Airport car hire in Catalonia and Andorra
Catalonia and Andorra are such diverse and intriguing regions, that to fully explore the beaches of the Costa Brava, the cities of Andorra and the wild terrain inbetween, visitors pre-book airport car hire at Barcelona or Andorra before they travel. Cheap airport car hire in Spain is available to pre-book at every airport, including Barcelona, Girona, Alicante, Madrid, Malaga and Murcia.
Every year, the beaches of the Costa Brava attract millions of tourists lured by the promise of inexpensive, funfilled vacations. Most fly to Barcelona or Girona and head straight for the coast, unaware of the traditional Catalan life that continues in villages, on farms, and in small towns throughout the region.
A few miles from the highrise hotels of the best known resorts are glorious rocky coves, with beautiful beaches and little fishing villages. Inland, the countryside ranges from snowcapped mountains to plains baked red by a fierce sun. The rewards for the visitor include grandiose castles and cathedrals, creepy medieval passages, a 900-year old convent, and a surrealistic art museum.
Catalonia, which has long considered itself separate from the rest of Spain and whose language is an ancient Romance tongue quite distinct from Castilian Spanish, was the site of Greek trading posts as early as 500 BC, and was a Roman province by 200 BC. Later under the Visigoths, then the Moors, it was conquered by Charlemagne in AD 801, and, with the demise of the Carolingian Empire, was encompassed by the House of Barcelona at the end of the 9th century.
The first usages of the names Catalunya and Catalan date from the 11th century, when Barcelona was a center of shipbuilding and trade. In the 13th century, under James the Conqueror, Catalonia became a major Mediterranean force, eventually expanding into Sicily, Minorca, Athens, Naples, and Sardinia (in fact, a dialect of Catalan is still spoken along some parts of the Sardinian coast). Catalan power did not last, however.
Less than 50 years after the conquest of Naples in 1423, which marked the peak of Catalan influence, the marriage of Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon began the unification of Spain, and by the end of the 15th century, Catalonia had lost control of its own affairs and was excluded from the lucrative trade with the newly discovered Americas.
Over the centuries, several revolts were suppressed. In the 18th century, after the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), in which Catalonia backed Archduke Charles of Austria (who had promised it independence), the victorious Philip V stringently repressed the would-be nation, banning the use of the Catalan language.
Barcelona Industrial Revolution
By the end of the 19th century, however, the region was thriving, thanks to the burgeoning industrial revolution centered in Barcelona. By 1900, the city symbolized the resurgence of a strong and confident Catalonia when it hosted an international Universal Exhibition. As the arts flourished anew, so did interest in written Catalan (whose former status as a major literary and troubador language had become eclipsed), and poems and novels wound the web of solidarity ever more tightly. At the turn of the century, Barcelona, like Paris, was a hotbed of revolutionary creativity.
Pablo Picasso Malaga
Pablo Picasso came here from his native Malaga at the age of 14; he would spend almost 10 years in the Catalan capital (though he was only one of a vigorous community of artists from Spain and elsewhere). Architects such as Antoni Gaudi were in the vanguard, adorning new city quarters with buildings of astonishing design the local version of Art Nouveau, called modernisme. Later, Joan Miro, Salvador Dalf, Antoni Tapies, and other artists came to the fore. Barcelona even became the capital of a shortlived Catalan government, set up in 1932.
Unfortunately, the potential of Catalan power posed a threat to centralist forces in Madrid, and during the 1936-1939 Spanish Civil War Catalonia backed the losing side, the liberal Republican government. When General Francisco Franco and his fascists took power, Catalonia again was Subjugated; expressions of nationalism such as the teaching of the native language and even just speaking Catalan in public were suppressed. The only place that Catalans could gather in great numbers was at the local soccer club, F.C. Barcelona. Boys were (and still are) signed up at birth to become members of the club that today epitomizes the Catalan spirit, regularly attracting more than 125,000 aficionados to its games.
Following Franco's death in 1975, Catalonia became one of Spain's 17 comunidades autonomas (autonomous communities), enjoying roughly the equivalent of US statehood. At long last, Catalans had their own government, the Generalitat de Catalunya. With the revival of their language, street signs were changed from Spanish to Catalan, and the red and yellow Catalan flag was raised above public and private buildings alike. Throughout the area, roads and public utilities were improved and ancient buildings were restored as signs of Catalan pride.
