- Important points
- Choosing wings
- Hotel or apartment
- Transport subtleties
- Nightingales are not fed with fables
- Useful details
- The perfect trip to Spain
Sultry and temperamental Spain successfully argues with Greece for the right to possess the title "country where everything is". Judge for yourself! Clean comfortable beaches - one, a rich excursion program - two, excellent cuisine - three, hospitable people and consistently high service - four, and even ski resorts where slopes are laid "overlooking the sea" - all this can be yours while traveling Spain.
Important points
- Spain is one of the countries participating in the Schengen agreement, and it is not difficult to obtain a visa to the homeland of Cervantes, according to experienced tourists.
- Toll roads in Spain are called "autopistas", and the exit to them is preceded by a blue road sign with the letter "A".
Choosing wings
There are several international airports in Spain. The most popular among tourists are traditionally Barcelona and the capital:
- A direct flight from Moscow to Madrid takes about 5 hours. Aeroflot connects the two capitals for about $ 250.
- You can get there with connections via Paris, Amsterdam, Rome and other major European cities. Travel time, taking into account the transfer, is from 8 hours, and the issue price in this case is from $ 190.
- The same Aeroflot, the Rossiya company and many charters in the summer period fly directly to Barcelona from Moscow. You will have to spend 4, 5 hours in the sky, and pay about 200 $ for a ticket.
Hotel or apartment
The Spaniards are creative in the classification of hotels and there is no single system for this in the country. That is why reviews of previous guests and information presented on the hotel's website are the main criteria for choosing accommodation during a trip to Spain.
In resorts, hotels rarely stand right on the beaches. An exception may be 5 * hotels. A standard "treshka" in the resort area of the Costa del Sol, for example, will cost 40-50 euros per night. At the same time, the way to the beach will take about two minutes, on the territory of the hotel there will be an outdoor pool, parking, free Wi-Fi and even a tennis court.
Accommodation in Barcelona is somewhat more expensive and you will have to pay from 80-90 euros for a standard room in a hotel with three stars. The price usually includes breakfast buffet, internet and private parking. Hotels of this standard in Barcelona are located close to the metro or major attractions.
Madrid is a little cheaper than the capital of Catalonia and for a night in a "three-ruble note" in the historic part of the city you will be asked for about 50 euros, offering for this money to use free Wi-Fi, parking and supply you with all the necessary toiletries.
Private apartments, rooms in them, and even villas in resort regions, the Spaniards are very willing to rent to tourists. You can rent an apartment in Barcelona for 40 euros and more, in Madrid - for 30, and even cheaper in the provinces if you take a little time to study specialized sites.
Transport subtleties
Tourist buses that run through the largest tourist cities in Spain will be your best means of transportation during your stay there. Firstly, they stop at the most famous sights, and secondly, after examining the object, you can take the next bus and continue on your way, and finally, the ticket price is only 25-30 euros, and such a pass is valid for up to three days.
Public transport will ask you from 1, 5 to 2, 5 euros, depending on the distance of the trip, and if you plan to stay in the city for at least a few days, it is more profitable to purchase tickets.
Nightingales are not fed with fables
There is no single concept of "Spanish cuisine" in nature. Each region has its own culinary traditions, menus and peculiarities of serving dishes and restaurant decoration.
You can eat on a budget in Spain in world-famous chain establishments such as KFC, and in authentic street cafes. During the day, every restaurant serves an inexpensive business lunch, and at the food courts of shopping malls, you can quickly dine in cafes with Chinese, Mediterranean, Thai, Mexican and other food. This usually costs up to € 10 for a large hot portion.
Popular Spanish tapas bars are an opportunity to get acquainted with the national culinary tradition and understand that communication over food for the locals is a part of life and an everyday ritual. In such establishments, snacks are served in small portions, and the company moves from one cafe to another, enjoying both food and conversations. Often, tapas is served in regular restaurants as a prelude to the main course, so be prepared for unexpectedly more food on the table than expected.
Useful details
- Shopping in Barcelona will help you organize the local bus route Barcelona Shopping Line. Blue buses stop at the best shopping malls, and the full-day pass costs € 10.
- More than 450 Spanish beaches have been awarded the Blue Flag certificate, and all of them, like other resort areas of the country, are absolutely free to visit. You only have to pay for a sun lounger and an umbrella, if you need them.
- When laying a road route in Spain, do not try to avoid toll road sections. The time saved on the way more than compensates for the money spent.
- The highest prices for hotel services and ski passes among the ski resorts in Spain are on the slopes of Baqueira-Becket. But on the local routes you can meet members of the royal family and the president of the country.
The perfect trip to Spain
The best time to visit the Iberian Peninsula is different for every tourist, because in Spain, in addition to the beach season, there is a time of carnival at the end of winter and thematic festivals, as if scattered around the calendar by the generous hand of an invisible organizer of holidays.
In the first half of September in Segorba, from the 14th century, a festival of bulls has been held, and in Ronda - a bullfight, which Hemingway often attended in the ranks of spectators. On April 23, Spain celebrates its own Valentine's Day, and on May 2, festivities begin in Madrid on the occasion of the Day of the Spanish Capital.
The middle of June is marked by the Sonar electronic music festival in Barcelona, which attracts the most famous DJs of the planet, and on July 1, the El Grek festival of theater, music and dance takes over.
The Tomato Battle takes place in the town of Bunyol in the last week of the calendar summer, and the Seville Flamenco Festival kicks off on the second Thursday in September.
Tourists begin to sunbathe and swim in most Spanish resorts at the end of April. By mid-May, the air warms up to + 27 ° С, and the water - up to + 24 ° С. The most persistent leave the Mediterranean Spanish beaches only at the end of October, but travelers fly to Tenerife both in winter and in summer.
At the ski resorts, cannons provide a stable snow cover. The air temperature drops to temperatures suitable for the opening of the season by mid-December. Comfortable skiing in Sierra Nevada and Baqueira-Becket is possible until the first days of April.
