February 23, 2012

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Spanish Night Back Home

February 14, 2012 By

We can all agree that Spain is an amazing place to visit with its exciting culture, fantastic climate and fascinating history. But unless you are fortunate to be able to extend your stay, or even live there for a while, coming home can be a big come down – especially when the weather is cold. Well, if this is sounding familiar and you are looking to inject a bit of a Spanish twist into your social life to remind you of your favourite place on earth then read on…

 

Why not treat your friends and family to a tapas night?! Enjoy some of your best loved Spanish foods and catch up with friends at the same time – what could be better. And the best part? Tapas is all about sharing so invite your guests to prepare one or two dishes each and you will soon have an amazing selection to choose from. For some great ideas on themed decoration, accessories and serving suggestions go online to sites like SuperSavvyMe.co.uk for inspiration. If you’re not the most adventurous cook it doesn’t have to be complicated – try making chorizo in red wine, garlic mushrooms or some traditional breads and salads if you feel nervous.

 

And don’t forget to wash the whole lot down with some authentic Sangria, fabulous Rioja or a fresh homemade lemonade. Don’t forget about the clearing up afterwards though – have the Fairy Liquid on standby for the morning after and at the very least get the dishwasher running before you go to bed at the end of the evening. There is nothing worse than waking up to a post-party mess so make your guests help by taking their own serving platters away when they leave. Have a night to remember, but make sure you can remember it in the morning!

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Climb Spain’s White Coast

January 24, 2012 By

If you’re looking for an ideal spot to do a little rock climbing whilst simultaneously enjoying at least a little off-season sunshine, then one of the best options around has to be the Coast Blanca; Spain’s “White Coast”.

 

The scenery is stunning, the climbs are superb, the weather is perfect all year round for the main part, the people are friendly and it almost goes without saying that the cuisine is second to none.

 

The white coast off Alicante offers lots of different options for rock climbers, whatever their level of experience. Rock climbing equipment is also available locally, but it’s still advisable to bring your own unless you speak fluent “climbing” Spanish! This area has what is probably the mildest winter in the whole of Europe – which makes it an ideal off-season climbing base.

 

The evenings and nights can get cold, though, so be prepared for climatic extremes with the right base layers in particular.

 

The Costa Blanca is probably the country’s most varied climbing location. Here, you will find single and multi-pitch sport climbs, traditional climbing and walking routes, sea cliffs and many mountain crags.

 

And of course, the area’s popularity with sun and beach-seeking tourists and British pensioners seeking a little winter warmth mean that it’s incredibly cheap and easy to get flights here. It also means here are countless places to stay that are extremely affordable indeed.

 

The sea cliffs are white limestone, hence the region’s Spanish name, and the sea forms a stunning backdrop for climbing and climbers.  Whatever grade of climbing you’re at you’ll certainly find something here among the cliffs, canyons, mountain ridges and many crags.

 

One of the most dramatic climbs is at Calpe where the Penon de Ifach rises majestically from the sea. Or you could try any of Puig Campana’s 15 pitches, all at grade five or below.

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Climbing on the Costa Blanca

December 21, 2011 By

Spain has some of the best climbing routes in the world, and is a great place for Europeans looking for a climbing holiday location.

Costa Blanca is easy to get to, and has such a range of accommodation that it’s simple to organise a great climbing holiday on a budget.

From May to October it’s really too hot to make the climbing very enjoyable, you’re best off heading there during the winter – from November until the end of April.  If you do go in summer, the best time to climb is early morning or in the evening.  It can be wet in the winter – occasionally there are prolonged periods of heavy rain called the Gota Fria – but generally the weather is perfect for climbing in sunny conditions.

