A Travel Guide To Sevilla

A Travel Guide To Sevilla

Coming to Seville is like seeing Spain on parade.

Tapas. Flamenco. Bullfighting. Art. Poetry. Pottery. Architecture. Style. History. Cervicitas!* It is all here – in splendour.

Seville , in the southern Spanish region called Andalusia , is what many people describe as “the most Spanish of all Spanish cities”. It was home to Carmen and Don Juan and boats grand plazas, sculptured gardens and flowerbox-filled balconies. Walking through Seville ’s impossibly narrow, cobblestone streets you can look up at any moment and gape at pink-turreted churches, ever-present, resplendent tiles, and hosts of other visual treats that are the legacy of both Moorish and Colonial architecture.

A city that closes down between the hours of 2 and 5 pm , it makes the perfect holiday destination. Why? Because in Seville , it is impossible to do anything for 3 hours everyday except relish in two of the living arts the Spanish have perfected: eating and enjoying life. If you stay long enough it will not be long until you hone the enjoying life art to the even finer art of taking an afternoon nap. (Ah, the siesta! A joy heinously ignored by the majority of the world).

WHERE TO STAY

‘ El centro ’, the historical centre of the city, is where the beer and tapas forever flow and where you will feel compelled to live half your life socialising in the street like all the immaculately dressed locals.

RESTAURANTS & BARS

Seville is tapas bar heaven. Here is a selection worth checking out:

Coloniales – famous for large, cheap tapas. Very popular spot, you might even meet someone!

La Alameda is the local word on the place to go for night life in this city. La Alameda is actually a small, tree-filled area which is full of bars and people. Any night of the week is a good night here. La Madrasa on Calle P Mencheta is the pick of places in this area for tapas.

FOOD MUST TRIES

You are in Spain , so repeat after me: 1) I am not afraid of oil, or anything (and everything) fried in it. 2) I will not get hungry for lunch before 2 or 3 pm , nor for dinner until 11pm . When you finally do get to eat, two fabulous factors are in your favour. One, the food is not expensive and two, the Spanish love food. Try the local, Sevillano specialties like mojama (dried tuna fish known as ham of the sea) and salmorejo (thick gazpacho). And, of course, the classic, Spanish Tortilla.

Place You MUST SEES

* Real Alcázar. This enchanting building was a fortress from the Muslim-era and later changed hands to become the home of Christian royalty for many centuries. Today the gardens, tapestries and varied architecture remain some of Seville ’s most appealing treasures.

* Plaza de España. A truly spectacular plaza, equal with any in the country. It was the centrepiece of the 1929 Spanish-Americas Fair and is an arc of tiled glory and historic handwork. Across the tree-lined road from the plaza is the enchanting Parque de María.

* A Flamenco Show. Seville is one of the legendary homes of flamenco. You can opt for a tourist-geared spectacular or a more intimate café setting. Recommended spectacular: El Tablao Flamenco Los Gallos.Recommended café: La Casa del Carmen

* Cathedral and the Giralda. The cathedral is the largest Gothic building in the world and the pride of Seville . The emblem of Seville is the Giralda, the weathercock that sits atop the Cathedral. You can climb the Giralda, which is in the form of a woman representing Faith, for spectacular city views.

* Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza Museum (Seville’s Bullring). This is one of the oldest bullrings in Spain . Check out the museum and definitely see a bullfight if possible.

* Museo de Bellas Artes ( Museum of Fine Art ) is categorised as a major worldscale museum and considered to house some of the greatest paintings in all of Spain .

In Seville , the spirit of Spain engulfs you. When I visited I felt naked without a flamenco frock on and pair of castanets in my hand. In this city, Spain ’s famous flavours are things very difficult to resist. And why on earth would you want to?

ENJOY!

* Cervecita: a social little glass of beer taken either at lunch or at dinner, or, delightfully, at both.

A New Idea For Barcelona Hotels

A New Idea For Barcelona Hotels

Choosing a hotel, especially in a large city like Barcelona can be a gigantic headache. But if you read on, this article can give you a wonderful solution for flights, transport, hotel and a marvellous stay at the leading theme park from the time you step foot off the plane at the Barcelona airport. There are many kinds of accomodations for everyone’s holiday stay in Barcelona, Spain like hotels ranging from five to three stars, hostels, youth hostels, campings and apartments. But what I really understand for the word ‘holiday’ is having everything at a snap of your fingers and here is how you can get it.

