On the Menu...Sweet Treats of the Alentejo Region (Portugal)

As you explore the charming towns of the Alentejo region, be sure to indulge in its delicious desserts. Many of the desserts originated in the convents, and are made from ingredients such as egg yolks, almonds, sugar or honey, and perhaps a dusting of cinnamon.

In Évora try the Encharcada (egg cake with almonds) from the Convent of Santa Clara, Pão de Rala (sweet brown bread), or Sericaia (traditional dessert with plums).

In Beja sample the Trouxas de Ovos (made from eggs and sugar), or Pastéis de Santa Clara.

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Foodie Friday...Cinc Sentits Restaurante (Spain)

Located in the Eixample area of Barcelona, this restaurant provides cuisine of unparalleled freshness and excellence.

They partner with small local purveyors from the region and consistently exude a passion for quality. From fish and foie gras, to lamb and veal (not to mention exclusive farmhouse cheeses), Cinc Sentits (Five Senses), encourages visitors to take a tasting tour of all the fine cuisine Spain has to offer.

We hope you enjoy our restaurant selection. Click here for their website

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Next Stop...Montserrat (Spain)

Make sure you visit this Benedictine monastery, which sits atop a 4,000 foot high mountain and is famous for the statue of the Virgin of Montserrat (the Black Virgin), the patron saint of Cataluña. You can visit the monastery as a day trip from Barcelona, as it is only 35 miles NW of Barcelona. For more information on monastery click here

The monastery is also well known for the Escolanía de Montserrat choir school, which dates back to the 13th century. The choir consists of boys who are from Cataluña and range in age from 9 to 14, and are either sopranos or altos.  The choir performs Monday through Saturday at 1:00pm, and Sundays at 12:00pm. For more information on choir click here

When visiting Montserrat don't forget to make some time to visit the Museum of Montserrat, as it has many fine works of art, including works by artists such as El Greco, Picasso, Dalí, and many many more! For ticket information click here

Did you know…the monastery's publication company has the oldest printing press in the world; the first book was published in 1499 and the press is still in use today.

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Sites to See...Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid (Spain)

This magnificent museum features the greatest artists of the 20th century. Many visitors come for iconic works by Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. In fact, the Reina Sofia houses Picasso's Guernica - arguably his most esteemed painting. Also feel free to peruse the extensive library collection. Discover Spain's sublime contributions to 20th century art and learn about the works of the masters. Click here for their website

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Next Stop...Porto (Portugal)

Portugal’s second largest city is located on the banks of the River Douro, and is famous for the fortified wine that bears its name. Visit the port wine lodges located across the river at Vila Nova de Gaia, the 14th C. Igreja de São Francisco, and the Cathedral. For more on the city click here

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Viva España! FC Barcelona takes the Champions League title



Photo By: Franck Fife/Agence France-Presse -- Getty Images

 













Congratulations to Barcelona for defeating Manchester United by a score of 3-1 in Wembley Stadium yesterday. The win gives Barça its fourth Champions League trophy. This latest victory gives Spain a total of 13 Champions League titles, which puts them atop the leader board as they move past Italy, with a total of 12 wins.

Go to the New York Times for a recap on the game, and to learn more about how Barça dominated Manchester United to take the trophy. To learn more about the reaction in Spain, check out the stories and stats in Spanish in the ABC, one of Spain’s leading daily newspapers.

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High Speed Train Links Valencia and Madrid

From the Tourist Office:

VALENCIA, Spain, November 12, 2010 – Paella lovers rejoice! Getting to Valencia will get a lot easier come December. Just in time for the New Year, the Alta Velocidad Espanola, the AVE, or high-speed train will inaugurate service from Madrid to Valencia making the trip in only 90 minutes. On December 19, the first trains will depart, traveling at speeds of up to 205 miles per hour. Eventually up to 20 trains a day will make the trip. The AVE will have two-class service in 12 coaches with 365 seats: four Club Class coaches with 71 seats and eight for Tourist Class with 294 seats. Currently the train from Madrid to Valencia takes more than three hours and 45 minutes.

