Van Gogh, Monet, Courbet and Léger in Malaga

From October 4th till April 20th in Thyssen Museum in Málaga

The exhibition Courbet, Van Gogh, Monet, Léger. From naturalist Landscape to the Avant-gardes in the Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, organised in collaboration with Obra Social ”la Caixa”, focuses on the role of landscape painting in the renewal of modern art through the quest undertaken by artists for greater freedom of execution and direct contact with nature. At the same time, it reveals the interesting connections that arose between the principal Spanish painters and the most important artistic movements that simultaneously emerged in Europe.
Through a selection of more than forty works from the Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, the exhibition offers a survey of landscape painting from the mid-19th century to 1950, relating the most important Spanish landscape painters such as Carlos de Haes, Eliseu Meifrèn and Santiago Rusiñol to the principal trends in international, particularly French art with the aim of seeking out affinities and influences.

Claude Monet, Low Tide in Varengeville, 1882

In comparison to genre painters, whose work was governed by strict rules, landscape painters achieved a greater degree of freedom by establishing a direct dialogue with nature while also trying out new techniques that incorporated scientific discoveries of the day. Thus for late 19th-century artists, painting could not be confined to the imitation of reality: beauty was the result of an internal order and their conception of a painting as a flat plane covered with colours anticipated the contribution of the 20th-century Avant-gardes. Around 1930 and following a period when landscape was to some extent eclipsed, the Surrealists gave it a new meaning as the representation of the subconscious.
Overall, the exhibition allows visitors to appreciate how landscape painting evolved over almost a century, from naturalism to the markedly introspective character of Avant-garde landscapes, while also taking into account the transition from post-Romanticism to Symbolism, the interest in light characteristic of Impressionism and the return to classicism.
Information from: Website Museum Carmen Thyssen M

Entrance fee for this exhibition: 4 €
Opening hours. from tuesday till sunday from 10:00 to 20:00
More information: Website Carmen Thyssen Museum

More flights to Malaga this winter!

There are more flights to Malaga this winter (2013-2014) than ever!

There are 25 new routes this low season with 80% more seats on flights from Germany and 20% more on routes from the rest of Europe.

The new routes from Germany are from Dortmund, Köln, Nürnberg, Hannover, Münster and Hamburg.

Malaga from the plane

The new routes from the UK to Malaga are from Gatwick with a Norwegian airline and from Bournemouth, Edingburgh and Cardiff.

From Belgium there is a new route from Brussels and from Liège.
 
From Switzerland there is a new route from Genève.

Also from Prague, Bucharest, Rome and Moscow.

Passenger figures from the Scandinavian countries have increased this summer by 21%.

More information about airlines operating flights to Malaga you can find on the website of  Aena. and on the website of Malaga airport

Hall Malaga airport

The source of this information is an article in the newspaper Sur in English from november 1st till 7th. This newspaper is distributed freely on the Costa del Sol on a weekly basis.

More articles about flights to Andalucia you can find on:

Cheap flights to Almeria
Tips cheap airtickets
Granada Airport
Low cost flights Holland and Belgium
Cheap flights from France

Exhibitions about Islamic Arts & Culture in Seville and Granada october 2013 february 2014

Two interesting exhibitions about the islamic culture are held in Seville and Granada from october till february.

Nur, Light in Art and Science from the Islamic World

From October 25, 2013 till February 9, 2014 the Focus-Abengoa Foundation organizes "Nur, Light in Art and Science from the Islamic World, an exhibition of Islamic art and culture, spanning more than ten centuries and including artworks and secular objects from throughout the Islamic world in the Abengoa Foundation’s historic 17th-century building, the Hospital de los Venerables Sacerdotes.

