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Friday, 30 July 2010
Zaragoza

Situated on the banks of River Ebro, it is one of the major cities of Spain. The city contains historical remains of nearly 2000 years. It has been a centre of cultural activities of the Jews, the Christians, the Romans and the Moors for many thousand years and therefore contains the artistic treasure of these cultures. Tourists from all over the world, especially those who have a love and interest for art are drawn here to witness the rich cultural heritage of this place.

Not only cultural heritage, the city is also a huge centre of modernity. Large number of shopping malls, theatres, beautiful restaurants and hotels can be found here.  

Places of attraction

Nuestra Señora Del Pilar Basilica
It is a baroque church and is named after Virgen del Pilar whose image is housed in a chapel of the church. It is a pre historic structure and was built around the 17th century. It contains many artistic and noteworthy pieces that belong to different periods of time. They represent the different cultures that were once a part of this beautiful structure which is now considered as a national monument.

Aljafería Palace
It is an Arab castle and was built around the 11th century. The castle was also used as a fort. The architecture of this place is brilliant and the paintings, the sculptures and the plastered decorations on the walls and the ceilings are worth noticing. It is presently being used as Parliament headquarters by the Aragonese government.

San Salvador cathedral
It is a cathedral of the 8th century and is also known as The Seo. The cathedral contains many beautiful artistic and historic pieces of different styles like the Renissance, the Gothic and the Mudejar. The site was originally a mosque but a church was built here in the 12th century. The specialty of this church is that it is north facing instead of facing the east which was a tradition of those days. The main reason for this was that Mecca, a centre for Muslim prayers was in the east.

Lonja de Zaragoza
It is also known as the Zaragoza Market. It was built around the 16th century and the main motive behind building this place was to provide a public market for the people and the merchants. Traditionally all the transactions were carried out by the merchants in the churches and cathedrals.

Museums
Caesar Augusta Roman Remains Museum

It is also known as the Museo Del Foro de Caesaraugusta. The museum mainly provides a picture of the Roman culture. The ruins of the houses, market places and other structures provide a brief glimpse of the Roman life of that period.

La Seo Chapterhouse Tapestry Museum

It is a museum mainly consisting of beautiful art work of various cultures. The museum is situated in the La Seo cathedral. The museum is well known for the beautiful collection of historic tapestries.

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Places worth Visiting in Andalucía

Located in the south of Spain, Andalucía is said to attract numerous tourists all the year round. Andalucía has numerous outstanding beaches and the perfect climate to draw in visitors from all around the world. Do you really want to explore the Spanish culture and the rich history of Spain? Places like Granada’s Moorish Monuments Alhambra as well as the Cordoba Mosque are the must visit places in your trip to this country.

If you visit in the months from April to October, you can actively take part in different Spanish Festivals celebrated all over Andalucía. Experience the hospitality of the people of Spain and get an exciting opportunity of practicing golf along with water sports which are in fact the greatest attractions of this region.

Andalucía is considered as the most archetypal region among the Spanish territories. Get to know the various forms of culture and life that can be found in the eight provinces of Andalucía that originated from the rich historical events.
Today’s Andalucía has the remains and marks of the invaders to this region. If historical places interest you, do not forget to visit the city constructed by Romans known as Baetica in the province of Cordoba. The cathedral, the palace of Real Alcazar and La Giralda in Seville are also very popular historical structures.

The Moor invaders left behind them some of the finest architecture known as the La Mezquita in the Cordoba province and the graceful palace called the Moorish Palace of Alhambra in Granada. The palace is about 1,300 years old and the symbol of heritage and classiness stands erect in stone.

Questionably, Spain's busiest beaches are situated in Andalucía inside the Costa del Sol. It is considered as the most contentious peculiarity of Europe. Enjoy the most exclusive hotels each offering fun packed packages to make your tour with your family most memorable and lively.

Along the Andalucía coast, get to see the historic port of Cadiz, which is considered as the oldest port of Europe and still preserves an aura of mystery.

Yet another attraction of Andalucia is Ronda, the white village of the area. Scattered throughout the region, Ronda is constructed on a colossal rock tablet and ripped into two parts by Tajo Gorge.

The Parque Nacional del Cote Donana is the world’s largest wetland reserve for Wildlife situated in Andalucia. The region is home to Sierra Nevada, the highest mountain range of Spain and the second highest mountain range of Europe after the Alps. The mountain range is popular for skiing activities and offers the country’s best skiing resorts in the south.

