Spain Holidays 10

Cadaqués is a fishing village placed in Gerona, in Catalonia. It is better-known for being the home of the great surrealist painter Salvador Dalí, as well as the place where many other famous artists, such as Picasso, spent their summer holidays.


The village lies in the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in the Costa Brava. The main feature of the water in this region is its quality; it is clean, clear and free of pollution. Its white houses, typical of these fishing villages, make of Cadaqués one of the most picturesque and beautiful places in Gerona. It is really worth to go for a walk in the old city centre, since it is a place where you will be able to feel the peace that comes from this corner. It is a place to disconnect, where you will admire each one of its corners and you will get absorbed by its atmosphere.


But it is not only the streets that are charming. In this village we can find the Port-Lligat Museum house, where Salvador Dalí lived and worked, as well as the museum of the village, with some exhibitions.


Close to Cadaqués, there is also the Natural Park of Cap de Creus, the biggest uninhabited area in the Mediterranean coast. Once in there, we will be able to see many protected species of plants and animals, as well as tiny coves, hidden isles and incredible cliffs.

Those who love snorkelling and scuba diving are lucky. They find themselves in an area which has a great underwater splendour, since the beaches in Cadaqués are known to be an underwater paradise.


Arriving in Cadaqués is not easy, since the road that takes there is narrow and full of curves. Anyway, the journey is really worth it. it is one of those villages that bewitch you with each one of this corners, a place to admire and to disconnect from the rest of the world, where you will feel absolutely free.


More post in Spain Holidays 10: Malaga, Spain, travel guide

Granada is a Spanish city placed in Andalusia, and it lies next to the Sierra Nevada, what conditions its weather: very cold in winter and very hot during the summer.


There is probably one building that makes it really worth to visit this city. This building is the Alhambra, a palace and fortress complex built in 889 by Arabs in Granada. Besides the Alhambra, it is also really advisable to visit the Albaicín and Sacromonte neighbourhoods.
From the Albaicín neighbourhood you will be able to see what it has been considered the best sunset in the world. If you visit the Alhambra in the morning, in the evening you can go to San Nicolás viewpoint in Albaicín, watch the sunset, and then go to visit the Sacromonte neighbourhood, with its typical Arabian music and dances.


Another interesting place in Granada is the Sciences Park, where you will be able to get into sciences in a fun and dynamic way.


As we have said, the Sierra Nevada is near the city, so, if you go to Granada during the winter, you can make the best of it, and go there to ski. However, if you go there in the summer, the visit is also really advisable and impressive.


Another place of interest of Granada is its cathedral. It is a building from the Spanish Renaissance, and perhaps it is not as amazing as other cathedrals in Spain, but it is worth the visit.

Finally, if you travel to Granada you cannot miss its gastronomy. It is formed by Andalusian dishes, mixed with different contributions of the new towns, for example beans with ham. The confectionery is really wide, with huevos moles, sponge cakes and San Jerónimo’s Puff pastry.


Granada is an amazing Spanish capital, with plenty of thing to do and see. Streets, mountain and the sea are really close in this amazing city.


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

We spent eight nights in Spain recently. From Madrid we had planned to do a day trip to Toledo. I highly recommend this. We took the high speed train to Toledo. This is a train that President Obama wants to see in the United States. It goes 180 miles per hour which feel like 20 and the seats were so comfortable. There were tables (like an airplane), foot rests, and rather than 1 hour and 15 minutes it took us ½ an hour to get to Toledo. The cost was about 16€ (Euros - multiply by 1.3% to $).


We didn't think the walk to the Old City would be hard but we could tell immediately that it was too far so for 1.25€ we caught a tourist bus. The roads are steep and as all the information said, the city is a maze. Plan on getting lost and having fun with the journey. We literally couldn't find things we wanted to see but people were very friendly so eventually we got to where we were going. The streets are so narrow they are called "the donkey and me" streets. Cars zoom by so you will want to be extra careful on these cobblestone roads.


The two items I would suggest buying are marzipan (delicious candy) and Damascene Jewelry. It is reasonably priced, beautiful and you can't get it any other place. Swords and scissors are popular as well because of the steel used.


If you want to go to a Sephardic Synagogue- the Sinagoga de el Transito- do not go to Toledo on a Monday because it was closed. We should have picked up on that but we didn't and were disappointed.

