Lonely Planet: Spain
Author: Damien Simonis
Discover Spain
Ascend the lofty La Sagrada Familia, then track down Gaudi's superb, lesser-known works
Row vigorously over the lake at Madrid's Parque del Buen Retiro
Relax with Basque tapas and white wine in the bars of San Sebastian's Parte Vieja
Wander home to your casa rural as night falls and silence envelops the narrow village streets
In This Guide:
Nine authors, 4964 kilometers of coastline, 18 exuberant regions
Full-color sections on green travel and the best of Spanish food and drink
Dedicated chapter on the Camino de Santiago by Galician resident and walking guide Nancy Frey
Content updated daily: visit lonelyplanet.com
Table of Contents:
The Authors 18Getting Started 21
Itineraries 24
Snapshot 31
History 33
The Culture 53
Architecture 71
Environment 76
Spain Outdoors 83
Camino de Santiago 89
Food & Drink 99
Madrid 108
History 109
Orientation 109
Information 110
Dangers & Annoyances 111
Sights 126
Activities 138
Walking Tours 139
Courses 141
Madrid for Children 142
Tours 142
Festivals & Events 143
Sleeping 144
Eating 148
Drinking 154
Entertainment 157
Shopping 162
Getting There & Away 164
Getting Around 165
Around Madrid 166
San Lorenzo de El Escorial 166
Valle de los Caidos 168
South of Madrid 169
Alcala de Henares 172
Sierra de Guadarrama 173
North of Madrid 174
Castilla y Leon 175
The Southwest 176
Avila 176
Sierra de Gredos 181
Salamanca 183
Around Salamanca 190
Ciudad Rodrigo 191
Sierra de Francia 192
Sierra de Bejar 193
The Central Plateau 194
Segovia 194
Around Segovia 199
Valladolid 200
Around Valladolid 204
Zamora 206
Around Zamora 209
Palencia 209
Around Palencia 211
Montana Palentina 212
The Northwest 212
Leon 212
East of Leon 218
West of Leon 218
The East 221
Burgos 221
Around Burgos 227
North of Burgos 229
South to Rio Duero 229
West along Rio Duero 230
East along Rio Duero 231
Soria 233
Around Soria 236
South of Soria 236
Castilla-La Mancha 238
Toledo 239
History 239
Orientation 240
Information 240
Sights 240
Walking Tour 246
Courses 247
Festivals & Events 247
Sleeping 247
Eating 248
Drinking & Entertainment 248
Shopping 249
Getting There & Away 249
Getting Around 249
Around Toledo 250
The West 250
Talavera de la Reina 250
Around Talavera de la Reina 250
Montes de Toledo 251
The South 251
Ciudad Real 251
Ciudad Real Province 252
Southeast to Albacete 255
Albacete 256
Around Albacete 256
The Northeast 257
Cuenca 257
Serrania de Cuenca 261
Around Cuenca 262
Guadalajara 262
La Alcarria & Around 262
Siguenza 263
Around Siguenza 265
Barcelona 266
History 267
Orientation 280
Information 281
Sights 283
Activities 309
Walking Tour 310
Courses 311
Barcelona for Children 311
Tours 312
Festivals & Events 312
Sleeping 313
Eating 318
Drinking 323
Entertainment 325
Shopping 328
Getting There & Away 330
Getting Around 331
Around Barcelona 333
The Outskirts 333
Sitges 334
Montserrat 336
Penedes Wine Country 338
Catalonia 340
Costa Brava 341
Tossa de Mar 343
Sant Feliu de Guixols 345
Platja d'Aro & Palamos 346
Palafrugell & Around 346
Castell de Pubol 348
Girona 349
Verges 352
Torroella de Montgri 352
L'Estartit & the Illes Medes 353
L'Escala 354
Parc Natural dels Aiguamolls de L'Emporda 355
Castello d'Empuries 355