The rock around Costa Blanca is limestone and routes include bolted ones and multipitch sports routes. You can climb on the coast or up in the mountains.  The main areas for Costa Blanca climbing are:

  • Gandia – crags with single pitch sports routes on the whole.  Six different crags contain over 700 routes.
  • Xalo Valley – these are all single pitch sports routes apart from at Segaria crag. Here you can do the more traditional multi-pitch climbing.
  • Calpe – this is right along the coast and all the routes look out over the sea. There are nearly 300 routes over eight different crags.
  • Benidorm – there are six different crags here, with more than 450 routes.  Some are easy and good for novices, others far more demanding. You can do multi-pitch climbing at Puig Campana but you have to carry your climbing equipment for an hour’s walk to get to the starting point.
  • Alicante – there are thirteen crags with single and two pitch routes for sports climbing here. On the Reconco crag there are fully bolted multi-pitch routes.
  • Murcia – there are more than 240 sports routes on only three crags in this area. One of the big favourites is a crag called Leyva that has very long multi-pitch sports routes.

For people who always like to pack their rock climbing shoes when planning a holiday, the Costa Blanca can be a perfect holiday destination.

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Why not explore the mountains in Spain?

September 20, 2011 By

If you’re heading to Spain this year and you want to try and do something a bit different, why don’t you head up into the mountains and hills in the European country?

There are some fantastic opportunities on offer all the year round in the Spanish mountains, from walking and trekking to mountaineering and skiing. Bearing this in mind then, there’s never a bad time to visit the country, as you’ll bound to find something to do.

One of the most popular regions to visit in Spain is Andalucia, thanks, in part, to the multitude of budget flights now available to the area.

This is a great place from which to explore the hills and mountains, as you have everything from the rolling hills of Alpujarras to the Sierra Nevada.

If you’re heading there in the winter, and you’re going to be at fairly high altitude, it makes sense to have mens waterproof jackets to hand.

Waterproof jackets will ensure the wet weather doesn’t get to you quite so much, so you’ll feel more comfortable if it rains – great news when you’re up in the mountains.

Whether you’re after a pleasant stroll in the countryside, or a hike up one of the peaks of Europe, you’ll find something to suit and appeal to you in Spain.

The timeframe you choose will, to a certain extent, dictate how far you can go on your travels as well.

There are some high mountains in southern Spain, so there are plenty of great trekking options around there. If you fancy a five-day trip, you could head to Los Tres Miles, while those after a shorter hike could ascend Mulhacen – the highest Spanish peak.

Wherever you decide to go, you should make sure you have the right clothing to hand – you never know when the weather might change unexpectedly.

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Camping in Spain

August 31, 2011 By

Camping holidays are inexpensive and give you lots of freedom to move around. If you have a car and are able to drive from city to city you can stay at a multitude of different campsites and in Spain, as in France, the standards are very good with campsites offering amenities like showers, toilets and electricity outlets. Campsites are often situated outside of cities so camping is a more relaxed holiday away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

And you don’t even need to carry around your own tent and camping gear. Companies like Eurocamp have self-catering campsites situated in twelve countries in Europe. Kids go free on their holidays, entertainment abounds and they have huge tents with beds already set up for you, all you need to do is turn up.

There are not as many campsites in Spain as there are in France, but the standards are good on what there is and most campsites are very large. The following campsites have been recommended by Lonely Planet travellers and are well worth checking out:

Càmping Sant Pol – Costa Brava
Website: http://www.campingsantpol.com
A camping and caravan park in Sant Feliu de Guixols, on the Costa Brava, Spain, is situated only 350m from s’Agaro’s lovely beach. There is a bar and restaurant, a swimming pool and terrace as well as plenty of activities for children.

Camping Tres Estrellas – Barcelona
Website: www.camping3estrellas.com
The campsite is situated in Gavá, 12km from Barcelona. The city is easily reachable by bus and there is a bus station only 30m from the camp site. Thee are swimming pools and flamenco lessons.

Camping Masnou – Masnou, Barcelona
Website: www.campingsonline.com
Camping Masnou is situated in Masnou, a small town 15 km north of Barcelona. The city is easy to reach by train and the journey takes 35 minutes. The train station is a five minute walk from the camp site. There are standard amenities such as a swimming pool, cafe and laundrette.