The differences (sometimes subtle) between Catalan and Castilian Spanish become apparent when looking at a few words and phrases. The Castilian buenos dias (good morning or good day) translates in Catalan as bon dia (pronounced bone deeah). Thank you is gracies (grahseeehs) and goodbye is adeu (ahdayoo).
Catalan food
Catalan gastronomy is part of the resurgence of Catalan culture. Traditional recipes are being revived: rabbit with almonds, partridge with grapes, chicken with lobster, and sea bass with thyme and baked squash. Not surprisingly, the cuisine features fish, fresh from the Mediterranean. The catch may be cooked ala planxa (grilled) or simmered with peas, tomatoes, and peppers in a sarsuela; trout from Pyrenean lakes and rivers is delicious a l'agredolf, with vinegar and honey.
The most famous Catalan specialty, however, is also the simplest: Pa amb tomaquet is a slice of bread rubbed with raw tomato and enlivened with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Lloret de Mar car hire Costa Brava
If you are travelling to Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava book your airport car hire at Barcelona Airport or Girona Airport before you travel. Airport car hire in Barcelona and Lloret de Mar is much cheaper when you book it before you arrive, and you can get some great car hire deals online.
At Lloret de Mar, the real Costa Brava begins, and the farther north the route goes, the more nature defeats the developers. Pinkish-red rock tumbles down to lime green water, sandy inlets and bays are shaded by dense umbrella pines and cork oaks, and fishing boats can still be found among the yachts. It is an area that has attracted artists to picture-postcard villages, such as Cadaques, still charming despite being discovered. The northern limits of Catalonia today are the Pyrenees, ancient green gray mountains that provided little to sustain villages in the past, but now offer the golden rewards of skiing.
Here, the route crosses the border into the tiny principality of Andorra, with its dramatic mountains, picturesque villages, scenic landscapes, and duty-free shopping. Beyond, the agricultural hinterland beckons, locked between mountain and sea and dotted by walled towns and villages.
Dark with shadows from turrets and towers, arches and cloisters, they conjure up an illusion of medieval life that is broken only by the sound of a motorbike or the sight of rooftop television antennas. In 1993 the andorras voted to adopt a constitution and parliamentary system that all but eliminate their feudal links with Spain and France.
Roads in this region vary from four-lane highways to small but well-paved country roads. Catalonia's equivalent of interstate toll highways, the autopistas, are designated with the letter A.Keep in mind when scheduling visits to churches, museums, historic sites, tourism information offices, and other places of touristic interest that they tend to close for one to three hours at some point between noon and 4 PM each day. On weekends some sites may be open mornings only, and closing days are usually Sundays or Mondays. When possible, it's best to call ahead for exact hours, or have a hotel or tourism office staffer do it for you.
Things to do in Cadaques
This picture-postcard fishing village, made famous by Salvador Dali and. once. the haunt of artists and intellectuals, has remained peacefully quiet, with a harbor, whitewashed houses, narrow lanes, and, in summer, art exhlbitions and a music festival.
Things to do in Figueres
Set in the heart of the Emporda (Ampurdan) plain, Figueres is a small town, best known as the birthplace in 1904 of the late surrealist artist Salvador Dali and the home of the Teatre Museu Dan (Dali Museum and Theater; 28 Pojada Castell). Dali's sculptures here feature such wacky images as a lobster basking on the receiver of a telephone, and a giant woman standing on the hood of a Cadillac.
His paintings offer much of the same: A dog collar doubles as a viaduct, locks of hair curl into fruit, and a chest of drawers with huge, bare human feet ascends into heaven. Dali worked in the house that became the TeatreMuseu DaN from 1974 until 1982, and then lived bedridden in the building's Torre de Galatea (Galatea Tower) until his death in 1989.
The artist is buried in the museum's inner court, beneath a great glass dome. More than 300,000 visitors each year make the museum Spain's second most popular (Madrid's Prado ranks number one).During September, the city throws a corre bou (running of the bulls), and gigantes, nans, and cavallets (papiermache giants, dwarves, and horses) perform dances.
