Monday, March 12, 2012 Continental Airlines 1543 leaves Cleveland (CLE) at 4:36 pm arrives in Newark (EWR) at 6:29 pm. Continental Airlines CO 62 leaves Newark (EWR) at 8:15 pm arrives in Madrid (MAD) at 8:45 am on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Return to US: Thursday, March 22, 2012 Continental Airlines CO 65 leaves Lisbon (LIS) at 9:15 am arrives in Newark (EWR) at 1:32 pm. Continental Airlines CO 51 leaves Newark (EWR) at 4:38 pm arrives in Cleveland (CLE) at 6:20 pm
Dear WRA Travelers, As indicated on your registration form, it is mandatory for all tour participants to obtain travel insurance to protect your investment in case you have to cancel for a medical situation, loss of luggage or various other reasons. Our recommended insurance option is described below along with an online link to Travel Guard. We highly recommend this company based on a long and excellent relationship. TravelGuard has a variety of policies including a family plan. In order for us to keep track of travel insurance for your group, please sign up through these links connected with Incantato Tours. Click here to get a Travel Guard Insurance quote.
Incantato Tours strongly recommends getting Travel Guard travel insurance for your upcoming journey as they have been a very reliable partner and provide excellent services, but we also know that you may have a different preferred supplier or are already covered under another policy. Again, travel insurance with trip cancellation coverage is mandatory for all Incantato Tours travelers. Not only are you covered medically should anything happen when traveling, but with TravelGuard's policies, you also protect your investment should you have to cancel or interrupt the trip.There is also coverage for delayed and lost luggage etc. Here is a direct line to purchase travel insurance online and can you do so with your credit cards and also select the option that is best for you.
In the meantime, have a look at the most comprehensive coverage option The Protect Assist Gold below.
Protect Assist (Gold) -
Comprehensive Travel Protection for the World Traveler
Trip Cancellation
JUST ADDED! - Trip Cancellation due to employment loss or layoff if employed with the same employer 1 year or longer
Trip Interruption and Travel Delay
Emergency Medical and Emergency Medical Transportation
Baggage and Travel Document Protection
Baggage Delay and Lost Baggage Tracking
NEW - Cancel For Any Reason option now available
NEW - Cancel For Work Reasons option now available
NEW - Children age 17 and under covered at no additional cost
IMPROVED -Trip Cancellation limit increased to $100,000 (from $15,000),
IMPROVED - Trip Interruption coverage increased to 150% of Trip Cost
* These additional benefits apply If you are purchasing within 15 days of making your initial trip deposit or payment, however, coverage may still be purchased at any time up to 24 hours prior to departure. Increase your coverage with these valuable additions to your Protect Assist Plan: Cancel For Any Reason – 50% reimbursement of nonrefundable expenses if you cancel your trip for any reason, up to 48 hours prior to your departure. Only available when this plan is purchased within 15 days of initial trip payment. Cancel For Work Reasons – Offers additional work-related reasons for cancellation or interruption. Also includes our exclusive “Business Assistant” services if you have work obligations during your travels. Only available when this plan is purchased within 15 days of initial trip payment.
Umbrella Package – Medical Expense limits are doubled and coverage is upgraded to primary. Emergency Medical Transportation limits are doubled and benefits upgraded to take you home or to the hospital of your choice. $25,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage will be added
Optional coverages cannot be purchased separately. Must be purchased with base ProtectAssist plan.
Comprehensive non-insurance travel services* automatically included with plan!With the ProtectAssist plan, every customer also has access to these valuable travel services when they travel: ·Arrangements for last-minute flight changes ·Hotel finder and reservations ·Rental car reservations ·Emergency medical assistance ·BagTrak® -- lost baggage tracking ·Pre-trip health and safety advisories ·Live e-mail and phone messaging to family and friends ·Cash transfers ·Airport transportation ·Golf course reservations ·Event ticketing ·Floral services ·Identity Theft restoration
Business Assistant* (available when Optional Cancel for Work Reasons coverage is purchased)
*Non-Insurance services are provided by AIG Travel Assist.
Eligibility Citizenship: All Nationalities Residency: United States New York, Oregon, and Washington residence please call to purchase Some rider options are not available and other restrictions may apply Destination: Worldwide Ages: All Ages Max Trip Length: 365 Days
"Roscón de Reyes" is a traditional bread cake, served usually the morning of “Reyes” or Epiphany, January 6th. It is thelast Christmas event.
"Dia de Reyes" is the day when children in Spain receive gifts in our Christmas time. The Three Wise Men, los Tres Reyes Magos, are the 3 kings who brought baby Jesus gifts. The brought gold, incense and myrrh to him, and now they bring presents to all of us. Even when nowadays most children get some Santa Klaus gift on December 25th, we mostly keep the tradition of the 3 Wise Men.
These very days, in each city or village of Spain you can join a parade of the Tres Reyes Magos, and many places offer a Reception of one of the 3 Kings – or their page-boys – so that the children candirectly askfor their presents… but there is one condition:
If
we were good during the year, we receive the presents. If we were bad…
they leave just “coal” for us, which is a coal shaped black candy, pure
sugar!
