The most westerly city on the Costa de la Luz, Spain, Huelva was founded by the Phoenicians in around 1000 BC. Originally known as Onoba, Huelva was later controlled by the Romans and became part of the province of Hispania Baetica, the Romans established a mint there and coins were produced bearing the name “Onuba”. In the 15th century the explorer Christopher Columbus sailed from nearby Palos de la Frontera, and the discovery of the Americas brought increased wealth to Huelva, though it was generally overshadowed by the more important city of Seville. Significant mineral deposits in the region led to Huelva becoming the home of the well known Rio Tinto Company, a British mining concern which set up shop in the Odiel estuary and subsequently exported its products throughout the civilised world. Huelva fell into decline after being devastated by the great Lisbon earthquake of 1755, though it has always been a significant port for the region. Located on a stretch of coast known as the Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light), Huelva is experiencing an increase in tourist activity as this less well known piece of coast attracts more and more visitors to its virgin beaches, as yet untouched by mass development. Enjoying a wonderful climate with Huelva weather being somewhat cooler than the neighbouring Costa del Sol, enjoying cooling Atlantic breezes and having a similar climate to Portugal’s Algarve to the south-west. Huelva is located just off the A-45 motoway between the Portuguese border and the city of Seville. Map.
Archive for the ‘History’ Category
Huelva Costa de la Luz
Friday, March 12th, 2010Maidenhead Berkshire
Thursday, March 11th, 2010Probably originating from a Saxon wharf on the River Thames, called Maiden Hythe, Maidenhead developed in its early days as the hamlet of Elentone (located about a mile away from present day Maidenhead), it had just 50 inhabitants when the Domesday Book was compiled, it was built some distance from the river as in rainy weather flooding is common in this area, and it did not begin to grow until the first bridge was built over the River Thames in 1255 by order of Henry III. The present day bridge was constructed in 1777 and cost nineteen thousand pounds at the time. The current spelling of the name was first used in 1724 and by this time Maidenhead was an important watering town for visitors passing through from London to Bath and many coaching inns sprang up in and around the town, other trades such as blacksmiths also flourished and at one time it had 4 breweries. The railway arrived in 1838 and this caused further growth for the town and established it as a commuter town for those working in London, it is still a popular commuter town to this day. Modern day Maidenhead has a population of just under 60,000 and is a busy town well known for its football club Maidenhead United, other sporting facilities include the Maidenhead Golf Club. Interestin places to visit near to Maidenhead include the village of Cookham which is a pretty village also on the River Thames and famous as the birthplace of artist Sir Stanley Spencer. Maidenhead is situated on the A4 and can also be easily accessed from the M4 motorway.
History of Lloret de Mar Catalonia
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010One of the oldest established and best known coastal resorts along the Costa Brava in Spain, Lloret de Mar has the appearance of a modern holiday resort with some great family orientated facilities. The town however has a long and distinguished history with settlements recorded in the area since the times of the ancient Iberians way back in the third and fourth centuries BC. The Romans considered it important enough to establish a trading post in Lloret de Mar (although of course it was not called this at the time) during their time in the region, and much later a castle was built for the protection of its inhabitants, enabling them to live closer to the sea, a previously dangerous area due to pirate attacks. From about the early 11th century it took on its present name of Lloret which is though to have come from the Latin for ‘place of laurels’. After Spanish exploits in the New World, Lloret de Mar became an important area for shipbuilding and trade, its sailors heading off for such places as Uruguay, Argentina and Cuba, bringing back many riches making the town wealthy and establishing its ‘Americanos’ as these travellers became known. The 20th century saw the arrival of tourism in Lloret de Mar and it is this modern industry which predominates in the town today. The fine beaches, great weather and excellent facilities are what attract visitors to present day Lloret de Mar.
Marrakech Morocco
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010Magical, mysterious, marvellous Marrakech, Morocco’s third largest city is a travellers paradise, where pavement snake charmers perform alongside potion peddlers, dancers and acrobats. Often called the “Red City”, Marrakech gets its name from the Berber words mur n akush meaning “Land of God”, and it had been a constant cause of fighting between various Berber tribes for many centuries after being founded by the Berber Amoravids in the 11th century. Marrakech has the biggest traditional market (souk) in Morocco and its Old Town – the Medina is the historic centre of the city with a maze of winding alleys, artisans workshops and saints shrines, the Jemaa el Fna is its celebrated square, a hive of activity both day and night. Popular as a tourist destination Marrakech experiences some wonderful weather right through the year. Marrakech has a population of just over one million.
Lloret de Mar Costa Brava
Thursday, February 4th, 2010The history of Lloret de Mar is forever linked to the sea, the Iberians settled in the areas of Montbarat and Puig de Castellet and established trade with the Greeks and Romans, and the Romans themselves founded a trading post in what is now Lloret. The name Lloret lo Redo first appears in 966 AD deriving from Lauretum (place of laurels). At the beginning of the 16th century a new church was built in Catalan Gothic style and completed in 1522, the church served as a refuge from pirate attacks. With the discovery of the New World, many of Lloret’s sailors went to the Americas, resulting in a growing import and export trade with the colonies. After the collapse of Spain’s Empire, Lloret de Mar went into a period of decline and it was not until the increase in tourist activity in the 20th century that the town recovered and became what it is today, a popular seaside resort along the Costa Brava coastline of Spain. Though the towns population is only around 30,000, this rises to over 200,000 during the busy summer season, when the weather is excellent, as many holidaymakers arrive to stay in the many hotels such as the Lloret de Mar Oasis and the Costa Encantada Aparthotel. Lloret de Mar has a vibrant nightlife scene and attracts the younger set especially Germans, Dutch and Belgians. Also attractive to visitors is the fine beach and excellent range of facilities. Map.
