Image taken on 2005-03-15 20:02:05 by polymerchicken.
|
||||||
 |
UK and worldwide advertising by the Spanish National Tourist Office emphasises the multi-faceted nature of the country. Different regions all offer unique landscapes, lifestyles, cuisine and opportunities for exploration. Spain is a country of sleepy villages where the siesta is still observed and wonderful meals are served not before 3pm for lunch and 9pm for dinner. This is traditional Spain – and you don’t have to travel far from popular resort areas to find it. But of course, Spain is also the hustle and bustle of the big, modern cities – with international standard hotels, major art centres and museums. Sporting legacies from the Olympic Games of 1992 as well as the fanatically-followed football teams all add to the mix of non-stop attractions for city breaks or multi-centre visits. Of course, in Spain you will find some of the most dramatic landscapes and seascapes in Europe. So: here are a set of Top 10 Tips which reflect the best of this fabulous country: Beaches: From the cosy coves of the Costa Brava to the vast acres of golden sand on the island of Fuerteventura, there is a beach to suit you whether you like a busy resort or a strip of sand near a fishing village. Nightlife: The Spanish like it long and late and you’re more than welcome to join in. Try a traditional flamenco show or the latest sounds on the disco island of Ibiza. Food: Tapas bars have brought Spanish cuisine to many countries, and you will soon discover it is as varied and delicious as anywhere in Europe. You should not miss a meal of rice-based paella, the Spanish national dish. Wine: There are wine growing regions all over the country, the best-known being La Rioja in the north. Visit Jerez to see the home of sherry and check out the little known vintages of the Canaries. Art: Spain has produced world-renowned painters ranging from classical Velazquez to surrealist Picasso. Madrid has some of the finest art museums in the world. Cities: All the buzz and excitement of the country comes together in the capital, Madrid; and Barcelona, the Olympics city by the sea. Also look at up-and-coming Seville, Valencia and Palma. Nature: Spain is home to many national parks, such as the Picos de Europa in the north and Donana in the south. Tenerife has Spain’s highest peak, Mount Teide. History: Did you know the Moorish Arabs ruled Spain for seven centuries, and that their legacy includes the fabulous Alhambra Palace in Granada? Palaces and castles abound. Shopping: Big city stores such as El Corte Ingles rub shoulders with colourful traditional markets. The Canaries are a duty-free zone. Touring: Hire a car or take your own, and discover the “Real Spain” along the back roads. Touring routes include the White Towns of Andalucia. There you have it – 10 great reasons for a holiday in Spain – and 10 great reasons to go back for more.
Spain is the most popular holiday destination for British residents with over 14million of us visiting the European hotspot every year. The hordes of holidaymakers are drawn to Spain by the fantastic weather, beautiful beaches and westernised lifestyle. Spain has become an increasingly popular choice for holidays since the 1960’s as the price of air travel has steadily dropped and standard of living has improved. Spain has many fantastic destinations to visit and in this article we will look at some of the best of what Spain has to offer. Alicante is located on the eastern coast of Spain at the centre of the Costa Blanca region. Traditionally the city was a busy port and still has a distinct African flavour. Most visitors to Alicante come for the beaches with San Juan being one of the most popular. The streets are lined with cafes, restaurants and ice cream parlours. The area also has good shopping facilities with a mixture of high class boutiques and typical seaside gift shops. The city has an international airport and cheap flights are available from most UK airports including Stansted, Heathrow and Manchester. Benidorm is the Costa Blanca’s largest and liveliest resort and is packed with British tourists taking advantage of cheap package deals and enjoying the Spanish sun. The streets are full of shops selling buckets, spades and flip-flops. Behind the golden beach and rows of shops, bars and cafes stand huge apartment blocks. Many of the apartments have been bought the British who have made Benidorm their home or annual holiday destination. The city boosts a great collection of bars and nightclubs that have helped establish Benidorm as the Costa Blanca’s party capital. Lloret de Mar is located on the north east coast of Spain and has steadily grown to become a large established holiday resort. The former fishing town has lost much of its former history and now caters for 18-30 visitors alongside families with children. The area has a large water park and five sandy beaches. Despite its distinct British feel a taste of the real Spain is not too far away for visitors looking for a more traditional Spanish holiday. Torremolinos is very much the south coasts answer to Benidorm, with a six-mile stretch of sunny beaches, water sports and lively entertainment Terremolinos is certainly not the place to visit if you are looking for a cultural Spanish holiday. This resort also tends to be popular with visitors from other European countries as well as 18-30 crowds and families. There are many more popular resorts across Spain and regular flights from the UK are available at a cheap price. Hotels and car hire can be booked online or through a travel agent, booking early usually ensures you receive a fair discount.
