Spain or Portugal? Both have pros and cons
Like many travelers, last spring I visightd Barcelona dreaming of seeing Antoni Gaudi’s breathtaking Sagrada Familia church. When I got there, the ticket office was closed, with a posted sign: “No more tickets today. Buy your ticket for another day online.” Thankfully, I knew to book tickets in advance.
Along with Sagrada Familia, Spain’s other sights to book ahead include the Picasso Museum, La Pedrera, Casa Batllo and Park Guell in Barcelona; the Palacios Nazaries at the Alhambra in Granada; and the Royal Alcazar Moorish palace, Church of the Savior, and cathedral in Sevilla. Barcelona’s Casa Amatller and Palace of Catalan Music, and Salvador Dali’s house in Cadaques all require a guided tour, which also must be booked ahead. Advance tickets for the Dali Theater-Museum in nearby Figueres are also a good idea. While it may be technically possible to buy tickets on-sight, in my guidebooks I simply say you must reserve in advance. It’s much smarter.
Here are more things to know if you have plans to travel to Spain and Portugal in 2019. Barcelona continues to evolve. After a long renovation, the Maritime Museum has reopened, displaying 13th- to 18th-century ships (restoration continues on the later-century ships). The El Raval neighborhood is rising up as the new bohemian zone. While this area has rough edges, its recently reopened Sant Antoni market hall, new Museum of Contemporary Art and pedestrian-friendly streets contribute to its boom of creative shops, bars and restaurants.
In Spain’s northern Basque country, San Sebastian’s old tobacco factory has been converted into the free Tabakalera International Center for Contemporary Culture, hosting films and art exhibits — and knockout views from its roof terrace. In Pamplona, a new exhibit gives a behind-the-scenes look at the town’s famous bullring.
In the south of Spain, the cathedral in Sevilla now runs rooftop tours, providing a better view — and experience — than its bell tower climb. In nearby Cordoba, you can now climb the bell tower at the Mezquita, the massive mosque-turned-cathedral. But Cordoba’s 14th-century synagogue is