travel
5 places to visit in Spain
Step into the whimsical world of Casa Batllo’s architectural wonder. – Pic courtesy of Casa Batllo, November 12, 2015.Art and architecture, wine, gastronomy and fiestas abound in many parts of Spain. Though most tourists would make Barcelona their first and only destination on a week-long holiday, there are compelling reasons to venture beyond.
Casa Batllo
Go beyond Las Ramblas and the shopping haven of Portal de l'Angel, a pedestrian street in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona adjacent to Placa Catalunya, to discover the artistic and architectural marvels of Catalonia.
Casa Batllo is an architectural marvel with a roof shaped like the back of a supine dragon. It is Antoni Gaudi’s ode to a dream, with myriad twists and turns that defy convention. The balconies are shaped as skulls, yet there’s nothing menacing about them, for they are tempered with whimsical touches and splashes of green, blue, purple and other shades reminiscent of coral in the ocean. There’s no end to the feeling of wonderment as one enters the edifice, letting us marvel at the genius of one of the stalwarts of the Modernist movement.
Pares Balta vineyards and winery
Pares Balta, a family owned traditional winery dating back to 1790, is a rare find. Each of its signature wines is made in honour of a woman in the family and it’s a marvel indeed to feel so close to the terroir, the beauty and history of the surrounding countryside and the warmth of the family, now helmed by Josep Cusine and his brother Joan.
Timmer Brown, Founder of Catalunya Wine, who arranged the tour of the Pares Balta vineyards and winery, explains, “Pares Balta has a special affinity for the Catalan native variety of Garnatxa, and their Garnaxta extends from lands at sea level, all the way to 700 metres above the winery at Pares Balta.
“While many Catalan wineries follow organic and biodynamic processes, many haven’t followed through with the certification process to provide consumers with the comfort that those processes are adhered to 100%t. Joan and Josep pride themselves on the fact that they not only are certified organic, but they have been certified biodynamic by the Demeter Biodynamic Trade Association.”
Valencia
Jesus Trelis, a native of Valencia, says the city on the banks of the Mediterranean is blessed with a very special light and a privileged climate. Gastronomy, fiestas and the pleasant climate are three of the biggest attractions.
Gastronomy is varied, with top-level restaurants such as those helmed by Quique Dacosta and Ricard Camarena. For a taste of the most traditional food, don’t miss the many types of paella available, as Valencia is home of the original paella – eaten with a spoon. I vividly remember a trip to the Valencian countryside where we had paella of rabbit and snails, cooked over grape vine.
Las Fallas, one of the biggest celebrations throughout the year, augurs the beginning of spring. In honour of San Jose, on the 19th of March, Valencians burn extraordinary artistic figures, full of satire and good humour. – Pic courtesy of Las Fallas, November 12, 2015.Nearby the Malvarrosa beach marina is the City of the Arts and the Sciences, designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava. It comprises a science museum, a palace of the opera, an oceanographic centre and a hemispheric centre. The centre of the city has its own charm, particularly the cathedral and El Carme and Ruzafa neighbourhoods, the latter being the heart of the chic and fashionable.
Please Google train schedules from Vilafranca del Penedes to Joaquin Sorolla station, Valencia as connections between commuter and express trains vary throughout the day.
Figueres, home of Salvador Dalí
Back in Barcelona, head up north to Figueres, home of Salvador Dalí, a charismatic artist who challenged conventions in his inimitable way. Dalí was best known for the bizarre images in his surrealist work although his broad artistic repertoire included film, sculpture, and photography, in collaboration with a range of artists in a variety of media.
On the 30th of January 1989, eight days after his death at the age of 84 in Figueres, the controversy that surrounded his life erupted again. In a provocative manner in which he often conducted his affairs, Dalí, a Catalan, declared the Spanish government “universal inheritor of all his goods, rights and artistic creations” in his final testament.
In effect, 700 paintings, 3,000 drawings and watercolours and surrealist masterpieces such as The Enigma of Hitler, two houses, one in Figueres, another in Port Lligat (Cadaques) and a castle in Pubol, certain lands along the coast and all his writings were granted to the Ministry of Culture. These eventually included his patrimony in New York, Geneva and Paris. – November 12, 2015.
*The writer's recent trip to Pares Balta vineyards and winery was courtesy of Catalunya Wines. For enquiries, contact [email protected]
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