Monday 29th January 2018
Having spent the last few days doing very little and enjoying a restful break from travelling we decided we should really break out the cycles again and explore Elche a little. Continue reading The Palmeral de Elche
Tag Archives: UNESCO
This tag marks all sites that have UNESCO classification.
Barcelona
Thursday 9th November 2017
Our plan today was to visit one of our favourite cities; Barcelona. We were acutely aware of recent events in the city, who wouldn’t be? Nevertheless, since being in Catalonia, nothing had given us cause to be concerned.
On our trips to major cities, we frequently chose the train to take the strain but we had heard about disruptions and cancellations on the trains in and out of Barcelona, so thought it wise to opt for another mode of transport.
Luckily for us, the Mon Bus runs from our campsite, Vilanova Park, to Barcelona every half hour. What could be more simple!
In hindsight we should have done our homework and caught a much earlier bus. There is just way too much to see and do in Barcelona and we hadn’t allowed ourselves anywhere near enough time to enjoy it all, as we were to discover.
10.15 am and the bus departed for the city, on time. It was a comfy ride, stopping at Vilanova i la Geltrú and arrived in Plaςa d’Espanya, Barcelona, promptly at 11.20 am.
Ray made sure to drop a pin on Google maps to ensure we were able to find our way back to the bus stop! Always helpful 🙂
This was an area of the city we had not visited before and there was plenty to explore. We navigated our way around the busy roundabout in the centre of the Plaça d’Espanya. In the middle stands the monumental fountain, which marks the avenue leading to the grounds of the 1929 International Exhibition.
Plaça d’Espanya
We headed towards the imposing sight of Las Arenas de Barcelona and the glass elevator, costing €1 each, which takes you to the rooftop viewing platform. A gimmick but what the heck!
Las Arenas de Barcelona Glass Elevator
The viewpoint can also be reached by a series of escalators in the shopping plaza, for no charge.
The circular rooftop enables you to enjoy panoramic views of the Plaça, including the Parc de Joan Miró, with it’s Woman and Bird Sculpture. (Unfortunately we didn’t get a photo of the sculpture to the left, only the park).
City Views
On our list of things to do was to revisit the Sagrada Família. How was the building work coming on? Would it be finished?
Off we set along the Gran via de les Corts Catalans, more commonly referred to as the Gran Via, one of Barcelona’s major avenues.
Casa Golferichs
We passed Casa Golferichs on the Gran Via. Now a cultural and civic centre.
Luckily we did not have to walk the Gran Vias entire length, over 8 miles. Just the hour or so! It was a very busy road but a pleasant walk.
Barcelona Metro Guide: tickets can be purchased for the metro, bus or tram, or all 3 ( T10). It’s worth checking out the options available, depending on how long you are visiting Barcelona.
On reaching Plaça de Tetuan, we headed north east towards the iconic church Sagrada Família, another World Heritage site.
Our intention was not to go into the church or the towers, as we had already experienced this a few years ago and not surprisingly, it is still not finished 🙂 Watch this space in 2026, as this is the year the Basilica is reputed to be finally completed!
Sagrada Família
If you are thinking of visiting it is definitely worth purchasing tickets on line, to save time, as even in November it was incredibly busy.
View From Park
View From Entrance
Whilst we were snapping away taking photos, we happened to notice the Barcelona City Bus Tour. (Green route, east, stop number 12). We just wished we had noticed the bus stop on the Orange route when we first arrived at Plaça d’Espanya, as we could have made the most of a day ticket. (Note to self for future reference).
The bright red double-decker open-top Barcelona buses offer 2 routes. West route – Orange route or East route – Green route. Each taking approximately 2 hours. (So you can imagine our dilemma).
We paid the daily rate of €29 each, which would have been well worth it, if we had started our tour earlier in the day. Nevertheless the hop on hop off service was excellent and we would highly recommend it. Just make sure you leave plenty of time to take in all the attractions that Barcelona has to offer.
First stop for us was number 13 and Park Güell. But a word of caution. Be prepared for a 10+ minute walk up some steep paths to the park, as well as plenty of walking around the park too.
Park Güell – View of entrance esplanade with both pavilions which form the porter’s lodge
Queue for entry to Casa del Guarda, the porter’s residence
We went with the self-guided tour, including a ticket for the monumental zone, after which we were free to access the rest of the park for no charge.
We discovered that you can enjoy the majority of the park for free and even get to see some of the monumental zone if you approach from the south side.
Even on a November day the place was bustling with tourists, who like us wanted to admire the work of Antoni Gaudí, so be prepared.
Once you leave the monumental zone there is no re-entry, so make the most of your time there.
The Dragon Stairway. A twin flight of steps up to the Hypostyle Room.
Stairway flanked by one of the walls with merlons
Decorative salamander forming part of the fountain
Example of tile-shard mosaic (trencadís) on the fountain.
Greek theatre shaped bench on the final flight of steps, under the Hypostyle Room.
The Hypostyle
The Hypostyle is made up of 86 columns; the outer most ones slope inwards. It’s worth reading up on this construction and how it was used to collect rainwater.
