Almost every year we take a cruise with some very good friends from the USA.

This years cruise had been planned for a while and took us from Lisbon in Portugal around the Iberian Peninsula to Barcelona in Spain.

With interesting ports of call along the way and really good weather we all got a little taste of Portugal and Spain and thus  lots more ideas for visits to both Countries.

I have taken to travelling with a smaller sketch book recently so most of these very quick paintings are about 24 by 20 cms, and are intended as the basis of larger paintings in the future. These sketch books made by Khadi papers are nice to use with pen and ink and some watercolour. I am enjoying using them for travel. Most of the watercolours are from my own photos and one or two are from images found in brochures along the way.

Lisbon was our starting point and we had a couple of days there before embarking to enjoy this very interesting city.

One evening in Lisbon we ate in a really great restaurant called “Lisboa a Noite”. It isn’t far from the Gloria or Santa Justa elevators but hard to find. Maybe take a taxi! Well worth the visit.

It is pretty hilly in Lisbon! If a local tells you you can walk somewhere in 20 minutes take a taxi, as a local’s  20 minutes  is a lot longer if you are not used to steep hills!!

Belem Tower

The trams are great to watch in Lisbon, however rather overcrowded and slow but fine nevertheless. We took the tram to Belem Tower and the Monastery there, and very importantly went to the Cafe called Pasteis de Belem for their fantastic custard tarts. Really delicious.

The Number 28 tram on its way to Lisbon Castle

A Tram on one of the funicular sections of the Old Town

In the centre of Lisbon the streets are often very steep and this painting shows a tram on one of them. I hope to do many more tram paintings from all the photos that I took.

After sailing from Lisbon we arrived the next day at Portimao. Portimao is a large and very popular beach resort in summer, but for us it meant a trip to the very old and lovely town of Selves.

The Old Town of Selves

With a  castle at the top it is a delight to walk around and  also has a good museum. This view is from the lower town up to the Castle. Just across from our ship we could see the castle at Ferraguda, but we didn’t have time for a visit though. However just time for a quick watercolour .

Ferraguda Castle near Portimao

From Portimao we sailed on to Cadiz in Spain.

The old town of Cadiz is very walkable and flat! It is very interesting too with a great market and a wonderful Cathedral and nearby Church with Processional items that are really amazing.

At the edge of the City the walk way by the sea offers great views. Here are three paintings of Cadiz, painted when back on the ship.

Cadiz Cathedral from the promenade.

The Playa de la Caleta offers fine views both by day and as the sun sets.

Playa de la Caleta looking south.

Playa de la Caleta as the sun sets

Our next port of call was Gibraltar but alas mist shrouded the Rock all day so no paintings there! However the caves on the Rock and the Town are very interesting and the history of Gibraltar is fascinating. I am not sure about the Barbary apes though!

From there we sailed to Malaga where our priority was to revisit tThe Alhambra Place in Granada. This time we had guide which was great as there is so much to see and hear about. This view tries to show the Alhambra with the mountains behind. Even in April they are snow capped.

The Alhambra place in Granada

After a stop at Cartagena the next day where the Roman amphitheatre is spectacular, we next went on to Ibiza. We hadn’t been there since 1971, but luckily despite major changes to the island the Old Town hasn’t changed and so these two paintings were the result.

Ibiza Old Town

The view from the top of Ibiza Old Town

Our next stop was Valencia where the Old town was really lovely. This spectacular city needed much more time that we had on a cruise and so it’s a place to revisit one day, not only to see the Old Town but also the new and amazing new buildings there. It is a beautiful City.

Our final destinions was Barcelona and visits to Gaudi a designed Church, and Houses as well as the truly amazing Sagrada Familia. They say it will be finished in 2027,  they will have to be busy as it is truly huge!

I am still trying to plan a larger painting of the Sagrad Familia  but that will have to be for another time.

So the end of a great cruise and a lovely time with such good friends.

I hope you have enjoyed these little encounters with the Iberian Peninsula

Till next time, happy travelling

Brian