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Spain-the facts

March 11, 2011 By

Spain is a giant country in Western Europe. It covers 195,400 square miles ( 506,000 sq. Km ), making it about two times the size of the state of Oregon, and bigger than the state of California. It shares borders with Andorra, France, Gibraltar, Morocco, and Portugal, and has shore along the Atlantic Sea , the Cantabrian Sea, and the Mediterranean. Rome conquered Spain in the second century BCE, taking it from the Carthaginians in the second Punic War. The Romans developed Spain like none before had done, adding big structure, expanding the economy, and turning it into a powerful middle of trade in the Mediterranean. By the 1st century Spain had achieved great signification to Rome, and the Iberian folks had all achieved Roman citizenship. Christianity appeared in the 1st century, and by the 4th century had controlled the majority of Spain. When the Western Roman Empire had come to its last collapse in the fifth century, Spain was conquered by the Visigoths.

In the 8th century Islamic Arabs from North Africa crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and conquered Spain for the Umayyad Caliphate.The Arabs kept control over Spain for the subsequent centuries, reconquering Christian dominions in the Emirate when they became too potent. In the early thirtheenth century a forceful confederation of Christian dominions drove out the Arab powers that held Spain, and re-established their own dominions. In the latter fifteenth century the 2 dominions of Castille and Aragon were united when their sovereigns married, making the unified Dominion of Spain. Queen Isabella of Spain then went on to further consolidate the power of the new dominion, preparing marriages for every one of her 5 kids to bring the dominion near to the major powers in Europe, including the Holy Roman Empire, the Hapsburg Dynasty, Portugal, and Britain .

Spain then went on to grow its dominion into a world empire, saying lands across the New World, and creating trade routes with numerous potent countries. In the fifteenth century a Hapsburg, Charles I, who was often referred to as Charles V, took the throne.

Under this Holy Roman Emperor, and with the great wealth coming in from its colonies in the new world, Spain would go on to beat parts of North Africa, and expand its territories all though the remainder of the world, making a really stalwart empire. When the Habsburgs died out in Spain in the eighteenth century, a battle for the crown commenced between the major Western european powers. Finally France was winning, and Philip V of the Scotch Dynasty took power.

In the latter 18th century Spain started to lose its grip on its empire, at last finishing in the loss of much of its New World holdings to self-determination in the early 19th century. Lots of the rest of the 19th century was identified by civil war inside Spain in an effort to force the executive to liberalize, ultimately causing the king to leave, and in 1873 the 1st Spanish Republic was formed. In 1874 the monarchy was revived under King Alfonso XII, a Scotch .

What’s left of the Empire was split up in the following few decades, with Spain clinging on to only 3 colonies, all in Africa. In 1931 a second Republic was announced, and a bunch of forces started struggling for control in the Republic, including Anarchist, Red , and Nazi camps. A Civil War broke out in 1936, and with the help of Fascist Germany and Nazi Italy, the Nazis finally overcame, with Franco as their leader. Franco continued to be in charge of the country till he died in 1975, at which time leadership was again passed to a Scotch , King Juan Carlos. The country instantly started to move towards changing into a democratic state, and reached this goal in 1982 Spain is a pretty country with millennia of cultural heritage voiced in the design, folk, and landscape. It’s one of the premiere visitor destinations in Europe. Major cities like Barcelona and Madrid offer extraordinary food, beautiful design, and a depth of culture that would take a whole lifetime to really experience. San Sebastian offers a rather more upper-class getaway for those with the money. And castles and fortresses like Castillo de Santa Barbara or Alhambra are good for fans of majestic design. Flights arrive daily in Spain from each major center in the world. Buses and trains also connect Spain to the remainder of Europe. Boat travel can be sourced from both Morocco and the UK.