And on the very morning of the 6th,
with the presents waiting on us, we eat the Roscón for breakfast all
together. And not only this: the roscón has many surprises hidden
inside: among others, usually a
porcelain figure of a baby wrapped in foil and a dry bean are hidden in
the dough. Whoever finds the baby will have good luck and be the king
of the party, but if you find the bean - pay for the cake!
In
case you want to enjoy a homemade roscón, we have included 2 recipes
here: one easy and one difficult, for you to join the Wise Men day with
some Spanish taste. We hope you enjoy them!
EASY RECIPE
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Basic ingredients:
400g flour
3 eggs
100g butter
100g sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 liter milk
Zest of 1 lemon
Dried mixed peel for decorating
Salt
Preparation:
Mix the baking powder in a glass with 4 tbsp of
the milk then add this to 100g of the flour and mix together until it
forms a dough type mixture - cover with a clean tea towel and set aside
until it doubles in size.
Place the rest of the flour (300g) in a bowl and
add the eggs, sugar, pinch of salt, the rest of the milk and zest of the
lemon - mix well then add the butter and continue mixing for a further 2
mins then add the dough mixture - once a smooth dough has been achieved
cover and set aside for 2 hour.
After 2 hours knead the mixture a little before
placing it on a greased baking tray in the form of a ring. Put some
little figures wrapped up in foil inside the mixture and also a broad
bean. Whoever finds the bean, according to tradition, can expect to
receive coal rather than presents from the Kings. Brush with milk,
decorate using the mixed peel, lightly sprinkle with sugar and place in a
pre-heated oven (160 degrees) for 15 - 20 min.
DIFFICULT RECIPE
Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
4 cups unbleached flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 oz yeast
2/3 cup mixed lukewarm milk and water (of equal parts)
6 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp sugar
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Grated rind of 1 orange
2 eggs
1 Tbsp brandy
1 Tbsp water
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Candied fruit pieces, cherries, oranges, etc.
Preparation:
Serves 8-10.
Sift flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Make a hole in the center of the flour.
In a small mixing bowl, stir and dissolve the dry
yeast in the lukewarm milk-water mixture. Once dissolved, pour the
dissolved yeast into the center of the flour. Stir in just enough flour
from around the bowl to make a thick batter.
With your hand, grab about a teaspoon of the
flour from the side of bowl and sprinkle it over the top of batter.
Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and leave in a warm place, away from any
draft. Allow batter to turn spongy, about 15 minutes.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or
whisk to beat together the butter and sugar. The mixture should be
smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Put grated orange and lemon rinds, eggs, brandy and water to the bowl with flour mixture. Mix all. The dough will be sticky.
Beat flour mixture until it is elastic and
smooth. Beat in butter-sugar mixture and mix until the dough is smooth.
Dough should be formed into a ball, then covered with oiled plastic
wrap. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and leave it again in a warm place
and allow to rise until doubled in size. This will take approximately
1.5 hours.
While you are waiting for the dough to rise,
grease a large baking sheet with vegetable shortening and set aside for
use later. If you will use a baking stone, no need to grease it.
Once dough has doubled, remove plastic wrap and
punch dough down. Lightly flour a clean counter or cutting board and
place dough on it. Knead for 2-3 minutes. Then, using a rolling pin,
roll dough into a long rectangle, about 2 feet long and 5-6 inches wide.
Roll the dough on the long side into a sausage
shape. Carefully place the dough onto the large baking sheet or stone
and connect the ends together, forming a ring. If you will hide a bean
or a small foil-wrapped,
ceramic figurine in the cake, now is the time to tuck it under the
dough. Cover with oiled plastic wrap again. Leave in a warm place and
allow to double in size. This will take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Heat oven to 350F degrees. Lightly beat the egg
white in a bowl. Uncover the dough and brush the top of the cake.
Decorate the ring with the candied fruit pieces. Push them into the
dough slightly so that they do not fall off.
Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool on a rack before serving.
In the last half of the 20th century, filling the roscón with whipped cream or thick custard became popular. Today about a third of the roscones
sold in Spain are filled. If you want to fill yours, use a bread knife
to slice the bread in half horizontally and carefully remove the top.
Next, squeeze in the whipped cream or filling you've chosen and
carefully replace the top. Keep refrigerated until serving if filled
with cream or custard.
Here you have a wonderful picture from the International Space Station, NASA, in which you will be able to trace your next steps in Spain and Portugal.
We simply took it from the NASA page http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=76777 as we found it so beautiful and different, and a good Christmas image somehow... Below is a passage from the NASA page, thanks to all the NASA team!!
We wish a wonderfully happy and fantastic New Year 2012 for you all!!
"The city lights of Spain and Portugal define the Iberian Peninsula in this photograph from the International Space Station (ISS). Several large metropolitan areas are visible, marked by their relatively large and brightly lit areas, including the capital cities of Madrid, Spain—located near the center of the peninsula’s interior—and Lisbon, Portugal—located along the southwestern coastline. The ancient city of Seville, visible to the north of the Strait of Gibraltar, is one of the largest cities in Spain. The astronaut view is looking toward the east, and is part of a time-lapse series of images.
The network of smaller cities and towns along the coastline and in the interior attest to the extent of the human presence on the Iberian landscape. The blurring of city lights is caused by thin cloud cover (image left and center), while cloud tops are dimly illuminated by moonlight. Though obscured, the lights of France are visible near the horizon line on the upper left, while the lights of northern Africa are more clearly discernable at right. The faint gold and green line of airglow—caused by ultraviolet radiation exciting the gas molecules in the upper atmosphere—parallels the horizon (or Earth limb).
