Spain: Travel Information, News and Opinion
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July 3, 2011

Discover The Twin Islands Of Lanzarote And Mega Beach Fuerteventura

Filed under: Travel and Leisure - 03 Jul 2011 from guest

If you are thinking about a holiday in Lanzarote this summer then it?s worth bearing in mind that you could visit three different Canary Islands for the price of one. As both La Graciosa and Fuerteventura are located very near to this Spanish owned and perennially popular holiday destination.

There are seven Canary Islands in total - or eight if you include the tiny islet of La Graciosa, which is home to a population of about 600 permanent residents. The Canaries offer sunshine all year round and as such are a much cheaper alternative to the Caribbean and Far East during the dark winter months in Northern Europe.

Lots of tourists are beginning to book lanzarote apartments online with the actual owners or smaller local travel and leisure firms nowadays, thanks to specialist travel websites. Almost all Lanzarote private holiday villas typically include their own individual private swimming pools, along with an abundance of other luxury mod cons. Whilst the majority of apartments can be found on managed and nicely landscaped vacation complexes.

There’s always going to be loads to do and discover on Lanzarote island but if you are staying in one of the numerous fantastic quality Lanzarote holiday villas available for rent and fancy getting away from the poolside you’ll probably enjoy a day trip over to the gorgeous neighbouring islands. As both La Graciosa and also Fuerteventura can be reached in under 30 minutes and fortunately the sea crossing to either is generally pretty calm, especially during the summertime.

Fuerteventura is the second biggest of the Canary Islands but remains quite undeveloped and is not very densely populated. Welcoming around 1.5 million foreign tourists every year, Fuerteventura?s main attractions are its beaches. Which are enormous by comparison with Lanzarote. Just outside Corralejo lies the Dunas National Park, home to some 16km of golden sands. Whilst down in the south are the long sandy stretches of the beaches in Jandia, which extend for miles and which are particularly popular with German visitors.

By comparison La Graciosa is much smaller and even less developed. There are no proper roads here for example - and as a result no cars. So instead the locals get around din 4×4?s, which also double up as taxis - taking tourists around the island to the best beaches, such as La Concha in the north, on the opposite side of the island to the sole conurbation of Caleta del Sebo. The pace of life here is very slow and as a result visiting La Graciosa also feels a little like stepping back in time.

For a fantastic sunshine holiday whenever you want of the year, a break on Lanzarote will undoubtedly leave you nicely tanned and fully rejuvenated when it’s time to go home.

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February 20, 2011

Barelonas’ Main City Attractions

Filed under: Vacations Spain - 20 Feb 2011 from Becky Padmore

Barcelona is one of Spain’s most popular tourist destinations. When visiting it’s hard to believe that Barcelona hasn’t always drawn the crowds, the city began it’s transformation in 1992 when it won the rights for the Olympics. The newly designed city includes a lovely man-made beach, palm tree lined avenues and a stylish redeveloped port. Whether you are interested in art, culture, drinking, fine cuisine, music, shopping, sport or partying - this captivating city will not let you down! Here is a guide to Barcelona’s main attractions:

* The Picasso Museum is Barcelona’s most popular museum with over a million annual visitors. It has a large collection from this famous artist and shouldn’t be missed.

* Park Guell is a pretty garden complex filled with some unique architecture. It’s great for a romantic stroll.

* The famous La Sagrada Familia the massive catholic church still under construction from 1882! It’s still impressive although not finished.

* The incredible Batllo House is sometimes called the House of Bones and indeed it does have a visceral, skeletal organic quality. It was originally designed for a middle-class family and situated in a prosperous district of Barcelona.

*It if worth a trip to the Camp Nou, Barcelona’s world famous stadium. There is an excellent tour which appeals to football fans and non football fans alike.

*If you are visiting the city as a family good places to try are the Tibidabo Amusement Park, the IMAX cinema and the fabulous Magic Fountain of Montjuic.

* The world famous Las Ramblas is a must see. It’s a lively street which has an abundance of street performers and a great happy atmosphere.

*The Olympic port is the place to visit for a great selection of good bars, places to eat and even a casino. The beach is also located here.

Tips for getting around - The city can be a little sprawling but it also has a very good public transport system (both buses and trains). Taxis are also not too expensive. Hope you enjoy your stay!

