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An excellent first approach to Valencia

For my first time in Valencia, Mark organized a very comprehensive and diversified itinerary, covering the many phases of Valencia’s history and its rich architecture and culture again in the most efficient way in the time we had (which meant solving a complex puzzle of venue locations and opening times), comprising both the most visited sites and less common ones that I found quite interesting. Also remarkable is his skill in promptly adapting the tour to accommodate unforeseen events that came up during the stay (such as the closing of Torre de Serrano due to the rain). During the tour, Mark shared his vast knowledge of the many subjects that arose — including the right way to prepare a true Valencian paella —. And having such comprehensive knowledge is especially important when presenting a city with a long and complex history, and a rich culture such as Valencia. I should also point out Mark’s eagerness to share his knowledge and his availability to answer my questions. All these skills combined made it possible for him to convey a significant amount of information in a light and entertaining way. Finally, he offered me recommendations on further readings and subjects to learn about, not to mention the many ideas we came up with for future trips to Valencia to visit different sites and to delve deeper into some matters of my interest.

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Henry
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<div class="label label--neutral-gray-068" content="2023-03-09 19:04:24 UTC" itemprop="datePublished">
<span class="sr-only">Reviewed on:</span>
Mar  9, 2023
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A stop in Peñiscola

On our way from Barcelona to Valencia, Mark included a stop in Peñiscola, a coastal town that emerged around a fortress created to protect the population from pirate attacks, and that ended up becoming the last bastion of the Popes during the Great Western Schism. It was an excellent opportunity to benefit from all of Mark&#39;s knowledge of the region and of the events that unfolded there. It also allowed us to delve into topics such as the dispute between Muslims and Christians for the dominance of the Mediterranean, which culminated in the Battle of Lepanto, as well as the complex geopolitics that involved the Catholic Church and the Great Western Schism. Once again, I was able to benefit from Mark&#39;s vast knowledge, his eagerness to share, and his availability to answer my questions. And the views from that fortress on the edge of a cliff were fantastic. This strategic stop transformed what could have been a simple journey between two cities into yet another wonderful learning opportunity!

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Henry
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<div class="label label--neutral-gray-068" content="2023-03-09 19:03:42 UTC" itemprop="datePublished">
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Mar  9, 2023
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Barcelona off the beaten path

Given that I had been to Barcelona a couple of times before, this time around Mark proposed an itinerary that would allow us to visit, in the most time-effective way, many of the venues of the city, including not only the highlights for which Barcelona is known, such as its Romanesque and Gothic Architecture and the Modernismo Catalán, but also some less explored aspects of the city, such as the remains of the Roman Barcino and the evidence of the Baroque in Barcelona. During the entire tour, Mark was able to readily adapt the circuit to my interests, adding and excluding places, choosing the best itinerary, and efficiently managing our commutes using the many means of transportation provided by the city. Besides that, he kept some surprises up his sleeve, such as a temporary exhibition by Sorolla, an artist that I appreciate, and a very private visit to the Ilustre Colegio de la Abogacía de Barcelona. It was also the opportunity to talk about current affairs regarding Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain, always with ease and in a good mood. Finally, we took the chance to talk about ideas for future visits to Barcelona — yes, “visits” in the plural, because Barcelona is endless. And visiting Barcelona with Mark is always an enriching experience.

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Henry
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<div class="label label--neutral-gray-068" content="2023-03-09 19:02:25 UTC" itemprop="datePublished">
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Mar  9, 2023
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