Spain Travel Guide
Once away from the holiday coasts, you could only be in Spain. In the cities, narrow twisting old streets suddenly open out to views of daring modern architecture, while spit-and-sawdust bars serving wine from the barrel rub shoulders with blaring, glaring discos.
The heart of Catalunya, Barcelona is a vibrant cosmopolitan and happening Spanish hub on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain. Residents want to enjoy life and it definitely shows. Barcelona is home to a huge diversity of art, culture, food and entertainment making it a must for any European Visitor! Barcelona is definitely one of the top three cities to go to in Europe. The nightlife is amazing, and there is a lot to do tourist wise. The Sagrada Familia is a marvelous thing to see. Although not completed, taking the tour through the tower to the top is definitely worth it. It is extremely packed in the afternoon, so you should definitely go in the morning before the crowds get too crazy. You may have to wait a lot until you finally get a ticket to get to the top, but it is surely worth the wait.
Despite having a population of over 3 million, Barcelona is a surprisingly easy place to find your way round. Most places of historic interest are to be found in the confines of the old town, which is a maze of narrow streets, easy to navigate by foot.
Besides its historic and cultural attraction, Barcelona boasts a beach that over recent years has undergone vast improvement. The beach is now furnished with walkways, bars, cafes and showers. It can become packed in July and August.
Madrid is the capital of Spain and it sits literally at the center of the country. Madrid has a unique atmosphere due to the combination of its high altitude and the mountain breeze. At an altitude of 2,100 feet, this could be Europe's highest capital. Not only is Madrid the capital of Spain but it is also the world capital of bullfighting. Madrid is alive with bars and cafes and has some of the finest shops in Europe.
Located virtually in the centre of the country, Madrid is in close proximity to Segovia in the north and Toledo in the south, two other very important cities. Also close by is Avila a historic centre.
If you have never seen a bullfight then Madrid is the place to see one. It is known to be the very home of bullfighting. Once you have seen it you may be so disgusted or shocked that you never want to go again, or you may enjoy it so much you long to see another. Whichever, the fights in Madrid are among the best in Spain with the top matadors competing. Madrid's largest bullring seats over 32,000 people. The best time to go to Madrid if you want to spend a few hours watching bullfighting is from March to October.
The residents of Madrid come alive at night and you will find hundreds of cinemas, theatres and nightclubs as well as the many smaller, lesser known tapas bars. You will find every musical taste catered for as well as a thriving gay community. Travel companies in Madrid offer special night trips, taking in a couple of professional floorshows. This may be the best and safest way of getting a taste of Madrid's nightlife. Madrid has two symphony orchestras that produce regular performances and there are regular ballets and operas.
