Valencia Spain
The rice in your delicious paella probably comes from the Ebro Delta. Valencia, founded by the Romans in 138 B.C., later flourished as the capital of a far-flung Moorish kingdom until EI Cid captured it at the end of the 11th century. No sooner had Christianity been restored than plans were laid for the cathedral, La Seo. A patchwork of architectural styles, its landmark octagonal Gothic tower, known as the Miguelete or Micalet, is a symbol of the city.
Valencia's Longa de la Seda (Silk Exchange), built in the 15th century, is a masterpiece. Here, silk merchants once did business. Across the street, the Modernist-style central market (built in 1928) is a cornucopia of comestibles-fruit, vegetables, fish, and meat destined for the city's kitchens. Valencia boasts several museums. The Museo Nacional de Ceramica, housed in an astonishing old palace, has assembled hundreds of glorious glazed tiles (azulejos) among its treasures. The city's major art collection, at the Museo Provincial de Lapped by an ocean of orange trees, Valencia is Spain's thirdbiggest city. Its crowded historic centre is framed by parks and Bellas Artes, exhibits paintings by Bosch, EI Greco, Goya, and Velazquez, and has a definitive collection of 15thcentury Valencian art.
Valencian architecture is entering the modem age via the city's new Arts and Sciences Park (La Ciudad de Las artes y Las Ciencias). The sprawling complexes of futuristic buildings and parklands on the southern edge of the city is dedicated to fun and learning. L'Hemisteric, a plantetarium built in the shape of a gigantic open eye, was designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava, and opened in April 1998. Other attractions in the park include the Art Palace and Science Museum, also designed by Calatrava, and the Universal Oceanographic Park. Arabs introduced azulejos (decorative ceramic tiles) to Spain in the 12th century.
Gandia Spain
A town in two parts, Gandia has a busy resort on a vast beach down on the coast and a splendid 14th-century palace tucked away in its inland town centre. Birthplace of Duke Francisco de Borja, 16th-century noble turned Jesuit priest, the Palacio de los Duques is now a showcase for splendid tapestries, paintings, and antiques, many of them amassed by the pious duke.
Visit the Costa Blanca Spain
Named Akra Leuka (White Headland) by ancient Greek tradesmen who founded a colony here 2,500 years ago, the brilliant light, hot, dry climate and miles of fine, sandy beaches and temperate water make the "White Coast" one of Spain's liveliest tourist zones.
The beaches sprawl to the north and south of the town of Denia, named after a Roman temple dedicated to the goddess Diana. Farther south, the family resort of Javea has a fine beach and a pleasant old quarter; Calpe is a former fishing village with pleasant sandy beaches in the lee of the Penon de Ifach, an imposing volcanic outcrop; and Altea's old houses climb steeply to a carefully preserved old quarter, virtually unchanged in the face of the tourist tide, and home to a thriving artistic community.
The very name Benidorm has come to symbolize the worst excesses of package tourism. There is a skyline akin to Manhattan, and high season queues to get on to the beach-all 7 km (4 miles) of it! But Benidorm knows what the package-tour invaders want, and provides it cheerfully and efficiently, round the clock, and without pretension. Surprisingly, the old fishermen's quarter still exists, a major saving grace. Likewise, there are sweeping views from the attractive Balcon de Mar encompassing the town's truly impressive crescent of beaches backed by the wind-sculpted mountains.
Just offshore, boats visit the Isla de Benidorm, a bird sanctuary; the Moorish eagles' -nest village-fortress of Castell de Guadalest, which is situated 28 km (17 miles) northwest, is a favourite excursion. With a population of over a quarter of a million, Alicante is a typical bustling Mediterranean port with a splendid palm-lined promenade, lots of outdoor cafes, and surprisingly few foreign tourists. The spacious beach of Playa Postiguet is a bonus.
