Since golf is the passion of so many people in recent years, it is easy to understand why golf properties in the Costa Blanca have become so popular. Combine beautiful weather year round with one of the world’s most popular sports, and you have a winning combination all by itself. Add to that the convenience of flying into the region’s large international airport in Alicante, and the many discount flights available, and golfers can find any excuse to visit their property and play.

Or for the thrill seeker or the more adventurous, take a 40 minute balloon flight in Elche. The trip offers incredible views of the south of the province of Alicante and at the same time provides a secure and suitable flight for the general public. The whole excursion lasts 3 hours, including 40 min flying time. At the end of the flight a picnic is provided and you can celebrate the experience with Cava. The Rio Safari Park in Elche is also the ideal spot to enjoy nature and to watch tigers, lions, camels, monkeys, and hippopotamus. From its trains you can also visit the first farm exhibition with more than 200 crocodiles of all sizes. Rio Safari’s 6000 fully grown palm trees create an unique tropical setting.

A professional team records with a video camera your journey by train and will turn your visit into a great audio-visual souvenir.

Or discover the real Spain and take a Jeep Safari in Benidorm. A complete full day of adventure, action and sensation through the magnificent countryside of the Costa Blanca mountains, valleys, picturesque villages, rivers, jungles and swamps. Drive yourself or let yourself be driven.

Or go back eight hundred years to the Castle of the Count of Alfaz and enjoy a dinner typical of this age. See how the knights fight on foot and horseback to defend their honour and save themselves from the Pit of Terror; a place which you too can visit….if you dare! End you night in the great disco “The Torture Chamber”.

Travelling on the Limon Express is a pleasant excursion, along the Costa Blanca. You can admire Altea, Teulada and other natural places you can’t otherwise reach. The old tourist trains stops in Gata de Gorgos where passengers visit a guitar factory and are shown typical handicraft. On the way back, going South, passengers can enjoy the wonderful west Mediterranean landscape from the heights of this coast whilst sparkling wine is served.

Algar Waterfalls is a beauty spot that is run with the visitor’s participation in conservation and development of “Fonts de l’Agar and its surrounding area. Visit the riverside, a walk along the paths and bathing in its various pools and waterfalls. Don’t forget your swimsuits! With a First Aid post, Camping for one day with WC and showers, reception centre and parking.

Algar Waterfalls is situated 35 Kms from Calpe and Benidorm on the road to Callosa. Combine a visit with a visit to Guadalest.

Guadalest is a beautiful town in the hills with spectacular views. There are several museums, including a Museum of torture and the unique Antonio Marco Museum where you can see miniatures of many things too small to see with the human eye. Visit the old fortified monastery.

Now perhaps you can understand why the Costa Blanca is more than just a holiday resort and why more and more people choose to come, not only to visit but to stay and make it their home.
The Costa Blanca is a star in the sky that just gets brighter.

As a major financial center, it hosts the head offices of many major Spanish companies and is also the headquarters of three of the world’s largest companies- the Telefonica, Repsol-YPF and Endesa. Madrid is full of edifices of cultural importance. It is a vast city dotted with interesting structures which speak of history and culture. Besides the Royal Palace it has the Royal Theatre (Teatro Real) with its 1850 Opera House, the Buen Retiro Park which was founded in 1631, the imposing 19th century National Library which has some rare historical archives, Museums and many other such places.

Madrid is full of open green places, parks, and gardens. The most popular park is the Parque del Retiro which has a large lake in the center. This park was formerly the ground of the palace and the lake used to stage mini naval battles to amuse the royalty. These days, boating is popular here. Tourists enjoy this tranquil pastime and this park is on the must-see of any tourist’s itinerary. A memorial to commemorate the 191 victims of the March 11, 2004 Madrid attacks has been constructed here.

Bull fighting, the popular sport and pastime of Spaniards, is held at Plaza de Toros, in Las Ventas, the largest bullring in Spain. It is considered the world center of bull fighting and can seat 25,000 people. The bull-fighting season begins in March and continues till the middle of June. Every Sunday and public holiday also sees bull fighting. Tourists flock to this place to watch bull-fighting tournaments which can be quite gory at times. There are music concerts and other events also held here.

