Unforgettable Highlights: My @TileofSpain Architectural Trip to Spain

 Entry #3370, March 27, 2014

Disclosure: My trip and accommodations to Spain were sponsored through the Tile of Spain. All opinions are my own.

February 2014 was a whirlwind for me and many of my colleagues in the interior design blogging niche. February 2-6th I was at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) and February 8-15th, I was fortunate to travel to Valencia and Madrid, Spain with the Tile of Spain. For many reasons other than the obvious this was a monumental trip for me. To be able to experience architectural Europe is any architects dream and on top of this to visit the Cevisama Tile Trade Show and visit some of the artisan tile factories was amazing!

Unforgettable Highlights: My @TileofSpain Architectural Trip to Spain

 From the historic…. 

To the ultra-modern… we saw it all in Spain!

Here’s my recap of my week long trip! Stay tuned to Freshome.com to see the trends I found at the Cevisama Tile Trade Show.

Who is the Tile of Spain?

Tile of Spain is the international brand representing 125 ceramic tile manufacturers belonging to the Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers’ Association (ASCER). Along with myself I was accompanied by Susan Serra – from Susan Serra Associates, the other design journalists, the winners of the Tile of Spain – Passport to Creativity contest, and staff from Tile of Spain and Frank Advertising. Here’s the highlights of my awesome trip!

Day 1 – Trip to Madrid, Spain

I have never flown internationally, so I was a bit nervous to get on a 10 hour plane ride to Madrid, Spain! 🙂 I also knew this was a chance of a lifetime so I needed to face my fear and do it! Ha! It was much less worrisome than I anticipated. I had packed up my outlet converters, exchanged my dollars into Euros in Miami, and had my magazines, laptop, and iPod ready.

Day 2 – First Day in Madrid – Finally Meet Everyone!

After watching 2 movies on the plane and listening to 10 podcasts on my iPod, and eating dinner and breakfast we arrived at the Madrid airport. I loved the modern and industrial architecture of the airport.. nothing like in the U.S. The airport was SPOTLESS!! You could literally eat off the floors…. gorgeous view at the baggage claim.

We finally met at the historical and renovated Hotel Las Latras and I had my first experience of eating delicious tapas. (Little did I know this was just the beginning of the food.. food and more delicious food!)

Monica, Susan Serra, Lori Dolnick, Roca Mador, and me

Day 3 – Madrid Museum Axis Architectural Tour

Awesome museum tours of:

– Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

– Prado Museum – Caixa Forum*

– Reina Sofía Museum

– Viva Madrid Restaurant Lunch offered by TOS.*

– Telefonica Foundation Building designed by Moneo Brock Studio.

Amazing views at the Telefonica Foundation Building 

Day 4 – Last Day in Madrid, off to Valencia – Visit San Antón Market, Slaughter House conversion into a Museum

– Visit San Antón Market. Guided by QVE Studio.  Lunch at San Antón Restaurant offered by TOS. (Interior designed by Agustín Granell and Eatside).  Visit “Matadero de Madrid”

– Bus Transfer from Madrid old slaughterhouse to Atocha Train Station

– High Speed Train AVE Madrid – Valencia

My first time on a high speed train! It was an awesome experience to take the train from Madrid to Valencia

Day 5 – Valencia – First Day at Cevisama Trade Show and Tile Factory Tours 

- Tile Of Spain Manufacturer tours 

– Registration for press conference 

– ASCER Press Conference 

– Bus to Castellón Factories and visit Castellón Factories

The tile factories were amazing! We get to witness a few of the artisan workers painting tiles by hand. Incredible 🙂

Day 6 & 7 – Cevisama Tile Show, visit Tile of Spain Booths, and Tour of Valencia Old City

The tile show was nothing like I have ever seen! To see the trends and all of the highlights – visit my Instagram to see all of the inspiring tile.

Relief tiles, large format, and colorful new and organic inspired tiles were big at Cevisama

Touring Old Valencia City was like a walk into a history book.

If I had one hundred more pages I would show you all the beautiful tile, sights, historic architecture and more that I loved on this trip. I thank Tile of Spain for bringing me along on this architectural trip as it was a memory I will hold dear for a life time!

For more Tile of Spain posts on Stagetecture, click here.