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Thursday, June 27, 2024

Gaudi buildings On A Tour Of Northern Spain

 Earlier this year we took a trip to Spain and checked out the locations of Gaudi museums and monuments. The famous Gaudi cathedral is in Barcelona which also has other buildings including the wave topped long benches where you can sit outdoors.

Gaudi outdoor seating.

We took a driving tour through northern Spain. Two of the towns we passed through had Gaudi attractions. You could fly drive or do what we did and take the car on a Britanny ferry to Santander in NW coast of Spain, 2 days overnight on the ship is, not cheap, and a cabin overnight is obligatory, no option of economising by sleeping upright in chairs.

We had a choice of routes, along the coast, or inland via the two cities with Gaudi attractions. 

Tours\& Extra Costs

Another option for you is to take all day tours to Gaudi attractions from other cities in Spain. Check if your tour includes admission to the museum. You could be charged a two or three figures sum in Euros for the tour, then another two figure sum for museum entry. 

When you are driving distrances in France and Spain, extra costs are the tolls. You can buy a card in Spain which allows you to wave the card. This saves the driver or passengr having to open their car door to collect the ticket going in and useing a redit card to pay on the way out. (On a British car with driver on the wrong side, the oppostie side to the ticket machine.)

Lovely Leon

The name Leon is easy to remember. Leon, like Leo the lion. Named after a king or ruler of that name.

We loved the city of Leon, but were disappointed that the Gaudi attraction was in a pedestrian area. Google maps sent us cirling around and we never got near enough to see it. I had hoped at least to photograph the outside of the building.

Parking was hard to find. We also did not want to leave our car with luggage and coats visible which might attract thieves. If you took a tour, or stayed two nights in the city and could leave your luggage in a hotel, so you could avoid this problem.

Gaudi must have inspired local architects. The whole city of Leon was an architectural gem, a paradise for photogrphers. Every buidlings was different, different styles, different colours. Contrasting colours to the next buildings, walls pianted in primary colours, with windows outlined with a different colour or white. Balconies overhanging streets and alleyes. Buidlings of different heights and shapes. No wall staight. In and out, triangles and turrets. Sphares and cirbles. Waves and wonder. Murals and amazements. 

Our second Gaudi stop was at s smaller city. Like Leon, an architectural marvel. WWe drive round and round and up and down, little streets with odd uildings. A clearly marked Gaudi museum. Alas we had a hotel far away to reach. The high price of the Gaudi museum meant it was not worthwhile for one of two of us to pop in for five minutes. Besides, there was the problem of parking.

But now that we know the situation, we can plan another trip for next year or another year and read all about Gaudi online.

Please share links to posts you find interesting and useful.

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