For more great tips on global travel visit www.globalgrasshopper.com which includes advice on the best places to visit in Thailand

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February 3, 2011

Islas Cies In Galicia: Idyllic Beach Camping

Filed under: Vacations Spain - 03 Feb 2011 from Aaron Maurette

When it comes to Spanish beaches most people automatically go for the Mediterranean Coastline. However is in the Atlantic coast of Spain, north of Portugal, where one of the top beaches in the world can be found in the least spoiled, astonishing Atlantic coastline of Galicia.

One of the gems of this coastline is on Las Islas Cies. Once a pirate’s haunt, you can only access Las Islas Cies by boat, a distant cry from other Mediterranean sandy destinations. Instead of returning to your hotel after a day’s snorkelling and sun worshiping, camp out in the idyllic site provided.

Galegos ,as the locals are known by, come here to spend lengthy, lazy summer holidays on the Praia das Rodas, a perfect cove of fine, white sand backed by small dunes sheltering a calm sea of crystal-clear waters. Spanish refer to it as their “Caribbean beach”. The sand is white enough and the water is turquoise enough to stand up to its Caribbean rivals. Perhaps the only noticeable difference is the chilling temperature of the water.

Where to Stay:

To stay overnight you must book at Camping Islas Cies (www.campingislascies.com). The average cost is 7 Euros per person. The camping ground with a capacity of 800 people is wheelchair friendly and has a restaurant and a supermarket.

How to get there:

Islas Cies are a 45 minute ferry ride from the city of Vigo, sitting just 15 kilometres offshore. Naviera Mar de Ons runs boats to and from the island. Only up to 8 return trips a days are schedule to/from Vigo at an average cost of 17 Euros per adult and children under 12 years are free.

The main beach:

The main beach that people come to is Rodas Beach or Praia das Rodas on Las Islas Cies which means “Wheels Beach” in Galician. Praia das Rodas has been named as one of the best beaches in the world in a few polls, including a list created by The UK’s Guardian.

If you requiere further information about the best beaches in the world please click on the links provided for an up to date list of the World’s top beaches.

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January 21, 2011

Some Of The More Popular Vacation Destinations In Spain

Filed under: Vacations Spain - 21 Jan 2011 from Simon Jones

Spain is a country that is full of amazing vacation and holiday destinations. This is one of the reasons for its popularity not only with holidaymakers in Europe but with holidaymakers from all over the world as well. You could easily go to Spain a dozen times over and still have several places on your wish list that you want to see. Let’s have a quick look at some of the top vacation destinations in Spain.

Spain is very popular for its island chains. The main reason why people hate to Spain for their annual vacation is in order to get their annual dose of sun, sand, sea, and surf. With the various island groups on offer you certainly will be spoilt for choice. The Balearic Islands, off the eastern coast of Spain, are certainly one of the more popular options available.

South West of Spain and off the western coast of northern Africa lies the Canary Islands. Similar to that Balearics, the Canaries are also extremely popular among holidaymakers in Europe. With islands such as Tenerife, Lanzarote, and Gran canaria on offer you really are spoilt for choice.

Of course, coastal destinations in Spain are also extremely popular. For example, the Costa Del Sol down the eastern coast of Spain is another extremely popular destination and has some wonderful beaches and other attractions.

If it is not beaches that you are after and you want to taste the culture of the country a little bit more than city holidays are probably more appropriate. There are some wonderful cities in Spain such as Madrid, Valencia, and Barcelona, each offering their own individual attractions.

Overall, Spain really does contain all sorts of amazing holiday destinations. Whether you are looking for a beach resort or a city break you will have plenty of options available.

Thomson Holidays travel options for vacationers provides superb choices and value for all kinds of summer and winter holidays as do the many options with Airtours holidays 2011. Find out even more with Simon Jones of www.myholidayco.co.uk.

categories: travel,vacation,holidays,package holidays,travel,tips,travel advice,destinations,europe

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January 12, 2011

Why Invest An Overseas Property In Spain

Filed under: Vacations Spain - 12 Jan 2011 from Paul Stubbs

Spain is a preferred destination for Brits buying property abroad. With warm summers, gentle winters, a wealthy historical background and an attractive Mediterranean way of life are just some of the factors that still bring in droves of foreign investors. If you’re thinking about buying a property in Spain being an investment, now is the time for making your choice. Spanish interest rates are lower and property prices are rising gradually. At any given time when Spain’s major airports are predicting a sharp rise in traffic over the next few years, lots of people think that the current pace of development will be unable to maintain rate with all the increased demand for exclusive and vacation accommodation. The result? House prices are arranged to rise even more so it is a great time to invest.

