Visiting the Basque Country

San Sebastian is the jewel in Spain's Basque Country. Known as Donostia in Basque, it is situated above the scenic La Concha bay. It has a two-mile-long promenade of white sand beaches that just invites you to lie down and work on your tan.

The Old Town
The Old Town is where one can get a glimpse of the history of San Sebastian. Its main square or Plaza de la Constitución is now filled with café tables instead of the bulls and bullfighters that used to occupy this former bull ring. You can make a tour of the little shops around the square, taste the delicious pastries that are the specialty in some bakeries and buy souvenirs that proclaim Basque independence.  You can also visit the Baroque and Gothic churches that are a part of this old town of San Sebastian.

Aquariums
You can also visit the Aquarium where you can look at rays and sharks as they swim lazily around. It also features a show of fishing techniques used by Basque fishermen throughout the ages. The Naval Museum also has many interesting exhibits that show the intimate connection between the Basques and the sea.

Bilbao
Bilbao is the capital of the Basque Country. Under Franco it was a grimy, depressed city but recently it has become a vibrant Basque city that has assumed its role. It now has an opera house, a convention center and its pride and joy - the Guggenheim Museum, an architectural marvel that proclaims the new Bilbao.

A Visit to the Guggenheim
The first stop for any tourist is almost always a visit to the Guggenheim. Its stunning design and construction can hold your attention for hours as you contemplate its limestone and titanium structure. Inside, you can choose which of the twenty galleries you will visit. You can even learn beforehand about a particular artist from the teaching aids on the ground floor.

Lekeitio
Lekeitio is a small fishing village where you can stay while you explore the coast and the hill villages. It does not have much to offer by way of sightseeing except for a good example of a Basque Gothic church.

A Visit to Guernica
From Lekeitio you can visit the nearby town of Guernica made famous by Picasso's painting of the same name. It is the site of the oak tree of Guernica, a symbol of Basque nationalism throughout the ages.

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Spain….A Rough Guide

Europe has many countries which are hot tourist places throughout the world and one such place is Spain. Spain is ranked as the third very famous destination among the tourists in the whole world. Moreover, there are number of expatriates who are living in Spain and this number is increasing every year. Spain is known as the Cultural Hub of Europe for having unique cultural and historical civilizations. This article will guide you about the different aspects of the country; whether you want to spend vacations in Spain or you want to relocate to the country.

Background:
Spain has its own unique historical background. This country was ruled by number of different nations and it was known to be the most powerful country in the continent once. After the year 1492 after the arrival of Columbus in America, this country went through number of different time periods and wars. These instabilities badly affected the economic uplift of the country from time to time.

In the year 1939, Spain was taken over by General Franco and till the year 1975, the country was ruled by him. The decades of 60’s and 70’s were very good for the economic growth of Spain as during these decades the country started re-building its economic strength through tourism and industry.

After the death of General Franco, Spain was ruled by the Prince Juan Carlos and he changed this country upside down by establishing strong democratic roots which made the country one of the strongest nations in the continent.

Today’s Spain:
Today, Spain is among the strongest and most developed nations of Europe. The whole country has variety of civilizations and is ruled by the independent communities. A part of Spain, Andalusia is famous for variety of reasons. There are number of beautiful beaches in the place with plenty of sunshine and other historical places. Similarly there are number of different tourist attractions in Spain where you can entertain yourself by climbing mountains, doing skiing, surfing, watching number of historical palaces, monuments and buildings, etc.

Spain’s Climate:

The Environment and Climate:
The mainland region of Spain has a beautiful climate as it is located along the Mediterranean Coastline. The climate is normally hot during the summer and cold during the winter season.

The famous tourist places in Spain include Balearic Islands, Canary Islands along with number of modernized and historically preserved cities.

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Interesting Places in Haro….. Spain

Holidays are meant to spend time with friends and family which helps people revitalize themselves for the coming working days. Haro is a small town which is located in the province of La Rioja in the northern part of Spain. There are many reasons behind the popularity of Spain and one such reason is red wine. This small town, Haro is famous for the Red Wine along with many monuments and buildings. Following are the places of interest in Haro:

1. Museum:
Guggenheim Museum is located at a distance of 1 KM from this town and this museum was constructed in the year 1997. The museum has great art work on display. You will find the great art of many famous artists of the 20th century. The famous collection includes limestone, glass and titanium work.

2. Bridge:
The name of this bridge is Vizcaya and it is located at a distance of ten kilometers from Haro. This bridge is all made up of iron and it was constructed during 1893. The bridge was designed by the famous architect Alberto de Palacio. Vizcaya bridge is constructed over the river Ibaizabal and it has been declared a World heritage site by the UNESCO. This is among the must visit places during your trip to Haro.

