In 2007, the three-generation Williams family of 11 embarked on a 12-day London and Paris vacation they organized themselves. Leaving London, Melissa Williams, recalled, "The Prologue of the Tour de France [bicycle race] was taking place, which we hadn't known about. We had to get to the airport. The streets were closed, traffic was jammed, and our driver couldn't get through. We had to take the Tube, with everybody, including the grandparents, dragging their own luggage. It was a nightmare."
The next year, Melissa and Jeff Williams decided to let someone else do the planning. They chose Adventures by Disney (ABD) and relaxed. I joined the ABD tour of Spain along with my grandchildren, Andrew Freudenberg, 13, and Anna Staub, 12. Our enthusiastic escorts, an actor with Walt Disney World and a Barcelona guide-in-training, engaged and delighted the youngsters at all times. Here are some highlights from our trip that your grandchildren might enjoy.
Madrid
Never having been inside a palace, my grandchildren were stunned with the over-the-top Throne Room at the Royal Palace. And the Carlos III Dining Room with original decor from 1879, including 15 Murano crystal chandeliers, frescoes of Columbus with Ferdinand and Isabella, and huge tapestries. It's still used for state occasions. The
Suits of armor stand at attention in the Royal Palace Armory in Madrid |
collection of armor, down to the flexible finger coverings, wowed Andrew. Even little-boy princes had their own suits of armor for training or parades. Of course, we visited the
Museo Del Prado. The national art museum is heavy on religious works. Velázquez's
Family of Felipe IV (
Las Meninas) enchanted Anna.
Both these suburban kids were amazed by the numbers of people strolling the streets in the evening. We three dined on our own one night at Restaurante Botin, which Guinness describes as the world's oldest operating restaurant. It dates from 1725. I expected a tourist trap, but found the other diners were Spaniards, the food excellent, and the servers delightful.
Seville
Begun in 1431, the Cathedral of Seville took a century to build; it is Europe's third-largest church after St. Peter's and St. Paul's. The cathedral's incredible altar, 43 feet high by 65 feet wide, with 200 figures depicting the life of Jesus, is covered with two tons of gold. Four sculptures of Spanish kings hold aloft the Crypt of Christopher Columbus. Our guide Mercedes Miguez said, "DNA evidence in 2006 proved these remains were bones of Columbus, which doesn't mean there aren't more in other places as well, such as [in] the Dominican Republic." Real Alcazar, Europe's oldest royal residence, is still used. The home of Spanish kings for seven centuries is in the Mudejar, or Moorish, style. After [visiting] the Royal Palace in Madrid, the children were disappointed that it wasn't furnished!
Bullfighting in Seville |
The city's most charming area, the
Barrio de Santa Cruz, was once the ghetto for Seville's Jews. This is where Spain's Inquisition began. Today its flower-filled narrow streets, fountains, boutiques
, and nightclubs belie its tragic history. The church of Santa Maria la Blanca was converted from a synagogue and rabbi's house.
We visited Spain's oldest bull ring, the Plaza de Toros dating from the 18th century. Today bullfighters rarely die because ambulances stand by; however, the bulls still die. We were told younger generations of Spaniards aren't as enchanted by the spectacle. Our animal-sensitive family bypassed the mounted bulls' heads in the Museum, concentrating instead on the lances, glorious 18th-century costumes, and paintings of famous matadors.
El Esparragal farm was a complete hit. We rode "on safari," where a cow followed our open-air truck. We saw olives, hay, and oranges growing; got to pet a day-old calf; and saw cows being milked. The youngsters created hand-painted tiles (azulejos) they took home. That night at a restaurant, we watched and participated in flamenco dancing and ate paella. As always, considering that youngsters' palates aren't always sophisticated, ABD had arranged to have a simple pasta dish available.
Barcelona
Sagrada Familia, begun in 1882, was unfinished at architect Antoni Gaudi's death in 1926. Admissions and donations finance building as it continues. The church looks like a huge sand-colored, beachside dribble castle to some, but Andrew found its Art Nouveau style "very amazing." Nearby, our group lunched at Els Porxos. Though catering largely to groups, it served the best tapas (appetizers) of the trip. The leafy Parc Guell in northern Barcelona is dotted with more buildings and mosaics of Gaudi's, who had planned to make this a model community. There we met
Sagrada Familia in Barcelona |
an impersonator of the eccentric architect, who answered some of the children's questions.
Housed in five stone palaces in the Gothic Quarter, the Picasso Museum showcases the artist's development from childhood; he spent much of his youth in Barcelona. Nearby are the remains of Europe's oldest synagogue, dating back to the third century. Evidence shows the congregation was active at Sinagoga Major until 1391.
The walled Spanish Village was built on Montjuic for the 1929 World Exhibition. Here the young people created stained glass while adults roamed among shops. On our own, we strolled what's often dubbed Spain's most popular street, Las Ramblas. This broad, tree-lined pedestrian way has different sections for flowers, birds and fish, artists and craftspeople. At the children's favorite area, brilliantly costumed and made-up street performers stood motionless or reached out as if to snatch passersby.
Related Information
Children on the ABD tour ranged in age from 9 to 18. One family on our tour even brought two offspring in their 20s.
Mouse references were restrained. Other than giving us relevant pins each day, Disney stuff was confined to showing Disney films on a couple of long bus trips, or pointing out a few related spots, such as the beautiful castle at Segovia, which inspired Sleeping Beauty's castle at Disneyland.
We were disappointed that we were usually left on our own for half days. That's why I arranged for a separate guided tour of the cathedral in Seville. While ABD was less costly than some other organized family trips, I found the need for additional guides, transportation, and entrance fees quickly added up.
We love international travel and so will you and your grandchildren. Consider England, New Zealand, and Paris when planning your next vacation.
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