The Iberian Peninsula is the southwestern-most of the European peninsulas (together with the Italian and Balkan peninsulas), and includes the Principality of Andorra, as well as the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic. The approximately 590,000 square kilometer landmass is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the northwest, west, and southwest and the Mediterranean Sea to the east. Its northeastern boundary is marked by the Pyrenees mountain range.
Astronaut photograph ISS030-E-10008 was acquired on December 4, 2011, with a Nikon D3S digital camera using a 24 mm lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations experiment and Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by the Expedition 30 crew. The image has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast. Lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Caption by William L. Stefanov, Jacobs Technology/ESCG at NASA-JSC."
On December 22 almost everyone in Spain takes part in the Christmas Lottery, and prizes are celebrated in style out in the streets.
Christmas Eve (December 24) and Christmas Day (December 25) brings families together. Traditional dishes such as lamb and sea bream are prepared, along with seasonal desserts such as turrón (rich sweet made with almonds), polvorones (crumbly shortbread) and marzipan.
Many attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, to commemorate the birth of Jesus.
December 28, the Day of the Santos Inocentes,
where people play pranks on each other similar to those of April
Fools’ Day. Novelty items purchased at street markets add to the
entertainment.
Bid farewell to the year with the New Year’s Eve celebrations on December 31.
Tradition has it that you have to eat 12 grapes one by one, in time
with the striking of the clock at midnight on December 31. If you
manage to eat all the grapes on time, you are in for a year of
prosperity and good luck. People gather at the clock towers in their
towns or cities (usually found in the main square) to toast and welcome
in the New Year. Puerta del Sol Square in Madrid is a popular place
to spend New Year's Eve. Thousands of people decked out with hats and
squawkers joyfully toast in the New Year. Celebrations continue
throughout the night at hotels, bars and clubs throughout Spain.
Another
tradition is found in Alcoy, where young and old alike anticipate
Christmas and the arrival of the Three Wise Men with special
excitement. On the Sunday before January 6 (Epiphany), a children’s parade called “les Pastoretes”
(the little shepherds) is held. Children dressed up as shepherds
parade with their flocks to give gifts to the new-born Baby Jesus.
Excitement builds until January 4 when the Royal Envoy reads a
royal proclamation announcing the coming of Melchior, Caspar and
Balthazar, The Envoy is accompanied by “les Burretes,” small donkeys that carry letterboxes where the children put their letters to the Three Wise Men.
Finally, when night falls on January 5,
the Three Wise Men make their spectacular entry into Alcoy, riding
camels, loaded with presents. Torch bearers (antorcheros) light the way
as the Wise Men ride through the streets of the town. Christmas
carols fill the air as the royal pages (“les negres”) hand out presents to the children.
A shawl, a guitar, a voice and heartfelt emotion. These are the ingredients of Fado, the celebrated form of world music that captures what it is to be Portuguese. Fado is probably the oldest urban folk music in the world and represents the heart of the Portuguese soul.
Listening to Fado is like visiting Lisbon, meeting the Portuguese people, those that once upon a time faced the unknown sea. This type of music that connected nobles, vagabonds and seafarers, is still nowadays a shared passion by all Portuguese.
Fado has been recognized last November 2011 by the UNESCO as Inmaterial Humankind Patrimony.
TYPES OF FADO
Fado can be performed by men or women, although the raw emotion of the female fadista is nearly always preferred. Dressed in black with a shawl draped over her shoulders, a fadista stands in front of the musicians and communicates through gesture and facial expressions. The hands move, but the body remains stationary. It’s a solemn and majestic performance.
Traditionally accompanied by the Portuguese guitar, there are many ways of singing the Fado. It can range from the faster Fado corrido of Mouraria, to the impromptu singing known as ‘desgarrada’, or the mournful music of the students of Coimbra. And the well known Fado Vadio (Vagrant Fado), which is characterized by the place where it was born and sang for so long, the streets!
There are two main varieties of fado, namely those of the cities of Lisbon and Coimbra. The Lisbon style is the most popular, while Coimbra's is the more refined style. Some of their characteristics are that in Lisbon it is always sung by a solo performer on the contrary, in Coimbra it is often performed by groups of male university students. Both are accompanied by two guitarists, one playing the melody on a twelve-stringed Portuguese guitar and the other supplying the rhythm on the six-stringed viola. In Coimbra we find the usual Fado’s sad style, but with different motivations and also based in the medieval songs called trovas.
Inspiration for Fado can come from almost any source, with predominance of themes like: destiny, deep-seated feelings, disappointments in love, the sense of sadness and longing for someone who has gone away, the sea, the life of sailors and fishermen, and last but not least “Saudade” (one of the main themes used in fado, that means a kind of longing).
POSSIBLE ORIGINS OF FADO
The word Fado comes from the Latin fatum, which means fate or destiny. Fado, in a certain way, represents better than anything the spirit of the Portuguese people: the belief in destiny as something that overwhelms us and from which we can't escape, the domination of the soul and heart over reason, which leads to acts of passion and despair, and reveal such a black and beautiful sorrow. There are many theories about the origin of Fado, like:
Fado has its origin in Moorish songs; Moors kept living near Lisbon even after the Christian take-over. The melancholy of those songs and the referral in many lyrics to Mouraria strengthen this theory.
