The Travel Bargain

Spain used to be one of the cheapest countries in Western Europe to visit. Since it joined the European Union, though, its economy has boomed, and it’s no longer bottom dollar – particularly for American visitors who have seen the dollar weaken against the euro.

However, there are ways to economise on your Spanish vacation. For instance if you don’t mind compromising a little on facilities, you can find a room for as little as 13 euros a night (Pension Barez, in Salamanca).

Rather than looking for a hotel, look for the word ‘Pension’ or ‘Fonda’ - usually small, family run businesses with a limited number of rooms. Although some are in seedy neighbourhoods, others are extremely central (the Barez is just off the Plaza Mayor). You’ll have to go out to eat, and the furnishings may be old and unfashionable, but in most cases you’ll get a clean, decent (if small) room and friendly reception. You probably won’t get free wifi or a minibar; if you’re travelling on a tight budget, do you really care?

If you don’t mind a dorm bed, hostels in the major Spanish cities are another option, with beds at around EUR 15. For summer holidays, a reservation is best, via a site like hostelworld.com, which also shows budget hotels. But if you want privacy, hotels are extremely competitive with the hostels – several pensiones in Granada, for instance, offer double rooms at not far off the Oasis Backpacker Hostel’s EUR 36 price.

There are several ways to economise on food but you have to know what you’re doing, otherwise you could end up paying more.

Tapas are popular as a way to have a cheap snack – in Seville, head for Manolo’s on Plaza Alfafa where you can get a beer and a tapa for about three euros, if you want a very light lunch. In northern Spain, look for pinchos (pinxos in Catalan) which means the same thing. If you eat more than two or three tapas, though, you may end up spending more than you would for a set meal at one of the cheaper restaurants.

Remember also that a ‘racion’ is several times the size of a tapa – and several times the price.

Look for restaurants with a cheap fixed menu and make sure you know what’s included. Many will include ‘pan, postre y vino’ - bread, dessert, and wine – but if you want a bottle of mineral water, that’s extra. In Barcelona, the Quatre Gats lunch menu at EUR 13 is a stand out bargain – fine cuisine in the Catalan tradition, in an art deco bistro - but restaurants off the Born and in the business districts offer set lunches at below EUR 10.

Going to bed early can also save you money in Spain, as drinks can cost more after 11 o’clock when the bars shift into party time.

Or consider taking a picnic. If you like seafood, Spanish supermarkets are full of tins of mussels, octopus, tuna, and calamares that cost very little and go well with a hunk of bread. Add some fresh fruit according to the season, and you have a picnic for EUR 2-3 a head.

Transport within Spain is relatively cheap, though train fares have increased over recent years. Buses are always cheaper and in some cases they’re faster, too. For instance Madrid-Segovia takes two hours on the train and just over one by bus; the Bilbao-Barcelona route is two hours shorter by bus and much cheaper.

Most historic monuments charge to get in. Watch out for free days though; the Escorial, for instance, is free on Wednesday to all EU citizens, as is the Descalzas Reales in Madrid. The great Mosque on Cordoba has a different approach, opening for free from 830 till 10 every morning – and that’s a great time to see it, with excellent light and relatively few people.

If you just want to see inside a cathedral, attend mass first thing in the morning. It will be free. A warning though; not all parts of the cathedral will be opened or lit up. In particular, sacristies containing art works may be closed. But at least you’ll know if you want to come back later.

Finally, don’t forget some of the best shows in town are free. Many municipal museums don’t charge; for instance the archaeological museum in Granada (actually very interesting, though all the labels are in Spanish only). In Barcelona, the mime artists on the Ramblas are also free (though make sure your wallet is safe from pickpockets or it could be an expensive evening out). And there’s nothing like a flamenco wedding at the Sagrario, in Seville, to immerse you thoroughly in Andalusian culture – you just have to be there at the right time.

While staying in one of the active and vivacious Spanish cities you will get the right impression of the Spanish way of live.

It makes no difference if you visit one of the big and well-known cities in Spain or if you come to a smaller one. Everywhere you will find something of the typical Spanish life, with people wandering around and having a coffee and some tapas in one of the numerous bars. Or people just sitting around in the sun chatting to each other. Even if you do not speak Spanish or only a little bit they will invite you to have a little conversation and if you are interested you will always find someone that will tell you some facts and nice stories about the town.

