Spain

Spanish Museum Reveals Mona Lisa Copy

Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci ©Oh Paris Spain’s Prado Museum has a copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa that was most likely painted alongside the master in the same studio. The Mona Lisa immitation has been part of the Prado collection for years and has been displayed occasionally to the public but it [...]

Spanish Town Residents Win Lottery, Except for One Man

Better luck next year Costis © doncav The town of Sodeto, Spain became $950 million dollars richer after 70 households heard the news that they won the famed “El Gordo”, Christmas lottery. That is, except for one man. Sodeto residents and people from 17 nearby villages bought tickets with the same winning number from the [...]

Indoor Ski Park to Open in Barcelona

Skiing is finally possible in BCN © Skistar Trysil Barcelona is taking a cue from the glitzy excess of Dubai and creating an indoor ski park—Ski World—set to open in 2015. A 128,000 square foot dome will house both skiing and an ice rink. Dubai’s model, “Ski Dubai” produces 30 tons of snow every day. [...]

Snakes (almost) on a Plane!

snake ©calebdzahnd Buenos Aires International Airport in Argentina intercepted what could have been a disastrous (or action packed) airplane incident when they detained a Czech man trying to board a plane with almost 250 poisonous snakes and endangered reptiles in his baggage. Karel Abelovsky, 51, was en route to Spain when airport officials made him [...]

A European Destination Fit for Papa Smurf

The “Smurf Village” of Juzcar © dailymail.co.uk Call it exceptional marketing, but after filming wrapped on the recent “Smurfs” film, the Spanish village of Juzcar (with buildings painted blue exclusively for the film) experienced a spike in tourism. Located near Malaga in Andalucia, the hillside village formerly housed whitewashed buildings. However, keeping the buildings blue, [...]

Spanish Town Wants to Stay Smurf Blue

Smurf Town ©manuelfloresv It all started out as a publicity stunt. In June, Sony Pictures painted the traditional pueblo blanco, Juzcar, smurf blue. What happened afterwards changed the face of the town forever. The blue town was part of Sony’s launch campaign for The Smurfs 3D film, but it became so much more to the [...]

Photo of the Moment: Catching the First Snow, Catalonia

ATM Dispenses Live Snake Instead of Money

A snake somehow got into an ATM in Spain, and even attacked a man trying to get money. He was shocked when instead of a receipt the creature slithered out, hissed and lunged towards him. There’s even a video of the police, who were called in later, trying to get the snake out. Read more [...]

Rapa das Bestas: Spain’s Insane Horse Wrestling Festival

© jose pereira The sound of neighs and whinnies fills the jam-packed corral, a centuries-old stone amphitheater. Dust flies through the air as men grapple to keep control of what seems like a sea of horses – a seething mass of animals numbering in their hundreds. There are not many activities that pit man against [...]

Tourist Caught Carving Initials into Spain’s Alhambra

Alhambra © kerryvaughan A tourist in Granada, Spain spent the night in prison after being caught carving his initials on a wall in the Alhambra palace. The Alhambra is considered one of the greatest examples of Moorish architecture. Luckily, according to officials, the spot where the etching occurred can be restored. Note to all tourists [...]

5 Song Inspiring Destinations

Penny Lane, Liverpool © Edvill Freddy Mercury’s Barcelona. Ultravox’s Vienna. If you loved the songs you’ll love the places that inspired them even more. Rough Guides has compiled a list of songs and the cities, streets and experiences that inspired them. Some places, like Liverpool, England have cashed in on their musical reputation. The city [...]

Photo of the Moment: Castle of Castelldefels in Silhouette, Barcelona

A Triangular Shadow of a Large Volcano [Photo]

Another stunner from NASA’s photo of the day: A Triangular Shadow of a Large Volcano.

Photo of the Moment: Bad Girls, Madrid

The Metropol Parasol: Largest Wooden Structure in the World

[M]any of the residents of Sevilla love the recently opened Metropol Parasol and see it as something which will serve to rejuvenate their city while still nodding to the past beneath it. It certainly turns heads – and what’s more – it is officially the largest wooden structure in the world. Full story and gallery [...]

5 Can’t-Miss Tenerife Restaurants

Restaurant in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife © Ilkka Harmanen As the largest and most heavily populated of the seven Canary Islands, Tenerife is a hub of both economy and tourism in this Spanish archipelago. With an exquisite blend of old world European charm and modern, cosmopolitan flair in the North, the ultra-developed South that [...]

5 Can’t-Miss Hotels in Marbella

Beneath La Concha mountain in Andalusia, along the Mediterranean sea, lies one of Spain’s most beautiful resort towns – the lavish, seaside city of Marbella. Long popular with tourists from Northern Europe and the United States, Marbella offers world class golfing and is also a renowned destination port for luxury yachts and cruise ships. With [...]

Photo of the Moment: La Tossa de Montbui, Catalonia

Rubbish Hotel Booked Up for Tourism Fair

Celebrating a tourism fair staged this week to promote Spain’s biggest industry is a new hotel in central Madrid whose maker freely admits is rubbish. German sculptor H.A. Shult used 12 tonnes of recycled junk to build the hotel in central Madrid’s Callao Square and draw attention to the amount of flotsam spoiling Europe’s beaches. [...]

Photo of the Moment: Walking the Medieval Streets of Albarracin, Spain

Photo of the Moment: As Santa Creu de Rodes Burns, Catalonia

Photo of the Moment: Explosions in the Sky Over Andalusia

Photo of the Moment: Monasterio de Sant Cugat, Catalonia

Photo of the Moment: Waiting for Spring, Madrid

Photo of the Moment: Albarracin Alley, Spain

Photo of the Moment: Caños de Meca, Andalucía

On the Brink of El Camino del Ray, Spain [Video]

I Twittered yesterday about this little bit of insanity – a high altitude “hiking” video taken by Modern Gonzo Robin Esrock in the mountains of China. I’m fairly certain this man requires a shopping cart to wheel his testicles around. Not to be outdone, TravelWithDave forwarded a link to this one: Thanks, Dave, but I [...]

Photo of the Moment: Darkness Falls Over Castelldefels, Spain

Photo of the Moment: Surreal Madrid

High Culture on a Low Budget: Palma’s Simfonica de Balears New Year’s Concert

Pleasant Palma © Luke Wisley If you’re spending your New Year’s in a much warmer climate (say, the party atmosphere of the Balearic Islands which include Ibiza and Mallorca), then you’ll probably be awash in neon-signs of all-night bars when the clock hits 12:00 (or 24:00/0:00 in Europe’s case). Spend the 1st recuperating from what [...]

Keep Looking »