Madrid is 607 square kms in size and has about 3.2 million people. Madrid and its surrounding areas have a temperate Mediterranean climate with cool winters when temperatures may drop below 0 degrees centigrade. There are a couple of snowfalls every year in winter. In summer the temperature can reach 40 degrees centigrade. Madrid is situated at a high altitude and has a dry climate. Hence the nights are cooler even in summer. Madrid is said to have nine months of winter and three months of hell.

Atocha railway station in Madrid is the city’s first and most central station which has a distinctive indoor garden with 4000 sq meters of tropical plants and is visited by plant lovers. It has more than five hundred species of plant life and ponds with turtles and goldfish. The station receives high-speed AVE trains from Cordoba, Seville and other places.

It was sometime in the fourteenth century that King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella conquered Spain, defeating the Moors, the Arabs and the Jews after a long battle and it then became a Christian country. With Vasco da Gama discovering the Americas, Spain became a global country, having several colonies all over the world.

Spain is a country on the south west of Europe. Portugal is adjacent to it while France is towards its north. Thus Spain basically has a mixed culture. It is Iberian in origin, but has strong Arabic, Muslim and Christian flavors. The ancient Roman influence is also quite strong. Spanish language has heavily borrowed Arabic terms and words. The Spanish monuments are liberally influenced by the various kings and their kingdoms, various religions and various people who ruled and lived in Spain over the centuries.

Basically it was the Romans who lived in Spain. Some of the southern cities still retain Roman edifices and architecture. Then the Arabs, and Jews, the Moors and the Christians came bringing with them their ideas of beauty, culture and habits. Spain is a highly industrialized and very well developed country. The people are mostly urban and upper middle class. Though they have a modern look and thinking, they also retain some earlier customs and beliefs which have been ingrained in them.

Each wave of people who came into Hispania or Spain gave it their touch. Spain is thus a cauldron of beautiful cultures, edifices excellent architectural marvels and beautiful palaces, cathedrals and mosques. Some of the Spanish architectural wonders are earmarked as heritage edifices and World Heritage monuments. The majority of Spanish people are Catholics with the minority being non religious. They are fun loving but also hardworking people.

One of the biggest pastimes is the concept of siesta, a couple of hours rest in the afternoons, post meals. Probably the weather has something to do with it. Spain has generally a Mediterranean weather. Singing is a specialty and Spanish songs are vibrant and beautiful. The flamenco dancers’ dance in colorful dresses and the music and dance of Spain are famous and very popular. No tourist or visitor of Spain can go back without seeing a flamenco dance and song, eating special Spanish dishes and tasting their wines. Bullfighting and football are their national sports. Watching bullfighting is a different experience.

Education is compulsory and free for all children. Spain is a constitutional monarchy but is also democratic. It is part of the European Union and shares a common Schengen visa along with several other European countries. Euro is the common European currency also in use in Spain.

Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada in the autonomous region of Andalausia in Spain. It lies at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at the confluence of three rivers, Beiro, Darro and Genil at a height of 738 meters above sea level. The most famous and brilliant jewel of universal architecture is the Alhambra, a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th century. It is a famous item of the Muslim, Jewish and Christian historical legacy which makes it a great tourist attraction. It stands at the foot of Spain’s highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada and overlooks the fertile plains of Granada. At the center is the massive palace of Charles V, which is an outstanding example of Renaissance architecture. About eight thousand people visit the Alhambra every day.

Albaicin is an old Moorish casbah which faces the Alhambra. It is a labyrinth of narrow streets and whitewashed houses with secluded inner gardens. Granada had a large gypsy population. They came about 600 years ago and congregated in the caves of Sacromonte. Arabic was the mother tongue of the majority of the population at one time. The capture of Muslim Granada by Ferdinand and Isabella’s forces is a very significant event in Granada’s history. Under the term of the Treaty of surrender the Muslim inhabitants could continue unmolested in their faith and customs.