While visiting a Spanish city you will have a lot of different things to do. If you do not have enough time to see everything it will be hard to decide whether to visit one of the interesting museums or tourist attractions or if you prefer wandering around to feel the Spanish spirit and see what you will come across. Even without searching for something nice and special to visit you will come across a medieval castle, one of the very beautiful Islamic palaces and gardens in southern Spanish city or some Roman relics while visiting a city in central Spain.

You can visit Spain throughout the whole year but the most enjoyable time for a holiday in a Spanish city is May, June and September. During these months you will have excellent weather but you can avoid the oppressive heat of the summer.

Between Easter, beginning with the Semana Santa (the holy week) and September to October there are the best festivals in Spain. Every Spanish city has its own Feria with a lot of Spanish and different local traditions where you can see that Spain is more than just Flamenco and Bull fighting.

Spain boasts more than 2,400 miles of coastline. The Spanish coast has a large number of varied beautiful beaches, coves and harbors.

Spanish coasts: Costa Blanca, Costa Brava, Costa del Sol, Costa Verde, Costa Cálida, the Balearic Coast, and the Canarian Coast are some of the coasts that form the Spanish littoral. These historical beaches combine waterside fun with mountain activities, and invite the visitor to explore the beautiful seabed, the ideal setting to discover the treasures in the Spanish littoral, whose reefs form breakwaters that are bathed in sunlight everytime.

The sand, caressed by waves, is watched by fortresses that stretch along the Spanish coast; a littoral that is coveted and missed by those who love the sea, the sun, the light, and history itself.

In summer the most popular Spanish coasts are the Costa del Sol, the Costa Brava and the Costa Blanca, perhaps because of their climate and close location to other places of interest.

But it you really want to get away from it all, try going to one of Spain’s other, more secluded but incredibly lovely coasts, such as the Costa Verde.

Excellent and quiet beaches can be found near Murcia, Málaga and Almería in the south as well as near the coasts of Galicia, Asturias, Euskadi and Cantabria.

Spain encompasses two large groupings of islands, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. Though tourists go to both for the same reasons, they are very different islands.

The Balearic Islands comprise of three major islands, Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza, plus three smaller pieces of land by the names of Formentera, Cabrera and the uninhabited Dragonera. They lie off the Spanish coast between France and the coast of northern Africa. Every year the Spanish islands are a magnet for millions of travellers.

All of the Spanish islands are so very different from each other that you can guarantee you will find what you want in one of them.

The seven islands that make up the Canary Islands are located more than 1,000 kilometres south of the Iberian peninsula and only 115 kilometres from the nearest point of the African coast. Their volcanic origin and their special position in the Atlantic Ocean have given these Spanish islands a unique character. The resulting landscape is unlike any other found in Europe or Africa.

The seven most important islands are Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, La Palma, El Hierro, Tenerife and Gomera.

Since ancient times the climate has been the most outstanding attribute of the islands. It has been described as perpetual springtime. The fame of the Canary Islands as a travel destination began in the 18th century when Europeans began to visit the volcanic landscapes. The Canary islands are currently one of the top destinations for European tourism, welcoming more than 8 million visitors a year.

The Canary islands present more than 1,100km (930 miles) of coastline, most of which comprises of magnificent beaches.

The ocean between the islands is a deep blue colour due to the depth of up to 3,000 metres. Much of the sand on the beaches is pure white. Some of the beaches in Tenerife are covered with golden sand, imported from the Sahara desert. The temperatures here are mild, rarely going below 19ºC in winter or above 25ºC in the summer.

Are you craving for the best Spanish cuisine? Here are 10 most delicious dishes and drinks that you cannot miss.

