O'Shea's Guide to Spain and Portugal. Edited by John Lomas. Tenth edition

Front matter

>BAY OF BISCAY^ B a_rtiLol.OTO.ew_ Eioi1 GUIDE TO SPAIN AND PORTUGAL AGENTS ABROAD FROM WHOM THIS GUIDE CAN BE OBTAINED. Barcelona . . A. Verdahuer, Rambla del Centro 5. Biarritz . . J. Maupin, Boo^eller. Gibraltar . . A. Beanland, 103 Church Street. Lisbon . . Mrs. Lewtas, Bookseller. Madrid . . Fuente^F Capdeville, Plaza de Santa Ana 9. Roeno Y Fussel, Calle de Alcala 5. Paris . . . Galignani Librarst, Eue de Rivoli 224. Brentano's, Avenue de l'Opera 37. Seville . . S. B. Caldwell, Plaza del Pacifico 4. O'SHEA'S GUIDE TO SPAIN AND PORTUGAL EDITED BY JOHN LOMAS TENTH EDITION LONDON ADAM AND CHARLES BLACK MDCCCXCV PEEFACE TO THE TENTH EDITION. In preparing a tenth edition of O'Shea's Guide to Spain and Portugal, the whole work has been carefully revised upon the spot ; the various lists of books of reference have been brought up to date, and the general information of an official character — railway routes and times, population, government and other regulations, health statistics, etc. — has been corrected by com parison with the most reliable authorities.

The chief alterations consist in a suppression of some of the old coach and driving or riding itineraries, which are now hardly ever taken, even by leisured travellers who cling to the old ways ; the tracing out of new and changed railway routes; and an extensive revision of the public and private picture galleries, libraries, etc., in many of which radical changes have taken place during the last few years. Generally speaking, the plan has been followed of perfecting the Handbook as a guide and com panion in the more important centres, and not unnecessarily increasing the bulk by a detailed description of country routes, which the ordinary traveller is not ever likely to work out. While it cannot be said that the Peninsula is holding its own from an artistic or antiquarian point of view, many of the modern ' restorations ' and creations being alike poor and unsympathetic in conception, there cannot be two opinions concerning the development of the country as a tourist resort.

The rebuilding and transformation of the cities is proceeding apace ; the hotels in the principal towns, and even in the smaller places which have come into notice of late years, will compare favourably, for com-