Spain 2013 Guidebook
Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:
Best: In Madrid we took the #27 bus to see modern Madrid. We chatted with some locals who wanted to make sure we saw the soccer stadium as we went by.
Why: We see so much more than people walking on their own.
Worst: Why didn't you include info on Valencia
Why: We used the 2013 guide extensively in our recent trip to Spain. We went on an organized tour but added extra days in Madrid. We use your books to plan activities in our free time. We see so much more than our travelling companions. BUT -- how could you leave out Valencia?? There was so much to see there, especially the Arts and Sciences complex.
Jo Merrill in Johns Island, SC USA 05/16/2013
Best: flamenco Alvarez Quintero
Why: good value, excellent show, note above tip that they've opened in Granada on Cuesta Gomerez.
Marian Mimi Allender in Kirkland, WA USA 05/10/2013
Best: Ronda!
Why: It exceeded all the visuals I saw ahead of time. Nothing can do it justice until you see it.
Niki Guner in Toronto, On Canada 04/29/2013
Best: The gorge in Ronda
Why: A stunning view from every angle.
Jon Lowrey in Stuttgart, AE USA/Germany 04/09/2013
Best: Ronda over Arcos and Barzelema over Zahara
Why: Ronda has more gardens, more side streets with shops, and more restaurants to select from. Barzelema also has more to see than Zahara, although I was impressed that both small hill towns had fresher coats of white paint than Arcos making the towns both appear very nice.
Jon Lowrey in Stuttgart (military), AE USA/Germany 04/08/2013
Best: chocolateria Valor in Madrid
Why: SO GOOD. I went to both the chocolaterias in the guidebook in Madrid, and thought this was the better of the two, and the best place I went in Madrid.
Kim Boatright in Richmond, VA USA 02/18/2013
Best: Alhambra
Why: The Alhambra and the Mezquita in Cordoba were worth the the trip to Spain. The Alhambra is unique to all the castles you will experience anywhere else in Europe. The light and airy edifices are poetic and ethereal.
Worst: Alhambra Signs and Directions
Why: The Alhambra for it's prominent position on everyone's bucket list is perhaps the worst marked and signed sight in my60 years of touring and traveling. Everything from freeway signs, street signs, ticketing area (we did have prepaid tickets), entry way, correct path to the start of tour were horrible. We were 15 min. late to the start of our appointment time - perhaps my horrible pre hip replacement limp got us in. We met people all over the Alhambra area who were lost. Some Bulgarians had missed their ticket time by 2.5 hours. FYI I read, write, and speak passable "street" Spanish. Guides in the Alhambra were bored, arrogant, indifferent - OH! the list goes on.
Don Hall in San Antonio, TX USA 02/17/2013
Best: Mesquita Cordoba
Why: Along with the Great Pyramid of Cheops and the Taj Mahal, photography alone can not begin to capture their true essence. I can now add Cordoba's Mesquita to this category. You must experience it first-hand.
Jon Stephens in Foster City, CA USA 01/24/2013
Best: Montserrat
Why: I think that you should push this side trip harder. I was astounded by the site. It had a little something for everyone.
Worst:
Why: I would suggest that people not park in Grazalema at all. Have them park in the lots above town and walk down. The lots near the TI get packed in fast. We narrowly escaped what must have been complete gridlock in the lower lot on a Saturday at about 10 AM. I bet it took the police an hour to sort it all out.
John Gannon in WESTLAKE, TX USA 01/04/2013
Best: Self guided walk around Puerta del Sol, Madrid
Why: It gave such a sense of Spanish history and the square itself is a constant entertainment.
Worst: Prado Museum, Madrid
Why: Much too tiring
Mary Bruce in Surrey, BC Canada 12/02/2012
Best: Barcelona
Why: Barcelona is a nice place to walk, eat, and drink. The weather was nice, even at the end of November. There are lots of things to do and see. And the food and wine are excellent.