The October 18 Festa de Sant Lluc (Feast Day of St. Luke) is celebrated with a Feria del Dibujo (Fair of Drawings) and a communal dinner called the cena Bohemia. The Museo Comarcal de la Gdrrotxa (Garrotxa District Museum), housed in a 19th-century palace on Carrer Hospici called the Torre Castany, displays a collection of works from Olot's Escola de Belles Arts (Fine Arts School), which was founded in the 19th century and became the workplace of many Catalan artists.
Also admire the elegant modernista facade of the narrow lanes of the town's historic quarter; and the Iglesia de Sant Esteve (St. Stephen's Church), on the Plaza Rector Ferrer in old downtown Olot. The latter, though dating back to at least the 10th century, was rebuilt in neoclassical style in the 18th century; inside there are some interesting chapel carvings and an El Greco painting of Christ carrying the cross.
Where to go in Ripoll
This town deserves greater recognition of its past role as a torchbearer for civilization. A famous Count of Barcelona founded more than one monastery in Catalonia, and established the V Benedictine Monestir de Santa Maria here in the 9th century. By the 11 th century its 246 book library was one of the richest in Christendom, famed throughout Europe as a center of learning and a meeting place for Christian and Moorish philosophers. The town is pretty dreary now, except for the wonderful (but worn) 12th-century carved stone portal of the monastery church, which depicts seven biblical and allegorical scenes.
During the summer classical music recitals often take place in the cloisters. The monastery, located on the Plaza Abad Oliba adjacent to the old town walls, is open daily.
About Andorra
Until 1993 Andorra was a co-principality governed nominally by Spain and France under a feudal system 715 years old (though at the same time it had the oldest continuous parliament in Europe, established in 1419). Today it's a parliamentary co-principality (only 8,000 people are natives; the rest are mainly Spanish and French Immigrants) and a duty-free haven set high in the Pyrenees.
The 1993 Andorran vote to adopt its first constitution and drastically reduce the powers of the co-princes has led to some new trappings of sovereignty, such as a st at the United Nations and some foreign embassies, but to the casual VISI tor little difference will be readily apparent. Andorra’s mere 175 square miles contain a dramatic landscape of scenic lakes, racing rivers, verdant meadows, quaint mountain vlIages: good ski slopes, and the nation's capital city, Andorra la Vella, the highest in Europe (3,000 feet), where modern, high rise buildings almost block out the view of the surrounding peaks.
The history of Andorra
According to tradition, the founding of Andorra (the name is derived from that of a Celtiberian tribe called Andosmos) dates back to the 9th century, when Louis I, the son of Charlemagne, granted a tract of land to the Bishop of Urgell; dual allegiance dates to the 13th century, when later bishops, feeling their rule challenged by French nolemen, agreed to joint control. The country's blue, red, and yellow flag first waved in 1298 at which time Andorrans also accepted an agreement whereby in even numbered years the Spanish bishop would receive the equivalent of $12 as tribute, in addition to six hams, six chickens, and six cheeses.
In odd-numbered years, the French prince (originally the Count of Foix) would be presented with a cash tribute of 960 pesetas. These days, the country's parliament and prime minister run the show completely, with the powers of the co- princes, the French president and the bishop of Urgell greatly reduced. In addition, the past few decades have seen the country jump from medieval feudalism to 20th-century prosperity Andorra is a major banking center and from a strictly agricultural country to a model of modernization and growth.
Also as a result of the 1993 vote, for the first time an income tax was put in place. One main, winding road cuts diagonally through Andorra,. Southwest to northeast, and along it traffic creeps in both directions, especially on weekends and during Spanish and French national holidays. At the borders, traffic jams of cars lined up to return to Spain and France can be monumental, caused by conscientious Spanish and French customs agents assessing the value of the duty-free purchases.
The Pyrenees may not be as dramatic or even as high as the Alps, but they are wider and far more rugged (which explains why Andorra remained a mostly medieval community until this century). Due to its position the country has an excellent climate of dry air, brisk in winter and fresh in summer.
Most of its villages are deep in the low valley, but in winter, some of Europe's best inexpensive skiing can be found at the resorts of Pas de fa Casa, Orau Roig, Soldeu, Tarter, Pals, Arinsal, and Arcalis. In June, the high valleys, as yet untainted by developers, unveil some of the rarest, yet most abundant, wildflowers in Europe; carpets of narcissi, orchids, and iris stretching for hundreds of yards are a common sight.
