The Costa del Sol (Sun Coast) is located in the south of Spain between Costa de la Luz and Costa Tropical. Stretching for more than 90 miles, it includes the city of Malaga and the resorts of Benalmadena, Torremolinos, Marbella, Fuengirola and Nerja.

Costa del Sol

Originally made up of fishing villages, the Costa del Sol became a popular tourist destination back in the 1950′s.

The Costa del Sol has something for everyone, including great hotels, beautiful beaches and clear, calm blue Mediterranean waters, restaurants, bars, nightlife, golf courses, theme parks, waterparks, amusement parks, safari parks, zoos, casinos, flamenco shows, history, culture and architecture.

Places to visit and things to do

The following are just a few of the many attractions and places to visit in the Costa del Sol.

Tivoli World – Benalmadena
For a great day out for all the family, Tivoli World is an amusement park with lots of rides, entertainment and an open-air theatre.

Dolphin Watching – Benalmadena
There are many dolphin watching areas in the resort of Benalmadena which will be enjoyed by the whole family.

Crocodile Park – Torremolinos
The park has over 300 crocodiles which can be safely viewed from a distance of under 2 metres. An African museum, small zoo, small cinema, reptile house, kid’s playground and restaurant are also found at the park.

Marbella Beaches
Marbella not only has great nightclubs but it also has over 17 miles of glorious beaches.

Puerto Banus – Marbella
This is a luxury marina and shopping centre which is also home to a very interesting aquarium where you can see lots of different species of mediterranean sealife. There is also a great market here on Saturdays.

The El Pimpi – Malaga
A visit to the the El Pimpi restaurant is worth visiting, not only for it’s good food (which is reasonably priced) and great wine (make sure you ask for it from the barrell, not from the bottle) but most of all for its wonderful atmosphere and decor.

The Picasso Museum – Malaga
The museum, named after Pablo Picasso who was born in Malaga, houses many of the famous artists works.

Alcazaba – Malaga
This well preserved Moorish fortress in the capital Malaga has a the ruins of a 2nd century roman theatre at its entrance and is well worth a visit.

Gibralfaro Castle – Malaga
Perched on a hill overlooking the Alcazaba, Gibralfaro Castle is a fine example of 14th century architecture.

Golf
With more than 30 golf courses, the Costa del Sol is the perfect location to polish up on your golfing skills.

Climate
The Costa del Sol enjoys dry, hot summers and mild winters. The average temperature in May and June is 22-27C which is probably the best time to visit as temperatures soar to an average of 29C until early October when they drop back to an average of 23C.

No matter what your age, one of the cheap package holidays to Spain will be ideal for all the family.

With it’s mild climate and beautiful sandy beaches, the Costa del Sol is a popular last minute holidays tourist destination choice all the year round.

Peniscola is located in the province of Castello on the Costa del Azahar (Orange Blossom Coast) along the eastern mediterranean coast of Spain. The Costa del Azhar is just to the north of the Costa Blanca.

Often referred to as ‘The Gibraltar of Valencia’, Peniscola is a fortified seaport built on a rocky headland which reaches a height of about 220ft. The town itself is built around a medieval castle which was the location for the film El Cid, starring the late great Charlton Heston.

The ‘old town’ of Peniscola is surrounded by a huge defensive wall with two gateways, the San Pedro Gate and the Fosch Gate. Entry to the old town is by these gateways only. Once in the town you will marvel at the old white-washed houses which line the maze of tiny winding roads.

The modern part of Peniscola is a very popular holiday destination with lots of good hotels, fine beaches, the warm mediterranean sea, a marina and plenty of restaurants and bars.

The main beach here is to the north and is around 3 miles long and about a quarter of a mile wide and has sandy and rocky areas.
There are small beaches (coves) to the south which are popular spots with divers and snorkellers.

Peniscola has a good all year round climate with lots of sunshine and very little rain. The summers here are very long and hot while the winters are extremely mild.

Spending family holidays in Peniscola means that you get ‘the old’ mixed in with ‘the new’ and there is something to keep everyone happy.

Look for great holiday deals to Spain on the internet, you won’t be disappointed.

The Andalusian city of Seville is located in the south of Spain. Here you will find wonderful architecture, museums, beautiful gardens, bullfighting and of course you will be able to hear the famous Flamenco music.

SIGHTSEEING

The main Gothic and Moorish buildings in the old quarter of Seville are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Gothic Cathedral of Seville was built on the site of a former mosque. Some parts of the mosque were reused for the cathedral, including a minaret which was made into the Giralda (bell tower). This bell tower has a statue known as El Giraldillo at its peak which represents faith. The tower did not have any stairs, just ramps, which allowed the Muezzin (Islamic religious official) to ride to the top on horseback. The bell tower offers magnificent views across the city.