1. Paella – Originally from Valencia, the Paella is actually rice which ingredients as olive oil and saffron. It is also garnished with meat, seafood and vegetable. This kind of preparation originally came from Valencia, Spain.
2. Jamon Serrano – This delicious cured ham is thinly-sliced and eaten raw. It is cleaned and dried for eighteen months before sold in the market.
3. Tortilla de Patatas – Is a special potato omelet. The potatoes are fried in olive oil and combined with scrambled eggs.
4. Fabada Asturiana – A favorite in Asturias, made with fried large beans mixed with pork, spicy sausage and seasoning.
5. Cocido Madrileño: Is a boiled meat dish typically from Madrid that was usually eaten during winter.
6. Gazpacho Andaluz: A tasty cold tomato soup garnished with vegetables and crushed ice.
7. Churros: Usually taken as breakfast with hot chocolate, churros are a savory fried-dough pastry-based snack.
8. Pisto Manchego: A special ratatouille, with tomatoes, onions, peppers and olive oil.
9. Boquerones: Small, marinated anchovies, with vinegar, salt, ginger, olive oil, a really flavorsome starter that you will love.
10. Sangría: Are you planning to eat all these delicious dishes and don’t have anything to drink? You will need a bottle of Sangría to enjoy a complete Spanish dinner! Sangría is a special wine punch, that is made with read wine and sliced fruits.

Last week, my husband surprised me when he told me “you really want to know where are we going to travel?”. I immediately thought that it was our dreamed trip. So, I asked him where the place was and he told me that it was all up to me. Since that day, I felt that I have a problem choosing the perfect place. I started to search through many means: internet, tourism agencies, friends and encyclopedias. After all the research I decided we should go to Spain and have a complete tour of the country.

However, the problem was not Spain but the number of cities I chose. I selected 10 cities around Spain in addition, I calculated a month for the entire trip but I didn’t want to know about the budget I would need. The reason was that I’ve been married for 3 years and my husband never asked me to go anywhere. I know that he was studying his PhD in history and we needed to save money but I think that he had been a little bit stingy with me and our new marriage. So, having made the list with 10 cities, I thought about all the arguments he might had: money, time and job (surely, money, the main one). However, I also had mine: no honeymoon (THREE years ago), credit cards (I knew that he had even more than he showed me), deserved vacations (he had not asked for them since 2 years ago). Despite this, I chose the majority of the places with Mike in mind.

As everybody knows, Spain is a historical country with modern architecture and fabulous beaches so I mixed knowledge with in the places I had selected. Since I’ve already said, my husband is a historian, teacher of one of the most outstanding universities in my country so that I imagined that these first historical cities must be very interesting for him.

A Coruña is The Tower of Hercules hometown, the most ancient roman lighthouse still working of the world (my husband loves Roman culture).

Santander is an elegant city with a beautiful view of mountains and sea. It has some ports that show all its past, for example the fishing port, Puerto Chico and of course El Sardinero beach.

Salamanca, the university city (my husband has always wanted to study there), famous for its cathedrals, palaces and churches with different architecture styles, as gothic, plateresque and baroque.

Sevilla with an important historic and artistic patrimony from civil and religious architecture: From the Alcazar of Sevilla; to museums and bridges. This city also shines because of flamenco dance.

Granada is distinguished for the majestic Alhambra. This is a city, palace and fortress that shows the Arabian influence in Spain during 700 years; but, Granada is not only famous for its historical monuments; the beaches of Costa Tropical (80 km) are part of the granadine culture. At this point, I knew that Mike still couldn’t say ‘no’ or maybe if he would say ‘no’, he might be thinking about it.

So that, I had another 2 cities: Madrid and Barcelona. Both cities have one thing men love even more than women: soccer.

Madrid, which is memorable for monuments like La Puerta de Alcala, The Cibeles Fountain or The Royal Monastery of El Escorial; palaces like The Royal Palaces of Madrid and Aranjuez; or the well-known El Prado museum; also has the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

On the other hand, Barcelona, has a considerable architectonical legacy like The Paseo de Gracia, The Gothic neighborhood, Plaza del Rei and The Church of the Sacred Family which is also gothic and famous for its paintings made by Gaudi; besides this awesome cultural heritage, my husband is a fanatic of Barca soccer team and he couldn’t avoid saying ‘no’ to visiting Camp Nou Stadium.

The last 3 cities I chose: Alicante, Ibiza and Tenerife are enjoyable because of their culture and their beaches, for me it was a must to go there: I love sun tanning my skin, swimming, sleeping over the sand, etc.

