Spain Archives - Seek Your Trip

November 28, 2013 by Arlene

Discovering Barcelona

The city of Barcelona is located in the northeastern region of Catalonia, in Spain. The city has many landmarks, from buildings built by Gaudí to beaches with promenades decorated with sculptures.

Explore Gaudí’s buildings and the city’s architecture

The city of Barcelona is known for Gaudí’s architecture. The Sagrada Familia cathedral was built by Gaudí and is now one of the city’s most famous symbols. The unfinished cathedral has several towers, and visitors will be able to climb up two of the towers to enjoy views towards the city. Another one of Gaudí’s buildings is Casa Batlló. This house is known for its colourful facade, covered in trencadis, mosaic pieces. The iron balconies have the shape of skulls. In the Eixample district visitors will find Gaudí’s Casa Milá. This building has a wavy stone facade. Guided tours are organized around the buildings, which has no straight lines and a rooftop decorated with statues.

The Gothic Quarter is another one of the city’s centric neighbourhoods. This area is known for its Gothic buildings and narrow streets filled with cafés and shops. The city’s main cathedral, the Gothic Seu Cathedral, is located here. Next to it visitors will find a cloister with geese. After visiting the cathedral visitors will be able to enjoy a drink at one of the terraces on the Plaza de Reial square.

Grab some local food at one of the markets

Barcelona is a destination for foodies, reason enough to book a flight to this city. The city has many markets where visitors will find local products, the city center is filled with tapas bars and there are several Michelin star restaurants. There are several famous markets in this city. The Boquería Market, located off the Las Ramblas, is the city’s most visited market. Known for its colourful stalls selling iced drinks, fresh fruit and local delicacies, this market is a place for those who enjoy food. Visitors will be able to enjoy authentic tapas in one of the market’s traditional tapas bars. A typical breakfast consisting of coffee and fresh bread drizzled with olive oil and tomato is served at the stalls. There are many stalls selling fish and jamón ibérico. Another, more authentic, market is the Sant Antoni Market. There are tapas bars in the center of the market.

Wander around this city

Barcelona is a city than can be explored on foot and by bike. Bikes can be rented along the beach promenade, and guided bike tours can be organized. To be able to enjoy views towards the city’s architectural landmarks and the city life visitors can explore the city on foot. Las Ramblas is a set of main streets that joins the centric Catalunya square to the seashore, where a statue of Columbus is located. These streets form a large boulevard that has many flower stalls and street performers.

Spend an afternoon taking in the city’s culture

After exploring and getting lost in this city, visitors can join the locals at the Barceloneta beach. This area has many cafés and restaurants, and the promenade is decorated with sculptures and statues. The city has several parks where visitors will be able to enjoy a stroll. Parc Güell, which was designed by Gaudí, is one of the city’s most famous parks. Located on a hill, this park has a large tiled observation deck that has views towards the city and the sea. Visitors will be able to explore the Gaudí museum, which can be found on the park grounds. Another main park is the more centric Ciutadella park. This large park has several museums, a lake with rowing boats and a zoo. The Laboratory of Nature Museum is located on the park grounds.

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Photo by melissadelzio on Flickr

October 8, 2013 by author

Winter is Ideal for a Trip to Tenerife

As the evenings start to get dark earlier and the temperature starts to fall sharply it can be easy to feel a little depressed. After all, it is a long time until spring and summer came around to cheer us up again.

At times like this it is fantastic to have a trip to somewhere warm and sunny lined up. The winter can seem a lot more bearable and a lot shorter if you know that you are going to get a lovely dose of sunshine somewhere along the way. One of the most popular destinations for winter sun seekers is Tenerife, which is part of the Spanish Canary Islands. If you are at the stage of thinking about a holiday to Tenerife during the winter season then here are some of the reasons why it would be a great decision to make.

Sun, Sun, Sun

It is almost impossible to overestimate the feeling of wellbeing which washes over most of us when we leave a cold winter behind and feels rays of sun on our faces. One of the best things about Tenerife is that it enjoys incredibly mild winters. If you are travelling from the North of Europe to the Canary Islands then you will experience a magnificent feeling as you step off the plane and feel the sun beat down on you. The temperature here in December is often around 20 degrees centigrade, which is a very pleasant temperature for this time of year. The weather here is highly predictable and a quick look at some historic weather records for the islands will give you an excellent idea of what sort of weather awaits you.

Things to Do

If you have ever gone to a seaside holiday resort away from the peak summer season then you might have been left disappointed by the lack of things to do. Many of these resorts virtually close down in the winter season, with hotels, restaurants and shops closing down for a couple of months. The good news is that Tenerife’s popularity as a winter holiday destination means that it is busy and lively all year round. In fact, many sun lovers from colder countries own properties here and come to enjoy the winter months. This means that there are always plenty of people around to keep the holiday spirit in the air.

Good Value

Another big reason for travelling anywhere in the winter months is that the cost is usually lower than it would be in the peak summer period. While we have already seen that Tenerife is a fantastic winter destination it is still going to be better value for to go around this time of year than in July or August, for example. By looking online plenty of time before you plan to travel you should find a deal which lets you enjoy this classic holiday island for less money than you might think. Who knows, the saving you make might even allow you to stay longer than you had originally planned to stay.

