Spain: Travel Information, News and Opinion
All the latest news views and opinions on travel to Spain and on other Spain-related issues.

Cities of Spain



August 25, 2010

The Seville Spring Fair Is A Traditional Festival In Spain Subsequent To The Holy Week

Filed under: Cities of Spain - 25 Aug 2010 from Kristen Bobbins

Every spring, locals and travelers alike gather together to enjoy the colorful and festive spring fair in the city of Seville, located in the Southern part of Spain. Unless you hail from the country, you’ve probably never been informed about the existence of this festive gathering that takes place on a yearly basis.

This glamorous event takes place every spring after the Holy Week. Generally, the event will last for an entire week.

Included in the festivities are carriages that carry the city’s officials, other events include gathering with the breeders and bullfighters and watching them in the arena. This makes for some special viewing if you have the privilege to see it, truly bringing out the best in Spain’s culture.

As you walk along the river bank of the Guadalquivir, you will see it decorated with colorful tents also known as casetas with people celebrating the festival over drinks and sharing food.

The fair is known to be celebrated by the all of the locals and will spend all day dancing through out the whole week.

Tapas, which are snacks and finger foods are brought and shared by all the locals. All kinds of foods are prepared here and there’s something for everyone.

For more over 160 years the locals have kept this sacred festival alive. The festival means just as much them now as it did in 1847 when the queens approval was sought out for the locals livestock to be successful.

One of the greatest and arguably the most beautiful of all of Seville’s traditions for this grand festival is the woman dancing in their vibrant dresses. Surely, it shows the elegance and beauty of the city of Seville Spain.

Aside from Seville, this writer also regularly pens articles about personalized cufflinks and paper mache boxes.

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August 5, 2010

Get A Good Night Out In The Most Famous City In Spain

Filed under: Cities of Spain - 05 Aug 2010 from Don Rivers

If you enjoy going out on the town, good food and drinks, and dancing in clubs until the early morning hours, perhaps you should consider visiting Madrid Spain.

Madrid, Spain, well known for its night life is a great place to go if you are looking for a great time out on the town and night. There are more than 300,000 different bars scattered through out the city that keep Madrid constantly live and busy.

Many places in Madrid are open and packed until early in the morning and has even been known to cause traffic. Many of the locals call the partying people that do this as cats or “gatos.”

Unlike the United States, it is perfectly acceptable to see children in pubs, bars, and other restaurants. However, it is always a good idea to inform management of children being in the building.

The history of this night life is due to the Madrid movement put on by the city’s youth who took to the streets to fight the oppression in the 80’s and King Juan Carlos brought back democracy.

The movement that set this historical tradition in motion was partial due to the inspiration of writers and musicians.

The enthusiasm of the city to carry on this tradition leaves many places being open from late night hours into the very next day and carrying on from there and continuing the next night.

In closing, Madrid is full of places to eat, drink, and dance which is what the people of Madrid hold dearest to them. If you have similar interests, then Madrid Spain may be the place for you.

Besides Spain, this writer also regularly shares knowledge about engagement photographies and wedding anniversary gifts for parents.

categories: destinations,cities,Spain,travel,leisure,lifestyle,happiness,fun,drinks,beverage,wine,party,culture,society

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November 5, 2008

Alicante - The Perfect Touring Base

Filed under: Cities of Spain - 05 Nov 2008 from Your Spain Guide

Since it’s a gateway into the Costa Blanca, Alicante is an excellent base for touring. Offering a refreshing melange of old and recent traditions and culture, Alicante is situated within the popular holiday area of the Costa Blanca. Visitors to Alicante enjoy a warm sunny climate, some of the finest beaches Spain can offer together with some great examples of Moorish architecture.

Found on the coast between the resorts of Benidorm and Elche, The city sits below its mountain top castle. Alicante and its surrounding areas are peppered with churches with the most photographed of all of them being the Iglesia de Santa Maria. This is the city’s oldest church and was built between the 14th and 16th centuries being at one time a mosque. St Nicholas Cathedral in the city was built in the seventeenth century in honour of Alicante’s patron saint and is therefore one of the most significant buildings in this area.

Alicante has generous servings of ancient buildings to please sightseers and historians alike and can be seen all around the area with columns and statues making a feature of a number of once unexciting locations. Keeping a keen watch over Alicante Bay, the Castillo de Santa Barbara is said to be one of the biggest medieval fortresses in Europe. Easily reached by car or by lift (elevator) from the Paseo Maritimo, the castle has incredible vistas of the stunning local area. In addition to the benefits the Castillo offers, Alicante has more architectural gems including the Provincial Gallery, once the Gavina Palace, together with its nineteenth century bull- ring. The vast majority of the Alicante attractions are readily reached with the help of a rental car from Alicante Airport. Booking your car hire online will normally save you money as well as ensuring that the model of car that you want to book is definitely when you arrive at the airport.