Alicante is the city that has the best beaches of Spain like: San Juan, De la Mata and Mil Palmeras. Ibiza is part of Baleares Islands and people often visit it not only for its incredible crystalline water and white sand that make this island the most beautiful one but also because is a well known party destination. Finally, Tenerife, with large woods, deserts, mountains, volcanoes and especially, many spectacular beaches as: Las Teresitas, El Bullullo and Los Cristianos (What a thrill!).As you can see, I was very selective and specific with my list, but I was expecting a negative answer from him. Yesterday, I waited he came home at night. I was very nervous and prepared for telling about the trip and maybe starting an argument or even a fight (you know how men are). But, surprisingly, he said “Ok” and he agreed “I can go for different places I don’t like (like the beaches) because that would make you happy. Besides, I know that we couldn’t have a honeymoon and now we have more time to plan and spend, honey”.

Honestly, I couldn’t hide my stunned face, I felt awful, I wished that I hadn’t been so critical of my poor husband. Now, I’m really excited because I’m looking forward to experience another culture while sharing quality time with him. We have never before had an important travel, so I’m pleased that we now have the opportunity to go to Spain for summer and I think this holiday trip will bring us many enjoyable and unforgettable moments.

• Save money and time: plan you Spain travel online. Take advantage of the fabulous Internet offers, now you can not only reserve your flight, but also book a hotel accommodation, hire a car, buy bus, train tickets, travel insurance and tour packages, search for self-catering villas and much more! Remember to plan everything as early as two months in advance. Since Spain is one of the most important tourist destinations, all flights and hotels will be surely filled if you do it late. Visitors from European Union member countries do not need a visa to enter to Spain.

• If you come from the European Union by land, you can use your own country driver’s license in Spain. When you hire a car you will be also asked for your driver’s license. Spain has an excellent transportation so you can also rely on buses and trains.

• If you travel to Catalonia (Barcelona, Gerona, etc.) or Basque Country (Bilbao, San Sebastián, etc.) you will hear local people talk in Catalan and Basque, respectively, so it would be handy if you learn the most frequent phrases for tourists not only in Spanish but also in the local community language.

• Remember to buy a travel insurance or check if your personal insurance cover the possible travel or health problems you could have. There are usually several kinds of travel insurance: travel curtailment, travel cancellation, personal liability, emergency and medical assistance, accidental death insurance and motor insurance.

• Find about local festivities and enjoy of typical Spain’s traditions! Festivals are held every month around all the country.

• Spain cuisine is delicious and diverse with an excellent restaurant offer to choose from. You just have to remember that in Spain lunch starts at 2 p.m. and dinner at around 10 p.m.

• Spain currency is Euro, so if you come from another European country you don’t have to worry about currency exchange. If you come from another country you can exchange foreign currency at the airports and banks (during office hours 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

• Prices can vary through Spain. Madrid and Barcelona are known to be the most expensive cities. To give you an idea on how much you will need, the following is a rundown: a five star hotel accommodation costs 200 euros a night, a one star hotel costs 60 euros, a metro ticket costs 1 euro, a glass of beer costs 6 euros, a ticket to the cinema costs 4 euros, a ticket to a play costs 12 euros, a ticket to an opera or rock concert starts at 50 euros, a dinner starts at 12 euros.

Experience the best Romantic getaways in Spain:
Why Spain is your ideal Honeymoon destination?

If you want a romantic getaway or a honeymoon vacation, Spain is your ideal destination, with diverse and beautiful cities,coasts and islands.

Among the most popular Spain’s islands are the Balearic, as Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca and the Canary Islands, as Lanzarote, Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Both archipelagos are splashed in the Mediterranean Sea and feature a wide array of exotic beaches and other natural phenomenal sights ideal for lovers and recently married couples.

Ibiza is famous all over the world, featured in many facets of our popular culture like songs, movies and novels. Ideal destination for house and techno music fans thanks to its nightclubs, if a night full of party is not your idea of a romantic time you can always escape to enjoy its beautiful beaches .