Fado arrived to Portugal with the sailors returning from their long trips (1822), under the form of Lundum (the music of the Brazilian slaves). Lundum only after a while started modifying until it became the Fado. The first lundum songs related to the sea and the lands far beyond them, where the slaves lived. Then, one of Amália's Fados, called "The Black Boat" talks precisely of a senzala (place where the slaves were kept).
The melancholy character of Fado evolved from Portuguese seafarers who sang of home during their long absences at sea.
Fado was born in the Middle Ages. As cantigas de amigo (friend songs) are a good example of it. They were love songs dedicated to a woman and have great similarities with diverse subjects of the Fado of Lisbon. Also with the Fado of Coimbra, where the students intone their songs beneath the window of the loved one (serenades).
HISTORY OF FADO
Fado became popular thanks to the singer Maria Severa who lived in the first half of the 19th century and died at the age of 26. She made this type of song famous in aristocratic circles through her romance with the Count of Vimioso. Her life later became the subject of Portugal's first sound movie in 1931. To this day, female performers wear a black shawl in her memory and her life story has been the influence of several Fado songs, poems, novels, and plays.
By the early twentieth century, Fado had become a fixture in the everyday life of Lisbon’s working class. It was played for pleasure and also to relieve the pain of life. Fadistas, skilled singers that performed at the end of the day and long into the night. Fado was the earthly music of taverns, brothels and street corners mainly in Alfama, Mouraria, Bairro Alto and Madragoa. Fado reached its golden era in the first half of the 20th century, when the Portuguese dictatorship of Salazar (1926-1968) forced the fado performers to become professional and confined them to sing in the fado houses and the so called "revistas", a popular genre of "vaudeville". The main names of this period were: Alfredo Marceneiro, Amália Rodrigues, Maria Teresa de Noronha and Armandinho and Jaime Santos (guitar players).
From the 1940’s until 1999 Fado was shown to the world through the voice of one amazing artist, Amália Rodrigues, the towering figure of Portuguese fado. In the 20th century she made Fado known beyond Portugal, performing all over Europe, Japan, South America, and even in the United States, in New York's "La Vie en Rose" in the 1950s. When she died the country’s prime minister called for three days of national mourning, and as a national icon, she was buried in Lisbon's National Pantheon.
Amália has found a worthy successor in Mariza, who takes Fado to an even wider audience. Other very important names of Fado are Maria da Fé, Hermínia Silva, Argentina Santos and Carlos do Carmo.
Nowadays in Portugal, the younger generation respects fado but isn’t dedicated to it. Contemporary fado musicians like Misia have introduced the music to performers such as Sting. Cristina Branco, Dulce Pontes, Camané, Mafalda Arnauth and Katia Guerreiro are other sonant artists that keep Fado alive, and brought with them a new look to the traditional song, occasionally reviving 19th century fado. Amendoeira.
And also please note that despite Fado being a symbol of the Portuguese nationality, it is, by no means, the national song. From region to region, Portugal possesses several rich and typical folklores of each geographical area that have nothing to do with Fado. Perhaps we can, if you want, to say that this will be the form of folklore of Lisbon, Oporto and Coimbra. However, it is appreciated and recognized in all the Portuguese country as a symbol. This is the spirit of fado, the expression of a collective soul, made of each one's soul.
Sources:Clube de fado, www.fado.com, Historia do Fado, Pinto do Carvalho, A history of the Portuguese Fado , Paul Vernon,…
Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and is full of beauty and charm. However, don't scrape the surface thinking it's just like any other place. Lisbon has it's list of interesting secrets too.
In Lisbon, the streets are pretty much all black and white. People say the reason for this centers around the patron Saint of Lisbon; Saint Vincent. It's said that the black represents the attire worn by Saint Vincent whereas the white represents the white outfit of the Christian Crusaders who vanquished the Moors.
The main river basin of the Tagus Estuary in Lisbon stretches up to 14km across and is said to be large enough to contain all the warships in the world.
Beneath the streets of Lisbon's downtown shopping area lies a hidden Roman Underworld with chambers, rooms, bridges and corridors. The entrance to this fascinating world is marked by a block of metal at the top of Rua da Conceicao which is only open to the public two days a year due to the dangerous conditions lurking below.
Lisbon was practically destroyed on 1st November 1755 as a massive earthquake tipping the scales at 8.9 took the lives of 40,000 people and could be felt as far away as Scotland and Norway.
Visit on of Lisbon's favorite attractions; the Torre de Belem. The tower's first purpose was to safeguard the harbor but from the late 16th century up till the 19th, the tower served as a prison. Today however, it serves as a monument to Portugal's Age of Discovery and it provides a beautiful panoramic view of the city.
Lisbon is also known as "the town of seven hills" which are compromised of the seven hills: Castelo, Graca, Monte, Penha de Franca, S.Pedro de Alcantara, Santa Catarina and Estrela.
Instead of hiking, why not take a one of a kind The Ascensor de Santa Justa (street elevator). This is another beloved landmark which takes passengers 45meteres from the Baxia elevator to the Chiado district.
A very large statue of Cristo Rei (Christ the King) stands on the left bank of the river. This statue was erected to commemorate Portugal's survival of World War II without its direct involvement.