3. Festival:
 As already mentioned, Haro is popular for the production of Red Wine and for this reason this place is popular for hosting a wine festival every year. The manufacturers of wine from within the country and out of the country visit this town to participate in the festival. This festival is celebrated every year in autumn on 29th of June. Displaying the wedding cake in the town’s church is also the part of the festival. The local residents celebrate the event with joy and this is a must see if you are planning to visit Haro in the autumn season.

4. Bilbao:
Bilbao is the name of a city which is located at a distance of one kilometer from Haro town. Bilbao is also very famous for many reasons. There are many monuments and famous buildings which are among the interesting places which you must visit. The buildings in the city are very famous for their historical background. This is also known as the cultural city among the visitors.

These are some of the interesting places and activities of tourist interest in Haro and Bilbao.

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Interesting Places in Costa Calida - Spain

Everyone wants to spend this time of the year with family or friends at some great relaxing place. There are many places in the world where you can go and enjoy your vacations. Spain is among all such places but with a few unique features. You will find every kind of tourist spot in Spain including historical civilizations, beaches, monuments, palaces, mountains, etc. One such place in Spain is Costa Calida. This is the beach which is situated along the Mediterranean Sea. Costa Calida is becoming more and more popular among the tourists on account of its unique and quiet atmosphere.

Costa Calida is situated near the Murcia Province of Spain and this coastline is perfectly beautiful. The whole coastline is surrounded by wonderful natural scenes and has a beautiful climate. The place is a real natural miracle on earth and you will surely love the place for everything it has. This is among those beaches of Spain which are well maintained by the government. Costa Calida is not only about visiting the beach; you can also find some other places of interest.

If you travel parallel to Costa Calida beach, you will find a big mountain which is standing straight in the sea. If you get the opportunity of climbing on the top of this mountain, then you will surely love the natural beauty looking around from the top of the mountain. The breeze on the top is so cold that you will surely rejuvenate yourself.

This place is also famous for the cultivation of variety of vegetables because of the presence of mountains all around. The local residents cultivate fruits and vegetables along with fishing profession. Because of its increasing popularity, the place is visited by more and more number of tourists every season, so tourism is another occupation of the local residents.

There are many other historical places as well in the town which attract visitors. These places were built in the Roman time period and all these places reflect the civilizations of Roman culture. You can visit the theatre which has many Roman decoration pieces along with other things on display.

So Costa Calida is a very wonderful place to visit for every reason. If you are planning for a holiday, then you must visit this part of Spain for great entertainment and relaxation.

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El Arenal

Overview

The town, El Arenal is situated in the Avila province which is in the Castilla y Leon autonomous community.

This is located on the southeast Majorcan coast and is one of the resorts that were developed for promoting mass tourism. This place was chosen because of its proximity to Palma airport and because it also has a very good stretch of beach. Its infrastructure in terms of hotels and apartments is very good. It has a vibrant nightlife and youngsters get very attracted to it. This town is a good holiday resort because of the sun, sand and sea with excellent facilities.

The period April to October is a holiday season during which this town has a temperature between 20 and 30 °C.

The narrow streets in this town are quite busy with many cafes, bars, restaurants, craft and gift shops.

Cuisine
A large number of restaurants cater to different tastes and budgets. A la Carte menus, fast food outlets, British pubs, traditional fish restaurants, etc. are available. The wines made locally are inexpensive. You can watch the sun going down as you eat either in the harbor or along the promenade.

Sports and Entertainment

Playa de Palma beach is wide and long; it has clean fine sand that merges into the crystal clear waters and families and young children enjoy this. The view in the evening when the sun is setting is highly impressive.

Popular sports are – water skiing, kite surfing, scuba diving, jet skiing, fishing, etc. The best way to go around the resorts is to cycle because the promenade does not have any motorized vehicle.

The golf course at Jurassic Park is highly recommended for children and adults. The water park in this town is the largest in Europe and sports a number of exciting rides. People of all age groups – children, teenagers and adults find this adventurous and enjoy the rides. The Grand Canyon and the Tsunami cannot be enjoyed by persons having a faint heart.

El Arenal is a lively resort where you find a large number of clubs and bars that are kept open up to 6 AM in the morning, thereby making it ideal for people in the age group 18-30 who love to party in the night.

Shopping

There are many shops that sell gifts, beach items and crafts to facilitate the tourists to purchase their mementos. You can also buy jewelry, leather goods, glassware, embroidered linens, etc. in the markets at C’an Pastilla.

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Interesting Places in Santander - Spain

Holiday is a much awaited season for almost everyone belonging to any age as this is the time of the year when we can spend some time away from the hectic and monotonous daily life. Everyone wants to spend holidays at some wonderful place and Spain is the country which has plenty of wonderful and interesting places. The country is enriched with plenty of good places, sceneries, beaches, monuments, palaces and other sites. This article is about one good place in Spain which is a great spot for holiday visitors.

