SpainD

iscover

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MAP

Experience the best of Spain

Discover

SpainPULL-OUT MAP

HIGHLIGHTS

LOCAL EXPERTS

ITINERARIES

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Barcelona

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Catalonia &the Pyreneesp129

Basque Spain & Camino de Santiago

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Madrid &Central Spain

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Valencia & theCosta Blanca

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Andalucía

Our promiseYou can trust our travel information because Lonely Planet authors visit the places we write about, each and every edition. We never accept freebies for positive coverage, so you can rely on us to tell it like it is.

Experience the best of SpainThe Alhambra, La Rioja’s vineyards, the Sagrada Família – we’ve selected the most iconic sights and incredible places so you can enjoy the real Spain with the minimum of fuss.

puts the streets of Barcelona in your pocket

PULL-OUT MAP

recommend what not to miss

LOCAL EXPERTS

ITINERARIESmake planning your trip simpler than ever

reveal the must-see attractions and unbeatable experiences

HIGHLIGHTS

2ND EDITIONPublished May 2011First Published April 2010USA $24.99 UK £16.99 AUS $46.99

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Discover

Spain1 Sights

5 Eating

6 Drinking

4 Sleeping

8 Information

ContentsI

The Best…Lists for everything from bars to wildlife – to make sure you don’t miss out

Throughout this book, we use these icons to highlight special recommendations:

These icons help you quickly identify reviews in the text and on the map:

Don’t MissA must-see – don’t go home until you’ve been there

If you like…Lesser-known alternatives to world-famous attractions

Local experts reveal their top picks and secret highlights

DetourSpecial places a little off the beaten track

This edition written and researched by

Stuart Butler Anthony Ham, John Noble, Josephine Quintero

Miles Roddis, Brendan Sainsbury, Damien Simonis

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p51

Barcelona

p93

Catalonia &the Pyreneesp129Basque Spain &

Camino de Santiago

p171

Madrid &Central Spain

p221

Valencia & theCosta Blanca

p255

Andalucía

BarcelonaHighlights ............................54

La Sagrada Família

Eat Like a Local

Explore Gaudí’s Barcelona

Wander the Barri Gòtic

Parade down La Rambla

Museu Picasso

Sample Nouveau Catalan Cuisine

Catalonia & the PyreneesHighlights ............................... 96

Teatre-Museu Dalí, Figueres

The Pyrenees

Coastal Perfection in Cadaqués

Girona

Dive into Zaragoza

Take Refuge in Aínsa

Basque Spain &Camino de SantiagoHighlights ..............................132

Catedral de Santiago de Compostela

Pintxos in San Sebastián

Bilbao’s Museo Guggen-heim

Marvel at León’s Cathedral

Santiago de Compostela

Wine Tasting in La Rioja

Asturian & Galician Coasts

Madrid & Central SpainHighlights .............................. 174

Museo del Prado

Salamanca

Immerse Yourself in Art

Parque del Buen Retiro

Explore Old Madrid

Wander through Monumental Toledo

Discover Disneyland in Segovia

Valencia & the Costa BlancaHighlights ............................. 224

Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias

Soak up Valencia’s Sophis-tication

Las Fallas Pyrotechnics

Laze on a Costa Blanca Beach

Magnifi cent Mudéjar in Teruel

Murcia & Cartagena

AndalucíaHighlights ............................. 258

La Alhambra

Córdoba – Crossroad of Civilisations

Seville’s Alcázar

Seville’s Tapas and Flamenco

Parque Nacional de Doñana

Cádiz

Arcos de la Frontera

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Contents

This Is Spain ...................6

Spain Map .......................8

Spain’s Top Experiences ..................10

Spain’s Top Itineraries ......................32

Month by Month ......... 42

What’s New .................. 46

Get Inspired ..................47

Need to Know .............. 48

Barcelona 51Highlights ..................... 54

Best… ............................ 60

Walking Tour ................ 62

Catalonia & the Pyrenees 93Highlights ..................... 96

Best… .......................... 100

Itineraries ....................102

Around Barcelona ..... 104Sitges ...........................104Montserrat ..................105

Girona & the Costa Brava .........105Girona ..........................106Castell de Púbol .......... 107Empúries ..................... 110Cadaqués & Around ... 111Figueres ....................... 114Tarragona .................... 114Teatre-Museu Dalí .......115

Zaragoza ...................... 119Aljafería........................120

The Pyrenees ..............124Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici & Around .......................... 124

On the RoadPlan Your Trip

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Contents

Madrid & Central Spain 171Highlights .................... 174

Best… ...........................180

Itineraries ....................182

Madrid ..........................184Museo del Prado .........190

Central Spain .............206Toledo ......................... 206Salamanca .................. 211Plaza Mayor................. 212Segovia ........................214Cuenca ........................218Cáceres .......................219Trujillo ..........................219

