Today’s post is the last of three in my Postcards from Spain series. The first post on Food & Drink in Spain is here. The second post on Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba and Seville is here. As usual, click on any image in the gallery to get a better view and use the arrows to move through the pictures.
Granada
From Seville, the beautiful weather followed me to Granada. I could see snow on the Sierra Nevada mountains in a far distance. The highlight in Granada was a visit to the 13th century Alhambra, served as the residence of the royal family during the reign of the Moors.
This imposing hilltop palace and fortress complex, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the world’s finest examples of Moorish art and architecture. I booked a guided tour and spent about three hours exploring several stunning palaces and gardens in the Alhambra complex.
Alicante
Alicante was a delightful addition to my itinerary. I enjoyed walking along Alicante’s oceanfront promenade and its long pier, with views of the wide sandy El Postiguet Beach and Santa Barbara Castle on a hilltop. I learned about Casa Carbonell and that the round-the-world The Ocean Race 2022-2023 started in Alicante. I hope to return to Alicante for a longer visit in the future.
Valencia
I love Valencia for its treasure trove of Roman architecture and the huge City of Arts and Sciences designed by contemporary architect and artist Santiago Calatrava, with its extraordinary avant-garde architecture that includes impressive buildings such as the Hemisfèric and Museum of Science. I also love Valencia’s public squares, markets, delicious food and drinks. Would I return to Valencia for a longer stay and more explorations? Definitely.
Calatrava designed many bridges and building projects around the world, including the award-winning Allen Lambert Galleria in Brookfield Place and Mimico Pedestrian Bridge in Toronto.
Barcelona
It was wonderful to revisit Barcelona. I took a long walk from Barcelona’s Old Harbor, along the popular La Rambla to Plaza Catalunya, the city’s bustling main square. Lots of things to see and many beautiful buildings along this route.
I passed two of Gaudí’s famous houses Casa Batllo and Casa Milà. Then continued on to view the iconic symbol of Barcelona, Gaudi’s masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia, a colossal church that is legendary and still unfinished.
I revisited Park Güell, my favourite park in Barcelona, for nature and Gaudí’s genius design of organic shapes. I also ascended Montjuic Hill, home to the Olympic Complex, built for the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Link-Up
Thank you for reading my postcards. It was a challenge to select which pictures to include as there are many beautiful sites that I explored in Spain. I hope you enjoy my selection.
Please note: No Weekend Coffee Share link-up on March 8 as I will take a short blogging break in March. I will repeat this announcement next week.
I’d love for you to share your week’s highlights and/ or public art from around the world in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #154 below.
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Natalie the Explorer 
What lovely cities in Spain. Brought back memories of Barcelona.
Here is mine with some sort of public art https://wanderingteresa.com/tuktuks-of-lisbon-a-splash-of-colour/
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Thank you Teresa for your PPAC contribution. I’ll be over to your blog to see the tuktuks in Lisbon soon.
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Lovely postcards. I got to visit so many places through them.
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I’m pleased you liked my postcards. Thank you for stopping by.
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My pleasure!
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Talk about a collection of amazing cities, Natalie! It sure sounds like you had a fabulous time in Spain. 🙂
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Hi Liesbet, I certainly had a fabulous time in Spain. All of these cities are full of wonders. Hope you’re doing well in South America.
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Oh, you made such good use of your time in Spain and your postcards this week showcase so many of my own favourites in all these cities. What memories you’ve stacked up!
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Margaret, Sounds like we like similar sights in these cities. I had fun reliving my trip as I went through my pictures. Thank you for stopping by.
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Such beautiful places. I would love to visit Spain one day. Only been abroud twice in my life and both times was to Gran Caneria
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Natasha, So many beautiful places to visit and so little time. I hope you place Spain high on your list of places to visit.
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Great post and photos. You have made me want to visit Spain! I totally understand your observation “It was a challenge to select which pictures to include” – This is a problem I frequently have when I travel – sorting through and selecting photos
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Jeanne, Thank you for your comment. I forced myself to select no more than six pictures for each city. It was a challenge 🙂
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Lovely post, Natalie. Thanks for sharing.
