Denia In Spain And Its Enchantments

Denia, on the Costa Blanca of Spain has always been strategically located on the skirt of the Montgo hills, dominated by a castle which was once an Arab fortress, right on the Mediterranean Sea. Dianium was its first name given to it by the Romans owing to the fact that there was a temple nearby which had been dedicated to Diana. The Greeks seem to be the first tourists in 6 B.C. and staying for a while because of its climate, very similar to that of Greece, giving it the name of Hemeroscopeion. But as we have seen in many other places in Spain, the Arabs were the ones who stayed the longest and who really populated the area, converting it in the capital of the region of the Caliph of Cordoba. After the expulsion of the Moors, this city suffered terribly both economically and in population. But it made its comeback with the production and exportation of raisins, mainly to England. But unfortunately this has decreased considerably both in Denia ( http://www.alicante-spain.com/denia.html ) as well as in Javea. But a city does not die out that easily and it has made itself into an important tourist area.

Dianium, better known as Denia

Other than having been renovated and made into a modern city dealing with a large number of tourists who are looking for cheap flights and good hotels, Denia has still conserved its old quarters and neighbourhoods such as Les Roques found at the bottom of the castle, The Baix la Mar ( down near the sea) located in the fishermen’s neighbourhood or the Cross Square ( Plaza de la Creu) where you can rest for awhile to have a snack , lunch or dinner while you glance at the Mediterranean Sea. Along the Cervantes Promenade you can find terraced cafeterias or restaurantes where it is very typical to eat ‘tapas’ or small portions of seafood, ham or different omelettes and refresh your dry mouth with cold Spanish beer or delicious wines. You can even try typical dishes from other cities or surrounding towns like Torrevieja, Altea, Murcia and Calpe. But being as these places are not very far away, and the scenery is quite nice, it would be recommendable to do a car hire and go for seeing is believing.

Back to the old quarters where the Mayor and Loreto streets are, you will see pretty neolassical buildings which belong to the upper Valencian class people. The Town Hall dates to the 17th century, the Saint Mary Assumption Church on Vila Vella street goes back to the 16th c. There are also two museums- The Archaeological Museum which has a great number of remains of all the different cultures which has invaded this area and can be seen at the same time as you acquire your entrance ticket to the castle. It is open from 10 to 1′30 and from 5 til 8, closed on Thursdays. And the Ethnological Museum on Cavallers Street no. 1 which deals with the times when the raisin business was at its best. It is open from 10′30 to 1 and from 4 until 7, closing on Mondays and Sunday afternoons.

Fun in the Sun in Denia

One of the most looked for characteristics of this big town is its beaches and coves. Heading towards the south to a rocky coastal area called Les Rotes, there is a group of small coves where scuba-diving and fishing fans hang out. To the north of the town, the there are sandy beaches like Els Palmars or las Marinas and not very deep waters- ideal for family outings. Other than the well known Fallas, also done in denia and the Moor and Christian parade, Denia has a very original feast honouring its patron saint ( Santisima Sangre ) the first 15 days in July called ‘ Bulls into the water’. Where else can you become a bullfighter overnight? Denia like many other coastal towns can give you full satisfaction with all your holidays needs.

Lyon is a City in France

Lyon is a city in east central France. It is the second largest metropolitan area in France after Paris.

With its unrivalled geographical position, Lyon has numerous assets including its atmosphere and its way of life. Since the Renaissance, the banks of the two rivers, the Rhone and the Saone, that flow through the city, the Fourviere basilica that dominates the city centre and the Old Lyon, are sights that make Lyon an extremely pleasant place to live.

Excellent travel connections to other major European business centres and destinations. Lyon is less than two hours away by car from the French Alps, and a three hour drive to the Mediterranean Sea. London, Barcelona, Milan, Zurich can be easily reached within an hours flight from Lyon. Lyon is also 2 hours by train from Paris.

For centuries, the city has been a trading centre at the cross roads between Northern Europe and the Mediterranean South. While its entrepreneurial culture dates back to the silk manufacturers in the early 19th century, its present dynamism is based on a diversified range of modern industries such as energy, chemicals, vaccines, lazer technology.

Lyon is almost as good a place for nightlife and entertainment as it is for eating, with a good range of clubs, cinema, opera, jazz, classical music concerts and theatre.

