Situated in the Iberian Peninsula lays the dreamy country of Spain. Home to some of the world’s best food, best art, best architecture and other world class rankings, Spain is an awesome destination to select for a vacation. Vacation rentals in Spain are plentiful, the weather is mild and the people are nice. What reasons could one have to not want to choose Spain?
As the largest country in southern Europe Spain is able to offer a wide variety of interests to all different types of visitors. There are beaches, nature and so many different styles of architecture to see. Spain is also the only European country to border with the African country of Morocco. The main thing is if you are looking for an easy place to head off to for your next destination Spain makes for breezy travel planning.
Here are 5 great things about Spain:
The Mediterranean Coast
Some say that the Mediterranean coast is paradise. Long stretches of white sandy beaches go for miles and miles. Those pictures showing lots of happy people enjoying the beach with teal blue waters in the back ground are true. Visitors can either enjoy being in the midst of a crowd and have lots of amenities and restaurants adjacent to busy beach areas. Or you if you would prefer to find your own cozy cove you can head off to find more selective and secluded beaches. Of the beaches, approximately 577 have been awarded blue flag status. What this means is that the water quality at these beaches is guaranteed to be held to a high standard. In addition most of those beaches are also accessible to people with disabilities. This puts Spain at the top of the world ranking for having accessible beaches.
The Art
Spain is home to some of the world’s most well-known and famous artists. The great master Salvador Dali was from Spain. Visitors have a rare opportunity to go and visit his home. There is something so interesting about being able to see how an artist lived. Many people also travel to Malaga which is the birthplace of Pablo Picasso. Here there is a museum with some 300 pieces of his work. Ranking in the top tiers of world museums, the Guggenheim Bilbao is worth checking out if you at all possibly can. This dynamic and vibrant museum encourages the visitor to enjoy both the art inside the building and also enjoy the engaging outside of the building as well. The Frank Gehry designed gallery is a must see too.
The Amazing Accommodation
There is no shortage of amazing places to stay in Spain. With the countries rich and varied history and artistic flare, unique lodgings are dotted all around. Many savvy travelers are veering away from the traditional hotel bookings. Instead they are opting to rent a private villa for themselves. There are so many appealing places to choose from. Visitors can be situated right on beach front property or be tucked away up in the hills surrounded by groves of ancient trees. If you are traveling as a group of friends for a getaway or as a family, the cost of splitting private accommodation can be surprisingly affordable.
The Architecture
Cobbled streets and old buildings are one of Spain’s charms. Over the decades the country has had some stunning architecture spring up and remain all of these years. Roman ruins can be seen throughout the country reminding everyone of a different time in history. The Roman Theater in Merida is still used for performances to this day. Impressive cathedrals also dazzle visitors. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is so significant it is a place of international pilgrimage. Adding cultural diversity Mosques can also be seen throughout the cities. The Mezquita in Cordoba is unique in all of Europe and has been a world heritage site since 1984. An interesting feature that catches many people off guard and they are surprised to see is Egyptian temples in the center of Madrid. Many visitors question if the Egyptian’s lived in Spain, which they did not. They did however gift the Temple of Debod to the city in 1968. So do check it out if you get a chance.
The Food and Wine
Finally how could one think of Spain and not think also of their amazing reputation for having some of the world’s best food and wine. Some people go as far as to say that an entire trip to Spain is worth it just to have one meal. If you enjoy wine Spain is the place to go where everyone can enjoy fine wine at a decent price. Spaniards love their wine. They drink it with lunch, with dinner, before bed and anywhere in between. You really can’t go wrong by having a glass of wine in Spain. In the summers they claim to drink it to cool down and in the winters they drink it to warm up. If you have never dabbled much in wine, Spain is a great place to experiment and try different bottles. Eating is also a serious and delicious affair. Spain is home to the world’s oldest continuous running restaurant, Casa Botin. The painter Goya used to be a waiter here. If you do get a chance to go, definitely try the pig roast. The restaurant El Cellar de Can Roca won the prestigious award of best restaurant in the world in 2013 and is also worth checking out.
As you plan your next dreamy vacation these are just a few of the reasons to keep Spain at the top of your list. The country has so much on offer to welcome visitors.