Visit the wonderland of Andalucia as there are lots of things to do and various attractive places to visit to make your trip a memorable one.

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Valencia

Valencia is placed in the Valencia province, and moreover it one of the largest cities of Spain. It was founded in 137 BC. However, today it is recognized by round rice, tapas bars and trapezoidal architecture.

City in the Future

The first impression of Valencia is that it is the city in the future due to its extraordinary architecture. It’s Center of Arts and Science, hidden in a former riverbed Turia, is more than science fiction monument. Furthermore, multifunctional complex architecture of Palau de les Arts depicts the silhouette of the fish.

This magnificent building will take your breath away. Moreover, it includes the biggest aquarium in Europe. The Valencia Aquarium is excellent choice for family trip. It also offers amazing underwater tubes, so you can have the great experience of the sea life.  On the other hand, it has the shape of the huge jellyfish.

Near and distant past

Valencia’s large square Ajuntamijento is the place, where the future and past meets. It is decorated in the establishment of Futurism, and the central station, whose motives are made in Valencia’s stone discover the richness of the soil. Moreover, there is a stunning rococo facade of the National Museum of Ceramics, whose series make shadow over nearby pastry shop windows decorated with marble. It should be said that the architects had incredible inspiration. On the other hand, there are magnificent signs of the past which constantly attract attention.

There is a huge Gothic cathedral with the bell tower, which lets the light through the stone "lace."

General culture

Valencia is more than a cultural park. In its rich offer it includes opera, planetarium, aquarium and a museum of science. However, Valencia is a place where you can find first-order institutions such as the Museum of Fine Arts, the National Ceramics Museum and the Museum of Modern Art, whose restaurant, La Sucursal, offers a modern variant of the legendary Spanish pie pumpkin (arnadi).


Excellent restaurants’!

Restaurant such as La Sucursal, Submarine or El Alto de Colón managed to attract fans of paella with rabbit and discover the secrets of their avant-garde cuisine. Many famous people from the city make reservations for these restaurants.
 

Paella-Spain in your Plate

The specialty of Valencia is round rice. It comes from the rice fields of Albufera, which were made by Arabs in the distant past. However, in the vicinity of El Palmar, just fifteen minutes from the historical center of Valencia Kaska Antigua, you can try the best paella in the country. Paella is gathering the best products of Spain.

Therefore, paella combines the products from the shore (fish and seafood) that perfectly agree with those from the continental parts (beans, beets, chicken, rabbit, snails, frog legs). Moreover, the local recipes include ingredients such as fat eel, saffron, and fabulous mountain snails (called baqueta, which can be purchased at the Central market).


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Posted by justinntaylor at 2:44 AM EDT
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Valencia – Beauty At Its Best!

Valencia is one of the largest and most beautiful cities of Spain. It successfully combines beauty of old buildings with new buildings in the avant-garde style that marked the beginning of a new millennium.
Thanks to its rich history and presence of different cultures, Valencia has become not only the administrative center of the region, but it is also one of the most important cities in Spain, both on the cultural and economic levels.

Coastline

The region of Valencia also attracts tourists due to its diversity of landscapes, favorable climate and well-equipped sports facilities. The coastline is 466 km long with 38 ports and docks for excursion boats and yachts. Furthermore, these attractions enable visitors to take maximum advantage of staying at sea. Above all, this area is ideal for swimming, water skiing, sailing, fishing, surfing, diving etc. People who prefer the excitement and adventure can enjoy in hiking, biking, horseback riding, piloting, rafting and much more.

Beaches

Valencia’s beautiful beaches reach the center of town that is surrounded by greenery and orchards. The city has three beaches Playa Las Arenas, Playa de Malvarossa and Playa de Patacona. Besides these Valencia’s city beaches there are stunning beaches that are just few kilometers from the city. Furthermore, Playa de El Saler received a blue flag for its exceptional look.

Fairs

Valencia is a dynamic and prosperous city whose commercial tradition reflects on international trading. Feria Internacional Muestrario is the International Fair which attracts business people from different economic sectors and provides an ideal opportunity for marketing and distributing products. Valencia supports all businessmen people with comfortable accommodation in many hotels in the surrounding area Furthermore, there are available and very well-organized services that provide support for business meetings of all types.

Museums

In the museums of Valencia you can find artworks from the earliest times to the contemporary works. Some of them also offer rich archaeological collections. Particularly interesting museums are The Fine Arts Museum, The National Ceramics Museum, Valencia’s Institute of Modern Art, Bullfighting Museum and traditional Fallas Museum. However, the most popular is the Museum of Arts and Science with great aquarium.