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Introducing: Hotel Meninas and Hotel Opera

 We are proud to announce we are now offering two new 4-star hotels in Madrid: the Hotel Meninas and the Hotel Opera. Located in the very heart of the city, both hotels are owned and operated by the Carús family, who have been in the hotel industry in Madrid for nearly 50 years. The Carús family is well known for their dedication to the hotel sector and support of the tourism market in Madrid. Their pride of ownership and dedication show in the personalized service and attention to detail that can be found in both of their hotels. We hope you will consider the Hotel Meninas and Hotel Opera when selecting accommodations for your clients in Madrid. We just returned from visiting the hotels in Madrid, so if you have any questions we are always available to answer them. As usual, thanks for reading. 

 Please visit International Lodging Corporation at our home page.

Inside Évora

The town of Évora in Portugal is perfect for our history-inclined travelers. With our pousada offerings, you can easily combine luxury with some spectacular sites that stretch as far back as the middle ages. Évora is known for its stunning medieval walls, unique churches and a 16th century aqueduct designed by military architect Francisco de Arruda. For these reasons, the town has been designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

Be sure to check out the aforementioned aqueduct, which is known as Água de Prata Aqueduct. Originally built between 1531 and 1537 to supply the city with water, this structure has great historical significance to the region and even popped up in an epic poem be Luis de Camoes.

Other notable sites include the Cathedral of Évora, the S. Brás Chapel and Saint Frances Church. View our Portuguese offerings for more information.

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Three New Golf Courses Open In Valencia

Whether you're a hobbyist or serious athlete, golf can be one of the greatest reasons for leisurely travel. For those heading to Valencia in the near future, the region has recently opened three brand-new, world class golf courses. Valencia has a rich history with the sport and is the home of renowned golfer Sergio García. With these additions, the area now has 28 full golf courses in operation.

Here's the full information on the new courses from Valencia's press announcement:

Expected to open this fall, La Galiana is near the town of Alcira, south of the city of Valencia. The 18-hole, par-72 course enjoys a spectacular setting in a valley surrounded by pine and orange groves. More than 5,000 local species of plants and trees were used in the landscaping, and water consumption will be minimized through a sophisticated rainwater collection and drainage system. Designed by the Spanish firm Moon Masters, La Galiana will be open to non-members who can use the facilities. New golf schools are also planned for the area.

Opened in May, Font del Llop Golf Resort is a new 18-hole course located near the historic town of Monforte del Cid, in the Vinalopo valley, just minutes inland from Alicante. Designed by Blake Stirling and Marco Martín, the par-72 course blends naturally with its scenery and has great views of the surrounding mountains. Recalling some of the best Scottish and American courses, the layout of Font del Llop’s fairways – around a small river connecting five lakes -make for a technical game that challenges players to use all golf clubs.

Las Colinas Golf & Country Club opened in June and is located in Dehesa de Campoamor, south of Torrevieja in the province of Alicante. Designed by Cabell B. Robinson, the 18-hole championship course has been carved out of a spectacular gorge and has breathtaking panoramic views of the nearby coastline and a nature reserve. Managed by Troon Golf, the par-71 course offers a great variety of short and long holes, with five unique par 3’s presenting an array of challenges of varying length and topography. Key features of this course’s design are water hazards and dramatic bunkering.

Head over to the ILC website for our robust offerings in Valencia and make sure your clubs are ready to play.

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Recipe: Chickpea and Spinach Tapas

Here's an easy tapas recipe that's perfect for our vegetarian readers. Healthy, quick and carrying a delicious, snappy taste, try out this version of a classic chickpea and spinach tapas plate.

You'll need:

• 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves, rinsed, or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen leaf spinach
• 19-ounce can (2 cups) chick-peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
• 1 to 2 lemons, juiced or to taste
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook the spinach in a saucepan with the water clinging to its leaves, stirring, until wilted. Drain, squeeze dry, and finely chop. If using frozen spinach, follow package directions, drain, squeeze dry, and finely chop.

