Archive for 'Museums & Galleries in Spain'

An Egyptian Temple standing in Madrid, Spain: not what you might expect, right? Yet, that is exactly what you will find. It's the Temple of Debod and it is a genuine, reconstructed Ancient Egyptian Temple that stands, stone for stone, as it once did in Egypt!

If you are fond of oddities and strange attractions, this is a must see. In fact, we imagine most people would find such a bizarre sight and interesting background tale to be of interest. Just find a vacation rental in Madrid and see it for yourself. I mean, there are plenty of other reasons to visit the city anyway, this is merely the very odd cherry on top.

Salvador Dalí was one of the most famous artists of the 20th century and a beloved son of Catalonia. He is remembered for his bizarre, wonderful and, sometimes, frightening surrealist paintings and sculptures, his beautiful jewellery and his larger than life personality.

An eccentric dresser and an attention-seeking character fond of stunts that attracted public notice, his life was just as colourful as his work. In fact, even his death was dramatic, as he was laid to rest in a crypt below a stage in a theatre and museum that is dedicated to him in home town of Figueres, in Catalonia, Spain.

The museum in question, Figueres' Dalí Museum, was the town's historic theatre that he knew growing up and where one of the first public exhibitions of young Dalí's art was shown. It was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War and rebuilt in the 1960s as a museum dedicated to the city's most famous son. It was then reopened as a museum in the 70s and expanded in the 80s.

The mountain of Montserrat, located around 45km northwest of Barcelona, in the region of Catalonia, is around 1,200m high and topped by the beautiful Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat. From a distance, it is a magical sight: stone buildings seeming to spring from the cliff-face and lush green surroundings. However, from up close, from the top, it offers the best views in the area, with a sweeping vista across almost the entirety of Catalonia. Rich in artistic and cultural heritage, surrounded by natural beauty and decidedly charming, the whole place is an incredible attraction and the perfect spot for anyone who has found a vacation rental in Catalonia.

The highest point of Montserrat is Sant Jeroni, which can only be reached by a footpath from the top station of the Funicular de Sant Joan.

Oftentimes, when we discuss monasteries and religious complexes as tourist attractions, it is because there is an incredible architectural or artistic heritage to be observed on site that is has invaluable cultural heritage. However, while the Benedictine abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat has a rich historic and cultural heritage, its ruins don't have any one specific architectural landmark.

For many, there is only one reason to visit: the statue of the Black Madonna, patron saint of Catalonia. For others, it is the mountainous backdrop of the place or the incredible views that attract them to the site. No matter your reason for visiting, this stunning complex is sure to delight as the combination of elements is pretty magical.

The monastery is located 48km west of Barcelona, at the heart of Montserrat Natural Park, and is reached by road, train or cable car. The latter two options add to the charm of visiting the site, giving you ample opportunity to soak up the views and to step back in time a little.

The MuseuPicasso in Barcelona, Spain houses one of the most extensive collections of works by Pablo Picasso; there are 4,251 works by the painter on exhibition. Housed in five adjoining medieval palaces in Barcelona's La Ribera, it was opened in 1963 as the first museum dedicated to Picasso and was the only one created during his lifetime. This exceptional museum is a must-see for art lovers and Picasso fans who have found a vacation rental in Barcelona and is an extraordinary testament to his life and career.

Picasso’s lifelong friend and secretary, Jaume Sabartés, came up with the idea for creating the museum. He had acquired many paintings, drawings and prints from Picasso since they met in 1935 and decided to use them to set up a dedicated museum to the artist in Málaga, his birthplace. Picasso himself then suggested that Barcelona would be more appropriate and an agreement was signed with the city to establish the museum in 1960.