Pick up a map at the tourist information center. You may then want to go to the free museum, Museo de Santa Cruz. You will see a famous Greco painting of the Ascension.

Walk to Mezquita del Christo de la Lux (Mosque of Christ of the Light), which we chose not to go into. You must go into the Catedral, the most elaborate church in which I have been. The many rooms, each with its own personality, the architecture, and the ceilings were worth the 7€.


You may want to see The Toller del Morro, which is the only surviving, non-religious building in Toledo which dates back to the fourteenth century. After going in circles we found the Sinagoga de Maria La Blanca. We paid 2€. At the time there was a special exhibit but it once was a Synagogue.

We found a great place to eat called Los Lopez de Toledo, which we were told was good at the information center. It was hard to find but it was worth it. We had tapas there. I had goat cheese, lettuce, bread, a few chips and prawns with nuts and guacamole and my husband had razor clams and a salmon sandwich. The dining room wasn't open until 4:00p.m. so we sat at a somewhat uncomfortable wood table with benches and low stools.

You will then get on the bus, which runs regularly, and take the train back to Madrid.


Continue reading: travel to Toledo

The Catalan capital, Barcelona, lies on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Among all the wonders that this city provides us, there is just one of them that can brag about being, as Hemingway said, the most beautiful street in the world: la Rambla.

La Rambla is also known as las Ramblas, because there are some stretches and each one receives its own name. It is the street that runs from Plaza de Cataluña to the statue of Colom in the harbour of Bacelona, and it has more than one kilometre long. However, it is not only a street, a regular crowded street; it is much more than that. It is one of the cultural, architectonical and artistic cores of the city. You can walk along las Ramblas night and day and you will always feel its picturesque and cosmopolitan atmosphere.


The street has many flower stalls, that colour the street, as well as handicraft and souvenir stalls. Besides, we can also find human statues and many kiosks. There are also restaurants and bars, where you will be able to relax and enjoy the ambience. In the past there were also animal stalls, but due to some complains they have been taken off.

Furthermore, along la Rambla we find some places of interest where it is almost compulsory to stop and take a look. On the one hand, we have the Fuente de Canaletas, a fountain, which is famous for being the place where the supporters of Barcelona Football Club celebrate their victories. This fountain is also famous for a legend that tells that those who drink from its water will come back to Barcelona some day.
On the other hand, there is also the market of La Boqueria, a pleasure for the senses, with thousands of smells and colours that come from all the products sold in each stall.
Additionally, a little bit down the street we can see the most important theatre in Barcelona and one of the city landmarks: el Liceo, which is especially famous for its opera plays.


Finally, as we can see, walking along las Ramblas, mainly in summer, is almost compulsory if you travel to Barcelona. A short walk that will make you yearn to come back to this great city.


Continue reading:  What can I visit in Barcelona?

The city of Cordoba is found in the south of Spain, in Andalucia, and is located within the basin of the Guadalquivir River which crosses the city, it has a continental Mediterranean climate that makes the summers are very hot.


Cordoba can boast that became capital of Hispania Ulterior during the Roman Empire and, later, the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate, when Muslims controlled the Iberian peninsula. This makes the city have a great prestige. In addition, if you join the folklore typical of the area, it makes a unique center for tourism, in relation to this we should mention that, as in all the country there is a bullfighting tradition that displays its history in a museum dedicated to this practice.


The historic quarter of Cordoba is made up of small squares and streets, special and unique courtyards more known as the Patios de las Flores considered of national interest, very recommendable to visit in the spring, all of this leads to the great mosque of Cordoba, this is the real symbol of the city. The forest of columns, with more than a thousand, make this building something magical, is both their power that when the Muslims were expelled, it was decided to retain for its beauty and built the cathedral of the city annexd to the mosque by creating a space with an unprecedented cultural mixture.


Cordoba also has a Jewish quarter with streets adorned with facades covered in tiles and grilles, a landscape very curious. Nearby you will find the only synagogue in the city.


As in the rest of Andalusia, one of the most prized activities of Cordoba is a stroll through the gastronomy, the great fondness for the tapas where the neighborhoods of San Lorenzo and San Andres, are the key points. The typical dishes of this place are several different types of fish, casseroles, salmorejo and bull's tail and for dessert we should taste the famous pastel cordobes.

