Lanzarote is the most easterly island in the Canary chain and is on course this year to attract well over one million British and Irish tourists.  The Island of Fire has in fact become the most popular destination in the whole of Spain with Irish tourists.  Who are expected to clock up at least 250,000 visits this year alone.

 The islands official tourist capacity numbers around 65,000 beds in total – with around one third of these accounted for by hotels.  So the majority of visitors stay in either apartments or holiday villas in Lanzarote.

 Which is the best Winter Resort?

Despite it´s small size (just 58kms long and 34.5 kms wide) Lanzarote has a pronounced microclimate -  just like a lot of the island’s larger Canarian cousins, such as Tenerife and Gran Canaria. With cooler, cloudier weather more likely in the North during the winter months. And sunshine more prevalent in the South.

 As a result, visitors planning a winter holiday in Lanzarote are best advised to plump for either Puerto del Carmen or Playa Blanca if they are solely in search of the sun.

 Puerto del Carmen

Puerto del Carmen is the spot where tourism first really took off on Lanzarote.  Transforming a small fishing village called La Tiñosa into what is now today the most popular resort on the island.

 Whilst not as southerly as Playa Blanca Puerto del Carmen is well protected by a range of volcanoes surrounding the resort.  And boasts some of the best beaches on the island, as well as a decent array of bars and restaurants.

 There are only two main hotels in Puerto del Carmen servicing tourist demand. With the majority of visitors staying on apartment complexes or in private villas. Many of which are privately owned by overseas investors who have been attracted to invest in the Lanzarote property market by the lure of year round rental returns arising from solid tourist demand.

 Playa Blanca

Playa Blanca is located at the southern tip of Lanzarote and as a result enjoys the best weather the island has to offer during the winter months.

 The resort evolved after Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise – Lanzarote´s other main destination in the North of the island.  And has been developed with luxury hotels and villas at the core of the blueprint.

 Creating an attractive and inviting infrastructure that has quickly helped to establish Playa Blanca as the second most popular resort on the island.

 All of the major tour operators offer a range of package deals to the island this Winter.  With Thomas Cook in particular offering some very well priced deals in January – such as flight and accommodation for a week in an apartment in Puerto del Carmen from as little as £260 per person.

The Spanish wine regions

Andalucian Wine: If you want to find the immense diversity of Spain in one place in Spain then, it is in Andalucian. Though it is most popular for the drink sherry but it is also famous in the red wine sector. In Magala, sweet wines are one of the main fares from the wine makers. Lthough you can still see some impressive samples of both red and white wines in this region.

Aragon Wine: Aragon in fact produces some of the most famous traditional wines in Spain. This place has got a reputation of producing strong wines. Most of the wines are produce in rosés, reds and whites. The most illustrative wine in this place was from D.O. Cariñena before the Somontano. You can see the Carignan wine grape got its name from this region. Of all the wines flavours, the red wine is most epitomizing one in this region. It has more color, flavor and aroma. The wines in Aragon are a perfect balance of the past and the present.

Castilla la Mancha & Madrid: Wine producing has been a vital part of this region. It is in fact considered to have the largest vineyard on the globe although the wine quality has got a mixed response from the past till now.

Castilla y Leon: The most famous wine from this region is the red wine even though it is known to be a white wine producing region. This is truly a wine country as most major wines in Spain come from this region.

Catalonia: The region produces fine quality wine from the past and it has still continued to do so. It has got 11 major regions and out of that D.O. Cava is the most famous wine producing place. The best wine of Spain comes from this place. The traditional wine of this region is white and now red wine seems to take is dominant over it.

Extremadura wine: Situated on the southwestern part of Spain, Extremadura has a winemaking tradition which is equal to ancient. However modern wine producers are coming up faster. Some of the wine producing minor regions you will find in this place are Cañamero (white), Ribera Alta (red/white), Montánchez (white), Matanegra (red/white), Ribera Baja (red/white) and Tierra de Barros (red/white). V.T. Extremadura is a minor region in Extremadura and it is best for its red wine.

Lavante wine: Valencia and Murcia both constitute Lavante. Apart for its famed citric producing fame it is also. The modern wines in its infant stage but it is growing and getting better day by day.

Heading into the summer months, many a traveler will look to head south and hit the shores. Popular destinations include various spots all around the Mediterreanean Sea and the famous Balearic Islands of Spain.

The main islands of the Balearics are Menorca, Mallorca and Ibiza. One common way to get the best of all these islands is via the sailing route. But once that is determined, it is up to your group to decide which route to take.

