“Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” —Ibn Battuta
Many peoples’ visions of vacations in Spain are overwhelmed by crowded beaches, partying teenagers and being harassed on Las Ramblas in Barcelona. The Paradores hotels rewrite all these preconceptions – the group of truly unique properties scattered across Spain’s rural, unspoilt regions and towns introduce visitors to a history-rich Spain.
The gloomy weather was the perfect setting for a visit to this stone-walled fortress that William the Conqueror began to construct in the 1070s. After all, it is the scene of murder, mystery and beheadings. Yes, it also houses the Crown Jewels, but the stories of the people who lived, loved and died here can be much more interesting than valuable gems.
Paris is often called the City of Light, although the nickname has nothing to do with the city’s actual light. Instead, the name refers to intellects and artists who came to the city, making it a place of enlightenment.
It is said that Northern Ireland’s Dunluce Castle may have been the inspiration for Cair Paravel in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.