Roses & Around 355
Cadaques & Around 356
Cadaques to the French Border 358
Figueres 358
Besalu 361
Around Figueres 361
The Pyrenees 362
Olot 362
Parc Natural de la Zona Volcanica de la Garrotxa 363
Ripoll 364
Around Ripoll 365
Vall Alto del Ter 366
Vall de Nuria & Ribes de Freser 366
Cerdanya 368
Serra del Cadi 370
La Seu d'Urgell 372
Vall de la Noguera Pallaresa 373
Northwestern Valleys 374
Parc Nacional d'Aiguestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici & Around 375
Val d'Aran 378
Central Catalonia 381
Vic 381
Around Vic 382
Manresa 382
Cardona 382
Solsona 382
Conca de Barbera 383
Lleida 384
Montsec 386
Costa Daurada 386
Vilanova i la Geltru 386
Altafulla 387
Tarragona 387
Port Aventura 392
Reus & Around 392
Cambrils 393
Tortosa 393
Ebro Delta 394
Andorra 396
Andorra la Vella 399
Orientation 399
Information 399
Sights & Activities 400
Sleeping 402
Eating 402
Drinking 403
Entertainment 403
Shopping 403
Getting There & Around 403
Around Andorra la Vella 403
Northwestern Andorra 404
La Massana 404
Arinsal & Pal Ski Areas 404
Ordino 405
Vall d'Ordino 406
Ordino-Arcalis Ski Area 406
Eastern Andorra 407
Encamp 407
Grandvalira Ski Area 407
Canillo 408
Soldeu & El Tarter 408
Pas de la Casa 409
Andorra Directory 410
Accommodation 410
Activities 411
Customs 411
Dangers & Annoyances 411
Embassies & Consulates 411
Holidays 411
Internet Resources 412
Media 412
Money 412
Post 412
Shopping 412
Telephone 412
Tourist Information 412
Visas 412
Aragon 413
Zaragoza 415
History 415
Orientation 415
Information 415
Sights 416
Festivals & Events 420
Sleeping 420
Eating 420
Drinking 421
Entertainment 422
Getting There & Away 422
Getting Around 423
South of Zaragoza 423
West of Zaragoza 423
The North (The Pyrenees) 425
Huesca 426
Around Huesca 428
Alquezar 428
Barbastro & Around 429
Benasque 430
Around Benasque 431
Ainsa 432
Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido 433
Jaca 437
Around Jaca 439
Valles de Echo & Anso 440
Sos del Rey Catolico 441
The South 442
Daroca 442
Laguna de Gallocanta 442
Teruel 443
Rincon de Ademuz 445
Albarracin 445
El Rodeno 446
The Southeast 446
Calanda 447
Alcaniz 448
Basque Country, Navarra & La Rioja 449
Basque Country 451
Bilbao 453
Around Bilbao 461
The Central Basque Coast 463
San Sebastian 465
East of San Sebastian 474
South of San Sebastian 475
Vitoria 476
Navarra 479
Pamplona 479
East of Pamplona 485
West of Pamplona 485
North of Pamplona 487
South of Pamplona 487
The Pyrenees 488
La Rioja 491
Logrono 491
Wine Region 494
Monasteries West of Logrono 496
South of Logrono 497
Cantabria & Asturias 498
Cantabria 499
Santander 499
Around Santander 505
Eastern Cantabria 506
Southern Cantabria 506
Western Cantabria 507
Asturias 512
Oviedo 512
Around Oviedo 517
Gijon 517
East Coast 521
West Coast 524
Picos de Europa 527
Western Picos 530
Central Picos 532
Eastern Picos 535
Galicia 538
Santiago de Compostela 540
History 541
Orientation 541
Information 541
Sights 541
Walking Tour 545
Festivals & Events 545
Sleeping 545
Eating 546
Drinking 548
Entertainment 548
Shopping 549
Getting There & Away 549
Getting Around 549
A Coruna & the Rias Altas 549
A Coruna 550
Rias Altas 554
Costa da Morte 558
Malpica de Bergantinos 558
