The environs of Madrid are no less alluring than the city itself. In just over an hour you can steep yourself in nature, view one of the masterpieces of Spanish architecture, feast on a cochinillo asado near a Roman aqueduct or relive a battle from the Civil War. Fancy discovering some of these destinations?

1. El Escorial – A Classic Among Classics

The monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is the major landmark in a town located less than an hour from Madrid. It was originally commissioned by Philip II as a pantheon for the royal family. In 1563, work commenced under the direction of Juan Bautista de Toledo, but, after his death, it was his successor, Juan de Herrera, who was entrusted with completing the work. Behind the sober Herreran exterior lie a number of striking rooms and other areas, prominent among them being the Basilica and the Library, decorated with magnificent frescoes. Another standout feature is the painting collection by artists of the calibre of Velázquez, Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch, Titian, Tintoretto and Roger van der Weyden.

Apart from the Monastery, other interesting sights include the Casa del Alcalde Mayor (Magistrate’s House), the Casa del Infante (Prince’s House), the Casita del Príncipe (Prince’s Lodge) and the Church of San Bernabé.

Lastly, any outing to El Escorial would be incomplete without a stopover at Charolés to try their fabulous cocido –an imperious must!

2. Segovia – the Aqueduct and Beyond

Just over an hour from Madrid lies the beautiful city of Segovia, famed for its major landmark, the Roman Aqueduct. This symbol of the city was built by the Romans to bring water to Segovia from the Sierra. It is a veritable feat of engineering which never fails to have a stunning impact on the observer. But, visitors to Segovia are in for more surprises too, as its old town reveals some marvels and magical spots. Notable examples include the Cathedral of Santa María, known as the “Lady of Cathedrals”, and the Jewish Quarter, with its former synagogue converted into the Church of Corpus Christi, while literary boffins should seek out the Antonio Machado House Museum. Your visit can be rounded off by a tour of the Alcázar, set on top of a hill, which boasts striking Mudéjar decoration.

Another standout feature of Segovia is its cuisine, celebrated above all for its cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig), a delicacy you should really treat yourself to. Some of the classical venues for savouring it include the Mesón de Cándido and the Restaurante José María.

3. Chinchón – Medieval Past and Culinary Variety

If only for its Plaza Mayor (Main Square), this town situated 45 kilometres from Madrid is well worth visiting. The square, medieval in origin, is surrounded by two- and three-storey houses faced with rows of wooden balconies and lintelled galleries which catch the attention of first-time visitors to Chinchón. For centuries the square acted as a temporary stage for all kinds of performances, notably theatre plays, bullfights, royal festivals and religious services. A short distance from the Plaza Mayor stands the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, displaying a blend of Gothic, Plateresque, Renaissance and Baroque architectural styles. Be sure to venture inside to see Goya’s painting of the The Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

Needless to say, Chinchón also has culinary delights in store for you, characterised by a fusion of tradition and the latest gastronomic trends. And, before you leave, you simply must taste their most popular liqueur – anisette.

4. Paredes de Buitrago – in the Footsteps of the Spanish Civil War

If your thing is nature, but you are also interested in history, don’t hesitate to head for Paredes de Buitrago to visit the site of the so-called Frente del Agua (Water Front). During the Civil War, this front was established to defend Puentes Viejas and El Villar, two crucial spots for ensuring the water supply. Comparatively easy to complete on foot, the 12-kilometre layout of the site reveals the remains of bunkers, trenches and pillboxes which came under the control of both sides in the conflict. A heady dose of recent history in the open air makes this a countryside outing with a difference, and just an hour’s drive from Madrid.

5. The Cuenca Alta del Manzanares Regional Park – Nature in its Pure State

Situated in the Sierra de Guadarrama, north-west of Madrid, it was listed as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1993. A prominent feature of this reserve is La Pedriza, one of Europe’s most celebrated granite formations, featuring some amazing rock shapes produced by erosion. The vegetation is dominated by holm oak, which takes up 62% of the Park’s surface area. Bird-lovers should head for the nearby Santillana Dam, with its enormous variety of water fowl and migratory birds. At the foot of the dam stands the Castle of Manzanares El Real, also known as the Castle of the Mendozas. Built in the 11th century, it is one of the best preserved castles in the Community of Madrid.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Chris Gladis, Jerome Bon, Kus Cámara, Jose Luis Cernadas Iglesias, Raúl A.-

What remains of Pink Floyd 45 years on? In truth, very little. With Roger Waters touring half the world with his 3D show,The Wall,and Richard Wright’s disappearance eight years ago, of the avant-garde rock band which dominated the show scene in the 70s and part of the 80s, only Nick Mason and the lead, David Gilmour, are left from the original group to spearhead the effort.