Alicante's imposing clifftop Castillo de Santa Barbara was built on the site of a Carthaginian fort founded in the third century B.C. Below the castle, the old Barrio de Cruz is atmospheric and full of character. Here, you will find the Baroque facade of the 14th-century church of Santa Maria next to the Museo de
Arte de Siglo XX (Museum of 20th-Century Art), focussing on the Spanish artists Mira, Picasso, and Dali.
On many road signs, the town of Elche appears as a terse Elx, which is what the Moors called it. Elche is famous for is its date plantation, the largest in Europe. The Parque Municipal is shaded by superb palms (naturally) as well as a citrus alley and a noisy frog pond. The tourist office is on the edge of the park, which is bordered by a group of fine historic buildings, including the Palacio de Altamira, a former royal holiday residence now occupied by an archaeological museum. The museum has a replica of the famous Dama de Elche sculpture; the original is in Madrid. There are yet more palms in Elche's prettiest precinct, the Huerto del Cura (Priest's Grove), as well as pomegranates, orange trees, and a small forest of cacti.
The Costa Calida Spain
The southern portion of the Costa Blanca is known as the Costa Calida (Warm Coast). Its most famous stretch is the Mar Menor (Little Sea), a vast lagoon almost completely sheltered from the Mediterranean by a 22-km (14-mile) spit. High-rise resort facilities have multiplied on the sandy breakwater, including the famous Club La Manga holiday sports complex.
Cartagena, named after the Carthaginians, is an important port and naval base with a well-protected harbour overlooked by the ruins of the 14th-century Castillo de la Concepcion. It's worth driving up here for the views. Then, take a stroll around the old town and down to the port. On the front is a submarine directly from the pages of a Jules Verne novel, built by local inventor Isaac Peral in 1888. Catedral de
Santa Maria, built in the 14th century, is one of Spain's finest, adorned with a fabulous Baroque facade. The outstanding Velez chapel is a highlight of the interior, and in the museum there are wood sculptures by Francisco Salzillo (1797-1883), Murcia's greatest artist. There are more of his works in the Museo Salzillo. Among Murcia's other museums, the Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts) is the best.
Costa de Almeria Information Spain
This is Spain's dustbowl. A searing and parched corner of the Mediterranean coast, development has been kept a
t bay until very recently. The fledgling resorts of Mojacar, Roquetas da Mar, and Garruche lie just inside the borders of Andalusia. Inland, the dramatic, desolate, desert-like landscape is a favourite with spaghetti-Western film-makers, who have nicknamed it Mini-Hollywood. A modem city, Almeria reveals its Moorish origins in the gigantic eighth-century Alcazaba fortress which overhangs the town and port. The city's crenellated outer walls and a section of the turreted ramparts remain standing amongst the 35 hectares of ruins. The waterfront Paseo de Almeria is ideal for strolling and shopping. Just inland from the harbour, the fortified Gothic cathedral was completed in the mid-16th century.
Visit the Costa del Sol Spain
West of Almeria, the famed "Sunshine Coast" unfurls in a dense strip of resorts, hotels, urbanizaciones, holiday villages, and timeshare developments spilling on to impressive beaches. However, with an estimated 326 days of sunshine per year, everybody wants a piece of the action and a p
lace in the sun - from the package tourist to the rich and famous. East of Malaga, Nerja, the only sizeable resort of note, is popular with holidaymakers, who can still discern a hint of old Spain. Hotels cluster around Ne!ja's clifftop Balcon de Europa, an attractive palm-fringed promenade.
The area's principal attraction is the Cueva de Nerja, a truly cavernous cave complex, just 4km east of town. Wall paintings and archaeological finds indicate that the stalactite-encrusted cave (home to the world's longest stalactite at 59 metres/195 feet) has been inhabited intermittently since the days of CroMagnonman.
Malaga-the busiest airport gateway in the region, has a busy harbour overlooked by an Alcazaba built by the Moors. Ramps and pathways lead up through the attractive landscaped ruins to a modest archaeological museum. At the top of the hill, the sprawling Gibralfaro fort affords spectacular views out to sea and inland to the mountains.
