What's new in Italy and Spain for 2015
Barcelona's big news for art lovers is the opening of Casa Lleo Morera, which has one of the best-preserved Modernista interiors (from 1906), containing finely crafted mosaics, ceramic work, wooden ceilings and doors, stone sculptures and stained glass. Reservations are required and access is by tour only (www.casalleomorera.com).
Also for Barcelona, the easiest way to get advance tickets for architect Antoni Gaudi's soaring Sagrada Familia is on the church's own website (www.sagradafamilia.cat). At Gaudi's popular Parc Guell, you now need a timed-entry ticket to enter the Monumental Zone to see the architect's iconic work: the colorful dragon, grand staircase, and wavy-benched view terrace. While the rest of the park is free and wide open, reserve your 7-euro ticket online as far in advance as you can for the Monumental Zone (www.parkguell.cat).
San Sebastian is spiffing itself up to be a European Capital of Culture in 2016. Its excellent Museum of San Telmo now has more exhibits on Basque culture than ever.
In Madrid's Royal Palace, the kitchen, where the gala dinners were prepared, will open to the public, though the royal pharmacy has closed. The National Archaeological Museum has reopened after a major renovation -- it's like a small British Museum and well worth visiting.
Toledo's plan to make the old town center essentially traffic-free is taking shape with construction of a new parking lot and escalator that should ease the walk from the train station into town.
Gibraltar's monkeys, which congregate at the Apes' Den on the Rock, have gotten more aggressive, spoiled by being fed for photo ops. Taxi drivers have been warned to stop feeding them.
In Cordoba, the brand-new high-tech Museo Taurino Cordoba pays tribute to the city's bullfighting tradition with displays on bull-raising, bullfighters, and the aesthetics of the fight (though similar museums in Ronda and Sevilla are better).
In Granada, if you want to see the famous Moorish palace at the Alhambra on short notice, the easiest solution is to buy the pricey Bono Turistico city pass, which even at the last minute (sometimes even the same day) lets you choose virtually any entry time to the complex.
Throughout your travels to Spain and Italy, while you enjoy the classic, enduring sights, appreciate how they also change with the times to accommodate all the people who come to enjoy Europe's southern realm. Enjoy both the old and the new!
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Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.
(c)2014 RICK STEVES DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
