Important Things To Remember When Driving In Spain
November 25, 2009 by Lost in Europe
Filed under Restaurants
A great way to see Spain is to travel its highways and byways, setting your own pace and itinerary. With a driving tour, you have the freedom to go where you want on your Spanish holiday. You can travel off the beaten path and find places of interest to suit your tastes. You also can stay on the tried-and-true routes and still have an enjoyable time.
There are a few basic rules and regulations you need to know before getting behind the wheel on your Spanish holiday. First, you have to be at least 18 years old to drive in the country. Second, you will need a photo I.D. driver’s license from your country of origin. If you are not certain yours qualifies, then you should obtain an international driving permit prior to traveling to Spain. Finally, you need third-party insurance coverage to protect you when you drive in Spain. This is a legal requirement.
Wearing seat belts is compulsory in Spain. This includes front and backseat passengers. Children can sit in the front seat of vehicles in Spain if they are over 12 years of age.
If you are going to traverse Spain on a motorcycle, you must travel with the motorcycle’s headlights on during the day and at night. A motorcycle’s driver and passenger must both wear a helmet at all times.
All vehicles on Spain’s roads must keep their headlights on when traveling through tunnels. You must signal your intention to pass by, sounding your horn during the day or blinking your lights at night. This is in addition to using your signal indicators. As a foreigner, if you find yourself receiving a traffic violation and a monetary fine, you must make immediate payment. If you can present a Spanish bail bond or an address of a Spanish friend or company that will guarantee payment of the fine, then you receive a reprieve. You will not have your car impounded or be personally detained as long as you have given a guarantee the fine will be paid.
Once you understand the rules and regulations, you can get out and enjoy the scenery. It is best to plan your itinerary ahead of time. This way, you will know what attractions you want to visit, what restaurants you want to eat at and how to get to all these places. You can do the research yourself or get a travel advisor to help you. When you plan ahead, you save time and have more opportunities for sightseeing.
You can search the Web for sample itineraries. You can choose a region and find set plans that will take you through a week’s worth of driving and activities. You also can grab a good map and a travel guide to plan your own week’s worth of driving activities.
You can plan something simpler if you just want to enjoy a day-trip. A typical driving tour for a day can begin with breakfast in Seville, followed by a horse-drawn carriage tour of the city. You can follow that with a visit to the Plaza de Espana and then a lunch of tapas at the Barrio Santa Cruz. Next could be a leisurely drive around Seville followed by an evening of Flamenco dancing. Then it’s back to the hotel to get ready for the next day.
If you’re more adventurous, then just wing it. Hop in the car and head out on the open road. Each kilometer will be a new experience where you don’t know what awaits you, but at least you will have fun finding out.
These are just a few examples of what you can do when it comes to driving in Spain. Your Spanish holiday can be that much more fun when you hit the road with your own timetable. Just be certain you know the rules of the road and the Spanish customs for driving properly. Then get out and enjoy your driving tour of Spain.
Top tips for your Spanish Holiday
October 7, 2009 by Lost in Europe
Filed under Nightlife
Few European holiday destinations can claim to have the charm of Spain, a country that offers the awe inspiring architecture and historically significant sights common in other European countries but with the added bonus of all the attractions being under a beautiful, blue Mediterranean sky. Even those having to stick to a tight budget during their holidays will find plenty to do and see in Spain, and, with some careful planning, could save a substantial amount of money.
Planning early is the key for finding the best deals on travel and cheap accommodation in the larger Spanish cities. Most low cost airlines will fly in and out of Barcelona and Madrid, with cheap internal flights services available for transportation between Spanish cities, or to the Canary Islands, Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca. However, for the best deals booking at least two or three weeks in advance is advisable.
Choosing the dates of your Spanish holiday wisely is also a great way to save money. By avoiding the major tourist season during the summer months, you’ll be surprised by how much you can save. During the peak tourist season, Spain’s major cities fill with tourists, leading to accommodation becoming scarce and much more expensive. Restaurants and shops often raise prices too during the summer and even basic travel tickets local transportation may see a rise in prices during May, June and July. By August, the influx of tourists to the country has settled down, making it the perfect time to visit the more popular cities. With fewer crowds, hotels and hostels will have plenty of rooms, and at a reasonable rate.