Central market

Central market or Mercado Central is one of the most beautiful halls in Spain. Its stained glasses and mosaics can compete with the finest Gothic cathedrals. It is placed near La Lonja.  There you can find different goods from all over Spain. Potatoes, forest tea, thyme from the popular end of La Karaska, peppers, roasted pumpkin, and almonds are aligned with snails, Bellota ham, spices and jars with sweet.

 

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Toledo

About Toledo

Toledo is the capital city of Toledo Province. It has been on UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites since 1987. Toledo is a real jewel in the Spanish Crown. If you are in Madrid, then Toledo is a must place for a day trip since it is only seventy kilometers away from Madrid. Toledo is primarily rich in history. It is also called as Holy City, the imperial city, the city of three cultures etc. However, the list with their names is long and all names reflect the cultural wealth of this place.

Toledo was always the city of great importance, mainly due to an extremely strategic position.

Landscapes

Landscape is dominated by Alcazar, first quadrangular fortress with towers on each corner, and grand Cathedral, which is especially beautiful at night, due to the excellent lighting. Furthermore, this is the second largest cathedral in Spain, immediately after the one in Seville. There you can find works of some major Spanish artists such as Goya and El Greco created many dark and mysterious works, which are adding an extra dose of mystique to this city.
On the entrance of the city you will be welcomed by old stone houses, towers, churches, mosques, synagogues, which cannot leave you indifferent. However, you will soon notice Puerta Nueva de Bisagra or the New Bisagra Gate, which was built by the Moors. This present look is from the 16th century, when Spanish renovated it. This marvelous gate looks like a little castle.

Influences

When you stroll down the narrow streets of Toledo, you can really feel the spirit of ancient times and mystique of the holy city.
The name of the city is due to the fact that it was conquered and settled three cultures, Christian, Muslim (Moors) and Jews. All religions lived in peace alongside each other, which led you to see the combination of Renaissance churches, synagogues and mosques. The Arabs made a great impact on science, not only on Toledo but also on entire Europe. Furthermore, Moorish writings were found in the city’s library. Above all, many people believed that the scripts were lost. These magnificent scripts had traces of great Greek philosophers and Arab scholars.

History

Toledo dates from the Bronze Age. It was a Roman province, so today you can find many Roman’s remains in the city. From the eight century, Toledo was conquered by the Moors.
After 11th century, Toledo fell into the hands of the king of Castile. After the union with Aragon, Toledo became the capital city of Castile province. The city enjoyed this status until the 1565, when Madrid became the capital of Spai.

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Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Places of interest in Spain - Costa del Azahar

Spain is blessed with long coast of more than 220 kms long. This entire stretch of beach has stunningly beautiful environment. You can be sure that when you visit this beach you will certainly fall in love with it. This Orange Blossom Coast which is called as Costa del Azahar in Spanish language is a part of the Castellon province.

This golden colored beach gets visitors throughout the year. It is said that since the recent past the number of visitors to this beach has been on the increase which is a clear indication of how popular this beach is. Most of the tourists are of the opinion that Costa del Azahar is an un-spoilt beach. Apart from the beach, there are other places which would be of interest for the visitor.

Towns in the neighborhood:

Morella, Sagunt, Peníscola, Cullera, Castellón de la Plana, Benicassim, Valencia and Vinarosa are the towns which are within t a reasonable distance from Costa del Azahar. Peniscola for example is one of the oldest cities believed to have been found by Moors. This town is called as the ‘Gibraltar of Valencia’. It has beautiful fort built by Moors, a tall light house elegantly built, the Castle of Peniscola are some of the most popular places of visit in Peniscola.

A special mention has to be made of the Castle of Peniscola. This is one of the most beautiful castles of Europe. Many of the Hollywood movies have been filmed in this castle. According to historians Pope Luna (Benedict XIII) lived in this castle. The place is believed to have been built on a fort built by Moors. Interestingly, all the neighborhood towns of Costa del Azahar have beaches.

The village nearby:

Costa del Azahar has the tall mountain which runs across the beach. This mountain is the most ideal place for trekking, mountain biking and many other adventure sports. The village on the mountain is stunningly beautiful with picturesque nature around and a pleasant weather, the narrow streets, whitewashed buildings etc. In short, this is the most ideal place for those tourists who want to spend their holidays in the midst of nature.

Where to stay?