In terms of historic sights, there are some attractive bridges arching across rushing streams, as well as a few tall, square bell towers on Romanesque churches. In Andorra la Vella, the 16th-century Casa de la Vall, which houses the governing Consell (Council) General, is worth a visit.
However, the main attraction in Andorra is shopping, although in many cases the prices are only attractive to the heavily-taxed French and the Spanish, thousands of whom cross the border daily to stock up on cigarettes, liquor, electronic equipment, leather goods, and fashions. The best stores are found in Andorra la Vella, today a consumerist strip whose main streets bustle like the aisles of Bloomingdale's. To recommend one store over another is futile, since most shops have standard prices and stock only the most marketable merchandise.
The sights of Andorra
A passage, which runs Some 400 yards parallel to Carrer Major and underneath the old houses, is decorated with black cats, moons, witches' brooms, owls, and cobwebs, but is a spooky enough experience even without these embellishments. Back into the daylight of the Plaza Major, which is a small square with a row of gargoyle-like faces holding up the balconies of the 18th-century Ajuntament (Town Hall), wander to the Caner Major to see the house where Catalonia's government, the Generalitat de Catalunya, was established in 1359, and where, about a century later, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella's marriage contract was signed.
Cervera literally has been bypassed by the 20th century (the main road between Barcelona and Zaragoza tunnels under the barrio antic or old quarter), but it was still in the mainstream in the 18th and 19th centuries, when it was the site of a Castilian/Bourbon university.
Cervera is also known for its annual Crist Misteri de Passio (Passion Play), some 500 years old. A special theater was built for the crowds that flock to see the play, enacted by over 500 local citizens in March and April.
En Route from Cervera The main road to Tarrega 12 km away, is fast and straight, but Tarrega itself can be a bottleneck. In the center of town, take the turn for C240 south toward Montblanch (Montblanc) and Tarragona and follow it through fields and vineyards, with intriguing villages off to either side, some with castles, some with churches. Just beyond Belltall, there is a sharp rise and the land drops away, revealing a lovely panoramic view across the plains of Cona de Barbera. Look for the sign down the hill, off to the right, for the town of Vallbona de les Manges, about 7 miles (12 km) from Tarrega.
Every year, the beaches of the Costa Brava attract millions of tourists lured by the promise of inexpensive, funfilled vacations. Most fly to Barcelona or Girona and head straight for the coast, unaware of the traditional Catalan life that continues in villages, on farms, and in small towns throughout the region.
A few miles from the highrise hotels of the best known resorts are glorious rocky coves, with beautiful beaches and little fishing villages. Inland, the countryside ranges from snowcapped mountains to plains baked red by a fierce sun. The rewards for the visitor include grandiose castles and cathedrals, creepy medieval passages, a 900-year old convent, and a surrealistic art museum.
Catalonia, which has long considered itself separate from the rest of Spain and whose language is an ancient Romance tongue quite distinct from Castilian Spanish, was the site of Greek trading posts as early as 500 BC, and was a Roman province by 200 BC. Later under the Visigoths, then the Moors, it was conquered by Charlemagne in AD 801, and, with the demise of the Carolingian Empire, was encompassed by the House of Barcelona at the end of the 9th century.
The first usages of the names Catalunya and Catalan date from the 11th century, when Barcelona was a center of shipbuilding and trade. In the 13th century, under James the Conqueror, Catalonia became a major Mediterranean force, eventually expanding into Sicily, Minorca, Athens, Naples, and Sardinia (in fact, a dialect of Catalan is still spoken along some parts of the Sardinian coast). Catalan power did not last, however.
Less than 50 years after the conquest of Naples in 1423, which marked the peak of Catalan influence, the marriage of Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon began the unification of Spain, and by the end of the 15th century, Catalonia had lost control of its own affairs and was excluded from the lucrative trade with the newly discovered Americas.
Over the centuries, several revolts were suppressed. In the 18th century, after the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), in which Catalonia backed Archduke Charles of Austria (who had promised it independence), the victorious Philip V stringently repressed the would-be nation, banning the use of the Catalan language.