Featuring 150 objects from public and private collections in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and the United States, Nur: Light in Art and Science from the Islamic World will explore the use and meaning of light in Islamic art and science, and demonstrate how light is a unifying motif in Islamic civilizations worldwide. The exhibition, organized and developed by Islamic art and culture expert Dr. Sabiha Al Khemir, will include a significant number of objects that have never before been presented to the public, from artworks to rare manuscripts and scientific objects. Following the exhibition’s debut in Seville at the Focus, the exhibition Nur: Light in Art and Science from the Islamic World will be on view at the Dallas Museum of Art in Texas from March 30, 2014, to June 29, 2014.
Where: Plaza de los Venerables 8, Seville
Entrance fee: Free
Opening: Every day from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00- 20:00
Closed 25 december and 1 january, and reduced opening times december 24 and 31.

More Information: Abengoa Foundation

Thousand years of Medinat Illbira 

From October 4th 2013 till february 2014 the Consortium for the Conmemoration of the first Milennium of Granada's Kingdom and the Foundation Legado Andalusi, organize this exhibition in the Parc of Sciences in Grenada.

Madinat Ilbira (Medina Elvira) is an archaeological site that holds the remains of the most important city in the Vega de Granada region between the 7th and 10thcenturies, during the first stage of the presence of Islamon the Iberian Peninsula. It is one of the most important areas related to the emergence of Andalusi society.

This exhibition presents the results of the research carried out over the last decade that revealed the processes behind the transformation from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages. The research has also been used to build upon what is known to date about the establishment of the Arab world on the peninsula. 

The city was abandoned in the 11th century, when the population moved and founded the current city of Granada. It was rediscovered  in the 19th century and then forgotten again for more than a hundred years until the University of Granada research group “ The Toponymy, History and Archaeology of the Kingdom of Granada” began work on the project The City of Madinat Ilbira. In a unique place, during a crucial period in history, the role played by Madinat Ilbira in European historiographical debates was key.

Where: Park of Sciences Granada
Opening hours: Monday till Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00
Sunday, Monday and holidays from 10:00 to 15:00
Entrance fee: Standard ticket 6,50 €
More information: Parque de las Ciencias

Beautiful new Holiday Rentals in Orgiva on Website Le Chien Andalous

We are very proud to announce we have incorporated two new beautiful holiday rentals in Orgiva, in the Alpujarras on our website.

Pool with waterfall Finca Rio Seco, Orgiva

Both houses feature:
* Private pool with waterfall
* Free Internet
* Satellite TV

Living Room Finca Rio Seco

* Private Soccer field
*Private Volleyball court
* 5000 m2 private gardens

Pool with waterfall Finca Rio Chico

See video, more photos and description on our website www.lechienandalus.com
Finca Rio Seco:  in English, in German, in Dutch and in French
Finca Rio Chico: In English, in German, in Dutch and in French

You can read more about the surroundings of these houses in the following articles:
About
- the Alpujarras
- about the Sierra Nevada National Park,
- beaches Mediterranean/Motril
- Alhambra

One opinion about Finca Rio Seco

Le Chien Andalous in the Press

We were very pleased to discover that our agency Le Chien Andalous was mentioned in a nice article about Andalusia, published in the january/february 2013 issue of the magazine "ANWB Reizen", the dutch Automobile Association.

You can see the article about Andalusia written by Anne Wesseling with photos of Jurjen Drenth here and the page with tips and advice where Le Chien Andalous is  mentioned here.
(look at 'hotels en zo')

Ronda Ravine

Review Los Molinos de Padul

July 2013
 "The cottage was lovely in Los Molinos.  Nice, rustic with a beautiful and a fine hospitality of the owners, also the location with the trips to Granada and nature was good ... We can heartily recommend the accomodation. "
Hans and Sonja, Netherlands

In Dutch:

"Het huisje in Los Molinos was heerlijk. Mooi, rustiek met een prachtige tuin en met een fijn gastheerschap van de eigenaren. Ook de ligging tov de uitstapjes naar Granada en natuurgebieden was goed. Kortom: we hebben we genoten en kunnen de accommodatie van harte aanbevelen."

