Date 6th July – 14th July 2011

The annual San Fermin Festival takes place in July every year. Thousands of people celebrate this nine day action event which includes a wide range of events starting with the launch of a huge rocket (the Chupinazo) from the Plaza Consistorial at midday on the 6th July. The launching of the firework

San Fermin Festival

 marks the start of the festival. All morning crowds flock to the public square, getting into the party spirit by drinking cava and waving red neckerchiefs. There is something for everyone to enjoy at the festival including firework displays, sports competitions and traditional Basque music.

The first main event is The Day of San Fermin which takes place on the 7th July. The colourful procession which marks the day travels from the town hall, winding its way through the streets to the local cathedral and is an amazing sight.

The most famous part of the festival is the running of the bulls (encierro). Every day bulls are let loose in the city’s old town district, running along the streets until they reach the Plaza de Toros de Pamplona (local bullring) about half a mile away. On their journey to the bullring the animals are joined by brave and daring people who run alongside the bulls as they journey to the Plaza for the nightly bullfight. Before the bulls are released the gathering crowds and runners sing to the image of San Fermin, asking the Patron Saint of Fermin to guide them through the Bull Run and give them his blessing.

Pamplona, the capital of the Navarre region, is a modern yet traditional city.

Plaza Consistorial

The Plaza Consistorial is centrally located and it is here that you will find the town hall with its majestic Baroque facade. Pamplona is steeped in history and has many wonderful buildings and places of interest to visit. Holiday packages to Pamplova should include a visit to Santa Maria la Real Cathedral, the Gothic Church of San Saturnino, the Gothic Church of Santo Domingo, Camara de Comptos (the oldest building in the city), the Palace of Navarre (whre the Navarre government sits) and the Museum of Navarre. Visit the old town and sample the varied Navarre cuisine. Here you can enjoy traditional meals with some fine Navarra wine. In the area surrounding Pamplona there are some beautiful sites of natural beauty. To the west is Urbasa y Andia Nature Reserve and the Atlantic Pyrenees where you will find the Bertiz Nature Reserve. To the north of Pamplona are the Navarre Pyrenees where you will find beautiful little villages set in the valleys.

There is so much to include when booking your holiday deals to this amazing city, one thing is for certain, you will always have something to do or see.

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.

Madrid is Europe’s third largest city and is home to the Spanish Royal Family. 

Main Attractions

Museo del Prado

Museo del Prado (Prado Museum)
The Prado Museum was founded in 1819 and is one of Europe’s greatest art galleries. It’s 4,000-strong collection of paintings includes masterpieces by Fra Angelico, Botticelli, Bosch (El Bosco), Titian, Rembrandt and Velázquez, as well as evidence of the astonishing development of Goya – from his sun-soaked early paintings of dances and festivities to the grim madness of his black period.

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza (Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum)
Madrid purchased the private collection of Hans-Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza after a nine-and-a-half-year loan. The collection contains over 800 paintings, sculptures, carvings and tapestries, ranging from primitive Flemish works to contemporary pieces. Highlights include works by Fra Angelico, Van Eyck, Dürer, Caravaggio and Rubens.

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Reina Sofia National Art Centre Museum)
This museum is housed in a former hospital built by Francesco Sabatini for Carlos III in the late 18th century and was designed by the Spanish architect Antonio Fernánez Alba in 1977 and completed in 1990. Officially opened by the King and Queen in 1992, it is dedicated to Spanish 20th-century art, pride of place belonging to Picasso’s disturbing Civil War canvas, Guernica. Dalí, Miró and Juan Gris are among the other artists on show. The museum has recently been extended with a building created by the French architect Jean Nouvel. This entension houses the museum’s library, a 450-seat auditorium and temporary exhibitions galleries.

