Squash & Beyond World - 2010 Spain Tour

With a surface area of 20,000 square meters, the monastery of San Martín Pinario is the second largest religious monument in Santiago after the Cathedral. The main façade, in the Baroque style like most of the rest of the work, is 100 m long. The old church was founded in the 12^th century and the current one dates from the 17^th century. The church has an impressive Plateresque façade from the late 16^thcentury. Peña y Toro, Melchor de Velasco and Domingo de Andrade, three of the best artists of the time, were involved in the decoration. The enormous barrel arch vault stands out.

This building lies adjacent to the main facade of Santiago cathedral on the Obradoiro plaza. It has an extended and interesting history which has seen it house a hospital, the world’s first hotel (claimed) and now one of Spain’s sumptuous state run paradors.

Aside from the building’s obvious prominence through its position, it is a "stand alone" example of Galician architecture and has a decorative frontal elevation designed by "Enrique de Egas". This facade includes sculptures, coats of arms and a series of narrow windows, but it is the internal features of the building and its geometry that really make it special.

The Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos has no less than four colonnaded interconnected courtyards within its walls. Two of these little piazzas date from the eighteen hundreds, but the two earlier squares are from the sixteenth century and feature water fountains at their hearts. The later courtyards are of a baroque design and were constructed during extensive remodelling and renovation.

Dom Luis Bridge

Dom Luis Bridge, Porto is one of the historic bridges in Portugal. A visit to this bridge is a must feature in your Porto tours. It is one of the iconic bridges which is also relevant to the city transportation and serves as major link connecting Porto with Vila Nova de Gaia on two levels. Dom Luis Bridge, Porto stands out as one of the famous attractions, among the wide range of tourist spots.

Dom Luis Bridge was opened in 1886 and since then it has been considered as city’s iconic bridge. It was designed by a follower of Gustav Eiffel, who also built the Ponte de Dona Maria Pia railway bridge in Porto. The road bridge is a major link between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. It also held the record for the longest iron arch in the world. The city’s metro line runs on the upper tier while the lower level is used by cars and pedestrians to cross the river.

Besides Dom Luis Bridge, you can also visit four other bridges in the city, best seen while you are enjoying a ride on a Douro River cruise. You can also capture stunning views of the city from the upper tier of the bridge.

The Casa da Musica, Porto is a major concert hall that you can find in Porto, Portugal. The Casa da Musica, Porto was designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. This prestigious edifice was built as an important part of Porto's project for European Culture Capital in 2001.The construction of the Casa da Musica, Porto was finished in the first half of 2005 and then it immediately became a landmark in the city.

The Casa da Musica, Porto was inaugurated on April 15, 2005 by the Portuguese president. But the opening day concert took place on April 14. There were the Prime-minister and many other notable politicians who were present for the concert. The concert was performed by the Orquestra Nacional do Porto.

The Casa da Musica, Porto was built just across the Praça Mouzinho de Albuquerque, known as Rotunda da Boavista and this is the busiest part of the city as it is the commercial district as well. The construction continued for over four years over schedule and the cost amounted to approximately €100M.

The Casa da Musica, Porto comprises two main auditoriums. But as the area is a huge one there are some other zones as well that can be used for concerts and other musical activity like the workshops and even educational activities.

The Casa da Musica in Porto, Portugal has a huge auditorium that can hold 1,238 people. There is a small auditorium as well and surprisingly its capacity is flexible. The capacity mainly depends on the number of people who are sitting down and also on the seating arrangement of the guests. There are numerous musical extravaganzas that are organized here and a large number of people as well sound and recording equipment can be fitted in.

The Cathedral, Porto was built in the 12th century and has since undergone successive changes till the present day. The original structural plan of this Cathedral in Porto shows that it drew heavily from French architectural style and also portrayed distinct characteristics of the Coimbra artists. The originally built Cathedral in Porto comprised of an ambulatory as well which was destroyed during the construction of the new high altar in the early 17th century. This construction took place in the time of Bishop D. Frei Gonçalo Morais. Keep reading to know more about The Cathedral, Porto.

The period from 1717-1741 is also known as the period of the Vacant Seat (1717-1741) and is used to refer to the time period that followed the nomination of Bishop D. Tomás de Almeida for Patriarch Cardinal. During this time, renovation plans were drawn up for this cathedral to turn it from a Medieval Cathedral into a Baroque Cathedral. To achieve this, the main façade of the cathedral was adorned with magnificent baroque work of art that beautifully framed the access door and a lateral “loggia” (church porch or veranda).

