Sports in Spain
In Spain, sports are a true passion and there are a variety of sports to do or to watch. This country has the mild climate and the landscape that encourages people of all ages to play sports. The mountains have the snow and the beaches are world quality for water type events. There are indoor and outdoor sports held throughout the country for people of all ages.
One of the national sports is soccer and it is called football in Spain. The soccer season is taken very seriously in this country and their National league is known all over the world. Fans are fiercely loyal to their soccer team and travel outside of the country to international soccer events to show their support. Some of the other sports are basketball, golfing, skiing, water sports, cycling and bullfighting.
Golf is gaining in popularity every season mainly because of the mild climate and the growing number of golf courses. However, Spain is known for the bullfights. (more…)
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April 27, 2008
Spanish Fiestas
Spain is particularly known for its fiestas. There are some well known fiestas such as the Sanfermines in Pamplona, which is the running of the bulls, Las Fallas de San Jose, which is the fireworks, Semana Santa, Easter Week and Feria de Abril, which is the dancing and singing in Seville. However, there are some unusual festivals such as the snail festival in Lleida, a seafood festival in O’Grove and a paella festival in Sueca.
The most outstanding fiesta in Spain is the Carnival. This takes place in late February and leads up to Lent. It is an over the top party with fancy costumes and masks. During Carnival, no one seems to sleep, even the children. It is very wild and extreme, with the most raucous parties held in the Canary Islands, Cadiz and Sitges. Tenerife has the largest of all Carnivals. Cadiz is known for its musical party and in Sitges, the parades with their bold and extravagant costumes are the main attraction. (more…)
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April 25, 2008
San Sebastian
World renowned for its beautiful beaches, San Sebastian, located on the Bay of Biscay in the Basque Region of Spain, is one of the most popular Spanish tourist attractions. In the Basque language San Sebastian is more commonly referred to as Donostia. San Sebastian is also home to one of the largest European film events, the San Sebastian International Film Festival. This film festival attracts artists and film producers from around the world to this lovely resort area.
One of the most celebrated festivals in the city of San Sebastian is Tamborrada or the feast of Saint Sebastian. It is held every year on January 20th and attracts thousands of people to the city. The celebration starts with the people of San Sebastian dressing as cooks and soldiers and marching around the city. At the same time other individuals play drums loudly, providing a festive air to the marching. Throughout the night the marchers stop to eat at special gourmet clubs that serve traditional seafoods and wines of the area. While historically an all-male event the feast of San Sebastian is now enjoyed by both men and women alike. In the morning, the children of San Sebastian wake up and partake in the celebration. The kids also dress as soldiers and march through the city and different schools may wear different uniforms during the event. (more…)
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April 23, 2008
Music of Spain
The people of Spain have been influenced by a variety of cultures. In turn, the various cultures have provided an influence on Spanish music. This cultural diversity has been the foundation that supported the development of Spanish music and the effects have influenced the type of instruments and the dance for each period of history. This is why Spanish music has different regional characteristics and yet has a strong similarity.
In early times, the chants and religious music of the churches formed the bases for the music, but the medieval songs brought a change to this art. As history evolved the basic music changed also. In the 16th century, the guitar was introduced and became the backbone for the different types music to follow, such as opera, folk and popular music. The northern areas of Galicia and Asturia have the wonderful lively music created by the bagpipes, called the Gaita. This music can be moody as well. The bagpipes create high-varied sounds that accompany the chant-based songs found in these northern regions. (more…)
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April 21, 2008
Jerez de la Frontera
Jerez, more formally known as Jerez de la Frontera, is located in the province of Cadiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Jerez is most famous for its sherry production and the beautiful farms surrounding the city that are world renowned for their production of Andalusian horses. The city of Jerez hosts an annual horse fair that draws international attention to this outstanding foundation breed or horse.
The annual horse fair in Jerez is typically held at the end of April through to the beginning of May. During the week, long events take place as hundreds of Andalusian horses are paraded through the streets of Jerez with riders in traditional costumes and different events highlighting the athletic ability of these magnificent animals. The fair usually starts with a huge firework display and music and dancing and many other different types of horse events occur throughout the week. In addition to the annual horse fair there is also the prestigious Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, where visitors can watch amazing displays of dressage. There are also the traditional Spanish bullfights where matadors and horses pit their skills and athletic ability against the specially bred bulls. (more…)
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April 19, 2008
Costa Brava
Costa Brava literally means “rugged coast” and a more apt description of this beautiful area of Catalonia could not be found. Although the area is a tourist spot, it is not typical of the resort type beaches found in other parts of Spain and the Mediterranean. The towns of the area were originally dependent on fishing as their major source of employment and financial stability, but increasing numbers of tourists from the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe quickly turned the area in to a resort destination.
