Blessed with a long coastline of about 220 kms, Spain has effectively harnessed the beach along this long coastline to offer more comforts to the tourist. At many places this long coast is dotted with tall mountains. Uniqueness of the beaches in Spain is that they are perfectly maintained. The sea water is crystal clear. In fact many beaches have been awarded the Blue flag denoting how neat the beaches are. The beaches have all the facilities like villas and apartments for those who want to spend the night near the beach, restaurants, long walking track, water sports, etc. Beach guards are always available for the safety of the tourist.

Some of the famous beaches in Spain are briefly discussed here:

Beach Calafell:

This beach is very close to Costa Dorada in the province of Catalonia. Known for its most imposing natural beauty, the Beach Calafell offers maximum recreation to the tourist. The golden sand of this beach perfectly matches with the beautiful environment around. There is an ancient castle and a hermitage and Liberian citadel which are dedicated to St. Michael. The castle has been built on a small hill which is very near to the sea. Historians are of the opinion that the castle was built to guard the city from pirates and other enemies crossing into the country through the sea route. There is also a theme park. During night time the fountains around this theme park are luxuriously lit and this presents a   wonderful experience. There are separate playing areas for children. Adults can enjoy water sports like skiing, boating, diving, etc. Shopping complex has many things to offer those who are fond of shopping. The cafes and hotels serve many local mouth watering specialties. Many of the villas and apartments are located at a distance of just about 50 meters from the sea.

Port Aventura:

This is yet another beautiful beach which is located near Barcelona. In fact this is one of the most preferred beaches amongst those who visit Barcelona. The beach is surrounded by beautiful nature. There are abundant water sports facilities. One of the most interesting features of this beach is the theme park where China, Polynesia, Mexico and Far West are the four themed regions. The ‘Fiestaventura’ which marks the conclusion of the performance in the regional theaters is followed by a spectacular firework and laser display which makes the audience spellbound. Of course, if you want to spend your night on the beach, there are many villas and apartments.

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This town is administered by the municipality. Haro is located in northern Spain and is a part of La Rioja province. Spain is most famous for wine and Haro is popular for Red Wine. Apart from Red Wine, the town is also popular for many monumental buildings. A brief introduction to this beautiful little town is given here:

Museum:
This museum called the Guggenheim museum is located just about one kilometer from Haro. This museum of modern art was established in 1997. Many works of art produced in the 20th century by some of the renowned artists are on display. Popular among them are the works of art created on titanium, glass and limestone. The museum is under several expansion programs also.

Vizcaya Bridge:  
This Bridge is at a distance of about 10 kilometers from Haro. This iron bridge is believed to have been constructed in the year 1893 under the supervision of the renowned architect Alberto de Palacio of Basque county. Built on the Ibaizabal River, this iron bridge is constructed using steel cable and steel structures. It is constructed at a height of 45 meters from the river. This transport bridge is recognized as a World Heritage structure by UNESCO.  It is a place no visitor should miss.

Wine festival:
As said earlier, Red Wine is the most popular product of Haro. Every year experts in the wine industry meet here for a wine festival. The festival is held after harvest in autumn.  If you plan to visit Haro, then make it a point to visit this town in the last week of June. This is because on June 29, the festival called the ‘battle of wine’ is held in this town. One of the important aspects of the festival is the local church where wedding cake is displayed. The other feature of this festival is that the local people cover every other local with wine skins and they congregate on the street to celebrate the festival. The Red Wine produced here is most popular throughout the world. It is a spectacular event and a pleasure to witness this beautiful event.

Bilbao:
This city is just about one kilometer from Haro. This is a city with spectacular buildings and many other places which are of interest for tourists. Bilbao is also popular as a cultural city. This city can be reached by train or by road as well.

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This town with a population of about 22000 inhabitants is a part of the Guipuzcoa Province of Basque County. This town is located in northern Spain. It is blessed with a most spectacular beach and most beautiful natural environment. The town is so popular that during summer the population of the town rises to about 60000 people. The town has many places of interest.

The beach:
Just visit this beach once; you will certainly fall in love with it. This not so crowded beach with beautiful golden colored sand and crystal clear sea water is a pleasure to watch. This is one of the safest beaches in Spain. There are enough opportunities for water sports including diving, boating, fishing, etc. Across the beach are villas and restaurants. If the tourist prefers, he can stay in these villas and enjoy the beauty of the beach throughout the day and night. Many restaurants are also available across the beach.