The domes inside the hypostyle with familiar decoration
Side view of the Hypostyle
Portico
On passing through an original iron gate, we reached the gardens of the former farmhouse, the Casa Larrard and a portico backing onto the retaining wall of the upper roadway. It is made from rough stone and resembles a huge wave.
Interior of the portico
Exterior of the portico with a series of buttresses
View From Below
Next we headed to the Plaça de la Natura, (Nature Square or originally The Greek Theatre).
Plaça de la Natura
It was undergoing some major improvement work, but we were still able to take in the views over Barcelona and the undulating bench seating decorated with tile-shard mosaic, planned by Josep M. Jujol.
Tile Shard Mosaic
The rest of our visit continued through the remainder of the park, which was just as spectacular.
Plaça de la Natura
Throughout the park we came across a number of musicians performing in these wonderful structures, as the acoustics were fantastic.
A combination of viaducts, paths, steps and roadways connect the many areas of the park and allow you to explore the trees and Mediterranean plants.
View Of Barcelona
Within the area of the park called the Austria Garden are two houses which were built while Park Güell was a residential estate.
Casa Trias, the white house, the work of Juli Batllevell.
The pink house by Francesc Berenguer, which is now the Gaudí House Museum.
Wonderful ironwork gate in Gaudís’ modernistic style.
Back on the Barcelona hop on hop off bus, we continued on the green route passing the Rotunda and the stop for Tribidabo and the funicular railway.
By now the weather had turned incredibly chilly and we reverted to sitting downstairs under cover, which somewhat limited our view of the attractions along the route.
Heading towards the centre of the city we passed the UNESCO Casa Milà or La Pedrera and Casa Batlló, both works of art by Gaudí.
At stop 16 on the green route we hopped off the bus and onto the orange route, stop 19 to enable us to get back to Plaça d’Espanya our starting point.
Cold and hungry we made our way to the rooftop of Las Arenas and into La Lola. Tapas, paella and a fruity white Verdejo, all served by polite and cheerful waiters, keen to practise their English skills. Top marks Nur 🙂
Feeling refreshed and a lot warmer, we made the short distance to our bus stop and didn’t have to wait long for our bus to arrive, on time, to take us back to camp.
We will be back to savour more of Catalonia’s vibrant city and the many cultural attractions and breathtaking architecture. Think it’s going to take more than one more visit though.
City of Carcassonne
Thursday 2nd November 2017
On our list of places to visit had always been Carcassonne. Yet again another UNESCO World Heritage site. We had read that it had taken over 1000 years to complete!
In 1849 the city of Carcassonne was nearly demolished. It was struck off the roster of official fortifications under Napoleon and the Restoration. This caused such uproar from the local citizens that a campaign was organised to to preserve it. The architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc was commissioned to renovate the entire city.
We parked close to the city walls in what turned out to be a very expensive car park! So be warned, check out the prices before you make your decision.
We followed the signs for the citadel, known as La Cité, but our target was not hard to spot. It stands proud on the top a hill and it’s sheer scale is absolutely immense!
Carcassonne
Our walk up to the city walls was a steep one and the closer we got to the outer walls, the more gargantuan this medieval fortress appeared.
Carcassonne Lists, the area between Inner & Outer Walls
We entered Carcassonne on the west side but there are better ways to make the most of your visit. (We wish we had read the website above in hindsight).
Climbing Toward The Ramparts
Carcassonne is apparently the 2nd most popular visitor attraction in France, after the Eiffel Tower and that soon became very apparent as we made our way around the citadel. (Heaven knows what the place must be like in the height of the tourist season!!!!)
City of Carcassonne Walkway
The Château Comptal
Unfortunately our view and enjoyment of the amazing architecture within the city was masked by the vast amount of restaurants, peddling cassoulet, a local dish, and tacky tourist shops selling anything and everything!
Attractive Climbing Plant
We were surprised to find out that there are many permanent residences as well as a few hotels within the walls.
Can’t beat a Best Western
We both concurred that this resembled a ‘Petworth meets Disneyworld’. Such a disappointment. Even our efforts to join the lengthy queue to visit the Château and ramparts were thwarted. We gave up and walked away before we lost the will to live.
Feeling a little deflated we headed off to the Pont Vieux over the River Aude and crossed over to the modern city. From the top of the bridge we were able to admire the citadel in peace and quiet from a distance.
A gentle walk along the river and back over a smaller bridge led to the car park and home.
We would re-visit given the chance. Out of season, if there is one, and taking in the ramparts and the ‘Lists‘ the gap between the two sets of walls.
Fonsérannes Locks on the Canal du Midi
Wednesday 1st November 2017
Today, as we discovered, was Las Toussaints or All Saint’s Day. It is a public holiday across France. We decided to visit Beziers and the Fonsérannes Locks on the Canal du Midi.
During our travels we had been aware of many shops and florists displaying large potted chrysanthemums in their windows and on the pavements . Now we know why.
