Madrid and Imperial Cities
Madrid is one the newest Historical Capitals of a country in Europe. Although it was founded as “Capital” of the Nation in the middle of the 16th Century, the nomination as “the Court of the Kingdom” was declared by Phillip II at that time.
In this program you will find History before History and facts that will take you over the present times after two Dynasties of Monarchs.
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Exploring Catalonia
Crossroads. That’s how I would sum up the region of Catalonia, or Catalunya as I know it, in one word.
Consisting of four provinces, Lleida, Girona, Tarragona and of course Barcelona, it lies to the north east of the Iberian peninsula, facing the Mediterranean. Protected by the Pyrenees and embraced by the Castilian Plateau, we find a melting pot of cultures and identities, a cradle for pioneers, and a landscape that defies imagination.
The Catalonia we see today was shaped by the Romans around 218BC but records show that the Greeks among other cultures, arrived some time before that. Catalonia became an important Roman province as their Empire spread over the continent of Europe.
The flatter coastal location combined with a mountainous interior, eased road construction parallel to the water, meant it benefited from excellent communication links, particularly across the Pyrenees.
Trading has always played an important role in this area, especially by sea. Barcelona enjoyed rights as the main trading port to the Mediterranean, since the marriage of Isabel de Castilla and Fernando de Aragón in 1469 brought about the unification of their Kingdoms to form the Crown of Castilla.
Jumping forward to the 20th Century, it’s my opinion that the Spanish Cultural Big Bang happened here in Catalonia. Rich patrons sponsored painters, sculptors and architects, and the rivalry that developed between artists resulted in a stream of creativity that we now know as Modernism. The legacy is beyond compare with names such as Antoni Gaudi, Picasso, Dalí, Miró, all associated with the region.
Gastronomy plays an important part in the everyday life of Catalonians with some of the world’s top chefs living and working here; Ferrán Adriá and Carme Ruscadella to name just two of those holding Michelin stars. With so much to see, discover and enjoy, Catalonia is the perfect destination. Join me as I introduce you to this special part of my country and explain the wider role she has played in world history
The essence of Southern Spain
The land of Andalucía, where time seems to have stopped in the mountains and modern times runs in the capital cities in each province.
Al-Andalus. Beyond Andalus. Arabic name for the northernmost part of the African continent a few centuries ago. That is the Arabic name for what today is Spain.
Today’s region’s name is the remain of the old Empire that dominated most of the Iberian peninsula for almost 800 years.
People’s DNA is mixed among Iberians, Arabics, Jews and Christians. So is life itself.
It is said the Phoenicians arrived to Gadir (Cádiz) 30 centuries ago, Greeks some centuries later, Romans stablished a capital city to one of their Empire provinces in Hispalis, (Sevilla), The most populated city in Continental Europe was Qurtuba (Córdoba) while muslims ruled, and the last bastion of Muslim domination had Garnata (Granada) as their capital city.
Only for that, imagine the heritage and culture.
Discover the spell, mystery and magic from this part of the world, hard to imagine if you don’t see it with your own eyes!