Tag: spain

Benidorm And The Costa Blanca Travel Tips

Feb. 28 Spain Comments Off on Benidorm And The Costa Blanca Travel Tips

BenidormBenidorm Spain is located about forty five kilometres northeast of Alicante. It is one of the main attractions on the Costa Blanca. This city was built for tourism. The beach front and other areas are lined with hotels offering many choices in accommodations. Benidorm is surrounded by mountains. This protects the city against cold winter winds. The climate is mild in the winter months. The city is most popular among tourists in the summer. There is plenty to see in the daytime and a bustling nightlife after hours.

Spain: Tips for Travel
Most people getting cheap Benidorm flights into Alicante airport when visiting this city. Once you arrive, there are plenty of choices for travel throughout the area. The Benidorm bus has frequent routes from the airport to the city. The railway runs a similar route. There are about twenty car hire companies that operate in Benidorm. All will pick you up at the airport; just let them know when you make a reservation.

The choice you make in travel will depend on how much you plan to travel throughout the region on your vacation. If you plan to travel to surrounding cities, a car is the best bet. This will allow you the freedom to move around the region. If you plan to stay within the city for most of your trip, public transportation will serve your needs well.

Benidorm_desde_el_marBenidorm Attractions
Benidorm offers something for everyone in terms of attractions. There are holiday and theme parks, as well as other attractions that are great for families. Single people will enjoy the beaches and vibrant nightlife of the city. Golfers will enjoy the great golf courses in and around the city.

The city has three beaches. The Playa de Levante is also known as the rising beach. This beach is more secluded, but tends to draw a younger, single crowd. The Levante is a topless beach. The Playa de Poniente is in a busier area. This beach tends to attract families and older people. The small beach in between these two larger beaches is called the Playa Mai Pas.

The main street on the beach and the city square are car free zones. No traffic is allowed in this area, which makes it nice for walking. The area is home to a variety of restaurants, dance clubs and bars. This is a busy area both day and night during the summer travel season.

There is also plenty to do with the family in this city. Families will enjoy the Terra Mitica, a theme park in Benidorm. The name in English is the Mythical Land. This theme park features ancient Greek, Egyptian and Roman civilizations. There are plenty of rides here for kids of all ages. In addition, the park offers play areas for younger children.

BenidormThe Terra Natura Park is a wildlife park. This park is home to over five hundred animals of about two hundred different species. You will get to see animals in their natural habitats. The park is set up in four theme areas. There is also a park with a playground for the kids to run and play.
Spend some time researching the variety of attractions and accommodations in the Benidorm area when planning your vacation. You will find there is something for every member of the family. Good planning will ensure that everyone has a great time on your vacation.

Share This Article With Your Friends

Tags: , , , ,

A Quick Guide To Seville

Apr. 27 Spain Comments Off on A Quick Guide To Seville

SevilleSeville is one of the jewels of Spain, with architecture, museums, food and shopping that make it a must-see holiday destination.

Where is it?

Seville is in the Spanish region of Andalucia, which also includes the coastal resorts of Costa del Sol and Costa Almeria. Seville itself is set inland, although the coastal areas are within easy reach. It has its own airport, which is a 45 minute drive from the city.

Where can I stay?

You don’t get a true feeling for Seville by staying in a large chain hotel. You need to choose a small, friendly but stylish boutique hotel that reflects the nature of the city and its people. Try a boutique hotel like Casa No 7, which only has 6 bedrooms and is decorated with style and taste around a small courtyard, typical of Seville. Alternatively, the Casa Romana boutique hotel is right in the middle of Seville, which means that you can use the hotel as a cool and refined base while you check out everything that Seville has to offer.

Seville-HotelsWhat can I see?

Seville is famous for its Cathedral, which is the largest in the world. Built on the site of a twelfth century mosque, it is simple, but awe-inspiring and a sight not to be missed. Also make sure you see the Casa de Pilatos, built by the first Marquis de Tarifa in the early sixteenth century. It is one of the finest palaces in Seville and now also houses a courtyard and park, at the end of which are mansions that have been turned into museums. For a real taste of Seville, spend some time in the Barrio Santa Cruz, one of the most picturesque parts of the city, full of narrow lanes and surprising squares; whitewashed houses and excellent tapas bars. Tapas is thought to have been invented in Seville, and it’s certainly the way that most locals choose to eat. The range is incredible and the prices good, so take advantage of the more than one thousand places in the city where tapas is available.

