[Sunday] After attending church this morning, we took Uber to IAH. At 6:00 pm we left Houston gate D11 on Lufthansa LH441, an A330-300 airplane. We arrived at 9:48 am at the Frankfurt Airport. Our Business Class seats lowered to a flat bed and after dinner we went to sleep. We had breakfast before landing in Frankfort.

< Frankfurt.

Click on the photos to enlarge.

[Monday] After a short time to change planes in Frankfurt, we boarded LH1130, an A321-200 to Barcelona. We pushed back at 11:16 am. Business Class was kind of strange. It was 3-across, with the middle seat vacant. No extra legroom.

We arrived in Barcelona at 1:08 pm and took a taxi to our hotel - The Catalonia Cathedral Hotel. We had to walk about 3 blocks to our hotel because it was in a pedestrian area. Traffic on the highway to the hotel was heavy.

After we checked in, we walked to the Spar grocery store nearby and bought some fruit and Apple Cider Vinegar.

< Catalonia Cathedral Hotel in the orange building.

About 5:00 pm, we went next door to the Pans & Company sandwich shop and ate supper. We then walked past the impressive Barcelona Cathedral and down the street about 4 or 5 blocks. We didn't go inside the church. We then went back to the hotel.

< Barcelona Cathedral.

[Tuesday] At 9:30 am, after breakfast in the hotel, we took the Barcelona Old Town and Gothic Quarter Walking Tour. It was 3 hours long and we saw many historic and beautiful buildings.

Here is a list of the sites from the tour website:

Read more about - Barcelona Old Town and Gothic Quarter Walking Tour - https://www.viator.com/tours/Barcelona/Old-Town-and-Gothic-Quarter-Guided-Walking-Tour-in-Barcelona/d562-9866P16?mcid=56757

< Roman columns from the Temple of Augustus.

< < < <

We returned to our hotel and relaxed that afternoon. At 6:00 pm, we ate supper in the Ascent Restaurant in the hotel. We had a delicious dinner.

[Wednesday] Wednesday we took The Sagrada Familia Guided Tour with Skip the Line Ticket. It is Europe's most unconventional basilica and the most visited site in Barcelona. It is the work of Antoni Gaudi. Construction began in 1882 and is scheduled to complete in 2033. It is currently surrounded by construction equipment. We were with about 14,000 of our closest friends visiting it today! The only way to get inside without standing for hours in a long line, is to buy a tour with skip-the-line tickets.

Here is a description of the tour from the Viator website:

Read more about - Sagrada Familia Guided Tour with Skip the Line Ticket - https://www.viator.com/tours/Barcelona/Sagrada-Familia-Guided-express-english-tour/d562-190179P1?mcid=56757

< < < <

< < < Sagrada Familia.

After touring the church, we took the subway and toured La Pedrera - Casa Mila, a unusual residential building designed by Gaudi before he started working on the church. We used an audio tour guide that we downloaded from the Viator app.

Here is a brief description from the website:

It was a long day - 10,000+ steps. We returned to the hotel and then went to eat at a tapa restaurant nearby.

< < < La Pedrera - Casa Mila.

[Thursday] This morning we relaxed after yesterday and about noon, we then went to the Cathedral of Barcelona near our hotel and went inside.

< < < < Cathedral of Barcelona.

After that we walked about a quarter mile to the Palace of Catalan Music and toured it. This is a real palace of music, a celebration of tilework, sculpture and glorious stained glass. It is the only concert hall in Europe lit by natural light. It was completed in 1908. The auditorium is lit by a huge inverted dome of stained glass depicting angelic choristers.

< < < < Palace of Catalan Music.

We then walked around and ate supper at a restaurant and returned to the hotel for the evening.

[Friday] This morning we took the Spanish Civil War and Franco tour from 10:30 am until 1:00 pm.

