Alquézar Alight

This past spring, I went to Spain to explore some lesser-known areas. Alquezar was near the top of my list as it is situated near the Pyrenees adjacent to the Sierra de Guara national park. The area has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, but it is much less visited than the amazing cities of Barcelona, Toledo, Madrid & Valencia...this is both a shame and a blessing.

The castle or citadel was built in the 8th century and served as a defensive position for the surrounding area in a strategic and beautiful location. The village was built up around the castle in the 11th century and features multiple narrow streets that all wind you up in the direction of the castle. All of the buildings are built of the same stone and roof materials that make the village resemble one large, multi-faceted structure when viewed from above.

It is a rather small village...I think I walked all the city streets in about an hour. It was a joy to explore and find the various views over the cliffs into the canyon and beyond. Tired of the narrow streets, I decided to hike up a nearby hill to find a view of the village itself. Once I reached this spot, I knew I would come back here to capture a photo.

During sunset, the sky showed glimpses of color, but it never really materialized. The clouds, however, were dynamic and since I love the blue hour, I waited for it to come. As the darkness crept in, more and more lights lit up the medieval town. Very few tourists, if any, are here to witness this. Regardless, the village lights up the streets and the castle for the benefit of the locals and anyone (me) who happens to stick around.

I thought to myself, "what would the builders of this castle think if they saw it lit up at night?" Can you imagine what this town was like in 700AD without electric lights? Of course, there was the random torch or lantern, but nothing like this!

A great spectacle in a serene place...and a great stop for anyone visiting eastern Spain…add it to your list. :-)

Cité de Carcassonne

I recently completed a road trip through parts of Spain. On my way, I made one stop in France to see the fortified city of Carcassonne.

I spent the afternoon inside the walls, walking the ramparts and visiting the cathedral. It was more impressive than I had expected and I thoroughly enjoyed wandering and getting lost in its narrow streets. It is no wonder UNESCO designated this place as a World Heritage Site in 1997. As pretty as it is inside the walls, in my opinion, the best view is from a hillside just south of town.

There is not any parking near this location, so I left my car by the city and hiked out until I reached this hillside vineyard. Once I found this spot, I set up my tripod and watched a colorless sunset turn into the blue hour. I always hope for a vivid sunset, but the illuminated walls provided a nice alternative and a pleasant contrast to the darkening sky.

For the photography geeks...While it looks fairly close, the spot where I took this is a couple of kilometers away from the city. I used a telephoto lens (approximately 210mm) and while I could have captured the scene in one image, I decided to zoom in as much as possible and take several images. I then stitched them together in Photoshop to create a high-resolution panorama.

Pietrapertosa

First settled in the 8th century BC, Pietrapertosa is a beautiful hill town in Basilicata, Italy. 

It sits nestled against the mountains with many homes featuring the bare rock as part of their structure. If you look closely, you can see the natural arch that is at the top of the mountain. There is also a small castle at the top of the mountain, but it is hidden from this viewpoint. From the castle you have amazing views over the valley and the nearby town of Castelmezzano. 

When I visited in April, I think I was the only tourist there. I wandered all over the town and even hiked the old Roman path over to Castelmezzano and back. The towns were both quiet, sleepy places, but it was fun to explore them and enjoy the surrounding views. 

The first morning I arrived, I started the day here…perched on a wall overlooking the town. As the sun rose behind the mountain, the clouds started to glow and Pietrapertosa greeted me with an amazing sunrise.

Medieval Manhattan

San Gimignano is one of my favorite hill towns in Italy. It’s skyline of towers built in the 1200’s is both unique and impressive. San Gimignano prospered as a key trading town in the early thirteenth century and well off families would build a tower as a show of their wealth. At one point, over 70 towers dominated the town. Today, 13 towers remain and San Gimignano is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, commonly referred to as “Medieval Manhattan"

I highly recommend anyone visiting nearby Florence to take a day-trip here. Get here early in the day though, as tourist buses start arriving mid-morning and the town can be overrun with people in the summer. In the off-season, the town is quiet and peaceful. I took this image a couple of weeks ago in early October and there were only a handful of other tourists. As the sun went down and the lights illuminated the towers, it was a magical scene.