Some decide to work on their sun tans and simply take it easy. Tanning by day and sailing ashore for some of the finest food and drink by night. On the other hand, some decide to go all out when sailing in Menorca - going climbing the cliffs around the island, snorkeling, deep sea diving and various other recreational pursuits.

Companies such as Go! Nautic provide private yacht charter with snorkelling packages and equipment available, and can also arrange that a fully qualified private diving instructor (PADI) is there for deep sea diving.

While single day yacht charters are available, for one to get a full view of the Balearics, a weekly or custom yacht charter is recommended. Try to find Menorca sailing holidays that allow you to plan your day according to your wishes and thus do not push pre-planned itineraries. This means you can tailor each trip to your very own needs. The only possible diversion is based on potential weather conditions. However, your group will be kept informed on weather conditions and any changes that may be necessary.

Not to worry though, as Climate is usually a sure shot, as sunshine is abundant. Temperatures range from 15 Celsius in the winter, to about 20-25 in the spring and autumn, while touching the 30’s in the summer. With light winds generally, the conditions are usually just right for sailing. Sea temperature itself gets quite warm too, hitting 30 degrees Celsius in late summer.

Find more out about holidays in Menorca and the various services available from Go Nautic by visiting their website at www.gonautic.com.

Holiday Accommodation in Lanzarote

Tourists seeking a holiday apartment in Lanzarote are spoilt for choice.  As the island boasts over two hundred complexes in all of the main resorts.

Puerto del Carmen offers the highest concentration – as the island most popular resort was specifically developed with apartment holidays at the fore of the blueprint.  As a result prices remain reasonably competitive, with a typical weeks stay starting from around £250 for a standard one bedroom or studio apartment.  Given the abundance of cheap flights to Lanzarote with operators such as easyJet, Thomas Cook and Monarch that makes a weeks stay in the sun possible all year round from as little as £300 per person.

Playa Blanca is the best resort for those seeking more upmarket accommodation..  As this former fishing village at the southern tip of the island is home to the most modern and well appointed selection of holiday villas in Lanzarote.  Prices here reflect that – as standard villas with private pools start from around £500 per week.  

Playa Blanca is also home to the best selection of four and five star hotels in Lanzarote.  As the resort was the most recently developed on the island, so delivering a wide range of popular, modern establishments such as the Princesa Yaiza and the newly opened Papagayo Arena.

Lanzarote isn´t all just about beaches and sunshine though.  And anyone in search of a more cultural twist to their holiday should head for the resort of Costa Teguise in the north of the island.  Which makes an ideal base for touring the Lanzarote´s key attractions – most of which were developed under the aegis of the island born artist and architect Cesar Manrique.

Hail Cesar

Manrique is the man responsible for ensuring that his beloved island was saved from over development during the boom years of package tourism in the 1970´s.

“I believe that we are witnessing an historic moment,” Manrique stated, in response to the potential threat of mass-market tourism; “where the huge danger to the environment is so evident that we must conceive a new responsibility with respect to the future”.

At the time, this sort of ecological approach was quite revolutionary – as high-rise holiday apartments, hotels and water parks were being thrown up with abandon along the Costas and on other Canary Islands.

Manrique however illuminated an alterative path for development on the island.  By creating a unique set of tourist attractions that worked with nature, rather than against it. And his key works such as the Jameos del Agua and the Mirador del Rio remain the backbone of the islands tourist industry today.

As a result of his efforts Lanzarote was the first island in the world to be declared a UNESCO protected biosphere in 1994.

Bullfighting in Spain

Bullfighting is an integral part of the Spanish culture, and this explains why you will find bullrings almost everywhere in Spain. However, bullfighting has been a controversial issue, since it involves the killing of bull, and nearly 24,000 bulls are killed in Spain each year, for bullfighting; but the fact that the Spanish king said that when bullfighting will be banned in the EU, Spain will no longer be a member of EU, explains that stand of the Spanish on the issue.

Nonetheless, bullfighting is enjoyed as much by the tourists that visit Spain, as the Spaniards themselves. The origin of bullfighting in Spain dates back to nearly 711 A.D. The first bullfight in Spain took place during the crowning celebrations of one of the Spanish Kings, by the name of Alfonso VIII.

From then on, almost every week, there are bullfights that are held in some or the other bull ring in Spain./ According to a rough estimate, almost 30 million people enjoy bullfights in Spain each year. Thus, if you are planning to visit Spain, do make sure that you catch up on at least one bull fight.

