Spain Holidays 10

Guest Posting:

Sixth grade, seven years since the last time I was on an airplane. To be honest I was completely freaked out by the thought of having to be in one again. Last time I traveled any distance close to this I was with a large group going to New York City.
This trip was my first out of the country, and my brother would be the only one going with me. We would later meet up with my Aunt Vic, the whole reason we were going to Barcelona was to see her in an Opera at Teatre Liceu; however, the thought of going through Amsterdam and then hailing a cab out of the Barcelona airport was slightly frightening.


My brother Ben and I made it to Spain without incident, minus the fact that he lost his skateboard at the security check in the Netherlands. We even had our selection of cabs and cab drivers lined up as we exited. I was able to communicate with the cab driver, even though he told me that I spoke "mexican spanish".



Even the sights on the way to the heart Barcelona were breathtaking. Ben and I couldn't wait to go out and explore. As soon as we got out of the cab, we went to get the key, and found the apartment fairly easily.
We literally sat our stuff inside the apartment door and took the elevator back down to the street.


The apartment was located directly across from Port Vell, La Gamba, and El Cap. We took a walk around the port and down to La Placa de Colon before it started pouring rain and we had to turn back.
That was alright with me, because at that point I had such terrible jet lag that it far outweighed my curiousness of the city. We had so many things we wanted to do and see, and only six days.


The next morning the first thing Ben went to a local skate shop and bought a board, then we went to a small local bakery and bought chocolate covered doughnuts.
The food there was amazing. It was all so natural and not very greasy. Aunt Vic was only able to spend two days traveling with us, and the first day there we were lucky enough to have her as our guide.


The whole week we spent going to all of the major sights, and some recommended by the locals and cab drivers. To be honest some of those were the best days we had. We saw so many cathedrals, it was almost hard to remember the names.
The architecture was amazing, and that was the main reason Ben, the architecture student wanted to go. We were able to see Sagrada Familia, La Catedral de Barcelona, and La Catedral de Santa Maria del Mar, Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, and Parc Guell.
We also got to see some less famous things, but they were no less beautiful and intricately designed than the others.


My favorite thing was Parc Guell, a man made park designed by Antoni Gaudi. For someone like me, who's camera is like another appendage, the park was like a dream. Really, the whole city was and to come back here where everything is so fast paced and so modern was almost disappointing. Going there gave me the travel bug, and I can't wait to go somewhere else.


Continue with this post in Spain Holidays 10: San Sebastián, an incredible destiny

Valencia is one of the largest cities in Spain, and also one of the most visited places in the country. It lies on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, so it has many beaches close to the city centre.


Its cultural offer is almost endless, with its Cathedral, el Miguelete or the Lladro museum. But what is probably most impressive is The City of Arts and Sciences (La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias), an architectural and cultural complex destined to the entertainment. This complex is formed by eight buildings.


These buildings are: L’Hemisfèric, a planetarium, laserium and an IMAX cinema; el Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe, an interactive museum of science; l’Umbracle, which contains alien plant species; l’Oceanogràfic, an oceanographic park; el Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, a performing arts centre and an opera house; el Pont de l’Assut de l’Or, an impressive bridge; l’Àgora, a covered square; and finally the Torres de València, which is still only a project of three skyscrapers.


For those who are very keen on gastronomy, in Valencia they will find one of the most famous and appreciated dishes in Spain: paella. This is a rice dish with vegetables and meat, offered in most Valencian restaurants, if you travel there, you can’t forget to try it!


One of the most famous festivals in Valencia is celebrated in March, and it is called the Falles. During this festival, each neighbourhood builds a kind of construction which is known as falla and in the end it is burned.


For those interested in going to parties, there are many music festivals during the whole year, especially in the summer. Besides, there are also a huge number of discos for all tastes.
So, if you travel to Valencia, make the most of this experience, eat in the best restaurants and get immersed its interesting culture and atmosphere.





Continue reading a new post on Spain Holidays 10: Things to do on holiday in Mallorca

Guest Editor:

History, Fun and Culture for Every Pocket in Spain

Spain is a wonderful country. I know I'm partial about it, because it is my country and I was born and raised there, but still I assure you that if you travel to Spain you will love it.

People travel to Spain for three main reasons:
- The first one is because the food is amazing.
- Second, to enjoy the relaxed and fun way of life, the nightlife,
- The third reason is to admire the culture and monuments of the country.


The good thing about traveling to Spain is that we will enjoy the three reasons to visit it in the same places, because it is a country so rich, in culture and history and so diverse that we never will get bored in our vacation.

For the travelers who are searching for a good time and a crazy nightlife in a warm weather, I recommend the South and East of Spain. Andalucia and Levante are two Spanish regions where we can find delicious food specialties as fried fish or paella, and the nightlife is full in clubs and outdoor bars around the beaches.


