This is yours truly with another episode of some news from Spain !!! Lots of things going on This is Spain, let me tell you my latest news chosen by yours truly, By the way CLXXI is old Roman numeral for 171, Hope you enjoy this post as I.
This Saturday, October 4th,2025, the 32nd edition of the Festival de Música Antigua de Aranjuez or early music festival begins, which throughout its history has developed the work of disseminating and popularizing early music, heritage music and its connection with the city, history, architecture and landscape of the Royal Site and Town of Aranjuez. For this reason, it becomes the perfect excuse to get to know this Villa, a title it received in 1899. The Aranjuez Early Music Festival was born in 1994 with the intention of recovering the musical splendor of the Royal Site, the place where Felipe II and later the Bourbons developed an exceptional musical life. Thus, this year’s edition celebrates two great musical masters: Alessandro Scarlatti and Domenico Scarlatti, who served as music teacher to Queen Barbara of Braganza. Along with the concerts, whose program runs until November 2, those interested also have the opportunity to stroll through the gardens of the Royal Palace in the middle of autumn and reach the concerts on the famous Tren de la Fresa or Strawberry Train. The Strawberry Train, for its part, offers a journey back in time as it recalls the route of the first railway in the Community of Madrid, built in 1851 at the request of Isabel II to link the capital with the Royal Palace of Aranjuez. Upon arrival, the organisation will transfer travellers to the main entrance of the Teatro Real Carlos III. Furthermore, a visit to the Bodega de Carlos III in the Real Cortijo de San Isidro by 12h will be the icing on the cake of the festival with a tasting and concert. The Bodega de Carlos III or del Real Cortijo is a unique jewel in the world. It was built in 1782 and has a 900-square-meters wine press, a vaulted neoclassical nave and a 2,500-square-meters underground winery that runs for more than half a kilometer under the town of Real Cortijo de San Isidro. It is the only existing royal house winery and has supplied wine and oil to the Royal House for almost two centuries and to five kings.
The official Festival de Mùsica Antigua de Aranjuez : https://musicaantiguaaranjuez.com/el-festival/
The Aranjuez tourist office on the festival : https://visita.aranjuez.es/espacio/festival-de-musica-antigua-de-aranjuez/
From Zamora province in the autonomous community of Castilla y León hides curious gastronomic, cultural and natural discoveries in towns such as in Zamora city or Toro. Simply visiting the monumental cities of Zamora and Toro would be reason enough to visit this part of the province. The Cathedral is the hallmark of this city, with its dome covered in “scales” and overlooking the Duero, taking us back to the Middle Ages and also to modernism. The Rúa de los Francos, lined with Romanesque churches, links the cathedral with Calle de Santa Clara, where modernist buildings take over. Another viewpoint is from the castle, from which you have the best views of the cathedral, with its Byzantine-style ribbed dome and the Torre del Salvador. Around here, in the area surrounding the cathedral, are the most photogenic spots, such as the narrow Calle del Troncoso, lined with tall stone pillars, or the Mirador del Troncoso, with perfect views over the Duero river and its Romanesque bridge. In this medieval town, there are nearly 20 Romanesque churches, such as San Pedro y San Ildefonso, with a Virgin of Beautiful Love whose earrings are changed twice a year. Or the Church of Santa María Magdalena, on Rúa de los Francos, one of the most elegant. Or San Juan Bautista, in the Plaza Mayor, with its impressive arches and impeccable Mudejar coffered ceiling. The Plaza Mayor and the Parador, with its splendid cloister, complete the essential stops along this route. Toro has a bridge of Roman origin, although its current appearance is Romanesque, and a fortress that is a symbol of the military power it had in the Middle Ages, with a Celtiberian boar at its doors and magnificent views over the Duero. But the great symbol of the city is the nearby collegiate church (12C), a combination of Romanesque and Gothic, solemn and impressive, Together with the Romanesque churches of San Salvador, the Santo Sepulcro and San Lorenzo el Real, plus the Gothic church of San Sebastián de los Caballeros, it forms a quintet called Toro Sacro. And we should also add the imposing monastery of Sancti Spiritus, to the west of the historic center. Toro’s true emblem is its wine, with a Designation of Origin. You can taste it everywhere. Indeed is very good !!!
The Zamora province tourist office on Zamora : https://turismoenzamora.es/en/patrimonio-artistico/zamora/
The Zamora province tourist office on Toro : https://turismoenzamora.es/en/patrimonio-artistico/toro-guarena-tierra-del-vino/
Palencia, in the autonomous community of Castilla y León ; is the quiet city perfect for visiting on foot ! They call it the beautiful unknown and it has a reputation for being one of the least visited Spanish capitals. A city where the smell of coffee (it’s home to two of the five coffee factories in Europe) and where the pastry shops look like Apple stores, so elegant and minimalist. Palencia is, above all, the city of Gothic churches, each with its own unique character. San Miguel has the most unusual tower 70 meters high, practically hollow inside, with enormous pointed arched windows and looking more like a fortress than a bell tower. San Pablo houses a superb octagonal dome in the main chapel on decorated squinches, which was actually made as a Renaissance mausoleum for the first Marquises of Poza, Juan de Rojas and María Sarmiento. The San Francisco Cathedral, next to the Plaza Mayor, is a late Gothic gem that was the site of councils and meetings of the Cortes of Castile, although unfortunately it can only be visited on Sundays, during worship hours. The cathedral, one of the largest in Spain in terms of area. The first temple in Palencia is a superposition of styles ranging from the primitive Visigothic church of the 7C, of which two columns and three arches are preserved in the crypt of San Antolín (itself a Romanesque extension), to the stylized height of its naves with Gothic ribbed vaults or the works that Juan de Flandes painted for the great Renaissance altarpiece. The Calle Mayor is the main artery of the old pedestrian town. An abnormally wide, large, and long street, with many arcaded buildings and some old, traditional businesses that miraculously survive among the modern franchises that have already taken over these types of streets in every city. However, the most emblematic of the buildings on Calle Mayor is the Casino, on a corner of the Cuatro Cantones (Quarter Cantons). Its modernist interior is the original from the late 19C, It is still a private institution for members only, but every day at 11h there is a free guided tour open to the public. For a drink there is nothing better than the terraces of El Salón, a group of bars, one after the other, along the Salón de Isabel II park, one of the most central gardens in the city, at the southern end of Calle Mayor. The Puente Mayor was always the main access route to Palencia; what we see now is the 19C extension and remodeling. The most modernist is the Puente de Hierro or Iron Bridge, a work that was built early 20C. The enormous Christ of Otero, the other emblem of the city. It is a colossal image of a blessing Christ, inaugurated in 1931. It is the tallest statue of Christ in Spain (22 meters) and one of the largest in the world. And probably the only one with an aesthetic between Cubism and Art Deco.