Palacio Real (Royal Palace)
Philip V commissioned Italian architects Giambattista Sacchetti and Francesco Sabatini to build the Royal Palace, following a fire that destroyed the medieval Alcázar in 1764. The present king, Juan Carlos I, resides in the Zarzuela Palace, just outside Madrid, so Philip’s 3000-room Royal Palace is only used for state functions. The rest of the time, this white granite building complete with Colmenar stone, is open to the public. Highlights of the Royal Palace include the Hall of Halberdiers and Hall of Columns, the Throne Room with its 17th-century sculptures, and the lavish private apartments of Charles II. Just off the courtyard is the Royal Armoury and Pharmacy.

Plaza Mayor (Main Square)
This beautiful cobbled square was begun by Philip II and completed by Philip III in 1619. Plaza Mayor was both a market place and the setting for public spectacles, from the ritual condemnation of heretics to bull fights and pageants. Today it is as lively as it was in the past, with shops and cafes in the covered arcades.

Parque del Buen Retiro

Parque del Buen Retiro (Retiro Park)
Set in the heart of Madrid, this lush park was originally the private garden of Philip IV. Visitors can take a stroll along the shady avenues and formal gardens, enjoy a boat out on the lake or picnic in the extensive wooded areas. Madrileños come here in their thousands on Sunday mornings, when entertainment is provided by fortune tellers, pavement artists and circus acts. There is a children’s puppet theatre and numerous refreshment points. Temporary art exhibitions are held in the Palacio de Cristal, Palacio de Velázquez and the Casa de Vacas.

Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales (Convent of the Royal Barefoot Sisters)
Founded by Juana de Austria, the daughter of Charles V, in 1559, as a retreat for noblewomen, the Convento de las Descalzas Reales is still a functioning convent. The convent is an excellent example of 16th/17th-century baroque architecture. It contains a hoard of artistic treasures, including Flemish tapestries, Italian and Flemish paintings and sculptures and religious artefacts. The convent is open for guided tours only.

Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales

Shopping
The best shopping area for tourists is around Calle de Preciados, between Sol and Gran Vía, home to El Corte Inglés department store, and high-street names like Zara, Gran Vía 32, and Casa Jiménez, Calle de Preciados 42, famed throughout Spain for its mantones and mantillas (lace and embroidered shawls).

The smartest shopping district of Salamanca has top designer names like Armani, Chanel, Versace, Hermès and Hugo Boss.

Calle Serrano is best for Purificación García, Roberto Verino, Ermenegildo Zegna and Yves Saint Laurent. Another trendy area is Chueca, especially Calles Almirante and Conde de Xiquena, while the place for youth fashions is Calle Fuencarral.

More unusual shops include
Mesquida, Calle Mayor 22, for religious and devotional objects, including crib pieces.
The Spanish guitar specialist, Manuel Gonzales Contreras, with the store at Calle de la Paz 8, and the workshop at Calle General Margallo 10.
El Flamenco Vive, Calle Conde de Lemos 7, which sells sheet music, videos and CDs as well as colourful costumes and accessories.
Seseña, Calle Cruz 23, makers of traditional Spanish capes.

Main Restaurants
Gastronomic

El Amparo

El Amparo – has the reputation as one of Madrid’s top gourmet restaurants, serving traditional Basque recipes with nouvelle cuisine treatment. The restaurant is set in a former coach-house in Madrid’s smart Salamanca district. The décor is the work of leading Spanish designer Pascua Ortega, who also worked on the refurbishment of the Teatro Real.
El Cenador del Prado – serving the best of Spanish regional cuisine, including salted cod in breadcrumbs with garlic and grape garnishing, medallions of venison with cheese ravioli and quince and beef carpaccio with pig’s trotters in a mushroom sauce.
La Broche Sergi Arola – La Broche’s master chef, Sergi Arola, has two Michelin stars for his original interpretations of traditional Catalan and Spanish recipes. Signature dishes include turbot con patas de puerco, where pan-fried turbot is sprinkled with coriander and served with a jelly of pig’s feet wrapped in onion, and solomillo de buey (ox steak stuffed with goat’s cheese, anchovies, cherries and pine-nut purée).
Jockey – Jockey has earned itself the reputation as one of Madrid’s top-flight restaurants since opening in 1945. The restaurant is small and intimate, with dark wooden panelling and framed prints of jockeys and their horses. Sea bass, wild fowl and game are all on the menu and are complimented with wines from the excellent wine cellar.
La Nicolasa – serves traditional Basque dishes. The restaurant is decorated with glass chandeliers and oak tables with several oil paintings hanging on the walls. The Basque cuisine consists mainly of fish, the most traditional dish served is sea bass with orange. Another favourite is baked hake. All of the cakes and pastries are made on site.
Business