Canary Islands is one hot destination for honeymoon travel. The island of Tenerife has its own array of beach resorts, all being given blue flag accreditation by the European Union. This means that the management of these beaches strictly adhere to being eco-friendly. Off road vehicles, which are suitable in the island’s remote unpaved roads, are off limits to the beaches. After all, Tenerife is also considered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. El Teide National Park is a volcano and features a flora garden. Lifts and cables are also being used to fetch tourists to the top. Off the coast of Tenerife are diving spots manned by the best diving schools in the country. These diving spots have their own squad of professional diving instructors who will teach you diving courses from being a beginner to being an advanced divemaster.

Weather temperature in Ibiza and the Canary Islands can be as high as 32 degrees Celsius during the summer. It may not be as humid as the tropical island but there are lots of couples who prefer having their honeymoon here because it is nearer mainland Europe. Ibiza and the Canary Islands can be one heck of enjoyment of a couple having their romantic getaway in Spain.

A Spain travel is not complete without going to a five star hotel. A typical five star hotel in Spain has rooms especially built for people with special needs. A couple in their honeymoon vacation can have access to pool and spa facilities and other recreational equipment as gym.In Spain there are also many must visit attractions in the cities. L’Aquarium in Barcelona for instance features various fauna found not only in the Mediterranean but in other oceans in the world. The Mediterranean tank alone has its collection of the violescent sea whip and a shipwreck is erected in one tank for fishes to freely swim. But the biggest surprise in the L’Aquarium is the Oceanarium where visitors can walk through a tunnel right in the middle of the tank creating the illusion as if people is walking in the middle of the sea.

Another hot activity in Spain while honeymooning is learning how to dance the flamenco. A one week crash course costs 240 euros. Courses are designed in such a way so that you’ll learn the coordination of the various joints of your body. It is held at 90 minutes during weekdays.

With these tips at hand, your romantic getaway in Spain will be truly exquisite.

Experience special occasions and activities in Spain. Legendary Spanish traditions that speak of the country’s unique beginnings and history, coupled with the heart-pumping events and sporting styles of the new generation.

Here are 10 typical Spanish traditions you need to experience and you would remember for the rest of your lives:

1. The spectacular water sports
   Water sports are anywhere. But Spain is the water sport capital of the world hosting frequently many championship competitions. In Spain is a must enjoy of its cool blue waters, heaven for windsurfing enthusiasts. There is also the kayaking, scuba diving, kite surfing and sailing.
   
   
2. The Moors and Christians Festival
   One of the most exciting and traditional festivities of the year. For eight straight days in July, you can enjoy of the re-enactment of the battle fought between the Moors and Christians in 1538. The event is one of the most spectacular commemoration of Spain’s history that continues to live in the minds and spirit of the habitants of Villajoyosa and other neighboring towns. In the 25th and 26th of July, people disguised as Christians and Moors walk by the streets in a procession since 5 am. The re-enactment tell the story of how the 30 Moors vessels landed to the shore in Villajoyosa and conquered the castle of the Christians. Eventually in the afternoon Christian soldiers would come back and bravely fight to retake the castle and take the invading Moors back to the sea.
3. Theater festivals galore
   If you love to witness live performances of theater artists, Spain has a lot to offer. In summer days, Spain would become a huge open-air stage for many theater presentations. El Grec, Almagro and Merida in Barcelona are big theater festivals you can enjoy.
4. Vikings Festival Grande
   Another historic and traditional event in Catoira, Spain, is the Viking Festival. This is a festivity that also commemorates another invasion in Spain. The first Sunday in August, residents of Catoira would dressed themselves as Viking pirates in the past and start the celebration with street activities going to the main venue which is the Torres del Oeste Castle, a historical castle during the invasion of Viking pirates. At the castle participants of the activity will be served Mussels and Ulla wine. The main event of the celebration is the disembarkment of a replica of the 11th century Viking vessels of the pirates whose main objective was to conquer the castle. Residents would resist the invasion and the battle ensued. A the end the participants would be completely soaked with wine. When the battle is over, all the participants of the re-enactment enjoy together a picnic at the beach.
5. King’s Cup Sailing Competition
   The King’s cup sailing competition gather an important representation of international sailing professionals and enthusiasts all over Europe. It gained recognition in 1990 and included in the international circuit which now follows standard procedures and is held regularly at the waters of the bay of Palma de Mallorca in the Balearic Island of Mallorca. This modern-day water sports which uses special gadgets is loved by extreme sports fans all over the globe.
6. 
   

