Famous names from Trujillo include Francisco de Orellana, who discovered the Amazon River, and Francisco Pizarro, who ordered the construction of the church and chaplaincy, building the Palace of the Pizarro as reminder of the Extremaduran origin of one of the last advances in American territory of the then-Spanish empire. The Spanish emigrants brought over a wealth of heritage from the Americas, and not only built palaces and stately residences, but also collaborated on the construction of chapels and hospitals, buildings we can still enjoy as we wander through the city’s intricate narrow streets.

In the heart of Santillana del Mar is the Collegiate Church of Saint Juliana, a large Romanesque building which dates back to the 8th century, when a group of pilgrim monks arrived with the relics of Saint Juliana of Nicomedia, who was condemned by her own father and martyred in Turkey because she refused to marry a Roman prefect, a pagan, no less.

Nothing remains of the chapel that was originally built to hold her remains. A large monastery was built in her honor which later, in the 11th century, was classified as a collegiate church and a mandatory stop for pilgrims on their way to Santiago via the St. James’ Way. It is an impressive church with international Romanesque features and whose solid architecture contrasts with the peace and spirituality found inside.

The San Jerónimo de Yuste Monastery was built at the beginning of the 15th century, with a Gothic and a Renaissance cloister, portraying the change in the era’s styles. The Royal Room, built by Gaspar de Vega in the mid-16th century according to the Emperor’s instructions, is marked by the simplicity and logical distribution of a religious retreat, located alongside the church altar under which the Emperor asked to be buried. His body remained there until his son, Philip II, had it transferred to the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

Enclosed within impressive medieval walls, its historic quarter is home to palaces, temples, convents and residences, the result of a history shaped by the cultures that lived there together: the Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities left their mark, and all three are a living part of our cultural legacy.

Ávila is also a mystic, spiritual city. All roads lead to Saint Teresa, Doctor of the Catholic Church. We can follow her journey, from the house where she was born to the place where she was buried, including the convents where she was hidden away early in life and those she founded after creating the Order of the Discalced Carmelites.

The Mezquita, or Mosque, in Cordoba, the Caliphal city of Medina Azahara, and the Alhambra in Granada, are singular examples of the Moors’ cultural splendor on the Peninsula, which, throughout history, has continued to feed the fantasies of travelers and the inquisitive.

The coexistence of Moors and Christians for such a long period resulted in the creation of rich urban, artistic and, of course, gastronomically significant settlements, that continue to endure and of which Spaniards are the true heirs.

Barcelona is one of the cities in Europe that co-exists most naturally with its vestiges of the past, and whose origins it also superbly preserves. THE REAL THING invites you to embark on a fascinating journey in time where, though architecture, we will slowly reveal all of the secrets to the city’s history: the remains of the Roman Temple of Augustus; the splendor of Romanesque churches and monasteries, perfectly preserved; the outstanding example of Catalan Gothic that is the Church of Santa Maria del Mar; public buildings and palaces of the new social classes which emerged as a result of the wealth brought by the sea; the successive walls that stifled the city…

Come with us and fall in love with its beautiful masonry and its intense history.

Today, the grandeur of this era can still be experienced through visits to now abandoned ancient Roman cities such as Clunia in Burgos, and Termantia and Numantia in the province of Soria. But above all, the essence of the Roman Empire can be imbibed in Spanish cities where the remains of Hispania are naturally integrated into the urban landscapes. Examples of this include Segovia, with its magnificent, still-intact aqueduct; and Merida, whose Roman theater continues to host one of Europe’s most important classical theater festivals.

This combination of past styles and the new needs of the modern state resulted in the rise of such fascinating places as the Convent of San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo, the Royal Pantheon and Palace of Carlos V in Granada, the Monastery of Guadalupe in Caceres, the Convent of San Pablo in Valladolid and the Santa Cruz Hospital in Toledo, where we can still savor the essence of an era marked by change and profound excitement by contemplating their rich facades and wandering through their mysterious interiors.

The stained glass windows that dominate the walls of these cathedrals are rife with beauty and mystery, depicting stories made for the faithful that wander its halls and high naves comprised of vaulted transepts and intricate capitals – all a lesson in architecture and building achievements that continue to astound.