Spain for Seniors

SPAIN FOR SENIORS

a a BILBAO GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM

a a NEOCUEVA - ALTAMIRA NATIONAL MUSEUM AND RESEARCH CENTRE SANTILLANA DEL MAR, CANTABRIA

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM (BILBAO) This spectacular titanium building de- signed by the prestigious architect Frank Gehry has become an icon of this Basque city. It houses a magnificent collection of contemporary art. The outside of the building is a work of art in itself. The metallic reflective panels on the façade shine with dif- ferent colours, depending on the time of day and the weather conditions. In the surrounding area there are gigan- tic sculptures like Puppy, the iconic floral dog by Jeff Koons which stands guard at the entrance to the museum. Inside, no two galleries are the same. There are large-format works alter- nating with others in a much smaller ones. This makes your visit a constant surprise. L L www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus

ALTAMIRA NATIONAL MUSEUM AND RESEARCH CENTRE (SANTILLANA DEL MAR, CANTABRIA) Travel back in time to the prehistoric era. Discovered at the end of the 19th century, Altamira Cave in Santillana del Mar (Cantabria) was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Its walls and ceilings preserve more than 260 paintings and engravings of bison, horses and deer which are 18,000 years old. It is regarded as the "Sistine Chapel" of cave art. In order to preserve it in its original state as much as possible, visits to the inte- rior of the cave are restricted. The best way of exploring this fabulous legacy of cave art is to visit the Neocueva, an exact three-dimensional replica of Altamira.

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