Hans en Sonja, Nederland 

Terrace Seña Añica

Juni 2012

"We have had a great time in Los Molinos. Cozy location, with all that rushing water around you. Pleasant terrace, spacious and beautiful garden where guests could have their own place.
The living-dining room which was small but that was not really a problem. For us a great starting place to visit and the Sierra Nevada and to go to Granada"
Karina, Netherlands

 

In Dutch:

"Wij hebben in Los Molinos een prima tijd gehad. Gezellige locatie, met al dat ruisende water om je heen. Fijn terras, en mooie ruime tuin waar alle gasten hun eigen stekkie konden hebben.
De woon-eetkeuken was wat klein maar dat was geen echt bezwaar. Voor ons een leuke uitvalsplek om zowel Granada te bezoeken alsook de Sierra Nevada in te gaan."

Karina, Nederland

Bedroom Casa Feliche

Price per week in Low Season: 370 Euros

Price per week in Mid Season: 420 Euros

Price per week in High Season:  550 Euros
Capacity 4 people

 

Watermill Los Molinos can be reserved via our website: www.lechienandalous.com

Direct acces to the page of Los Molinos: in English, in Dutch, in German and in French

Zabaleta, the Picasso from Quesada, Jaén

In the surroundings of the Sierra de Cazorla Natural Park, you can find the nice village of Quesada, home to the Andalusian painter Rafael Zabaleta (1907 - 1960). A few years ago, in 2008, a magnificent museum, which would not be out of place in for example New York, was opened.

Museo Zabaleta, Quesada, Jaén

 Here you can enjoy many of the fine works of this artist.
 

The work of Zabaleta, who was acquainted and heavily infuenced by Picasso, has painted from a very early age. He has painted many ordinary day scenes in the lives of the peasants living near Quesada, with special geometric volumes.


More information on Zabaleta you can find on the following websites:
Works: Wikipaintings 
History: Spanisch Culture
Museum: Andalucia.org and Museum Zabaleta

Rafael Zabaleta, Campesinas

The museum opens:

March 31. to October 26.:
Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am. to 2 pm. and from 5 pm. to 8 pm.
On Sunday and bank holidays from 10 am. to 2:30 pm.

October 27. to March 29.:
Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am. to 2 pm. and from 4 pm. to 7 pm.
On Sunday and bank holidays from 10 am. to 2:30 pm.

Rafael Zabaleta - Quesada

Prices
Tickets: 6 €
Groups (over 20 persons): 4 €
Retired people and students: 3 €
Children under 8 years: free entrance

Houses of Le Chien Andalous in this region:

Cortijo Cerro Fuentes Nuevas Castril: In English,  in French, in German and in Dutch
Huertos de Segura, Segura de la Sierra: In English, in French, in German and in Dutch
Phone: 0034-958763900 

Courtyards Cordoba open to the Public from 8 till 19 May 2013

Where can you find the Courtyards/Patios?

The most characteristic district is the Alcázar Viejo district, between the Alcázar and the parish of San Basilio, although there are also many in the districts of Santa Marina, around the church of San Lorenzo and near la Magdalena. Just around the Mosque-Cathedral, there are also very beautiful old examples of courtyards in the old Jewish quarter. The most beautiful courtyards of all are to be found in the Palacio de Viana (Viana Palace), with twelve different courtyards.

Patio Palacio de Viana

COURTYARDS COMPETITION
Since 1918, the Town Hall has organised a competition of Courtyards and Crosses in the first week of May, and the owners decorate their houses with great care to try and win the prestigious award offered by the authorities. A festival runs in parallel with a number of performances by the best singers and dancers on the scene, while the local fino wine from Montilla-Moriles flows freely and delicious tapas are served.
It is thanks to these events that the Cordoban courtyard is becoming more and more important in popular festivities, and helps the general public to celebrate and welcome these festivals with enthusiasm and hospitality.