Cadiz is a city in Andalucia that has plenty of white sand and warm water beaches, although the wind can be a little mean sometimes. I love the beach in Bolonia, Cadiz, a huge white beach, and Tarifa, one of the most popular places to practice windsurf in the whole world.
In Andalucia we can find plenty of hotels belonging to big chains and with very reasonable prices. If we want to backpack travel, there are many cheap hotels we can use, it is important to check out the tourist information offices in each town to figure out about camping's and motels for students.


Marbella, also in the South, is a classic town dedicated to rich tourists coming form all around the world, we can admire the spectacular boats and villas where prosperous Arabians live.

Granada, a beautiful town in Andalucia as well, is a terrific place to go in the winter and practice ski, Sierra Nevada is full of wonderful ski resorts. The town itself is worth a visit, with the Arabian and Jewish streets and La Alhambra, a beautiful Arabian castle surrounded by an incredible park.

Levante, the East part of Spain, is as well full of delicious beaches and wonderful restaurants where enjoy the Mediterranean fish and the Spanish specialty la Paella.
Torrevieja in Alicante, Javea in Valencia or Benicassim in Castellon are examples or typical Spanish towns dedicated to the tourists that go there to enjoy the sun. These places are maybe too much focused in tourists, but they are really affordable.


If we travel more toward the Northeast, we find the Catalan's coast, with more expensive hotels and tourists with more money on their pockets. The beaches are beautiful and less populated, and we have the opportunity to travel to Barcelona, a wonderful town full of culture and modernity.

But if we want to see a different side of Spain, we should travel towards its North; Euskadi, Asturias and Galicia are green beautiful places full of culture and history.
In Galicia we must visit Santiago de Compostela, destiny of pilgrims for centuries, with medieval streets and a wonderful cathedral.
In the North of Spain the food is different that the one we can enjoy in the rest of the country, and must not forget to taste the delicious fish from the Atlantic Ocean, the recipes are based in fresh fist and vegetables, and the wines are good enough to satisfy any gourmet.
Traveling to the North of Spain is cheap because there are less tourist all the year around, we can find very good and affordable hotels. Be aware that the weather is quite instable in the area, with a very frequent presence of rain.


If we are interested in culture, we must visit Madrid, the capital of Spain, an amazing city sited in the middle of the country. Madrid has a delicious mixture of classicism and the most modern way of life.
We can live the Spanish history in the old part of the town, full old streets, squares and churches from the times of the Austria Dynasty, or visit one of the most important museums of the word, El Museo del Prado, to enjoy the masterpieces of Goya or Velazquez. Plenty of museums are located in Madrid, and we can even visit the private art collection Thysen-Bornemitza, another important humanity's treasure. We can find very cheap hotels in Madrid, if we walk around one of the big streets of the town, La Gran Via, we will find plenty of private homes that rent rooms for very little money and in very good condition. We call these places hostales, and they are spread all around the town.


There are much more many places to visit in Spain, but if I continue my relation this will be a book, not an article.




Continue reading in Spain Holidays 10: Malaga Spain Travel Guide

Malaga is the birthplace of Picasso, which seems right since the historical architecture of this city along with the beautiful landscape would be inspiration for any artist. Malaga is by the Mediterranean Sea and is in the Spanish region of Andalucia. The temperatures stay hot all year through, making Malaga a great getaway for those tourists who are hoping to escape the snow and freezing cold of winter.


Getting to Malaga is not only easy, but can be inexpensive as well. You can take a plane there and land at the airport that is the third largest in all of Spain. This airport also caters to budget airlines, so you don't have to worry about an expensive flight over only to land at some crummy, out of the way airport. The AGP makes sure you can get to Malaga since there are buses, taxis, or trains. If you want to rent a car, don't worry. If you rent a car at the airport, you will find that this a very inexpensive thing to do as well. However, make sure you book a car in advance because even though the rates are cheap, thnking ahead not only ensures that you have a car waiting for you, but you can get discount rates, too.


There are many things to see and do in Malaga. There are the Moorish castles called the Alcazaba and Castillo de Gibralfaro. When visiting these castles, you will have a great view of the entire city of Malaga. If you have a health problem, are handicapped or can not walk far distances then it would be best to only visit Alcazaba. It is a long hike up the moutain to get to the Castillo de Gibralfaro.


You can also visit the birthplace of Picasso, called the Plaza de la Merced. There you will find tons of things that Picasso used when he was a child as well as some paintings. After this, check out the Picasso Museum to see more exclusive exhibitions of Picasso's artwork.

If you like to cycle, try going on the Malaga Bike Tour. It is approximately four hours long and will take you down many narrow back streets. While biking through these small streets, you will get to see lots of hidden places that are great to see and that many tourists miss when they don't take this tour.


There are many beaches in or near Malaga where you can spend a quiet day just sunbathing and taking in the beauty of Malaga while getting a tan. There is also an amusement park to be found in Arroyo de la Miel. It is called the Tivoli World Theme Park and is the oldest park on the coast. This park has beautiful gardens and fountains as well as many rides. There is a fee to get in the park that lets you see the gardens, visit the restaurants and bars and see the shows where there are theater performances as well as a comedy and western show. If you want to have unlimited amounts of times riding the 30 plus rides, then you need to purchase the Supertivolino. You can also purchase single tickets.