Chrysanthemums are the traditional flowers placed on the graves of loved ones, during this time of remembrance.
Cemetery in Colombiers.
Avignon
Thursday 12th October 2017
An ideal day to visit the historic city of Avignon. The weather was glorious and set to reach a scorching 27°c!!
First on the agenda, find a car park. As with most busy cities, parking can sometimes be an issue. Although cars are permitted within the walls of the city, throw in the mix, the tiny narrow roads, one way systems and sometimes impatient French drivers and it is often easier to find a park & ride.
As luck would have it, we located one on Île de Piot, which was also accessible from Vallabrégues without entering the busiest part of the city. The day was boding well already.
We parked and waited no time at all for a bus to ferry us over the Pont Édouard Daladier to a bus stop immediately outside the city walls.
There are many UNESCO world heritage sites to visit in Avignon and it would take more than a day to pack in every possibility.
We purchased a combined ticket for Pont D’Avignon (Saint Bénezet) and Palais de Papes.
The 12th century bridge was once the only way to cross the Rhône between Lyon and the Mediterranean Sea. It originally had 22 arches, but only 4 remain today, following several floods. Of course most of us are familiar with the bridge, due to the children’s song ‘Sur le pont d’Avignon’.
Le Pont – View From River Bank
View later in the day from the public gardens Rocher des Doms
‘Sur le pont’
As the temperature began to rise we headed off to the Palais des Papes for some shade. We made our way along some quaint, narrow shady ‘chemins’ towards the palace.
This very imposing 14th century building was built in less than 20 years, which is hard to believe when you see it’s size!
Palais des Papes
It is the biggest Gothic palace in the world and there are more than 20 rooms which you are able to visit including the private apartments.
A view of the Departmental archives of Vaucluse, with the Notre Dame des Doms d’Avignon to the left
There were 2 marked routes to follow around the palace. One takes you on a tour of the papal apartments, ceremonial rooms and chapels on the ground floor . We took an audio guide to help us learn as much as possible about the popes, their political power, as well as their daily lives and their palace, including the many beautiful frescoes.
Fantastic vaulted ceiling of the Great Clementine Chapel
The palace also offers visitors continuous cultural activities throughout the year. This year was an array of contemporary African art on display.
The Grand Tinel banqueting room
Before we attempted the second route, we paused for lunch at the Benoît X11 cloister with 360° views around a small open air garden.
After lunch we ascended the cloister stairs to enjoy more rooms, which eventually led to The Great Dignitaries’ terrace.
The views over the city and the River Rhône from here were breathtaking. Ray even managed to zoom right in on the gilded statue of Mary on the bell tower of the Cathedral Notre Dames des Doms.
Mary Statue on Cathedral Notre Dames des Doms
Once our visit was over, we headed off towards the gardens at the Rocher des Doms. It was like a little oasis in the city. It was easy to see why it would be a popular spot for escaping the heat of the day.
Again, there were opportunities to take in even more views, including Mount Ventoux that we had visited the other day.
After enjoying a ‘glace’ by the pond, we headed back towards the Cathedral Notre Dames des Doms, passing the petit train (tourist train) on the start of it’s circuit around the city.
Entrance to the Cathedral Notre Dames des Doms.
By now, it was close to ‘beer o’clock’, as Ray refers to it. We made our way towards the Place de L’Horlage and quickly found the perfect place to enjoy a drink, opposite the opera house. The clock tower square is the main square and the heart of Avignon and a popular place to meet and enjoy a meal or drink in the many restaurants or cafés.
1 litre beer 🙂
Feeling refreshed I persuaded Ray to take a walk around the shops, not a pastime that he particularly enjoys but he was agreeable. As we made our way from the Place de L’Horlage, we came across a group of dancers in medieval costumes performing for the crowds. The Place is a venue for annual events like the festival d’Avignon.
Dancers in Medieval Costumes
We had subsequently found out that our encounter last Saturday, whilst in the car, with a large group of people dressed in costume, was Le 8eme Festival Médiéval de la Rose d’Or. A biannual event of living history from 12th to 15th century. Enthusiasts come from all over the world and begin the festivities with a parade through the city streets on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday, the highlight of the event, contests and tournaments take place, including fencing, sword fighting and archery. As well this, many camps are located on one of the islands, where music, dance, crafts and food of the period may be experienced and enjoyed.
We were a little disappointed not to have found out all this information the previous weekend. Never mind, another excuse to re-visit Avignon in two years time, perhaps.
We made our way to Les Halles, a covered market and must go place to purchase local produce. It also boasts a fascinating living wall at it’s entrance. Unfortunately I hadn’t done my homework and it was closed. (A good excuse to return.)
Les Halles Living Wall
By now we were both feeling peckish and returned to the Place de L’Horlage for a plat du jour.
Lou Mistrau was our choice, next to the Hotel de Ville, where there happened to be a Blues event on. I enjoyed a Salade Niςoise and Ray a filet d’porc, followed by the dessert of the day – crêpes. Delicious.
Another fantastic day in paradise!!