Laxe, Camelle & Around 558
Camarinas 559
Muxia & Around 559
Fisterra & Around 559
Towards the Rias Baixas 560
Rias Baixas 560
Ria de Muros y Noia 560
Ria de Arousa 561
Pontevedra 562
Ria de Pontevedra 565
Ria de Vigo 566
Vigo 566
Illas Cies 569
The Southwest 570
The Coast 570
Rio Mino 571
The East 572
Ourense 572
Castelo de Monterrei 574
Canon do Sil 574
Monforte de Lemos 574
Samos 575
Lugo 575
Valencia 577
Valencia City 579
History 579
Orientation 579
Information 579
Sights & Activities 581
Walking Tour 585
Courses 586
Valencia for Children 586
Tours 587
Festivals & Events 587
Sleeping 587
Eating 588
Entertainment 590
Getting There & Away 592
Getting Around 592
Around Valencia City 593
Costa del Azahar 595
Castellon de la Plana 595
Around Castellon de la Plana 596
Benicassim 596
Oropesa del Mar 605
Peniscola 606
Vinaros 607
El Maestrazgo 607
Sant Mateu 607
Morella 608
Els Ports 609
Costa Blanca 609
Gandia 610
Denia 611
Xabia 611
Calpe 612
Altea 613
Benidorm 613
Alicante 616
Around Alicante 620
Torrevieja 620
Inland from the Costa Blanca 621
Xativa 621
Villena 622
Elda 622
Novelda 622
Jijona 623
Alcoy 623
Guadalest 623
Elche 623
Orihuela 625
Balearic Islands 627
History 628
Getting There & Around 628
Mallorca 630
Palma de Mallorca 632
Southwest Coast 637
Northwest Coast & Serra de Tramuntana 638
Badia d'Alcudia 642
East Coast 643
The Interior 644
Ibiza (Eivissa) 645
Ibiza City (Eivissa) 647
East Coast 652
North Coast & Interior 654
West Coast 655
South Coast 656
Formentera 656
Menorca 661
Mao 663
The Interior-Mao to Ciutadella 666
Ciutadella 666
North Coast 670
South Coast 671
Murcia 672
Murcia City 673
Orientation 673
Information 673
Sights 674
Festivals & Events 675
Sleeping 675
Eating 676
Drinking & Entertainment 676
Shopping 676
Getting There & Away 676
Getting Around 677
Murcia Region 677
Cartagena 677
Costa Calida 680
Lorca 681
Parque Natural de Sierra Espuna 682
Andalucia 683
Seville 686
History 686
Orientation 687
Information 690
Sights 690
Walking Tour 699
Courses 700
Seville for Children 700
Tours 700
Festivals & Events 700
Sleeping 701
Eating 703
Drinking 704
Entertainment 705
Shopping 706
Getting There & Away 706
Getting Around 707
Around Seville 708
Carmona 708
Osuna 709
Huelva Province 709
Huelva 709
Lugares Colombinos 710
Parque Nacional de Donana 711
West of Huelva 713
Minas de Riotinto 714
Aracena 715
West of Aracena 715
Cadiz Province 716
Cadiz 716
El Puerto de Santa Maria 721
Sanlucar de Barrameda 722
Jerez de la Frontera 724
Arcos de la Frontera 728
Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema 729
Southern Costa de la Luz 731
Tarifa 733
Algeciras 737
La Linea de la Concepcion 739
Gibraltar 739
Malaga Province 743
Malaga 743
Costa del Sol 749
El Chorro & Bobastro 754
Ronda 755
Around Ronda 758
Antequera 758
Around Antequera 759
East of Malaga 760
Cordoba Province 761
Cordoba 761
Around Cordoba 768
Granada Province 768
Granada 768
Around Granada 783
Guadix 783
Sierra Nevada 783
The Coast 789
Jaen Province 790
Jaen 790
Baeza 793
Ubeda 794
Cazorla 796
Parque Natural de Cazorla 796
Almeria Province 799
Almeria 799
Around Almeria 803
Cabo de Gata 803
Mojacar 806
Extremadura 808
Northern Extremadura 809
La Vera 809
Valle del Jerte 812