Here is the description of the tour from their Viator site:

Step back in time on this uncommon walking tour of Barcelona, retracing the footsteps of fascists and anarchists in the Spanish Civil War. Following your guide, you'll go well beyond the guidebooks, discovering the catalysts behind this often-overlooked conflict, what life was like under Franco's fascist dictatorship, and you'll see firsthand why Barcelona was dubbed one of Europe's "most explosive" cities.

Read more about - The Spanish Civil War & Franco Barcelona Walking Tour - https://www.viator.com/tours/Barcelona/Bombs-Anarchists-and-the-Rise-of-Fascism-The-Spanish-Civil-War-in-Barcelona/d562-246027P4?mcid=56757

One of the sites we visited was the Church of Santa Anna. It was built around 1177. It is now partially destroyed.

< Homeless Jesus on bench in front of Santa Anna Church. < Santa Anna Church.

< < Damage to church building from Civil War.

< < < Photos from the tour.

Afterwards we went next door to the hotel and ate lunch at the Pans & Company restaurant.

After lunch, we visited the Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi. It is a 15th Century Gothic church.

< < < Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi.

In the afternoon we decided to walk down the Las Ramblas to the Mediterranean seafront. This pedestrian street is busy around the clock. It was overrun with people - not a lot different from the rest of old town. It has restaurants and all types of shops along the way.

< < < Along Las Ramblas.

We ended up at the Christopher Columbus monument. It is 200 feet tall with Chris up on top pointing. He is supposed to be pointing to America, but we checked and he is pointing towards Africa. Oh well!

< Christopher Columbus monument. < Tax Collectors office.

< Headquarters for the Ministry of Defence.

[Saturday] Saturday morning we decided to go to one more building built by Antoni Gaudi. It is Casa Vicens, his first house. It is not like any other house built for people to live in. You were able to go up on the roof and look around.

< < < < Casa Vicens.

[Sunday] Spain went on Daylight Saving Time early Sunday morning.

The weather while we were in Barcelona was sunny. Low's were in the upper 40's and high's were in the lower 60's.

Today, we took a high speed train to Seville on the iryo line. We left Barcelona-Sants station at exactly 9:50 am. We hit speeds of 183 mph on some of the trip to Seville-Santa Justa station. We arrived on time at 3:45 pm and took a taxi to the Ocean Drive Sevilla - New Opening hotel. We found out that it had actually just opened in 2025. It was in a great central location.

< < Barcelona-Sants station.

< Some snow in the mountains along the route. < Our train to Seville.

< Ocean Drive Sevilla hotel. < View from our room.

After we got unpacked, we walked about a block to a grocery store and picked up a few things. We decided to eat supper in the hotel restaurant.

[Monday] Today after breakfast in the hotel, we took the 10:30 am Seville Guided Small-Group Walking Tour. The group was not as small as we expected and the audio headphone was distorted, but we saw some very beautiful buildings and got some interesting history lessons. At the cathedral, we walked up a ramp of 32 sections to the top of La Giralda to see a view of the city from the top of the tower. At the end of the tour, we ate lunch at a restaurant nearby. We strolled back to the hotel and arrived about 4:00 pm.

Here is a description of the tour from their Viator page:

Explore the historic city of Seville on foot with this small-group walking tour, ideal for travelers that want to enjoy the Andalusian hub without crowds. Your guide will share stories, facts, and secrets about the hidden corners of the city as you view Seville's most important and emblematic monuments and landmarks such as the Alcazar palace, Plaza Espana, and the Cathedral.

< < Seville Cathedral and La Giralda.

< A corner of the Real Alcazar.

< < Plaza Espana.

At the end of the tour, we walked back to the hotel. On the way we saw the University of Seville. It occupies a building built as a tobacco factory in the 1700's, and at that time, thousands of people worked there under strick guard due to the value of the tobacco.

< < ...

After resting for a while we went out to eat nearby.

