Easter is approaching and, with it, the well-deserved holidays. It is clear that this year everything will be a little different due to the context that we all know and that is marking our day-to-day … but we continue to be very in favor of enjoying that "break" at work, of having time for ourselves without truce of not having neither Skype meetings nor having to update the mail tray every once in a while because telework marks the way.
This Easter, like any other, we want to rest and pamper ourselves. And that is why we believe that not being able to take your passport and suitcase should not be an impediment to enjoying these holidays as we deserve.
If you join us in this post, we will take you to 7 literary corners that will make you travel as far as you want without having to cross the threshold of the door. Read? 🏡📖 #KeepReadingEnCasa
The Plaza de Sant Felip Neri, in Barcelona:
We start with Barcelona, where we recommend that you let yourself go through the pages of the tetralogy The Cemetery of Forgotten Books from Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Its first part, The wind's shadow, Tour the post-war Barcelona in a magical way, full of corners so beautifully described that you will want to stay there for a good season. Calle Arco del Teatro, the Ateneo Barcelonés, the restaurant Els Quatre Gats, the Plaza Real, the church of Santa María del Mar, the pier of the Golondrinas … They are all essential corners of the city, but if we are to keep only one this is, without a doubt, the Plaza de Sant Felip Neri. This unique square is presided over by a homonymous church in the Baroque style, and is surrounded by Renaissance houses. It has a tragic past that makes it even more striking: on the walls of this small architectural gem you can still see remnants of gunfights and pockets of shrapnel from a bomb launched during the civil war. Today it is a quiet and beautiful corner, perfect to sit down and read your favorite book.
The Commercial Café, in Madrid:
If we talk about literary corners of Madrid it is impossible not to think about the Barrio de las Letras. The literary heart of the city owes its popular name to the great writers who wrote and made life on its streets during the Spanish Golden Age, such as Lope de Vega, Cervantes or Quevedo. It is one of the most charming and quiet spaces in the city, thanks to its pedestrian streets adorned with literary quotes on its pavement. Madrid has been and continues to be represented by great writers, among whom we also highlight the Nobel Prize for Literature Camilo José Cela. In his famous novel Beehive Numerous locations of the more traditional Madrid are described: a haberdashery on Calle de Apodaca, a corsetry on Calle de la Colegiata, a bar on Calle de la Aduana or the bars on Calle Mayor. But few are as memorable in the novel as the Café Comercial, known as the Café de Doña Rosa and in which the book starts. This establishment is still open, after going through various renovations and hands since it opened in 1887. It is the oldest in Madrid, and is still famous today for its large mirrors, its coffee and its cup chocolate.
The Old Cathedral, in Vitoria–Gasteiz:
We continue our journey in Vitoria-Gasteiz, a green city full of natural spaces that throughout history has been an important strategic point between the Peninsula and the rest of Europe. The capital of Álava has a valuable monumental heritage, among which is the Cathedral of Santa María, popularly known as the Old Cathedral. This cathedral, in addition to being one of the heritage jewels of the city, is one of the most impressive settings in The silence of the white city, the intense thriller of Eva García Sáenz from Urturi. In this, the first book of the White City Trilogy, a series of strange ritual murders follow one another, and the first of them appears on the doors of this temple: a chilling murder of a couple killed by bee stings in the throat. .
The Gothic Church of Carcassonne:
CarcassonneCarcassonne in French is one of the best preserved and restored medieval citadels in Europe. Every year it receives thousands of visitors from all over the world and is one of the most visited destinations in France. Declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco, its more than 2,500 years of history have made it a unique population. Its imposing walls and gates, apart from making you feel tiny, will transport you to the Middle Ages. Although it is a relatively small city, it has many corners that deserve to be discovered. One of them appears in The City of Fire, from Kate Mosse, a love and war novel set in Carcassonne from the 16th century, in full conflict between Catholics and Protestants. It is the Gothic church of San Miguel de Carcassone, which in the novel has a multitude of secret ways to escape if necessary.
The East Side Gallery in Berlin:
And we arrived at our last literary destination, the capital of Germany. Berlin It is an effervescent city full of charm, history and vitality. It is an educated, open and modern capital, heir to a troubled history. All these characteristics make it one of those cities that must be visited at least once in life. No wonder it has been chosen as the setting for literary works on numerous occasions, and among our favorites we highlight Sofia's suspicion, D.E.Paloma Sánchez-Garnica. In this novel set in the late 1960s we will move to a Berlin divided by the Wall, a city dominated by the Cold War and espionage by the Stasi and the KGB. Today it is still possible to visit one of its stages, the remains of the Wall, among which we especially recommend the East Side Gallery. It is the largest free art gallery in the world, where throughout its 1.3 kilometers you can see hundreds of graffiti by international artists who tried to document in their works what happened after the fall: works that speak of protest, memory, hope and hope for a better future.
Do you fancy another destination? Whatever your plan, here is one selection of books to read this holidays.
