Spain has been one of Britain's favourite destinations for one or two decades now, ever since mass tourism opened up the country to the nations Costas, where folk were able to afford a beach holiday in a relatively exotic place and introducing many to wine for the 1st time.
While many folks associate Spain with bullfighting and flamenco, and indeed it is an image popularised by the visitor association, the country is in actually very regional, particularly toward the north of the country. Two regions stand out here, Catalonia and the Basque Country. While the second appears to have put its associations with separatist subsidized terrorism behind it lately, the previous is connected with Barcelona and it's soccer team as well as the Costa Brava.
It is here that many people take their first independent vacation; the "pile 'em high" resort of Lloret de Mar has become many people's idea of the Costa Brava though, which casts shadows over the reality. While Lloret isn't the only city on the Costa Brava that has cheap hotels catering to low cost package vacations and blocks of residences dominating the seafront, there are lots of towns that retain much of the aire of the fishing hamlets they once were. And in spite of the shows put of for tourists, flamenco is surely NOT part of Catalan culture and bullfighting has been banned.
Barcelona is on many people's list for a weekend break, but be certain not to miss the capital of Spain too. Madrid is hot in the summertime and cold in winter, but in the autumn and spring the climate is nice enough. The town has plenty of museums and art studios to see, including the renowned Prado, which is stuffed full of great designs.
Madrid also has some great nightlife and cultural events you can regularly see giant name music acts at the venues, as well as live jazz and other musical styles. Of course sports lovers may head there just too see Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Real Madrid. If you are travelling out for a match it can be a good idea to buy Real Madrid tickets in advance.
Other cities worth visiting are Valencia, Sevilla and Granada. The second has the famous Alhambra, built by the Arab occupiers in the 14th century and is one of Spain's major tourist attractions. And once you are done sightseeing ensure you head to the beaches and experience the food. Again it can be quite regional, although you'll find paella and Basque pinxos throughout Spain.
While many folks associate Spain with bullfighting and flamenco, and indeed it is an image popularised by the visitor association, the country is in actually very regional, particularly toward the north of the country. Two regions stand out here, Catalonia and the Basque Country. While the second appears to have put its associations with separatist subsidized terrorism behind it lately, the previous is connected with Barcelona and it's soccer team as well as the Costa Brava.
It is here that many people take their first independent vacation; the "pile 'em high" resort of Lloret de Mar has become many people's idea of the Costa Brava though, which casts shadows over the reality. While Lloret isn't the only city on the Costa Brava that has cheap hotels catering to low cost package vacations and blocks of residences dominating the seafront, there are lots of towns that retain much of the aire of the fishing hamlets they once were. And in spite of the shows put of for tourists, flamenco is surely NOT part of Catalan culture and bullfighting has been banned.
Barcelona is on many people's list for a weekend break, but be certain not to miss the capital of Spain too. Madrid is hot in the summertime and cold in winter, but in the autumn and spring the climate is nice enough. The town has plenty of museums and art studios to see, including the renowned Prado, which is stuffed full of great designs.
Madrid also has some great nightlife and cultural events you can regularly see giant name music acts at the venues, as well as live jazz and other musical styles. Of course sports lovers may head there just too see Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Real Madrid. If you are travelling out for a match it can be a good idea to buy Real Madrid tickets in advance.
Other cities worth visiting are Valencia, Sevilla and Granada. The second has the famous Alhambra, built by the Arab occupiers in the 14th century and is one of Spain's major tourist attractions. And once you are done sightseeing ensure you head to the beaches and experience the food. Again it can be quite regional, although you'll find paella and Basque pinxos throughout Spain.
About the Author:
Visit Euro Sports Events for Real Madrid tickets and other matches. You can check the availability of Spanish Grand Prix tickets and other sporting events in Spain too.