Barcelona Industrial Revolution
By the end of the 19th century, however, the region was thriving, thanks to the burgeoning industrial revolution centered in Barcelona. By 1900, the city symbolized the resurgence of a strong and confident Catalonia when it hosted an international Universal Exhibition. As the arts flourished anew, so did interest in written Catalan (whose former status as a major literary and troubador language had become eclipsed), and poems and novels wound the web of solidarity ever more tightly. At the turn of the century, Barcelona, like Paris, was a hotbed of revolutionary creativity.
Pablo Picasso Malaga
Pablo Picasso came here from his native Malaga at the age of 14; he would spend almost 10 years in the Catalan capital (though he was only one of a vigorous community of artists from Spain and elsewhere). Architects such as Antoni Gaudi were in the vanguard, adorning new city quarters with buildings of astonishing design the local version of Art Nouveau, called modernisme. Later, Joan Miro, Salvador Dalf, Antoni Tapies, and other artists came to the fore. Barcelona even became the capital of a shortlived Catalan government, set up in 1932.
Unfortunately, the potential of Catalan power posed a threat to centralist forces in Madrid, and during the 1936-1939 Spanish Civil War Catalonia backed the losing side, the liberal Republican government. When General Francisco Franco and his fascists took power, Catalonia again was Subjugated; expressions of nationalism such as the teaching of the native language and even just speaking Catalan in public were suppressed. The only place that Catalans could gather in great numbers was at the local soccer club, F.C. Barcelona. Boys were (and still are) signed up at birth to become members of the club that today epitomizes the Catalan spirit, regularly attracting more than 125,000 aficionados to its games.
Following Franco's death in 1975, Catalonia became one of Spain's 17 comunidades autonomas (autonomous communities), enjoying roughly the equivalent of US statehood. At long last, Catalans had their own government, the Generalitat de Catalunya. With the revival of their language, street signs were changed from Spanish to Catalan, and the red and yellow Catalan flag was raised above public and private buildings alike. Throughout the area, roads and public utilities were improved and ancient buildings were restored as signs of Catalan pride.
The differences (sometimes subtle) between Catalan and Castilian Spanish become apparent when looking at a few words and phrases. The Castilian buenos dias (good morning or good day) translates in Catalan as bon dia (pronounced bone deeah). Thank you is gracies (grahseeehs) and goodbye is adeu (ahdayoo).
Catalan food
Catalan gastronomy is part of the resurgence of Catalan culture. Traditional recipes are being revived: rabbit with almonds, partridge with grapes, chicken with lobster, and sea bass with thyme and baked squash. Not surprisingly, the cuisine features fish, fresh from the Mediterranean. The catch may be cooked ala planxa (grilled) or simmered with peas, tomatoes, and peppers in a sarsuela; trout from Pyrenean lakes and rivers is delicious a l'agredolf, with vinegar and honey.
The most famous Catalan specialty, however, is also the simplest: Pa amb tomaquet is a slice of bread rubbed with raw tomato and enlivened with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Lloret de Mar car hire Costa Brava
If you are travelling to Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava book your airport car hire at Barcelona Airport or Girona Airport before you travel. Airport car hire in Barcelona and Lloret de Mar is much cheaper when you book it before you arrive, and you can get some great car hire deals online.
At Lloret de Mar, the real Costa Brava begins, and the farther north the route goes, the more nature defeats the developers. Pinkish-red rock tumbles down to lime green water, sandy inlets and bays are shaded by dense umbrella pines and cork oaks, and fishing boats can still be found among the yachts. It is an area that has attracted artists to picture-postcard villages, such as Cadaques, still charming despite being discovered. The northern limits of Catalonia today are the Pyrenees, ancient green gray mountains that provided little to sustain villages in the past, but now offer the golden rewards of skiing.
Here, the route crosses the border into the tiny principality of Andorra, with its dramatic mountains, picturesque villages, scenic landscapes, and duty-free shopping. Beyond, the agricultural hinterland beckons, locked between mountain and sea and dotted by walled towns and villages.
Dark with shadows from turrets and towers, arches and cloisters, they conjure up an illusion of medieval life that is broken only by the sound of a motorbike or the sight of rooftop television antennas. In 1993 the andorras voted to adopt a constitution and parliamentary system that all but eliminate their feudal links with Spain and France.