Although the beach is becoming more and more popular since the past few years, yet it is not so crowded. To ensure comfortable stay, there are many villas and apartment in the entire stretch of the coast with reasonable rentals. There are plenty of bars and Restaurants around the coast.

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Posted by justinntaylor at 12:42 AM EDT
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Places of interest in Spain – Benalmadena

This upcoming tourist town Benalmadena is a part of the Malaga Province. Known for its natural beauty and a determined administration which has harnessed the natural beauty to transform the entire city to a beautiful tourist spot has become a successful venture. Now, Benalmadena is one of the preferred place in the tourist map of Europe.

The beach:
This is one of the most attractive beaches of Malaga. Actually this beach is called Benamadena Costa. The tall mountain just opposite the beach and vast white sand in between with vast stretch of lush green vegetation downhill has actually enhanced the beauty of the beach. The perfectly maintained beach with variety of water sports for people of all ages has made the beach the preferred destination of tourists. The bars and restaurants which are dotted along the entire beach serve the most delicious traditional food of Benalmadena and of course with renowned brand of Spanish wine.

The Mountain:
The village of Benalmadena is located on this mountain facing the sea. The narrow streets of the village with whitewashed houses present a spectacular view. The village also has some buildings which have historical importance. Needless to say that from the top of the mountain the view of the sea and of the places around is something beyond explanation.

The Buddhist temple:
One of the biggest idols (stupa) of Buddha in the world measuring about 33 meters has been installed in Benalmadena. The temple is luxuriously decorated. The temple has a museum which gives a glimpse of the Buddhist philosophy, culture and also the paintings of the great Himalayan Mountain. This temple receives visitors throughout the year.

Castillo de Colomares:
This castle is an outstanding example which speaks of the architectural excellence which people had achieved centuries ago. This most beautiful building receives applause of every visitor. The wall garden called as Jardines del Muro has enhanced the beauty of the building. From the top of this castle one can have the panoramic view of the mountain, the sea and the places around.

The open air auditorium:
This is actually a part of the Paloma Park known for its collection of some of the rare species of plants. The well laid out landscape, vide walking path, fountains etc has made this park one of the most popular parks in the vicinity. The open air auditorium hosts cultural activities which are held regularly. Enough space has been provided for the children to play.

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Posted by justinntaylor at 12:35 AM EDT
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Places of attraction in Valencia

One of the most appealing cities of Spain for its rich historical culture and strong modernity, Valencia has been attracting tourists from all over the world. The history of this city goes back thousands of years and cultural evidence of as far as 138 B.C. can be seen here. The city is known for the large number of festivals held here throughout the year and is also famous for its sea ports and beaches. The city presents a beautiful mix of culture with modernity.

Cathedral de Valencia

It is a historical cathedral with beautiful architecture. The building reflects the artistic and architectural brilliance of several cultures like the Romans, the Moors and the Christians. A visit to this place takes us into a new world where we can see and experience the magnificence of the Valencian past.

Nova Tabarca

It is an island near the coast of Valencia. Initially the island was inhabited by the pirates but in the 18th century, it was used as a home for people taking refuge from Italy by King Carlos III. A fort, a church of baroque style and a tower also came into existence during this period and the remains of these structures can still be seen here today.

Turia

Turia is a river and the three tower bridges built on this river are worth noticing. These bridges came into existence in the 15th century and were named as the Puente De la Trinidad, the Puente De Serranos and the Puente Del Real.
Another piece of attraction here is a museum called the Valenciano de Arte Moderno which contains specimens of modern art. The museum has been built on the dried river bed of Turia.

La Lonja

This place consists of some of the most beautiful monuments of Valencia.

Palacio de la Generalidad is a beautiful palace with eye catching architecture. The palace is being currently used by the government. The offices of Valencia Parliament are situated here.

Marquis de Dos Aguas is another palace and the beauty of this place reflects the artistic skills of rococo era.

Museum

Valencia Institute of Modern Art is an art museum and contains collection of 20th century art works. Other than this, there are ruins of medieval city walls that can be seen in the underground of the museum.

El Miguelete Tower

It is a Gothic tower and was constructed in 1381. It is built near a cathedral and offers a spectacular view of Valencia from the top.

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Posted by justinntaylor at 12:32 AM EDT
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Granada

Andalusia

Andalusia is one of the architecturally and historically most beautiful and most interesting of parts of Europe. Moreover, Granada is a city of beauty and contrast. “Who did not see Granada, did not see anything," says proverb. Andalusia is the southern province of Spain. It is land of bullfights, flamenco, guitars, Moorish buildings and olive groves.