Valencia & the Costa Blanca 221Highlights ................... 224

Best… .......................... 228

Itineraries ................... 230Valencia City .............. 232

North of Valencia .......241Peñíscola ..................... 241Morella ........................ 242

Costa Blanca.............. 243Xàbia ........................... 243

Teruel .......................... 244Altea ............................ 244Alicante ...................... 244Isla de Tabarca ...........247

Inland from the Costa Blanca ......................... 248Xàtiva .......................... 248Guadalest ................... 249Elche ........................... 249

Murcia & Around ....... 250Murcia City ................. 250Real Casino de Murcia .......................... 251Cartagena .................. 252

Andalucía 255Highlights ................... 258

Best… ..........................264

Itineraries ................... 266

Seville & Around ....... 268Seville ......................... 268Itálica .......................... 278

Cádiz & Around ......... 279Cádiz ........................... 279Jerez de la Frontera .. 282Parque Nacional de Doñana ....................... 285Arcos de la Frontera . 285Tarifa ........................... 287Baelo Claudia ............. 289

Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido ........................124Torla .............................126Aínsa ............................126

Basque Spain &Camino de Santiago 129Highlights ....................132

Best… ...........................138

Itineraries ................... 140

Basque Country .........142Bilbao ........................... 142Museo Guggenheim ...144San Sebastián ............ 147Pamplona .................... 155

La Rioja ........................155Briones ........................155Laguardia ....................156

West to Santiago de Compostela .................156Santillana del Mar ......156Cudillero ......................158Burgos .........................158León ..............................161Santiago de Compostela ................164Catedral de Santiago de Compostela ................. 165Costa da Morte...........169

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Museo Picasso Málaga ........................ 290

Costa del Sol .............290Málaga ........................ 290Ronda ......................... 294Gibraltar ..................... 297

Córdoba .......................297

Granada & Around .... 303Granada ...................... 303Medina Azahara ..........310Sierra Nevada & Las Alpujarras ............312Baeza ...........................313

Spain Today ................316

History .........................318

Family Travel .............. 328

Flamenco ....................330

Master Painters ........ 333

Spanish Architecture ............... 336

Spanish Wine .............340

The Spanish Kitchen ....................... 342

Directory ....................348Accommodation ........ 348Business Hours ......... 350Customs Regulations ................ 350Discount Cards .......... 350Electricity .................... 351Gay & Lesbian Travellers ..................... 351Health ......................... 352Insurance ................... 352Internet Access ......... 352Legal Matters............. 352Maps ........................... 352Money ......................... 353Public Holidays .......... 353Safe Travel ................. 354Telephone .................. 355Time ............................ 356Tourist Information ... 356Travellers with Disabilities.................. 357Visas ........................... 357

Transport .....................357Getting There & Away ........................... 357Getting Around .......... 360

Language ....................364

Behind the Scenes.... 365

Index .............................367

How to Use This Book ...................374

Our Writers ..................376

Survival GuideIn Focus

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This Is Spain

Spain is a beguiling

mix of stirring and

often curious traditions

Spain could be Europe’s most exotic country. From soulful flamenco and Spanish food, to architecture and avant-garde cities, Spain is a beguiling mix of stir-ring and often curious traditions, live-for-the-moment hedonism and a willingness to embrace the future with a relentlessly adventurous spirit.

Spain has a dramatic and diverse landscape. Some of Europe’s most beautiful mountain ranges – the Pyrenees and Picos de Europa in the north and the Sierra Nevada in the south – are found here, and often close to coastlines of singular beauty.

Villages of rare and timeless beauty have colonised the most improbable locations. Whether in the postcard-perfect pueblos blancos (white villages) of Andalucía or the stone-and-timber architecture of hamlets across Central Spain and the northern mountains, these are vestiges of Old Spain that still cling to traditions like nowhere else in Europe.

Spain’s dynamic cities are temples to all that’s modern and cool. Madrid, Barce-lona, Valencia and Seville have become bywords for that peculiarly Spanish talent for living the good life, and for doing so at full volume and all night. At the same time, most cities promise a daytime feast of more sedate but nonetheless exceptional sites, from world-class art gal-leries to graceful Islamic-era monuments, from barrios (neighbourhoods) overflowing with medieval charm to zany Gaudí flights of fancy.

Spain has obvious appeal. However, some visitors feel as though visiting the country is akin to standing outside a riotous party with your nose pressed up against the glass. Spain is perhaps the best-known, least-understood country in Europe, but it’s also one of the most welcoming and accessible. By demystifying the central pillars of Spanish life – such as flamenco and eating customs – and cherry-picking the very best that Spain has to offer, this guide takes you inside a party where having a good time is almost guaranteed.

Flamenco performance, MadridPHOTOGRAPHER: BRUCE BI

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