Ana Ruiz traces the Celt-Iberian, Roman, and Visigoth roots of the capital of Spain and explores Moorish Madrid of yesterday and today. She recounts intriguing legends and highlights curiosities and special sites in Madrid as well as Toledo. She explains place-names and terms, and the ample illustrations make this an unusual street-by-street guide for travel buffs and everyone who enjoys the kaleidoscopic culture of Spain.
As the capital city of Spain, Madrid is nowadays considered one of the most interesting “food towns” in the world. This is perhaps due to the wide variety of specialty dishes that its cuisine boasts, ranging from the old-fashioned and traditional to the modern, and even the futuristic; a cuisine that has consistently received high praise from the likes of New York Times’ critic Mark Bittman and TV celebrity chefs such as Anthony Bourdain and Mario Battali, to name just a few. But how did a once humble and unsophisticated city like Madrid become the vibrant food metropolis that it is today? How did contemporary madrileño cuisine come to be, and what are its main identifying dishes? What role have its legendary restaurants, cafés and markets played in putting Madrid in the map as one of the world’s top food destinations? Maria Paz Moreno looks at the gastronomical history of Madrid throughout the ages. She traces the historical origins and evolution of Madrid’s cuisine, exploring major trends, most innovative chefs, restaurants and dishes, and telling the story of this fascinating city from the point of view of a food lover. She discusses the diverse influences that have shaped Madrid’s cuisine over the centuries, including the introduction of foods from the New World since the 16th century, the transition from famines to abundance during the second part of the 20th century, the revolution of the Michelin-starred young chefs at the beginning of the 21st century, and how madrileños’ sense of identity is built through their food. The sense of community created through communal eating experiences is also explored, focusing on the culture of sharing tapas, as well as traditional and avant-garde eating establishments, from restaurants to bars to chocolaterías, and even markets and festivals where food plays an important part. Anyone wishing to know more about the city, the culture, the richness of its food and people, will find a delightful review in these pages.
Madrid has gone from shanty town to imperial capital in the last seven centuries. The local writers of Time Out Madrid assist travelers in seeing the city as a native, suggesting where to stay, eat, shop and experience its cultural offerings. Famed for its wild nights and lazy days, Madrid provides a whole lot more, from spectacular opera productions, chirpy folkloric zarzuela, and cutting-edge cuisine to ancient, tiled tabernas, designer-shoe shopping, and numerous flea markets. Written by resident journalists, Time Out Madrid also covers the artistic jewels housed in the Prado, Thyssen, and Reina Sofia, as well as the etiquette of watching a bullfight or joining in with a flamenco performance, as well as where to stay and how to escape the city heat. Also included are the intriguing stories behind some of the city’s best-known paintings, where to find gourmet tapas, the yoga centers, spas, and Turkish baths. Climbing, skiing, and hang-gliding are all within reach of the city, and suggested trips out of town are also recommended.
From Bilbao to the Canary Islands, Fodor's local writers have traveled throughout the country to find the best hotels, restaurants, attractions and activities to prepare readers for a journey of stunning variety.
*Includes pictures *Traces the history of the area from before Medina to the current day *Includes footnotes and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "Whenever the Prophet...returned from a journey and observed the walls of Madinah, he would make his Mount go fast, and if he was on an animal (i.e. a horse), he would make it gallop because of his love for Madinah." - Sahih Bukhari - Book 30: Hadith 110 The reason for the existence of most of the world's cities is obvious to geography students. New York and Shanghai control deep ports and straddle great rivers bringing trade from the interior; Paris and London are at the crossing points of major cross-country rivers; Johannesburg sits atop a great mountain of gold ore; and Moscow and Madrid are at the heart of their great nations, easily able to control even the more distant corners of the land. Medina, however, is starkly different. Even centuries before the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, Jews settled on the land to escape persecution at the hands of the Babylonians and Romans, meaning the area and its arid environment brought inhabitants precisely because it wasn't an attractive or resource rich area. In fact, the city fated to become the second holiest city in Islam earned that spot simply by straddling trade routes to the religious city of Mecca, which brought traders and pilgrims in large enough numbers to make it a trade center. Of course, Mecca is now best known for being Islam's holiest city, and it is revered as the birthplace of Muhammad and the site where Allah first revealed the Qu'ran to him. However, the Prophet spent a great deal of time in Medina, especially when he and his supporters found themselves in conflict with the Meccans. Using Medina as a base, Muhammad eventually took Mecca, and both cities became integral parts of the Caliphate that followed. This meant that even as history brought geopolitical changes, Medina remained a city of religious significance for all Muslims, and even though its turbulent history is often overlooked, many people are still quite familiar with the city. Medina: The History of Islam's Second Holiest City traces the history of the most important site in Islam. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Medina like never before, in no time at all.