"Sevilla has a special color", as the song says, that is because its great historical and cultural mix that hosts this city and leaves you amazed. It consists of very important vestiges of Moorish legacy and from when America was discovered, this made that was the main commercial port par excellence between Spain and the new continent.


This city is ready for the tourism, consists of a large number of hotels, plans for all tastes and events of international interest. In Seville we have from museums and art centers to thematic parks, theaters and other. You can go to visit two natural parks too, Sierra Norte and Doñana, considered a World Heritage Site.


Thanks to its historical legacy, Seville has a large number of palaces and noble houses to visit, also churches and convents. It is almost an obligation to visit the Cathedral, el Patio de los Naranjos, los Reales Alcázares and the famous Giralda Tower, it is very curious to see how the Arabic architecture and christian are melted in a same scenario filling the city in a special beauty.

In Seville, there are several neighborhoods characterized each one by something special such as for example, the Arenal where you can find the great bull ring of the Real Maestranza de Caballería; in the Macarena quarter we will visit the basilica of the Macarena and the church of San Lorenzo, important for the Sevillians due to their faith and devotion shown on the feast of Easter Week, feast of international interest. On the other hand we have the neighborhood of Triana, of great seafaring tradition.


The feasts that characterize Sevilla are two, the above-mentioned Easter Week and April Fair where it mixes the devotion and the folklore, the two are considered to be of international interest and attract thousands of tourists from all over the world each year.

Seville's gastronomy and, in general, in Andalusia, is incredibly rich and consists of a great variety of dishes and products. The pinchos and the tapas are the order of the day, and in the hotter months is perfect accompanying it with a cold beer, a fino or a Jerez manzanilla. The popular tapas are the fried fish, embutidos, cheeses and tortilla de patatas. In summer the main dish is gazpacho.

Tarragona is a peculiar city composed of a great beauty. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, an hour away from Barcelona. It has a mediterranean climate without equal, with moderate temperatures throughout the year that favor their beaches making the season being very wide to enjoy them.


This city was the capital of Hispania Citerior during the Roman Empire, that is why it has a great legacy of roman monuments that can be visited in their majority today. This set of buildings that make up the city are: the protection walls that date back to the third century B.C., the amphitheater located next to the sea where there were gladiatorial combats, the circus that you can still see parts that are maintained intact and others adapted to the metropolis growth as well as the ones that are in the current Plaça de la Font, and the roman theater. It also has a magnificent romanesque/gothic Cathedral that sits majestically on the top of a grand staircase, is was built on the famous temple of Augustus.


Tarragona has several museums and theaters, with a quite wide cultural agenda, especially focused to its Roman past. In this connection it should be mentioned a special shows made it once a year called Tarraco Viva, where groups of people dressed as in the ancient roman empire represents the life of these in diffrente points of the city, for a few days Tarragona turns up its past to its present, reliving scenes from an old life that even today is palpable in the city. Another of his most famous celebrations are the Santa Tecla events, where processions, faith devotion, variety of events, the people and the fiesta flood and animate the city for a whole week.


The capital of the Costa Daurada has an important fishing and business port, very modern and active, where near there you will find the famous maritime district of Serrallo. In there you can find a great variety of restaurants with the typical Mediterranean gastronomy and where also you can taste the best wines of the area, Tarragona has five D.O. (origin denominations). One of the great attractions of the area is the Port Aventura park, a thematic park of international renown, considered the best in Europe.

Barcelona is the Mediterranean city par excellence. With a mild climate all the year, added to its historical interest, its modernist style and its cosmopolitan character make it a unique city.

Consists of a cultural agenda filled with activities all year round, from musical events on an international level, a wide variety of theater and dance shows. Barcelona gives to you a fascinating historic tour to each step we take in it, we can stroll around its gothic quarter, in the center of the city with narrow streets full of emblematic buildings such as the Palau de la Generalitat, and other several medieval palaces.


Not far away is the Plaza del Rei, where its terraces invite us to enjoy the scenery that surrounds us. Not far away is the Picasso's Museum, this museum is located at the Aguilar palace, also there are other museums in that zone. It is fair to say that Barcelona has dozens of varied museums where there is room for all tastes, from art from all periods to the most varied collections and thematics. For a wide range of cultural, Barcelona offers special cards to facilitate the visitor a tour of all the museums and exhibitions.