Over the last decade, a growing number of foreigners have taken the plunge by investing in Spanish property, whether as a vacation home, buy-to-let investment or permanent residence. Nevertheless, due to the economic downturn and global credit crunch, we have seen a recent drop in the number of people purchasing property in Spain and developers and owners alike have had to lower their prices significantly to be able to market any properties at all.

Industry experts predict that reduced interest rates in Europe will help to promote the Spanish and other European property markets. Having much lower rates in interest and extensive governmental pressure on respective banks to improve domestic financing, property markets will start to acquire once again and people will once more have the ability to fund their dream home in Spain. It has also reasserted itself being a well-known holiday destination that will help the country’s holiday rental market a good deal. There’s also a growth in the amount of people looking to purchase in emerging markets outside Spain that has led to a surfeit of unsold properties on the Spanish coasts. However, lately, flights to a number of promising European locations were canceled and suddenly these nations are no longer looking like a real great place for property investment.

In the meantime, property costs in Spain have dropped to try and clear the amount of unsold homes, so people are now applying this as an opportunity to snap up a good deal which will still continue. Many property experts are urging people to buy now while costs are lower, to allow them to earn money on their property over the long term since the market begins to stabilize again.

Whatever the transforming economic circumstances the underlying explanations why foreign buyers love Spain stay the same. The all year-round sunshine, easy going way of life and relatively reduced living costs are still strong draw aspects. The weather solely causes it to be among the preferred locations with 300 days of sunshine every year and average temperatures between 18 and 30 degree Celsius. Additionally, many people who find themselves aiming to retire overseas understand that growing attractions may not have the same quality of healthcare or family culture they see Spain providing them.

Want to invest in Spain? Feel free to visit Overseas Property For Sale and find the perfect Overseas Property in Spain that will truly fulfill your dreams and perfectly fit your lifestyle.

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January 11, 2011

Why Spain Is A Perfect Destinations For A Great Family Vacation

Filed under: Vacations Spain - 11 Jan 2011 from Simon Jones

If you want to go on an amazing family holiday, Spain is definitely the ideal location for this. There are so many tourist attractions to enjoy in Spain, and there is plenty of accommodation in all of the major cities across the country. The weather, culture and nightlife of Spain all adds up in making Spain one of the most loved holiday destinations in the world for family holidays. It is therefore no surprise as to why so many people decide on Spain as their family holiday destination repeatedly.

Some of the very famous tourist attraction in Spain includes Santiago de Compostela, Alhambra palace and Las Rambias. Alhambra palace is one of the most popular and famous tourist attractions in Spain. The architecture plan for the castle that covers about 142,000 meter squares was not available at the time, and therefore the design seems all over the place. Because of the master architectural plan not being available, several of the buildings are placed at opposite locations from one another. The walls of the fortress are decorated by Moorish paintings.

The largest capital in Spain is Santiago de Compostela, and it houses a very large cathedral. The cathedral attracts many tourists throughout the year. The cathedral is surrounded by many breathtaking landscapes. Burgos and Roncevalles are some of the buildings that stand out close to the cathedral. Las Ramblas is very well liked Pedestrian Street in Spain and here you will come across a lot of restaurants and shops. There are volcanic rocks nearby Mount Tenerife. If you love to shops, and appreciate a good bargain, you should definitely pay a visit to El Rastro, which is a very popular flea market.

Valderrama features a fantastic 18-hole golf course that is definitely worth a visit. Robert Trent Jones Senior designed it, and the design of the golf course covers an area of about 6356 meters.

Because Spain is enjoys sunshine throughout the year, families love to spend their holidays here. Therefore, tourists love to laze around on the splendid beaches Spain has to offer tourists. The southwestern area of Andalusia is home to the beach of Costa de la Luz. Costa de la Luz enjoys a very long coastline, and is very close to old cities such as Cadiz. Costa del Sol is a beach on the shoreline that stretches from the south to the east of Spain. In addition, Costa Blanca is in the southern region of Valencia. Costa Verde is a rocky beach, and very similar to the coastal area of western Ireland. Some of the other well-known beaches in Spain include Catalonia coast and Costa Brava.

There is a lot to choose from if you are looking to book a family holiday to Spain. So take the chance and enjoy this great experience with the ones you love. You and your family will definitely have the times of your life on a holiday to Spain.

Thomson Holidays 2011 travel options for holidaymakers provides superb choices and value for all kinds of summer and winter holidays as do the many options with Skytours Holidays 2011. Find out even more with Simon Jones of www.myholidayco.co.uk.

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