Botín

Botín – believed to be the oldest restaurant in the city, Botín first opened its doors below the Plaza Mayor in 1725. The wonderful old dining rooms retain the original painted tiles, oak beams and wood-burning oven. Traditional Castilian dishes are the speciality here, including roast suckling pig and Aranda lamb.
Las Cuevas de Luís Candelas – located in a brick-vaulted cellar with tiled bar, wall paintings, wrought iron fittings and an open fire for the suckling pig speciality. The restaurant is named after a 19th-century highwayman said to have hidden in one of the cuevas (cellars). Las Cuevas offers a typical range of tapas, as well as main courses such as merluza (hake) and shrimps in garlic or cheese.
Robata – This restaurant offers Japanese cooking, including grilled meats and fish, soups, tempura, sashimi, sushi and sukiyaki. Diners can sit at a table or around the central sushi bar.
Viuda de Vacas – The name ‘The Widow Vacas’ alludes to the Cánovas Vacas family from Segovia, who founded the restaurant more than a century ago. This is a homely taberna with faded wall tiles, marble-top tables and a spiral staircase. The menu is inspired by the Castillian countryside and is only available in Spanish.

Trendy

Champagnería Gala

Champagnería Gala – is one of Madrid’s trendier eating places, serving paellas, risottos and fideuàs (Catalan noodle dishes) that are Gala’s stock-in-trade.
Divina La Cocina – located on the fringes of trendy Chueca, this restaurant has created their own special brand of Spanish fusion, including salted cod in a soya and ginger sauce, seaweed salad with shrimps and eggs of sea urchin and prime beef steak with foie gras in port.
La Terraza del Casino – is a Michelin starred eatery. Foams, unusual combinations of flavour, constant surprises and an experience unlike a ‘normal’ restaurant are on the menu here.
Lombok – Located in the Chueca neighbourhood, this restaurant has minimalist décor, with spotlights, bare white walls and steel counter. Its clientele is young and stylish. The fusion cuisine here draws on ingredients and recipes from all over the world.
Mezklum Tech – Dress code here is black, black and black! Food here has lots of contrasting flavours and unusual combinations, with creations such as a ‘salmon hamburger’.

Budget

Casa Mingo

Casa Mingo – if you like cider and chicken then this is the restaurant for you. The roast chicken here is legendary and it is best washed down with a bottle of the Asturian cider.
La Galette – this is a well-established vegetarian restaurant where carnivores are also catered for. Diners sit elbow-to-elbow in the two small rooms, decked out in an appealing country-kitchen style.
Taberna el Almendro – this is a very small tavern with custard-yellow walls and big barrels that serve as tables. A bell on the kitchen window sounds when the food is ready. The wild boar blood pudding, the savoury toasted bagels, (roscas) or the famous egg dishes, in particular, los huevos rotos (fried eggs over potatoes) are the mainstays. A good selection of white wines and sherries are available to accompany the tapas.
The Wok – With no frills this Asian restaurant serves affordable, steaming bowls of noodles.
Vips – Close to the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza museums, this restaurant is open seven days a week until the early hours of the morning.The varied menu includes everything from ham and eggs to pizzas and bowls of tacos.

Nightlife
Nightlife centres on three major districts – Chueca (Madrid’s gay village, which specialises in trendy restaurants), Calle Huertas (traditional Spanish music, jazz clubs and bars) and Malasaña (mainly bars and clubs frequented by a young crowd). It can be hard to tell bars and clubs apart, since bars often have a dancefloor and not all clubs charge for entry.