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Spain is a treasure-trove of arts and culture brimming with fabulous flamenco, music, history, painting, architecture, literature, cinema, sport, bullfighting and fiestas! The exuberance of the Spaniards and the glorious predictability of the summer weath
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The history of this now great city had humble beginnings
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Portugal is one of the most inexpensive and fascinating destinations in Europe. It has a rich seafaring past, superb beach resorts, wistful towns and cities, and a landscape wreathed in olive groves, vineyards and wheat fields. Four decades of dictatorshi
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€ 25
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Seville certainly is one of the most beloved places by visitors to Spain. Although today Moorish influence is architectonically most evident - Andalusia was occupied by Moors for about 800 years - it has been a cultural center long before. The fertility of this land and its favorised climate with mild winters and about 3000 hours of sun per year made Phoenicians and Carthaginians settle here. Later came Romans, like almost to any place in Europe, and two of their emperors, Trajan and Hadrian, in fact were born here.
Also lateron Seville was the home of famous and infamous figures of history, the legendary "Don Juan" started from here to conquer the hearts of women across all Europe, while Columbus started from a port close to Seville to discover a new world. Prosper Merimée's "Carmen", who couldn't make her decision between the officer Don José and the bullfighter Escamillo - the consequences you can watch still today in opera houses - was a worker in Seville's old tobacco factory. By the way, this factory serves today as University, a fact that might give you a glimpse on Andalusian talent for improvisation. Some highlights are the Real Alcázar, THe minaret of La Giralda, Puente de Isabel II and much more..
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Lisboa offers its visitors an endless selection of things to see and do. Both the lovers of daytime outings and those who prefer nightlife will be spoilt for choice: the city offers a wide variety of museums and monuments, parks and gardens, and internati
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Andalusia - region situated between two continents and bathed by two oceans. The name dates from the short period of the presence of the Vandals (409-429 BC). Before these settle Phoenicians (900 BC), Greeks (600 BC) and Romans (3rd century B.C.- 4th century A.C.) there, later on reigned the Visigoths for almost two centuries (5th.-7th.) and finally conquered the Arabs (711 - 1492) the whole region, leaving the most impressive testimonies in Andalusia. With the Spanish-Christian reconquest Andalusia became the launching point for the discovery and conquest of the "New Eorld". This marks the beginning of the golden age.
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Abundant beach front cafés (called Chiringuitos) selling fried fish, snacks and refreshments, which is just as well as the walk back from the main beach into the town centre is uphill all the way.
There are bars in abundance proclaiming their heritage to one nationality of another; Irish, English, Dutch, German you name it Torremolinos is likely to have it. The busy nightclubs pump out the latest music and stay open until dawn or even later. Make no mistakes Torremolinos is about having fun.
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€ 95
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The name Alhambra comes from an Arabic root which means "red or crimson castle", perhaps due to the hue of the towers and walls that surround the entire hill of La Sabica which by starlight is silver but by sunlight is transformed into gold. But there is another more poetic version, evoked by the Moslem analysts who speak of the construction of the Alhambra fortress "by the light of torches", the reflections of which gave the walls their particular coloration. Created originally for military purposes, the Alhambra was an alcazaba (fortress), an alcázar (palace) and a small medina (city), all in one. This triple character helps to explain many distinctive features of the monument.
There is no reference to the Alhambra as being a residence of kings until the 13th century, even though the fortress had existed since the 9th century. The first kings of Granada, the Zirites, had their castles and palaces on the hill of the Albaicin, and nothing remains of them. The Nasrites were probably the emirs who built the Alhambra, starting in 1238. € 18
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