Alicante is the perfect resort to come to enjoy your self and the main reason holidaymakers come back every year. With such a varied range of accomodation on offer, there are plenty of cheap Alicante Hotels to suit every pocket and taste. The beaches here have the most golden sand and offer a variety of both easy to get to and hidden coves perfect for private sunbathing. Make your way to Albufereta Beach where you will find outstanding range of water sports. It is a quiet place that is relatively undiscovered by the majority of tourists.

A perfect location for an after dinner stroll is provided by the Playa del Postiguet. You will join the locals along this beautiful seaside walk - it’s a perfect location for a romantic evening. Once the Port of Madrid, Alicante Harbour offers a combination of fishing and sailing and is the perfect venue to come for the top fish restaurants around. The harbour offers a perfect venue for activity day and night. Here is where visitors come to eat wonderfully delicious, fresh seafood, learn to sail and enjoy a bout of clubbing into the wee small hours.

Nobody likes a knees up as much as the locals and visitors of Alicante! Here you will discover a celebration of one type or another taking place much of the year, no matter what time of the year you want to visit. One of the more sedate of festivals in the Costa Blanca is that of the Easter Procession. Wearing black and carrying lighted candles, an effigy of Jesus is carried on a cross around the streets. Each November, in honour of the Patron Saint Crist del Bon Encert, each town has its own fiesta. Don’t be surprised to find that shops are closed all day, every day as commerce grinds to a halt for this fantastic event of singing, dancing and firework displays. On a less religious note, one of the most famous local festivals is the International Puppet Festival.

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May 7, 2008

Palma de Mallorca

Filed under: Cities of Spain - 07 May 2008 from Your Spain Guide

Palma de Mallorca, most commonly known simply as Palma is the largest city and port of the island of Mallorca, and is also the capital city of the Balearic Islands off the coast of Spain. A much smaller center than many of the other cities in Spain, Palma offers all the historical aspects of the larger cities in a much more relaxed environment. As with any seaside resort area, Palma is famous for its beaches and waterfront leisure and recreational areas.

The Cathedral of Palma, Sa Seu, is a remarkable representation of a Gothic type of structure. It is well worth the day off from relaxing on the beach to tour this impressive structure and the view of the city and the waterfront from the Cathedral is spectacular. There are other numerous examples of Roman, Arabian and Gothic architecture in the various palaces, museums, religious buildings and even mansions and houses in the area. (more…)

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May 5, 2008

Valencia

Filed under: Cities of Spain - 05 May 2008 from Your Spain Guide

Valencia is a city as well as a province located on the eastern coast of Spain. As one of the three primary cities and commerce locations in the country of Spain, Valencia is both a cultural as well as a business hub. The city itself was first founded in 137 BC and has withstood a great many changes throughout its history.

The weather in Valencia is beautiful most of the year with lots of sun and moderate rain levels to keep the area rich and green with vegetation and flowers. The beaches are very popular tourist attractions and bring in visitors from around the world to simply relax and enjoy the sun or participate in the various water activities such as fishing and sailing. In addition the beaches are surrounded by world class restaurants, shopping and art galleries and museums, making a day at the beach a wonderful experience for everyone. (more…)

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May 3, 2008

Cordoba

Filed under: Cities of Spain - 03 May 2008 from Your Spain Guide

Located in southern Spain in the region of Andalucia, Cordoba is a city with an interesting mix of many different cultures and people. Historically the city has been home to Jewish people, Muslims and Christians and there is a strong representation of these religions and cultures throughout the churches, synagogues and temples located throughout the city. Currently the city of Cordoba is considered a World Historical Site and has an amazing array of attractions for those tourists interested in both the historical and modern aspects of the city.

La Mezquita, the third largest mosque in the world, is located in the city of Cordoba. The mosque, as well as the various additional buildings, cupolas and gardens that were added throughout the centuries, makes a fascinating day trip. Tours of La Mezquita as well as the Cathedral and La Juderia, or the Jewish Quarter, allow visitors to examine buildings dating back to the first settlement of the area. The fully modern bus and train system in both the city of Cordoba and throughout the province provides lots of opportunities for day trips to other smaller cities. As with most Spanish cities, there are a number of festivals, carnivals and markets to explore throughout the countryside and throughout the summer months there is always something to do and see. (more…)

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