TRAVEL SPAIN

511 Blue Flags have been awarded to Spains beaches for 2011, which means once again Spain has the highest number of blue flag beaches in the world. This is great news for the tourism industry and foreign visitors, around 85% choose coastal areas.

The Blue flags where awarded to beaches located all around Spains long coastline and where distributed around the autonomous regions as follows:
Galicia : 130
Valencia : 116
Catalonia: 108
Balearic Islands: 85
Andalucia: 81
Canary Islands: 39
Asturias: 17
Murcia : 12
The Basque Country: 3
Ceuta: 2
Melilla: 1

The Blue Flag is a voluntary eco label awarded to thousands of beaches and marinas in 41 countries across Europe and around the world. It is owned and run by the independent non-profit organisation Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

The Blue Flag works towards sustainable development at beaches/marinas through strict criteria dealing with water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and other services. The program also includes environmental education and information for the public, decision makers and tourism operators. Galicia in the to Marbella in the south, Spain really can boast it has some of the most beautiful and best beaches in Spain.

There are around 100 different varieties of good quality cheese in Spain. Every region has its own specialty, covering a full range of cheese types, from fresh to cured, to fermented and blue-veined. One essential characteristic is the type of milk used in the production. Depending on the area, time of the year, climate, or tradition, cheeses are made of cows', sheep's, goats' milk, or of a mixture of two or all three types of milk.

In general cow's milk cheeses are found in the north, along the Cantabric coast, from Galicia to the Basque Country, and along the northern Cantabric Mountain Range and the Pyrenees. Sheep's milk cheeses are found inland, from the north, in Cantabria and the Basque Country, down to the flats of Castilla-Le�n, Castilla La Mancha, Arag�n and Extremadura. And finally goat's milk cheeses are found mostly along the regions of the Mediterranean coast, from Catalu�a to Andalusia, as well as in Extremadura. In the islands, both Canary Islands as well as the Balearic, you will find mostly goat milk cheese, although also some cow milk ones, as well as mixed milk cheeses. Mixed milk cheeses are produced across the whole geography, with the predominant milk of each area being more used in the mixes.

MACHEGO � The Manchego Cheese Council . This is Spain's best-known ewe's-milk cheese and indeed is one of my personal favorites, although for me it has to be well cured , the stronger the taste the better.

It is named for the province where it is made-La Mancha, home of Don Quixote. However, it is not as flamboyant as the old windmill fighter. It remains relatively sweet and mild at any age with a touch of salty nuts. Manchego was originally made to barter at livestock markets and it provided durable food for the shepherds.

The award winning marina in Benalmadena

Due to the important extension of land Spain comprehends and the different geographical areas it has, thus there are many different types of climate in Spain, although there are some general guidelines which can be applied to it as a whole.

In general, all the different areas of Spain show some similarities at each season, although many times they show important differences as well. Despite of learning the general weather conditions of the country at any given time, it is recommendable to learn about the particular weather of each specific region of Spain a tourist would meet before visiting it in order to be properly ready for it.

Summer time in Spain goes from June to September, and during this season the country receives a great amount of tourists who approach attracted by its beautiful beaches. During the central weeks of summer time, most of Spain offers a very hot weather, with temperatures that might be of more than 30� C at some areas.

During winter time, Spain doesn't offer very cold temperatures at most of its territory, although it does show some very low temperatures at some areas, such as for example in Madrid and the central region of the country. Within the central area of Spain, winter time offers temperatures which could reach low temperatures of around 0� C sometimes, although they averagely are of around 10� C.

Most tourists choose autumn or spring time for visiting Spain due to the way in which many of its regions offer their best climate around those �poques of the year. During the last weeks of spring or the first days of autumn it might be even ideal for those who wish to enjoy Spain beaches, although towards the Atlantic Ocean there usually are important amounts of rains during those days.

Those tourists who wish to visit Spain without finding it much crowded, should choose October or May. October and May offer nice weather at most Spanish regions and, at the same time, these are not the months in which this country receives most of its visitors, turning them into ideal months for those who wish to meet the country in a more quieter way.

Author: Jakob Jelling

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.eurotomic.com.

Please visit his website if you're planning a trip to Europe.

La Gomera, belonging to the Canary Islands, is a very peculiar and interesting spot. This island has a central massif of a height of about 1490 meters which can easily be seen from the distance and is, without any doubt, a unique peculiarity. This massif shows a dramatic drop which turns it to be a very impressive place as well as it provides an amazing sight.

Besides its geographical and geological characteristics, La Gomera also offers several other interesting and attractive peculiarities. One of these peculiarities is the way it has maintained its traditions and cultural characteristics through the pass of time. This way, tourists who visit this island could meet some antique traditions and customs in the same way people could have observed them a long time ago.

There are several interesting spots and places tourists should make sure of visiting while being in La Gomera. One of these spots is the Hermigua. The Hermigua is a village of small charming houses which together offer a very interesting landscape. Besides this, it is also interesting to remark that Hermigua shows one of the main banana plantations areas in La Gomera.

