spectacular views such as the Art of Spain and Ronda.

Below are 5 tourist destinations in this country:

Sagrada Familia

This is one of the most visited destinations in Spain. It is a large Catholic church in Barcelona which was designed by Antoni Gaudí who passed away in 1926.1t took the Catalan architect nearly 40 years to make this project a success. The visit is worthwhile because you can see where this great man was buried, tree-like pillars, central nave with its giant and the transept. A long walk or elevator leads one to the top of a tower which provides a magnificent view of Barcelona. This museum narrates the history of both the church and Gaudi.

            

La Concha

La Concha is one of the best beaches in Europe situated in Sebastian. Tourists enjoy beautiful sceneries from good restaurants and surfing in the Ocean. The beach is surrounded by several islands and stiff cliffs that give tourists a chance to stroll the beach and experience awesome atmosphere of a typical forage Spain. Spectacular views across the Bay towards the Island of Santa Clara and the clear Atlantic waters keep the visitors entertained. La Concha offers excellent facilities like plenty of sun beds and it is wide and long enough to hold a large number of people even in the peak season. A visit to Spain would be incomplete without stopping over this wonderful beach.

Alhambra Palace

Alhambra is one of the top cultural highlights Europe has ever had. The complex palace was set up in the 14th century by the Nasrin Sultans. It became a home to about forty thousand people provided with education in established schools and farming from gardens. Many tourists visit Granada specifically to view the Alhambra Palace.

Aqueduct of Segovia

It was built around 50 AD and still provided water to people in the city in the 20th century. The Aqueducts are a major architectural landmark located on the Iberian Peninsula. It is part of UNESCO, world heritage Site and functioning till today because of the good maintenance.

Real Palacio

Real Palacio is a royal place of Madrid that is the official house of the king of Spain. The royal place was set up between 1738 to 1755 and in 1764 King Carlos the 3rd stayed in the palace. It is considered to be one of the finest places in Europe that is only used for important state ceremonies. The interiors of the palace is notable for its wealth of art in addition to utilization of all fine materials in the construction and decoration. It has artwork of all kinds such as paintings by experts namely Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and Anton Raphael Mengs.


Spain has now become a well-known and a must visit country. It receives large numbers of tourists who are attracted by these fascinating sites. Over the years, these destinations have been famed and popularized, hence the number of tourists visiting them continues to grow every year.

Author Bio: 

The author Nicola Williams is from UK. She is a professional content writer and a blogger.  Most of her articles include her travel experiences. Her hobbies are travelling, trekking and cooking. Currently she is working on a project Australian visas which helps in visa assistance.

St George's Legend in Montblanc (Medieval Week)

The history of Montblanc

Montblanc is a medieval fortified village, with the old town completely surrounded by its medieval walls. Walking in the streets has a special charm because they are inhabited and full of common life and its center is not entirely devote to tourism, like others similar villages.

The village was established at the beginning of the XII century for strategic reasons. Ramon Berenguer IV  (Count of Barcelona) wanted to build  a strong point in the road that linked Catalonia with France, halfway between Tarragona and Lleida, and was his son, king Alfons II of Aragon, who ordered the relocation of the residents of a neighbour village to Montblanc, and gave the city tax free privileges.

Fighting men of the village were always faithful to kings, accompanying them in their conquests. In exchange, they received good rewards, and over the next years Montblanc became richer and increased its monuments and population to be the most populous city of Catalonia in the XIV century.

With the end of the Catalan-Aragon monarchy came gradually the decline of montblanc and in XVII-XVIII centuries suffered several attacks and lootings.

At the XIX century the city recovered population due to the planting of vineyards, the arrival of the railroad and the industrialization. 

Today Montblanc is the capital of the region of Conca de Barbera and has a population of 7,500 inhabitants.

You'll find a more detailed history and much more in this site of the Tourism Office, available in english.