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What to know about Spain

February 28, 2011 By

Spain is situated in Western Europe.  It spreads across 195,400 square miles which is about twice the size of Oregon state and bigger than the state of California. It has borders with France, Morocco, Andorra, Gibraltar and Portugal. Its coastline is along the Atlantic Ocean, The Mediterranean Sea and the Cantabrian Sea.

The ancestors of modern humans came to Spain around a million years ago, Humans as we know them today settled in the area about 35,000 years ago. Phoenicians began to start cities and trading posts in Spain in the 11th Century BCE, soon after the Greeks arrived in ninth century BCE.

Today Spain is a beautiful country with years of history and cultural heritage which can be seen in the landscape, architecture and people, all this making it one of Europe’s most loved tourist destinations. The major cities such as Madrid and Barcelona offer wonderful food and beautiful architecture.  Areas such as San Sebastian are home to more upper class places ideal for those with money to burn. For the tourist who loves architecture then Castillo de Santa Barbara or Alhambra are great to check out.

Everyday flights go to Spain from most of the world’s major airports, but you can also get to Spain by bus and train from most of Europe. Boat travel is also available from Morocco and the U.K.

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Spain: Culture

February 24, 2011 By

Spain is significantly influenced by folks of all cultures, starting from the Greeks and Romans to the Muslims, North Africans and Phoenicians. With their barging and touching and not standing in queues, the Spaniards are pretty much as colorful as their culture, and if you happen to be looking for a fun, eventful vacation Spain is the place to go! And, you do not actually have to grasp the primary languages of Castellano and Valencia! Bullfighting is maybe the hottest of all of the Spanish conventions and culture, reflecting the great influence that other cultures and races had on this stunning country. Brought into the Iberian Cape by the Greeks and Phoenicians, bullfighting is a sport that has developed over the centuries and has since evolved well with the Spanish culture.

 Originally, the game concerned men riding horses and fighting raging bulls, nonetheless it at last modified to men, or bullfighters, fighting bulls off without the help of horses. Bullfighting is seen more as a ritualistic event today than a sport.

There are numerous other aspects to the Spanish approach to life and culture, which should all be momentarily covered in this post. Fiestas & Holidays Fiestas and holidays are also an important part of the culture in Spain and play a massive role in the social life of the neighbors.

There are far more than three thousand holidays and fiestas celebrated each year. The Spaniards are fun loving folk and are used to these fests, and nearly each city and town has its own yearly fair that lasts in the region of 1 or 2 days to a fortnight. Town holidays involve the neighbors going on a pilgrimage to a certain shrine either in pony drawn vans or on horseback. Foreigners are always welcomed to take part the fun and laughter. The 1st state party in the month of Feb is the Martes de Carnaval ( the Mardi Gras of Span ). Holy Week is another famous holiday and pulls holiday makers from every part of the planet. Other famous holidays include the Corpus Christi, the Banquet Day of Spain’s guardian saint, the presumption of the Virgin ( la Asuncin ). There are several local fiestas for safe return from the sea, deliverance from the Moors, and crops the Spaniards use any excuse to Party! From costumes and processions to music and dancing and banqueting, you can see now why Spain’s culture is thought to be the most colourful. Bigger holidays include flamenco, bullfights, circuses, funfair’s, fireworks, concerts, carnivals, music competitions and recitals. The most famed however would need to be the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, which occurs in the Fiesta de San Fermin. Culinary Offerings Food and cuisine in Spain is a heavenly mix of chicken, mixed plant and meat, with fish and a selection of different spices. While it may come as a surprise to you, the Spanish cuisine is comparatively non-spicy, but this doesn’t mean it is tasteless and tawdry! Spanish food offers some of the most mouth wateringly exquisite dishes ever to be set on a dining table. Some of the more popular Spanish dishes include paella, which is a rice dish that has a range of ingredients. Then you have got the mariscos or shellfish and the potajes and pimientos rellenos. Hot chocolate and churros is an an incredibly popular dessert all though Spain. Spain is also known for its savoury wines and the drinking age in the country is eighteen.

