Virtually surrounded by water on the Costa de la Luz coastline of southern Spain, the ancient city and port of Cadiz is claimed to be the oldest inhabited city in Europe. Founded by the Phoenicians as a trading centre in around 1100 BC it now has a population of 130,000 and has been the base of the Spanish Navy since the Spanish Bourbons ascended the throne during the 18th century. Known to the Greeks as Gádeira, in myth it was founded by Hercules, after he had completed his tenth labour. Later controlled by Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths and Moors, before being returned to Christian hands by Alphonso X in 1262. Cadiz waved off Christopher Columbus on 2 of his famous voyages, and benefited from the huge wealth that subsequently arrived from the Americas during Spain’s Golden Age. The wealth attracted the attention of pirates and Sir Francis Drake occupied the harbour in “The Singeing of the King of Spain’s Beard” incident, which delayed the Armada and possibly led to its eventual failure. Cadiz today has some important historic monuments, its best known perhaps the cathedral which was originally built in the 12th century, burned down in the 16th century and eventually rebuilt in the 18th century with rococo and neoclassical elements. The Cadiz area is also popular with holidaymakers as its coastline has some of the best beaches in Spain, and the Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light) benefits from a splendid climate with Cadiz weather being pleasant for most of the year and especially warm from May to September. Cadiz is just 40 km from the airport at Jerez, the spectacular city of Seville is around 125 kilometres away. Cadiz Map.
August 27, 2009
Costa Blanca Resort of Cabo Roig
Located on the Southern Costa Blanca coastline is the popular and delightful seaside resort of Cabo Roig. Well loved for its superb sandy “blue flag” beaches, its stunning views of the sparkling blue Mediterranean sea, its picturesque cliff walks and its busy nightlife, Cabo Roig has plenty to offer the discerning holidaymaker. Generally quiet during the winter months, Cabo Roig comes to life around May time and is often busy right through to November. Cabo Roig attracts holidaymakers from all over the world but primarily English, Irish and Spanish (particularly those from the city of Murcia who love this stretch of the coast). The busiest months are July and August, the quietest January and February. The eye-catching 16th century watchtower, around which Cabo Roig originally grew, is now part of a restaurant complex which overlooks the recently modernised marina. An estimated 2 million euros was spent on the refurbishment of what is now one of the Costa Blanca’s most desirable mooring spots. There are a number of excellent beaches to visit whilst on a trip to Cabo Roig. The main beaches are Cala Caleta and Cala Capitan both very popular with holidaymakers. Also within easy reach are the beaches at Campoamor, La Zenia and Playa Flamenca. All of these beaches are kept very clean and are usually raked every day, they are also safe for children. Whilst on a trip to Cabo Roig do not miss the cliff walk to La Zenia, this walk takes you along the back of Cala Caleta beach, above the marina and onwards to Cala Capitan and then to La Zenia beach. This is a very enjoyable walk and offers some exceptional views of the surrounding coastline, don’t forget to take your camera or you will miss some great photo opportunities. You will spot La Manga in the distance and on a clear day you can pick out the towering apartment blocks of this up and coming resort. Cabo Roig has a wonderful climate and the sun shines on over three hundred days per year, the mean temperature being about 20 degrees C. You can usually expect to see little rainfall between May and October and the days are generally long and sunny. When rain does fall it is usually during the winter months, November and February being the most common months for rain. December and January are usually sunny and pleasant but with cold nights. After a day in the sun most visitors head for the bustling Cabo Roig strip with its ever increasing selection of bars and restaurants offering food, fun and frolics to suit every taste. There are some excellent restaurants providing dishes from around the world including Spanish, Italian, Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Hungarian, German, English and Irish. During your visit you may want to venture out from Cabo Roig and enjoy some of the other attractions on offer. A trip to the Rio Safari at Elche is a very rewarding experience and the kids will love feeding the animals and riding on the “train” through the park. Perhaps a round of golf is more your “thing”, there are three excellent golf courses nearby at Villamartin, Campoamor and Las Ramblas. Maybe you could take a coach trip to Benidorm (if you haven’t hired a car) and marvel at the busiest seaside resort in Europe, or visit one of the regions historical cities, Cartagena, Murcia or Alicante have plenty of interesting sight to see. There you have it – Cabo Roig, “the jewel of the Costa Blanca”, the seaside resort with something for everybody. There are plenty of Cabo Roig holiday rentals available in the area should you wish to visit. Be sure to visit Cabo Roig sometime soon.
Burriana Costa del Azahar
Located just 13 km from Castellon de la Plana, the town of Burriana lies near the Clot de la Mare, at the mouth of the Anna River on the Costa del Azahar, Spain. A good sized town, Burriana, which is a couple of kilometres inland from its port, has a population of over 35,000 and a history going back to the Arab occupation of Spain. Re-conquered for the Christians in 1233, Burriana was subsequently fortified and walled to ward off attacks by pirates. The town walls were eventually demolished during the 18th century to allow the town to expand. In the coastal area of Burriana, there are several fine beaches and a significant harbour area, which is these days a marina for pleasure craft and a Nautical Club. Places to visit in Burriana include the famous Orange Museum, the El Salvador church and the San José de los Carmelitas church. Burriana Map.
August 26, 2009
The Costa Brava Town of Blanes
Located in the region of Catalonia in north-eastern Spain, the town and resort of Blanes is popular with both Spanish and International holidaymakers having a 4 kilometre stretch of coastline with plenty of fine sandy beaches and a number of pretty coves and bays. Originally a small fishing village, Blanes is now a busy resort albeit quieter than some of its Costa Brava neighbours, its seafront is lined with high-rise apartment blocks and hotels, though remains of the old town still remind visitors of its former charm. Blanes experiences a typical Costa Brava climate with beautiful sunny, warm summers and somewhat cooler winters, the weather in Blanes can generally be relied on to be fine from June to September. One of the Costa Brava’s best known resorts Blanes is only 30 kilometres from the nearest airport at Girona. Blanes Map.
Sant Lluis and Binibeca Vell Menorca
Two very contrasting towns situated in the south-east of Menorca in the Spanish Balearic Islands, Binibeca Vell and Sant Lluis could not be more different. Sant Lluis was built as a garrison for the French fleet when they invaded Menorca in the eighteenth century and much of the grid layout of the town remains with some of the old garrison buildings also standing. Binibeca Vell is on the coast and is a purpose designed holiday complex, built to fit in with the typical Mediterranean style which it does in many ways. Binibeca Vell offers an opportunity to stay in a holiday resort on this popular island, while staying in a charming fishing village atmosphere.
Biar Onil Castalla and Agost Costa Blanca
To the north of Alicante on the Costa Blanca, Spain, there are quite a number of interesting little towns to visit that are not so well known to visitors to the area but are worth a visit nonetheless. Amongst the most interesting of these are Castalla, Biar, Agost and Onil. Castalla is a town of around 8,000 and is well known for the production of toys, as are other towns in this region, its most important historic monument is its 11th century Moorish castle. Another town dominated by its castle is Biar, completely unspoilt by tourism Biar also boasts a charismatic church with a tall attractive bell tower. Agost has a population of just under 5,000 and is the smallest of our towns, Agost is best known for its pottery, with 11 potteries still operating in the town, many in the traditional style. Our final town is Onil, a pretty little town also well known for the production of toys, in Onil you will find a 17th century palace-fortress and the 18th century church of Santiago Apostle.