Ironically, The Alfama, which is the oldest section of Lisbon, was spared by the 1755 earthquake and is one of the places to really go if you want to see Lisbon full of history.
Lisbon is home to the Stadium of Light, one of Europe's biggest and famous soccer venues in which the main sporting team Benfica play their home game at.
Huelva and its environs is a Mecca for those interested in Christopher Columbus, with a number of significant tourist attractions relating to the famous explorer. Cristóbal Colón (as he is known in Spain), is thought by most to have been born in Genoa, Italy around 1451. After years of seeking funding support for an expedition which was to find a sea route to Asia, Columbus finally came to an agreement with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. They would (along with a number of Italian financiers) back his expedition in return for dominion over the any new lands. Columbus would be awarded titles and, of course, a percentage of any fortune that was made. The rest, of course, is world history.
La Rábida, Palos de la Frontera and Moguer are three of the key sites in the Columbus story, which lie along the eastern bank of the Rio Tinto estuary and can be visited in a 40 km return trip from Huelva. At least 10 buses a day run from Huelva bus station to La Rabida and Palos de la Frontera, many of them continuing to Moguer.
La Rábidais where Columbus stayed between 1491-92 waiting for financial backing from the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, for his voyage to the New World. The monastery was constructed in 1412 on the site of a Moorish stronghold; 'rábida' is a Arabic word meaning fortress. Its Moorish influences can still be seen in its Mudéjar architecture, including the fine cloister. The monastery has a 14th-century Gothic-Mudéjar church, where Captain Martín Alonso Pinzón, from Palos de la Frontera, who sailed with Columbus in one of his ships, is buried.
La Rábida was damaged by the Lisbon earthquake in 1755 and was left derelict in 1835 only to be restored a few decades later. It reopened in 1856 when it was declared a national monument. In 1920 Fransican monks returned to the convent and monks continue to live there today. The monastery, surrounded by magnificent botanical gardens full of exotic plants, is worth visiting for its museum detailing the discovery of the New World and Columbus's life. Also worth seeing are the murals in one of the monastery's rooms that depict Columbus's life, which were painted by the renowned local artist Daniel Vásquez Díaz in the 1930s. In the chapel is an alabaster statue of the Virgen de los Milagros (Virgin of Miracles), to which Columbus and his crew are said to have prayed. It is still venerated today, as the patron of neighbouring Palos de la Frontera. Every August the statue is taken to Palos for the town's religious festivities. In the Banderas room are flags from all the Latin American countries, along with a casket of earth from each.
According to legend, Seville was founded by Hercules and its origins are linked with the Tartessian civilisation. It was called Hispalis under the Romans and Isbiliya with the Moors. Its high point in its history was following the discovery of America.
Seville lies on the banks of the Guadalquivir and is one of the largest historical centres in Europe, it has the minaret of La Giralda, the cathedral (one of the largest in Christendom), and the Alcázar Palace. Part of its treasure include Casa de Pilatos, Torre del Oro, the Town Hall, Archive of the Indies (where the historical records of the American continent are kept), the Fine Arts Museum (the second largest picture gallery in Spain), plus convents, parish churches and palaces.
In Seville, you will want to visit the old city, with the Cathedraland the Giralda tower at its heart. (You can climb the steps inside the tower for a magnificent view of the City). Very close by are the royal Mudéjar palace known as the Alcazar with marvellous gardens and the Santa Cruz quarter, with cramped streets, flowered balconies, richly decorated facades and hidden patios... Other sights not to be missed are, in the old city, the Casa de Pilatos, a large sixteenth-century mansion where Mudejar, Gothic and Renaissance styles blend harmoniously amidst exuberant patios and gardens and, crossing the Trianabridge over the large Guadalquívir River, the lively popular quarter of Triana with charming narrow streets around the church of Santa Ana and traditional ceramic factories.
Seville has a rich and fascinating history. The Romans governed the whole of Spain for more than six centuries. Their first colony was Italica which may still be visited today.
The Romans changed the face of the countryside and towns, building aqueducts and long straight roads to link the major towns. Today some of the best preserved artifacts from this period can be found at the city's magnificent Archaelogical Museum.
But it was the Moslem civilization which was to have the most lasting impact on the city. Their reign lasted for nearly 800 years in Andalucia from 711 until 1492 when the Catholic monarchs defeated the Moslem kingdom of Granada.
Some of the city's most magnificent buildings stand as a legacy to this era, including the Torre del Oro, Torre de Plata, Giralda, Patio de los Naranjos, the area of Triana, the Macarena Walls and the Alcazar. Later the the mudejares used their skill to create beautiful Moorish-style buildings, such as the Palacio Pedro 1, part of Seville's Reales Alcazres. There are several Mudejar churches dating from this period, including the Iglesia de San Marcos, the Iglesia de Santa Catalina and the Church of San Pedro.
Sevillano: Pride and Prejudice
Sevillanos are very well-known, throughout Spain and the wider world, for their fierce pride in their city. They are, first and foremost, from Seville; secondly, from Andalucia; and a distant third, from Spain. What's going on in Madrid are of little interest to a Sevillano, while Barcelona may as well be in another country. For them, life revolves around tapas, bullfighting, Semana Santa and Feria. In the summer, there´s the beach - in Cadiz or Huelva regions and all winter long, they discuss and plan their Feria outfit endlessly - colour, cut, hem length and accessories, with the atmosphere reaching fever pitch as Spring arrives and the whirlwind of Seville´s annual social events season gets under way. Sevillanos see no need to venture beyond their Sevilla, where things stay the same year after year, and change is not generally welcomed. Visitors to Seville will find this attitude both endearing and exasperating, but always intriguing.
