If you want to go hiking in Spain then you really are spoilt for choice. Spain has 14 national parks, every one of which can be an interesting alternative for a hike. We mention some of these routes in this article, but it is impossible to cover all of them. It’s worth noting that although […]

If you regularly visit Spain during the summer then you really should at least once watch a Moors and Christians parade. This mixture of history, tradition and sheer dressing-up madness is a must for all ages. It can also be a long night ahead if you have the stamina! In virtually every town and city […]

Some people think of Torrevieja as just a seaside holiday resort. In the hustle and bustle of the summer season you could be forgiven for this. However, it’s also a town with a history and salt is at its heart. Torrevieja’s population has rocketed in the last half-century, but its growth hasn’t always been due […]

Most people think of Torrevieja as primarily being a seaside resort. It’s not a package holiday destination as such but, with its prime location on the shores of the Mediterranean, it’s a popular holiday destination for Northern Europeans and Spanish alike. Although this swells business during the spring and summer season, it leaves the town […]

The number of tourists visiting Spain keeps on rising. In 2015 68.1 million people came to Spain whilst in 2016 the number recorded had reached 71.6 million by November. In this Infograph we can clearly see how the number of tourists visiting Spain over the past three years has been growing. The increase has been […]

Spain is famous for its wine and deservedly so. It has a huge number of vineyards many of which welcome people to come and find out about the grapes that are grown there and the wines that result. The bodega is officially the warehouse where the wine is stored but it has come to mean […]

How is it best to travel around Spain’s 500,000 sq km of land?  With 17 autonomous communities and countryside varying between the rugged and the rolling it really is worth exploring if you have the transport to do so. And if you don’t? You can take a plane between some of Spain’s major cities. However, […]

Most people know that there is an airport in Malaga but not much else about this city in the south of Spain. For those with a base in Marbella or Fuengirola, Malaga is the airport they will probably use, although Gibraltar is also another option. It is a real pity when this is all that […]

Most people who are wanting to explore Spain will visit its major cities of Barcelona, Madrid, Seville and Granada. Each one is special and different and provides examples of Spain’s rich past. But if you want to travel to somewhere a little different that has a wealth of history behind it then you wouldn’t go […]

If you are anywhere near Elche in the middle of August then you cannot let the Mystery Play pass you by. There are three important dates to put in your diary. On the 13th August it’s La Nit de l’Albà when fireworks and firecrackers are let off in a spectacular display from around the town […]

Have you ever been on a cruise ship? Taking a cruise around the Mediterranean is on plenty of people’s bucket lists. In this blog Spain Explained provides some advice on what’s available and how to make the most of it. The presence of cruise ships around the Spanish coast is set to increase. It has […]

One of the main foundations of the Spanish economy is tourism. Tourism and Spain have been linked in the minds of many Europeans for decades. However, this close relationship hasn’t always been cosy or predictable and the tourism statistics for Spain are evidence of this. During the last 13 years there have been some peaks […]

Spain is a country of contrasts. Only a few hours from where they’re basking in the sun on the beaches they’re skiing down the slopes in three layers of clothes and woolly mittens. One of the amazing things about Spain is the variation in its climate and its landscape. For the majority of people Spain […]

Have you ever been guilty of not visiting the places on your doorstep? It can often happen that where you live is the place you’re least likely to fully explore. For example, it’s all too easy for Alicante just to become a stepping stone on the way to somewhere else. You travel to Alicante to […]

Have you come across this Spanish word before? A ‘Parador’ is a state-run tourist hotel usually found in rural beauty spots or places of historical interest. The Parador in Spain is often converted from interesting buildings such as castles or monasteries and offers much more than just bed and breakfast. The origins of the Parador […]

There are beaches on your doorstep and you can enjoy all the facilities available to the holidaymaker every weekend of the year, if you choose. If you live in Spain, chances are that no one you left behind in your native country would expect that you’d ever need a holiday at all. Instead, if you […]

1. Would you like to live here? Casa Batlló With hardly a straight line in sight, Casa Batlló, designed by Anton Gaudí, is a very famous example of what happens when you let your imagination as well as architectural brilliance run away with you. Whether you would want to live in it or not, is […]

For as long as most people can remember, Benidorm has been a household name. Unfortunately its reputation isn’t always a desirable one. For many, this Costa Blanca seaside town is the epitomy of bad behaviour abroad, with a variety of nationalities throwing caution to the wind and ‘letting their hair down’. Whatever views you hold […]

There are many wonderful holiday destinations in Spain, and they don’t just involve lying on a beach. A fantastic holiday experience I have had was walking the ´Camino de Santiago’. To walk the ‘Camino de Santiago’ or the Way of St. James is included on the ‘things to do before I die’ list of many […]

Spain has a good reputation for the construction of its Spanish high-speed trains. Its AVE are the fastest trains in the world with a speed of up to 300 km/h (186 mph). Spain manufactured the first high speed train in the middle east and has been awarded major contracts in both the USA and Russia. […]

Perhaps not the two ingredients you would first mention as key to healthy skin. Visit the Lo Pagan mud bathing site and you might be surprised. A short drive south of Torrevieja and at the northern end of the lagoon of Mar Menor, you will see people plastering themselves with black mud from the seabed […]

‘Las Fuentes’ means fountains in English and those you find close to the town of Calloso d’En Sarría are a particularly fine example. It’s made up of a number of small springs which converge to form a waterfall and some small lagoons. The spring waters are cool and refreshing and a bonus is that you […]