The Historic City of Santander

A city and port in the Cantabria region of Spain, Santander has a population of 183,000 approximately one third of all the people who live in the Cantabria region. A historic city, Santander was already significant when the Roman occupied the Iberian Peninsular. The city mostly grew due to its fine natural harbour on the Bay of Santander, it was important during the Middle Ages and continued to be so as the discoveries in the New World brought increased imports into Spain. Unfortunately, much of the historic section of the city was destroyed by a great fire in 1941, an event that was amazing in that only one person died despite widespread devastation. Santander weather is notably mild although somewhat rainy and it has become a popular tourist destination with some interesting places to visit.

Hurricane Bill Heads for Bermuda

Bermuda is currently on alert as the powerful Hurricane Bill approaches, the Category 3 storm was predicted to pass through open waters between Bermuda and the USA some time on Saturday. On Thursday the “eye” of the storm was 500 miles south of Bermuda. The hurricane is expected to regain Category 4 status on Friday, though is will probably weaken through Saturday. This first storm of the Atlantic season caused Bermuda to issue a tropical storm alert on Thursday, and is on hurricane watch, bracing itself for possible devastation.

Costa Blanca Towns – Ondara , Els Poblets and Pedreguer

Heading for the northern Costa Blanca, we take a look at 3 small towns Ondara, Els Poblets and Pedreguer. All close to the Costa Blanca coastal resort of Denia the three small towns of Ondara, Els Poblets and Pedreguer all hold some interest for those visiting the area. Ondara a stronghold of the Moors during the Arab occupation of Spain, boasts an interesting bullring dating from the late 19th century, largely destroyed during the Spanish Civil War, it was later rebuilt, also of interest in Ondara is the Clock Tower in the Arabic style and the Assut dam, dating from the times of the Moors. Els Poblets, formerly 3 small villages is now a popular tourist location with some high quality homes, many owned by wealthy north Europeans, this area has some of the most expensive properties in the region. Els Poblets has some remains of a Roman villa, showing evidence of its settlement in the first century BC. The attractive little town of Pedreguer is surrounded by orange groves and vineyards close to the beautiful Jalon Valley, worth is visit is the old town where you will find the parish church of Santa Cruz dating from the 16th century. All in all these 3 towns would keep you occupied for a day and are well worth a look if you are staying in the Denia or Javea areas.

Review of Playa del Ingles

Situated on the edge of the Dunas de Maspalomas, the Gran Canaria seaside resort of Playa del Ingles is one of the best known spots on the island. Popular more for its climate and beach than for any historical or cultural worth, Playa del Ingles also has a vibrant nightlife scene and plenty of facilities for visitors to enjoy. During the daytime most holidaymakers head for the beach area, where aside from the sea, sand and sun, there are plenty of bars and restaurants to tempt the thirsty and hungry. The beach is excellent and was in fact man-made from sand shipped in from the Sahara Desert, there are also lots of water sports facilities for those who get bored with simply sunbathing. Playa del Ingles can be accessed from the GC1 and the GC500 and is approximately 30 km from the airport at Gando. Playa del Ingles Map.

Review of Benidorm Spain

Present day visitors to the lively Costa Blanca resort of Benidorm would find it hard to believe that up until the mid-1950’s it was just a tiny fishing village. The growth of Benidorm as a holiday resort has been phenomenal and it has now become the most popular seaside resort in Europe with between four and five million visitors each year. Many would say that the skyline of Benidorm has ruined the look of this beautiful part of the Spanish coast but the tall sleek Benidorm hotels have a beauty of their own and stand in stark contrast to the surrounding Mediterranean Sea and the mountains in the background. One of the main attractions for visitors are the fabulous Benidorm beaches which are long, sandy and wide and become very busy especially during the hot summer months. Another of the great attractions is the rich and varied Benidorm nightlife for which the resort is famous, having a huge choice for visitors and specialising in spectacular cabarets and live shows. The big draw for families is the fantastic choice of theme parks – this is big budget entertainment folks, check out the amazing Terra Mitica theme park with its scary rides and miniature children’s versions, or maybe the fabulous water park at Aqualandia, one of the best water parks in Europe. Also worth a visit are the Terra Natura safari park and the Mundomar Exotic and Marine Animal Park. Finally perhaps the most important thing which makes Benidorm such a huge attraction especially for north Europeans is the fantastic Benidorm weather, which can usually expected to be fine and sunny from May to October and is also pretty reliable even during the winter months. Much like most of the Spanish towns in this region, Benidorm enjoys over 300 sunny days every year and generally there is very little rainfall.

Mojacar Costa Almeria

Standing on a towering crag overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the Costa Almeria town of Mojacar is a spectacular sight. Tracing its history back to the times of the Moors, it was actually occupied much earlier with evidence of settlement some 4,000 years ago. During the Arab occupation the town (or village as it was then) was overseen by the Caliphate of Damascus, under his rule it grew in wealth and prosperity. Later joining the Narine sultanate, it became a strategic frontier town facing invading Christian forces from the east. Constant attacks by Christians led to the surrender of the town in 1488, though Moors, Christians and Jews continued to live and trade together. Mojacar fell into decline in the 19th century due to periods of severe drought, returning to prominence in the late 20th century with the arrival of tourism. Visitors attracted by the beauty and charm of this unique place ensure the future of Mojacar as a thriving town. Map of Mojacar.