For people from northern Europe, Andalusia is Costa del Sol or Sunshine Coast. They see it as place packed with tanned tourists from Britain, Scandinavia, and Germany. However, this is only partially correct. Andalusia is all that, but it is also and much more than that.

Andalusia is not only attractive because of its southern region. Hundred kilometers away from attractive beach hotels are old towns such as Granada, Cordoba, Malaga, and Seville. These cities are an inevitable part of world cultural heritage. During the summer, there are many tourists, who are exploring these magnificent places.

History

 After the fall of the Roman Empire and the early medieval Germanic states (Visigoths, Alana, Sveva, Vandals), European continent was conquered by the Arabs or Saracens, as they were called then. On the territory of the former state The Moors founded their Caliphate Al-Andaluz with the capital city of Granada.

By the end of XV century, only one city stayed under the Muslims. That was Christian Iberia, as Christians called Granada. Therefore, you can find many Moorish characteristics in ethnic composition of the population, cuisine, customs, music, architecture.

Alhambra

The castle Alhambra is one of Moorish architectural wonders. It is placed on a hill above the town, surrounded by woods and parks. It is built of red stones. Alhambra is standing for centuries in the foothills of Sierra Nevada. When you climb to the Alhambra you can witness an impressive scene with mighty mountains in the background. This trip to the top can be strenuous and arduous.

Therefore, the agile Spanish tourist workers provide great number of buses that drive to the top for several minutes. But if you use a taxi, you will not be able to enjoy in many small shops in the narrow streets that lead up to the top. In those shops you can buy many souvenirs such as T-shirts with the inscription of “Granada” and “Alhambra”, postcards, ceramics etc. However, as you are getting closer to the top the prices are getting higher, as well.

Alhambra is a very complex set of palaces, royal residences, courtyards, palm trees, orchards and lime trees. It presents the Islamic perception of beauty. It is the highest level of Arab art in Europe, and as such is unavoidable destination. After re-occupation of Spain by Catholic kings Fernando and Isabella I, the most famous rulers in the history of the Spanish, this jewel of culture and architecture was neglected for centuries and served mainly as a camp for Gypsies.

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Posted by justinntaylor at 12:27 AM EDT
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OSUNA

Overview
The town Osuna is a municipality in Seville province in southern Spain and it is located in the Andalusia autonomous community and is situated between Malaga and Seville. Its location is on a hill where crossroads between Seville, Granada, Cordoba, and Malaga meet. Its population in the year 2009 was about 18000. One of the famous persons commanded the 1st European ship that arrived at the bay of San Francisco in the state of California was Juan de Ayala.

Osuna was conquered by Julius Caesar during the civil war between Pompey and Caesar.

History

The history of Osuna began with Tartessians, Romans, Turdetians and Moors. In the middle of 15th century there was growth in the fortune of this town. It became popular when the bronze tablets of Roman Urso and others in that period were displayed in the Archeological Museum at Madrid.

The street Calle San Pedro was recognized as the Europe’s second beautiful street by UNESCO and the town was designated as a Historic-Artistic site.

Climate

The average temperatures in a year are as follows.

Maximum – 28 °C in the months of July-August
Minimum – 11 °C in December to February

Art and Culture

This town is a small town in Andalusia and is similar to other towns Écija and Carmona and you will enjoy exploring these towns in the evening at a slow pace. The streets in this town are tiled and the houses whitewashed which are interleaved by the Renaissance mansions. These mansions date back to 16th to 18th centuries. Some of these mansions that are best are situated away from c/Carrera, the main street, c/Carrera.

Palacio de los Marqueses de Gomera was one such mansion that was built in the 18th century and depicts an admirable Baroque style. This at present is a restaurant.

The University in Osuna was called by the name – College-University of the Immaculate Conception in Osuna – and this has been in existence from 1548 to 1824.  In the year 2004 Spain gave this university building the monument status.

Palace of Justice contains rows of Spanish Baroque columns and a backyard and a staircase.  Puente Hermosa palace is situated at the northern direction of Palace of justice and this has a number of pillars twisted and covered by wine leaves and grapes.

In its northern direction you will come across the Church of Santo Tome and Cabildo Colegial palace.

The number of restaurants in Osuna is limited and they all serve cuisines that are regional.

 

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Posted by justinntaylor at 12:26 AM EDT
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