Earlier, bullfighting was considered to be a sport that was to a certain extent meant exclusively for the aristocrats. However, a Spanish king by the name of Felipe V, imposed a ban on the aristocrats, and thus stopped them from participating in the game. This is when the commoners began to participate in the game. In fact, bull fighting was not exactly bull fighting before the ban was imposed, as the aristocracy; the game involved horses rather than the bulls. However, because the common people could not afford to play with horses, they began to play the sport with bulls; thus, bullfighting came to be accepted as a sport sometime around 1724.

Bullfighting and the Game play

Bullfighting is a dangerous game, where in a Matador or the expert bull fighter takes on a bull. In order to emerge as a victor at the ends of the fight, the matador must kill the bull. However, the game is not easy at all, and is often referred to as the dance with death; this is also because of the fact that the matador must also entertain the crowd and not merely kill the bull,. In fact, in certain bull rings, the matador is presented with the ear of the bull, if he entertains the crowd well.

The game play is simple. The bull is first ready to take on the matador, and is released. Now, team mates, or the assistants of the matador, charge the bull by displaying cloths that are either yellow or magenta in colour; after which, several other fighters, weaken the charged bull, with the help of the spears. Once the bull and the matador are in the ring, the game fight begins. The matador must kill the bull with a sword.

During the game, the matador uses a red piece of cloth, draped around him or attached to a stick to tease the bull and thus, make the situation even more dangerous.

Thus, bullfighting can be rather entertaining. However, if you want to enjoy a brilliant game of bullfighting, it is recommended that you visit Spain during the bullfighting festivals.

If you’re planning a holiday to Spain or are trying to decide if it will end up being your vacation destination, there are a few things you should know before you finalize your plans.  One of the most important factors to take into consideration when visiting Spain is that it is a country with many distinct regions and districts, some with their own languages or dialects, yet more with their own special cuisine and customary behaviour.  Take for example the main cities of Madrid, Barcelona and Seville: all are incredibly popular amongst tourists, but each have their own individual persona.  Madrid is the capital of Spain and is heavily populated.  It is also home to beautiful architecture and an incredibly rowdy bar and club scene that younger travellers in particular enjoy.  Because of the popularity of Madrid as a base for travelling further into Spain itself, it is not difficult to find a cheap package holiday that suit your needs.  In fact many of the packages for cheap holidays in Spain use Madrid as their focus, simply because of the large number of tourist facilities in the area.

Barcelona and Seville have this capacity for tourists in common with Madrid, but are quite unique in the sights and sounds they have to offer holidaymakers.  Barcelona, for instance, is split into several historical quarters or districts and has a strong art and music scene which is popular with both young and old.  Smaller than Madrid and less like ‘The Big Smoke’, it is favoured for being a cultured and friendly city that is easy to get around and an even easier place to use as a long-term base for a vacation or even a permanent move.  Like Barcelona, Seville is considered to be more laid back than Madrid, and it’s most famous characteristic is that it is renowned for being the birthplace of the Flamenco (a famous Spanish dance).  Bull fighting arenas are also famous in Seville, and this is one of the foremost reasons for tourists visiting the area.  All three of the  big cities have fantastic airport connections to the rest of Europe and indeed the rest of the world, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find cheap flights.

If you’re fed up with visiting city after city, you may instead decide to visit one of Spain’s many beautiful islands.  Luckily there are several you can choose from, including the Balearic Islands chain (Mallorca and Ibiza, amongst others) and the Canaries (including Tenerife).  Cheap flights to Tenerife, Mallorca and Ibiza shouldn’t be hard to come by, particularly as many of the budget airlines fly to these destinations.

Malaga is a very popular name when it comes to tourism. It’s a known name as this places team also features in the Spanish La Liga (Spanish Football League). Malaga is a port city in the territory of Andalucia (also known as Andalusia), which lies in Southern Spain, on the Costa del Sol coast (of the Mediterranean). The population of Malaga is 561,250, before it was 558,285. The population of the urban areas of Malaga was 814,000 as per the census of 2005. The population of the metropolitan area i.e. the population of the satellite towns and the urban area together, was 1,074,074 as per the census of 2005. Malaga is the fifth largest metropolitan area in the whole of Spain. The port of Malaga is surrounded by mountains which lie in the Southern base of the Axarquia hills and two rivers, named Guadalmedina and Guadalhorce.