Valle del Ambroz 813
Las Hurdes 814
Sierra de Gata 816
Coria & Around 816
Plasencia 817
Parque Nacional Monfrague 818
Central Extremadura 819
Caceres 819
Valencia de Alcantara 823
Alcantara 823
Trujillo 824
Guadalupe 827
Southern Extremadura 829
Merida 829
Badajoz 833
Around Badajoz 835
Zafra 836
Around Zafra 836
Directory 838
Accommodation 838
Business Hours 842
Children 842
Climate Charts 843
Courses 844
Customs 845
Dangers & Annoyances 845
Discount Cards 846
Embassies & Consulates 846
Festivals & Events 847
Food 848
Gay & Lesbian Travellers 849
Holidays 849
Insurance 850
Internet Access 850
Legal Matters 850
Maps 851
Money 851
Post 852
Shopping 853
Solo Travellers 854
Telephone 854
Time 855
Tourist Information 855
Travellers with Disabilities 856
Visas 856
Volunteering 857
Women Travellers 857
Work 857
Transport 859
Getting There & Away 859
Entering The Country 859
Air 859
Land 863
Sea 866
Getting Around 867
Air 867
Bicycle 867
Boat 868
Bus 868
Car & Motorcycle 869
Hitching 870
Local Transport 870
Train 872
Health 874
Before You Go 874
Insurance 874
Recommended Vaccinations 874
Internet Resources 874
In Transit 874
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) 874
In Spain Availability & Cost of Health Care 875
Traveller's Diarrhoea 875
Environmental Hazards 875
Travelling With Children 876
Women's Health 876
Sexual Health 876
Language 877
Glossary 884
Behind the Scenes 889
Index 896
World Time Zones 914
Map Legend 916
Metro Maps 917
River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze
Author: Peter Hessler
When Peter Hessler joined the Peace Corps, he expected to spend a couple of peaceful years teaching English in the town of Fuling along the Yangtze River. But what he experienced—the natural beauty, cultural tension, and complex process of understanding that takes place when one is thrust into a radically different society— surpassed anything he could have imagined. Hessler observes firsthand how major events like the death of Deng Xiaoping, the return of Hong Kong to the mainland, and the controversial construction of the Three Gorges Dam have sent tremors large enough to sweep through China and reach the people of Fuling. Poignant, thoughtful, and utterly compelling, River Town is an unforgettable portrait of a city caught mid-river in time, much like China itseld—a country seeking to understand both what it was and what it someday will be.
About the Author:
Peter Hessler is a graduate of Princeton and Oxford, and has written for the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Atlantic Monthly, and other publications. Raised in Columbia, MO, he now lives in Beijing.
New York Times Book Review - Adam Goodheart
River Town is an important work of reportage, and not just because of the peculiar historical moment it describes -- a moment when Hessler's students can speak of their sincere admiration for the Communist ideals of Chairman Mao, then go off after graduation to seek their fortune in the tumultuous prosperity of China's southern cities. It's also a window into a part of China -- the province of Sichuan -- that has rarely been explored in depth, even though, as Hessler notes, it is home to one out of every 50 people on earth.