Roads in this region vary from four-lane highways to small but well-paved country roads. Catalonia's equivalent of interstate toll highways, the autopistas, are designated with the letter A.Keep in mind when scheduling visits to churches, museums, historic sites, tourism information offices, and other places of touristic interest that they tend to close for one to three hours at some point between noon and 4 PM each day. On weekends some sites may be open mornings only, and closing days are usually Sundays or Mondays. When possible, it's best to call ahead for exact hours, or have a hotel or tourism office staffer do it for you.
Things to do in Cadaques
This picture-postcard fishing village, made famous by Salvador Dali and. once. the haunt of artists and intellectuals, has remained peacefully quiet, with a harbor, whitewashed houses, narrow lanes, and, in summer, art exhlbitions and a music festival.
Things to do in Figueres
Set in the heart of the Emporda (Ampurdan) plain, Figueres is a small town, best known as the birthplace in 1904 of the late surrealist artist Salvador Dali and the home of the Teatre Museu Dan (Dali Museum and Theater; 28 Pojada Castell). Dali's sculptures here feature such wacky images as a lobster basking on the receiver of a telephone, and a giant woman standing on the hood of a Cadillac.
His paintings offer much of the same: A dog collar doubles as a viaduct, locks of hair curl into fruit, and a chest of drawers with huge, bare human feet ascends into heaven. Dali worked in the house that became the TeatreMuseu DaN from 1974 until 1982, and then lived bedridden in the building's Torre de Galatea (Galatea Tower) until his death in 1989.
The artist is buried in the museum's inner court, beneath a great glass dome. More than 300,000 visitors each year make the museum Spain's second most popular (Madrid's Prado ranks number one).During September, the city throws a corre bou (running of the bulls), and gigantes, nans, and cavallets (papiermache giants, dwarves, and horses) perform dances.
The October 18 Festa de Sant Lluc (Feast Day of St. Luke) is celebrated with a Feria del Dibujo (Fair of Drawings) and a communal dinner called the cena Bohemia. The Museo Comarcal de la Gdrrotxa (Garrotxa District Museum), housed in a 19th-century palace on Carrer Hospici called the Torre Castany, displays a collection of works from Olot's Escola de Belles Arts (Fine Arts School), which was founded in the 19th century and became the workplace of many Catalan artists.
Also admire the elegant modernista facade of the narrow lanes of the town's historic quarter; and the Iglesia de Sant Esteve (St. Stephen's Church), on the Plaza Rector Ferrer in old downtown Olot. The latter, though dating back to at least the 10th century, was rebuilt in neoclassical style in the 18th century; inside there are some interesting chapel carvings and an El Greco painting of Christ carrying the cross.
Where to go in Ripoll
This town deserves greater recognition of its past role as a torchbearer for civilization. A famous Count of Barcelona founded more than one monastery in Catalonia, and established the V Benedictine Monestir de Santa Maria here in the 9th century. By the 11 th century its 246 book library was one of the richest in Christendom, famed throughout Europe as a center of learning and a meeting place for Christian and Moorish philosophers. The town is pretty dreary now, except for the wonderful (but worn) 12th-century carved stone portal of the monastery church, which depicts seven biblical and allegorical scenes.
During the summer classical music recitals often take place in the cloisters. The monastery, located on the Plaza Abad Oliba adjacent to the old town walls, is open daily.
About Andorra
Until 1993 Andorra was a co-principality governed nominally by Spain and France under a feudal system 715 years old (though at the same time it had the oldest continuous parliament in Europe, established in 1419). Today it's a parliamentary co-principality (only 8,000 people are natives; the rest are mainly Spanish and French Immigrants) and a duty-free haven set high in the Pyrenees.
The 1993 Andorran vote to adopt its first constitution and drastically reduce the powers of the co-princes has led to some new trappings of sovereignty, such as a st at the United Nations and some foreign embassies, but to the casual VISI tor little difference will be readily apparent. Andorra’s mere 175 square miles contain a dramatic landscape of scenic lakes, racing rivers, verdant meadows, quaint mountain vlIages: good ski slopes, and the nation's capital city, Andorra la Vella, the highest in Europe (3,000 feet), where modern, high rise buildings almost block out the view of the surrounding peaks.