In 1501, however, the Castilian Crown revoked the Treaty and demanded that Granada’s Muslims convert or emigrate. The majority of the city’s Muslims converted to Christianity (and were called Moriscos, Catholics of Moorish descent) while many immigrated to North Africa. More people from other parts came to Granada and the city’s mosques were converted for Christian uses. Cathedrals were constructed and the character of Granada became Christian. Spain’s Jewish population was also expelled. The fall of Granada ended the eight hundred year long Islamic rule. Spain then unified under Queen Isabella and started on its expansion round the globe. Christopher Columbus discovered America leading to the creation of the Spanish empire, one of the largest empires of the world at that time.

Granada has high mountains and also beaches, hence it is possible to go skiing as well as sunbathe on the beach in a single day. Granada is a student city as there are large numbers of students coming here to study. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit Granada. There is little rainfall here. The image of a typical Spaniard in Granada is a dark haired fiery gypsy woman dancing flamenco with a red rose between her teeth with some bull fighting in the background.

How to go to Spain
If you are keen to see the famous bullfights, dances, and flamenco music of Spain then do not hesitate to make Spain your next holiday destination. You can travel to Spain by road from any European country, by air to Madrid or Barcelona or take a cruise from the Mediterranean Sea. A common visa called the Schengen visa is necessary to enter Spain and this can be obtained from any European Embassy. The common Euro currency is applicable and there is not much of a problem booking tours or getting hotel accommodation. These can be done through a reliable travel agent or through the Internet. Guides are also available who can talk in English, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.

History
Spain is a constitutional monarchy organized as a parliamentary democracy and is the eighth largest economy in the world. Spain is a melting pot of several civilizations as it is situated between Europe and Africa and has a long history. Christians, Muslims and Protestants have ruled the country while the English, French and Italians have fought with it. Great travelers like Christopher Columbus led Spanish people to the New World (Americas), and Spain has had many colonies. Spain announced its return to the world stage by hosting the Olympic Games at Barcelona in 1992 and Seville hosting the Expo 92. Madrid, its capital has been declared the European Cultural Capital.

Specialties of Spain
The Alhambra at Granada is a great accomplishment of Islamic art and culture while Seville’s immense cathedral is featured in the Guinness Book of Records. Tourism is one of Spain’s main businesses and is the second biggest in the world. Buses and coaches have definite routes, hotels, and shopping places, and tourists are given enough time to eat and sight see. The weather is varied but the best time to visit is from May to October when it is pleasant and comfortable. The famous and popular Spanish bullfight takes place on Sundays from March to October. The Spanish gypsy dances are colorful and lovely. A specialty is the use of castanets (small hand instruments), which make a unique click clacking sound which keeps in tune with the music and the dance.

Economy
According to the World Bank, Spain’s economy is the ninth largest worldwide and the fifth largest in Europe. In 2007 the absolute GDP was valued at $1.362 trillion. The per capita income is estimated at $33,000, placing Spain at par with France and Japan. The Spanish economy grew 3.8% in 2007 outpacing all the G7 members and all the big EU economies for the third consecutive year. This dynamic economy has attracted significant amounts of foreign investments. The Spanish peseta was replaced by the euro on January 1, 2002.

Education is compulsory and free for Spaniards. The food is mostly a large variety of seafood.
Important cities of Spain, which are worth visiting, are Madrid, Barcelona, Granada and Seville. Most Spaniards are Roman Catholics.

Though the origin of bullfighting was in ancient Rome, the sport was developed by the Moors from North Africa who were in charge of Andalusia in AD 711. It became a ritualistic occasion taking place on feast days when the conquering Moors confronted and killed bulls mounted on trained horses. Today bullfighting is big business and tourist attraction where the top matadors earn salaries for bullfighting which are comparable to the nation’s top soccer stars and rock idols.