Vallehermoso is another spot tourists should try to visit in La Gomera. Vallehermoso shows a very beautiful environment full of natural elements such as fruit trees, palm trees, and exotic plants which give the area a very colorful appearance as well as turn it to be very aromatic and enjoyable through all the senses. Another spot to visit in the island is the Cedar Forest, which is not only among the most interesting spots in La Gomera, but one of the most attractive forests in the entire archipelago as well.

Valle Gran Rey is another of the most interesting places La Gomera offers. Valle Gran Rey shows a variety of trees and natural elements which together turn it to be a very beautiful place. Besides this, those tourists who enjoy sea related activities and landscapes should visit Playa Santiago. Playa Santiago or Santiago Beach is a very beautiful sea area where visitors can not only enjoy the environment but also fish.

The famous , colourful, historic and often dangerous San Fermines fiestas get under way on the 6th July and finish at Midnight on the 14th. More than 100 Spanish communities celebrate their local patron saint, yet Pamplona�s San Fermin gets all the attention, why, because it was made famous by Ernest Hemmingway in The Sun Also Rises written in 1925

As you can imagine many locals move out during the festival to make was for thee masses and retreat to more tranquill climes for the duration. The ones that stay however shed their traditionally conservative values becoming free and spontaneous. The festival brings a spirit of happiness rather like Christmas day does for the children.

July 7 the saint�s relics are part of an emotional procession from the Iglesia de San Lorenzo to the Cathedral de Santa Maria for a solemn high Mass. Of the nine days of los Fermines, this is the only religious note. This procession attracts more and more followers each year.

The main event for most of the pilgrims that descend on Pamplona from all parts of the world is undoubtedly the running of the bulls, the famous encierro , the running of six bulls for the daily corrida / bullfight from the bullpen through city streets to the bullring. The bulls run the half-mile course in two minutes. Runners begin lining up an hour before the 8 am start, signalled by a rocket. For the runners, the experience is a pure adrenaline rush.

The votes are currently being received and counted for the election of the new 7 wonders of the world.

There are 21 sites included in the voting including the beautiful Alhambra Palace in Granada. The new 7 wonders of the world list will be announced on the 7th July in a ceremony held in Lisbon.

On a tourism level, if the Alhambra was to be included in the list it is calculated to be worth a 20% rise in visitors to this unique palace.

Your vote counts so please go online at http://www.new7wonders.com/ and help make history ........today.

Gary
http://spainguides.com/

The Picturesque village of Mugardos

The " Islas de Cies "

Spain still holds more blue flags then any other country in the world and offers visitors some of the best beaches anywhere.

According to figures published by ( ADEAC ) the consumer association for environmental education one in seven beaches have been awarded the blue flag, could be better I hear you say. However in the northern hemisphere a total of 2.579 blue flags have been awarded, Spain with 499 is in fact the leading country with the most flags. The beautiful area of Galicia in North West Spain has the most blue flags for 2007.

The blue flag will be flying over 499 of Spains beaches and 77 Ports. The prestigious blue flags are awarded by an international committee of judges represented through organisations such as the united nations for the Environment , the world tourism body, the international association for help and life saving and various other environmental protection agencies.

The beaches of Galicia lead the table with 127 blue-flags awarded, followed by Catalu�a with 108, Valencia with 107, Andalucia with 72 and the Balearics with 80. On a smaller scale they are followed by the Canaries (30) Murcia ( 21 ) Asturias (13 ) and the Basque Region (8) Cantabria ( 6) Ceuta ( 2) and Melilla (2)
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SpainGuides.com  is a portal dedicated to travel and tourism in Spain and one of the most popular sections of the web site is San Sebastian. You will find lots of info this beautiful part of Spain or Donostia as it is called in the Basque language.

San Sebastian is the undisputed queen of Basque resorts, with its chic La Concha Bay resort. The deep and sparkling still aqua of the bay and beautiful beach area bounded by lush, rolling hills has drawn celebrities and sun lovers to the mild winters and hot summers for generations.

The Basque cuisine is famous within Spain and arguably it is where you will find the best food. Much of this fame comes from San Sebastian and its bars and restaurants. Although tapas were invented in Andalucia they became perfected in San Sebastian and a walk through the old town before lunch time with its many bars shows why. Each bar is bursting with tapas and they look very delicate. 

Tapas in San Sebastian are generally enjoyed together with a glass of wine or a small beer, and the Spanish tradition suggests to have one tapa and a wine in one bar and move on to the next bar. A lot of people will substitute dining out on a main meal for Tapas. A Tapa Crawl allows you to enjoy as many plates as you want and most possibly in different bars and restaurants subsequently enjoying a more varied culinary experience. If you want 'real' food then that is where San Sebastian can be very very good. You can find several different cuisines such Chinese, German, Galicien, Italian and of course the obvious Basque cuisine. A great place to eat out is around the harbour area, specially if fresh sea food is to your taste, there are also more simple harbour taverns to enjoy.