Climate

The climate of Malaga is mild and equable; its mean annual temperature stands at 19 degree Celsius. The city is often compared to the famous city of Italy, Naples for its wide bay and broad sky. The inner part of Malaga is just behind the sea harbor. The center is surrounded by quarters of Lagunillas, El Perchel and La Trinidad.

Festivals

The most known and famous festivals of Malaga are the Holy Week and Malaga Fair. The people of Malaga known as Malaguenos select the hottest months of the year i.e. August, to celebrate the Malaga Fair. The Malaga Fair is not only celebrated by the people of Malaga but also with the thousand and thousands of tourist’s who come to enjoy the spectacular event. All the streets are decorated and are transformed into symbolic translation of the history and culture of Spain. All this is accompanied by sweet local wine, tapas and live shows of Flamenco. The live music and dancing takes place during the day and during the night; the fair is moved to the Palacia de Feria, which consists of clubs, restaurants and a huge fair ground which has a lot of rides and games.

Tourism

The city of Malaga is a very popular tourist destination, mainly due to its proximity to the beautiful Costa del Sol. One of the biggest reasons of Malaga being so famous is that, that it is the birth place of the famous painter Pablo Picasso. The transportation to Malaga is also very convenient. There are a lot of cheap flights to Malaga from various counties in Northern Europe, especially the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Ireland and Germany. You can also reach Malaga from other cities like Cordoba, Sevilla, Jaen and Granada by car, bus or train.

If you want the best views of the city then you can take the popular walk to the castle of Gibraltar, which goes uphill. The castle of Gibraltar stands next to the Alcazaba which is next in turn to the city of Malaga. By taking the route of Paseo del Parque, one can reach the harbor and finish their walk at Calle Larios, the main commercial street of the city.

The thing for which Spain is the most famous in the whole world is Bullfighting. Many of you might have seen it on the television being featured in movies and other programmes. This art of fighting bulls might be a gory sport for somebody but it is festive, religious and traditional for the Spaniards. Bullfighting is popularly known as Corrida De toros in Spain.

Origin and History

Bullfighting or Corrida De Toros is one of the most polemical customs of Spain. The Fiesta which is the most popular festival of Spain cannot boast about itself if you remove the Bullfighting out of it. Bullfighting is done against the Toro Bravo, a species of bulls which is conserved only in Spain. These bulls are the bravest in the whole world and they belong to an archaical race. Before these bulls were spread over a lot of parts of the world. Many of the world’s most primitive civilizations honored and respected them; the bullcultus of the Greek island Creta is quite famous in this regard. It can also be traced from the bible that these bulls were sacrificed in the honor of the divine justice. While this history goes back to the Iberians regarding bullfighting, it was the Romans and the Greeks that converted into a spectacular art. During the middle ages it was enjoyed by the aristocrats on horses. However, in the 18th century this practice was totally abandoned and then the poorer population invented the bullfighting which was done on foot. Francisco Romero played a key role in this development and laid the rules. For some people bullfighting might just be an art or a sport, but in reality it’s an open challenge of the man against the beast.

What is Corrida?

Corrida means a Bullfight. A Corrida begins with the Paseillo, where whosoever is involved in the bullfight enters the ring and presents themselves to the public. Two persons known as the Alguacilillos come on horse’s backs and direct themselves to the presidency. Then they symbolically ask for the keys to the doors behind which the bulls are present. As soon as the door is opened and the first bull enters, the game starts. The spectacle consists of three parts known as Tercios, which are separated by horn-signals. In the first Tercio, a Capote (a large rag of purple and yellow color) is used by the bullfighter. Afetr this, two Picadores come on horses backs and armed with a kind of lance, this is how the game further advances. The second part is known as La suerta de Banderillas, in which three banderilleros aim to stick two banderillas into the bulls back which attacks. In the final, which is known as “Suerta Suprema”, the bullfighter uses a small red rag which is known as the muleta. In this last part of the spectacle, he has to show off his mastery to dominate the attacking bull and at the same time display an artistical connection between himself and the beast. Finally the game ends when he kills the bull with his swords.

Whenever you talk about Spain, there are a million of things that u cannot miss talking about. There is a never lasting list. One of the things in this huge list is Flamenco. Flamenco is a very popular Spanish art, to be precise one of the most genuine arts in the whole world. This art evolved from Southern Spain. It includes of different forms like Cante, which means the song, Baile, which, means the dance and last but not the least Guitarra, which means a playing guitar. If you trace its history then it is said that the Gypsies are known as its Fathers or you can say that they played an important part in its creation. The early Flamenco was highly influenced by the popular dances and songs of Andalucia. Of course there were lot many other influences too but it is not a big thing in a country which has been dominated by one of the most diverse cultures.