Lagos Portugal
Friday, January 22nd, 2010One of the highlights of the Algarve region of Portugal is the historic town of Lagos, former headquarters of the famous explorer Henry the Navigator. Crammed with historic buildings despite being severely damaged in the great earthquake of 1755, Lagos has some of its old city walls, a 17th century castle and many interesting post earthquake buildings and monuments. Also a well known area for surfing, this part of the Algarve coast is windswept and battered by the Atlantic Ocean, with numerous prime locations between Lagos and Sagres in the extreme west. For beach lovers, Lagos is perfect as there are lots of wonderful beaches in the area and some charming little seaside resorts nearby, this is of course as well as the delightful Lagos weather which alone attracts many visitors. Despite this, the old town is the main draw, best explored by foot, visitors can wander the narrow winding streets taking in the atmosphere and imagining what the place was like when Portugal was a major seafaring nation. The port area dates from Roman times and was at that time called Lacobriga, it would have been a major trading town, servicing ships going along this busy coast. Later controlled by the Moors, it came back into Christian hands in 1241 and enjoyed the boom created by Portugal’s growing Empire in Africa and South America. Present day Lagos has a population of around 18,000 most of which is concentrated near to the coast, the main industry is tourism. Lagos is around 65 kilometres from Faro and its airport so you may need to hire a car should you wish to visit. Lagos Map.
Megalithic Structures of Menorca
Monday, December 7th, 2009Menorca is beyond a shadow of a doubt the most abundant in megalithic sites of all the Spanish Balearics, having many hundreds of stone structures dating from the Talaiotic period (2000BC – 1000BC) many of these ancient sites are still in a good state of repair and well worth the effort needed to see them. The majority of the finest megalithic sites are situated in the south of the island below the route of the ME-1, Mahon to Ciutadella carraigeway, many are decently signposted, others are much trickier to find and require some exploration and a good map, if you are doing the full tour you will need a decent guide book and a detailed road map of the island. Some of the finest and best known sites on Menorca include Torralba d’en Salort, for a great example of a taula (“T” shaped stone structure), Naveta d’es Tudons for a superb example of a naveta (upturned boat type stone structure) and Son Mercer de Baix for the most ancient settlement on Menorca. To have the required freedom to tour these and many other sites you would be best advised to rent a car hire vehicle for at least a couple of days of your stay, this will give you the opportunity to tour the island without any constraints. While touring the historic sites you can also pop in and see a few of the more “out of the way” coves and beaches, or perhaps take a morning for a game of golf at Son Parc in the north and then visit Monte Toro (Bull mountain), Menorca highest peak.
Towns of Catalonia Tortosa
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009One of the only towns of any significance in southern Catalonia, Tortosa boasts a 10th century castle, some ancient fortified walls and a long history of conflict. Standing on the banks of the River Ebro, which has many times been the boundary between warring factions, Tortosa was originally established by the ancient Iberians who called it Dertosa, further changes were made by the Romans and even later by the Moors who held control of the town between the eighth and thirteenth centuries. The 10th century mosque built by the Moors was flattened and replaced by a Gothic cathedral after the reconquest. Much damage was sustained by Tortosa during the Spanish Civil War, and little of the old town remains, casualties were high and are still remembered by the inhabitants. Today Tortosa is more peaceful and is a popular day trip location enjoying pleasant weather, near by is the River Ebro Natural Park a significant wetland area, amongst other things the River Ebro is famous for catfish fishing, with these tough fish reaching huge sizes in this area. Map of Tortosa.
L’Escala Costa Brava
Monday, November 30th, 2009A smallish but popular coastal resort on the Bay of Roses, L’Escala is one of the many attractive Costa Brava resorts of the Catalonia region of north-eastern Spain. Having a resident population of just over 8,000, L’Escala has an ancient fishing port surrounded by the narrow streets of its old delightful old town. A historic area, the neighbouring Empuries (St Marti d’Empuries) boasts one of the oldest Greek settlements in Spain, also featuring later Roman parts giving evidence of their time on the Iberian Peninsular. Especially important for fishing and the salting of fish, L’Escala is well known for its anchovies and its sardines, and a number of its many fiestas are dedicated to this industry. As a tourist resort L’Escala has two distinct areas, the old town (favoured by Spanish tourists) and the newer area of Riells (favoured by International tourists). The town has a decent range of amenities and a couple of small beaches near the old town and a larger ‘blue flag’ beach in the Riells district. For nature lovers and culture seekers there are plenty of places to visit and for sports enthusiasts there is a wide choice of facilities. L’Escala Map.
Sagunt Costa del Azahar
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009An important ancient city in the Comunitat de Valencia, Spain, Sagunt (Sagunto) is located in the fertile region of Camp de Morvedre. Built on a raised hill site approximately 25 kilometres north of the city of Valencia, Sagunt was founded as a fortified settlement by the ancient Iberians (early Spanish peoples) in the fifth century BC, some of the original settlement remains, notably limestone slabs from the Temple of Diana. The year 219 BC is the most notable for Sagunt, as it was then that Hannibal and his Carthaginian troops put the town under a siege which lasted some months and ended with the town being severely damaged and its people put to death. This directly led to the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage, leading to the defeat of the Carthaginians and the occupation of Spain by the Romans. Sagunt is located on the Costa del Azahar and can be reached via the A-7 motorway or from the A-23. Map of Sagunt.