Toledo is a municipality located in central Spain, 70 km south of Madrid. It is the capital of the province of Toledo and also the capital of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 for its extensive cultural and monumental heritage as one of the former capitals of the Spanish Empire and place of coexistence of Christian, Jewish and Moorish cultures.
Many famous people and artists were born or lived in Toledo, including Al-Zarqali, Garcilaso de la Vega, Eleanor of Toledo, Alfonso X and El Greco. It was also the place of important historic events such as the Visigothic Councils of Toledo. The city has a population of 78,618 and an area of 89.59 square miles. Having been populated since the Bronze Age, Toledo (Toletum in Latin) gained relevance during Roman times, being a main commercial and administrative center in the roman province of Tarraconensis. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Toledo served as the capital city of Visigothic Spain, beginning with Liuvigild (Leovigild), and was the capital of Spain until the Moors conquered Iberia in the 8th century.
Under the Caliphate of Cordoba, Toledo enjoyed a golden age. This extensive period is known as La Convivencia, i.e. the co-existence of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Under Arab rule, Toledo was called Tulaytulah. After the fall of the Caliphate, Toledo was the capital city of one of the richest Taifa Muslim kingdoms of Al-Andalus, and, because of its central location in the Iberian Peninsula, Toledo took a central position in the struggles between the Muslim and Christian rulers of northern Spain. Remains of Roman circus at Toledo. On May 25, 1085 Alfonso VI of Castile took Toledo and established direct personal control over the Moorish city from which he had been exacting tribute, and ending the mediaeval Taifa's Kingdom of Toledo. This was the first concrete step taken by the combined kingdom of Leon-Castile in the Reconquista by Christian forces. After castilian conquest Toledo remained as a main cultural centre; its Arab libraries weren't savaged, and a tag-team translation centre was established, in which books in Arabic would be translated from Arabic or Hebrew to Spanish by Arab and Jewish scholars, and from Spanish to Latin by castilian scholars, thus letting the old-lost knowledge spread through Christian Europe again.
For some time during the 16th century, Toledo served as the capital city of Castile, and the city flourished. However, soon enough the Spanish court was moved first to Valladolid and then to Madrid, thus letting the city's relevance dwindle until the late 20th century, when it was established as the capital city of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. Nevertheless, the economic decline of the city helped to preserve its cultural and architectural patrimony.
Today, because of its rich heritage, Toledo is one of Spain's foremost cities, receiving thousands of visitors yearly. Toledo's Alcázar (Arabicized Latin word for palace-castle) became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces. Toledo's cuisine is the cuisine Castilla-rooted in its traditions and is closely linked to hunting and grazing. A good number of recipes is the result of the combination of Moorish and Christian influences. Among his specialties include the lamb roast or stew, as cuchifrito, and beans with partridge or stewed partridge, the carcamusas, the crumbs, the porridge Mancha and the tortilla to the lean. Two of the foods that have brought fame to the city of Toledo are the Manchego cheese and marzipan, which has a denomination of origin itself, the marzipan of Toledo.
“Dear Incantato, As you know, I’ve had the pleasure of being on five of your tours. Just when I think you can’t possibly top the previous tour, you do. Your attention to detail is remarkable. From departure to return everything is superbly planned – air and ground transportation, top-notch accommodations, food and most importantly, premier performance venues. You definitely deliver on your “boutique” commitment. As an educator, the most important aspect of an international tour is that my students return having had a life-changing experience. This has been the outcome every time I’ve been with your company. Equally important to me is that my guests also have an experience of a lifetime. Not only do you deliver on your commitment to making their experience extra special, you take extra care in understanding their individual needs. My guests rang my phone off the hook when we returned from Eastern Europe last year (yes, they still use phones!). To your potential clients who might read this, I want them to know that if they’ve ever considered taking an instrumental ensemble on an international tour, they’d be missing out on a fabulous opportunity if they didn’t contact Incantato to discuss the possibilities. My last two tours with Incantato included a choir and jazz ensemble. The sacred performance venues for the choir were everything history books have written about. The jazz venues were outstanding – some of the premier jazz clubs in Europe! The level of performance that my students rose to was off the charts – additional validation of my commitment to education and proof that an experience like this is a major game changer to every student musician. This combination tour was in many ways better than just a choir tour or just a jazz tour. It offered a lot of variety to display the diversity of our music department and provided the students a unique peer-to-peer support system, by being both performers and audience members. You did it again!!!” Richard Burchard, Composer (Gentry Music, Pavane Publishing, National Music Publishers, Hinshaw Music) and Educator (Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY)
“The trip was everything I hoped for and more. Everything promised was delivered. I realize that this tour gave you a number of challenges due to the low number of participants, but you always seemed to find a way to make things happen. I appreciate the positive ‘Can Do’ attitude. You showed what a tour company can do when it really cares about the quality of the performing venues and comfort and satisfaction of its clients.” Bruce Koliha, BelCanto Choir, Performance Tour to Central Europe 2010