The Palace of Narros:
This palace is just facing the sea. This was a summer resort for the Queen Isabella II. Thereafter Belgium’s king Fabiola also stayed in this palace. Like other monuments in Spain, even this palace is most popular for its architectural beauty. The interiors of the palace contain splendid works of sculpture and works of paintings.

Church:
The most popular church of Santa Maria la Real is located in the centre of the town. Built in Romanesque style, this church receives many visitors throughout the year. The altar piece of the church attracts lots of crowds. The other church is the Santa Carla church which is built in baroque architectural design. Another church, ‘Franciscanos church’ is a recently built place of worship. The Franciscanos church has a library which has a collection of rarest religious books. There is also a museum annexed to this church.

Museum:
 Zarautz has some of the most popular museums of Spain. The Photo museum is one of the rarest museums which deals at length about the history of photography, etc. The other famous museum is Art and History museum. This museum deals with the history of Zarautz in particular and the history of Spain in general. It has many rarest collections of works dating back to the Roman period. Apart from the museum there are many picture galleries in the town.  

Recreation:
The popular recreation of the town is weightlifting. Of course tourists have choice of many recreational activities like walking, jogging, cycling, tennis, golf, etc.

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The city of Palencia which belongs to Tierra de Campos province is located in the North West of Spain. The city has a population of about 85000 local inhabitants. The city is believed to have been occupied by Celts, Moors and Romans. In fact, according to historians the city was a garrison during the Roman period. Surrounded by two great hills, the city presents the best picturesque scenery. It has many important places of visit for tourists. Some of the places of visit are briefly discussed here:

Roman Bridge:
This Bridge is constructed across the river Carrion. This bridge was constructed by demolishing the earlier bridge which is believed to have been constructed during the medieval period. The bridge constructed by Romans had three arches. The right bank has settlement of people of modern times and the people of old settlement are on the left bank of the river.

City wall:
The city is fortified by a wall which is more than 10 meters in height. It is believed that the wall was constructed in 1778. Most part of the wall is preserved even to this day. Historians say that the wall was built to protect the city against enemy attacks.

Cathedral:
The construction of this cathedral is believed to have been started in the year 1321. The work is believed to have been completed in the year 1504. The cathedral is built in traditional Gothic architecture. The beautiful image of San Antolin decorates the cathedral. The cathedral also has a museum. The museum has collection of many religious exhibits. Apart from this, it also has collection of many works of art and artifacts. Some of the important collections of the museum include art work of Juan de Flandes, Retablo, etc. There is also an archaeological museum. This museum is most popular for its collection of works in ceramics and metals.

San Miguel Church:
Historians say that this church has been built in the 13th century. This church is in Gothic architectural design. The church is popular amongst the tourists for its most imposing work of architecture. It also has a monastery called the San Zoilo Monastery. This monastery is located in a building built in the 18th century.

Other monuments:
As in Barcelona, in Palencia there is a street called the Main Street (called the Calle Mayor in Spanish language) which has many buildings which are constructed in various periods ranging from 18th to 20th century. It is a pleasure to watch these buildings.  

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Spain is among those countries in world where there are multiple places of interest for every type of tourist. There are many beaches for beach holiday lovers and there are mountains for those who love spending time hiking or sightseeing. Moreover, there are monuments, historical places, parks and shopping areas for tourist attractions. This article is about a couple of historic and interesting places in Spain.

Castril Palace:
This is a famous and historic monument which is situated in the popular city of Granada. Granada is among the popular tourist attractions in Spain for many different reasons. One such reason is Castril Palace along with number of other monuments like castles and churches. Castril Palace is famous for its splendid architecture and decoration work. This palace is Renaissance of traditional architecture. The archaeological museum of Granada is also present inside this palace. It has centuries old history and it was built by the Hernando family during the 16th century. Hernando was involved in conquering the city of Granada from Muslims as he was the secretary of Monarch Catholic. This historical palace has gone through number of changes and renovations after its construction. The artistic beauty of the palace is another reason behind its popularity. The art and craft works of the palace are marvelous.

Lerma Ducal Palace:
This is another beautiful monument in Spain which is among the popular tourist places. This palace was constructed during the year 1601 and the architect of this palace was the famous designer Francisco de Mora. This palace is situated in the Lerma Town. It was constructed by the Duke of Lerma and is situated at the river bank which has highlighted its beauty. The palace has number of homes for the prince and all his family members. The interesting thing about this palace is the presence of seven chapels along the premises of the palace.

At the time of its construction, the palace was famous for its beauty and architecture and it is so even today. The door of the palace is very big and it has 520 bronze nails. This huge door is made up of walnuts. When you visit the main door of the palace, you will see the beautiful decoration pieces of the King. The internal part of the palace has wonderful arches which are worth seeing. This Duke palace is famous for another reason; it has four towers which is an exception.