Jim Perschbacher in Mableton, GA USA 12/02/2012
Best: Madrid
Why: What a great city--people seemed happy(where were the people who are out of work) impromptu concerts on the plazas at night time.
Worst: overnight train from Barcelona to Granada
Why: stopped about 7 or 8 times. Noisy from other customers who congregate outside their doors & laugh & talk loudly. Announcements kept me awake too. You need to be able able to be a sound sleeper to take this train.
Mary Varese in Madison, WI USA 10/30/2012
Best: Gabriella Ranelli
Why: Gabriella was a joy! She knew the best pintxos to highlight, and had a story for each place. She is a MUST for any visitor to San Sebastian.
Worst: Burgos
Why: Skip the entire city. Not friendly, food was terrible.
Gina Espinosa in San Diego, CA USA 10/07/2012
Best: The walking tours of Barcelona
Why: They are detailed and helped us to see things we would have missed on our own. It would be nice if you gave distances. To us these were all short walks, but we couldn't tell that from either the maps or the descriptions.
Carole in Syracuse, NY USA 10/06/2012
Best: Madrid: Reina Sofia/Prado, El Escorial
Why: The art museums are stunning in their collection and displays; one minor disappointment in that room 49 in the Prado, the starting point for the self-guided tour, was closed for renovations, so we missed many of the early Italian Renaissance works--happily, not Fra Angelico! And El Escorial was deeply impressive. If I ever get to go back, I would avoid Sundays (the Basilica is closed to tourists, naturally enough, when services are ongoing) and I would go by myself without a formal tour, which didn't allow enough time to see everything. The walking tour of the old city was very enjoyable--we felt we really got a sense of old Madrid.
Worst: Madrid: Julia Tours and Archeological Museum
Why: This was a mixed experience. We appreciated the ease of transportation getting us to El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen, but a half-day just isn't enough to cover the two sites. We were blessed with an excellent guide (hats off to Jorge!) even with the time restrictions. He was interested and interesting to listen to, with an excellent command of English. On the other hand, the office staff in the Plaze de Espana location were very cool (not in a good way) and somewhat unfriendly. This might have been because they were at work at 8 am on a Sunday, but there's no excuse for grumpiness when you're in a job that deals with the public. As to the Archeological Museum, this was actually just a disappointment rather than a "worst experience," because the museum is now (Sept 2012) entirely closed for renovations and no exhibits are open at all.
Ken Abbott in Dunkirk, MD USA 09/26/2012
Best: The Alhambra and Generalife Gardens, Granada
Why: The Palacios Nazaries is fantastic! Make sure to also visit the adjacent Generalife Gardens. Be sure to get reservations a month or more in advance. Our reservation was for 8:30 am, which was excellent. The grounds got very crowded later in the day.
Shirley Schellentrager in Chardon, OH USA 07/29/2012
Best: Monserrat
Why: Out of the way beautiful
Pauline Eade-Sheppard in Long Beach, CA USA 07/26/2012
Best: Picasso Museum in Barcelona
Why: So many of the things that were recommended were amazing, but I include this one because without your "three triangle" rating, we would have passed it by. We so enjoyed seeing the progression through Picasso's work and hearing his story. Another sight that deserves note was the market in Barcelona (La Boqueria) and meeting Juan at Pinotxo Bar. We loved him!
Worst: Nothing! Everything was great!
Why: The only negative experience I can think of is that we were not able to see the interior of the Toledo cathedral because we were only there for a short time on Sunday and it was closed.
Emily in Fairfax, VA USA 07/20/2012
Best: Too hard to decide!
Why: All of the sight guides were excellent. Some of the sights we enjoyed using the book for were the Alhambra, Mezquita, Sevilla Cathedral, and Sevilla Alcazar. Again, all of the self guided walking tours for Granada, Sevilla, and Cordoba were excellent.
Arielle in Brooklyn, NY USA 07/14/2012
Best: San Sebastian
Why: Charming, lively, beautiful and delicious! This is a must-see city and worth much more than a one "lazy day".
