Morgen Young, Author at Europe Up Close

Exploring Barcelona’s Eixample Neighborhood

Published/Revised June 12, 2014 By Morgen Young This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Barcelona, a European cultural center with a city-proper population of 1.6 mil, has several great neighborhoods, to include: Ciutat Vella (Old Town), the Barri Gotic, La Rambla, and El Raval. Another great neighborhood that visitors will not want to miss is Eixample, a vibrant, relatively modern district of Barcelona. Designed in the mid-nineteenth century, Eixample expanded ... Read Full Article

Exploring Barcelona’s Montjuïc

Montjuïc, situated on a hill in Barcelona’s Sants-Montjuïc neighborhood just southwest of the city center, boasts some of the best views of the city as well as some of Barcelona’s finest museums and sights. Montjuïc hill overlooks the Barcelona city center and harbor. Once covered with forest, the hill was cleared in the late nineteenth century for building. It was then selected as the site ... Read Full Article

A Weekend in Madrid

Published/Revised January 6, 2018 By Morgen Young This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

While there is so much to see and do in Spain's dynamic capital city of Madrid, lets get focused on just a few suggestions for spending a relaxing, sunny weekend in this city of 3.3 million people (6.5 mil. metro Madrid.) We highly recommend a Walking Tour of Madrid, as this is a great way to check off the most important sights of the city and get a feel for the different neighborhoods. Parque ... Read Full Article

Follow Your Nose to These Food Streets in Paris

Published/Revised February 6, 2019 By Morgen Young This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Paris has a myriad of restaurants, bars, and specialty shops clustered throughout the city’s twenty arrondissements. In need of a French comic book or two? Visit the row of comic book shops on rue Dante in the 5th Arrondissement. In Paris, restaurants featuring a wide variety of cuisine are also found gathered together in concentrated areas. The following streets are where you'll find authentic ... Read Full Article

Barcelona’s Mercat de la Boqueria

One cannot visit Barcelona without spending an afternoon, or several, at the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria. Located in the city’s old town, with an entrance just off La Rambla, the market is extremely accessible and thus very popular with tourists. Don’t let the throngs of camera touting visitors scare you, the market offers some of the city’s best food and is well worth pushing your way ... Read Full Article

Rue Saint-Anne: a Japanese Food Haven in Paris

Published/Revised June 14, 2014 By Morgen Young This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Looking for traditional Japanese food in Paris? Look to Rue Sainte Anne, which runs through the first and second arrondissements, near the Opera District. With a high concentration of Japanese businesses, the street forms a Japanese haven in France’s capital city. Wander the street and sample the best of what the district has to offer, from tiny restaurants to grocery stores. Rue Saint Anne offers ... Read Full Article

Gaudí’s Barcelona

Published/Revised August 30, 2018 By Morgen Young This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Gaudí's Barcelona - How its Unique Architecture Defines the City Antoni Gaudí’s unique architecture, also known as Catalan Modernism, defines Barcelona for many of its visitors. Born in 1852, Gaudí became one of Spain’s most celebrated architects. His works defied any one particular architectural style though were clearly influenced by art from around the world, including: India, Persia and ... Read Full Article

Getting Around Madrid on the Cheap

Published/Revised June 30, 2014 By Morgen Young This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Though wandering around the streets of Madrid is a great way to see the city, be sure to take advantage of the fantastic public transportation system in the capital. Getting to Madrid From the Airport Madrid Barajas International Airport connects to the city by Metro line 8 and by Cercanias commuter train line C-1. The fastest, and least expensive way, to access the city center from the ... Read Full Article

Brussels in a Day

Brussels is a lovely city and great jumping off point to visit towns throughout Belgium as well as nearby international destinations like Paris and Amsterdam. Consider staying in Brussels and using the city as your hub while you take day trips to nearby locations. The city can be explored in one day or many. The following are suggestions on what to do in a day in the Belgian ... Read Full Article

Munching Your Way Through Madrid’s Vibrant Food Scene

Any trip to Madrid could quickly become food-centric, as one visits Madrid's vibrant food scene at the markets, taverns, restaurants, and bars; sampling the best that Spain’s capital city has to offer. One might as well begin with the Mercado de San Miguel , the city’s main market, located near the Plaza Mayor. Declared a Spanish Property of Cultural Interest, the market is frequented by ... Read Full Article