The Art of Living: From Barcelona to Paris - 2013
Pairing culinary adventures and wine tasting tours with art history and architectural splendors, this 13-day journey celebrates the art of living in some of the most culturally rich destinations in Spain and France. Beginning in Barcelona travel along the coast and through the Payee Basque, Languedoc, Bordeaux, and the Dordogne to Paris – sampling the food, the wine, the art, and the rich cultural traditions that elevate life to an art form. Multi-night stays all along the way afford the opportunity to explore what makes the art of living in each place memorable and all its own.
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Carolyn Miller
on October 14, 2013Barcelona's Montjuïc is a broad shallow hill with a relatively flat top overlooking the harbour, to the southwest of the city centre. The eastern side of the hill is almost a sheer cliff, giving it a commanding view over the city's harbour immediately below. The top of the hill (a height of 184,8 m) was the site of several fortifications, the latest of which (the Castle of Montjuïc) remains today. The fortress largely dates from the 17th century, with 18th-century additions. In 1842, the garrison (loyal to the Madrid government) shelled parts of the city. It served as a prison, often holding political prisoners, until the time of General Franco. The castle was also the site of numerous executions. In 1897, an incident popularly known as Els processos de Montjuïc prompted the execution of anarchist supporters, which then led to a severe repression of the workers' struggle for their rights. On different occasions during the Spanish Civil War, both Nationalists and Republicans were executed there, each at the time when the site was held by their opponents. The Catalan nationalist leader Lluís Companys i Jover was also executed there in 1940, having been extradited to the Franco government by the Nazis.