Weather in Spain conjures up images of brilliant sunshine and temperatures that are perfect for glorious days on the beach. While this may be true, the weather in Spain is also a little more complex than that. Summers are definitely hot and sunny right across Spain, but other seasons also make their presence felt. However, like everything else in Spain, the changes in weather are mild and never harsh. If your main reason for going to Spain is to soak up the sun, then the best time to visit is between June and September.
Shopping In Spain
Spain offers all the international brand names you could ever need. But why buy imported goods when Spain has its own specialties? Here are some examples. Spain is a great place to buy leather items, especially shoes. Crafts are famous too. These include ceramic items such as tiles and vases with beautiful designs, often Moorish in origin. Another local craft that’s thriving again is lace making.
If you’re short on time and want to do all your shopping in one place, you’ll find a branch of the El Corte Ingles department store in nearly every town. They sell everything from jewellery to designer clothes, food to to furniture, and so on.
Shopping In Barcelona
Barcelona has undergone sweeping changes in recent years and the shopping scene has been transformed in the process. All the big names are here along with a range of local boutiques, antique shops, art galleries, and futuristic shopping centers.
Maremagnum is one of the new shopping and leisure complexes that’s proved very popular. Other than its comprehensive shopping mall, it also offers find a dozen cinemas and many restaurants, pubs and discos.
The new boutiques and stores are great places to shop. But to savour the authentic shopping experience, be sure to get away from the haunts of the glitterati and visit the old city. Here you can take a look in Barcelona’s oldest shop, Cereria Subira, which first opened its doors in 1761. If candles are on your shopping list, you’re in luck, for Cereria Subira is a candle shop. Even if you’re not buying, the vast range of candles of all sizes and colours is well worth seeing. Then plunge into the streets around the Barri Gòtic. Here you can browse shops selling everything from fish and herbs to bullfighter’s capes.
Shops in Barcelona open around 8 am and they generally close a few hours after sunset.
Shopping In Madrid
As the nation’s capital, Madrid not surprisingly offers the best range of up-market shopping outlets in Spain. But these make up just a small proportion of the city’s shopping charms. Madrid’s 50000 stores also sell everything from paintings and ceramics to guitars and bullfighters’ costumes.
If it’s designer labels you’re after head for the eastern district of Salamanca. Here you’ll find the logos of Prada, Armani, and Louis Vuitton, and all the others. More interesting are the boutiques of trendy Spanish designers like Sybilla, Amaya Arzuaga, and Victorio & Lucchino.
When you tire of the brand name stores, the area around the Street Fuencarral is a pleasant one to visit. It’s home to a bunch of trendy boutiques selling both men´s and women´s clothes. There’s also an indoor market hawking clothing, bags and jewellery. For shoes, head to the Street Augusto Figueroa. It’s lined with mostrarios selling designer’s shoe samples at half price or less.
Shopping in Spain would be incomplete without visiting one of the street markets. Sunday morning is the time for the El Rastro street market on the Calle de Ribera de Curtidores which is closed to traffic. You can buy everything from squawking chickens to pirated DVDs to antiques and smutty post cards. But be careful, pickpockets abound.
With such a wide section of hotels in Spain check the internet for hotels in Barcelona and hotels in Madrid.
|
Madrid
September 8, 2010, 5:01 am
 Clear 18°Creal feel: 16°C
current pressure: 1011 mb
humidity: 51%
wind speed: 5 m/s W
wind gusts: 4 m/s
sunrise: 7:49
sunset: 20:35
|
||||
|
Copyright © 2010 life-in-spain.info - All Rights Reserved |
||||||