Youll find restaurants offering dishes from every region of France and overseas in Lyon. The wide variety of restaurants helps to preserve Lyons fame as the gastronomic capital of the world. Lyon is not only home to many of Frances large corporations which now operate worldwide it has also attracted many international firms and organisations.

Vieux Lyon which is a delightful labyrinth of cobbled alleyways, Renaissance palaces and two Roman amphitheatres which still stage rock concerts even today. The Presquile is also worth a foray and is the heart of modern day Lyonnais life. Here youll find the huge Place Bellecour with its statue of Louis XIV, the 17th century Hotel de Ville and the Palais St Pierre, a former Benedictine convent and now home to the Musee des Beaux Arts.

Two of Frances best known wine growing regions are located near Lyon the Beaujolais to the North, and the Cotes du Rhone to the South.

Lyon also features a renowned opera house.

Lyon has pretty mild weather all year round, but late summer is the perfect time to sit out at pavement cafes and soak up the last of the seasons sunshine.

Chocked Tentacle in Alghero (Sardinia, Italy)

It’s a pleasant thirty minutes ride from Sassari, where we were staying, to the seaside gem of Alghero on the famous “Little Green Train” (Trenino Verde). This popular narrow gauge railroad serves Sardinia and dates back to 1888. In 1921, author D.H. Lawrence said of Trenino Verde, “It’s a strange railway. It shoots up hills and down into valleys and races around sudden curves with the greatest nonchalance…” Though we would have to leave the leg of the railroad that D.H. spoke of for a future trip, we were able to get our train fix with the shorter jaunt to Alghero.

Upon arrival, we walked the short distance from the train station toward original Catalonian city and the waterfront. Rounding the corner to the beach, we encountered an astonishing sand sculpture by Antonio Iannini. He has crafted an artistic history of the region’s culture, religion and politics using only the fine grained beach sand and water. Amazing! The artist lives and breathes his art, constantly tweaking his masterpiece, while living in a van and a tent on the beach at Lido S. Giovanni. Articles lauding his incredible work from all over the world were included as part of Iannini’s display.

The beach leads past the marina filled with both pleasure craft and local fishermen’s boats to the walls of the old city. While gawking at the boats and the majestic view of Capo Caccia, we managed to miss the main gateway through the ancient wall into city. Capo Caccia is the point at the end of the peninsula that forms the bay, Porto Conto, about seven miles across the water from Alghero. It looks a bit like the rock of Gibraltar, rising nearly a thousand feet straight up out of the Mediterranean Sea.

Moseying on, we discovered stairs up to the top of the Bastion that guarded the city from invaders for centuries. After a quick check to make sure none of the local citizens were boiling oil to ward off our invasion, we scaled the wall. It is always a striking experience to venture inside the walls of an historic Italian city but even more so in Alghero. The mix of cultures over the centuries has left a truly unique place. We could hardly wait to explore–but first, sustenance.

Fortunately, there were many choices for our growling stomachs along the top of the ramparts. After surveying the options, we decided on “Mirador” both for it’s incredible location–jutting out from the wall atop a turret–and several menu items that caught our eye. How could we pass up “Spaghetti with small Alghero’s sea octopus sauce chocked on frying pan as our old tradition” or “Wild rocket salad sprinkled with bottarga“? We couldn’t. You could get your rocket salad with strips of raw beef if you prefer. Humorous as menu translations may sometimes be, the food was absolutely wonderful.

Shellfish soup served with toasted bread and the “festival of the sea” platter of various Mediterranean delicacies started off the meal. Most of the sea creatures were ones that were familiar to us with a large exception being a shrimp-like guy with lobster claws that had a sweet taste we likened to Alaskan king crab. We felt we could live on the soup for the rest of our lives, but then the waiter brought out the octopus spaghetti! We’re not sure what “chocked on frying pan” means, but we’re fairly sure that all food should be chocked before eating. The sauce had a Cajun feel to it, and the octopus was a wonderful consistency, though it was a bit daunting to see tentacles and suction cups hanging off our forks. We have learned to order house wine so we may sample regional fare, and it never disappoints. The “Arenarie Sella and Mosca Alghero” was light and cold — the perfect compliment to the spicy small sea octopus.

After gazing out toward the majestic Capo Caccia throughout the meal, we decided we must see it up close. You can get there by land and then walk down 656 stairs to the sea and the immense cavern of Neptune’s Grotto. But we were dying to get out onto the water and what better way to see the cliffs up close than from a boat? Besides, the 656 steps back UP was a rather daunting proposition.

