Madrid, Sevilla y Málaga en Navidad

About the destination: Madrid has a tempo of its own: The dry air of the Castilian plain crackles with its cosmopolitan crowds. If the illuminated shop windows along the Gran Vía, and the unrelenting elegance of Paseo de la Castellana are overwhelming, retreat to Old Madrid. Its tangle of side streets south of Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol are what makes the real Madrid. Spend half a day in the Prado Museum, thaat sit to rest on the steps leading down to the lake in lush Retiro Park. The city begins to live it up as soon as the sun goes down. Madrid claims to boast the largest number of bars per capita of any European city. Madrid teems with cultural events all year round. After concert, play or film, you can choose among literally hundreds of tapas bars and an endless array of nightspots. Madrid successfylly combines its cosmopolitan sophistication with its most cherished local traditions, the result is fascinating to explore.

About the destination: Seville has a special colour, this effervescent city is filled with captivating traditional architecture in colours of lemons, plums and oranges. The River Guadalquivir runs approximately north-south through Seville. Most of the city, including the old quarter of Barrio de Santa Cruz, is on the east bank, while the Barrio de Triana lies on the west bank. At midnight, impromptu singing, clapping and guitar playing fill bars and streets. By day, the diversity of the city’s heritage becomes apparent. The Romans, Moors, Catholic Spaniards, and now, hordes of tourists have all tried to claim Seville as their own. Indeed, Seville has never failed to spark the imagination of newcomers. From the street, the cathedral seems unimpressive; you must go inside to get some sense of its dimensions. Massive pillars support the vaulted roof, and the wealth of treasure is fabulous beyond belief. Another major sight of the city is La Giralda, which was the minaret of the Almohad mosque. From the top, there’s a fantastic view of the city across the barbed spires and buttresses of the roof. La Torre del Oro, a symbol of the city, originally covered in golden tiles, watches over the town as it has always done since 1220. Seville at night is wonderful, everything takes on a mystical air able to hypnotize and if you know how to live it, you will fall under its spell.

About the destination: Malaga, the birthplace of Picasso, exudes art from every brick. Considered one of the oldest cities in Spain and Europe, this cosmopolitan port is buoyantly modern yet it hangs on to its vast historic past. The palm-lined Paseo el Parque will take you below Alcazaba, a Moorish palace whose fortified walls enclose fragrant gardens and an archaeological museum. The lofty Gibralfaro Castle crowns a nearby hill, with outstanding views of the sprawling city below. Also worth a visit is the Picasso Museum that, aside from an impressive artistic patrimony, offers educational activities and cultural events. Málaga deserves a good night visit: do not miss a good walk along the harbour where traditional fried fish is washed down with cold beer at chiringuitos (beach bars) and enjoy the illuminated Alcazaba, which watches over the city from Mount Gibralfaro.