A Touch of History

Pink Floyd is one of the best bands of all time; no doubt about it. This is attested by their records and their endurance in the top positions among the benchmark groups for decades. Granted, they didn’t invent the concept album – The Who had invented it just before them – but it was they who exploited it to its full expression.

Pink Floyd has some records to its name. Perhaps the most striking one is having had a disc on the Billboard list for 889 weeks (over 17 years) in a row; indeed, their album was on the list longer than any other disc ever. With an estimated 50 million copies sold, The Dark Side of the Moon is Pink Floyd’s most successful album and the top-selling rock disc ever, coming in second in worldwide record sales behind Michael Jackson’s Thriller. But, their success is not limited to that 1973 album. They were famous before that, too. At the end of the sixties, they were the flagship of the British psychedelic scene. Their early records, when Syd Barrett also played in the group, acted as a magnet for a whole seething mass of new ideas and experimentation. Likewise, The Dark Side of the Moon wasn’t their only pinnacle of success – their subsequent albums were on a par, although they weren’t able to match the level of sales. Thus, the decade of the seventies was theirs – with the permission of Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones – thanks to such legendary tracks as Animals, Wish You Were Here and, above all, The Wall, which was made into a film directed by Alan Parker and starring Bob Geldof.

What Happened in Pompeii?

It is a well-known fact that Pink Floyd’s live concerts were in technological terms the most spectacular shows for several decades. They actually reigned supreme until the early nineties, up to the time that U2 staged a tour with their album, Achtung Baby. Live performances were always one of Pink Floyd’s fortes right from the outset, when the original crew delighted the crowds on London’s university and underground circuits. Those were the days of British psychedelics, and their concerts were a veritable sensorial experience, thanks to the support of screenings and performances. To get a better idea of what they were like, it is worth seeing the film, Tonite Let’s All Make Love in London, directed by Peter Whitehead, which includes performances by the London band from those times.

In the seventies, by then without Syd Barrett, the group continued to flourish. Their music shifted from psychedelic to progressive rock, while technological devices became gradually more entrenched in their live shows. But, before becoming one of the stadium bands par excellence, they embarked on a project that ended up becoming one of the great milestones in rock history. They joined forces with the movie director, Adrian Maben, with a view to shaping a film project they were working on. The result was Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii, set in the mythical ruins of the Roman city which was devastated by the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in AD 79.

The project was hatched quite coincidentally. The director, Adrian Maben, had simply phoned Stephen O’Rourke, Pink Floyd’s manager, in the early seventies, and suggested making a movie with the group. At that time the idea was to produce a very arty piece and to elicit the participation of artists of the standing of Magritte, De Chirico,Christo and Jean Tinguely who would create on a visual level what Pink Floyd created in sound. But, they never managed to reach an agreement. Months later, Maben went to Italy with his girlfriend of the time and visited the ruins of Pompeii. That evening he discovered he had lost his passport and, thinking back, he decided he must have left it in the Pompeii amphitheatre. He went back to the spot at dusk and there, among the monuments, sculptures and paintings of a place that had frozen in time, Maben experienced his great moment of inspiration – it was the ideal spot to film Pink Floyd. In the near mystic silence of nightfall, he realised that Pompeii had it all – death, sex and oodles of latent life. And there, in that amphitheatre, Pink Floyd could bring it all back to life.

45 Years Later

Last March, Italy’s Minister of Culture, Dario Franceschini, confirmed in his Twitter account that the 70-year-old British guitarist, David Gilmour, would play in Pompeii on 7 and 8 July. There, you have it – Pink Floyd’s lead will again perform at the legendary archaeological site, forty-five years after having been the leading light in the shooting of the movie, Live At Pompeii. On this occasion, he will be presenting the tracks from his latest release, Rattle That Lock. However, the possibility that he might also play songs by his former band has not been ruled out. Recall that Gilmour and Nick Mason still hold the operating rights to practically the whole of Pink Floyd’s legacy.

Be sure to relive the magic of one of the best concerts ever. You can also enjoy a tour of the most famous Roman archaeological site in the world. Check out our flights here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

But, that is not all. There is also an endless array of places to visit and activities to engage in. Despite the myriad options, we have made a selection of the spots we feel you can’t afford to miss.

It is well known that Gran Canaria’s beaches are one of its major draws but, to leave it at that would be doing an injustice to an island that has practically unlimited potential. Following is a selection of three must-see sights – apart from the beaches, of course – for your next trip to the island. Our choice is based on several criteria, not just its touristic appeal. Here, then, is our ranking:

 3) Painted Cave Museum and Archaeological Park

The Painted Cave Museum and Archaeological Park complex is one of the most stunning sites in Gran Canaria. It lies in the heart of Gáldar’s town centre (Calle Audiencia, 2), in the north of the island. The approach road is therefore the same one leading into the historic centre.