Medieval Week celebration

Every year Montblanc organises a Medieval Week to revive its medieval origin. Streets, squares and towers are embellished with the noble flags and standards. There are a lot of activities that transport the visitors back to the Middle Age: scenes of medieval life, the medieval supper, a concentration of dragons and fire, the medieval market, the performance of the Catalan Courts and so on…

The Medieval Week actually lasts two weeks, beginning on 23th April: Sant Jordi's day (Saint George).

The legend of Saint George has an important role, and one of the main events is the theatrical representation of the legend:

A long time ago, a fierce dragon frightened the people in Montblanc. It ate up the pasture animals to such an extent to threaten the town’s population. So as to avoid the attack of the beast it was decided to give it a person every day. There was a draw among the population, the king’s family was included in it, and the destiny  wanted the king’s daughter to be the  person chosen. When she was going to be swallowed  by the dragon a horseman appeared and saved her of being killed by the dragon. The horseman was Saint George. At the place where the dragon poured out its blood a rosebush with red roses grew. Since then it has been maintained the Catalan tradition in which men give a red rose to their beloved women.

See some photos of the show here.

The Medieval Week of Saint George has turned into the most important and most famous celebration  in Montblanc. It has been designated as a Festival of National Tourist interest in Catalonia and in Spain.

Monuments and Folklore

Apart from Pont Vell (Ancient Bridge) and La Muralla (the walls), there is so much to do in Montblanc and its surroundings that you'd better look at the Tourism Office webpage, you'll find a big amount of practical and well structured information.  

How to get there

Montblanc is well connected by highway to Barcelona (84 km), Tarragona or Reus (29 km)  and Costa Daurada - Salou, Cambrils, ...  

There is also public transport by bus and a railway station from where it is possible to visit the city in a walking tour.

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Theater Museum Salvador Dalí (Figueres)

The Theater

Salvador Dalí (1904 - 1989) was born an dead in Figueres, and after living in Madrid, Paris and New York came back to work in his theatre museum, the building of the former Municipal Theater, built in the nineteenth century and destroyed at the end of the Civil War. The building itself is a work of art.

The Museum

The Museum  houses the largest collection of Dalí works, mainly from the artist's estate to the Spanish state, including a set of works created by the artist expressly for the Theater-Museum, like the room Mae West, the room Palau del Vent, the Monument to Francesc Pujols, and the Cadillac plujós.

In the basement of the Museum there is the tomb of Dalí, in a small crypt.

It is recommended to visit the museum first thing in the morning, to avoid the queues in the entry and crowds in the expose. 

There is an on-line service for purchasing tickets:  https://www.salvador-dali.org/serveis/en_entrades.html

 

Dalí Joies

When, after the visit of the Theater Museum, you are guided to the exit door, don't forget to walk a few meters to entry, just through a little door on the corner, the jewel exposition (named Dalí-joies).

The visit takes a short time and is really worth it to contemplate the originals designs besides the sumptuous jewels.

Traveling to Figueres

By car: highway AP-7, the trip lasts 1,5 hours

By train: conventional train (select destination Figueres/Figueres) in a two hour trip, which can be reduced to 53 minutes booking a TGV train (select destination Figueres/Vilafant) 

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Spanish wines and cellars

Spain is the country with the largest area of vineyard cultivated in the world. It is very usual drink wine in social events or in bars, accompanying tapas.

In your visit wherever in the country sure you will have the chance to taste spanish wine or cava, but it can also be a great experience if you do it in the cellar where it's created.

We have had the opportunity to enjoy a guided tour and taste in three cellars, each one integrated in a different D.O. (Denominación de Origen = Designation of Origin), and with a different size and management.

D.O. Rioja: Laguardia

Laguardia is a precious fortified village built the s.X in the top of a hill to defend the Kingdom of Navarra.

On the façade of the old town hall you can see the  imperial coat of arms of Charles V, and in the new town hall there is a chime clock that sounds every day at 12.00, 14.00, 17.00 and 20.00 from October to May, and at 12.00, 13.00, 14.00, 17.00, 20.00 and 22.00 from June to September.

