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The Luxury of Holidays in Spain

Updated on April 30, 2015
Spain
Spain | Source
Mezquita de Cordoba
Mezquita de Cordoba | Source
Txirrintxi (three-wheel touristic taxi for two passengers), in Bilbao.
Txirrintxi (three-wheel touristic taxi for two passengers), in Bilbao. | Source

Spain is a culturally rich and diverse country, not to mention an excellent destination for travelers. Stretching from the Mediterranean coastline to snow peaked mountains, a holiday in Spain is filled with affordable luxury. Tourists planning to visit Spain are going to enjoy Roman relics, Muslim palaces, cathedrals, tonnes of beaches, bailadors (dancers) and bullfighters.

Peak and Off Season

Madrid, Barcelona, San Sebastian, Seville and Granada are the hot places to see when travelling to Spain. The Costa del Sol and Costa Brava are fantastic family spots with huge sandy beaches running from the Straits of Gibraltar to Portugal.

Madrid in July is extremely hot. The climate usually stays hot during July and August and remains fairly normal the rest of the year. June and July are the busiest months in Spain and you had to make your way through the overcrowded streets to experience it. The peak time to visit Spain is during spring and autumn, in the months of May, October and November. The off season is good in terms of weather and also to avoid huge crowds in the major cities. Winter is from November to February is cold and rainy, but it is still filled with tourists.

Source
Madrid Hotel
Madrid Hotel | Source
Mezquita de Cordoba, Spain
Mezquita de Cordoba, Spain | Source
Outside Prado Museum
Outside Prado Museum | Source
Sagrada de Familia
Sagrada de Familia | Source
Ibiza Street, Spain
Ibiza Street, Spain | Source
Terminal 4 of Madrid Barajas Airport, Spain.
Terminal 4 of Madrid Barajas Airport, Spain. | Source
Madrid Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain
Madrid Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain | Source

3 Spain's Major International Airports

Madrid-Barajas, Alicante Airport and Barcelona Airport known as El Prat are major entry points for a holiday in Spain.

  • Madrid Barajas Airport which was the busiest airport of Spain. I found the bus travel as the most feasible option for tourists who visit Spain. The national rail network Renfe also offered high speed train service to cover long distances. The Avenue from Madrid to Seville took around two and a half hours to complete. Spain also offers local airlines to travel to its different cities. Renting a car was expensive so I mostly relied on buses and trains.
  • The Madrid Barajas Airport has Metro stations in Terminal T2 and the new Terminal T4. From 6.00am to 2.00am trains are available for every 5 minutes . Line 8 goes straight to the newly revamped Nuevos Ministerios Metro station located in the centre of Madrid, with a travel time of just 12 minutes. It is even possible to check-in at this metro station for some flights on your return between 6.30am and 10.30pm. You need to check with the airline first, because not all flights are available. For example, there is no check-in available for the Madrid Barcelona shuttle flights, and most foreign airlines do not have a presence here yet.
  • The price of a trip to or from the airport is currently 2 euros. This includes a 1 euro supplementary airport charge. You can simply buy the airport supplementary ticket for 1 euro if you already possess a valid Metro ticket.
  • You can consider buying the Madrid Tourist Travel Pass, which will allow you to travel on any Metro,suburban train or bus all included in the price of just 5 euros. This makes it a good means of saving money on public transport. With this pass, you are not required to pay the airport surcharge.

El Prat or Barcelona International Airport
El Prat or Barcelona International Airport | Source
Parking Lot of El Prat Airport
Parking Lot of El Prat Airport | Source

Barcelona Airport - El Prat

Barcelona Airport also known as El Prat is a very accessible airport. El Prat is very helpful since it’s so close to the downtown and the center of Barcelona. The low rates and the location of the Airport contribute a lot to the increase of visitors and tourists into Spain by air. After reaching Spain through the Barcelona Airport, you have various ways use of transportation from the airport to the city and vice versa such as taxi, buses and rental cars.

  • Taxi - convenient and very comfortable. You can enjoy the scenery while on the cab and its available 24 hours.
  • Rental Car - if you like to move from place to place and keep on time, and then the rental car is the best option for you.
  • Bus - great method for people who like public transportation and like to mingle with people, and then this is the way to go, it is located in front of Terminal A and B at the airport, it’s called aero-bus.
  • Train - , it’s the perfect method for people who like to keep on time and people who are looking for an inexpensive way to travel, it has a lot of stops and pick up locations and there are trains available any time from 6:00 in the morning until 11:30 in the evening.