Worst: Pamplona
Why: Rick, please add this disclosure: Unless going for San Fermin, don't bother visiting Pamplona. The old center was mildly interesting and the rest of the city is sprawling high rises and lacking any energy. Oh and if you're driving through northern Spain, prepare to spend your life savings on tolls. Utilize that public transportation!
Allison Bandos in Albany, NY USA 07/08/2012
Best: Ronda in the Evening
Why: Mingling with the locals on Plaza del Soccorro was as delightful as you predicted after 8pm. We went there two nights in a row we enjoyed it so much as the locals took back their town, especially the old folks with their "reserved seats" on the square's benches.
Jennifer in Washington, DC USA 06/12/2012
Best: Cordoba
Why: It was a quiet and nice city.
Frank in Santa Clara, Ca USA 05/08/2012
Worst: Palacio Real -- Madrid
Why: Perfectly fine palace, but contrary to the Guidebook, the audio tour is atrocious. It focuses on the obscure artists who did the furniture and the paintings. Not once does the audio tour even say when the palace was built, and the audio tour provides ZERO historical perspective -- who built the castle, who re-built the castle, who lived there, what wars were being fought, etc. etc. We were terribly disappointed. The week that we visited, there was no option for tours with a live guide.
Robert Koppel in Potomac, MD USA 04/22/2012
Best: Park Guell
Why: Incredible, magical public space, and it's free! la Pedrera and La Sagrada Familia are awesome, don't get me wrong. But at Park Guell, you can truly interact with the space that Gaudi created. It's not a museum, but a living, breathing playground! Great people watching too, even if most of them are tourists.
Worst: The Gaudi house museum at Park Guell (can be purchased as a combo ticket with La Pedrera).
Why: You only get to see a small part of the interior, and it is filled with furniture that was brought from several different places, much of which was not Gaudi's or his design. It's a boring mishmash that doesn't fit the rooms they've been shown in. The exterior is more interesting than the interior. Don't waste your money!
Julie in Sacramento, CA USA 03/19/2012
Worst: Hotel Macia Plaza
Why: I booked direct with the hotel and also showed a copy of the 2012 book. The manager refused to honor 10% discount and said " you are not booking the same rate as the book". Make sure to confirm with the hotel about the discount before booking.
Mei Hu in Eden Prairie, MN USA 03/13/2012
Best: Segovia
Why: The Aqueduct amazes.
Kurt in Astoria, NY USA 02/21/2012
Best: Express bus from airport to Madrid City Center
Why: It only cost 2 Euros/person to ride the bus. It would have cost at lest 35 Euros to take a taxi. There were only two stops on the bus, so it was very fast and convenient. Of course we took the bus back to the airport when we left. By saving about 70 Euros, we figure it more than paid for the guidebook!
Aaron in Edmond, OK USA 01/16/2012
Best: Alhambra
Why: It takes work to get to Granada and your book convinced us it was worth it. And it was! We would have went to Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla for sure, but Granada was on the fence.
Tim Evans in Iowa City, IA USA 12/26/2011
Best: The Alhambra
Why: Breathtaking and unique.
Jamie in Eagleville, PA USA 12/11/2011
Best: The Alhambra
Why: Breathtaking and unique.
Jamie in Eagleville, PA USA 12/11/2011
Best: Cordoba & Nerja
Why: Cordoba: coverage of the Mesquita and the jewish quarter excellent. Nerja: nice town a pleasant respite from all the tourist areas.
Worst: Driving
Why: The distances between sites such as Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada are not really condusive to day trips from Marbella. While the main hiways are quite good between these areas, there is not a mile of straight road to be found.
Ronald Reitenauer in Yucca Valley, CA USA 11/26/2011
Best: Alhambra
Why: It is magnificient. However, due to the fact it was not built of materials to withstand the test of time as the Palace was, everyone should go see it now before any further deterioratoin occurs.
matthew bonini in chesterfield, mo USA 11/25/2011
Best: The Aziz Tour was one of our favorite experiences.
