There is time to take it easy. Traveling solo in Spain

A solo trip to Barcelona to experience art.

"Solo travel" allows you to enjoy traveling according to your curiosity and interest without having to worry about others. One of the best parts of "solo travel" is being able to come face to face with masterpieces of art that are loved across time and borders, and quietly experience their beauty and power. A perfect destination for this style of travel is Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia in eastern Spain. This city, which has ties to architect Antoni Gaudi and painter Pablo Picasso, is filled with numerous sights that attract art fans from all over the world.

If you enjoy art touring in Barcelona, the first place you should visit is the "Works of Antoni Gaudi", which is also registered as a World Heritage Site. Gaudi, who worked as an architect mainly in Barcelona from the 19th to 20th centuries, left behind many works in the city. There are a wide variety of Gaudi's works scattered around the city, including the unfinished masterpiece "Sagrada Familia", which is loved as a symbol of Barcelona and is still under construction, as well as "Park Güell", "Palau Güell", and "La Pedrera". The unique beauty of the shapes, which make extensive use of curves, seems to embody Gaudi's free imagination. The more you look closely at each architectural work, the more you will feel its depth.

Barcelona is also known as a city loved by painters such as Pablo Picasso and Joan Miro. The city is still dotted with museums where you can encounter their works. For example, the Picasso Museum, located in the Gothic Quarter, where medieval streetscapes remain, exhibits many works by Picasso, who spent his youth in this city. If you are a Picasso fan, you should definitely visit this museum, as you can see works from his childhood and his "Blue Period," which were the foundation of his later leaps. In addition, the Miro Museum, located on Montjuïc Hill, is a museum that not only houses Miro's works, but also a number of contemporary art pieces. The beautiful space that spreads out in harmony with nature is also impressive. In addition to these, Barcelona is dotted with a wide variety of museums, such as the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art and the Art Museum of Catalonia. It is truly worthy of being called the "City of Art," so why not take your time to explore them all?

A solo trip to Andalusia, relaxing in a small village

Located in the south of Spain, the Andalusia region is blessed with a warm climate. This area, where the sun shines brightly and you can enjoy a laid-back atmosphere that is truly "Spanish," is also a perfect place for "solo travelers." People have lived here since ancient times, and after experiencing the ancient Roman and Islamic eras and the Reconquista, this region became an autonomous region of Spain, where you will be able to encounter unique cultures and scenery that have been cultivated over a long history.

If you are going on a solo trip in Andalusia, we recommend visiting the small villages scattered throughout the region. For example, Ronda, located in the northwest of Malaga Province, Andalusia, is a village where you can enjoy a unique landscape of white-walled houses lined up on a cliff about 739 meters above sea level. Historical buildings such as the Puente Nuevo and the Bullring, built in the 18th century, stand side by side, so even though it is a small village, there is plenty to see! The beautiful scenery surrounding the village, delicious wine, and interactions with the warm local people will gently color your time on your solo trip. By the way, the white walls of the houses in Ronda are a vestige of the former Islamic culture. In addition to Ronda, the Andalusia region has many famous "white villages" such as Mijas and Frigiliana, which have been strongly influenced by Islamic culture, so we recommend touring the "white villages" that are full of the beauty unique to Andalusia.

Walk the coveted Camino de Santiago at your own pace.

"Solo travel" allows you to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and face yourself. If you want to take your time on such a precious trip, why not try walking the "Way of St. James", which was registered as a World Heritage Site in 1993?

Santiago de Compostela, located in Galicia, in northwestern Spain, is one of the three major Christian pilgrimage sites, along with Rome and Jerusalem. The pilgrimage route that runs from various parts of France across the Pyrenees Mountains through northern Spain to its final destination of Santiago de Compostela is a sacred road that has been traveled by many pilgrims for about 1,000 years. There are several routes, such as the "French Way" with a total length of about 800 km and the "Northern Way" with a total length of about 820 km, and it is common to walk it over a period of about one month now. Of course, it is possible to walk only part of the route, so you can plan your route according to the number of days off. We recommend a 5-6 day walk from the post town of Sarria in Galicia to Santiago de Compostela, a distance of about 115 km. Along the way, there are beautiful countryside, historical buildings, and rustic villages, making it a very rewarding walk. You will feel a great sense of accomplishment when you reach the final destination of the pilgrimage, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Walking the pilgrimage route, step by step, you can slowly face yourself. You can enjoy such a "solo trip" on the coveted World Heritage Site "Way of St. Peter and Paul the Great".