Stay in one of our hilday rentals with pool in Cordoba province and visit Cordoba from there:
Holiday rental Casa Zagrilla: in English, in French, in Dutch and in German
Holiday houses Casas Castil in Castil de Campos: in English, in French, in Dutch and in German

Source: www.turismodecordoba.org

Historical Botanical Gardens Malaga

History
Located on the outskirts of Malaga this 49 hectare estate houses, La Concepcíon, a romantic- style garden home to more than 2,000 species of plants. The history of La Concepcíon dates back to 1855 when the gardens creators, Jorge Loring and Amalia Heredia, decided to create a garden after visiting some of Europe’s finest gardens whilst on their honeymoon. Their comfortable economic situation coupled with their international contacts enabled them to build one of the finest collections of flora in southern Europe.
After being purchased  by the Echevarria-Echevarrieta family in 1911 the gardens were extended to their current size with the addition of several new areas.
Today the Botanic Gardens provide the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of vibrant Malaga and ease into the quiet of the Gardens,  get in touch with nature, lose yourself in the gardens  and enjoy spectacular views of Malaga and surrounds. One of the best ways to explore and appreciate the gardens is to take one of the many walking itineraries in the gardens.

Plants
La Concepcion is home to a romantic-style garden that was officially recognised as a “garden of historical-artistic importance” in 1943. Worthy of particular note among the 2,000-plus species to be found on the estate are the trees that make up the enormous wood, where ficuses, araucarias, casuarinas, magnolias, pines, cypresses and cedars, some over 100 years old, create a remarkable arboretum. Species from subtropical climes predominate here. The gardens’ collection of palm trees is considered one of the finest in all of Europe, comprising almost 100 species, some of which are unique exhibits, such as a 7-bough date tree and a Chilean palm which is one of the biggest of its type in Spain, as well as a number of trees rarely found in these latitudes. La Concepcion also boasts a large collection of aquatic plants, bamboos, cycads, zamias and encephalartos, a wide variety of traditional Malaga vines, cactus, insectivorous, orchids, bromelias, fruit trees and natural areas of Mediterranean forest.


Buildings
In addition to its botanical riches, La Concepcion boasts an equally-significant historical heritage. In the XIX century, La Concepcion served as a meeting point for a whole host of illustrious figures of the time. Politicians, artists, aristocrats and the noble Malaga bourgeoisie all frequented its gardens. As a result, a number of distinguished buildings were erected here: the magnificent Stately Home, the cypress house, the administrator’s house, the gardener’s hut and the schoolhouse; two iron greenhouses; a large arbour; fountains, footbridges, flights of steps, a delightful viewpoint, and, most impressive of all, the Loring Museum, a small, Doric-style building which housed the archaeological discoveries unearthed in the excavations financed by the estate’s first owners. Some of these archaeological pieces are on display around the museum, having recently been relocated as part of a project by the architect Jose Fernandez Oyarzabal.

San Telmo Aqueduct
The water supply of Malaga has been one of the most serious problems the city has had since ancient times. In 1782, at the request of Bishop Molina Lario, the architect Aldehuela Martin began working on the San Telmo Aqueduct, because the work of hydraulic engineering was considered very important in the eighteenth-century Spain.
Over 10 km of route from its outlet from the River Guadalmedina, with 33 bridges and 30 aqueducts, reaching its destination by gravity.
In 1788 he authorized the supply to La Concepción. Here one can see part of the branch that supplied water to the farm prior to the garden.





 
Opening hours:

April thru September: From Tuesday till Sunday: from 9.30 AM till 8-30 PM

October thru March: Tuesday till Sunday from 9.30 till 8.30 PM

Entreefees:
General entrance: 4,20 €
Pensioners above 65 and children from 6 till 16 years: 2,10 €
Also guided visits possible

Adress:Camino del Jardin Botanico, no. 3 - 29014 Malaga.
Phone: 952 25 07 45
Source: Botanical Gardens Malaga




Holiday Rentals of Le Chien Andalous in Malaga province:
English ; Deutsch : 
Français ; Nederlands 

Cheap flights to Almeria

The airport  of Almeria is quite small, but with an increasing number of flights.
This year you can fly from:


UK
London Gatwick to Almeria with Easyjet, London Stansted and East Midlands (Nottingham) to Almeria with Ryanair.

Netherlands

There are cheap flights from:  Amsterdam to Almeria with Vueling.