Santander:
History:
Santander has a very old history. It was ruled by the Romans. This place was later used by the Spanish King as a resort. Alfonso XIII used to spend his summer holidays at Santander. This place was ruled by different nations having different religions and civilizations and one can easily see the influence of all those civilizations even today. The residents of this city are practicing all these religions today.

Tourist Spots in Santander:
The city has a port which has made this city more crowded for business reasons. People work here by utilizing the port to do trade but this has not influenced the historical background of the city. One good place to visit here is Ayuntamiento which is the city hall building and this place is very famous for tourist shopping. Besides the city hall building, San Fransisco Church which was built centuries back is situated here. If you walk along the same path, there is Cervantes Street where Biblioteca Casaa Museo is situated. This building was once used as a library but now it has turned into a museum as well as library where you can find the writing material of Marcelino Pelayo who is a popular writer.

After visiting the museum, another famous place is La Cripta Cristo cathedral which also has some interesting history. Away from the cathedral, there is a ferry station which is another interesting tourist spot. Pereda Park is situated just next to the ferry station which can be your next visiting place. If you want to taste the conventional food of the place, you can visit Malaga which is at the beach. You will surely love the food sitting in front of the great beach atmosphere. Paseo de Pereda is another historical place in the city. This building was used by Banco Santander as his headquarters.

There are plenty of other places as well which are worth seeing and you will surely remember Spain for your trip to Santander.

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Famous Parks to Visit in Spain

For a tourist, there are many options in Spain. You can visit beaches, monuments, churches, palaces, shopping areas and parks. This article will focus on the beautiful and famous parks for tourists to visit in Spain. These parks are unique and you will find unique plant species in these parks. Some of the famous parks are:

De la Ciudadella Park:
This park is located in the Barri Gotic district of Spain and is famous for the great history it has. This park was first constructed in the form of a fortress by King Felipe V during the year 1715 and this fortress was constructed with a star shaped design. During the rule of Germans own this place, Napoleon used this fortress as a prison. In the year 1878, the place was completely destructed by General Prim and at this place one statue of Prim was placed. Finally this place was altered in the form of a park by the Government of Spain. This is among the biggest parks of Spain and it also has some monuments which are historic.

Guell Park:
This park is famous in Spain for different reasons. It is designed by the famous architect of the country Antanio Gaudi. In fact this park is a master piece of his work. The place of the park was first selected for the construction of  a residential colony but later on this place was converted into a park on account of the rocky area. This is among those places in Spain which have the status of World Heritage from UNESCO. This park has some great works by many famous sculptors which highlight the beauty of the park.

The park has one museum as well along with a huge lake with boats. If you visit the garden part of the park, you can see many species of plants which are very unique. During the year 1888, the park hosted Universal Exhibition and at that time many buildings were constructed for the exhibition. Those buildings are still present and are well preserved by the Spanish government. The sculpture works by the renowned artists and the beautifully designed buildings in the park are the main tourist attractions in the park along with the botanical garden.

There are number of other big and small parks as well in different parts of Spain but these two are the most visited and famous parks in Spain.

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Canary Islands in Spain

Canary Islands in Spain are among the most popular tourist spots in the whole world. These islands are located closer to Africa than to central Spain but still these islands have the complete and true flavors of Spain. Canary Islands are located along with the Atlantic Ocean and their total number is seven. Most of the islands are well developed but a couple of these are not very much developed. The developed ones include La Palma, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Tenerife and Gran Canaria while the less developed include Gomera and Hierro.

The climate of all these islands is perfect around the whole year and the temperature varies from 18 to 24 degrees. These islands remain sunny throughout the year and the natural scenery and varieties of birds are the highlights of these islands.

1. La Palma:
This island is much greener among all five developed resorts because of the heavy rainfall throughout the year. Caldera del taburiente is the name of the island’s National nature reserve.

2. Tenerife & Gran Canaria:
These two islands are among the top popular tourist spots. The life on these islands is very vibrant and dynamic as there are plenty of activities for the visitors. These islands are known for the night life. But still there are some places where you can enjoy time away from the crowd with peace and serenity. You can also find the Mount Teide Volcano which is ranked at number three among other huge volcanoes of the world.

3. Fuerteventura:
 This island is famous for its long stretched beaches and is popular among families and people who love spending time under the sun while enjoying the beauty of the wonderful surroundings. This island is comparatively small so the night life here is mostly quiet and sleepy.

4. Lanzarote:
This island has another nature reserve called Timanfaya Park. This park has a very unique and different landscape which is hard to find anywhere in the world. The landscape has lava fields and beaches with black sand.