The food and drink in Malaga is wonderful. The restaurants serve the traditional andalusian dishes like fish, croissants, soups, baguettes and much more. The speciality of Malaga is espetos which is sardines on a stick. These have been grilled over a fire. You can also try pescaito frito. Basically this is a variety of deep-fried fish ranging from squid to anchovies.


There are several chiringuitos, or beach restaurants, in Malaga. El Tintero is a very popular chiringuito. You will find no menus at this restaurant. Instead, the waiters carry dishes through the restaurant, singing about what they are carrying around. If you want what they are offering you signal to them and they will bring you the food. A different way of ordering food to be sure! Another famous restaurant is La posada de Antonio. Why? Because it is owned by Antonio Banderas. Here you can taste some of the dishes from his home town and they are priced at very reasonable prices.

The best drink to try while in Malaga is their wine. Malaga wine is very sweet but be careful not to drink too much as it has a kick to it despite the sweetness of the taste. If you want to find a nice bar where you can try to meet some visiting celebrities then try El Pimpi.


From museums to amusement parks and from restaurants to chiringuitos, you will be sure to have a wonderful experience in Malaga no matter what type of budget you have for your vacation.


Continue reading in SpainHolidays10: Tourism in Córdoba, Andalucía

Never heard of Tenerife, you say? This is your first trip there because your friend has suggested it? Want to know where this place is and what they have to offer in the form of a vacation? Then you need to read this article.


Tenerife is one of the Canary Islands. Oh, you've heard of the Canary Islands, huh? Then how could you not have heard of Tenerife, since it is the largest island of them all? Don't shrug your shoulders at me! Tenerife not only has beautiful weather the whole year through but it has miles and miles of glorious beaches surrounded by sparkling water. And that's not all. Tenerife also has many old buildings that will delight any historian. And if you or any of your friends are volcanologists, they will fall in love with the crater type landscape. Okay, that's stretching it a little bit. You don't have to be a volcanologist to enjoy your surroundings. These are just a few of the reasons why Tenerife is considered to be one of the most popular vacation spots for any tourist.


It is said that millions of years ago, a tremendous volcanic disruption occurred that caused the main volcano and three different islands to melt together creating what is now known as Tenerife. Since the volcano did not actually erupt but rather melted into it's own crater, Tenerife is known as one of the largest and most well known collapsed craters of the world.


Christopher Columbus was a well known visitor to the island, stopping there four times between 1492 and 1502 while on his way to America. In 1494 the Spaniards, thinking all the indigenous people had been gotten rid of, walked into a trap set by the native people. Using only stones and spears as weapons while fighting naked, the natives managed to defeat the Spaniards. Fernandez de Lugo was so humiliated by this loss that he sold everything he had and went back, finally defeating and decimating the natives. While Tenerife remains under Spanish rule, it has become an island known for it's tourism and continues to make most of it's money from tourists.

So how do you get to Tenerife? There are two different options. One is by plane, two is by sea. If you opt to travel by airplane, you will land on one of the two different airports. One airport, Los Rodeos, is located on the north of the island. Reina Sofia is located on the south side of Tenerife. If you choose to go by boat, which does take longer, then you will end up in Santa Cruz. When you have reached the island, you can either rent a car from one of the many car agencies available or you can take either a taxi, a bus or walk. It's up to you.


Once you get to Tenerife, there are all kinds of accommodations available. They range from campgrounds and hostels, to budget hotels or expensive luxury hotels. You can even rent an apartment along the beach at Apartamentos Hesperia Bristol Playa, Fuerteventura. So no matter what type of budget you are on while visiting Tenerife, there is something available for everyone at every price.

While in Tenerife, you will never be bored. There are so many different attractions that anyone can find something to love about this island. They have many parks, each with their own type of theme. There is the Loro Park (or Puerto de la Cruz) which is a tropical park. They have tons of different varieties of birds, dolphins, and the world's longest underground walkway, where you get to walk through while looking at the sharks and various fish. If your type of park is more in the line of amusement parks, there is the Octopus Aquapark. There you will be able to sunbathe or watch dolphin shows. They also have water slides, tubes, pools with diving boards and much more.


You can also do some sightseeing through aquatic or botannical gardens, visit the Natural History Museum, take a cable car to the peak (12,200 ft.) of Mount Teide or visit the many craft markets Tenerife has to offer. You can also play golf, go skateboarding or karting or even hang glide. At night there are discos, Medieval nights or jazz clubs. They also offer ballet by the Riverdance Company.

There are various restaurants all over the island where they serve not only the Canarian type of foods, but regular foods as well. They have a variety of foods to sate any palate, including French, Indian and Greek Foods. They even have an Irish Tavern. Just let it be said that you will never go hungry in Tenerife.


So now that you know all of the things about Tenerife, where it is and what you can do there, plan your trip out and have fun!


Continue reading: Tenerife, from the beaches to the Mount Teide