Belgium 

Also from Brussels to Almeria with Vueling

Also from Brussels to Almeria with Jetair.

With Ryanair you can fly from Brussels Charleroi to Almeria

Germany

With Ryanair you can fly from Düsseldorf Weeze to Almeria.

Also there are cheap flights from:  Düsseldorf to Almeria with Vueling.

From Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Bremen, Münster and Köln you can fly to Almeria with Air Berlin

Aircraft Vueling

See our holiday rentals in Almeria!

More information about flights to Andalusia:
article July 2012  : tips to find cheap flights
article September 2012: to Granada airport
article March 2012: Low cost flights from Holland and Belgium
article December 2011. Low cost flights from France to Andalucia

Holy week in Granada, from 24 till 31 March 2013

Holy Week in Granada is one of the city’s most deeply rooted traditions and attracts the largest number of visitors. The processions take place between Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday.

The setting for Granada’s Holy Week is significant. The Cathedral, a excellent example of Renaissance architecture by Diego de Siloé, is the centrepiece of the religious activities. However, during the processions it is possible to visit other spots that make the event even more beautiful: El Albaicín, the Paseo de los Tristes, the Carrera del Darro and even the Alhambra.

The Gypsy processions are famous all over the world, the climb to the Sacromonte of the statues with a blend of devotional songs and bonfires; the one of the Silence or El Silencio when street lights are switched off as the procession passes by, and the procession around the Alhambra, which winds it way around the Nazarene monument, continuing along the famous Puerta de la Justicia.

Procession Holy Week Granada - Christ of the Gypsies de José Risueño

In the processions  sculptures of Christ, Maria and the Cross by Pablo de Rojas,  José de Mora, Risueño and Torcuato Ruíz de Peral are carried.

Holy Week in Granada also features a unique event; the prayer offered at three o’clock in the afternoon of Good Friday known as the Hora Nona. This takes place in the Campo del Principe, where the death of Christ is commemorated in front of the stone statue of the Cristo de los Favores. Traditionally, thousands of people gather here, to pray the three creeds and to make three wishes or requests.

Leche Frita - "Fried Milk"

The religious and festive attractions are complemented by traditional dishes during this week, which include local sweetmeats (roscos, pestiños, leche frita, and empanadillas) and stews dishes with cod, an essential part of this festival.

Source: Turgranada.es

Holiday rentals near Granada: in English, in French, in German and in Dutch

Alhambra, now in February open to the public: the tower of the Captive

During the month of February the Tower of the Captive will be open to the public.

The Tower of the Captive appears to be as any other tower of the ensemble. However, its interior is one of the most outstanding living quarters areas of the Alhambra due to the decoration.

It’s a tower-palace, or Qalahurra, and its structure and distribution is the same as in the houses and palaces of the Monumental Complex. It has a double left-right bending entrance which leads into a patio with arches standing on pillars.

The main living room has a square plan and split windows looking out from tiny alcoves.

This space together with the Comares Hall houses the most complex decorative programme of the Alhambra. 

Name of the tower: Tower of the Captive.

Period: End of the XIII century, though it was renovated and transformed as living quarters during the time of Yusuf I, first half of the XIV century.

Outstanding features: It’s a tower-palace, or Qalahurra, combining defensive features on the outside and living quarters in the inside.

Timetable: From 8.30 to 18 hours. Tuesday, Wednesday , Thursday  and Sundays.

Access: Show general entrance ticket to the Monumental Complex of the Alhambra.

Forum: Maximum 30 people at one time.

Plant of the Month of the Alhambra: February

Japanes Quince Tree, flowers in February

The Alhamabra Museum Piece of the Month February: Wooden Chess Board

The game of chess has been known since the 9th century, and it extended quickly throughout al-Andalus to the rest of the Iberian Peninsula and Europe.

 

 

This game was probably introduced into the Hispano-Muslim world by Ziryāb, from Irak. However, it was King Alfonso X, the Wise, who compiled all the features about it in The books of chess, dice and backgammon.  This publication is yet another symbol of how Hispano-Muslim culture acted as a bridge linking up east and west.  

