Gandia Celebrates 500th Anniversary of Patron Saint's Birth

Head to beautiful Valencia, Spain this summer and explore the historic town of Gandia. Celebrating the 500th anniversary of the birth of its patron saint, the town will be holding public festivities all summer and there's truly something for everyone. Let's start with music:

On June 23, the “Fiesta de San Juan” celebrates the shortest night of the year with bonfires and music on the town’s beach. On July 9 and 10 the “Festival Borja Music Summer and Sand” will present popular bands and DJ’s on the same beach. From July 20 to 24, “Festival Les Venus de la Mediterranean” features singer-songwriters such as Jane Birkin, Maria del Mar Bonnet and Ute Limper at venues on the beach and on the patio of the Ducal Palace. For the entire month of August the “Casa de la Marques” will play host to the International Music Festival of Gandia. From September 28 to October 3, the town holds its traditional fair celebrated with additional pomp in honor of the 500th anniversary of the saint’s birth.

Those that are into regional cuisine also have tons of options -- the biggest of which are two gastronomic fairs taking place from September 17-19 and then in the winter from December 11-19. Most restaurants in the town's historic square will participate and offer up a unique Gandia take on Spanish cuisine.

The recipes feature traditional Gandian favorites like stuffed squid and rabbit, as well as truly authentic medieval preparations. One such recipe is for a garlic sauce made with bread, garlic, oil and fish stock. Almonds may substitute for the bread, a variant that works well with eel. Another medieval recipe is a leek puree which, instead of the cream used in a modern Vichyssoise, has almond-milk – true to Valencia’s Mediterranean heritage and to the dietary laws of Medieval Jews and Muslims who contributed to the region’s customs.

For more information about the region of Valencia, you can visit our website or the Tourist Office.

As usual, thanks for reading. Please visit International Lodging Corporation at our home page.

Madrid Brings The Culture This Fall

While it's certainly no secret that Madrid is a major culture capital whose cache extends beyond Spain, sometimes there's so many great options going on that every traveler can find the perfect activity. This fall season is one of those times.

In addition to world-class museum offerings, Madrid will welcome 35 major concerts, including appearances from international stars such as Diana Krall and the Jonas Brothers. The 26th Annual Jazz Festival starts at the end of October and there are plenty of theatre, dance, and family entertainment options going on as well.

Here's the full scoop from the Tourist Office of Spain:

Kicking off September 29 at the Thyssen Bornemisza is a major exhibition of 70 paintings by Henri Fantin-Latour. The Museo del Prado is presenting a show about Maíno, one of the most original and least known 17th century Spanish painters on October 20. One of the most important figures in Croatia’s contemporary art scene, David Maljkovic, will be the subject of a show running through January 18 at the Reina Sofía. The focus is on architecture at the CaixaForum Madrid with a review of Richard Rogers obra running through October 18 and Palladio the Architect, the first exhibition in Spain devoted to this 16th century Italian architect which kicks off October 7.

On October 13, Diana Krall will perform at the Palacio de Congresos. The Jonas Brothers are set to appear at the Sports Palace on November 11 and Depeche Mode will be there on the 16.

Kicking off November 4, the city’s Autumn Festival celebrates its 26th year with 35 concerts, theatre, dance and circus performances. Thirty-five companies from 19 countries including: Spain, the U.S., Argentina, Australia, France, Italy, Portugal and Morocco, among many others, will perform at 11 theatres in Madrid and in ten municipalities. On the program are:

• Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch (11/, 4, 5, 7, and 8)
• Compañía Israel Galván (11/5-8) (flamenco)
• Norwegian singer and guitarist Hanne Hukkelberg (11/5)
• Whale Watching Tour, musicians from the U.S., Australia and Iceland (11/6)
• Japanese pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto (11/11)
• Les ballets C de la B (11/12-14)
• The San Quentin Drama Workshop with Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape (11/21)
• Spanish soprano Marina Bollaín singing The Three Penny Opera by Brecht and Weill (11/27-29)

The 26th International Jazz Festival will kick off around the end of October and while the schedule has not yet been announced, there are usually 15 concerts and world-renowned musicians perform at some 20 jazz clubs.

As usual, thanks for reading. Please visit International Lodging Corporation at our home page.

Sites to See...Jardines del Buen Retiro, Madrid (Spain)

No matter where you are, nothing beats a lovely summer concert in the park. Yet as usual, those who visit Madrid are on the lucky side. Each summer, Madrid's main park (El Retiro) puts on a series of midday Sunday concerts by the local Madrid Symphony. You can rent rowboats to paddle around the Estanque or take a breezy ride on a romantic horse-drawn carriage. Other events vary week-by-week, but highlights include an annual book fair, puppet shows and all sorts of family friendly activities.

As usual, thanks for reading. Please visit International Lodging Corporation at our home page.

What's New In Madrid? (pt. 2)

Another great recent addition to Madrid's cultural scene is the CaixaForum. Just opened, this $96 million marvel will hold art exhibitions, film screenings, workshops, concerts and conferences. The renovation was completed by Herzog and de Meuron and converted this former 1899 electrical power station into a landmark cultural hotbed. For more information on the architecture, please click here.

Here's an excellent behind-the-scenes video:


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What's New In Barcelona?

Barcelona is more popular than ever with American tourists. The Tourist Office of Spain writes, "This year [we're] welcoming millions of cruise passengers as well as thousands of first-timers who enjoyed the beautiful scenery in the film Vicky Christina Barcelona. Some 54 new hotels are set to open in the next two years."
The Barcelona International Airport is also about to expand, adding a new terminal designed by Ricard Bofill in the first half of 2009. This means more widespread airline coverage and an overall increase in the number of flights entering the city.

In the next week or so, the ILC blog will be focusing on some new and exciting opportunities in Barcelona for those interested in the arts and dining. Let's start with music.

For our audiophile travelers, a new rock and roll museum is planned to open in 2009. Permanent exhibits will include The Beatles and Rolling Stones, along with rare documents by Bruce Springsteen and Jim Morrison. Housed in a converted bull ring at Las Arenas, the new space provides yet another reason to prolong your stay in Barcelona for another day.

It's also worth noting that Barcelona's modernist concert hall is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary with special concert plans through March.

As usual, thanks for reading. Please visit International Lodging Corporation at our home page