“Our tour with Incatanto was unforgettable. They were able to not only secure for us the most popular and magnificent venues but also the hidden gems and special places only a company with passion and dedication can find. My Women’s Ensemble and Handbells (and even the parents) are still talking about the trip and all the wonderful memories. It has invigorated my program and I am deeply proud to have done business with Sandra and the entire team at Incantato.” Brian Dehn, Cornelia Connelly, Performance Tour to England and Ireland 2010
“Once again, thanks to you and all the Incantato team for the great tour you arranged for CIC this summer. I truly feel that Incantato delivered a lot for our money on this trip. All of the hotels were nice ones with good locations. What a great idea to give us a night in Vienna near the Prater! And the concert venues were varied and all beautiful. The dinner cruise on our last night was magical and we enjoyed the food, the company, and the views. Thanks for making this a part of our tour. You are so skillful in finding the unique, off the beaten path, towns and villages. These are some of the best memories.” Sue Klausmeyer, Carolina International Chorale, Performance Tour to Central Europe Summer 2010
"Dear Incantato-Team, the Choir of the Sound and I want to thank you for all you did to make our tour to Northern Italy so incredible. I’ve worked with many other tour companies, but this trip exceeded even my most optimistic expectations. The singers will remember their time in Italy the rest of their lives. To have had the opportunity to perform in those amazing cathedrals with large appreciative audiences was truly memorable. In reflecting on our trip this year, I realized that past tours that I had considered successful fell short when compared to the trip that you put together for us. Incantato provided a consistently high level of organization and personal attention both during the planning stages and on the trip. Other exceptional aspects of the tour were: - The right amount and high quality of the performances. Our concerts and masses were wonderful. - Outstanding tour managers that were a wonderful combination of knowledgeable, flexible, personable and fun! - Beautiful posters and flyers as well as superb advertising of the concerts that resulted in large audiences - Excellent pacing of the tour—thanks for anticipating when we would need some time to recover - The included activities were interesting and created a change of pace for the singers - Great meals, consistently. My vegetarians were very pleased also. - The choir manager and I are very appreciative of your personal attention to our questions during the planning stages of the trip. - Terrific bus drivers who made us feel safe and who enjoyed the group It was a pleasure to work with everyone at your organization and I would be happy to share my experience with Incantato with other potential clients." Judy Filibeck, Director "Choir of the Sound", Seattle, WA
"Having recently returned from a successful tour of Ireland, I can say without a doubt that this was my finest tour experience. I have used several different tours companies in my years of performance tours, and none have matched the attention to detail, the thoughtful planning, excellent venues & marketing, meal & hotels, and overall management by Incantato Tours. Their pricing was excellent, and when the US currency dropped, they did not raise any of our cost. I would recommend this company to anyone planning a tour, whether they are a large professional ensemble, or a small church choir." Nathan J. Kreitzer - Director of Choral Activities Santa Barbara City College, CA
"It was a true pleasure working with Sandra and Incantato on our Italy Tour 2008. She is very detail oriented and surpassed many of our expectations. I would recommend Incantato to anyone planning a concert or performance tour." Rick Christophersen, Director Conservatory of Music at Chapman University, Orange, CA
“My sincerest and deepest thanks to you and all your staff for making this tour for the Quire of Voyces our very best yet! Your attention to every detail, special offerings each day, fine accommodations and outstanding tour guides all made for a very gratifying experience for all of us.” Susan Kuehn, Quire of Voyces Performance Tour to Italy, June 2010 "I have only wonderful things to say about Incantato Tours! The UGA Chamber Choir traveled to Italy in 2009. From the marvelous concert venues to the excellently managed tour, this was really a dream trip. The highly professional and expert Incantato tour manager who was with us throughout the entire trip, the fantastic bus drivers, and the knowledgeable city tour guides all helped to make the tour run exceptionally smoothly. Probably most important was that this entire trip was really a specialty tour designed especially for this particular choral group. Incantato Tours made it possible for us to sing in some very remarkable places, including the Sistine Chapel. Planning a tour takes incredible dedication and Incantato Tours would definitely be my choice again!" Dr. Martha Thomas, UGA School of Music, Athens, GA
“We had the wonderful opportunity to go to Spain, sing in great venues, experience an amazing culture, and eat great food. There is always a special element of magic that happens with Incantato Tours.” Andrew Crane, Director of Choral and Vocal Activities, California State University, San Bernardino;Performance Tour to Spain, June 2010 “Incantato Tours has created the most musically satisfying tour we have ever taken. For the singers touring is about the music in the wonderful cathedrals and the exchanges with the local kids. A toast to Incantato for fulfilling your dream, and for making so many people so happy - now and in the future.” Arlene Jacobs, SCS Touring Choir, Akron, OH
“Incantanto facilitated maximum educational, religious, and just plain fun experiences among youth and adults alike.” Ed Bettendorf, Western Reserve Academy, Performance Tour to Italy March 2010