Other alcoholic drinks are sangria, Cava and authentic Spanish lager. Other Cultural Pleasures of Spain For people who are into operas and the theater, you ought to know that lots of theaters in Spain are found in Barcelona and Madrid, though a big program has been revealed to build more theaters across the country. Spain has more than eight hundred museums and important collectors items, particularly in Barcelona and Madrid. Football or soccer is the nation’s sport of the country and is simply one of the most vital event or sport when talking of spectatorship and collaboration. These soccer fans are among the most fervent and dedicated in all of Europe and can only be matched in their fanaticism by possibly the Italians. The long yet slow walks on green patios, the energy of bullfighting, the hypnotic sweetness of the flamenco are simply a few of the cultural experiences you can enjoy when visiting Spain.

The country is indeed overpowering. With its spectacularly various culture and conventions, it’s an old fashioned mix between the Old World charm and the New World pretentiousness.A country packed over with cultural contributions, Spain has a rich and varied heritage of folklore and stories. Therefore whether or not this your first trip to the country or even your tenth trip, the country will never fail to make an impression on you.

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A Brief History of Spain

February 9, 2011 By

A sure fire route to make a trip to another country more pleasurable is to grasp a bit about the nations’s history, heritage, culture and politics. The history of Spain has been moulded by many influences. The Iberian Cape , which incorporates Spain and Portugal has been occupied thru the ages by the Romans, the Moors and others. If you’ve no awareness of the influence of these ancient cultures, you won’t appreciate and understand the castles, churches, fortresses and other buildings across the country.

 There are even edifices that show the influence of many of those cultures in Thai same building. Spain was once one of the strongest countries on earth. Wars and political upheavals placed a drain on the economy and this country experienced a period of miserable decline and a long dictatorship that suppressed expansion. Fresh changes in political power and structures have forged a turn-around, and this mixed with a robust surge in tourism has reestablished Spain as a political and industrial success. The Roman Empire ruled just about all of Europe at 1 time, including Spain. After the decline of the Roman Empire, Moorish attackers managed to take command of the country. To this date you see their architectural influence in a number of the castles and traditional fortresses across the country. This Muslim influence endured till about the year one thousand, when Christians attempted to purge the country of Islam. Revolts and wars between these 2 dynamic forces endured thru the centuries till about the end of the 14th century. In the fifteenth century, the 2 powerful Christian dominions of Castile and Aragon were united thru the wedding of Ferdinand and Isabella.

This was an important point in the direction of the country, since political, industrial and spiritual power was now in the hands of one governing family. Catholicism was made the official faith, and any Muslims who didn’t convert were expelled or worse. Ferdinand and Isabella played an important role in discovering the New World, by commissioning Christopher Columbus to get a path to the east. They were looking for the spices of the east but instead found the silver and gold of the Americas, wealth that made this dominion even stronger. Thru war and royal unions, the Habsburgs ruled Spain in the sixteenth and 17th centuries, and the Bourbons in the 1700′s. Monarchic rule wasn’t broken till the 20th century.

In the 1930′s a savage Civil War broke out in the country, with right and left wing groups struggling for power. The Jingoists won, and installed Francisco Franco as the ruling tyrant. The business drain of the civil war and the fascism of the Franco state caused a great decline and that was not till the passing of Franco in 1975 that economic strength and vitality returned to Spain. Spanish culture was seriously suppressed and influenced by the Franco years. Prince Juan Carlos became king after the passing of Franco. Juan Carlos led the country from dictatorship to democracy and is commonly commended for having brought his country out of decline and made it into the business and political strength it is today. Today, a stable, wealthy Spain is wonderful to visit. The country is made up of 17 distinct regions, each having its very own culture, geography, approach to life and often even language. Traveling thru each one of these regions will reveal you to a completely unique side of the country in every one.

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