We headed back to the marina to secure a spot on the next boat. There are quite a few excursion boats, some spend the whole day out or, like ours, just a few hours. We sped across the bay about half an hour until we were mouth-open staring straight up the rock face from the bottom of the sheer cliff. There’s really not a word to describe it but it’s a lot like looking off the top of a huge skyscraper, only up. From there, the boat cruises around several giant rock formations with caves and arches carved into them by the sea on the way to Neptune’s Grotto. From the small opening tucked underneath the cliffs, Neptune’s Grotto opens into an stunning cavern filled with stalagmites and stalactites. It’s a bit like Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, except when you come out you’re in the ocean off of Sardinia, which really isn’t anything at all like central Kentucky, now is it?

After our boat ride we headed back to the town to absorb some of its culture and history. Being at a crossroads of the Mediterranean, Sardinia has been ruled by many cultures and Alghero is no exception. Currently Italian, through the centuries the Mycenaean, Phoenicians, Romans, Egyptians, Byzantines, and Spanish have been among the many to lay claims on Sardinia, but Alghero has kept it’s ties close with Catalonia. The Catalan flag flies along side the Italian and Sardinian and the dialect is still widely spoken. The influence can be seen in the architecture, the food and everywhere your eye falls. The story is told how Emperor Charles V, the king of Catalan, came to Alghero in 1541 to declare “Estade todos caballeros” (“You are all knights“) to honor courage shown by the people of the city. We were fortunate to hit Alghero a few weeks after the European tourist season of July and August ended, as it is teeming with visitors at those times. The streets were uncrowded and the temperature was perfect forbeach going, water sporting and sightseeing.

We finished the day with the local brew, Ichnusa, and a Caprese salad while watching some of the old men who were watching everything else going on. If you spend some time in Italy, you’ll find that watching really is the great Italian pastime. We’re learning to find the merits in it. Salute!

David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com

So Much to Do in Splendorous Spain

Copyright (c) 2008 Simon Johnson

Enjoying vacations in Spain definitely means sailing, golfing, shopping, sun bathing. But not many know that there is more to Spain than sun and sand. Supported with amazing cities and tourist attractions, Spain is located in southern Europe and being a democratic land, it is a great holiday destination. Surrounded with Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean on north, east and south respectively, Spain is also known for its heritage, culture and architecture other than its beaches and bullfights. Top most attractions in Spain:

Barcelona

Barcelona is famous for its steer caf?nd Mediterranean beaches, Seville (capital of Andalusian) for its inspirational literature, music and art as well as for its street concerts and ‘Flamenco’ shows.

Benidorm

This city is known for its Guadelest the town built in the interior of mountains.

Ibiza

This part of Spain is famous for its day and night clubbing and partying environment as well as for its sandy beaches. You should never ignore Ibiza if you are young and beautiful.

Tenerife Canary Islands

These islands witness the highest mountain peak of Spain and are famous for its adventure sports. The island has more to offer than its flourishing and amazing green scenery, mountains and blue coastline. From climbing, biking and hiking, the canary island is full of adventure.

Valencia

Renowned for its marvelous and Spanish festivities like ‘Las Fallas’, Valencia has sun, beaches and attractive markets and orange groves. Many visit this part of Spain to experience its July fair.

Gran Canaria Canary Islands

Every beach in these Gran Canaria Islands is a lover’s paradise. Tourists visit here for the white sandy beaches and dunes, thrilling water sports and energetic nightlife.

Majorca Majorca Island is popular for magnificent caves, amazing view and architectural heritage. From prehistoric memorials to antique train for tourist, Majorca has heritage as well as natural beauty to its collection.

Almeria

Almeria is much known for its historical treasures, villages, Tapas bars, caves and rich sea food.

Holiday in Spain

You can experience the art from famous Picasso and other great artists, you can dance and be merry with the colorful village fiesta, do Tapas (something locals love to do, they eat Tapas and drink at bars), run with bulls, go crazy with football fever, party all night long, go adventurous, walk the villages, explore the caves and mountains, enjoy your golfing, enjoy the Spanish cuisines and beaches or simply have a good family time at the national park.

The best time to visit Spain

You can plan your holiday in Spain anywhere between the months of April to beginning of November. Although July and august can be little too hot and full of humidity.

All Facilities At Barcelona Hotels