While skiing is not the first activity you’re likely to think of when Spain is mentioned, Andorra, a tiny mountainous country bordering Spain to the north, has a thriving ski scene. For budget travellers, Andorra can provide one of the cheapest ski opportunities in Europe, with cheap lodges and lift tickets as well as tax free gift shops and stores. Getting there can be cheap and easy too, with buses running to Andorra from most northern Spanish cities.
Spanish nightlife is also a big reason for tourists visiting the country, with most clubs and bars full by 11pm and remaining open till dawn in many locations. However, many clubs charge a hefty entrance fee and drinks inside will be quite expensive. To make the most of the Spanish nightlife while sticking to a budget, the best plan is to either find clubs and bars that don’t charge for entrance or to cruise around some of the local bars which may have free passes to some of the biggest clubs. Enjoying a drink in a bar is also a great way to avoid buying expensive drinks in the clubs. Finding great clubs in Spain won’t be too hard either. A quick look at any Spain holiday reviews will ensure you find a nightspot to your liking.
Finally, make sure you get to know the local Spanish people in your chosen destination. Locals will be more than willing to recommend a place to grab a bite to eat or a drink and, by getting off the beaten path and away from the tourist crowd, a wealth of new ideas and options may become available to you.
Spanish Holiday Rentals
September 16, 2009 by Lost in Europe
Filed under Nightlife
Spain is an admirable country where millions of tourists relish and relax year after year. The spirit of this country is one of a kind, and the variety of entertainment opportunities it provides is unparalleled. Spain is a preferred tourist destination for a variety of reasons. All sorts of events and festivals, sporting events and varied entertainment attract millions of tourists to this sunny country of the Iberian Peninsula. Spain is a wonderful country to live in. If you cannot do that, you can at least visit it or spend your vacations there because it will certainly be worth it.
If you were to read travel guides and testimonials of tourists who have been to Spain time and time again, you would find that a vacation to Spain can be a truly memorable experience, provided it is well-planned. When it comes to planning a holiday in Spain, you are presented with numerous options. Finding the perfect combination of relaxation, luxury and affordability may not be exactly easy, but if you perform a diligent search you should be able to find several holiday packages that meet all these criteria. Planning your holiday well does not necessarily mean finding the most convenient accommodation, in terms of location, cost or facilities. It also refers to choosing the best time of the year to spend a holiday in Spain according to what you want to see or the festival or event you want to be a spectator to. However, your choice of accommodation can have a huge impact on the final outcome of your Spanish experience, which is why you should try to make sure that you opt for a nice place that has all the amenities and facilities you would like it to have.
We all know that accommodation may not bear that great importance, but it is certainly nice to be able to go back to a comforting and welcoming place after a day at the beach or a night out clubbing. Fortunately, you are very likely not to have an unpleasant experience of the kind in Spain, provided you make an informed choice of accommodation.
Apartments and villas are in high demand in Spain right now for a number of reasons. More and more people choose villas and apartments for their Spanish holiday rentals. First of all, many of these villas and apartments have very good locations and are more affordable than other accommodation alternatives. Second of all, apartments and villas are preferred for Spanish holiday rentals because they can accommodate more members of a family or friends and allow them to spend their holiday under the same roof, so to speak. Furthermore, villas and apartments are a good choice because they are more welcoming than any other hotel room or suite.
A Spanish villa rental can be the perfect solution for your holiday in this amazing country. Spanish villa rentals are widely available, so you can literally take you pick and choose the offer that is most appropriate to your specific needs and preferences. You can base you choice on whatever criteria you like, be it location, cost, facilities, proximity to beach, and so on. If you are interested in Spanish villa rental, you should definitely check out some specialized web sites where you can see pictures of the locations, get some idea about prices and maybe even read some testimonials. Spanish holiday rentals are in high demand right now because they come with so many advantages. But on top of everything else, Spanish holiday rentals provide variety, convenience and affordability.