Alicante Airport
Alicante Airport | Source
Terminal 2, Alicante Airport
Terminal 2, Alicante Airport | Source

Alicante Airport

Although it is not as busy as Malaga, Alicante Airport (ALC) is still one of Spain's busiest airports, serving around 3 million passengers every year. The airport is convenient for the central and southern Costa Blanca area, and for resorts such as Benidorm and Torrevieja. Although there are an increasing number of flights from Spanish cities, including Barcelona, Madrid and Palma de Mallorca, the airport's main routes are from the Netherlands, Germany and the UK. The Alicante airport guide has more information about flights and facilities.

  • Bus - It is easy to get from the airport to Alicante's central bus station and the C6 bus runs about every 20 minutes from opposite the arrivals hall. Buses also go to Murcia and Benidorm and you can find out more at www.subus.es.
  • Taxi - The taxi rank is also in front of the arrivals hall, and the journey by taxi to Alicante takes about 20 minutes. More information can be found by calling 96 525 2511.

Accommodation


Hotels and accommodation in Spain can range from affordable to luxurious, depending on your budget. The hotel rates can range from €50 to €1000 based on the choice of travelers who visit Spain. These hotels offer great views and facilities for indulging in the rich culture of Spain and its wonderful sights. I stayed at the Best Western Arosa and it cost me around €57 a night.

Must See Sites in Spain

The Alhambra in Granada is an incredible place for getting a feel of historical Spain. The museums in Barcelona offered some amazing works of art. In Madrid, a visit to the world famous Prado museum should be on every tourist's list of things to see in Spain.

The mountains of Andalucía are a legendary tourist spot where you could experience fabulous vistas and views. It is a good choice for a sunny holiday in Spain. These are just a few samples of the wonderful sights and attractions that can be found in Spain.

Myself by the Courtyard of Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain
Myself by the Courtyard of Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain | Source
Woodworks inside Alhambra Palace, Spain
Woodworks inside Alhambra Palace, Spain | Source

Andalucia

The mountains of Andalucía are a legendary tourist spot where you could experience fabulous vistas and views. It is a good choice for a sunny holiday in Spain. These are just a few samples of the wonderful sights and attractions that can be found in Spain.

Andalucía is vast province and in addition to these cities it has many small villages and towns. Few of them have been filmed in movies as well as for TV. Cabo de Gata has beaches that have scuba diving spots as well. For a desert experience you may visit Almera desert.

Inside Iglesia de Santa Maria Carmona in Andalucia, Spain
Inside Iglesia de Santa Maria Carmona in Andalucia, Spain | Source
Puebla de Don Fadrique in Andalucia, Spain
Puebla de Don Fadrique in Andalucia, Spain | Source

Fiestas in Spain

The fun we experienced in visiting Spain involved experiencing aspects of its culture, especially Spanish dances and the native cuisine. The Flamenco, both the dance and the songs, is world renowned and many restaurants offer this entertainment to go along with the exotic food collection. It should be noted that Spanish cuisine has distinct characteristics depending on the region.

Another of the major attractions for a holiday in Spain is the Bullfighting Spanish fiesta. This is a traditional ritual in Pamplona with the top matadors and tourists enjoying the skill and techniques used by them.

The streets of Spain were full of pedestrians and lined with outdoor markets, shops, restaurants and cafes. The Las Ramblas and the Pier in Barcelona are excellent shopping spots.

Spain has a lot to offer, therefore it is not surprising that it is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. So next time you got travel plans or wondering what to do on your next holiday, why not try visiting and discovering Spain.

2011 Moira G Gallaga©

Major Festivals in Spain

Fallas Fiesta in Valencia, Spain. This is one of the biggest and most spectacular street festivals in Europe. Fallas means 'fire.'
Fallas Fiesta in Valencia, Spain. This is one of the biggest and most spectacular street festivals in Europe. Fallas means 'fire.' | Source
Elche in Agost
Elche in Agost | Source
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Algemesí's Virgin of Salut procession finale, complete with muixerangues, tornejants, policemen & photographers
Algemesí's Virgin of Salut procession finale, complete with muixerangues, tornejants, policemen & photographers | Source
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