Costa de la Luz, Cadiz and Huelva
According to Topschoolsintheusa, the Costa de la Luz with its endless sandy beaches stretches along the southern Atlantic coast from Tarifa to the Portuguese border. From Algeciras there are ferry connections to Tangier and Ceuta on the North African coast and to the Canary Islands. The route between Algeciras and Cádiz is one of the most beautiful in the country with stunning views of the Strait of Gibraltar, the North African coast and even the Atlas Mountains. Cádiz’s landmarks are the observation towers (Miradores) and the pretty white houses. Cadiz is one of the oldest cities on the Iberian Peninsula. The Academia de Bellas Artes contains an important collection of paintings (Murillo, Rubens). In the province of Huelva lies the town of El Rocío. In the north of the province of Huelva are the beautiful stalactite caves of Grutas de las Maravillas in Aracena and the Coto de Doñana National Park.
Murcia on the Costa Calida
The Costa Calida is south of Valencia and Alicante. With the exception of the fertile river valleys, it is sparsely populated.
The city of Murcia has a university and a cathedral. The Holy Week festivities and the “Battle of the Flowers” are extremely popular.
The coastal area of Murcia has only a few resorts, e.g. B. the area of La Manga del Mar Menor, La Unión, Carboneras, Puerto de Mazarrón and Aguilas. Cartagena, the region’s most important coastal city, was founded in 221 BC. founded by the Carthaginians. In the Museum Museo Arqueológico Municipal there is a collection of Roman and even older finds.
Bullfights (Corrida de Toros)
Toreros (bullfighters) still earn well in Spain today, although bullfights are viewed critically from many quarters. Bullfighters compete against bulls about 2000 times a year. The largest bullring is Plaza Las Ventas in Madrid. Also known is the bullring La Malagueta in Málaga. Bullfights can be seen in the bullrings almost every Sunday from March to October. The ferias taurinas (bullfighting weeks) in the various regions are recommended. In Pamplona, for example, the world-famous Corrida (the stampede of the bulls) takes place in July on the occasion of the San Fermín festival, in Madrid during the Feria de San Isidro in May, in La Maestranza during the Feria de Abril and in La Monumental during the Virgen de la Merced in September. There are other bullfights, among others
Leon and destinations
León, located in the Spanish autobomic community of Castilla-Leon, was reconquered by the Christians in 850 after a long period of Moorish rule. The Santa María de Regla Cathedral is one of the finest examples of early Spanish Gothic architecture. The Museum of Contemporary Art in Castile and León is worth seeing. Interesting excursion destinations are Puerto de Pajares, Benavente and Astorga, which, like some other towns in this northern region, served as a rest stop on the Way of St. James. The area around Astorga is particularly attractive. South of León is the province of Zamora. The provincial capital of the same name has a Romanesque cathedral and several churches from the 12th century.
Galicia
Galicia, in the northwest of the country, consists of the provinces of La Coruña, Lugo, Orense and Pontevedra. The region is mountainous with extensive heathlands and forests broken by deep gorges and raging rivers. The coastline consists largely of sandy bays, often bordered by spruce and eucalyptus forests, and fjord-like rias that cut the landscape at the estuaries. Sights of the region include the cathedrals of Santiago de Compostela, Ourense and Tui, the Roman city walls of Lugo, the monastery of Oseira and the Tower of Hercules in A Coruña.
Pamplona in Navarre
The approximate boundaries of the former kingdom of Navarre still exist today. Navarre is a province in the north on the border with France. In the Navarra wine region, visitors can visit numerous bodegas (wineries) along the Ruta del Vino Navarre Wine Route. Pamplona is also known for the San Fermín festival in July with the world-famous Corrida (the stampede of the bulls). Pamplona was the spiritual home of the American writer Ernest Hemingway. His books “Death in the Afternoon” and “Fiesta” have contributed to the fact that Pamplona is a popular vacation spot during the fiesta week. You should book early and expect relatively high prices. In summer there are also many pilgrims in Pamplona because the Way of St. James passes through the city.
Aragon and Zaragoza
Aragon’s landscape is relatively monotonous with numerous remote plains. Numerous kings resided in today’s provincial capital Saragoza (Zaragossa). Like almost all larger towns in Aragon, Saragoza is also located in a huerta, a narrow oasis on the river bank. The university town has a lively old town, the baroque Basilica del Pilar and several museums. There are some wine-growing regions in the area, e.g. B. Borja and Cariñena and numerous castles. Huesca, an important market town, lies in the foothills of the Pyrenees. High-speed trains connect Zaragoza with Huesca. The area offers a wide range of leisure activities, such. B. a visit to the Parque Nacional de Ordesa, excellent hiking and mountaineering opportunities or a drive to the resort of Arguis in the Puerto de Monrepós region ; Day trips to the spa town of Balneario de Panticosa or to the high border town of Canfranc are also nice.
Costa del Azahar and Peniscola
The Costa del Azahar is 120 km long and offers holidaymakers a wide variety of beaches. Particularly noteworthy are those near Alcossebre, Torreblanca, Oropesa and Benicassim. The old fortified town of Peñiscola is particularly impressive and well-visited. Numerous picturesque coves break up the rocky coast until you reach Peñiscola Beach, with the Papa Luna Castle, symbol of the city, in the background. Inland from Peñiscola is the ruined castle of Alcalá de Xivert , Oropesa with the 16th-century Torre del Rey and Tinença de Benifassà. Also worth seeing are the Carmelite monastery at the Desierto de las Palmas nature reserve and the historic town of Morella . North of Valencia is Castellón de la Plana , the provincial capital of Castellón.