Why: Aziz Begdouri made all the arrangements for our travel from Tarifa, Spain, met us at the Tangier dock and took us on a wonderful, walking tour, carefully explaining the cultural and historical aspects of each site. We saw and learned lots!
The Flors in Winthrop, WA USA 11/21/2011
Best: The Aziz Tour was one of our favorite experiences.
Why: Aziz Begdouri made all the arrangements for our travel from Tarifa, Spain, met us at the Tangier dock and took us on a wonderful, walking tour, carefully explaining the cultural and historical aspects of each site. We saw and learned lots!
The Flors in Winthrop, WA USA 11/21/2011
Best: The Aziz Tour was one of our favorite experiences.
Why: Aziz Begdouri made all the arrangements for our travel from Tarifa, Spain, met us at the Tangier dock and took us on a wonderful, walking tour, carefully explaining the cultural and historical aspects of each site. We saw and learned lots!
The Flors in Winthrop, WA USA 11/21/2011
Best: Touring the Alcazar in Seville with Concepcion
Why: Concepcion was fantastic, reasonably priced and a real sweetheart! I wish we would have taken more tours with her.
Worst: Flamenco Museum in Seville
Why: Expensive and not really that interesting. It is a small museum that is fine for a short visit but not worth the cost.
Susan Novak in Mt. Prospect, IL USA 11/14/2011
Best: The Alhambra, Granada, Toledo, la Sagrada Familia - Barcelona, and Ronda
Why: The Alhambra is so amazing. I stood in line at 7 a.m. for my ticket and spent 5 hours of my day there once I got in. I was not expecting such a heavy Muslim influence in the city, but I thought it was beautiful. I fell in love with Granada; it's culture is so incredibly rich. The culture and architecture in Toledo is pure fairy tale, and absolutely charming. La Sagrada Familia, well, I don't know if it's the most beautiful cathedral I've ever seen, but it's probably the grandest. It felt more like a tourist attraction than church, though. And I loved lingering in Ronda. Little towns like Ronda and Segovia are perfect after the hustle & bustle of the big cities. Definitley make sure you have enough gigs on your card for pictures though. I was limited to 400!
Worst: Barcelona
Why: Barcelona was unimpressive, I felt, not counting la Sagrada Familia and Picasso Museum. The city lacked soul. Granada was a complete 180! I hope to return to Spain again, but I can't ever see myself going back to Barcelona.
Lisa in San Antonio, TX USA 10/29/2011
Best: Sagrada Familia
Why: Having travelled through Italy & seeing so many churches,this was by far the BEST I've ever seen. Jaw dropping, tear on the cheek good!
Barbara Pearce in Freeport , NY USA 10/17/2011
Best: Sagrada Familia
Why: Having travelled through Italy & seeing so many churches,this was by far the BEST I've ever seen. Jaw dropping, tear on the cheek good!
Barbara Pearce in Freeport , NY USA 10/17/2011
Best: Caadques
Why: I will admit I have a penchant for small, seaside towns and this in the same league as places like Collioure, Cinque Terre towns, small towns in the Algarve or places like Mendocino, CA.
David/Lakeview in Chicago, IL USA 10/15/2011
Best: Granada-the Alhambra
Why: it was breathtaking and so intelligent. This is one site that cannot be missed. We booked a guided tour for this one.
We took close to 1900 pictures from our trip Madrid, Granada, Barcelona, and Sevilla but being at the actual sites, museums, streets and mingling with locals just cannot be captured.
Maria P. Chan in SF Bay Area, CA USA 09/29/2011
Best: the Aziz tour
Why: It was a great tour and we did like Omar (just beware the spice shop!)