Crystal Palace Gardens, Porto is one of the premier tourist attractions in Porto, which is a must visit in your Porto tours. Porto has quite a few fascinating treasures and historical sites offering the guests the chance to discover the rich culture and heritage. There are plenty of sites to visit in your sightseeing trip in Porto. Crystal Palace Gardens, Porto is a fabulous attraction for tourists.

The city of Porto is rich in culture and the old historic center was declared as a UNESCO world Heritage site. The city has several places of tourist interest including art galleries, museums, concert halls, cinemas and ancient buildings. With the plethora of tourist spots and fascinating sights, you can have a lovely fun filled experience of sightseeing in Porto. As you travel through the city, do visit the parks and gardens, which are important attractions in Porto. Among the various gardens, Crystal Palace Gardens, Porto is truly one of the nice places to visit.

Crystal Palace Gardens, Porto is a beautiful landscaped park, where people can enjoy the serene ambience and tranquility. The major part of the landscaped garden is dominated by a huge domed pavilion built in 1956. It replaced the 19th century “Crystal Palace” an iron-and glass building. The pavilion serves as a venue for holding various concerts and sporting events.

Surrounded by exquisite lake, attractive flowerbeds, Crystal Palace Gardens, Porto in Portugal is a nice place to visit. It is one of the outdoor recreational zones offering the families and couples with a nice place to visit.

The Avenida dos Aliados, Porto is one of the premier tourist attractions in Porto. The Avenida dos Aliados is one of the oldest part of the city of Porto. With a number of meandering alleys and walkways, the Avenida dos Aliados in Porto draws a lot of travelers from all across the globe. One of the most alluring places for sightseeing in Porto, the Avenida dos Aliados, Porto is a must see.

The Avenida dos Aliados, Porto has immense importance in the political and administrative realm of the city. This metropolitan area is governed by the Junta Metropolitana do Porto or JMP. The headquarters of the ruling JMP is in the Avenida dos Aliados. Located in the downtown of Porto, the Avenida dos Aliados is governed under the presidency of Rui Rio, the mayor of Porto municipality. The Avenida dos Aliados, Porto is one of the largest metropolitan area of Portugal with a population of about 1.7 million.

The Cais de Gaia, Porto is one of the premier tourist attractions in Porto that offers spectacular views of the surroundings. The vista of the stunning skyline of Porto at the Cais de Gaia in Porto is heightened by the traditional boats and the magnificent double-decker Dom Luis Bridge. It is for this reason that the Cais de Gaia, Porto is one of the preferred spots for sightseeing in Porto. The wonderful ambiance of the Cais de Gaia, Porto draws a large number of tourists. The innumerable cafés and restaurants at the riverfront make it a perfect place to chill out. The Bogani Café worth a special mention as the fabulous atmosphere facilitates a hearty chitchat. You should not miss the marvelous terracotta-topped Port Wine warehouses at the Cais de Gaia. The Cais de Gaia, Porto is one of the largest store house of Port Wine. You can also venture to the alleys uphill where you will find a number of 19th century manor houses along with some more port wine warehouses. For all those who want to enjoy the Cais de Gaia, Porto to the lees, it is advisable to come in late afternoon and stay for dinner.

One of the most alluring districts of the city, Foz district, Porto draws a lot of tourists. Dotted with a number of ocean-front bars, cafés, clubs and restaurants, Foz district is one of the most important tourist attractions in Porto. One of the premier spots for sightseeing in Porto, the territory of Foz is a fabulous place to enjoy a leisurely evening. While you make a trip to Porto, do not miss the scenic Foz district, Porto. The Parque da Cidade, the biggest park of the city is a major attraction of the Foz district, Porto. One of the main attraction in the Foz district, Porto is the Jardim do Passeio Alegre on Avenida D. Carlos I. A walk through this beautiful promenade while watching the sunset is the best way to enjoy your evenings. The Jardim do Passeio Alegre is a beautiful garden with two 19th century obelisks right at the entrance. Surrounded by palm trees and various sculptures, the picturesque garden makes the Foz district all the more alluring to the travelers. This garden in the Foz district, Porto has two mini-golf courses and a bandstand that hosts philharmonic concerts during the summers. The ambiance of the village prevails over the area that makes it a perfect retreat for the tourists. You can enjoy a steaming cup of coffee at the beachfront cafes that become all the more popular during the winters. Stroll on the expansive beaches of Porto and you will reach the Castelo do Queijo, a fortress dating from 1661. The drawbridge and the cannon are the major attraction of the fortress.