   Veranos de la Villa Summer Fest
   The Veranos dela Villa Summer Festival held in Madrid offer a mix of theater arts, sarsuela, music dance, opera, puppets, circus performances, and open–air cinema. The celebration will surely bring enjoyment and a lot of fun for families.

7. Piano Festival at Valldemossa Monastery
   Renowned pianists and up-coming talents display both their artistic piano maneuver at the Valldemossa Monastery which is already a long tradition back in 1930. The festival includes piano recitals, and other artistic activities such as installations and exhibitions.
8. Fashion Show in Madrid
   Take a look at Madrid’s top fashion designers during fashion exhibits, a joint review of the fashion of 1930 and present, featuring the works of controversial Donatella Versace, Mariano Fortuny, Dior and the latest and exciting creations of the 20th century by modern day fashion enthusiasts.
   
   
9. The Cordoba Guitar Festival
   The Spanish guitar is famous worldwide and in Spain you must witness the Cordoba Guitar Festival, where you will witness the best guitar players of the world.
10. San Fermín Festivity
    The San Fermín Festivity held yearly in Pamplona, Navarre from the 6 to the14 of July and is is worldly famous because of its bull runs. Every morning the bulls are freed and thousands of local people and visitors coming from all around the world run in front of them, enjoying an extreme and unforgettable experience.

1. Spain enjoys of an enticing weather with a lot of sun…. all year long!

   There are millions of sun-lovers in the whole world. So, there is no reason why Spain does not get crowded especially during the summer season. And what’s cool is its winters are just moderate and perfect for extra adventures.

2. Spain is already the third favorite destination in the world!

   Who wants to be left behind? You can choose from the busy shores and beaches of Mallorca to the tranquil but adventure-filled mountains and waves of Cadiz .

3. Spain has one of the richest cultural heritages of Europe.

   Spain has preserved its rich historical and cultural past and mixed it with 21 st century architecture. Spain is a perfect haven for art lovers and collectors as they scour its cities, towns and provinces for precious artworks.

4. Spain is worldly famous for its traditional festivities.

   As a predominantly Catholic country, it has a bountiful list of religious festivities celebrated with much singing and dancing that visitors can enjoy and participate in. Its festivities display its colorful culture and diverse traditions.

5. Known for its beautiful, never-ending beaches, Spain is a summer paradise.

   No matter how far Spain could be, no one can stop the flood of tourists on its beaches who are enchanted with its magnificent cool, blue waters, white and golden sand and an always present sun!

6. You have to eat the “paella” ….

   and the traditional “tapas”, the “jamón serrano”, the “morcilla”, the “tortilla” and so many other delicious Spanish dishes! … Let’s concentrate on the famous paella though: It is a rice dish originally from Valencia , Spain . “Paella,” which means frying pan in Spanish and leftovers in Arabic, is eaten traditionally on Sundays. If you are so curious, “paella” has three main ingredients which include rice, olive oil and saffron and garnished with seafood, vegetables and meat.

7. Get sporty in Spain.

   Once you step in Spain’s vacation grounds, you won’t resist the temptation of participating in open-door sports activities, both on land and on water. You can get totally tough while bungee jumping, wind surfing, sky diving and sailing amid high waves and also get relaxed playing golf or go biking in the countryside to witness the blossoming of flowers in the spring. Whatever you choose, you will surely have fun and bring unforgettable memories back home.

8. Get awed with the spectacular Spanish music.

   Undeniably, Spain is famous for its music styles particularly the Flamenco. Move your body with grace to the tune of a Spanish music. It delights the heart and frees the mind with troubles as you express yourself on the dance floor.

9. Spain can be Las Vegas , too.

   Las Vegas is popular for its casinos, restaurants and night clubs. In Spain, places like Ibiza and Mallorca offer the best parties and games of Europe. I

10. Exciting bullfighting and bull runs.

    Despite animal rights activists, bullfighting continues to amaze spectators from all over the world that go to see how the brave “torero” faces the bull. Pamplona bull runs held during the San Fermin festivities are also historic. Every year thousands of runners from all around the world gather in Pamplona and have the most exciting time of their lives