Barcelona Hotels at a snap of your fingers

Your holiday plans are set on Barcelona, and before heading into the busy city to enjoy all the cultural and architectural delights it has to offer, I recommend the following itinerary which I have personally done twice ( and hope to do a few more times). When arriving at the ‘El Prat’ Barcelona Airport, you can get a special transfer which will take you directly to your Barcelona hotel at the fantastic theme park called Port Aventura. If you are planning to travel to other places and have decided on a car hire, remember that Europcar has special prices for vacationers staying at Port Aventura. You will have previously chosen one of these wonderful four star hotels, each uniquely decorated and offering a package deal of hotel lodging and breakfast, entrance tickets to Port Aventura and also to the Carribbean Water Park ( Caribe Aquatic Park ).

The Portaventura Hotel is nicely decorated in a Mediterranean colonial style, The El Paso Hotel intricately shows the pre-Colombian and Mexican decor and the Caribe Port hotel is the biggest swimming pool with white sand in the world. You are not going to get this type of Barcelona Hotels even booking the best ones right on the waterfront. At the highest season which is categorized as ‘A’, one night with two days in the park could cost about 218 euros single and 136 double with a child for 68 euros. There are combinations of 4 people in one room including child and longer stay offers. At the El Paso Hotel, in the lowest season, still being able to enjoy very favourable Barcelonian weather, 2 people would be about 84 euros and a child 42. Can’t beat that! Enjoy the parks fully and snoop around and relax completely at these magnificent hotels in Barcelona.

 

Other Barcelona Hotels Options

When my piggy bank exploded, or did I explode it, it doesn’t matter, I went mad and stayed at the Arts Hotel in Barcelona. I wanted to have a perfect view of the marina port area and was told that any of the suites, splendid double rooms or luminous duplex apartments would give me that pleasure. I wanted to be catered to as I was, with its friendly, well-trained staff and incredible facilities. As a last effort to ‘live it up’, I had my taste buds tickled at the Goyescas restaurant. Everything on the menu was teasing so I tried the house specialty and was recommended an exquisite wine to accompany it.

After working hard on a few projects, I was tempted to go back to visit the new port area in Barcelona, and as I wanted to get more details on the Barcelona hotels I went straight for the three star Montecarlo hotel located on the Ramblas Promenade, well known for being lined with flower stands. This medieval 14th century building has been newly renovated and decorated but always respecting the original architectural features. This time I concentrated on the complete buffet breakfast and its centrical location to be able to walk into the centre, to the port area and to get a glimpse at the crazy nightlife in the Exaimple area.

Barcelona has been recognized as one of the most vanguard places for hotels and gastronomy. Therefore, the tourist bureau and town hall of Barcelona has decided to make the period from March 2005 to March 2006 a national and international promotion of Catalunya and its rich fresh products. Some of the restaurants promoting these products like the shop Can Ravell ( an excellent delicatessen ) or Club del Gourmet ( coffee,tea and sweets) are near the two Barcelona hotels I have mentioned.

Come visit Romania

Come visit Romania

Have you ever been to Romania? If not you should, in fact everybody should, simply because it’s really beautiful and you can see a lot of things, like the castle Dracula lived in, the Black Sea where pirates used to hunt down every ship that passed by.

Romania has a lot of cool places to visit, but in my opinion the most beautiful of them all are the parks of Bucharest, the capital city on a hot summer day. Why is that you might wonder, well let me tell you that Romania has the most beautiful girls you have ever seen, and in the summer they all go out in parks to hang around. It’s like a paradise on earth, you will be amazed and dazzled by the variety and beauty of them. If you are a girl, let me tell you that the boys are worth while too ;)

Other absolutely magnificent  places to visit are the Romanian beaches, i’m telling you that you won’t find anything like them anywhere else. The sand is delicate, the sea is hot and not very salty and the beaches are full with people.  An interesting phenomenon has been happening in the past few years, more and more girls go to the beach topless, so there is beauty to be admired everywhere. Don’t miss your chance to have a vacation in paradise, visit Romania in the summer and you won’t be sorry.

If you go during the winter it isn’t that bad either. The mountains are superb and there are a lot of resorts to accommodate even the picky ones. Going skying is something a lot of people practice in the Romanian mountains, and Brasov is one of it’s leading mountain resorts.

One more thing that will make your trip easier and more pleasant, many Romanians speak English, so there is little chance to get lost no matter where you are. 

Make your vacation memorable  and go visit Romania.

A Quick Guide To Morocco

A Quick Guide To Morocco

Morocco has something of an aura about it – created mainly by the major tourist destinations of Marrakech, Casablanca, Fez and Rabat.

Where is it?

