Spagna

Madrid 

SAINT ISIDORO’S FEASTS: These Feasts take place during May in Madrid, in honor of the city’s patron. This is an opportunity to discover the more traditional event of the capital city. During these Feasts, the ‘chulapos’ and the ‘goyescos’ (the town people dressed in typical customs) go on the streets to honor the Saint, eating and drinking, accompanied with music and dancing the ‘chotis’, traditional dance. The corridas are protagonists in these Feasts, with taurine posters and a fair, lasting almost 2 weeks, with traditional corridas (with bulls) and the one with horses. The streets fill with all kinds of events, such as concerts, performances, parades and shows. On the 15th of May, the Saint’s day, a pilgrimage and communal lunch take place.

EL RASTRO: It is the cheapest market of the entire Spain. Born in 1740, it now takes place on Sundays and non-working days on Madrid’s city centre. Lots of stands on entire streets and squares offering all kind of souvenirs, clothes and trinkets.

THE FASHION MUSEUM: El Museo del Traje is obviously recommended to Fashion fans. The El Traje Museum organizes monographic expositions and little workshops for the youngest.

Barcelona

THE PICASSO MUSEUM: Among the most visited of the city, the Picasso Museum preserves the majority of the artists’ pieces. A 3,600 works’ collection, among which there are paintings, drawings, etchings and potsherds telling not only the painter’s but also the city’s history from his birth till his death. The first serie is Las Meninas.

GUELL PARK: This wonderful park was projected in the first years of the ‘900s by Gaudì. Following the English model of city-garden with the annexed dwellings, chapels and a 60-residences park, never ended. Here, fabulous animals and colourful painted ceramics surrounded in nature can be admired. It is part of UNESCO’s Patrimony. From the Hundred Columns Chamber, from which it is possible to enjoy a stunning panorama.

Andalusia

The Flamenco in Seville: The Flamenco and the Sevillana, a similar dance typical of the city, are two of the main passions of the Andalusian that Seville, besides hosting several of the most important dance academies. It also takes place the Flamenco’s Biannual, where for the entire duration of September of the even years, the best dancers perform on the main event of Flamenco. The festival takes place on the Cartuja Auditorium of Seville: an appointment that almost became mandatory.

RONDA: It is a marvellous ancient city over the El Tajo gulch, 100 ms deep, on the province of Malaga, north of Marbella. In the past several famous people as Hemingway and Dumas had been fascinated by those wonderful panoramic views and by the suggestive traditions of this Arabic city, once capital city of a little Independent State until the Christian Re-conquer of 1485.

Valencia

FIDEUÁ: It is considered a typical dish of Valencia due to the sea products of the Mediterranean Coast and the modality of preparation, as the typical paella. While visiting the city you will surely be able to order the famous classical dish at any restaurant or bar, while a variety of paella comes with the ‘tapas’. The Fideuà differs from the traditional paella for the use of pasta replacing the rise. The history of the dish origin is far in time, almost legendary. As the popular tradition assumes, the use of the pasta was depending on momentary lack of rice, during an on-board preparation. The chef therefore decided ‘pasta’ to be the best sostitute, with success. Since that moment the Fideuà became a typical dish.

LAS FALLAS: One of the main events of Valencia is the popular feast of ‘Las Fallas’, international attraction. The origin of this feast is found on the carpenters habit of letting on the streets the wood in excess, with the Spring and San Josè’s arrivals, to pile it up and burn it. With the years the neighbouring districts started piling up over their wood puppets and critical signposts referred to people of their district, the all process always was ironic and fun. Thanks to this habit the custom became event and was so named ‘Las Fallas’. Nowadays it consists of big constructions realized by local artists and sculptors during the whole year. Several different events characterize those weeks but the festival’s most interesting part comes at the end, when everything is set on fire.