Opposite the cathedral is the Alcazar which was once a Moorish Palace. The gardens here are a wonderful traditional mixture of Moorish, Christian and Andalusian design.

The Torre del Oro was built as a defensive watchtower overlooking the river.

The baroque style University of Seville is located on the site of the first tobacco factory in Europe. It is said that this 18th century building was the inspiration for the opera Carmen.

The Plaza de Espana, located in Parque de Maria Luisa, was constructed for the Spanish-American Exhibition in 1929. Built on the outer edge of the park, the Plaza de Espana was a showcase for the countrys industry and technology exhibitions.

The city has many museums including the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville, the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Traditional Arts & Customs in the Parque de Maria Luisa, the Flamenco Art Museum, the Bullfighting Museum, the Maritime Museum, the Army Museum and the Carriages Museum.

Seville has many parks and gardens, too many to mention, among the finest are the beautifully landscaped Parque de Maria Luisa with its many monuments, the terraced Alcazar Gardens, the Gardens of Murillo, the Gardens of Catalina de Ribera and La Isla Magica (Cartuja Island) which is a theme park built on the site of the 1992 Universal Exposition of Seville.

FESTIVALS

The two most important festivals of Seville take place during the spring. These are Semana Santa and Feria de Sevilla.

The towns around Seville hold many festivals including the Day of Inmaculada (December) when the city’s students dress in medieval costumes and perform tradition songs at the statue of the Virgin Inmaculada. The following day the children perform the Danza de los Seises in the cathedral.
In January there is the Procession of the Three Magi who go around on horsedrawn carriages giving sweets and gifts to the children.  

CLIMATE

Seville summers are extremely hot with July being the hottest month with temperatures reaching an average high of 35C and an average low of 19C.
Winters are mild with January being the coldest month with average highs of 16C and average lows of 5C.

For your direct holidays to Spain why not take a look on the internet where you will find loads of bargain holidays on offer.

If you would like more information on Spain please take a look at my Spain Blog where you will find all of my latest articles.

Laredo is located on the Cantabrian Coast, between the River Treto and the Bay of Santona.
 

Laredo

The town is divided into three different areas.
The old village consists of small streets with large stately homes which date from the 16th-18th century. This area was declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1970. Also in this area you will find the gothic parish church of Santa Maria de la Asuncion which is home to a fantastic Flemish reredos.
The second area stretches to Plaza de Carlos V and is the commercial and administrative centre.
The third area stretches between Plaza de Carlos V and El Puntal. Here you will find three avenues which run parallel to each other and are flanked by the town’s two beaches.

La Batalla de Flores

Laredo is well known for its festivals, especially La Batalla de Flores (the battle of the flowers) which takes place on the last Friday of August. During this festival large floats, covered with flowers and petals, parade along the main streets of Laredo. It is tradition for a group of men to parade a large sardine through the town at the end of the festivities. This is called Entierro de la Sardina (burial of the sardine) as the sardine is eventually burned on the sand after a firework display.

Laredo beaches

BEACHES

Regaton
This golden, sandy beach is located at the tidal inlet of Treto and has very calm waters. At the end of the beach, beside the Puntal del Pasaje, there is a marina and a campsite.

Los Barcos
Located at the entrance to the Cape Quejo estuary, Los Barcos beach has golden sands, calm waters and sand dunes. Here you can hire pedaloes and there are four campsites in close proximity to the beach.

La Salve (Laredo Beach)
This sandy beach is ideal for surfing and windsurfing as the waters are less calm than at the other beaches in Laredo. Here you will find a long promenade that goes up to the Puntal del Pasaje where nudism is common place.

Cala de Tunel
This is a gravel beach with moderate waters and gets its name from the pedestrian tunnel that you have to go through to reach it (from Menendez Pelayo Street). Here you will find a nice viewing point offering wonderful views of the Cantabrian Coast.

For a relaxed break to Spain there are many cheap holidays available throughout the internet.

With one of the many last minute holiday deals on offer you can enjoy a really good holiday with the family to the ever popular country of Spain.

For more information on Spain and to view my latest articles please visit my Spain Blog.

Looking for a holiday full of fun, entertainment, nightlife, fantastic beaches and lots lots more?
Then look no further than the Spanish tourist resort of Benidorm. With thousands of cheap holidays on offer throughout the internet, you can’t go wrong.

I have just come across this interesting and informative destination guide to Benidorm which i think will sway you towards visiting this fun-filled Mediterranean coastal destination.

There is plenty to do for the whole family during the day, including the fine sandy beaches with watersports, theme parks, aquaparks and safari parks.
At night the resort bursts into life with it’s many clubs, discos, bars and entertainment venues.