History

The first time Flamenco was reported in literature in the year 1774 in the “Cartas Marruecas” of the famous Cadalso. The first schools dedicated to Flamenco were created in Cadiz, Triana (Seville) and Jerez de la Frontera. In this era the Flamenco dance began to have a strong position in the ballrooms. Earlier, Flamenco was purely vocal which was accompanied by clapping of hands in a rhythm (toque de palmas). It was the famous Julian Arcas who introduces guitar in Flamenco. During the Golden Age i.e. 1869-1910, Flamenco was beautifully developed in a number of music cafes also known as Cafes Cantantes and also the more serious forms of Flamenco which expressed deep feelings (Cante Jonto) begin from there. 1910-19955 is the period where Flamenco singing was marked by the very famous Opera Flamenca which was accompanied by an easier kind of music like the Fandangos and Cantes de ida y vuelta, you could clearly see Southern Spanish influence in the latter.

Development

The year 1955 started a kind of renaissance in the Flamenco, the great Antonino Mairena played the key role in this revolution. Small time outstanding soloists and dancers made their way to the early Café Cantantes. It was this period when the guitar players mastered their skills and got more popular. In actuality, in Flamenco you can clearly see that there are other music influences also like the Jazz, Salsa, Bossa Nova etc. The dancing part of Flamenco has also undergone a major change, as now the female dancers are more into expressing their temperament rather that their artistry. The guitar of Flamenco has also reached a new pinnacle of art. Now dancers sometimes dance only to the tune of the guitar which makes the guitarring a soloistical art form. Virtuoso Paco de Lucia was the pioneer of this development. Now the mass media has got Flamenco in the world stage but deep down it has always been a versatile kind of music. If only you go to Southern Spain in the midnight where there is nothing except a voice, a guitar and a dancer, dancing beautifully in the moonlight, you would understand.

Madrid, the capital city of Spain, more or less reflects, the way of life of the Spanish in general. The vibrant city is packed with tourists all around the year, especially during the festival time in Spain. The city’s rich cultural background, translates itself in the various cultural sights that there are in Madrid. However, when it comes, to monuments, it seems that the city was not quite popular when it comes to architectural buildings, and thus, there are only a few monuments in the city that might possibly attract your attention.

Museums in Madrid

The three prime museums in Spain are located in Madrid. Thus, if you are in Madrid, you should make it a point to include a visit to at least one of the three museums. These three museums are also often referred to as the Golden Museum Triangle of Spain.

The Prado: If you are fond of art, then you should visit the Prado. The museum houses a remarkable collection of art. The museum also houses some artworks by some of the greatest European and Spanish painters from the period of Renaissance.

The Museo Nacinol Centro de Arte Reina Sofia: This museum is completely dedicated to the Spanish artists from the 20th century. The museum houses works by Juan Gris, Dali, Miro and most importantly Picasso. In fact, Guernica, which is Picasso’s work on the Second World War, can also be found here.

The Museo Thyssen – Bornemisza: This museum features a private collection of as many as 8—paintings. The paintings are mainly from the Renaissance period through to the 20th century.

Things to Do in the City of Madrid

There are several other things that you can enjoy and do in Madrid. This includes everything from shopping to enjoying bullfighting matches and the various delicacies of Spain.

Enjoy Flamenco along with a Delicious meal: Visit Corral de la Moreria, which is the most popular place to enjoy Flamenco tablaos. Here you can enjoy a traditional Spanish meal with some great music here.

You should also visit Plaza Mayor while you are in Madrid. This is a centrally located town square that is also a major tourist attraction in the city. Here, you can shop, eat and enjoy. The place is also excellent if you are planning to enjoy an evening doing nothing.

Enjoy a relaxing Walk in El Retiro: which is also often called the central park in Madrid. This a perfect place to spend a summer evening, with your children or friends. You can also enjoy boating in the lake that is located in the park itself., There is also a monument that is dedicated to the victims of the bombings that took place in Madrid. Besides, there are hippies that play music in the park, on certain days, especially Sundays.

There are several other things that you can enjoy in Madrid. In fact, you could have a tourist guide take you to all the tourist attractions in the city. However, it is good idea to learn more about the place so that you visit places of your interest.