Blogging break on March 8 noted. We will miss you.
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Thank you Shari for your comment. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” or something like that 🙂 Mini blogging breaks are good recharges for me to continue hosting.
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I’m so pleased you enjoyed your visits to these wonderful cities. Greta photos. xo
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Thank you Darlene for your comment. As you know, Spain has many wonderful cities and towns to explore and enjoy.
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Fantastic tour – thanks for sharing it! We loved Barcelona and would enjoy visiting these other places, if we ever get back to Spain. Valencia, especially!
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Debbie, I thoroughly enjoyed Valencia and would love to spend more time there. Thank you for your comment.
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I was shocked last night by the enormous apartment fire in Valencia, Natalie, but I suppose this can happen in high rise buildings anywhere around the world. As Margaret says, you have some wonderful memories to look back on.
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Jo, I sure have some wonderful memories of Spain to look back on. I was also shocked to hear about that fire in Valencia.
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Hi, Natalie – This trip looks absolutely amazing and your photos are beautiful. You have made my feet very, very itchy! 😀
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Hi Donna, I totally lucked out with the weather when I was in Spain. It made me want to winter there next year. I’m sure your love for hiking has been calling you daily 🙂
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What a wonderful trip! Thanjs so much for sharing
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Thank you for reading and for your lovely comment.
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I think you did a fabulous job selecting photos! These are all so lovely. It sounds like you had a really wonderful trip.
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Thank you Joanne for your compliment. I forced myself to choose maximum six pictures for each city and left a lot out.
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These are so fabulous! I’m so jealous! It all looks wonderful.
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Thank you Lydia for your comment. I hope you put Spain back on your travel plan.
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Your vacation to Spain looks so peaceful and enjoyable. Your photos are amazing.
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Thank you Ally. I’m glad you liked my photos. I chose to go to Spain in low season for more peace, less crowds and felt that I made the right choice.
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Next time, can I go with you? I don’t take up much space in a suitcase. I’m a little heavy, but you can put me on a cart and bring me out when we get to Spain. I speak Spanish, and would be a great asset.
How’s that for an ad? Your trip looks amazing. I think Barcelona might still be my favorite, but there are so many beautiful ones. I know the feeling of having to leave things out. I’m surprised you only did three postcards. You did a beautiful job. I looked forward to checking the mail!
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Hi Marsha, That’s a really good ad 🙂 Are you fluent in Spanish? I learn basic Spanish on Duolingo just for fun. Thank you for saying I did a beautiful job. I only did three postcards because time and other blog topics. After my mini March break, I’ll share one post on a park in Spain that I love so stay tuned.
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Es bueno. A mi me gusta hablar español.
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I loved revisiting our travels to Spain through your postcards, Natalie. Barcelona is my favourite but so many beautiful places to visit throughout Spain.
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Hi Sue, I agree there are so many beautiful places to visit throughout Spain. I would love to explore northern Spain next time.
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Beautiful pictures Natalie. Enjoyed them all. It would have been tough for you to choose those that need to be shared.
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Yes, it was a challenge to write short postcards and chose which pictures to publish. I’m pleased you enjoyed them all. Have a great weekend!
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Natalie your trip to Spain looks more than amazing. Once again, I love these photos of Spain. I can imagine how difficult it was for you to choose just a few photos. How fortunate that you were able to visit, even if for a short time.
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Thank you Jennifer for your comment. I feel fortunate indeed to be able to visit Spain more than once in my lifetime.
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What a beautiful and meaningful way to share your travels Natalie. Thank you for doing so and for your link up. Denyse.
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Thank you Denyse for your lovely comment. I write these postcards so I have a record for myself. It’s an extra bonus when my blog readers enjoy them, too.
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Spectacular pictures of the 13th century Alhambra, I love the combination of architecture and history. Thanks for the link-up and have a good weekend.
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Gail, The Alhambra is a beautiful and remarkable complex. I’m pleased you like my pictures there. Have a great weekend!
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Great photos. Looks like a wonderful mix of ancient and modern. I think the palace in Granada would be my favorite.
