Spain

An Overview Of Colourful Spain

Spain is one of the most popular destinations for holidaymakers from all over the world, it has a colourful and extremely diverse history. The picture conjured up in most people’s minds of this fascinating country is bullfights, sangria, sombreros, flamenco dancing and of course the beautiful white sandy beaches. There is however another side to Spain, it’s a cosmopolitan country which has been strongly influenced by many religions as well as the Greeks and Phoenicians. Spain has a thriving economy with a population of over forty four million people.

Tourism in this fascinating part of the world is one of the major industries, holidaymakers head for the beautiful beaches and warm waters. The Costas are all well-known as holiday resorts for young and old alike but many are now visiting Madrid or Barcelona, two fabulous cities with very interesting histories.

The landscape consists of green wetlands, sun-baked plains and deserts, to the rugged snow capped Pyrenees with the coastline varying from sand dunes, beaches, cliffs and estuaries in the northwest.

With its slow pace of life and Spanish families spending a great deal of time together, it’s not difficult to see why Spain is so popular. The locals are extremely friendly to tourists and welcome those people who decide to relocate there. If you do go on holiday there are some fabulous hotels, small guest houses and apartments to stay in, most are reasonably priced, staff go that one step further to ensure your vacation is one to truly remember.

Super Activities In The Sun

Spain is renowned for its fiestas and festivals, such as Semana Santa which is the holy week at Easter and celebrated across the country with moving processions throughout the streets of major towns and cities. Of course one of the main festivals is the running of the bulls in Pamplona, it’s perhaps Spain’s most famous festival where locals and brave holidaymakers, or foolish, volunteer to run ahead of a herd of wild charging bulls down the narrow cobbled streets of San Fermin.

Holidaymakers love their sports in Spain, the country is well-known for its exquisite golf courses, cycling tracks and tennis courts. Tourists enjoy water sports too such as water skiing, scuba diving, paragliding and the chance to dive off speedboats to discover the treasures of the deep.

After a fun day of activities in the sun the evening brings a whole new dimension to tourists and Spaniards alike. There’s a huge variety of fabulous restaurants where one can try out local cuisine as well as lively bars, exciting nightclubs and great casinos. Benidorm is a home from home for many British ex-pats who like nothing better than watching their favourite sporting programmes on large-screened TVs in a relaxing bar.

Spain’s Beautiful Weather

The climate in Spain is very diverse, so much so that many people don’t realise that Madrid, the capital of Spain, freezes during winter months. In the summer it can enjoy temperatures as high as 86 degrees Fahrenheit enticing holidaymakers to see the splendour of the city.

The further south one travels in Spain the less severe the weather becomes especially around the flat coastal plains. The magnificent city of Seville can hit temperatures in August as much as 100 degrees whilst the Sierra Nevada mountain range near the historical city of Grenada is now seen as one of the best skiing destinations in Europe. The country’s weather is so extreme that after a morning of skiing on the slopes you can drive for ninety minutes and bask on the beaches around the province of Andalucia.

Holidaymakers from across the world can enjoy the Spanish sun at virtually any time of the year. The sun shines for an average of 320 days each year in certain areas of southern Spain acting like a magnet for those people who wish to leave the cold winters of home. Indeed many ex-pats have a holiday home in Spain because of its warm climate.

Getting To SpainThe Easy Way

The most convenient and easiest way to travel to Spain is by plane, virtually every major country in the world has scheduled flights there. From the UK you can reach your destination in a matter of hours, the cost is reasonable making it one of the reasons why Spain attracts thousands of holidaymakers every year.

If you’re not keen on flying why not travel by train, this too can be reasonably priced and is available from most destinations across Europe. Of course there are other alternatives such as buses, ferries and cars. For the brave traveller why not try hitchhiking, there’s always a friendly driver who will offer you a lift.

When you arrive in Spain wanting to see more of this fascinating country, just buy a rail travel pass, this will get you around the country relatively cheaply to explore areas that you may otherwise miss. You can always take your own car but please be aware you need to have a full driving licence and also car insurance. If you don’t fancy exploring Spain by car, then why not board a bus. There are numerous hop-on hop-off bus services which tourists can take advantage of, it’s great fun.