One of the most famous Tourist Attractions in Porto is the Clerigos Tower & Church, Porto. Located in northern Portugal, Porto is known for its rich heritage and culture. It is the second largest city in the country and is the administrative and cultural center of the Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto. The Clerigos Tower & Church, Porto is one of the well known landmarks of the city. This Porto Attraction is also known as the New Chapel or Chapel of Saint Peter the New. When completed in 1763 the Clérigos Tower was the tallest structure in Portugal. Since it was the main feature of the city, ships used it as a guide while coming into Cais da Ribeira. The Clerigos Tower & Church, Porto was built by the Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni between 1754 and 1763. It is constructed in a splendid baroque style and became an emblem of the city. The tower is of six floors and 76 metres high and has 225 stairs. If you can climb the spiral staircase up the tower, you will be rewarded with a dazzling view over the river Douro and its estuary and the city. The façade of the Clerigos Tower & Church in Porto is elegant and traditional. It is supported by two pairs of Tuscan columns which rest on bases adorned with vegetal motifs. All these frame an elegant porch way which leads onto an ocular entrance surrounded by beautiful architectonic work. There is a sculpture of the Apostle Saint Peter, flanked by two archangels inside. The single nave has tiling featuring scenes from the Evangelists on the lower sections of the walls. The highlight of the Clerigos Tower & Church, Porto is the polychromatic Baroque-Rococo marble retable.

Aveiro, Portugal

Known as the Venice of Portugal, Aveiro is surrounded by salt-flats, beaches and lagoons and dominated by the Central Canal running through town. Once a big sea port, Aveiro lies in a region of valleys cut by mountains and fertile lagoon plains. The city of Aveiro is crossed by canals, which give it quite an individual character, and in the old quarter tourists can see the quaint whitewashed houses of the fishermen and visit, early in the morning, the Mercado do Peixe, an auction of the fish caught during the night. Of all the boats seen in the area, the moliceiro is the most elegant, being perfectly lined, painted with bright colours and with often ingenious and humorous decorations.

Casscais, Portugal

Casscais it is the dormitory of the Lisbon international working community and the "younger set" who enjoy the diverse and sophisticated the nightlife. Just outside the town is the famous Boca do Inferno in which the sea on rougher days hammers into the rock and creates a booming noise and a spectacular spray thus creating its name which in English means "mouth of hell". Cascais now boasts a smart new Marina with lovely yachts adding a further attraction to the town. The Praça de Touros built 1873 and is an imposing area in which regular bullfights can be seen. The Parque Palmela is an attractive park created by the Duques de Palmela and now maintained by the Town Hall and in which open-air concerts are often held.Within easy reach of Cascais is the famous beach at Guincho with its high waves that attract windsurfers from all around the world as having some of the best rollers in Europe

Lisbon, Portugal

The position of Lisbon (Portuguese: Lisboa) on seven low hills beside a river once lured traders and settlers, and it's still a stunning site. Add to that its cultural diversity, laid-back feel and architectural time warp, and you have one of the most enjoyable cities in Europe - and one of the more economical.

Thanks to its rich history and great power during the Age of Discovery, Lisbon is packed with historical, cultureal and religious sites. In addition to the architectural masterpieces at Belém like the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos , Lisbon has over 50 museums!

Lisbon bears the mark of an incredible heritage with laid-back pride. The city also presents an intriguing variety of faces to those who negotiate its switchback streets. In the oldest neighborhoods, stepped alleys are lined with pastel-color houses and crossed by laundry hung out to dry; here and there miradouros (vantage points) afford spectacular river or city views. In the grand 18th-century center, black-and-white mosaic cobblestone sidewalks border wide boulevards.

Elétricos (trams) clank through the streets, and blue-and-white azulejos (painted and glazed ceramic tiles) adorn churches, restaurants, and fountains.

During the Moorish period, the site of the present cathedral hosted a mosque. When the city was captured early in the 12th century by Christian crusaders (led by Portugal's first king, Afonso Henríques), the structure was rebuilt and the Sé became the first church in Lisbon. The earthquakes of 1344 and 1755 damaged the structure.