 

The piece of this month being shown in the Museum of the Alhambra is a board made in walnut wood and decorated in marquetry on both sides. One of them represents the game of chess and the other is a game of backgammon.  

Source: www.alhambra-patronato.es

Cabo de Gata Natural Park

Cabo de Gata-Níjar Nature Park was Andalusia's first marine-terrestrial protected area.

Its ecology and landscape are so unusual, mainly due to the absence of winter weather and to its geological diversity, with a predominance of volcanic substrates where lava outcrops, domes and fossil beaches comprise a unique landscape whose ochre, black and red tones are captivating for their beauty. 

Isleta del Moro, Almeria

Cabo de Gata-Níjar has the best conserved 50 kilometres of coastal cliffs anywhere on the Mediterranean in Europe. Along this stunning coastline with rugged cliffs you will find: town and village beaches such as San José, Las Negras and Aguamarga; magnificent unspoilt beaches such as Mónsul and Los Genoveses; hidden and all but inaccessible coves such as Carnaje and Enmedio; spectacular volcanic and corral cliffs such as Punta de los Muertos and Mesa Roldán. 

Playazo, Almeria

Furthermore, this area has a semi-arid climate with low rainfall and a low water table leading to soils that are poor and underdeveloped but which, nevertheless, are home to one of Europe's most unusual ensembles of flora, with more than 1,000 endemic species. There are areas of palmetto and wolfbane that cling to steep volcanic slopes, dense esparto grass, rosemary and jujube that cover the plains, and, in spring, thousands of daisies that turn the coastal cliffs yellow. They are all examples of plants adapted to the harsh local climatic conditions.

Playa de los Genoveses, Almería

Special mention should be made of the marine ecosystem on account of its variety and abundance. Its marine beds have extensive meadows of posidonea. This plant is similar to green algae, and its proliferation gives rise to real underwater forests that are home to a wide variety of marine fauna: crabs, octopus and fish, including the pen shell, the biggest endangered bivalve in the Mediterranean, considered to be a real natural gem. Buried in the plains of sand and mud there is a wealth of varied fauna - small but vital to the health of the ecosystem as a whole. The rocky sea beds demonstrate extraordinary changes in shape and colour: algae, false corral and a wide variety of fish, including the grouper, also known as "rey del roquedo" (king of the rock fish). Eco-diving in these crystal clear waters is an unforgettable experience. 

Cortijo típico Almeria

Another interesting place, very close to the fishing village of San Miguel, are the Cabo de Gata Salt Pans, home to much of the park's bird life. A multitude of waders such as avocets, black-winged stilts and plovers come to feed in these coastal waters. It is also common to see different species of gulls, ducks and colonies of flamingos. Over the course of the year you can see more than 80 species of birds, either here or at the nearby Rambla Morales delta lagoon, known locally as "Charco". Meanwhile, the Las Amoladeras steppe has esparto grass and thyme plants that provide shelter to a community of birds often hard to see, such as the stone curlew, common lark, short-toed lark and Dupont's lark. Up into the mountains there are birds of prey and small mammals that complete the regional fauna. 

Las Negras, Almeria

Improved infrastructure aiming for sustainable development along with the variety of activities available, such as scuba diving, cycle-touring, boat trips and horse riding routes, will show you all the wealth of this nature area. The fishing village at La Isleta del Moro, the Rodalquilar mining village, the stunning beauty of Los Muertos beach or the incredible cliffs at Los Escullos are all unique experiences awaiting you in these privileged surroundings. 

Pool Casa Cascada, Las Negras

Le Chien Andalous offers various holiday houses and studios in the Cabo de Gata natural park:
In Las Negras, Casa Olivos, Casa Torrecilla, Studios and with pool Casa Palmera and Casa Cascada.
Near San José: the ecologica resort with small houses Finca Albaricoques.  

Source text Cabo de Gata Natural Park: Junta de Andalucia page Medio Ambiente