Fully modern and newly constructed hotels are found right along the beach, providing spectacular views of the ocean from the patio or the balcony of the rooms. In addition the wonderful landscape is perfect for those that like exploring, hiking, or simply relaxing on the beach and watching the fishing boats go by. Swimming, diving and sports fishing are all popular activities with tourists and the warm weather year round makes it a perfect holiday destination. (more…)
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April 17, 2008
Famous People from Spain
Spain has many well known and famous individuals in the arts, sports, TV and film worlds, as well as various other fields of study. Many historically significant artists have either come from Spain or have studied with the Masters within the country. A brief list of the most famous people from Spain and their accomplishments include:
- Antonio Banderas – born in Andalucia in 1960, Antonio Banderas quickly became a household name through his Oscar winning acting in a variety of films. He is perhaps best known in America for his roles in movies such as the Zorro movies, Spy Kids, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, The 13th Warrior and Desperado. He has recently been heard as the voice of Puss in Boots in the Shrek movies.
- Penelope Cruz – born in 1974 this actress and model and television star is from Madrid and is famous the world over. She has started in such movies as Gothika, Sahara, Woman on Top and Volver. In addition she has won awards for her performances both in English and Spanish speaking productions. (more…)
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April 15, 2008
Nightlife in Spain
The nightlife in Spain is really one of the defining features of the culture. Even taking into consideration the nightlife of other European countries, Spain is the best known country for the variety of events available to residents and visitors alike. Most people in Spain are very late eaters, with the average time to eat the evening meal around 9:00 pm, much later than other areas where 6:00 to 7:00 pm is the average final meal time.
The nightlife in Spain starts before dinner, however, with people stopping in at a local tapas bar to have a drink and sample some of the freshly prepared appetizers. It is customary to move from tapas bar to tapas bar having a small drink and a bite to eat at each one. This is the place to meet old friends and plan the rest of the evening. (more…)
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April 13, 2008
Salamanca
The western Spanish city of Salamanca is known as the University City due to the presence of the prestigious and ancient University of Salamanca that was first established in 1218. The University of Salamanca is an international learning center attracting students from all over the world. The town of Salamanca and the surrounding areas are considered to be the best area to learn the pure and original Spanish language and this makes it a popular spot for language scholars as well as students interested in other academic pursuits.
The weather in both the city and province of Salamanca is very seasonal with cold and snow covered landscapes in the winter and hot and dry days in the summer months. This change in temperature makes it a popular spot in the winter and summer for outdoor enthusiasts, hikers and trekkers. There are many outdoor festivals, markets and events year round in the city and surrounding areas, and outdoor restaurants and cafes that serve an outstanding variety of local and international cuisines make Salamanca a wonderful place to visit. (more…)
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April 11, 2008
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean, are really a group of seven islands that are volcanic in origin. They are actually located south west of Spain and north west of Africa and enjoy the mild weather patterns that exist through the coastal areas off Morocco. Historically they have served as a stopping off point for explorers from Spain that were heading for the New World and were also a resort type location for traveling dignitaries and famous people throughout history. The actual name of the Canary Islands is not believed to be from birds as may be expected, but rather from canines or dogs, which in Latin is Insula Canaria. Early Roman explorers likely were referring to the large wild dog populations found on several of the islands in the group. It is also believed in legend and myth that the lost city of Atlantis is located within the geographic area of the Canary Islands, further adding to the mystery of the location.
The seven islands that make up the Canary Island chain are La Palma, Hierro, Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. Each of the islands has its own cultural influences and special attractions, but in general the year round weather and beautiful scenery make all the islands popular tourist destinations. The average yearly temperature in the islands is between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit, perfect for year round outdoor swimming, hiking and enjoyment. Most of the islands have moderate to light rainfall during the year with no typically rainy seasons or poor vacation times. (more…)