I hope you are enjoying your weekend and have a wonderful week ahead!
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Great observation, Trent. Yes, these citiies offer a good mix of ancient and modern architecture. The Alhambra has beautiful palaces and gardens. Have a great weekend and a wonderful week ahead!
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Barcelona is a big favourite of mine, although I love the other places as well.
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Yes, Barcelona is a wonderful city. It’s busy year round though and that may take away some sightseeing enjoyment.
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This post is just filled with extraordinary architecture! Architecture is one of the things I enjoy the most when I go somewhere.
(Valencia was on the news here yesterday, about a 14 story house on fire.)
Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous trip. Perhaps a detour to Sweden next time you visit Spain?
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Great observation, Maria. My photography may be biased because of my interest in architecture, especially ancient buildings. I’d love to revisit Sweden. Maybe a trip to visit my friends in Finland, Denmark and meet up with you in Sweden. Coordination of everyone’s schedules is a challenge.
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Such wonderful views, Natalie! I hope to visit Spain someday.
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Pam, Thank you for your lovely comment. I’m pleased you liked my pictures of Spain.
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Really enjoyed reading your postcards. We’ve taken a similar trip and my fav city was Barcelona. Great description!
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Rosemary, Thank you for your comment. I’m pleased you enjoyed my postcards. Barcelona is a wonderful city that appeals to millions of visitors every year.
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I’m so happy you had such a wonderful vacation in Spain! I would really love to go there someday too. My spouse is learning Spanish, so who knows?
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Astrid, I hope you get to visit Spain someday. Your spouse’s Spanish will be useful then.
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Thanks for the overview of these Spanish cities – Valencia especially appeals to me!
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Sarah, Valencia is my new favourite city in Spain. Lots of places to explore in that city. If you go, your camera will get a good workout there 🙂 Thank you for stopping by.
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I enjoyed your postcards from Spain, looking at all the wonderful picture of the places, architectural & gardens. I think I would like to see the plaza fountain.
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Karen, Excellent choice! That Plaza de Virgen has a beautiful Neptune fountain and three iconic buildings in one public square. I’m pleased you enjoyed my postcards from Spain.
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Such a wonderful selection Natalie! We haven’t visited Spain (yet), and we marvel at the architectural styles, and not only😍
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Christie, Spain is a wonderful country that seems to have something for everyone. I hope you conider visiting Spain.
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Natalie, thanks for sharing this series. We have visited many of these beautiful cities, and would return to any one of them without hesitation.
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Suzanne, Thank you for your comment. I feel the same about returning to any of these cities. I’d love to visit northern Spain in the future. I hope you and Malcolm are doing well.
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Natalie, a feast for our eyes and wow, the architecture is stunning and inspirational! I enjoyed the brief description of each place and more than ever want to visit Barcelona – for my first time! Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful postcards and about your trip, Natalie! ❤️ xx
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Annika, Thank you for your lovely comment. Barcelona is not too far from the UK so I hope you visit that city soon. I think low season is a better time to visit (less crowds).
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I am going to miss this series. I have loved your postcards from Spain. All of them have been amazing. Thanks for sharing them. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
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Thank you Patrick for your comment. I’m pleased you enjoyed my postcards from Spain. I wrote just three postcards because time. Have a great weekend and wonderful week ahead!
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Natalie,
You certainly covered the country well, and your readers have benefited greatly from the pictures and information you shared. I love beaches, boats, and marina, so it looks like I would enjoy a visit to Alicante, but would enjoy any city featured here. Thanks, and have a great week! Joe
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Joe, Thank you for your kind comment. I really liked Alicante and wouldn’t mind going there for a longer stay while it’s winter in Canada. A visit to any of these cities would make a wonderful trip. Have a fabulous week!
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These are great Natalie. What a great place to visit.
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Thanks, Kirstin. I had a wonderful time in Spain.
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Thank you for sharing all these lovely cities around Spain!
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You’re welcome, Julie. It’s good for my memories to write these postcards.
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Great pictures! I’m a big fan of spain
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Thank you for your compliment.
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