The subsoil of Laguardia is tunnelled along with wine cellars excavated eight metres down from the streets and houses (that's why the traffic is forbidden in the old town). Most of the cellars have moved to industrial parks in the surroundings to improve logistics, but it is still possible to find in-town cellars in use to visit, like Carlos Sampedro's.




The cave down Sampedro's house is been used as a cellar for the last 250 years, and it was built 600 years ago. The temperature (13 degrees Celsius all the year), the humidity (85%) and the dark and silence make the ideal conditions for the "crianza", the breeding of the wine.

Guided tours are available in English, check the timetable not to miss them.
Carlos Sampedro's in person will explain the origins of the cellar and the development of the wine since vintage to bottling, while walking through the wet and cool tunnels, and there you will have the opportunity to enjoy a wine tasting.

The ticket price is between 4 and 9 € for adults and is free for children under 18 years old.

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D.O. Somontano: Bodegas Meller

In Barbastro (Aragón) is born a new project led by the three sisters Meller: Bodegas Meller.

Ms. Meller explains with passion the type of grape, the characteristics of the soil where it is planted, the collection of the grape and the wine making process in rather scientific and rigorous terms.

If you are a curious person and you like making questions, a tour in a cellar like this one will allow you to solve all your doubts. In the fabulous wine tasting served at the end of the tour, the owner presents every wine and, due to the small size of the groups, an interesting chat probably will arise around the table.

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D.O. Penedès: Bodegas Torres

In Vilafranca del Penedès is located the winery and Visitor's Centre of Torres, known also for his Brandies.

This proposal is very different from the previous ones, we could say it is an "industrial tour", with professional guides, a film in a real cinema and a little train that carries visitors around the cellar.

The tour lasts an hour and costs 6,60 € for adults and 3,80 € for children. It is opened from 9h15 to 16h45 from Monday to Saturday and from 9h15 to 13h00 on Sundays and holidays.

It is also possible to extend the taste with different wines or brandies, or to order a Catalan Appetizer or a Brunch combined with one or two wines specially chosen.

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The Hydroelectric Power Station of Tavascan

Tavascan is the northernmost village of the Cardo's Valley, located at the end of the route L-504, in the middle of the Natural Park of the High Pyrenees. The village has just over a hundred inhabitants, but at his 1116 meters high, is provided with hotel, restaurant and campsite, that will allow travellers to enjoy their mountain vacation, either trekking, relaxing, skiing or trout fishing.  

The Hydroelectric Power Station

The tour starts with a video about the construction and operation of the Hidroelectric Power Station at the Centre d'Interpretació de l'Aigua de Tavascan. 

After a short walk, equipped with a helmet, we are ready to walk 500 meters inside the mountain named Pic de Gueron, to The Cave of Tavascan. 

The complex

In the Cave there are two power stations: Tavascan Superior and Tavascan Inferior, and the original control centre (now the operation is from Lleida). 

Tavascan Superior picks water from the lake Certescan (the bigger lake of the Pyrenees, with 100m depth) and Romedo de Baix through a 1.400 m long pipe  and a drop heigh of 900 meters until the arrival in the Cave of Tavascan, where two pelton turbines receives 7 m3/s at 85 kg/cm2. 

Tavascan Inferior takes water from the reservoir of Graus, through a 800 m long pipe and a drop heigh of 246 m, and arrives at a lower level from Tavascan Superior, in the same Cave. The turbine in this case is a Francis, and works with a flow of 14 m3/s and a pressure of 25 kg/cm2.

The complex also has the reversible power station of Montamara, that pumps water from Graus to Romedo at nights to store part of the excess of energy produced by nuclear and thermal plants.

This special visit is possible everyday at 17 hours, all the year, although you should book previously. It takes 1,5 hours and costs 7 €. It is not suitable for children under 6 years old.

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