Northern Spain

September 11-16, 2018:

CUDILLERO:

Our first stop after leaving Santiago de Compostela was the picturesque fishermen’s village of Cudillero, on the Northern Spainish Coast.

Fishermen’s Village of Cudillero

Views of Cudillero from the Mirador de la Garita

Cudillero Lighthouse

Enjoying Fresh Seafood in Cudillero

GIJÓN:

Gijón is a large coastal city in northern Spain. It’s known for its maritime heritage and the old fishermen’s quarter of Cimadevilla.

Playa de El Arbeyal Beach

Along the beach, right next to the Marina Playa Terraza, there is a memorial bronze statue with the inscription: “Memoria a mil cien niños evacuados a la Urss desde el Musel de Gijon con sus maestros y educadores durante la Guerra civil el 21 de septembre de 1937” (Memory to 1,100 children evacuated to the Urss from the Musel (port) of Gijón with their teachers and educators during the Civil War on September 21, 1937).

Civil War Memorial to Children

We had dinner at a tapas restaurant in the old fisherman’s quarter.

Pouring beer at a tapas restaurant in Gijón

CANGAS DE ONÍS:

Cangas de Onís is famous for its perfectly preserved Roman bridge and for hosting the Battle of Covadonga in 722.

Roman Bridge of Cangas de Onís

COVADONGA:

Covadonga is home to an important religious sanctuary and is surrounded by wonderful mountain scenery.

Holy Cave of Covadonga

Basílica de Santa María la Real de Covadonga – Wikimedia – Markus Braun

Statue of Pelagius

LLANES:

Llanes is a municipality of northern Spain, west of Bilbao. It’s known for its rugged coastline. We stopped here for a memorable lunch along the coast.

La Torre de los Cuentos

Shopping in Llanes

Resting by the waterfront

Lunch at Los Piratas del Sablón in Llanes

SANTILLANA DEL MAR:

Santillana del Mar is a town in the Cantabria region of northern Spain. It’s known for its medieval towers, Renaissance palaces and the Romanesque Santa Juliana Collegiate Church.

Plaza Mayor:

Many of the sites of Santillana Del Mar are clustered around its Plaza Mayor.

Plaza Major

Torre de Don Borja

Traditional House

Torre del Merino – Photo: TripAdvisor

Town Hall – Photo: santillana-del-mar.com

Cider House

Shopping in Santillana del Mar

Santa Juliana Collegiate Church:

The Collegiate church and cloister of Santa Juliana is dedicated to Juliana of Nicomedia.

Entrance

Cloister

Capilla de Polanco

Artifacts

BILBAO:

Bilbao is an industrial port city famed for the Frank Gehry–designed Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, which sparked revitalization when it opened in 1997.

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao:

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

ELCIEGO:

Elciego is a town and municipality located at the southern end of the province of Álava, in the Basque Country, northern Spain.

Bodegas Marqués de Riscal:

This winery complex includes a hotel designed by Frank Gehry.

Marqués de Riscal Hotel

View from Bodegas Marqués de Riscal

LAGUARDIA:

Laguardia is the largest town of Rioja Alavesa and one of the most beautiful. It is famous throughout the world for its wines.

Walking Tour of Laguardia:

Here are the highlights of our self-guided walking tour of Laguardia.

Laguardia Door Knocker

Iglesia de San Juan (Church of Saint John the Baptist)

Portada de los Abuelos (Portal of the Grandparents) (on left) –
Puerta de San Juan (Gate of San Juan) (on right)

View from Laguardia

Plaza El Gaitero:

interesting sculptures (Escultura Viajeros or “Sculpture Travelers” by artist Koko Rico).

Sculpture of Bags

Sculpture of Boots and Shoes

Plaza Major:

Main square of the city.

Plaza Mayor – Photo: minube.com

Location of the town hall mechanical dancing clock. The mechanical dancing clock runs at 12 noon, 1 pm, 2 pm, 8 pm and 10 pm (arrive 5 mins before) – known as the Reloj de canilón (Canilón clock).

Bodega el Fabulista:

Wine Bar, Tour, Cellar:

Wine Bar

Grape Smashing – Wine Tour

Cellar – Photo: basklink.eus

Assorted Wines

Iglesia de Santa María de los Reyes:

Before entering the church, we needed to climb the adjoining Torre Abacial (Abbot’s Tower).

Torre abacial (Abbot’s Tower) – Wikimedia – Bea.miau

Then we entered the church.