The Painted Cave was discovered in 1862 as a result of agricultural earthwork. The cave interior is huge, its walls richly decorated with all kinds of geometric symbols. The archaeological complex is currently made up of six caves carved out by the ancient dwellers of Gran Canaria, and remains of red ochre can still be seen adorning the walls and ceiling.

The various archaeological projects implemented around the Painted Cave in recent years revealed the presence of a terrace-built country home. The outworks connect the bottom of the gulley to the town’s historic centre, forming what was one of the quarters in the pre-Hispanic Agáldar settlement.

2) Teror Town Centre

The origins of Teror predate the island’s conquest by the Crown of Castile in the 15th century. Indeed, the place-name is derived from the indigenous word Aterura, Therore or Terori, the meaning of which is unknown.

The town’s history and development are closely linked to the Marian apparition of the Virgin of the Pine and the existence of a shrine dating from 1514. However, writings containing references to its station as a centre of pilgrimage do not emerge until two centuries after its foundation.

The “Villa Mariana de Teror” was designated an Art History Complex in 1979, turning it into one of the leading tourist destinations in the island’s interior. Folk traditions and beautiful, meticulously designed houses go hand-in-hand in the streets of Teror, noted for the views they afford of typical Canarian balconies.

A stroll through the historic centre of the town should start willy-nilly at the square of Nuestra Señora del Pino, alongside the church. You can get there quickly from the parking lot by crossing the square above it and heading down Calle Obispo Marquina. If you’re travelling by bus, it stops on the east side of the precinct, so you only need to continue along the Calle Real to the square at the end.

1) The Guayadeque Gorge

The Guayadeque Gorge lies between the towns of Agüimes and Ingenio, in the east of Gran Canaria. The area is of great environmental value and has a rich heritage, leading it to be designated a Natural Monument and an Asset of Cultural Interest – categorised as an “Archaeological Area” – a distinction granted it by the Canary Islands’ Law of Historical Heritage.

The road running through the gorge winds among spectacular cliffs awash with a large variety of pre-Hispanic archaeological deposits and sites, prominent among them being the settlement known as Bermeja Cave.

Housed there is the Guayadeque Gorge Information Centre, open every day except Monday, where you can find out about the archaeological sites in the area and glean a lot of other interesting information about this priceless spot. Visitors will also be able to learn more about the rich, natural fauna and flora in the gorge.

Towards the end of the road winding through the Guayadeque gorge you will come to a number of restaurants set  in the rock face itself. The most popular of them is El Centro, comprising a cave complex that creates a unique setting for a restaurant. They offer an extensive menu with dishes representative of Canary Island cuisine, featuring such specialities as fried pork, mixed grill and barbecued pork.

Fancy discovering it for yourself? Check out our flights here.

Images by Patronato Turismo Gran Canaria

Set in the heart of Florence, inside one of the greatest masterpieces of Florentine Renaissance architecture, the Fondazione offers a rich and varied programme throughout the year, consisting of high quality, world-class exhibitions ranging from Classical art and the Renaissance to the modern era and to contemporary art.

But in addition to its exhibitions, Palazzo Strozzi is a lively venue for numerous other events such as concerts, performances, contemporary art installations, theatrical performances, activities and guided tours for adults and families. Open throughout the year, it also boasts an elegant café and a quality museum shop.

From 24 September 2015 to 24 January 2016 Palazzo Strozzi will be hosting Divine Beauty from Van Gogh to Chagall and Fontana, an outstanding exhibition that sets out to explore the relationship between art and the sacred from the mid-19^th to the mid-20^th century, showcasing over one hundred works by such celebrated Italian artists as Domenico Morelli, Gaetano Previati, Felice Casorati, Gino Severini, Renato Guttuso, Lucio Fontana and Emilio Vedova, alongside such international masters as Vincent van Gogh, Jean-François Millet, Edvard Munch, Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, Georges Rouault and Henri Matisse.

The exhibition offers visitors a unique opportunity to compare and contrast a selection of works of art which, while extremely famous, are observed here in a new and very different light. The show's star exhibits include such masterpieces as Jean-François Millet's Angelus on exceptional loan from the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, Vincent van Gogh's Pietà from the Vatican Museums, Renato Guttuso's Crucifixion from the collections of the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome and Marc Chagall's White Crucifixion from the Art Institute Museum in Chicago.

The exhibition is open from 10.00 to 20.00 daily, with late opening until 23.00 on Thursdays.

Admission costs €10, with concessions for children aged 7 to 18 at €4, free admission for children up to age 6, and a special family ticket for €20.

Tours are by appointment only and are designed for groups of adults, individuals visitors and schools.  The programme also includes a wealth of activities and a special "Family Kit".

Starting 1 November 2015, you can visitDivine Beauty, the new Opera del Duomo Museum and the Baptistry of San Giovanni on a special joint ticket allowing you to explore the fantastic history of Florence and its art from the Middle Ages to the present day.