La Coruña

See larger map

On 23rd of February we went to La Coruña, to see the ocean, but Adam's phone didn't like it :)

La Coruña is the second largest city in Galicia in northwestern Spain. The city is also the capital of A Coruña Province.

The city is recognizable by the site of the Roman Tower of Hercules, which is a lighthouse that has been in continuous operation for nearly 2,000 years.

The Tower of Hercules is an ancient Roman lighthouse on a peninsula about 2.4 kilometers. The name Corunna is said to be derived from the ancient columna, meaning column. The structure is 55 metres (180 ft) tall and overlooks the North Atlantic coast of Spain. It is almost 1900 years old, was rehabilitated in 1791, is the oldest Roman lighthouse still used as a lighthouse. Unfortunately The Tower was under renovation on this time...

Santiago de Compostela

22nd of February we spent in Santiago de Compostela.

Santiago de Compostela (also Saint James of Compostela) is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in the north west of Spain in the Province of A Coruña.

See larger map

One etymology for the name "Compostela" is that it comes from the Latin phrase campus stellae, i.e. "field of the star", making Santiago de Compostela "St. James of the Field of the Star". This would reflect the belief that the bones of St. James the Greater were taken from the Middle East, to Spain and then buried where a shepherd had spotted a star. A church was eventually built over the bones, and later replaced with the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela.

The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James (Spanish: Camino de Santiago).

Florence

Thanks to Ryanair we had great weekend in Italy. 8th February we spent in Florence.


See larger map

Ponte Vecchio ->

Florence (Italian: Firenze) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany and has a population of 364,779.

The city lies on the River Arno and is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture. From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy.

<- Piazza della Signoria

One of the bridges in particular stands out as being unique — The Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), whose most striking feature is the multitude of shops built upon its edges, held up by stilts. The best-known site and crowning architectural jewel of Florence is the domed cathedral of the city, Santa Maria del Fiore, known as The Duomo.

Santa Maria del Fiore ->

In 1504, Michelangelo's David (now replaced by a reproduction as the original was moved indoors to the Accademia dell'Arte del Disegno), was installed in front of the Palazzo della Signoria (also known as Palazzo Vecchio).

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Milan

21st of January we spent in Milan.

Milan (Italian: Milano) is the second largest city of Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. It is the capital in the Province of Milan, as well as the regional capital of Lombardy.

<- Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

See larger map

Castello Sforzesco ->

The Lombard metropolis is famous for its fashion houses and shops (such as along via Montenapoleone) and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in the Piazza Duomo (reputed to be the world's oldest shopping mall).

<- the Milan Cathedral

The biggest and greatest example of Gothic architecture in Italy, the Milan Cathedral, is the third largest cathedral in the world after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and the Cathedral of Seville. Built between 1386 and 1577, it hosts the world's largest collection of marble statues with the widely visible golden Madonna statue on top of the spire, nicknamed by the people of Milan as Madunina (the little Madonna), that became one of the symbols of the city.