Nave

Retable of the Major Altar of the Church

Side Chapel

Pórtico de Iglesia de Santa María de los Reyes

ARABA:

Araba/Álava is a province in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, Spain, that is divided into 51 municipalities.

Yvios Winery:

Designed by Calatrava. A beautiful winery in such a beautiful setting (supposed to mimic the mountains behind the winery).

Yvios Winery

LAGUARDIA:

We returned to Laguardia at night and did a pub crawl…

Laguardia Tapa Bar:

We found quite a spread at a Laguardia Tapa Bar.

Laguardia Tapa Bar

ZARAGOZA:

Zaragoza also known in English as Saragossa, is the capital city of the province of Zaragoza and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain.

Walking Tour of Zaragoza:

Here are the highlights of our self-guided walking tour of Zaragoza:

Church of the Mantería (Iglesia de la Mantería):

The Church of La Mantería or more correctly the Church of Santo Tomás de Villanueva of the former Augustinian convent of La Mantería is a Baroque style church located in the Plaza de San Roque.

Church of the Mantería (Iglesia de la Mantería)

Calle de Alfonso I:

Alfonso I Street in Zaragoza is a main street in the historic centre of the city. It connects El Coso with the Plaza del Pilar.

Calle de Alfonso I

Church of San Gil Abad (Iglesia de San Gil Abad):

Catholic parochial temple built in the fourteenth century in the Mudéjar style – with later Baroque reforms made in the eighteenth century.

Church of San Gil Abad (Iglesia de San Gil Abad)

La Seo Cathedral – Cathedral of the Savior (La Seo o Catedral de San Salvador):

The first Christian cathedral in Zaragoza.

La Seo Cathedral – Cathedral of the Savior (La Seo o Catedral de San Salvador)

Capilla de los Santos Miguel, Gabriel y Rafael

Capilla de San Valero

St George and the Dragon – Capilla de San Vicente Martir

Arco del Dean (Arch of the Dean):

This arch is just east of La Seo Cathedral.

Arco del Dean (Arch of the Dean) – Photo: TripAdvisor

Stone Bridge (Puente de Piedra):

Bridge over the Ebro River.

Stone Bridge (Puente de Piedra)

Plaza del Pilar (Square of Our Lady of the Pillar):

Zaragoza’s central square.

Plaza del Pilar (Square of Our Lady of the Pillar)

The square has many sculptures.

Goya Statues – Photo: feuf.livejournal.com

Goya Statue – Wikimedia – Frances Raher

Children with fish sculpture

Bola de Mundo (World Ball) – Wikimedia – E-Ibanez

Basilica del Pilar (Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar):

The basilica’s titular is the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of the Pillar, praised as “Mother of the Hispanic Peoples” by Pope John Paul II.

Basilica del Pilar (Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar)

Altar

Iglesia de San Juan de los Panetes (Church of Saint John of the Panetes):

Also on the Plaza de Pilar.

Iglesia de San Juan de los Panetes (Church of Saint John of the Panetes)

Fuente de la Hispanidad (Fountain of Latin America):

Created in 1991 by the architect Ricardo Usón Garcia – represents a map of Latin America – in the upper left is the Yucatan Peninsula and Central America – The waterfall represents the north part of South America and the pond is the rest of the continent of South America.

Fuente de la Hispanidad (Fountain of Latin America) – Wikimedia – Francis Raher

Torre de La Zuda/Roman Walls:

Tower that remains standing of the ancient palace of the Zuda, Azuda or Sudda, a Muslim fortress located inside the city. Alongside are old Roman Walls of the city.

Torre de La Zuda/Roman Walls – Photo: castillosnet.org

Monumento a César Augusto (Monument to Caesar Augustus):

At the end of the Roman Walls – stands a statue dedicated to Caesar Augustus.

Monumento a César Augusto (Monument to Caesar Augustus)

Iglesia de Santa Isabel de Portugal (Church of Saint Elizabeth of Portugal):

Also known as San Cayetano, it is a Catholic church of Baroque construction.

Iglesia de Santa Isabel de Portugal (Church of Saint Elizabeth of Portugal) – Wikimedia – Escarlati

Detail of the facade

Mural de la Torre Nueva (“Zaragoza’s Leaning Tower”):

The Mural de la Torre Nueva was a Mujédar Tower that assisted in the defense of the city during the French invasion of 1808 – It was destroyed by the City Council in 1892 in a controversial decision that rested on the belief that the Tower would eventually fall over.