The Palencia tourist office on its heritage : https://www.turismoenpalencia.com/en/6383/See/-
One of the most unique villages in the Sierra de Madrid, is Patones de Arriba, a town perched on a ravine that for centuries lived in almost isolation. Until 1769 it was governed by a figure that the locals called the “king of Patones”, a hereditary tradition that acted as a form of self-government outside the Madrid court. Its dark stone houses, aligned on the steep slopes, are part of the so-called black architecture, characterized by the use of slate as the predominant material. The roofs, walls and construction details are naturally integrated into the landscape, resulting in a set of great ethnographic and aesthetic value. From its viewpoints it is possible to contemplate the views of the valley and the mountains of the Sierra Norte. To reach the town by car, you can take the A-1 to exit /salida 50 and continue along the M-102 road towards Torrelaguna and Patones.
The Patones de Arriba tourist office on its heritage : https://turismo.patones.net/patones-de-arriba/
The castle in the north of Spain that is a gem and a must-see once in a lifetime, it is overlooking the Cantabrian sea. Its origin dates back to the 12C and, despite wars and reconstructions, it remains one of the few castles that remain standing in Cantabria. Next to it is the Church of Santa María de la Asunción, completing a unique complex that still impresses visitors today. We are talking about the Castillo de Castro Urdiales castle, also known as the lighthouse castle, a place that sums up like few others the fusion of history, sea and tradition of the north of the peninsula. The castle was built around 1163, during the town’s period of splendor, and soon became a key piece in the defensive system. It was part of a complex of walls that surrounded both the upper area, where the fortress and the church were, and the rest of the medieval town. During the French occupation in 1813, the castle once again regained prominence. Its walls served as the last line of resistance against Napoleonic troops and, when the town fell into enemy hands, many inhabitants escaped by boarding English ships from this point. A lighthouse was added to the fortress in the 19C and is still in operation. Lit for the first time in 1853, it is attached to the castle walls and offers an unforgettable image facing the Cantabrian Sea. The complex is completed by the medieval bridge, also called the old or Roman bridge, which is actually Gothic in style. Its single arch led to the hermitage of Santa Ana, another corner steeped in history. The castle was also the scene of later episodes. During the Spanish Civil War it served as a makeshift prison for both sides, a use that reflects the strength of its structure. After losing its military function, the castle has been converted into a space open to the visitor. Today it houses exhibitions, hosts cultural activities, and, above all, offers a unique experience: walking through its walls while contemplating the immensity of the Cantabrian Sea and listening to the roar of the waves against the cliffs.
The Castro Urdiales tourist office on the castle : https://turismo.castro-urdiales.net/turcastro/otros-lugares-a-visitar/castillo-faro
The Cruce de caminos or Crossroads is the name of the new program that links different routes in Spain marked by the best of its heritage, from the Camino del Cid to the Vía de la Plata, passing through the Canal de Castilla. These are three of Spain’s great cultural routes that, from now on are united. The official Rutas Culturales de España on the Crossroads: https://spainculturalroutes.com/en/blog/todo-sobre-los-cruces-de-caminos/
The keys to the success of Larrumba, the trendy restaurant group GLH for the cool crowd: it launches a new brand and a premium cocktail bar inspired by the 80s. The group that invented the restaurant-plus-drinks model inaugurates a new era by merging its two brands, Larrumba and Carbón, into a single company. The official GLH group restaurants :https://glhrestaurants.com/restaurantes/
This is how Krispy Kreme’s long-awaited arrival in Spain unfolded: three years of negotiations, a secret recipe, and machinery imported from the US to make 200 dozen donuts per hour. The American candy company arrives in Spain with its first store in the Parquesur shopping center in Leganés province of Madrid, and the promise of opening more than 500 fresh points of access across key cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Malaga.in the next five years. A factory store where you can taste its famous glazed donuts. Twelve flavors will arrive in Spain, including the iconic original, whose recipe dates back to 1937. The manufacturing process can be seen thanks to the enormous glass window in the store. Among the donuts that will be available will be an exclusive flavor sold only in Spain !
More info on the openings of Krispy Kreme in Spain : https://investors.krispykreme.com/news/news-releases/news-details/2024/Krispy-Kreme-Announces-Expansion-Into-Spain/default.aspx
There you go folks, another dandy tour of my dear Spain. It is time to enjoy my some news from Spainonce again, Remember,Spain is everything under the Sun ! A very special post, always remember where it all begin, it is you ! Again, hope you enjoy the post as I.
And remember ,happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 