Morocco is on the North West coast of Africa, just across the sea from the southern tip of Spain. This means that it’s easy for most Europeans to reach by plane and even by road or train. Its proximity, mixed with its unique style and culture make it an increasingly popular destination.

Where can I stay?

There are a number of small, exquisite boutique hotels in Morocco. It seems to have the boutique style and attention to detail all wrapped up, making it difficult for the traveller to choose which unique hotel to stay in. There’s the Dar Zemora in Marrakech which has just five rooms, but where the decoration, furnishing and service ensure that you have the best of both worlds – a perfect place to stay, with the many attractions of Marrakesh just around the corner. Alternatively, stay in the Kasbah du Toubkal in the Atlas Mountains, which reportedly has the best views in North Africa, and where your stay is enhanced by the informal feel of the hotel and the services offered. Surrounded by the peaceful beauty of the landscape, it is a place that has inspired anyone who’s stayed there. Whether you want to stay in the hustle and bustle of Marrakech, on the beaches of Essaouira or in the heart of the mountains, there’s a perfect hotel waiting for you.

What can I see?

Wherever you’re staying, you should make an effort to visit Marrakech. The coming together of civilisations, conquerors and craftsmen makes it a truly eclectic city, yet one that’s bound together by the beauty of its buildings, the simplicity of its crafts and the awe of its visitors. Its souks, or markets, which are organised by trade, are a fascinating insight into the life of Marrakech’s residents and an experience not to be missed. Spend some time in the Place Djemma El Fna – the city’s main square, where regular entertainment keep the crowds amused, and then walk through the streets of the old town, taking in the magnificent medieval buildings and romantic gardens. The rest of Morocco holds its own delights – the whitewashed buildings in the simple coastal resort of Essaouira, the regal buildings of Rabat or the market town of Tata in the Sahara – you will find plenty of reasons to return to Morocco.

How do I get around?

You can hire a car in Morocco, as driving is fairly easy and it will let you explore more of the area around your chosen destination. Petrol can be expensive, so it may be wise just to hire a car for a day or two rather than for your whole stay. Morocco operates a system of shared taxis, which works out pretty cheaply and is fairly straightforward to use. Alternatively, try the bus network, which is generally comfortable and, although they may reach their destination later than a shared taxi, it will be a smoother, safer ride. If you’re travelling between cities, then choose the trains, which are also comfortable and affordable.

8 Tips For Traveling With Your Dog

8 Tips For Traveling With Your Dog

Just because you have a dog doesn’t mean you have to stay home all the time.  If you plan ahead and take a little care, it is easy and fun to travel with your dog.

Here are some tips to make the trip easier on both you and your pet:

1.Get your dog used to riding in the car by taking him on short trips.  Go to fun places like the dog park, the fast food drive through (where you can feed him bits of meat from your burger), or to visit friends.  You want him to think that trips in the car are fun.  You don’t want your dog to think that all car trips end up at the vet’s office.

2.If your dog tends to get carsick, don’t feed him the morning of the trip.  Having your dog travel with an empty stomach will help to prevent any car sickness.

3.Bring plenty of water and a water dish along.  You will need to give your dog periodic drinks of water when you stop for a rest.  It will be easier to get your dog to drink if it is familiar water from home.  Water in different places often smells or tastes differently, and your dog may not want to drink it.

4.Be sure to pack your dog’s food, treats, favorite bed, toys, and leash.   

5.If your dog uses a crate, bring that along too.  If you don’t have a large vehicle, you can buy crates that fold up.  When you get to your destination, you can put your dog in his crate while you go somewhere that you can’t bring him along.

6.How should your dog travel in the car?  Some dogs like to sit or lay on the seat, so bring a blanket to protect the upholstery.  Other dogs may need to be kept in a crate in the car.  Be sure the crate can’t slide around and scare the dog while you’re driving.   You can also purchase dog seat belts to keep your dog safe while sitting in the car.

7.Make a stop every few hours to walk your dog and give him some water.  Some dogs are frightened by the noisy trucks driving by, so try to walk in a quiet area.  Be a good citizen and bring plastic bags along to pick up the mess.

8.If your dog is anxious about staying in a hotel or strange house at your destination, he might not eat or drink.  You don’t want him to get dehydrated, so be sure to get him to drink, at least.  You can mix chicken broth or gravy into the dog’s water.  That will usually get him to lap it right up.  You can mix chicken broth or gravy into the food too.

The first trip will be the hardest, because your dog will not realize that you are coming back.  With the first trip behind you, if you have taken the time to make sure it is pleasant for your dog, future traveling with your dog should be a breeze.