Situated a short distance from Malaga's grandiose but rather gloomy cathedral, the Museo de Bellas Artes has a worthy assortment of Spanish paintings and a room devoted to Picasso, who was born nearby at Plaza de la Merced 15. The traditional costumes and folk arts displayed in the entertaining Museo Artes y Costumbres Populares are well worth a quick detour. They are housed in an inn built in the 17th century near the Guadalmedina riverbed.
Torremolinos is the official fun capital of the Costa del Sol, and has a massive gay following. The old town is not altogether unattractive, and locals (many of them ex-patriates) take good care of package tourist business. A few local fishermen still put to sea in gaily painted wooden fishing boats from La Carihuela beach, and then unload their catch into the lively beachfront restaurants.
The adjacent resort of Fuengirola is a similarly popular place, but more family orientated than Torremolinos. The aristocrat of the Costa del Sol resorts, royalty and celebrities have gravitated to Marbella for decades. As a result, prices are higher here than anywhere else along the coast, but standards of accommodation, service, and cuisine are superior too. The 28-km (17-mile) beachfront is built up with expensive hotel complexes, and the spacious marina sees more than its fair share of luxury pleasure craft. Across the main road, the old town is an attractive warren of twisting streets and alleys full of shops, restaurants, and the odd historic church.
Puerto banus is Spain's answer to Saint-Tropez. This chic 1970s marina-shopping-entertainment complex is full of tasteful bars, pricey boutiques, classy restaurants, and nightclubs. Its waterfront parade is a catwalk for "beautiful people," many of whom arrive aboard the massive yachts berthed in the harbour.
The last of the big resorts on the western flank of the coast, Estepona provides all the essentials for a sporty, modem holiday-beaches, golf courses, marina-all in an engaging smalltown atmosphere. Of Roman origin, Estepona preserves the remains of Moorish fortifications and watchtowers.
Costa de la Luz Spain
The Atlantic-f
acing coast of southern Spain, the "Coast of Light" receives a mere trickle of tourists compared with the bustling Costa del Sol. It is extremely blustery and tourist facilities are limited, but to make up for that, there are long, uncrowded beaches, easy access to Seville, and Spain's best national park. The windsurfing capital of Europe, Tarifa is just 13 km (8 miles) across the water from North Africa. Morocco's Rif Mountains hang on the horizon, and Tangier is often clearly visible. Parts of Tarifa's old Moorish walls still stand, as does a I0thcentury fortress, the Castillo de Guzman el Bueno. Accomplished windsurfers revel in the ideal gusty conditions at Tarifa beaches.
Cadiz Spain
Rolling Atlantic waves crash against the rocky defences of this narrow peninsula city that basks in the sunshine. Its protected harbour was settled by Phoenician traders around 3,000 years ago, making it one of the world's oldest cities. Christopher Columbus set out on his second and fourth voyages to the Americas from here. Later, Cadiz grew rich on the New World trade, and attracted the atte
ntion of Sir Francis Drake, whose 1587 attack on the city "singed the king of Spain's beard."
A "salty seadog" sort of place, Cadiz has an old town district well-supplied with shops and outdoor cafes. The excellent Museo de Cadiz exhibits Phoenician and Roman artefacts and paintings by Zurbaran, as well as local crafts. Overlooking the ocean, the Baroque cathedral has a landmark dome that glitters like gold in the sunshine, and a lavish treasury. Situated at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River on the Atlantic coast, Sanhicar is a popular getaway for families from Seville. The town is also famed for its vineyards which produce the grapes for Manzanilla, a rich wine similar to sherry. The sea breezes are supposed to supply Manzanilla's distinctive salty tang.
The Doñana National Park
The largest and most famous of Spain's national parks, this wild conservation zone is made up of three environmen
ts: sand dunes (where parts of Lawrence of Arabia were filmed), pine woodlands, and marshes. More than 250 bird species can be seen here, including rarities such as purple gallinule, imperial eagle, and crested coot. Mongoose, deer, wild boar, and Iberian lynx also roam free. You can visit the park by guided tour from the reception centre at El Acebuche. It is worth touring the area of the Doñana National Park. Easy access is available from Cadiz and you can pre-book cheap car hire from Jerez Airport and Malaga Airport.