Worst: Marbella
Why: It wasn't really recommended, but we stayed in a lovely condo there, that was about the only part of Marbella we enjoyed. The beach was filthy - covered in cigarettes and there was garbage floating in the water. The restaurants are obscenely expensive. We were unimpressed. It's very expensive to stay there - they really need to put some tax euros into cleaning up that beach!
Joanne Barhite in Chelsea, MI USA 09/07/2011
Best:
Why: That list would be too long -- may I just say that I feel everything you liked and really promoted completely lived up to my expectations. On the surprising list: Malaga (see above), the gardens at the Alcazar in Cordoba, and Segovia. Oh, and thanks for the tip to Mario Zamorano's in Toledo -- we had a Roman gladius sent thome!
Worst: Italica and Madrid
Why: Worst only by degrees! We had wanted Italica to be Pompei, which it clearly was not going to be to begin with. The bus was easy and the site was nice, but had we realized that all the artifacts we back in Seville, we might have done the museum FIRST and then view the site. In retrospect, I might have tried harder to get to Merida.
Madrid -- well we spent one full day and two part days -- and by mid afternoon of the full day, we had been to EVERY site recommended in the Guidebook that was open and were down to actively hunting up options to fill the time. Had it not been "free" night at the Prado, we would have gone back there, and had the Archeology Museum not been under renovation we would have spent more time there, and had we realized that the Military Museum needed passports for entry we would have gone there. I'm wondering if there might not be the possibility of developing a walking tour or two for Madrid?
Mary Byrne in Victoria, BC Canada 07/24/2011
Best: Reina Sofia in Madrid
Why: Nice collection in an easy to navigate museum. Nice courtyard with snack bar and benches.
Worst: Plaza Mayor
Why: I love grand squares, but this one just seemed odd. There were lots of "characters" dressed like Elvis, indians, etc...who wanted you to take pictures with them for a fee. Not sure any connection with Madrid and Elvis.
Elizabeth in Pittsburg, CA USA 07/15/2011
Best: The Alhambra
Why: It is spectacularly beautiful.
Sharon in Sharon, MA USA 07/15/2011
Best: Ronda
Why: We totally fell in love with Ronda and the charm of the village and its inhabitants had us wishing we'd spent much more than 2 nights there. It was relaxing and pretty and the train trip there from Seville via a stopover in Cordoba passed great scenery. The bullring was fascinating and the gorge impressive, but overall the atmosphere of the town is what impressed us.
Worst: Maria la Canastera zambra dancers, Granada
Why: Very touristy, crowded, felt like we were watching automatons, 'sangria' tasted like coloured water, not worth the money, especially compared with Los Gallos in Seville.
June in Auckland, New Zealand 07/07/2011
Worst: Reina Sofia, Madrid
Why: The collection from the late 1800s through WWII is amazing and I could spend an hour staring at Guernica, but they seem to give little thought (and no audioguide coverage whatsoever) to the stuff from WWII to the present, which is tucked away on the top floor with the special exhibits.
John Barcus in Fort Worth, TX USA 07/05/2011
Best: Barcelona
Why: Boqueteria! We love chuchos.
Della Schnell in Fresno, CA USA 07/01/2011
Best: Concepcion'sDelgado'swalking tours (all 3) in Sevilla
Why: Small group, great personality, knowledgeable, never boring, accomodating.
Worst: Seville Hop on, hop off bus
Why: I paid the EXTRA 3 euros for the privlege of "hopping off and on "(8 E total) but there was no where to hop off. Please make it clear that it stops ONLY at the train station and for the 5 minute break. Also let readers know that buses run one hour apart
Avis Letner in Santa Cruz, CA USA 06/22/2011
Worst: Toledo
Why: Once we got off the train in Toledo, there should be more specific information on the Tourista Buses. There were the open covered seats vs the covered seats. They had different rates on it and it would be good it was mentioned in the book.