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Among the number of reasons behind the popularity of Spanish history and civilization, the Spanish music is one big reason. There are many unique features of the music in Spain and this music is unique because it combines variety of cultures and civilizations. The reason behind this is the domination of Spain by different cultures of various countries. The Gypsies are known as the creators of Spanish music and this music is much inspired by the dances from Andalusia, Tartessos and Muslims of the region. Three common ingredients of the Spanish music are the song, Baile (dance) and guitar. It is indeed difficult to exactly assess the inspiration of Spanish music but no doubt, this music is very unique and very different from that of the other nations in Europe.

If we look into the development and history of the music in Spain, then it is very clear that this music is highly influenced by the Moors, Greeks and Romans. These three civilizations influenced the Spanish music during the early time period of its development. Mozarabic chant is the name of the music which is played in the churches of Spain. It was Spain where the polyphonic concept of music originated during the 16th century.

Spain is well known for the variety of music festivals held by the country during different times of the year. The interest of tourists has made the music a much highlighted part of the whole tourist activity. The pop and rock & roll styles of music are very famous in Spain and most of the Spanish music stars are female. Another popular form of music in Spain is called Ye Ye and it is influenced by the British and American beats. Among the popular singers of Spain are Enrique Iglesais, Miguel Bose and Rosa Lopez. There are many famous music groups as well and among them are falling Kids, Ketama, Pereza, Los Bravos and Greta.

Folk music in the different regions of Spain is also very popular. Cantabrian is a folk kind of music which is popular in the Basque Country and it is highlighted with stick dance and intricate arch. Rebec is also a folk music in which there are a number of instrument players involved beating drums and clarinet. Rondalla and Dulzaina are the forms of dance music which is popular in Castile. The famous rhythms in Spain include joya, circle dance and habas verdes.

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Spain has several churches, cathedrals and other monuments of historical importance. But La Mezquita is something different. It is a symbol of harmony between two religions, namely the Christians and the Muslims. Several architects and sculptors have put their minds together in constructing this great piece of work. This is one of the most outstanding architectural works ever created in Europe.

La Mezquita, a mosque which was later converted into a cathedral is located in the province of Cordoba. This mosque was constructed in the 10th century by Abd ar-Rahman. This mosque has a rarest combination of Gothic, Roman, Syrian, Byzantine and Persian architectural design. Some changes are believed to have been made in its design in later years. The horseshoe type arch supported by 850 pillars gives some distinctiveness to the design. Each of the pillars has intricate work of artifacts and sculpture. Each of the pillars has granite and marble coverings. There are thousands of oil lamps which are lit in the night and this presents a most wonderful look in the dark of the night. It is designed in such a way that the huge prayer hall receives abundant air and light throughout the year.

Some festivals of Muslim faith are also held here which shows the unity of people belonging to these religions.

Later in the year 1236, the mosque was consecrated as a cathedral. Thereafter in the 14th century, a royal chapel was also built. Some alterations were made to suit the cathedral. Some of the beautiful paintings of renowned artists found their way inside the chapel. The other alterations include installation of life size bull and lion carved out of mahogany and an eagle carved out of black marble. Duque Correjo made a choir stall in baroque mahogany. That was in the 18th Century.

The bell tower was installed at a height of 93 meters. Provision has been made to reach the bell tower so that the visitors can have a magnificent view of Cordoba and its neighboring places. The Moorish designed gates have been retained with some minor modifications.

It is a wonderful place to visit. The entire structure is stunningly beautiful. The aesthetic beauty of this chapel coupled with very well planned interiors makes this building a never to miss tourist spot during the visit to Spain. In fact this is one of the chapels which receive the highest number of visitors.

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One important aspect of your visit to Spain is how you select the places which you want to visit. The places are innumerable and unless you have some briefings about the places, it would be certainly difficult to make the best choice. So, for your convenience, some of the places which are of interest for a tourist are briefly introduced:

Plaza de San Jose:

This plaza is designed by one of the famous architects of Spain by name Vincente Guttierez. This was started in the year 1813 and is located in the province of Salamanca. The plaza is constructed in Neo classical and Baroque architecture. This is the place for the young and the old for a weekend hang out. Apart from this, it is also the place most ideally suited for a magnificent view of the town and the places around it. This place has become popular even amongst tourists, both young and old. Many local people as well as tourists visit this place.