In a bowl combine the spinach with the chick peas, pepper, chives, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Serve as is or chilled with toasted bread.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

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Gandia Celebrates 500th Anniversary of Patron Saint's Birth

Head to beautiful Valencia, Spain this summer and explore the historic town of Gandia. Celebrating the 500th anniversary of the birth of its patron saint, the town will be holding public festivities all summer and there's truly something for everyone. Let's start with music:

On June 23, the “Fiesta de San Juan” celebrates the shortest night of the year with bonfires and music on the town’s beach. On July 9 and 10 the “Festival Borja Music Summer and Sand” will present popular bands and DJ’s on the same beach. From July 20 to 24, “Festival Les Venus de la Mediterranean” features singer-songwriters such as Jane Birkin, Maria del Mar Bonnet and Ute Limper at venues on the beach and on the patio of the Ducal Palace. For the entire month of August the “Casa de la Marques” will play host to the International Music Festival of Gandia. From September 28 to October 3, the town holds its traditional fair celebrated with additional pomp in honor of the 500th anniversary of the saint’s birth.

Those that are into regional cuisine also have tons of options -- the biggest of which are two gastronomic fairs taking place from September 17-19 and then in the winter from December 11-19. Most restaurants in the town's historic square will participate and offer up a unique Gandia take on Spanish cuisine.

The recipes feature traditional Gandian favorites like stuffed squid and rabbit, as well as truly authentic medieval preparations. One such recipe is for a garlic sauce made with bread, garlic, oil and fish stock. Almonds may substitute for the bread, a variant that works well with eel. Another medieval recipe is a leek puree which, instead of the cream used in a modern Vichyssoise, has almond-milk – true to Valencia’s Mediterranean heritage and to the dietary laws of Medieval Jews and Muslims who contributed to the region’s customs.

For more information about the region of Valencia, you can visit our website or the Tourist Office.

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Congratulations to Spain!

In one of the most watched televised events in the history of the world, Spain beat Holland yesterday to secure their first-ever World Cup tournament. We at ILC extend our deepest congratulations to the Spanish national team and Andrés Iniesta for his game-winning goal under such pressure.

Check out this great recap page from Fifa for stats, news and photos from the entire World Cup.

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Formula One in Valencia

Valencia has announced that it will feature Formula One racing for the third straight year starting later this month on June 25. The main event takes place June 27 and features four Grand Prix Champions (Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button). Traveling at up to 200 miles per hour, these are some of the best drivers in the world and if you're into racing, these are some of the more incredible spectacles that the sport has to offer.

From the Tourist Office:

With its charming old quarter full of Renaissance and Baroque monuments, the Museo de Bellas Arts with one of Spain’s best paintings collection, IVAM, the contemporary art museum, beautiful beaches and delicious cuisine – this is paella country, after all – Valencia has plenty to offer visitors before and after the competition. Stunning modern architecture is another draw. Valencia’s emblematic City of Arts and Sciences with its aquarium, planetarium, science museum and performing arts center has a new addition, the Agora by Santiago Calatrava. Resembling a knight’s helmet, this dramatic steel structure in deep violet was the venue for last year’s Valencia Open 500.

Tickets for all three days of racing are currently available here.

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Recipe: Party Sangria

It's getting to be the perfect time of year for backyard gatherings with friends, family and more delicious barbecue than you could ever consume in one sitting. As you fire up the grill, don't forget the sangria. A internationally-loved specialty of Spain, sangria is one of the more refreshing warm month beverages around. Here's a recipe to make enough for your entire party.

You'll need:

• 1/3 cup (3 oz) sugar

• 1/3 cup brandy

• 1/3 cup Cointreau

• 1/3 cup of lemon-flavored vodka
  

• 1 small lemon, sliced crosswise

• 1 small orange, sliced crosswise

• 1 small lime, sliced crosswise

• 1 medium pear, diced

• 2 medium peach, peeled, pitted and sliced

• 2 cups (8 oz) sliced strawberries

• 1 bottle carbonated lemon-lime soda

It's pretty easy. Just grab a pitcher and combine all the ingredients except the soda and strawberries.

Chill in the refrigerator overnight. Immediately before serving, stir the strawberries and lemon-lime soda. Pour into chilled glasses and serve.

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