Publishers Weekly
In China, the year 1997 was marked by two momentous events: the death of Deng Xiaoping, the country's leader for two decades, and the return of Hong Kong after a century and a half of British rule. A young American who spent two years teaching English literature in a small town on the Yangtze, Hessler observed these events through two sets of eyes: his own and those of his alter ego, Ho Wei. Hessler sees China's politics and ceremony with the detachment of a foreigner, noting how grand political events affect the lives of ordinary people. The passing of Deng, for example, provokes a handful of thoughtful and unexpected essays from Hessler's students. The departure of the British from Hong Kong sparks a conversational "Opium War" between him and his nationalist Chinese tutor. Meanwhile, Ho Wei, as Hessler is known to most of the townspeople, adopts a friendly and unsophisticated persona that allows him to learn the language and culture of his surroundings even as Hessler's Western self remains estranged. The author conceives this memoir of his time in China as the collaborative effort of his double identity. "Ho Wei," he writes, "left his notebooks on the desk of Peter Hessler, who typed everything into his computer. The notebooks were the only thing they truly shared." Yet it's clear that, for Hessler, Ho Wei is more than a literary device: to live in China, he felt compelled to subjugate his real identity to a character role. Hessler has already been assured the approval of a select audience thanks to the New Yorker's recent publication of an excerpt. (Feb.)
Library Journal
This moving, mesmerizing memoir recounts Hessler's two years as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching English in the city of Fuling, located in the heart of China. Before Hessler's arrival, no one in Fuling had seen a foreigner for 50 years. Hessler was rudely thrust into this forbidden land, completely isolated from the world as we know it. Armed with astute powers of observation, acute sensitivity to cultural differences, and a good command of Chinese, he explores the culture, politics, traditions, and ideas of a people completely unknown and mysterious to the Western World. Hessler also watches as the city--torn between tradition and the onslaught of modern times--reacts to the death of Deng Xiaoping, the return of Hong Kong to the mainland, and the inevitable construction of the Three Gorges Dam on its beloved, and sacred, Yangtze River. This touching memoir of an American dropped into the center of China transcends the boundaries of the travel genre and will appeal to anyone wanting to learn more about the heart and soul of the Chinese people. Highly recommended. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 10/15/00.]--Melinda Stivers Leach, Precision Editorial Svcs., Wondervu, CO
Kirkus Reviews
A two-year sojourn in a small city in central China yields this youthful, gracefully impressionistic portrait of a time and place from newcomer Hessler. In 1996, Hessler reported for his Peace Corps duty to Fuling, a city of some 200,000 souls astride the murky Yangtze River, which cuts through the green and terraced mountains of Sichuan Province. This account is a chronicle of the author's days in Fuling and of a brief summer interlude of travel farther afield. Hessler's writing is unselfconsciously mellow, a lazy pace that works admirably in conjuring up Fuling as a place. There is the gentle knock of the croquet ball in the morning when the court below his window comes to life. There is this river city of steps pressed against hills; there are ridgelines cut with ancient calligraphy and pictographs that disappear under water during the rainy season. There are his students—a poignant, watershed generation who delight him to no end. Big things happen while he is in China (the Three Gorges Project is in full swing and Deng Xiaoping dies), but it is the everyday stuff that is so affecting. The surprise and unpredictability of the townsfolk catch him unawares more than once, he feels the sensitivity of being a foreigner, with all eyes upon him and little cultural abrasions everywhere:"Those were our Opium Wars—quiet and meaningless battles over Chinese and American history, fueled by indirect remarks and careful innuendo." And he loves it, despite the dislocations and frustrations: even the creepy drinking bouts at banquets ("Every banquet has a leader, a sort of alcoholic alpha male") and the relentless mocking of his foreignness by strangers (for, althoughthePeaceCorps is no longer considered a running-dog outfit, foreigners are nonetheless seen as freaks) become sources of nostalgia after a while. A vivid and touching tribute to a place and its people. First serial to the New Yorker
What People Are Saying
Simon Winchester
To come across a Westerner patient enough and tolerant enough to try to understand the immense, exasperating, and ultimately lovable entity that is China is always a pleasure. To encounter one who is as literate and sensitive as Peter Hessler is a joy. this tender, intelligent, and insightful account of tow years spent teaching deep in the country's heart is the work of a writer of rare talent: it deserves to become a classic.—(Simon Winchester, author of The Professor and the Madman)
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