Cueva del Agua (Iznalloz)

“Cueva del Agua” is a natural wonder located at a height of 1,730 meters above the sea, in the peak of Sierra Harana, in Iznalloz (Granada). It was open to the tourists in 1960.

This cave is a huge net of subterranean galeries without a fixed direction, as the whole cave is a fault. The ground is covered by grinded dolomites, and there were discovered stalagmitic tubes. Since the 60s we can enjoy its mind-boggling rooms such us the Music Hall and the Glaciar Lagoon.

In short, it is a beautiful place full of nature, which contributes to eco-tourism. It is very unknown considering how astonishing it is, so you can’t lose the opportunity to visit this amazing natural area!

Check out more about Cueva del Agua region (Montes Orientales) at this blog!

Ruta del Gollizno (Moclín-Olivares)

Gollizno's Route is an eco-friendly trecking route at the region of Montes Orientales (Andalusia). This old path which connected several villages among them is a way to go through the History of the area, and a highlighted spot for tourists all across the country.

To begin with, the astonishing nature that surrounds the route is compound of many different botanical species, wild animals and types of rocks, so it has a biological and geological value. Along it you can find view points to admire the beauty of the valley, the river and the rear view of Moclin's castle. At the very beginning, after having gone across the forest, there is a stone wall with prehistorical paintings. Descending a staircase you can have a fresh break at the Corcuela fountain, which brings cool water and gather tourists and locals for a snack. Keep alert, you may see a mountain got any time! If you follow the path it will take you down to the "throat" of the river through the carved walls of the mountain. The route continues by the shore of the river, full of vegetation, until it reaches one of the main attractions: a suspension bridge to cross the river. In the final stretch there are several natural fountains of fresh water, viewpoints and fruit trees. Finally you will arrive to Olivares, where you can enjoy the best food of the region.

If you want to know more about this area, check out our posts about Montes Orientales!

Buonconsiglio Castle: opinion essay

On our first day in Trento we took a walk along that beautiful city. The visit had its last stop in the Buonconsiglio Castle. This monument, which was built in the 13^th century, was the residence of the Prince-Bishops of Trento for nearly six centuries and that's why it's full of history.

The Buonconsiglio Castle is the largest and most important monumental complex of the Trentino Alto Adige region.  One of the places we liked the most was the upper part, a gothic balcony made by a series of columns and arches from where we took a lot of beautiful pictures. Downstairs there was a nice garden with a fountain and plenty of gorgeous frescos that impressed us.

Despite the fact that we spent a short time there, it was enough to learn a bit more about this beautiful city. As we see it, it was one of the most enjoyable visits because they didn't focuse the visit on giving a lot of information but on a visual and interactive learning.

From our point of view, this monument is one of the most interesting and beautiful to visit in Trento. No one should miss the oportunity to visit the castle at least once in their lives.

History of Trento (III)

With Napoleon's defeat in 1814 , Trento was again annexed by the Hambsburg Empire. The church government was finally extinguished, so Trento was now being governed by the secular government of Tyrol. In the next decades Trento experienced a modernization of administration and economy with the first railroad in the Adige valley opening in 1859.

History of Trento (II)

In the 14^th century Trento became part of the Austrian rule, under the domain of the Habsburg family. This political status will continue for the following six centuries. 

A dark episode in the history of Trento was the Trent blood libel. A three-year-old Christian boy, Simonino, disappeared in the eve of Good Friday, and the Jewish small community of Trento was accused of killing him, for which eight Jews were burned in a stake and the boy was canonized. 

In the 16^th century the city became notable for the Council of Trent (1545-1563) which gave to the rise to the Counter-Reformation. The prince bishops Bernardo Clesio and Cristoforo Madruzzo, both great European politicians and Renaissance humanists, embellished and expanded the city. During this period, and as an expression of this Humanism, Trento was also known as the site of a Jewish printing press. 

Prince-bishops ruled Trento until the Napoleonic era, when it bounced around among various states. Under the reorganization of the Holy Roman Empire in 1802, the Bishopric was secularized and annexed to the Habsburg territories. The Treaty of Pressburg in 1805 ceded Trent to Bavaria, and the Treaty of Schönbrunn for years later to Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy. The population resisted French domination with gunfights. The resistance leader, Andreas Hofer, recovered Trento for the Austrias for a while, but 4000 volunteers from Trentino died and Hofer was executed on the express order of Napoleon.

History of Trento (I)

Hello everybody! As a part of our research work about Trento, in the following posts we will tell you the history of this awesome city, which played a relevant role in Europe's History.

The history of Trento is essential to understand its multicultural society and its relevance.

The foundation of the city of Trento goes back to the 4^th century BC, due to its privileged position on the river track to Bolzano and the low Alpine passes. It was a Celtic village, whose name derives from “Trent”, a tribute to the Celtic god of waters.

Trento was conquered by the Romans in the 1^st century BC. Because of its three mountains and the river Adige, the Romans gave it the name of “Tridentum” as a tribute to the god Neptune. During this period the city started to earn wealth as an important stop on the Roman road that led from Verona to Innsbruck. 

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the independent bishopric of Trento was ruled by Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Lombards and Franks, and it ended up as a part of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1027, Emperor Conrad II created the Prince-Bishops of Trento, giving the region certain independence, although in the following centuries the power was always held between the Bishopric of Trento and the County of Tyrol (a sort of State of the Holy Roman Empire). Around 1200, Trento became a silver-mining center of some importance.