Valencia's Longa de la Seda (Silk Exchange), built in the 15th century, is a masterpiece. Here, silk merchants once did business. Across the street, the Modernist-style central market (built in 1928) is a cornucopia of comestibles-fruit, vegetables, fish, and meat destined for the city's kitchens. Valencia boasts several museums. The Museo Nacional de Ceramica, housed in an astonishing old palace, has assembled hundreds of glorious glazed tiles (azulejos) among its treasures. The city's major art collection, at the Museo Provincial de Lapped by an ocean of orange trees, Valencia is Spain's thirdbiggest city. Its crowded historic centre is framed by parks and Bellas Artes, exhibits paintings by Bosch, EI Greco, Goya, and Velazquez, and has a definitive collection of 15thcentury Valencian art.
Valencian architecture is entering the modem age via the city's new Arts and Sciences Park (La Ciudad de Las artes y Las Ciencias). The sprawling complexes of futuristic buildings and parklands on the southern edge of the city is dedicated to fun and learning. L'Hemisteric, a plantetarium built in the shape of a gigantic open eye, was designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava, and opened in April 1998. Other attractions in the park include the Art Palace and Science Museum, also designed by Calatrava, and the Universal Oceanographic Park. Arabs introduced azulejos (decorative ceramic tiles) to Spain in the 12th century.
Gandia Spain
A town in two parts, Gandia has a busy resort on a vast beach down on the coast and a splendid 14th-century palace tucked away in its inland town centre. Birthplace of Duke Francisco de Borja, 16th-century noble turned Jesuit priest, the Palacio de los Duques is now a showcase for splendid tapestries, paintings, and antiques, many of them amassed by the pious duke.
Visit the Costa Blanca Spain
Named Akra Leuka (White Headland) by ancient Greek tradesmen who founded a colony here 2,500 years ago, the brilliant light, hot, dry climate and miles of fine, sandy beaches and temperate water make the "White Coast" one of Spain's liveliest tourist zones.
The beaches sprawl to the north and south of the town of Denia, named after a Roman temple dedicated to the goddess Diana. Farther south, the family resort of Javea has a fine beach and a pleasant old quarter; Calpe is a former fishing village with pleasant sandy beaches in the lee of the Penon de Ifach, an imposing volcanic outcrop; and Altea's old houses climb steeply to a carefully preserved old quarter, virtually unchanged in the face of the tourist tide, and home to a thriving artistic community.
The very name Benidorm has come to symbolize the worst excesses of package tourism. There is a skyline akin to Manhattan, and high season queues to get on to the beach-all 7 km (4 miles) of it! But Benidorm knows what the package-tour invaders want, and provides it cheerfully and efficiently, round the clock, and without pretension. Surprisingly, the old fishermen's quarter still exists, a major saving grace. Likewise, there are sweeping views from the attractive Balcon de Mar encompassing the town's truly impressive crescent of beaches backed by the wind-sculpted mountains.
Just offshore, boats visit the Isla de Benidorm, a bird sanctuary; the Moorish eagles' -nest village-fortress of Castell de Guadalest, which is situated 28 km (17 miles) northwest, is a favourite excursion. With a population of over a quarter of a million, Alicante is a typical bustling Mediterranean port with a splendid palm-lined promenade, lots of outdoor cafes, and surprisingly few foreign tourists. The spacious beach of Playa Postiguet is a bonus.
Alicante's imposing clifftop Castillo de Santa Barbara was built on the site of a Carthaginian fort founded in the third century B.C. Below the castle, the old Barrio de Cruz is atmospheric and full of character. Here, you will find the Baroque facade of the 14th-century church of Santa Maria next to the Museo de
Arte de Siglo XX (Museum of 20th-Century Art), focussing on the Spanish artists Mira, Picasso, and Dali.
