Spain Tours 2011

Posted on Thursday, December 09, 2010

From Barcelona to Seville, Loris Fusco found Spain fascinating. Here she shares her experiences and offers tips and recommendations for those planning to visit this remarkable country.

"My Spanish vacation started with a flight to Barcelona, a vibrant city with an eclectic mix of art and architecture. From there I took the overnight train to Seville then the high-speed train to Madrid, using each city as a home base from which to tour the surrounding area."

"Taking a city tour is a good way to start as it introduces you to the main sights and city layout. After that I like to walk and use local transportation to explore further."

"Day tours are an efficient way to see the highlights of the city as you learn so much from the well informed guides and transportation is included. Guides are particularly good in Europe where there are strict requirements to become a guide and they are extremely well educated."

"Many people like to explore Europe by rail however the infrastructure in Spain is not very extensive. Again an organized tour is a good idea for seeing many local sites of each region of the country on one vacation."

Highlights

• Montserrat: The town of Montserrat was magnificent. You take a cable car, a furnicular and then walk 200 ft. to get to the beautiful monastery with spectacular views. The café here is excellent with great food. There are many hiking trails including one with called stations of the rosary with alcoves dotted along the way with religious symbols and statues.
• Madrid: The beautiful capital of Spain was one of my favourite places. The Prado Museum is one of the finest art galleries in the world. I spent an afternoon there studying the old masters. Dining is excellent in this city and there are many fantastic wine bars. I took a city tour and a delightful horse drawn carriage tour before setting off on my own.
• Barcelona: This center of art and architecture is absolutely delightful; there is so much to see from Miro to Gaudi to Picasso. It is a really lively city and also has great dining and wine bars. The harbour cruise was very enjoyable with so much history and good views of the city. Cirque du Soleil was playing and I caught a performance which was another memorable experience.
• Toldedo: This old university town is a World Heritage sight and really fascinating. It is not far by train from Madrid. I spent a delightful day exploring. Within the city, the Zocotren (a small, Disney-like train) winds through the narrow streets of the Old Town and the surrounding area. It is an efficient way to get around without walking everywhere.
• Seville: The capital of the beautiful region of Andalucia with its white towns set amongst the hills, surrounded by clementine trees. This is the center of Spanish culture where Flamenco flourishes. There are shops dedicated to flamenco products and all the embroidered shawls and fans you could want. The rest of the city is western, cutting edge and trendy. I took a city tour and wandered the streets.
• Gibraltar: I spent a very interesting day in the English colony of Gibraltar. I took a taxi cab tour which was really worthwhile as the driver took us to places we would have missed on our own. We had an excellent visit to the Rock and the Barbery Apes and I was able to have my picture taken holding one! They were very friendly. The fare for the cab tour was very reasonable. It is certainly not always cheaper and better to do it on your own.

Tips

• Food and wine are a bargain in Spain. Out of all the European Union countries, you'll find the best prices here. Wine is plentiful and very good for just 4 to 8 Euros a bottle.
• The Spanish still take time for Siesta in the early afternoon. Be sure to keep this in mind when planning as businesses, shops and museums will close at this time.
• From June to September Spain is more crowded with visitors and it can be very hot. Better to visit in the spring or fall but note that the swimming pool at your hotel may not be in use at these times. I found out when I got there that the pool at my hotel in Madrid was not filled until June 1.
• There are ATM machines everywhere you go in Spain - and Europe for that matter. No need to bring the travelers cheques. You get a better exchange rate and the fees are lower than cashing cheques.
• The high speed train from Madrid to Seville took just 2.5 hours. I recommend this experience when traveling in Europe as it is a unique way to travel with reasonable comfort. Sleeper trains have additional amenities and some compartments have private facilities.
• Downtown Barcelona is easily seen by walking. Driving to sights out of downtown didn't work for me as signage was very poor. It was better to take the train or organized tours to see the surrounding sights.

Written by:  Susan Milne
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Spain Travel: Tapas! Authentic Spanish Cuisine

Posted on Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Tapas are canapes served day in & day out in every bar & cafe in Spain. They can be served cold or warm. You can have them as appetizers, or combine them for a full meal. Popular items for tapas are cheese, omlettes, ham, sausage, meatballs, seafood, veggies & bread.

Tapas is a tradition that is believed to have begun in the 19th century in Andalusia, where single slices of cheese or ham were used to "cover" glasses of sherry to deter flies (Spanish verb Tapar means to cover). After finishing their drink people would eat the ham or cheese. Tapas are so much a part of the culture & social scene in Spain, that they invented the verb tapear which means to go & eat tapas!

Want to experience authentic tapas in Spain? Take a look at our wonderful selection of Spain tours.