christine in San Francisco, CA USA 06/19/2011
Best: the castle in Jerez
Why: small, no crowds, excellent dual language signs
stolzberg in portland , or USA 06/18/2011
Worst: Julia tours in Madrid
Why: Do not use Julia Tours in Madrid or Toledo” We booked the Madrid sightseeing trip and the Toledo day trip at the same time
The bus for the Madrid trip was not designed for sightseeing in a city - could not see well - the seats had high backs and view limited. Should have known we were in trouble when we stopped at Hard Rock Cafe - give me a breaki. Information along route was just OK - I would have enjoyed learning a little more about the history of the city and the citizens The tour guide on the trip was pleasant enough and friendly
The Toledo day trip was a disaster. The tour leader was very aloof and downright rude. She had no interest at all in anyone in her group. It was obvious she just wanted to get through the day. She did not even introduce herself to us. We got to Toledo to find it was quite a strenuous walking route. Although we were OK with that we felt as if there should have been some info about that in the itinerary. We were taken to the cathedral - she told us not to take pictures before hand - no time - and that we could do it afterwards. She did a decent job of the guided tour of cathedral in terms of imparting information but was very glum and never ever smiled. We then visited a church with famous painting by Goya - and then to a synagogue. We passed a number of very interesting looking shops and several of us expressed interest in visiting them but were told no time
They then took us to the bottom of the hill away from the historic district and were given the choice of four less than desirable restaurants - the tour guide disappeared without giving any info about any of the places. 75 minutes later she reappeared and herded us all into the bus. A number of people indicated they would have much preferred being able to shop for a little while in the historic area. After lunch we were taken to a "workshop" where we supposedly were to see craftspeople at work. Of course there was a souvenir shop there with the same stuff we saw in all the cheap gift shops everywhere else in Spain.
As if the day hadn't gone bad enough already, we were then told we were going to the Alcazar which is a new government building, housing some type of military museum - and taken to see a courtyard - very unimpressive and not at all interesting. What a waste of time
We finally got back to Madrid about 5:15 The tour director really was beyond awful. We got off the bus feeling very dejected and that we had received a very poor tour. I would never ever use Julia tours again.
Pam Plaskett in Marietta, OH USA 06/14/2011
Best: Tangier, Morocco
Why: Jamal Jamali (jamaltour1@gmail.com), who was recommended as a guide in the Spain 2011 book, went above and beyond our expectations. He speaks 4 languages and was able to retrace all the sights that were familiar to my mother, who grew up in Tangier in the 40's, even locating her childhood home. No easy task, considering all the street names have changed. The best way to experience Morocco is with a private guide, so avoid large tourist group tours if possible.
Teresa Hopgood in Cape Coral, FL USA 06/11/2011
Worst: The tourist bus in Toledo
Why: The path followed only goes outside the walls, the driver refused to give us a receipt and there was only one place to get off and no reason to not get back on immediately.
Ronald Gottesman in Anaheim, CA USA 06/05/2011
Best: Seeing Roman aqueducts in Segovia
Why: Well-worth the trip. The town is very quaint and the sights there were amazing. Also the cathedral there is a great sight. We walked up the hill to see the castle/amory. All were worth the extra trip out of Madrid.
Gretchen Farrar-Foley in Milwaukee, WI USA 05/28/2011
Best: The monkeys up on the rock
Why: They're MONKEYS! :-D
Worst: Nothing
Why: Gibraltar is awesome!
Travis in Puyallup, WA USA 05/21/2011
Best: Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
Why: The entire experience was breathtaking. It was incredible to see what can be accomplished when man uses his intellect and energy to glorify God.
Worst: Plaza Mayor in Madrid
Why: Construction on a temporary event site in the center of the plaza took away from the overall ambience.
Greg in Ventura, CA USA 05/17/2011
Best: Madrid: Bullfight, Barcelona: Sagrada Familia
Why: Ethics asisde, this was fascinating. I couldn't watch most of it, but such a cultural experience. They broadcast this stuff on TV as if it were an ESPN event with commentators, play-by-plays, and instant replays! Barcelona for me was a big yawn, except for this intriguing cathedral. Did not expect to be so captivated by it and by Gaudi. Ended up going to the Parc Guell (another Gaudi creation). That was a bit of yawn, but still interesting. DO NOT attempt to walk there.