In east Madrid, La Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas built in 1929 has the biggest bullring in the world with a capacity of 25,000 people. The first bullfight was held here in 1931. Tourists to Spain have always made it a must-see on their list and they are not disappointed. There are bullfights held here on every Sunday from March to October and on festival days. Bullfights are also held in many other parts of Spain, like in Seville.

As the sport of bullfighting developed, men on foot helped the men on horses by their exquisite and intricate capework. Six bulls killed by three matadors are the usual requirements for one afternoon’s corrida and each encounter takes place for fifteen minutes. Generally at 5 p.m the three matadors and their assistants, the banderilleros and the picadors march into the ring to the accompaniment of the march rhythm called the paso doble. The matadors, who are the main heroes, wear distinctive costumes made of heavily embroidered silk jackets, skin tight trousers and a montera (a bicorne hat). This set can cost several thousand pounds and a top matador has at least six such suits in a season.

When the bull comes out of the gate into the arena, the matador greets it with a series of maneuvers of the large cape. The nearer he is to the horns of the bull the louder is the applause from the audience. The applause also depends on his gracefulness in swinging the cape, and his tranquility in the face of such danger. The infuriated bull can be all of 460 kgs (1000 lbs). The bull charges at the cape and the matador has to be nimble enough and quick with his reflexes to move aside while still waving the cape.

These bulls are not starved or tortured to make them savage. It is their natural instinct and special breeding for bullfighting which makes them charge furiously. They are generally between three and four years old and quite different from the normal bulls. Picadors carrying lances and mounted on horses and banderillos working on foot take the bullfight ahead. They place the banderillas which are brightly adorned barbed sticks in the bull’s shoulders making the bull lower its head for the fight. It charges realizing that the person behind the cape is its enemy and most gorings take place at this time. Meanwhile the trumpets and the bands do their work accompanied by the cheering and the claps from the audience.

Most matadors come from bullfighting families and learn the art from childhood. There is a lot of personal danger but they know the art of gracefully fighting, it almost looks like ballet passes. There is a tussle between man and animal keenly watched by the crowd. The final kill is when the blade of the sword goes between the shoulder blades of the bull aimed at the aorta region. This requires a lot of skill, discipline, training and courage as the kill is done by the matador as he hurtles over the horns.
The best bullfights are in the months of May and June when San Isidro, the word’s most famous bullfighting festival takes place and the fights are there every day for three weeks. Several bullfighters have died during bullfighting. Manuel Rodriques Sanchez, affectionately called Manolete is the most famous. He was an expert who participated in hundreds of bullfight but died in the ring on August 28, 1947 and the Museum of Bullfighting in Cordoba is dedicated to him. There were 10,500 people who had come to watch him that day and the whole of Spain was shell shocked when he died.

Barcelona was founded as a Roman city and it became the capital of the Counts of Barcelona and the Crown of Aragon. It was besieged several times in history and hence has an interesting history and culture. It is a major tourist attraction for its rich cultural heritage and sports. UNESCO World Heritage sites are the architectural works of Antoni Gaudi and Lluis Domenexh I Montaner. There are two legends of the founding of Barcelona. One says that Hercules founded it four hundred years before Rome was built and that Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal rebuilt the city and named it after his family in the 3rd century. The second legend says that the city was founded by Hamilcar Barca.

Around 15 BC, the Romans transformed the town into a military camp (castrum) with its center on a little hill called the Mons Taber where the city hall now stands. Barcelona grew in wealth and was favored for its beautiful surroundings and its excellent harbor. This small city used to mint its own coins and some from the Galba era still exist.

There are some important Roman ruins which attract people from all over the world. Cathedrals and museums are added major attractions. The Counts of Barcelona became independent and expanded their territory to include all of Catalonia. In the thirteenth century even areas in Naples, Athens and Sicily came under its territory. The forging of a dynastic link between the Crowns of Aragon and Castile is said to have started the decline of Barcelona. Today it houses the seat of the Catalan government which is known as the Generalitat de Catalunya and has the executive branch and the parliament.

Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate where the winters are mild and humid, and the summers are warm and dry. The coldest months are January and February where the temperature may be around 10 degrees centigrade. Snowfall is rare. In July and August the temperature is around 30 degrees centigrade with the highest recorded being 38. 6 C.

Barcelona has 68 municipal parks divided into 12 historic ones, five thematic (botanical) and 6 forest parks. The parks cover about ten per cent of the city. It has seven beaches with 4.5 kms of coastline. The most frequented and well known beaches are Sant Sebastia and Barceloneta which are 1,100 meters in length and are the largest and oldest beaches in Barcelona. Barcelona is a bilingual city where Spanish and Catalona are both official languages spoken by vast numbers of people. The cultural roots go back to 2000 years.

The Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network have designated Barcelona as a world-class city. Live music and theatre are added attractions of Barcelona. World famous Gran Teatre del Liceu Open theatre, the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, the Teatre Lliure and the Palau de la Musica Catalona concert hall are all here. The Sonar Music festival is held every year in June and is well attended. Its music scene is also popular. The Pinker Tones group has even received international attention. Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympics and several matches from the 1982 Football World Cup. It has also hosted the X FINA World Championships and twice of the Eurobasket.

Shopping in Barcelona is fun and is considered to be the best in Spain. Designer clothing, artisan workshops and extensive galleries are specialties of Barcelona.

Red clay might have been used and it was whitewashed at one time but now it is reddish in colour. It has been in existence from the 9th century. Though started by a Muslim, Alhambra became a Christian court in 1492 when Ferdinand and Isabella, Catholic monarchs conquered Granada. Later military garrisons and monasteries were added to Alhambra. In 1870 Alhambra was declared a national monument and tourists began to flock to see it. It is now protected, restored, cared for and even improved for the pleasure and admiration of all those who come here.

The Alcazaba is the oldest part of the Alhambra and has solid towers from where the panorama extends towards unlimited horizons. There are lovely gardens at the entrance. La Casa Real is the palace which is made up of several palace groups with courts and structures. The Alhambra has three divisions usually found in Moslem palaces. The Chamber of Lions is a spectacular place which illustrates the most beautiful possibilities of Granada Moslem art. It is original and a harmonious combination of the east and the west. Twelve marble lions and twelve sided marble fountain, double columns and 124 palm trees have together formed a beautiful piece of art. There are many such beautiful places in the Alhambra which attracts tourists.

The terrace or plateau of the Alhambra measures about 740 meters (2430 feet) in length and 205 meters (674 feet) and covers a large area. It mixes natural elements with man-made ones and is a testament to the skill of Muslim craftsmen of those times. The basic theme was ‘Paradise on earth’ and all the Muslim and Christian rulers who added palaces and rooms to the Alhambra kept them in mind. Column arcades, fountains with running water, and reflecting pools were used to add to the aesthetic and functional complexity. Blue, red and golden colours were also used.

The Hall of the Ambassadors is the largest in the Alhambra and is a square room. It was a grand reception room and the throne of the sultan is placed opposite the entrance. It was here that Christopher Columbus received Isabel and Ferdinand’s support to sail to the new world. The court of the Lions is an oblong court. There are many other halls like the Sala de los Abencerrajes, Sala de las dos Hermananas. Sala de la Justica, Peinador de la Reina and others.
There are elaborate bathrooms, bedrooms and summer rooms, whispering galleries and labyrinths.

The vase of Alhambra, a beautiful piece of Moorish art dating 1320, represents the original furniture of the palace. It is 1.3 meters in height and is coloured blue, white and gold.

The Seville spring fair begins normally two weeks after Easter after the Semana santa festival. Thousands of tents dot the area where thousands of people in colorful dresses enjoy themselves. It is held for two weeks, each week’s festivities beginning on a Tuesday midnight and going up to the following Sunday. It begins with a parade of elites of Seville coming in carriages making their way to the bull ring. The fair is held in the fairgrounds on the banks of the river Guadalquiver and has hundreds and thousands of tents made by well known people. There is feasting and merry making in the streets till late evening and then up to the early hours of the morning in the tents.
The Seville fair has become very popular. Men dressed in traditional dresses and women in colorful flamenco dresses arrive in all their finery.