Seville-What-To-SeeHow do I get around?

Seville is a busy city with lots of narrow roads, and it is a brave person who attempts to drive – or park – in the main areas. Parking in particular is very limited and often restricted to residents of businesses; so avoid parking fines and unnecessary stress by only hiring a car if you’re planning to drive outside the city. Instead, use the very regular and reliable bus service which costs little and offers multiple journey tickets, or get one of Seville’s white taxis. Tourists often take a horse and carriage to see Seville’s main sites – this is a particularly popular option with couples and families. As with most cities, one of your best options is to walk. There are maps available from the tourist offices and you can explore Seville at your leisure.

Share This Article With Your Friends

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Read Our February Issue Early Via Our App

Feb. 18 Read Our Magazine no comments

February2014-CoverEuropean Travel Magazine – February 2014

Early access to this months issue to the users of our app. In this months issue: Leeds Bradford Airport Guide | Traveling around Murcia Spain | Top Prague Hotels | Benidorm – The Jewel Of The Costa Blanca | Reasons To See Paris | Tips On How To Bag Yourself An Upgrade To First Class  | £19 Per Night UK Hotel Deals | And much much more …..

I Tunes

Google Play

Share This Article With Your Friends

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

How Lanzarote Became The Island It Is Today

Feb. 18 Spain no comments

Lanzarote JardinDeCactusVisitors to Lanzarote, the second biggest of the main Canary Islands, may be forgiven for thinking that the island has been a holiday destination for many years, but the reality is very different. Until as recently as 1980 the island was relatively unknown to international travellers. The geographic history of the island is of course dominated by volcanic activity, which caused the creation of the island in the first place.

The island, which has been part of Spain since the fifteenth century, owes its location off the North African coast to most of the significant events in its history. It has been subjected to many attacks and invasions over the years, primarily from seafaring pirates who came across the island during their voyages from the coasts of Africa.

The now extinct indigenous population of the island, known as the Guanches, were cave dwellers who lived and isolated existence, whose civilisation was far removed and delayed compared to that of many mainland population groups. Lanzarote was one of the first island of the Canary Islands group to succumb to the Spanish invasion early in the fifteenth century, but it took almost 100 years before the final island, Tenerife, was finally occupied.

The origin of the name Lanzarote is still not known for sure with various theories proposed including a derivation of a visiting Italian seafarer called Lancelloto or Lancilloto, a variation of the Latin word for rubber (the Tabaiba tree, common on the island, produces a thick resin like sap) and also after the original Spanish invader, Bethencourt, who is supposed to have broken (rota) a lance (lanza) during the original battles for the island.

Volcanic activity had featured frequently over the years of the island’s history including a six year period in the eighteenth century when 25 volcanoes erupted together turning a once fertile area into a barren landscape of black lava, which is now known as the Timanfaya National Park. The volcanic activity has brought some benefits however particularly to agriculture and the island now growing onions, potatoes, spinach and pineapples for export.

Lanzarote Luc ViatourPicon, the black volcanic rock that covers much of the island, is very good at absorbing moisture and thus makes farm a little easier on this warm sunny island.

But the biggest impact on Lanzarote has been the huge growth in tourism to island over the past 30 years. The authorities on the island have tried very hard to reduce the visual impact by enforcing strict rules on developments meaning that there are no high rise buildings, every building must be painted white and doors, windows and shutters may only be painted in one of two approved colours of green.

In terms of tourism, Lanzarote only really became known during the 1970’s and during the years between 1970 and 1975 visitor figures tripled to 80,000 per year. Figures doubled again over the next five years and during the same period financial investment from Germany arrived due to the Strauss Law which provided tax benefits for German company investing in Spain.

Lanzarote PlayaBlancaGrowth continued during the 1980’s and 1990’s until visitor figures reached their peak in 2003 when almost 2 million people came to the island for a holiday. British people make up the majority of the island’s visitors, the make up of which is very influenced by the local currency. An impact of the introduction of the Euro has been the rapid decline in the number of German tourists, who now find holidays on the island to be more expensive. It remains to be seen if the weakness of the British pound will have a similar long term effect on the number of British holidaymakers but initial indications already show that in December 2007 numbers of British visitors were down by twenty five per cent.

One factor that could influence matters is the weakening of property prices on the island with suggestions that values now stand at only 60 per cent of their peak. That is unlikely to attract new British home buyers due to the currency situation but it could be a factor in tempting German buyers to return.