Trevor Butler set up his first ‘travel’ related business in 2004 and has written many other destination articles with tips and information. I have found these articles both interesting and helpful, hope you do too.

The following hotel review was supplied to us by our readers Janet and Chris Haigh

“We booked the Andalucia Plaza for our last minute holidays at the end of May this year. The hotel was only about a 10 minute walk from the beach and a short taxi ride from the town. Some of the rooms are in the process of refurbishment, ours was a nice size and clean. Breakfast had more choice than our evening meals but we still had plenty to eat. The hotel seemed to be popular with hen and stag parties but they were all well behaved, even around the pool where they seemed to be drinking all day!All the staff were friendly and helpful.”

H10 ANDALUCIA PLAZA HOTEL OVERVIEW

Location

The Andalucia Plaza is located just 500m from the resort of Puerto Banus. La Siesta Beach is just 500m away via an underpass under the main road.

Accommodation

390 rooms for up to 3 adults, all with twin beds, folding bed, bathroom, air conditioning, television, minibar, safe and balcony.

Food and Drink

Buffet restaurant, pool bar, ‘Toledo’ bar serving snacks.

Facilities

Swimming pool with free sunbeds & parasols, indoor pool, children’s pool, children’s playground, hairdresser, laundry service, air conditioned public rooms, late check-out rooms available.

Activities

Gym, sauna, Turkish bath, games room, tennis at nearby ‘Club International’, special green fees at 8 local golf courses.

Entertainment

Daily evening entertainment with live music in the ‘Toledo’ bar, free entrance to the Casino of Marbella (located in the main building).

Located in central Spain, 70kms south of Madrid, Toledo is steeped in history and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The city stands on a granite hill surrounded on three sides by the Tagus River.

SIGHTS TO SEE

The Alcazar Fortress
Located in the highest part of town, overlooking the city. Built in the 16th century, burned down by the French in 1810 and restored as a military college in 1882. It is now home to a museum on the Civil War.

Castillo de San Servando
A medieval castle next to the banks of the Tagus river and was originally built as a monestary in 1088. In 1874 it was named a national monument.

The Gothic Cathedral
Dating from the 13th century, the cathedral is considered one of the greatest Gothic structures in Europe. The cathedral is home to a spectacular baroque high altar and paintings by El Greco.

Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes
Founded by King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile to commemorate their victory at the Battle of Toro (1476) over the army of Afonso V of Portugal.

Santa Maria la Blanca
The oldest synagogue building in Europe still standing, now owned by the Catholic Church. Located in the old Jewish quarter of Toledo, the synagogue was built at the end of the 12th century and was converted into a church of the Order of Calatrava at the start of the 15th century.

Synagogue de el Transito
Founded by Samuel ha-Levi in 1356, the synagogue became a church in 1492 after the expulsion of the Jews from the city. Today it is part of the Sephardi Museum which explores the Jewish culture of Medieval Toledo.

Church of Santiago del Arrabal
Dating back to the 12th century the church is built in the Mudejar style. The church is home to a beautiful wooden ceiling and an ornate gothic Mudejar pulpit.

Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz
Dating back to the 10th century, this small former mosque is located in a park above the northen ramparts of the city. It is the only surviving mosque in Toledo.

Museo de El Greco
This is a house-museum which was designed as a recreation of the artist’s home and is home to several important paintings.

Iglesia de Santo Tome
Santo Tome was built in the 14th century in the Mudejar style and is home to El Greco’s famous painting The Burial of Count Orgaz.

Church of San Roman
This 13th century Mudejar church is home to the Museum of the Councils and Visigoth culture.

The Renaissance Museo-Hospital de Santa Cruz
Built in the 16th century as a hospital, it is now a museum housing paintings by El Greco, Zurbaran and Ribera.

The above are just a few of the historic sights to see when you visit Toledo. There are always cheap holidays available to Spain, why not take advantage and visit Toledo whilst holidaying in Spain, you won’t be disappointed!

For more information on Spain and to view my latest articles please visit my Spain Blog.

This review has been supplied to us by our reader Tracy Allen who went to Benidorm with 5 friends on a  hen weekend.

“Benidorm’s the place to spend you hen party. It didn’t cost us an arm and a leg so if you are looking for cheap holidays Flamingo’s in Benidorm is the place to go. We arrived on the friday afternoon and came home on the sunday night and it was party,party,party all the way. We didn’t need any of the entertainment at the hotel as there was so much to do in the town, other people staying at the hotel said the entertainment wasn’t very good but i can’t comment on that.

Benidorm

Our rooms were all nice, large and clean and the staff were really helpfull, telling us the best places to go in the evenings.
We went all inclusive which was great as we didn’t have to find any money for food and had plenty to drink (free) in the hotel bar before hitting the town. The food was really good, a lot better than we expected. All in all we thoroughly enjoyed our weekend and would definitely go back and stay at the same hotel.”