La Feria de Savilla has become more colorful since 1973. Horse carriages go up and down the street during the fair and colorful paper decorations on the streets give it a festive look. People dressed in their best finery, eat and drink and make merry. There is a lot of food for the visitors to taste and relish. Spanish delights, mouthwatering sweets and different kinds of Sherries and wines are plenty. The April fair begins with the lighting ceremony where thousands of lamps are lit. The whole area is a replica of Seville and looks like a fairyland. People are very friendly and invite even total strangers to join in the festivities. Fried fish and wine or sherry is taken to cool in the hot days as it is normally quite warm in April. Families take their children for treats and to have some joy rides. It is a happy occasion for families and friends and even acquaintances and strangers.

The whole crowd makes its way to the bullring for the bullfight, the tradition of Spain. All the important people of Seville and nearby places, all the invitees and the tourists gather in the bullring. They enjoy the bullfights and then continue with the merriment which continues all night. Food, wine, dancing and singing continues as Spanish people like to enjoy themselves.
After the dancing and singing goes on till the wee hours of the morning, the people have cups of hot chocolate with some snacks like churros and then rest for a few hours till the afternoon when again the whole thing is repeated. This goes on for the two weeks and has become a national feast.

Seville was known as Hispalis during Roman times. Many people have been instrumental in its growth and it has a distinct personality with a well-preserved historic center. Seville is more than a thousand years old. In the 5th and the 6th centuries the Vandals and the Visigoths conquered it and it came under the Moors who made it an important center.

The city still retains many Moorish qualities. It remained under Muslim control till 1248 when Fernando III took over it. The city’s development continued with the construction of churches and public buildings. A golden age of development followed with the discovery of the New World (Americas) by the wealth accumulating from trade with the Spanish territories in the New World.

In the 19th and the 20th centuries Seville prospered, its population grew and so did its industrialization. Seville is a beautiful city. The cathedral built on the former site of the mosque is the largest of all medieval and Gothic cathedrals in size and volume. It has a bell tower which is topped with a statue locally known as El Giraldillo. This statue represents faith. The tower has ramps instead of stairs and people can ride to the top. The Alcazar facing the cathedral was developed from the city’s old Moorish palace. The construction, started in 1181and took over 500 years to complete. Its gardens are a blend of Moorish, Christian and Andalusian traditions.

The Town hall was built in the 16th century. The University of Seville is housed in the original site of the first tobacco factory of Europe. Seville has a lot of parks and gardens which beautify the city. The famous Alcazar gardens which are at the back of the palace are laid out in terraces, and present different types of styles, influences and plants.

Parque Maria Luisa was built in 1929 and is landscaped with attractive monuments and museums.
Seville has a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm summers. August is a warm month with a maximum temperature of 35 degrees centigrade. The lowest temperature recorded in Seville was –5.5 degrees centigrade on February 12, 1956 and the maximum was 46.6 degrees centigrade on July 23, 1995. A heat wave in August 2003 recorded the highest temperature at 47.2 degrees which is the highest ever in Spain and the whole of Europe. There is rainfall from October to April and a few days of frost every year.

Seville organizes the Seville fair in April and there are beautiful processions during the Holy week. Dancing, drinking and socializing are done at the fair. Women wear the traditional elaborate flamenco dresses and men dress in their best suits. Olive trees are plenty and so is the production of olive oil. Seafood and meat, vegetables and sweets form a typical Seville fare.
The flamenco dance which is also called the sevillana dance is a beautiful one with traditional folk songs with it.

Seville has made a very significant contribution to science. It houses the largest DNA Bank in Spain and stores 20,000 DNA samples. Aeronautic industry is also an important industry in Seville. Seville hosted the 1982 World Cup Semi Finals and has held the Tennis Davis Cup in 2004 and the 27th Athletics World Championships in 1999.