No matter if you are flying into the country or arriving on a Mediterranean cruise ship, you will want to begin your touring from where you are; Spain is a big country with unique flavours and interesting sites in each of its regions.

In Madrid, you will not want to miss the Museo del Prado, with masterpieces by Goya and Velazquez. If you love museums, the Muse Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia is another top choice for modern-art enthusiasts. Sports lovers may want to catch a football match if Real Madrid are playing.  The season is from September to May.

Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter is full of interesting sights. Be sure to visit the Cathedral, built in the 1200’s. The Picasso museum is located here. Las Ramblas, the centre of the nightlife in Barcelona, is full of clubs, discos and cafes; even during the day it is the perfect place to experience Barcelona. Another highlight is the illuminated fountain called the Fuentes Luminosas.

Outside of these large cities, charming towns and villages await you. Granada and nearby Alhambra are well worth a visit for the beauty of the former convent and palace. Visit Albaicin, the Arab quarter, and the shops in Alcaiceria selling speciality goods made in the area. In Valencia, make sure to visit La Lonja de la Seda, a former silk market dating back to the late 1400s and a UNESCO-listed World Heritage site.

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Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Spain is an ancient tradition dating back to the time of the Catholic Monarchs. Even Easter is celebrated all over the country, there are some popular Spanish cities like Malaga, Seville, Valladolid and many more whose Holy Week is internationally known and it is even considered as tourist attractions in this time of the year.

Malaga Holy Week

Malaga offers a unique attraction not only for those involved in the traditions, but also visitors and tourists from all over the world to admire the spectacular processions and parades.

Excellent communication by road connects the city of Malaga and its airport. Modern hotel infrastructures in the city center, or perhaps a holiday apartment in Malaga city and along the coastline, added to the wonderful climate and sun, it is definitely a great combination for both holiday and culture.

With the Easter holidays just around the corner it’s not too late to book a last minute holiday for you and the family.

This year’s Spain´s Holy Week will take place from Sunday 5 to Sunday (resurrection) 12 April 2009. There is still time to book your holiday in Spain for the Easter holidays.

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Carnival first arrived in the Canary Islands in the 15th Century – imported by the Spanish conquistadors from Europe.  And for centuries served as a sort of social safety valve – enabling the have nots to let off steam before the advent and sacrifices of Lent.  Whilst also blurring the rigid social boundaries of the time with masks and costumes.

Today some would argue that little has changed.  As Carnival remains both deeply hedonistic and anti-authoritarian.  With many revellers opting for costumes that cock a snook at both their political represtantives and perceived social injustices.

That being said the main accent of Carnival is always on fun and excess.  And the Canarians have proved themselves highly efficient on both fronts over the centuries.  So much so that Carnival was in fact effectively banned on the islands by General Franco from 1936 through until the 1960´s. 

Carnival actually goes on for weeks on islands such as Lanzarote where the celebrations roll from one town to the next.  Effectively bringing much of local government and commerce to a halt.

The highlight of each Carnival event is always the main procession – which features a succession of themed and brightly decorated floats.  Which are often mobile platforms for a batacuda drum band or similar mass rhythm section.  With the noise levels taken to decibel busting levels as the procession wends its way through the throng.

Carnival kicks off in the island capital of Arrecife on February 17th until the 25th.  Before decamping for the main holiday resort of Puerto del Carmen where the whole party starts all over again from the 26th onwards.

Such is the scale of Carnival these days that many tourists plan their holidays in Lanzarote around this unique annual event.

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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.

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Valencia is located in the region known as Edetania. According to Roman history, Junius Brutus transferred his soldiers there because they had fought under him. Later the city of Valencia became a Roman military colony. However, later it was destroyed and destructed by Pompey but afterwards it was rebuilt. The city of Valencia in 137 BC was founded by the mighty Romans on a popular site of town which was formerly Iberian.
After all this, the city was occupied by the Moors, Visigoths and the Aragonese, amongst them the Moors peacefully occupied the territory in 709 A.D. One of the most prosperous periods in that time was when the Islamic culture settled in the city of Valencia, known as Balansiya at that time.

By the 15th and the 16th century, the city of Valencia was one of the most important cities of the Mediterranean. In that period Valencia gave birth to famous personalities like Joanot Martorell, who wrote Tirant lo Blanch, and the famous poet, Ausias March. This is not it; the very first printing press in the peninsula was built in Valencia. The old history of Valencia can be traced back to the period of the Spanish civil War. As regards the modern history of the city, Valencia received Autonomous statutes in 1982.

Valencia is a known place for tourists as it has been the gateway of Spain to the Mediterranean and because of this there is a special charm that has been attached to it. The Valencian coast has crystal water and very fine sand which makes it a place to be. There are a number of outstanding beaches and sandy dunes out where the coastline becomes residential and luxurious. The beaches of Levante and La Malvarrosa has a lot to offer when comes to dining; there are a large number of places out there where you can dine quietly by the sea.

Valencia is a heaven for those who appreciate art and literature. When you walk through the Valencian lanes and streets, you can clearly feel the beats of the ancient centuries thudding under the pavement and on the walls. The remains of the Romans which were founded by the mighty Junius Brutus can still make you feel that you were there. Coming down to the ladies’ taste and shopping, the narrow streets of Valencia are full of shops with windows which exhibit almost everything from arts and crafts made by hand to the latest of fashion. However, to experience everything of such sort, one has to be here in Valencia.

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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.

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