EUROQUEST SideTracks

Arriving here from Madrid or from the Picos de Europa National Park, LEÓN, the capital of the Autonomous Spanish Community of Castille-Leon, seems a little lost in the middle of nowhere, but upon arrival in the city itself, it feels like the center of the universe, its own universe of Spain in a nutshell. Leon does not receive huge amounts of tourists, and those that do come to town are here usually for the St. James' Way, the famous pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela - from Leon it is a convenient week to walk through Castille-Leon and Galicia to Santiago - perfect for visitors and pilgrims alike. Many Spaniards also know the name LEON along with nearby Burgos as the places in Spain with the highest temperatures during the summer and among the lowest in winter. Yet within a few hours in this gem of a Spanish city, it becomes clear that LEON warrants worthy mention and a visit in its own right offering various attractions, first and foremost its magnificent GOTHIC CA...

Among the destinations along the Adriatic coast, Montenegro remains a rather exotic choice for visitors. Following the war on the Balkans and years of transition as part of the loose federation of "Serbia and Montenegro", the area has only recently started experimenting with independence, officially becoming the Republic of Montenegro in 2006 and using the EURO as its official currency. Consequently, tourism here is yet far less developed than in neighboring countries such as Croatia or Italy. Yet for that very reason, sailing into the Bay of Kotor and exploring the coastline of Montenegro remains a unique exotic and enriching experience for visitors with memories bound to last a lifetime. See the full gallery on Posterous The town of Kotor is located in the most secluded part of the Boka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor), among the most indented parts of the Adriatic Sea and often called the "southernmost Fjord of Europe". Some geologists have suggested, howeve...

It is usually overcast and dreary upon arrival in the Basque Lands - after all, such lush green vegetation needs its fair share of rain to prosper and bloom. Yet in such coastal microclimate, matters may change quickly, giving way to brilliant sunshine and warmth, during which San Sebastian, the region's uncontested resort gem, reveals its true magic and allure. From nowhere else can the city's blessed geographical layout and urban charm be appreciated better than from MOUNT IGUELDO, where a fortress-turned-theme park invites visitors to admire a splendid view over LA CONCHA Bay with its white-washed beach and its upscale turn-of-the-century resort hotels. It conjures up images of Nice in France or even a Mini-Rio of sorts with Mount Urgull as San Sebastian's sugar cane, but no comparison to others does the city justice, as it exudes a distinct air of its own, on the cusp of French and Spanish cultures and yet a quintessential example of Basque identity with all its ...

Few places are more transient than Santiago de Compostela - day in, day out, pilgrims from all over Europe walk through Porta do Camino and arrive at Praza do Obradeiro in front of Santiago's magnificent cathedral to finish weeks and sometimes months of pilgrimage. In addition, many tourists from around the world flock to Santiago to admire its monuments and to learn more about the pilgrimage route of St. James' way, the origins of which go back to just after the birth of Christ. And yet, because or may be inspite of the pilgrimage theme, Santiago is radically different from other, more traditional tourist destinations. It retains a special air of spiritual depth, peace, tranquility and an atmosphere unique to any place considered sacred. It all started with the Legend of St. James, the disciple who left the Holy Land to land on the shores of Galicia in what is nowadays Northwestern Spain to christianize these pagan lands. Only after he successfully slayed a dragon ...

High up in the Pyrenee mountains we find the Principality of Andorra - a miniature country of 75000 inhabitants famous for duty-free shopping and winter sports. While Andorra with its focus on commercial activity and lack of historic artifacts, may be a poor choice for visitors seeking local charm, history and culture, the adjacent town of LA SEU D'URGELL about 10 miles south in Catalonia, has all the ingredients of a perfect tourist destination and one that has to date been a well-kept secret hidden in the Pyrenees of Northern Spain.  While the region of Alt Urgell, just south of the border to France and Andorra, has traditionally been economically underdeveloped, La Seu was fortunate enough to have a savvy mayor in the early 1990s that managed to convince officials at the Olympics to choose the Segre river in La Seu for their water rafting and canooing competitions. What was to follow was the construction of the Segre Olympic Complex with millions of euros of invest...

Most visitors to Catalonia hardly make it past Barcelona - unless they are package-deal beach tourists along the Costa Brava further North. Few if any tend to venture inland to explore the local charms of small-town Catalonia - it is here, however, where visitors would stand their best chance of savoring true Catalan hospitality and enjoying a first-hand introduction to local Catalan living. Among the most scenic communities in this part of Catalonia we find the small town of CARDONA, gateway to the Catalan Pyrenee mountains - located about half-way between Barcelona and the tiny nation state of Andorra. Towering above the small town of 6000 is Cardona's Castle and Church, significant as a symbol  of the RECONQUISTA from Moorish domination. This ranks among the best preserved PARADORS in Northern Spain along the historic religious pilgrimage route of St. James' Way towards Santiago de Compostela. From the very early origins of pilgrimage to Santiage we find here Card...

Most visitors to Spain would not envision the Iberian Peninsula as a lush green and mountainous place. Yet the Northern part of Spain rivals Austria and Switzerland in terms of alpine-like scenic beauty, boasting rich pastures and forests on lower elevations as well as mountain peaks reaching almost 10000 feet inside the "Picos de Europa" National Park. Here in the Autonomous Communities of Cantabria and Asturias visitors are surprised to find landscapes unlike anywhere else in Spain along with relatively low numers of visitors compared to the tourist areas along the Mediteranean. See the full gallery on Posterous Among the most enchanting villages in Nortern Spain we find the town of Santillana del Mar, just outside Cantabria's attractive capital, Santander. A quaint and picturesque community of 1500 inhabitants, Santillana has become a boom town in recent years attracting mostly local Spanish visitors on weekends and during holidays. The town's name, in ...