The history of Andorra
According to tradition, the founding of Andorra (the name is derived from that of a Celtiberian tribe called Andosmos) dates back to the 9th century, when Louis I, the son of Charlemagne, granted a tract of land to the Bishop of Urgell; dual allegiance dates to the 13th century, when later bishops, feeling their rule challenged by French nolemen, agreed to joint control. The country's blue, red, and yellow flag first waved in 1298 at which time Andorrans also accepted an agreement whereby in even numbered years the Spanish bishop would receive the equivalent of $12 as tribute, in addition to six hams, six chickens, and six cheeses.
In odd-numbered years, the French prince (originally the Count of Foix) would be presented with a cash tribute of 960 pesetas. These days, the country's parliament and prime minister run the show completely, with the powers of the co- princes, the French president and the bishop of Urgell greatly reduced. In addition, the past few decades have seen the country jump from medieval feudalism to 20th-century prosperity Andorra is a major banking center and from a strictly agricultural country to a model of modernization and growth.
Also as a result of the 1993 vote, for the first time an income tax was put in place. One main, winding road cuts diagonally through Andorra,. Southwest to northeast, and along it traffic creeps in both directions, especially on weekends and during Spanish and French national holidays. At the borders, traffic jams of cars lined up to return to Spain and France can be monumental, caused by conscientious Spanish and French customs agents assessing the value of the duty-free purchases.
The Pyrenees may not be as dramatic or even as high as the Alps, but they are wider and far more rugged (which explains why Andorra remained a mostly medieval community until this century). Due to its position the country has an excellent climate of dry air, brisk in winter and fresh in summer.
Most of its villages are deep in the low valley, but in winter, some of Europe's best inexpensive skiing can be found at the resorts of Pas de fa Casa, Orau Roig, Soldeu, Tarter, Pals, Arinsal, and Arcalis. In June, the high valleys, as yet untainted by developers, unveil some of the rarest, yet most abundant, wildflowers in Europe; carpets of narcissi, orchids, and iris stretching for hundreds of yards are a common sight.
In terms of historic sights, there are some attractive bridges arching across rushing streams, as well as a few tall, square bell towers on Romanesque churches. In Andorra la Vella, the 16th-century Casa de la Vall, which houses the governing Consell (Council) General, is worth a visit.
However, the main attraction in Andorra is shopping, although in many cases the prices are only attractive to the heavily-taxed French and the Spanish, thousands of whom cross the border daily to stock up on cigarettes, liquor, electronic equipment, leather goods, and fashions. The best stores are found in Andorra la Vella, today a consumerist strip whose main streets bustle like the aisles of Bloomingdale's. To recommend one store over another is futile, since most shops have standard prices and stock only the most marketable merchandise.
The sights of Andorra
A passage, which runs Some 400 yards parallel to Carrer Major and underneath the old houses, is decorated with black cats, moons, witches' brooms, owls, and cobwebs, but is a spooky enough experience even without these embellishments. Back into the daylight of the Plaza Major, which is a small square with a row of gargoyle-like faces holding up the balconies of the 18th-century Ajuntament (Town Hall), wander to the Caner Major to see the house where Catalonia's government, the Generalitat de Catalunya, was established in 1359, and where, about a century later, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella's marriage contract was signed.
Cervera literally has been bypassed by the 20th century (the main road between Barcelona and Zaragoza tunnels under the barrio antic or old quarter), but it was still in the mainstream in the 18th and 19th centuries, when it was the site of a Castilian/Bourbon university.
Cervera is also known for its annual Crist Misteri de Passio (Passion Play), some 500 years old. A special theater was built for the crowds that flock to see the play, enacted by over 500 local citizens in March and April.
En Route from Cervera The main road to Tarrega 12 km away, is fast and straight, but Tarrega itself can be a bottleneck. In the center of town, take the turn for C240 south toward Montblanch (Montblanc) and Tarragona and follow it through fields and vineyards, with intriguing villages off to either side, some with castles, some with churches. Just beyond Belltall, there is a sharp rise and the land drops away, revealing a lovely panoramic view across the plains of Cona de Barbera. Look for the sign down the hill, off to the right, for the town of Vallbona de les Manges, about 7 miles (12 km) from Tarrega.
Labels: Barcelona Industrial Revolution
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