"There are at least four essential ingredients for a successful and rewarding concert tour for young people and their sponsors —appropriate concert settings, advance publicity, opportunities for learning about the areas visited (including exchanges with the local youth), and good logistical planning. The recent tour of the Akron, Ohio Summit Children's Touring Choir through Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria was successful indeed. The venues were most impressive and beautiful. The publicity produced large responsive and appreciative crowds as well as mayor’s receptions with recital opportunities at city halls. The knowledgeable tour guides and the visits with local youth and choirs provided an experience for the choir members that will not be soon forgotten. The schedule for travel, meals, concerts and touring were planed and flexible enough to accommodate for unexpected delays without loss of any scheduled tour, exchange or concert. Finally, a "shadow tour" of parents and sponsors was also a success and allowed those who wished to do so to attend every reception, recital and concert while being guided on a separate tour, well planned and executed. As one who worked with Sandra Weinacht and her staff at Incantato I can assure you it would not have been such a success without their planning and execution of our tour. They are to be commended and I would highly recommend Incantato Tours to anyone considering a group tour, especially a performance tour. C.A. Ridge Jr., A Summit Choral Society Sponsor
“Incantato Tours impresses me because their clients come first. Their advantage lies in the selection of venues, impressive itineraries and the ability to tend to details.” Dr. Gary L. Unruh, Professor Emeritus, CSU Fresno
“I can't speak highly enough about Incantato Tours. They were with us every step of the way, tailoring a tour that was perfect for our wants, needs and budget. I would recommend Incantato to anyone serious about a choir tour, especially if you want a tour that provides wonderful indelible memories of the best that a tour can be.” Stan DeWitt, Minister of Music, Grace First Presbyterian Church, Long Beach, CA; Performance Tour to Ireland, April 2010
"Of the eight international tours I've taken as both singer and conductor, last summer's CSULB tour to Naples, Rome, Florence and the Amalfi Coast with Incantato was the best organized and the most fun. Our tour manager and guides were professional, wonderful teachers, and our venues were beautiful. We saw stunning posters for our events everywhere we walked. The marketing for our concerts was incredible! Our audiences were huge and exuberant, and Incantato made all the pieces fell into place beautifully. Thank you Incantato Tours for the personal attention, for the flexibility that allowed us to choose exactly where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see. We're already planning for 2010." Dr. Jonathan Talberg - Director of Choral, Vocal, and Opera Studies, Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, California State University, Long Beach
"Canticum Novum, The tour choir of Central Church in Phoenix just completed its most successful tour in 35 years of concertizing abroad, solely due to the excellent management of Incantato. Their attention to every detail, response to every request, superb International Staff, and excellence in concert management are singularly distinctive. Theirs is a professional concert management group who are also excellent providers of travel services. That is a distinctive difference. Travel agents are for travel; Incantato provides concert management in stunning venues, and the organizational minutia supporting these artistic events in addition to fine-tuned travel experiences filled with special amenities. If music making in superb acoustical spaces to wonderfully receptive audiences is your priority, Incantato is the professional tour group for your ensemble." Donald. E. Morse, Central United Methodist Church, Phoenix, AZ
"The San Marino Chamber Singers have been very fortunate to travel several times already with the director of Incantato Tours, Ms. Sandra Weinacht. She was our personal tour and concert manager when we traveled to Italy in 2005 and then designed, organized and oversaw our tour to Central Europe in 2007. It was another huge success. Aside from selecting and working with prime venues only, Ms. Weinacht's staff also put in great time and effort in promoting our concerts through beautiful designed and professionally printed concert posters and cards. Incantato's marketing of our performances became highly visible to the public and contributed to the success of every concert. I have been more than impressed with their professionalism and highly recommend Incantato Tours to everyone. They definitely cater to each choir member's personal needs and watch every detail. The hotels were carefully selected, the meals were beyond our expectation. If there were ever any problems, they were dealt with beautifully and professionally on the spot. We were very impressed with how well the whole tour was executed. The next time we go back to Europe, it will be with Incantato Tours." Howard Cheung, San Marino Chamber Choir, CA
"Well, you did it. I don't know how, but you did it! You accepted the challenge, and performed a small miracle. My hat is off to you and Ted for creating what is, for me, the most musically satisfying tour we have taken. All of the kids who have been on the three tours (Italy, China, and Europe) agreed, hands down, that this was the best ever. For them it's about the music in the wonderful cathedrals and the exchanges with the local kids. In festival-type situations they are not really "up close and personal" with other kids - they're mostly rehearsing. At any rate, a toast to Incantato, to you and Ted for fulfilling your dream, and for making so many people so happy - now and in the future. Thank you!" Arlene Jacobs, Artistic Director, Summit Children’s Touring Choir and Co-Founder of the Summit Choral Society (SCS)
"Incantato stresses the small town experience as well as the traditional larger cities, but it wasn't until I looked out on the valley and town of Salice Terme spread out below us as we enjoyed a wonderful home-cooked Italian meal that I truly understood or appreciated that element. At that moment, "Italy" became much more than a series of famous cities to check off my list; it became a real world, a place of rolling hills as well as marble cathedrals, time-honored traditions and modern technology. A true mix of culture and heritage unknown and unappreciated by those in the United States --- until you arrive! The experience we had of singing in the Sistine Chapel is absolutely indescribable, yet I must try. It's been almost three months since the last note of Gregorio Allegri's Miserere echoed off Botticelli's walls and Michelangelo's awesome ceiling, but to the choir it is still as vivid a memory as if we sang there last night. I can't thank Sandra and the Incantato Team enough for arranging such a poignant moment" David Okun, student at UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, Athens, GA
