New Changes in Spain for 2011

Spain is continuing to undergo exciting changes to many destinations throughout the country. The government has banned smoking in all closed public spaces; this applies to mostly restaurants and bars, hotel rooms are not included in these restrictions. This isn’t all that has changed in Spain, however.

Barcelona:

• Antoni Gaudí's famous and unfinished cathedral is currently undergoing changes.
• The nave of the Sagrada Familia, which the first floor was completed just before Pope Benedict XVI’s visit in November, was consecrated by the pope and open for daily Mass.

Madrid:

• The city continues building new Metro stations, making streets more pedestrian friendly, and making other infrastructure improvements. Its central square, Puerta del Sol, is now largely car- and bus-free.
• The Valley of the Fallen memorial, which commemorates the victims of Spain's civil war (1936 to 1939), will reopen sometime in 2011.

Granada's Alhambra:

• The Hall of Kings in the Palacios Nazaries is being refurbished and will remain closed until it is finished. The 12 lion statues in the Alhambra's Courtyard of the Lions will return in 2011 after a long restoration.

Don’t let these reconstruction projects hinder your visit to this magical country. Spain has so much to offer, and once these renovations are complete, it will have even more spectacular places to see.