5. Hierro & Gomera:
These two islands are not developed since many centuries and this is the reason behind the less popularity of these islands among the visitors. The life here is much quieter than the rest of the five developed islands.
If you are in Spain, then you must visit these Canary Islands as you will surely remember your time on these islands for many reasons.

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Chipude

Overview

The village Chipude is situated on the plateau of the mountain and is La Gomera’s oldest settlement. The inhabitants of the village that is located near the cult mountain appreciated the fertility of the land even prior to the Spanish era. At present, a number of hikes start from Chipude.

History

Chipude had the highest population in the island as long as 200 years back. In 1540 Our Lady of Candelaria was built at the center of the town which is the village square.

Art and Culture

1.La Fortaleza – the Old Cult Site: before the conquistadors (Spanish Soldiers) arrived, the inhabitants looked at the table mountain as a holy place of sacrifice; this mountain is an eroded volcanic vent and its summit plateau is 1241 M. The Spaniards used this mountain as a fallback from the enemy. This mountain was named by ancient Canarians as Argoday that means powerful.
2.Table Mountain’s imposing Plateau: the mountain plateau is 500 M high and one can easily see it from far off distances. The original inhabitants erected stone circles as well as sacrificial altars on the table mountain’s flat part.
3.Hikes to the Cult Site Fortaleza de Chipude – you could visit the cult site – Gomera’s La Fortaleze de Chipude by hiking along historical tracks.

Cuisine
The cuisine of Chipude is determined by the crops that grow in this region – yams, vines, palms, tropical trees; the types of fish available in the sea – parrot fish and also the goat.
Most popular dishes are:

1.Almogrote – is made from goat milk, cheesed pepper, garlic, salt, paprika and tomato. This is used as a paste to apply on bread or to be served with potatoes.
2.Potaje de ñame or yam broth – is made with yams and coriander or pepper based sauce.

Sports and Entertainment

You can hike to the national park or the town’s landmark as well as to the cult site on the table mountain.

Beaches

1.Tamargada Vallehermosa – is a small solitary clean beach that is nestled between rocks; this can be reached by sea or foot.
2.La Sepultura Vallehermosa – beach borders Tamargada in the north and is relatively spacious and can be reached either by boat or foot.
3.La Arena Vallehermoso – beach looks like an oasis.
4.Alojera Vallehermosa – is a superb beach of crystal-clear waters with a rocky seabed.
5.Argaga Vallehermoso – is a nudist beach that lies on a fertile deep riverbed.

Business

The economy of Chipude depends mainly on agriculture – vines and bananas and handicrafts - pottery, wood, textiles and wickerwork.

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CHINCHON

Overview
The Spanish town Chinchón is situated at a distance of 50 KM from Madrid and is a part of the Comarca de Las Vegas. This is the most picturesque and attractive town in the Community of Madrid and can easily be reached by National Highway N-III. When you arrive at the outskirts of this town, you will find that the color of the landscape varies from gray to dark brown.

You might also find that the clusters of houses cling to the hilltops. In the south you will see the ruins of a 14th century castle that has been reconstructed; this was set on fire 400 years later by Napoleon’s troops. The population in this town is about 5000. This town is famous for Garlic, Brandy and Anisette.
History

Before the arrival of the Arabs, Chinchón was inhabited by the Iberians, Romans and Visigoths. Alfonso VI of Castile, in 1083, drove the Moslems from Toledo and the area surrounding it. The Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabel named this city as Conty of Chinchón.

Climate

The maximum and minimum average temperatures in this city are 25 °C in July-August and 6 °C in December-January.

Art and Culture

1.Plaza Mayor – is one of the most unique squares in the Madrid Community. Various events such as bullfights, matadors, memorable theatrical productions, concerts, popular dances, some tragic events like executions take place in this square and all this put together makes this square very popular.
2.The Castle – stands tall on the outskirts of the town. The wall that protected the town does not exist. The castle’s foundations were laid several centuries back; however it became important only in the 15th century when this town got the seigniorial status.
3.Casa De La Cadena – was the home of Philip V during the War of Succession and is a historical monument.
4.Lope de Vega Theatre – is situated near the church and has hosted some of the most important plays.
5.Church of the Assumption – construction started in 1534 and has plateresque architecture. It is constructed using ashlar stone.

Cuisine

The dishes that are popular in Chinchón are as follows:

1.Sucking pig, Lamb and kid that are roasted in an oven using firewood
2.Pen and game meats cooked in a giblet fricassee or stew
3.Stews and soups enriched with vegetables
4.Broad beans, artichokes, peas
5.Bread loaves that are large in size and made in the shape of a fan
6.Small sweet bread loaf with egg in the center
7.Artisan cheeses, Traditional sausages, Paprika hams

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