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Photo by engerundio on Flickr

August 24, 2013 by Arlene

An itinerary for 24 hours in Malaga

A city in Spain, Malaga is just one of those places that you must visit before you can count yourself a true traveller. Frankly speaking, the city has it all: gorgeous beaches, old and historical buildings, a plethora of entertainment venues, and much, much more. However, if this is your first time visiting Malaga, you might ask yourself, “Well, I am here! So, what should I do now?”

Morning

Once you are in the city, the best place to begin exploring would be the main shopping street, which in this case is Calle Marqués de Larios. It is one of the most popular tourist hotspots as there are many cafes, entertainment venues, shops and restaurants.

With a quick visit to some of the aforementioned, you can prepare yourself to be plunged head-deep into the historical part, which is nicely situated within minutes of the main street. There, you will be able to gape at the marvellous Malaga Cathedral with its Baroque and Renaissance architecture. Actually, even if you are not that interested into architecture, the beautiful surroundings will leave you with the need to just sit – probably on one of the many benches—and marvel at the breathtaking surroundings. If you are an art buff, you can also go in the close-by museums and explore the many artefacts, sculptures, paintings, etc.

Lunch

At lunchtime, you can give your taste buds a true treat by acquainting them to the delicious, local cuisine. The best part is that you will not even have to walk that far because the area around the cathedral is the place where you could get the best tapas and Sangria in the city. If you, however, wish to go to a more popular restaurant, you can head to La Rabaná, where you can meet the locals while stuffing yourself.

Afternoon

Once you have savoured your first encounter with the local food, make your way to the Picasso Museum. As the city of Pablo Picasso, Malaga has much to offer in the form of artwork, as you will see in the museum. The best part is that you will pay as little as €10 a person to enter and view the exhibitions there.

Now, it is time to immerse yourself into history by touring around the Alcazaba Fortress that is, undoubtedly, the most popular tourist destination in Malaga. After it, head to the 11th century Moorish fortress that will let you take some of the best pictures of the city

Evening

Malaga can easily be called the European Las Vegas, as the nightlife is extraordinary. You can choose to sit in one of the many restaurants, bars or clubs that are located between Larios and the port. On the other hand, if you want a traditional Spanish evening, you can visit Vista Andalucía—the most famous flamenco bar.

If you’re flying out in the evening, the best way to travel to the airport can be via T3, the new underground station. The trains run frequently from the Maria Zambrano Station in Malaga. If the trains are no longer running, a Malaga taxi might be your best option. Most are now metered and some have the charges printed in a book, so make sure you get a quote before you set off for your journey as the drivers do not always point to the right price! There are a number of regular flights in and out of Malaga and the travel site momondo have a really useful flight insight tool that lets you choose your flights based on the time of day you want to travel. There’s nothing worse than ending your trip drifting off at the airport because your holiday provider booked you on that 2am flight!

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Photo credit, Cathedral of Malaga Encarnación: Wikimedia Commons

July 16, 2013 by Arlene

Cruise Lanzarote: Volcanoes, Black Sands and Green Lagoons

In the Atlantic Ocean, situated 125 kilometers off the coast of Africa, sits the island of Lanzarote. Lanzarote is the easternmost island of the Canary Islands group, and has been a popular destination for tourists of all ages for many decades. With so much to offer in the way of natural wonder, and the small village charm of the ports, many people choose to cruise Lanzarote in order to see as much as possible of this volcanically created island.

Lanzarote is a Spanish island and is estimated to be 15 million years old. It is the creation of an area in the Canary Islands that had an incredibly high amount of volcanic activity in years past. This volcanic activity is responsible for many of the features that make Lanzarote a truly wondrous destination.

Black Sandy Beaches

Lanzarote boasts 213 kilometers of coastline that is divided between rocky outcrops and sandy beaches. The thing that makes some of Lanzarote’s beaches stand out, however, is their sand. The black sand is a huge draw for those looking to see something a little different. Two of the best beaches to have your own black sand experience at are: Playa Quemada, which is near Puerto Del Carmen, or El Golfo, which is on the way to Playa Blanca.

Green Lagoons

If you happen to travel to El Golfo at the southwest end of the island to take in the picturesque black sands, you should definitely make another stop. In this small fishing village, there is the opportunity to hike to a viewing platform, situated halfway in an inactive volcanic crater. Half of the crater is long gone as it has washed away, but the other side will be soaring above you as you take in the view. Amongst the solidified red and black lava remnants, there is an emerald green pool of water. The green hue is due to the minerals that the volcano left from the days when it was active. These minerals mix with the water that flows in from the ocean via an underground channel, creating a beautifully bright lagoon in the crater.

The volcanoes, black sandy beaches and the green lagoon are all very impressive and make the trip worthwhile by themselves. However, there are other things that make Lanzarote special. This island is home to the Tunnel of Atlantis, which is the world’s largest underwater volcanic tunnel. There is also the variation in terrain, ranging from a desert, to towering mountains. The highest peak on the island is Penas al Cheche, which rises 670 meters above sea level.

Lanzarote has so much to offer tourists of any age. The villages that you will visit are welcoming and offer many opportunities to purchase handmade treasures as reminders of your trip. Anyone who has experienced Lanzarote will tell you that the experience is one of a kind. When you are planning your next vacation, why not try securing yourself one of the cruises through Lanzarote and the Canary Islands?

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This is a guest contribution by Matt Watkins, a travel enthusiast and blogger on exotic holidays.

Photo by emiliano-iko on Flickr