On many road signs, the town of Elche appears as a terse Elx, which is what the Moors called it. Elche is famous for is its date plantation, the largest in Europe. The Parque Municipal is shaded by superb palms (naturally) as well as a citrus alley and a noisy frog pond. The tourist office is on the edge of the park, which is bordered by a group of fine historic buildings, including the Palacio de Altamira, a former royal holiday residence now occupied by an archaeological museum. The museum has a replica of the famous Dama de Elche sculpture; the original is in Madrid. There are yet more palms in Elche's prettiest precinct, the Huerto del Cura (Priest's Grove), as well as pomegranates, orange trees, and a small forest of cacti.
The Costa Calida Spain
The southern portion of the Costa Blanca is known as the Costa Calida (Warm Coast). Its most famous stretch is the Mar Menor (Little Sea), a vast lagoon almost completely sheltered from the Mediterranean by a 22-km (14-mile) spit. High-rise resort facilities have multiplied on the sandy breakwater, including the famous Club La Manga holiday sports complex.
Cartagena, named after the Carthaginians, is an important port and naval base with a well-protected harbour overlooked by the ruins of the 14th-century Castillo de la Concepcion. It's worth driving up here for the views. Then, take a stroll around the old town and down to the port. On the front is a submarine directly from the pages of a Jules Verne novel, built by local inventor Isaac Peral in 1888. Catedral de
Santa Maria, built in the 14th century, is one of Spain's finest, adorned with a fabulous Baroque facade. The outstanding Velez chapel is a highlight of the interior, and in the museum there are wood sculptures by Francisco Salzillo (1797-1883), Murcia's greatest artist. There are more of his works in the Museo Salzillo. Among Murcia's other museums, the Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts) is the best.Costa de Almeria Information Spain
This is Spain's dustbowl. A searing and parched corner of the Mediterranean coast, development has been kept a
t bay until very recently. The fledgling resorts of Mojacar, Roquetas da Mar, and Garruche lie just inside the borders of Andalusia. Inland, the dramatic, desolate, desert-like landscape is a favourite with spaghetti-Western film-makers, who have nicknamed it Mini-Hollywood. A modem city, Almeria reveals its Moorish origins in the gigantic eighth-century Alcazaba fortress which overhangs the town and port. The city's crenellated outer walls and a section of the turreted ramparts remain standing amongst the 35 hectares of ruins. The waterfront Paseo de Almeria is ideal for strolling and shopping. Just inland from the harbour, the fortified Gothic cathedral was completed in the mid-16th century.Visit the Costa del Sol Spain
West of Almeria, the famed "Sunshine Coast" unfurls in a dense strip of resorts, hotels, urbanizaciones, holiday villages, and timeshare developments spilling on to impressive beaches. However, with an estimated 326 days of sunshine per year, everybody wants a piece of the action and a p
lace in the sun - from the package tourist to the rich and famous. East of Malaga, Nerja, the only sizeable resort of note, is popular with holidaymakers, who can still discern a hint of old Spain. Hotels cluster around Ne!ja's clifftop Balcon de Europa, an attractive palm-fringed promenade.The area's principal attraction is the Cueva de Nerja, a truly cavernous cave complex, just 4km east of town. Wall paintings and archaeological finds indicate that the stalactite-encrusted cave (home to the world's longest stalactite at 59 metres/195 feet) has been inhabited intermittently since the days of CroMagnonman.
Malaga-the busiest airport gateway in the region, has a busy harbour overlooked by an Alcazaba built by the Moors. Ramps and pathways lead up through the attractive landscaped ruins to a modest archaeological museum. At the top of the hill, the sprawling Gibralfaro fort affords spectacular views out to sea and inland to the mountains.
Situated a short distance from Malaga's grandiose but rather gloomy cathedral, the Museo de Bellas Artes has a worthy assortment of Spanish paintings and a room devoted to Picasso, who was born nearby at Plaza de la Merced 15. The traditional costumes and folk arts displayed in the entertaining Museo Artes y Costumbres Populares are well worth a quick detour. They are housed in an inn built in the 17th century near the Guadalmedina riverbed.