Share This Article With Your Friends

Tags: , , ,

Benidorm – The Jewel of the Costa Blanca

Feb. 12 Spain no comments

BenidormBy Irena Bodnarec

Benidorm is the top European holiday destination for Brits – and it´s not hard to understand why.  Its success is based on two main attractions – long stretches of white sandy beaches and a micro climate that guarantees almost year round sunshine.

The ITV Benidorm series has certainly bought the resort to the forefront of peoples minds, but has perhaps left them with a slightly distorted image of what it is really like. Many people that have a negative impression of the resort, base their opinions solely on watching the series – which is a tongue in cheek poke at stereotypical working class people taking their annual holiday. They imagine the resort over run with drunken Brits and Stag & Hen parties, as it has become synonymous as a destination of cheap booze and all day English fry ups – but that is just one tiny area, probably no more than half a square kilometer. Benidorm is seeped in history, culture and tradition and non more apparent then during fiesta time!

Venture up to the Old Town and it´s like stepping back in time – full of narrow cobbled streets adorned with white washed houses and an abundance of boutiques, bars and restaurants on every corner. Head towards the distinctive blue doomed roof of the San Jaime church and you will arrive at the ´Mirador´- where you will have a breathtaking view of both bays. The Old Town is where you will find Tapas Alley, which as the name suggests is a street full of tapas bars. If you want a gastronomic experience of real Spanish food then head to Calle Domingo – it´s like eating a work of art.

Benidorm BeachesTop of the list why people choose Benidorm for their holidays is the miles of golden sandy beaches – and Benidorm is blessed not with one but three! Each has its own individual character; Levante – vibrant, loud, full of life and popular with young party going Brits; Poniente – which includes Mal Pas, sedate and tranquil and popular with the Spanish and lastly La Cala – a sheltered sandy cove and particularly popular with families. There are also several hidden secluded coves dotted around such as Almadrava and Tio Ximo.

If you are a bargain hunter then you have certainly come to the right place. One of the things that remain unchanged in Spain are the weekly street markets, which remain popular and virtually every town and village has one. There are a great deal along the Costa Blanca, but one of the biggest has to be in Benidorm, which is held twice a week due to its popularity – every Sunday and Wednesday. You will find everything there from fresh locally grown fruit and veg to bags, nik naks, jewelry and counterfeit designer goods…. But the golden rule is barter – especially with the ´look alike products´!

Benidorm GolfDuring the day you are spoilt for choice activity wise – Benidorm has a staggering 5 theme parks to choose from. Aqualandia is the biggest waterpark in Spain and Mundomar, a marine animal park, are located in the Rincon de Loix end of the resort and next door to each other.  Terra Mitica theme park, with its exciting rides and shows is suitable for the entire family and not far away you will find Terra Natura, a wildlife park and Aqua Natura, a smaller waterpark more suited for younger children.  For any golfers, the magnificent Villaitana golf course offers two 18 hole courses with a magnificent view of the Benidorm skyline.

The nightlife is just as exciting. For a first class night out you cannot beat Benidorm Palace – voted Europe´s best cabaret theatre and nightclub, even beating the likes of Moulin Rounge in Paris! A spectacular show incorporating a troup of dancers with the most amazing costumes you are ever likely to see – an unforgettable experience and well worth seeing. The Rincon, or New Town is where you will find all the cabaret bars and nightclubs, which are open well into the early hours. Most offer free entertainment and you can hear and watch a huge variety of singers, tribute groups and comedians catering to all tastes.

Benidorm CarnivalsThere are some wonderful fiestas throughout the year – culture and traditions are very important to the Spaniards and it is wonderful to be able to join in the party atmosphere and witness such events – there really isn´t anything comparable in the UK. A summary of the main ones by month are

February – Carnival, March  – The Burning of the Fallas, June – San Juan, September – Moors & Christians, November – fiesta time. 

The Moors and Christians parade is probably the most spectacular visually, with a simply stunning and elaborate array of costumes and certainly worth trying to see.

There is something for everyone in Benidorm – and the best bit is that it´s only a few hours flight away from the UK.

For more information on what´s going on in and around Benidorm go to http://www.BenidormAllYearRound.com

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Share This Article With Your Friends

Tags: , , , ,
Visit Us On TwitterVisit Us On FacebookVisit Us On PinterestCheck Our Feed