Worst: Madrid: Palace, Barcelona: Ramblas, Beach
Why: They just tried to replicate Versailles, and frankly, they failed. This was such a bore and a waste of money. The Ramblas was such a circus. Why do people go there?? Beach there was lame.
Susana Galvan in Atlanta, GA USA 05/08/2011
Best: Casa de la Memoria de Al-Andalus in Sevilla
Why: The flamenco dancing was breathtaking in an intimate setting,you could almost reach out and touch the dancers from the front row. The experience was totally non-touristy and very reasonably priced
Rich Zayatz in Asheville, NC USA 05/03/2011
Worst: El Caldero in Madrid
Why: The recommended rice dish Arroz al Caldero was WAY to slaty and there were no prawns, only shrimp smallet than any salad shrimp I have ever seen!!!!!
Bill Strehl in Fulton, MD USA 04/19/2011
Best: Ronda, Spain
Why: The location and setting could not be better for anyone with a camera on hand. 300-ft sandstone cliffs, 8th century structures, top restaurants and museums
Rafael Soto in Idaho Falls, ID USA 04/10/2011
Best: sagrada familia
Why: a work of sheer genius
Worst:
Why:
art castagno in edmonds , wa USA 04/02/2011
Best: Montserrat Day Trip
Why: Incredibly easy to reach the site if you follow Rick's tips on getting there. Definitely take the cable car (Montserrat Aeri) when you get off the R5 train from Barcelona.
Worst: Casa Mila
Why: Sorry, Rick, but you you're wrong on this site. Bare, hollow, a completely UNinspiring rooftop (NOT jaw-dropping as you describe), and a total waste of 10 Euros!
Thomas Elliot in Nom de Plume, TX USA 03/09/2011
Best: your recommended flamenco dancing by students in Sevilla in the hotel in the Jewish quarter
Why: Authentic, NO amplification...the sounds of the dancer's heels clicking were as loud as the singer and the guitarist. It was a terrific introduction to flamenco...we sought out more of it in Cordoba near the Moorish temple/cathedral - also a terrific experience: 3 different dancers, more of a Moorish accent to the singing.
Karin McCullough in Seattle, WA USA 03/07/2011
Best: Royal Palace in Madrid, Alhambra in Granada, Evening paseos
Why: My jaw dropped in nearly every room in the Royal Palace--the most impressive palace I have toured. The Palacios Nazaries was worth standing in line starting at 7:20 am. (I couldn't get the Alhambra reservation site to take any of my credit cards.) What amazing plasterwork! And I loved the paseos in Seville and Granada.
Kyla Gurganus in Ypsilanti, MI USA 03/04/2011
Best: Catalan National Art Museum, Picasso Museum
Why: Catalan museum deserves 3 rating, good art by Catalan artists. I loved the Picasso tributes to Las Meninas at the Picasso Museum, having seen the real thing in Madrid.
Dale in Fairfield, OH USA 03/04/2011
Best: La Carboneria Bar, Sevilla
Why: This place provides a spontaneous music happening that is full of energy and joy. We heard terrific piano and guitar and saw a great, mature flamenco dancer. We went early, long before the show started and happened upon wonderful informal performances.
Worst: El Faro de Triana, Sevilla
Why: We wanted to dine overlooking the water but found the deck cold, windy, with poles blocking views and food that was barely edible.
Joan in Maurertown, VA USA 01/29/2011
Best: Los Callos Flamenco
Why: Expensive but absolutely worth the price! Very, Very cool experience.
Worst: Valle de los Caidos
Why: It's closed. :( We got all the way there to be told it had been closed for 4 months.
Sara Kinsey in Redmond, WA USA 01/12/2011