Spain is often portrayed as a coastline crowded beach behind the rows of hotels, flamenco dancers in nightclubs, and bullfights on the weekends all for HOLIDAY RENTALS IN SPAIN. This is far from reality. Spain is a great, fascinating, spectacular and diverse country, which on the north resembles the green fields you can find anywhere in Northern Europe and the southern part of the country gives you a taste of North Africa with semi-deserts and Moorish architecture.
The Spanish lifestyle reflects these differences. The north is colder and wetter where life is mostly an indoor affair, while in the south, there's almost constant sunshine and life is lived in the open. Unlike these two, the high mountains scattered across the northern and southern parts of the country are covered with snow for several months of the year, with neighbouring cities and towns catering for skiers. The long history of Spain is reflected in the prehistoric cave paintings, Moorish palaces, ancient castles, Roman ruins and a large number of Gothic and Renaissance cathedrals and churches as well as some very distinctive modern architecture. Many come in the category of "must see" venues for many tourists.
Spain as we know today was created by a number of separate kingdoms. These regions remain somewhat diverse in their language, culture, gastronomy and art. They include AndalucÂa, Aragon, Asturias, the Basque Country, Cantabria, Castilla La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Catalonia, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra and Valencia. Some of these regions have their own language, or at least a variant of €central€ Spanish; the Catalan, Basque Country, Balearic Islands and Canary Islands are examples of this.
Although there is always a story, there is an excellent range of quiet beaches along most of the Spanish coast. The quietest ones are the most sought-after but if you want a well-developed resort, there are plenty of crowded beaches during the height of tourist season along the Costas: Costa Brava, Costa Blanca, Costa de la Luz and the Costa del Sol mostly. This beach is full of lively cafes and restaurants where you can dine and drink, while on the quieter beaches you may need to take your own lunch and refreshments. Dress wear on the beach varies greatly. The beaches are usually occupied by appropriately clothed swimmers, others have topless bathers and the quieter beaches are for nudists. Incidentally, nudity is allowed provided there are no sexual overtones.
The greatest range of original architecture and history can be found throughout Spain, especially in Cordoba, Salamanca, Granada, Toledo and Madrid. For modern architecture spectacles, visit Antoni GaudÂ's works in Barcelona and the Picasso Museum in Malaga, while Madrid is home to Spain's three finest art museums.
If you prefer fresh air, Spain's countryside is filled with endless opportunities to explore true wilderness or visit animal parks which are more organized. If you prefer to see Spain on horseback, then the Pyrenees, especially around the region of Aragon, is a good place for trekking. Where else can you enjoy the snow and the sea at the same time other than on your HOLIDAY RENTALS IN SPAIN? If you want such exercise, in the south of Andalucia is the Sierra Nevada mountain range with luxury ski resorts where skiing is usually possible from November through to May.
The Spanish lifestyle reflects these differences. The north is colder and wetter where life is mostly an indoor affair, while in the south, there's almost constant sunshine and life is lived in the open. Unlike these two, the high mountains scattered across the northern and southern parts of the country are covered with snow for several months of the year, with neighbouring cities and towns catering for skiers. The long history of Spain is reflected in the prehistoric cave paintings, Moorish palaces, ancient castles, Roman ruins and a large number of Gothic and Renaissance cathedrals and churches as well as some very distinctive modern architecture. Many come in the category of "must see" venues for many tourists.
Spain as we know today was created by a number of separate kingdoms. These regions remain somewhat diverse in their language, culture, gastronomy and art. They include AndalucÂa, Aragon, Asturias, the Basque Country, Cantabria, Castilla La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Catalonia, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra and Valencia. Some of these regions have their own language, or at least a variant of €central€ Spanish; the Catalan, Basque Country, Balearic Islands and Canary Islands are examples of this.
Although there is always a story, there is an excellent range of quiet beaches along most of the Spanish coast. The quietest ones are the most sought-after but if you want a well-developed resort, there are plenty of crowded beaches during the height of tourist season along the Costas: Costa Brava, Costa Blanca, Costa de la Luz and the Costa del Sol mostly. This beach is full of lively cafes and restaurants where you can dine and drink, while on the quieter beaches you may need to take your own lunch and refreshments. Dress wear on the beach varies greatly. The beaches are usually occupied by appropriately clothed swimmers, others have topless bathers and the quieter beaches are for nudists. Incidentally, nudity is allowed provided there are no sexual overtones.
The greatest range of original architecture and history can be found throughout Spain, especially in Cordoba, Salamanca, Granada, Toledo and Madrid. For modern architecture spectacles, visit Antoni GaudÂ's works in Barcelona and the Picasso Museum in Malaga, while Madrid is home to Spain's three finest art museums.
If you prefer fresh air, Spain's countryside is filled with endless opportunities to explore true wilderness or visit animal parks which are more organized. If you prefer to see Spain on horseback, then the Pyrenees, especially around the region of Aragon, is a good place for trekking. Where else can you enjoy the snow and the sea at the same time other than on your HOLIDAY RENTALS IN SPAIN? If you want such exercise, in the south of Andalucia is the Sierra Nevada mountain range with luxury ski resorts where skiing is usually possible from November through to May.