Torremolinos is the official fun capital of the Costa del Sol, and has a massive gay following. The old town is not altogether unattractive, and locals (many of them ex-patriates) take good care of package tourist business. A few local fishermen still put to sea in gaily painted wooden fishing boats from La Carihuela beach, and then unload their catch into the lively beachfront restaurants.
The adjacent resort of Fuengirola is a similarly popular place, but more family orientated than Torremolinos. The aristocrat of the Costa del Sol resorts, royalty and celebrities have gravitated to Marbella for decades. As a result, prices are higher here than anywhere else along the coast, but standards of accommodation, service, and cuisine are superior too. The 28-km (17-mile) beachfront is built up with expensive hotel complexes, and the spacious marina sees more than its fair share of luxury pleasure craft. Across the main road, the old town is an attractive warren of twisting streets and alleys full of shops, restaurants, and the odd historic church.
Puerto banus is Spain's answer to Saint-Tropez. This chic 1970s marina-shopping-entertainment complex is full of tasteful bars, pricey boutiques, classy restaurants, and nightclubs. Its waterfront parade is a catwalk for "beautiful people," many of whom arrive aboard the massive yachts berthed in the harbour.
The last of the big resorts on the western flank of the coast, Estepona provides all the essentials for a sporty, modem holiday-beaches, golf courses, marina-all in an engaging smalltown atmosphere. Of Roman origin, Estepona preserves the remains of Moorish fortifications and watchtowers.
Costa de la Luz Spain
The Atlantic-f
acing coast of southern Spain, the "Coast of Light" receives a mere trickle of tourists compared with the bustling Costa del Sol. It is extremely blustery and tourist facilities are limited, but to make up for that, there are long, uncrowded beaches, easy access to Seville, and Spain's best national park. The windsurfing capital of Europe, Tarifa is just 13 km (8 miles) across the water from North Africa. Morocco's Rif Mountains hang on the horizon, and Tangier is often clearly visible. Parts of Tarifa's old Moorish walls still stand, as does a I0thcentury fortress, the Castillo de Guzman el Bueno. Accomplished windsurfers revel in the ideal gusty conditions at Tarifa beaches.Cadiz Spain
Rolling Atlantic waves crash against the rocky defences of this narrow peninsula city that basks in the sunshine. Its protected harbour was settled by Phoenician traders around 3,000 years ago, making it one of the world's oldest cities. Christopher Columbus set out on his second and fourth voyages to the Americas from here. Later, Cadiz grew rich on the New World trade, and attracted the atte
ntion of Sir Francis Drake, whose 1587 attack on the city "singed the king of Spain's beard."A "salty seadog" sort of place, Cadiz has an old town district well-supplied with shops and outdoor cafes. The excellent Museo de Cadiz exhibits Phoenician and Roman artefacts and paintings by Zurbaran, as well as local crafts. Overlooking the ocean, the Baroque cathedral has a landmark dome that glitters like gold in the sunshine, and a lavish treasury. Situated at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River on the Atlantic coast, Sanhicar is a popular getaway for families from Seville. The town is also famed for its vineyards which produce the grapes for Manzanilla, a rich wine similar to sherry. The sea breezes are supposed to supply Manzanilla's distinctive salty tang.
The Doñana National Park
The largest and most famous of Spain's national parks, this wild conservation zone is made up of three environmen
ts: sand dunes (where parts of Lawrence of Arabia were filmed), pine woodlands, and marshes. More than 250 bird species can be seen here, including rarities such as purple gallinule, imperial eagle, and crested coot. Mongoose, deer, wild boar, and Iberian lynx also roam free. You can visit the park by guided tour from the reception centre at El Acebuche. It is worth touring the area of the Doñana National Park. Easy access is available from Cadiz and you can pre-book cheap car hire from Jerez Airport and Malaga Airport.
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