Characterized by twin towers flanking its entrance, Lisbon Cathedral is a combination of Romanesque and Gothic styles. The facade is severe enough to resemble a medieval fortress.

Beyond the rough exterior are many treasures, including the font where St. Anthony of Padua is said to have been christened in 1195. A notable feature is the 14th-century Gothic chapel of Bartholomeu Joanes.

Other items of interest are a crib by Machado de Castro (the 18thcentury Portuguese sculptor responsible for the equestrian statue on Praça do Comércio), the 14th-century sarcophagus of Lopo Fernandes Pacheco, and the original nave and aisles.

A visit to the sacristy and cloister requires a guide. The cloister, built in the 14th century by King Dinis, is of ogival construction, with garlands, a Romanesque wrought-iron grille, and tombs with inscription stones.

In the sacristy are marbles, relics, valuable images, and pieces of ecclesiastical treasure from the 15th and 16th centuries. In the morning, the stained-glass reflections on the floor evoke a Monet painting.

The partially ruined Convento do Carmo (Carmelite Convent) was once Lisbon 's largest convent, but it was severely damaged in the 1755 earthquake. Today open-air summer orchestral concerts are held beneath its majestic archways

The convent was founded in 1389 by the knight Nuno Álvares Pereira. Álvares Pereira, who was Constable of Portugal (the supreme military commander after the King).

Carmelites from Moura in southern Portugal entered the convent in 1392. In 1404, the pious founding knight donated his wealth to the convent and, in 1423, he also became a brother of the convent.

The Igreja da São Vicente de Fora (Church of St. Vincent Outside the Walls) is a Renaissance church in Lisbon used primarily as a royal pantheon for the Portugese monarchy.

Originally part of a 12th-century convent, the church was erected between 1582 and 1627. At that time, it lay outside the walls of Lisbon (hence the name). On the morning of the 1755 earthquake, the cupola fell in.

The greatest names and some forgotten wives of the House of Bragança were laid to rest in the Church of St. Vincent. The Braganças assumed power in 1640 and ruled until 1910, when the Portuguese monarchy collapsed and Manuel II and the queen mother, Amélia, fled to England. Manuel II died in 1932, and his body was returned to Portugal for burial.

Amélia, the last queen of Portugal, died in 1951 and is entombed here, as are her husband, Carlos I (the painter king), and her son, Prince Luís Felipe; both were killed by an assassin at Praça do Comércio in 1908.

Aside from the royal tombs, one of the most important reasons for visiting St. Vincent is to see its spectacular tiles, some of which illustrate the fables of La Fontaine. While we suspect that no one has officially counted them, their number is placed at 1 million.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima (Portuguese: Nossa Senhora do Rosário da Fátima) is one of most famous Marian shrines in the world. Some four million people visit Fatima each year, drawn by an appearance of the Virgin Mary reported in 1917 by three shepherd children.

Between May and October 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children—Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto—in the fields outside the village of Aljustrel, very close to Fatima, Portugal.

The Virgin would come and speak to them on the 13th of every month. Lúcia later described the vision of Mary as "more brilliant than the sun, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal glass filled with the most sparkling water and pierced by the burning rays of the sun."

According to Lúcia's account, Mary exhorted the children to do penance and sacrifices to save sinners. They wore tight cords around their waists to cause pain, abstained from drinking water on hot days, and other works of penance. Most important, she asked them to say the Rosary every day. She reiterated many times that the Rosary was the key to personal and world peace. Many young Portuguese men, including relatives of the visionaries, were then fighting in World War I.

During the second apparition on June 13, 1917, the Virgin Mary predicted the deaths of two of the children. Previously, she'd told them they would all eventually go to heaven. On June 13, Lúcia asked the Virgin to take them to heaven soon.

Mary replied, "Yes, I shall take Jacinta and Francisco soon, but you will remain a little longer, since Jesus wishes you to make me known and loved on earth. He wishes also for you to establish devotion in the world to my Immaculate Heart."

On her last visit, a crowd of 70,000 people, including reporters from skeptical, anti-religious newspapers, gathered in a torrential rainstorm to witness the great Solar Miracle of Fatima. Many people in the crowd said that the sun changed colours, began spinning in the sky and went completely dark for several minutes before seeming to plunge toward the earth, then returning to its proper place. Reporter Avelino de Almeida, who had snarked at Fatima in previous articles, saw and reported the phenomena, while his photographer saw nothing but shot pictures of the mesmerized crowd looking up.