Flamingo Benidorm

FLAMINGO BENIDORM

The Flamingo Benidorm is a bright, spacious and comfortable holiday complex situated close to all amenities.

Location

The hotel is 900m from the sandy beach, 300m from the restaurants and bars, 700m from the main nightlife and 100m from the mini-market.
Accommodation

The 200 one bedroom apartments all have a twin bedroom, lounge area with 2 single sofa beds, central heating, full bathroom and balcony or terrace.

Features

Swimming pool, terrace with free sunloungers, buffet restaurant with various theme nights, bar/lounge, disco bar (adults only), 24hr reception.

For Children

Section of the pool, play area, cots, free highchairs.

Sport and Leisure

Aerobics, aqua-aerobics, archery, darts, French bowls, table tennis, watersports.

Entertainment

Frequent daytime activities and evening entertainment may include professional shows, live music and quizzes.

A Taste of Spain London

Venue – London, Regent Street, 6th June, 12 noon to 7pm.
        

This free festival is supported by the Spanish Tourist Office, The Daily Telegraph and Babylon Magazine.

London’s Regent Street will be turned into a giant showcase of Spanish culture for the 5th consecutive year on Sunday 6th June 2010.

Flamenco Dancers

More than 8 Spanish regions will be represented with regional food & wine tasting, giant paellas, medieval food markets, flamenco dancers, fashion & art displays and live music & entertainment.

There will also be sporting activities, including an F1 Pit Stop Challenge, Wii Tennis, Speed Shot Analysis, the Longest Golf Putt, basketball and football.

To sample your very own ‘Taste of Spain’ there are always bargain holidays available throughout the internet.

The city and port of Cadiz is located on a peninsula in southwestern Spain, close to Seville.

Port of Cadiz

Cadiz is the port for ferries running between mainland Spain and the Canary Islands and is a popular stop for many cruise ships.
The older part of Cadiz (within the ruins of the city wall) is referred to as Casco Antiguo (the Old City) and has different barrios (quarters), including El Populo, La Vina and Santa Maria.
The western shore of Cadiz is ‘guarded’ by two forts, Santa Catalina and San Sebastion.
Cadiz is the home of the University of Cadiz and also the home port of the Spanish Navy.

BEACHES

Because Cadiz is almost completely surrounded by water, it has some of the best beaches in Spain.

Caleta Beach

Caleta Beach

Situated close to the La Vina area, this is the most popular beach in Cadiz. 50 metres wide and 450 metres long, Caleta Beach was awarded it’s first white flag 10 years ago.
Caleta beach was featured in the James Bond film Die Another Day.

Victoria Beach

Another white flag beach, 185 metres wide and 2500 metres long. This is a beautiful beach complete with a sports area, loungers and parasols. Victoria Beach has a lovely promenade that stretches from one end of the city to the other.

Santa Maria del Mar Beach

Santa Maria del Mar Beach

This beach is situated at the most northern part of the city, between Caleta Beach and Victoria Beach, and is just 400 metres long.

La Cortadura Beach

At 4000 metres long and 60 metres wide, this is the largest beach in Cadiz, situated between Torregorda and Cortadura. This beach has been awarded seven blue flags.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Cathedral Nueva

Cathedral Nueva

This 18th century cathedral has a magnificent dome covered in golden tiles.
If you stand in the middle of the lower floor and make a noise, the echo heard will be amazing.
The tomb of Manuel de Falla, a Cadiz musician, lies in the crypt and there is an impressive collection of church treasures to be viewed.

The Fine Arts and Archaeology Museum

Situated over three floors, this museum is home to collections of amphorae, jewellery and glassware on the first floor in the Archaeology Museum, a Rubens painting and a collection by Zurbaran in the Fine Arts Museum on the second floor, and a collection of puppets on the third floor.

Oratorio De Santa Cruz

This church consists of two parts. The 18th century chapel is sparce, with just a sculpture of a crucifix but the upper floor is decorated with Goya paintings showing the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, the Guest at the Wedding and the Last Supper.

Museo Historico Municipal

Here you can view a mahogany and ivory model of the city of Cadiz, dating back to 1779.

Torre Tavira

Torre Tavira

In the 18th century Cadiz had 160 towers overlooking it’s harbours. This watchtower is the cities highest, offering excellent views across the city.

CLIMATE

Cadiz experiences a mix of Atlantic and Meiterranean weather, mild and moderate all year, with more than 300 days of sunshine a year.
From April to September temperatures are around 25C to 28C but this drops dramatically during the winter evenings.

Cheap holidays to Cadiz are always available throughout the internet.