In the last month the British tabloids have been quick to scare monger regarding the new regulations for incoming flight passengers to airports in Spain.

As From June 13, Spanish authorities will be asking travellers to provide detailed information about themselves before they fly to the country. Known as Advance Passenger Information (API), the details required are the full given names, surname, nationality, date of birth and passport number of all travellers to the country, bearing in mind that most people can read and write its is hardly the Gettysburg address that's being asked for.

The press in a bid to sell more copies are using words such as misery, chaos, long delays, holiday nightmares, travel woes etc etc etc.

How many of you have visited the USA since 9/11 specially more recently, did you encounter
countless delays entering the country ? I visited the USA last year and was surprised how quickly we where processed through the customs and safely on our way, probably no more than 45 minutes. If that's the price to pay for better airport security then please Ill sign up anytime.

Yes I am sure there will be slightly more delays flying to Spain until the system is working correctly, and please remember these regulations will be in force in all EEC member states in the near future.

If adding a couple of hours onto my travel time guarantees me better security , peace of mind and stricter controls on who enters this country I think its small price to pay.

Whats your opinion ?.

Once again its that time of year when hundreds of thousands of Rocieros from all over Spain make their annual dusty pilgrimage to pay homage to the Virgen del Rocio in one of Andalucias biggest festivals, the Romeria del Rocio.

Although the Virgen del Rocio has been celebrated for over 800 years in 1758 it was decided that it would go ahead on the fiftieth day after Easter Sunday. There are actually two main parts, the festival of Almonte of which the Virgen del Rocio is the patron saint and the pilgrimage which starts several days earlier. The festival is a blend of catholic and local pagan beliefs.

The pilgrimage to the village of Rocio is quite a spectacular and traditional affair with hundreds of brotherhoods from surrounding villages and from all over Andalucia taking part.

Carts are beautifully and lovingly prepared in bright colours and flowers with the pilgrims dressed in traditional colourful gypsy inspired flamenco dresses and the men in their short cropped jackets ( a la Andalucian style ) and unique wide brimmed bolero hats. Some carts are even pulled along by oxen and horses although mostly these days the sturdy fours by fours are thre modern substitute and ideal for driving over the soft sandy conditions that await. The Rocieros arrive in the area and camp out in the surrounding fields and marsh land alongside the Do�a�a National park.

Although the Romeria is a highly religious festival as you would expect with the Spanish it is also an time of much fun and enjoyment for all the family, and the party stops for no man. Local produce such as black foot ham ( Pata Negra ) white prawns from Sanlucar and many other excellent dishes will be eaten and all will be washed down with some the Finest wines and sherry�s the region has to offer.

The highlight of the festival for many a devotee is when the Virgen del Rocio ( a large silver shrine ) is taken our from the Church in the El Rocio in all her splendour , this is where the religious fanaticism really kicks in with thousands of devotees clamber to touch the Virgen shrine as she passes by, this can go on for several hours with many followers visibly moved by their unique experience. This custom is better understood knowing that the devoted claim her intense powers can cure disease, infertility and mental disorders.

There are no tarmac roads to speak off in El Rocio as the whole village is built on sand, vehicle parking areas have been replaced with fences to tie up the horses. 

Although the internal travel market within Europe has remained flat due mainly to the damaging events of the 11th September, the declared "War on terrorism" and the economic slumps of several EEC countries. it is now showing signs or recovery.

There where some 470 Millions visitors by tourists in European countries in 2006, showing growth of around 17% since 2002 , Turkey has benefited the most with a growth of 56 % with Italy at the lowest end with a 6% decline.

In terms of arrivals Spain is second with around 59 Millions visitors , still below France the undisputed leader in world tourism, However Spain's tourism sector is growing whereby France has reached saturation point . Spain is however ranked number one as far as income per visitors are concerned as tourists spend longer time on each visit as apposed to shorty stays in France.

For a detailed Tourist attraction Market Assessment report for 2007 please visit

The Junta de Andalucia ( The Andalucian Government )plans to invest some 335 Millions Euros over the next four years to renovate the different tourism sectors such as improving the environment, modernise tourism companies, work towards sustainable tourism and recuperate the cultural identities of various tourist destinations.

There where some 8.5 Million visitors to the Costa del Sol in 2003, this figure is now around 9.2 Million and rising, the income amount for the year 2006 was estimated at 8.058 Million Euros.

The principle entry point of most tourists to the Costa del Sol is through Malaga airport, in 2006 there where a total of 6.5 million visitors as apposed to 5.7 in 2003. Passengers from the UK are still in the majority with a figure of some 2.5 million last year alone.

The Costa del Sol as an international destination has lost some ground, although the loss has been replaced in part by the rise in National tourism. One of the big changes we can all see has been the renovation of the hotel sector. The Costa del Sol now offers some 435 Hotels with over 145.000 beds, the quality of the hotel has undoubtedly increased with this major renovation.

Although there was in fact a small drop in the number of Hotel occupancy rates due to the increase in residential tourism it has in now gained some ground as the do it yourself property rental market is slowing down.

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Best regards