Known locally as “Sanfermines”, this raucous festival takes place in the Basque town of Pamplona between July 6th-14th in honour of the city’s patron saint, San Fermin. It is the most popular and most famous of all Spanish fiestas and is known throughout the world and visited each year by thousands of foreign tourists. This fame is down to the infamous “Encierro” or the “Running of the Bulls”, a dangerous tradition where thousands of locals line the streets of Pamplona’s old town and run the gauntlet will six half ton bulls over an 800 metre stretch. There is much more to the festival than just the “Encierro” and they include a lot of other ancient traditions as well as a fair dose of drinking and partying. Read the rest of this entry »

The native Catalan architect certainly left his mark on this great city and a visit to Barcelona wouldn’t be complete without taking in some of his greatest works. An architect seemingly without contemporaries, Gaudi’s free-flowing post modern creations were decades ahead of his time. The world has taken note of Gaudi and this is reflected in the fact that the properties mentioned below are all UNESCO world heritage sites.

La Pedrera

The real name for this building is in fact, Casa Mila – La Pedrera is a nickname and means “the quarry” in Catalan. When Gaudi built this residence between 1905 and 1907 most Catalan’s at the time lambasted the architect for defacing the city’s skyline, hence the derogatory moniker. Today none of these negative connotations remain and, indeed, city residents view it as one of their proudest landmarks. Standing on the Passeig de Gracia the building does not contain one single straight line, instead following a wave-like, organic form. Highlights include the wild and wonderful wrought iron balconies and the rooftop with its wonderfully original chimney stacks. Read the rest of this entry »

This Malaga city overview will help you plan your vacation. There is a lot to do in this city. Malaga is home to several museums allowing you to enjoy the history, art and culture of the area. The market area and the surrounding area is a great place for shopping, eating and enjoying the night life in the city. Become familiar with the attractions to help you create an itinerary for your vacation.

Malaga is the second largest city in Andalucia. It is located on the Costa del Sol. Malaga city is the capital of the Malaga province. The region is well known for wine production, fresh seafood and beautiful weather. The Malaga airport is convenient to the city and offers discount flights from several airlines. Read the rest of this entry »

Barcelona is one of those cities where you can enjoy a 10 day vacation or holiday, but also where you can also go for just a long weekend. This coastal city offers easy access to a number of facilities, a lengthy beach and plenty of interesting architecture and sites. So how should you go about finding an area and place to stay in Barcelona; what is a good area to stay in and what kinds of things can you do in 3 days in the city of Barcelona, Spain?

The amazing thing about Barcelona as a city is that you do not need to choose between staying in the beach area or staying in the centre and tourist areas. In Barcelona you can do both. Read the rest of this entry »

Many people dream of a vacation to the real Spain. Alicante is a fine example of such a trip. A port city on the Mediterranean Sea, Alicante enjoys the famous Mediterranean climate. Famous for its oranges, the region is lush and has long been renowned for its agriculture and beauty.

Alicante has a long and varied history. The area has been inhabited for 7000 years, with trading posts in the area before 1000BC. However, modern Alicante can trace its history back to Hamilcar Barca and the foundation of Akra Luekra, or White Mountain. Read the rest of this entry »