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  • THE REAL THING is an agency dedicated to the organization of tailor-made trips and cultural experiencies in Spain, designed to meet the needs of both individuals and corporate clients.
  • La Castellana:
    Madrid Modernity

    La Castellana:
    Madrid Modernity

    Instituto de Turismo de España (TURESPAÑA)
    The history of modern Madrid is closely tied to the paseo that runs north to south, like the city’s backbone, and occupies the riverbed that in its day formed the stream of La Castellana. This began more than a century ago with the arrival of the first train at the Atocha railway station, today transformed by Rafael Moneo to receive the modern, high-speed trains.Near the station, the museum works of Moneo, along with those of Jean Nouvel and Herzog & de Meuron, surround the Prado Museum.

    Further north, in the Plaza de Cibeles, Antonio Palacios, the architect who gave shape to the first works of Madrid modernity, built the impressive Palacio de Comunicaciones, thus passing the baton to his follower in the post-war, Luis Gutiérrez Soto. La Castellana, in its growth north, shows us the first examples of contemporary architecture, almost all of which are tied to the appearance of the first large Spanish companies, the best-known of which is Banco de Bilbao’s Sáenz de Oiza tower.

    History continues and the list would be never-ending, new times come and La Castellana continues its northbound expansion creating the stage which makes new architectural representations possible. Contemporary Spanish architectural history is thus condensed onto an almost 3-kilometer-long promenade architecturale.

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  • Young architects

    Young architects

    Gran Vía, Madrid
    Madrid, with its streets, squares and hidden spots, has seen its share of singular happenings and events, some of which have been forgotten, others which have been concealed by new and modern buildings. But if we look among its oldest monuments, incredible stories abound which tell us how the city was shaped, the story behind its streets, and the lives of its people. This is a very special, distinct visit to one of Madrid’s most beautiful avenues, Gran Vía, through a series of stories which will enable adults and children to discover an authentic museum of Madrid-style architecture from the 20th century in a way that is both poetic and fun.
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  • New Temples of Wine

    New Temples of Wine

    Marqués de Riscal Winery and Hotel
    There are few more enjoyable experiences for the lover of contemporary architecture than a visit to a signature winery. These are spaces that pay homage to Man, who has provided excellent work, and Nature, who has yielded her greatest fruits. So not surprisingly, the best wine producers, accustomed to valuing talent, dedication and effort, look toward the best architects of their time in order to turn their new projects into reality.

    In the two Spanish wine regions par excellence, Ribera del Duero and La Rioja, separated by barely a half-day’s journey by car, we find many of the best examples that pair wine culture with contemporary architecture.

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  • The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao: Art and Architecture for a Renewed City

  • 5 Days

    ARQUITECTURE: TRIP TO MADRID - LEÓN - OPORTO

  • The Estuary of Bilbao

    The Estuary of Bilbao

    Bilbao Tursimo. Palacio Euskalduna
    At the end of the 1990s, the city of Bilbao, on the Basque Cantabrian coast, underwent a drastic urban renovation. The then-obsolete spaces around the estuary that had been the reason for the city’s existence and its glorious industrial past had become desolate spaces that did not allow the city to move towards its future as a modern services metropolis.

    Many ambitious projects took place. Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum was obviously the star, but important works by world-renowned architects like Isozaki, Moneo, Siza, Calatrava and Foster, as well as numerous projects by the youngest and most brilliant Spanish architects, were also included.

    As a result, there are few other places in old Europe where it is possible to enjoy a concentration of such magnificent architecture. Add to this the that the fact that the beautiful city of San Sebastian is a mere hundred kilometers away by car, a city framed by a gorgeous bay, the plaza with Eduardo Chillida’s El Peine del Viento (The Wind Comb) and Rafael Moneo’s magnificent Kursaal Congress Center and Auditorium, and we find ourselves in an unforgettable petit tour, capable of satiating even the most sophisticated architectural appetite.

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  • Contemporary and Medieval Vitoria

    Contemporary and Medieval Vitoria

    Photo Quintas. Archivo Fotográfico Fundación Catedral Santa María. Santa María Cathedral.
    Vitoria, sophisticated and elegant, takes exquisite care of its historic quarter, which is truly unique in Spain. The Cathedral of Santa María is the undisputed star of cosmopolitan life in the city, where contemporary architecture coexists in harmony with historical monuments.

    Exemplary restoration of the Cathedral, which is “Open for Construction”, has unearthed stonework with a story to tell, allowing us to glimpse the hidden facets of the refurbishment process: a distinct, fascinating visit to this 13th century church-fortress, passing by scaffolding, surrounded by hard hats, giving us access to spaces we wouldn’t normally be able to see. This tour will also help us understand the origins of the city through an unprecedented archaeological display excavated from under the cathedral.

    At THE REAL THING, we suggest another three stops on our tour of Vitoria, European Green Capital 2012: namely, the BIBAT, Fournier Naipes, and Archaeology Museums. The Fournier Naipes Museum, located inside the Renaissance Bendaña Palace, is home to the world’s largest collection of playing cards, and the Archaeology Museum, an award-winning infrastructure by architect Francisco Mangado, has 1,500 original artifacts from Álava dating from prehistoric times through to the Middle Ages.

    A joint visit where architecture and contemporary projects inspire all kinds of passionate daydreams.

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  • Madrid Río

    Madrid Río

    Madrid Visitors & Convention Bureau, 2013. NoPhoto. Madrid Río
    Would you like to discover by bike a hitherto unknown Madrid?
    Join THE REAL THING on a bicycle tour through an exceptional area where outstanding examples of civil engineering from the Renaissance have been restored, along with six major gardens.

    A few years ago, the city government moved Madrid’s ring road underground, below the Manzanares River, which brought to light an unknown landscape. We will pedal from the Royal Palace to the revitalized La Arganzuela district, along a smooth, well-kept bicycle route, to the western edge of the city, offering a unique, relaxed and leisurely way to experience Madrid.

    Calle de la Ribera del Manzanares

    Madrid Visitors & Convention Bureau, 2013.
    Escarabajo Amarillo. Madrid Río
    The journey will take us over bridges, such as those designed by Juan de Herrera (the architect behind El Escorial Monastery), Juan de Villanueva (Prado Museum architect) and Dominique Perrault (Mies van der Rohe prize in 1996), to the site of the former city slaughterhouse and cattle market. The building, known as Matadero-Madrid and built between 1908 and 1928 by Luis Bellido, is currently a leading international contemporary art center. The imposing Neo-Mudejar buildings comprising the complex, which have been refurbished by some of the leading 21st century architects, host visual arts exhibitions and concerts and include a seedling nursery, a theater and meeting rooms, the goal being to foster and support all kinds of alternative cultural activities.
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  • Great Figures in 20th Century Architecture in Barcelona

  • International Masters of Contemporary Architecture in Barcelona

  • Architectural rarities

    Architectural rarities

    Nuevos Encantes, Barcelona
    If you think you know Barcelona well, that you’ve seen its treasures and visited its architectural masterpieces, then you should take the tour designed by our architects, so you can see the city from a different perspective: you’ll go underground, visit the most spectacular rooftops, look around the foyers of private buildings, discover unexplored vantage points, gardens with unexpected treasures, architectural rarities…

    A singular perspective of the city: dare to change your point of view and you will discover another Barcelona.

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  • Conversations on art and architecture: Chillida and Moneo in San Sebastián

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