Church Santa Maria Del Soterrano:

The legend goes that when the foundation was being dug for this church, the image of Mother Mary appeared below the earth. So the church got the name Santa Maria. The church is built in classical Gothic architecture by one of the famous architects Hernan Luiz and that was in the year 1530 in the province of Andalucia. The church has two chapels; one being that of El Sagrario built in 1639 and the other of Jesus Nazeareno built in 1730. The church has great religious importance both for the local population as well as for many people outside the province. Annual festivals are also held for the Mother Mary.

Almodovar Castle:

This is one of the most popular castles of Cordoba province. As a matter of fact, this is one of the oldest castles of Europe. Archaeologists say that this castle has been built in the year 720 by Caliphate of Cordoba. Thereafter many monarchs and kings ruled the state from this castle. The castle is known for its architectural marvel. This 252 meters tall castle was the most ideal place to watch out for the enemies. The inside of the castle is meticulously planned. Apart from this, from the top of the castle, one can view the beautiful view of the Cordoba city and of the nature around. It is certainly a pleasure to visit this castle.

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A brief introduction to some of the places of interest in Spain is provided here:

Saville Gate:

This is not just a gate to control inflow and outflow of people or traffic. This gate installed in the 10th century has great historical importance. Some Spanish people also attach some religious importance to this gate. The sculpture of ‘los enamorados’ has been installed near the gate. The sculpture depicts a pair of lovers who are trying to reach the other’s hand. According to history, the sculpture is that of the great Moorish poet Ibn Zaydun and that of his heart throb princess Wallada. Incidentally, Wallada herself was a poetess of fame. During the 15th century, Christians put up the hedges to the gate. The hedges gave a new look to the gate and now it looks just marvelous. Needless to say that when you visit Saville, never miss this historic gate.

The Roman Bridge:

Like the Saville Gate, even this bridge has some religious value for some Spanish people. The bridge is constructed across the great river Guadalquivir. It is believed to have been used by the King Augusta to travel from Rome to Cadiz. The bridge is actually located in the Cordoba province. The bridge has 16 arches. Incidentally people say that the arches were built only at a later period and they were not a part of the original construction of the bridge. But historians contradict this to say that the first arch was constructed by Heman Ruiz III to celebrate his victory in a war. Thereafter several arches were built by subsequent kings or conquerors.

It is also believed that the bridge was renovated by the Moors and thereafter it underwent several renovations and repairs; latest being in the year 2006. In the middle of the bridge there is a statue of St. Raphael and here many people burn candles as a gesture of respect to the saint. It is believed a French fisherman is responsible for building this statue.

The bridge measures about 225 meters. At the end of the bridge, the famous Calahorra tower has been built by Moors. This is actually a defense tower. It was Phillip II, the first recognized king of Spain who built a gate for the bridge. This gate is called the Puerto Del Puente. It was constructed on the northern side of the bridge. Historians say that this gate was built in 1570.

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Spain has a variety of places which are a must see and this article will guide you through some of the must watch places in Spain.

1. Alhambra palace in Granada:
Alhambra Palace in Granada is also known as “Red Palace” and this is a popular place among the tourists as this place is among the historical and oldest monuments of Spain. This palace was ruled by both Muslims and Christians and hence it has a varied cultural heritage. It is very beautiful as every single ruler added a lot to the beauty of the palace. Alcazaba is the oldest fraction of this palace and it was built in the 9th century.

2. Barcelona City:
Barcelona city is the capital of Spain and all of the financial and tourist activities are originated from this city. This city has amazing infrastructure and transportation facilities for the visitors. The city is the combination of both modern and traditional civilizations. There are many monuments, national parks, museums and other historical attractions for the tourist.

3. La Tomatina…Tomato fight:
La Tomatina is the name of the tomato fight which is organized in the village of Bunyol. This village is situated near Valencia and this fight is held in August every year. This is the maddest festival in Spain. The population of the village is 9000 but this number turns into 30,000 during the giant tomato fight. If you are in Spain, then you must take part in the event as it is full of fun and joy.

4. Mezquita Church in Cordoba:
Mezquita church was once used as a mosque by the Muslim rulers of Spain and because of this when you first see this place, you will not believe that this is a Christian church. The architecture of the building is built in the Arabic style and this building was built in 796 AD.

5. Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao:
The city of Bilbao is famous for having the big building of Guggenheim Museum which was designed by an American architect. This museum is situated right in the heart of the city. The building is a marvelous work of architecture and has many covers and blocks which have scales of titanium.

6. Skiing in Sierra Nevada:
Spain is also famous for its wonderful beaches and other fun tourist activities. If you love skiing, the mountains of Sierra Nevada are the best attractions for you.

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