[Tuesday] This morning after breakfast in the hotel, we walked to where we could catch the Hop On - Hop Off bus and road around its 14 stops. When we got back to our start, we got off and returned to the hotel.

After a short while in the hotel, we took the HO-HO Bus to the stop near the Plaza de Toros - the bull fighting stadium. It has been a bullfighting landmark since its construction in 1761. We didn't go inside, but we ate lunch at a restaurant nearby. On the wall, it had some of the heads of the bulls that lost their fight in the statium across the street.

< < Plaza de Toros and the restaurant.

We then rode the bus back to our start and walked back to the hotel. For supper we ate at Burger King. :-)

[Wednesday] This morning after breakfast we went to Las Setas de Sevilla, the massive wooden structure next to our hotel, and took the tour along the top, overlooking the city. It is popularly known as Seville Mushrooms. It was said to be the largest wooden structure in the world. It is lighted up at night with various colored lights. It was controversial when it was constructed in 2011, and remains so. We ended up at a 180 degree video highlighting the city.

< < < Setas de Sevilla.

< View or Seville from the top.

Next we walked a short distance to Palacio de Las Duenas and toured it. It is a privately owned palace (belongs to the House of Alba) in the middle of the city. It was built in the late 15th century. The palace is one of the major historic homes of great architectural and artistic heritage in the city.

< < < Placio de Las Duenas.

Afterwards we returned to the hotel and ate a 3:00 pm meal across from our hotel.

[Thursday] It was 54 and rainy as we woke up this morning. The rain let up by 10:00 am, so we walked to Casa de Pilatos and took an audio tour of the first floor. It was named Casa de Pilatos by the first owner because it was thought to resemble Pontus Pilate's home in Jerusalem. The palace now serves as the permanent residence of the Dukes of Medinaceli. They live on the top floor, which is closed to the public. The Casa de Pilatos has around 150 different azulejo (Spanish glazed tile) designs made in the 1530s. Construction was begun in 1483.

< < . < Casa de Pilatos.

In the afternoon we walked to Iglesia Cologial del Diveno Salvador, the second largest church in Seville. It is one of the most ornate churches we have seen.

< < < < Iglesia Cologial del Diveno Salvador.

We ate supper at a restaurant near the hotel.

[Friday] Friday started off with very bad weather. There was rain, wind and temperature in the 50’s. By early afternoon, it was much better. We stayed in our hotel until about 11:45.

We then caught a taxi from the hotel to near the meeting point for our scheduled tour at 12:30 pm. Our tour was to the Alcazar and Cathedral of Seville with Skip the Line Tickets.

Here is a description of the tour from the Viator website:

Skip the long lines at Seville's top two must-see monuments on a guided tour of the Royal Alcazar and the Seville Cathedral. Tickets can sell out during peak times, so guarantee your entrance to Europe's oldest royal palace and the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Learn the fascinating history behind both places as a guide leads you to hidden treasures and highlights, including the burial site of Christopher Columbus.

The Seville Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Europe. It occupies the site of a great mosque built in the late 12th century by the Muslims. The La Giralda is the bell tower that was built by the Muslims and converted to Christianity, when the Muslims were defeated and the mosque was destroyed. The Christians kept the tower, but replaced the mosque with their church. We walked up 34 ramps (instead of stairs) to the top for a brief view of the city. The church is so large and was so crowded that it was difficult to get a good picture.

< < Seville Cathedral.

< < View at the top of La Giralda.

< < Seville Cathedral.

< Christopher Columbus's tomb.

After the church tour completed, our tour of the Royal Alcazar began. This palace is the current property of the King of Spain, King Felipe VI, and is one of the most visited places in Europe. It was formerly the site of the Islamic-era citadel of the city begun in the 10th century. It was also too large to photograph very well.

< < < .

< < < Royal Alcazar.

[Saturday] This morning we took a taxi to Mercado de Triana, a large indoor market with booths of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish and meat and many other food items. The produce looked great.

