Strabo Photo Tour Collection

Spain: Barcelona & Girona

Photo copyright Joan Bockenkamp

Actual itinerary and 2011 pricing to be announced.

Barcelona, located at the Mediterranean Sea in the very north of the Spanish coast, is certainly the most cosmopolitan and economically most active city in the country. It has always proved its will to be modern, to follow the latest international tendencies, or to be ahead of them. This is evident especially in its architecture, which so well reflects the general approach to life in this always pulsating city. Of course, Barcelona has an old history, and there are monuments of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance periods or those prior, but most characteristic is what has been built during the last 100 years.

Barcelona has been a center of Modernist architecture and is distinguished especially by the works of genial Antoní Gaudí, who together with his great contemporaries, gave new and exciting looks to it, but has remained, since then, at the top of modernity. Park Guell, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is magical, with twisted stone columns supporting curving colonnades, merging with the natural structure of the hillside. The peak is marked by a large cross and offers an amazing panorama of Barcelona and the sea beyond. Then, there is La Sagrada Familia, perhaps Gaudi’s most famous work in Barcelona. Send Gaudí and the Sagrada Família to hell, wrote Picasso, and while it is easy to see how some of the religious clichés of the building and the devotional fervor of its creator might annoy an angry young Cubist, Barcelona's iconic temple still manages to inspire delight in equal measure.

Travel with Karen Schulman on this inspirational journey through the arts and natural beauty of Spain. The departure is limited to a maximum of twelve participants. It is intended for people of all levels of interest and accomplishment in film, or digital photography. While the emphasis will be on photography, this is also an artistic journey, which we believe will enhance your ability to capture the essence of Barcelona and Girona in your images.

Itinerary

May 12: U.S.

Photo copyright Joan Bockenkamp

Depart from the U.S. today on an overnight flight to Barcelona International Airport.

May 13: Arrival to Barcelona

There will be a group transfer (time to be announced) from the airport to your accommodations. Karen will hold a brief meeting this evening, and then venture out to your first introduction to Barcelona.(Welcome Dinner)

May 14 - May 15: Barcelona

Barcelona, more than just a single city, is actually a collection of multi-faceted and diverse cities. The visitor, unfamiliar with its history, might be surprised that such a modern and enterprising city preserves its historic Gothic center almost intact. Fabulous architecture, brilliant Spanish cuisine, flamboyant culture, and wonderful weather combine to make Barcelona a truly magnificent city. The La Rambla is a tree-lined pedestrian boulevard packed with buskers, living statues, mimes and itinerant salespeople selling everything from lottery tickets to jewelery. The noisy bird market on the second block of La Rambla is worth a stop, as is the nearby Palau de la Virreina, a grand eighteenth century Rococo mansion.

We will spend our time photographing during optimum light, and you can take optional excursions to various museums and the architectural highlights of Barcelona mid day.

La Sagrada Familia is truly awe-inspiring. The life's work of Barcelona's favorite son, Antoni Gaudí, the magnificent spires of the unfinished cathedral imprint themselves boldly against the sky with swelling outlines inspired by the holy mountain Montserrat. They are encrusted with a tangle of sculptures that seem to breathe life into the stone. Gaudí died in 1926 before his masterwork was completed, and since then, controversy has continually plagued the building program. Güell Park, also designed by Antonio Gaudí, is the most famous park in Barcelona. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it has been subject to all types of praise and criticism, including comments such as "outrageous modernism", "surrealistic island", and "nightmare expressionist park". First conceived as a private estate, it became a public park in 1922. Both the main entrance to the park and the stairway leading to the Hundred Columns Room are structures where Gaudí clearly let his imagination run free. Another Gaudí masterpiece, La Pedrera was built between 1905 and 1910 as a combined apartment and office block. Formerly called the Casa Milà, it is better known now as La Pedrera (the quarry) because of its uneven grey stone facade that ripples around a street corner, creating a wave effect that is further emphasized by elaborate wrought-iron balconies. Visitors can tour the building and go up to the roof, where giant multi-colored chimney pots jut up like medieval knights. The Museum Picasso is Barcelona's most visited museum. It is housed in three strikingly beautiful stone mansions on the Carrer de Montcada, which was, in medieval times, an approach to the port. The museum shows numerous works that trace the artist's early years, and is especially strong on his Blue Period with canvases like The Defenceless, ceramics and his early works from the 1890’s. Overnights Barcelona Center Hotel, (B, L; B, D)

May 16 - May 19: Girona

Photo copyright Joan Bockenkamp

From Barcelona we travel north to Girona. Accommodations will be at the lovely Castle Hotel Castell d'Empordà. An architectural jewel that was built eight centuries ago. The castle previously belonged to Pere Margarit, a captain who served under Columbus and who was himself the discoverer of Magarita Island.
Located in a region whose beauty is comparable to that of Tuscany or Provence, just minutes from the Mediterranean Sea and beautiful beaches. The magnificent estate is surrounded by a hundred-year-old forest and a splendid olive orchard for the guests exclusive enjoyment.

The castle hotel Castell D'Empordà lies in Girona, a beautiful city in Northern Catalonia. More than a thousand years of history come together in ancient Girona, which extends around the single nave cathedral and the alleyways of the Jewish Quarter. This, along with the Arabian baths, the boulevards or the monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants, are some of the attractions that makes Girona a required stop for any tourist. Overnights Castell D'Emporda, (B, L)

May 20: Girona - Barcelona

We depart Girona today for Barcelona, with photographic stops along the way. Afternoon free to revisit your favorite photographic locations in this amazing city. Overnight Barcelona Center Hotel, (B, D)

May 21: Barcelona - Home

There will be a group transfer (time to be announced) to the Barcelona Airport. (B)

Accommodations

Please contact us for more details.

Guides

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Food & Drink

Please contact us for more details.

Notes

The trip is suited for people of all photographic levels, and there will be plenty of time to work individually with participants to address specific photographic concerns. On several occasions, we will venture out to photograph the city at night This is primarily a photo tour,with time to enjoy the famous architecture and arts.

Pricing Info

Tour land cost: $0 US Dollars based upon minimum of paying participants. All our program prices are based on double occupancy unless noted in exceptions.

Single room supplement: Please contact us for more details about the single room supplement. We try to accommodate travelers who request single accommodations, as well as travelers who are looking for a roommate. If a single room is requested, or if we are unable to find a suitable roommate, you will be required to pay the supplement.

Note: The land costs on international tours is based upon current exchange rates. Although the rate has been relatively stable, should it change, there may need to be an adjustment in the land cost.

General Tour Info (includes, excludes and other details)