As far as architecture is famous for the modernism of Antonio Gaudi among others. The Parc Güell and Sagrada Familia are two of his most emblematic works. We also find the monumental remains of what were the Olympic Games of 1992 and the universal exhibition of 1929 with pavilions as the Mies van der Rohe one, located between the magnificent Mont-juïc palace and the big Plaza Espana. Not very far from there is the seaport and the urban beaches that make up the coast of Barcelona. A mix of tourism activities and business, is added to the leisure in that area with a variety of options to do near the Mediterranean sea.


Barcelona is also famous for being a great place for shopping, it has from the most renowned names in the high fashion to the more affordable brands to accommodate all type of consumer.

Finally, we must emphasize its gastronomy, famous for its mediterranean diet with its wide variety of fish, vegetables, emutidos, and the famous olive oil. For the dishes to highlight is the pork butifarra with beans, escudella and bread with tomato. For drink we can taste its famous wines from Alella and Penedès, and the cava, a unique drink from Catalunya.

Madrid stands out for its majesty, mainly because it is the capital of Spain but also by its historical and cultural legacy, and its European and international vision.


Is located in the center of the Iberian peninsula and has a continental mediterranean climate, that makes the winters being cold and summers hot, scoring much the seasons of the year.


Madrid has different points of interest, we will start with the Plaza Mayor, the nerve center with large influx of people that want go shopping in the area and with a wide variety of bars, tabernas and restaurants where you can taste the rich gastronomy of Madrid and the rest of the country. This is mainly characterized by the spanish ham and the delicious embutidos variety, tripe, snails, wide variety of pinchos and little casseroles, and the seafood. The tapas are key in the capital, go to tapear is something indispensable to do in Madrid.


If we talk about culture, Madrid offers us more than 60 museums for which the tourist board offers the "Madrid Card" that lets you obtain tickets more affordable and to almost all the places.
The most important are in the vicinity of the Paseo del Prado: the Museo del Prado that has an internationally renowned, the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum which houses works of incalculable value and the Reina Sofia with a supreme quality of the Spanish contemporary art.
In this same avenue we found two emblematic spots in the city, the Cibeles and the Neptune Fountains. Very close of here we can find the Congress of Deputies, and the large Parque del Retiro, one of the lungs of the city where you can stroll, feed the ducks and do a wide variety of activities.


Already in the historical center of the city we find the Royal Palace that dates back to the seventeenth century, the Almudena Cathedral, Plaza de Oriente and the Gran Teatro de la Opera.

The two main axes of Madrid are the Gran Via and La Castellana, the first is a very crowded shopping center filled with bars, hotels and venues where you can have fun, the second is the business center where we found the Kyo towers or the Santiago Bernabeu football stadium.

Madrid is a lively, cosmopolitan and very welcoming town.

Bilbao is located in the province of Biscay, in the north of Spain, is close to the Cantabrian sea thing that brings a temperate oceanic climate with temperatures quite stable and abundant rainfalls. It is surrounded by lush forests, beautiful mountains, warm beaches and craggy coastline, this variety let you enjoy the scenery that you prefer just few kilometers from its center.


It is a heavily industrialized town where you can see the beauty of the old mixed with the greatness of the new. It is famous for its contemporary buildings carried out by great architects like Frank Gehry and Norman Foster among others. Its most emblematic building is the famous Guggenheim Museum, a masterpiece that is running its own function as a tourist and cultural motor in the city. Next to this we have a great variety of museums that have a great renown like the Arts Museum for example, they make Bilbao being an exquisite cultural center. It also knows how to exploit this area offering a wide variety of cultural events such as exhibitions, a schedule of musical, theatrical and artistic performances with an important national prestige.


The Old Town of Bilbao offers a variety of more than 400 stores, is a paradise for shopping and also to taste the precious gastronomy of the area. The city has several prestigious restaurants where you can find everything, from the more traditional meals to innovative avant-garde dishes.

A typical activity of the Bilbaoans that can join everyone who visits this city is the chiquiteo, this consists of having pinchos (little snacks with a bread base) before lunch or dinner. Bilbao presents a wide variety of tabernas and bars which offer the greatest variety of pinchos. Par excellence is called the capital of bacalao (cod) because of the abundance of this kind of fish and the thousands of ways to cook it that are carried out in this area but, as being this the most famous dish there are also many diffrente ingredients that make up the Bilbao's gastronomy as extensive as the great Spanish culinary variety.