< < < Mercado de Triana.

Walking around the area we saw many beautiful buildings.

< < Two beautiful building we walked past.

Another impressive building we walked past is Palacio de San Telmo. The Palace of San Telmo was formerly the Universidad de Mareantes (a university for navigators), now is the seat of the presidency of the Andalusian Autonomous Government.

< < Palacio de San Telmo.

We then walked across the river and wandered through the neighborhood to Plaza de Espana. It was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929.

The Plaza de Espana complex is a huge half-circle; the buildings are accessible by four bridges over the moat, which represent the ancient kingdoms of Spain. In the centre is the Vicente Traver fountain. Many tiled alcoves were built around the plaza, each representing a different province of Spain.

< < < < Plaza de Espana.

We ate lunch in a restaurant close by that we ate at before.

We then walked to Plaza de America and went inside. It was built by architect Aníbal Gonzalez for the Ibero-American exhibition of 1929. It is now a museum.

< < Plaza de America.

We took an Uber back to the hotel.

[Sunday] Today we took a high speed train from Seville to Madrid. We rode on the renfe train line from Sevilla-Justa to Madrid-Atocha station. We left Seville at 10:30 am and arrived in Madrid at 1:15 pm. As usual it was a very comfortable way to travel.

< Seville-Justa. < Countryside on the way.

At 3:00 pm we were able to enter our hotel, The Libere Madrid Chamberi. It was not your normal hotel. There was nobody in the small entrance lobby. You entered the building with an app on your phone, which also let you into your room. Our room was actually a fully furnished one bedroom apartment. It had a full kitchen and living area and bedroom. You could live there comfortably for a long time.

< Libere Madrid Chamberi.

[Monday] Today we took an Uber to downtown Madrid and spent the day wandering around the city, looking at all the interesting sights. Everything was packed with people, since it was a beautiful sunny, but cool day. Some of the places we saw were Plaza de Mayor, the Four Seasons Hotel, Mercado de San Miguel, and Plaza de La Villa.

< Plaza de Mayor. < Four Seasons Hotel.

< . < < Mercado de San Miguel.

< Casa de Cisneros.

We also saw the Casa de Cisneros a palace built in the Plateresque style in 1537. It is one of the oldest and most beautiful buildings in the Plaza de la Villa.

< Plaza de La Villa.

[Tuesday] Today we took the opportunity to rest in the morning and get a late start to the day. At noon we spent the afternoon walking around the neighborhood of our hotel, which was out of the city center. We didn't see any more obvious tourists, only the locals.

We walked to a large park that had running and walking tracks, as well as nice benches and places to relax and enjoy the area away from the bustle of the city.

We saw the apartment buildings that locals live in. They were more modern than in the heart of the old city, as would be expected.

We happened upon the only auto accident that we have seen, even though the taxi drivers drive aggressively. We looked for a while, because it was interesting how the police were handling the situation. It occurred in front of a fire station, so the firefighters came out to participate.

We returned to our hotel and relaxed before going across the street to eat dinner, and do our final packing for our return home Wednesday morning.

< Large park for locals near our hotel. < The traffic accident.

[Wednesday] Today we booked a 3:00 am transfer from the hotel to the Madrid airport for a 6:00 am flight back home through Frankfurt. We flew on Lufthansa LH1121, a A320neo to Frankfurt. We arrived at 8:35 am and left at 10:00 am on LH440 to Houston IAH. We were on a B747-8. It was a comfortable trip and we arrived in Houston at 1:35 pm. We caught an Uber back home.

< Our B747-8.

This draws to a close our brief trip to Spain. We hope you enjoyed the photos and brief descriptions of our activities. God willing, join us again soon for another travel adventure.

Ciao,

Lawson & Kay

LORD, you are my God; I will honor you and praise your name. You have done amazing things; you have faithfully carried out the plans you made long ago. (Isaiah 25:1 GNT)