Finca El quejigo, Santa Maria de Trassierra, Córdoba, Andalucía by Toprural

Andalucía

Andalucía is often praised as one of Spain’s most vibrant regions with its white washed hill towns, city carnivals and flamenco dancers. This is the destination for you if you want to soak up the Mediterranean attitude and have the choice between sandy beaches and mountains.

Andalucía is famed for its tapas. The Spanish national dish has originated in the provinces’ city of Seville. A trip to this region simply wouldn’t be complete without eating at a traditional local tapas bar. Just as eating a croissant in Paris it’s simply part of everyday life. Try a bar like La Giralda in Seville to get a real taste of the areas culture.

If you want to soak up some sun, head to the region of Costa De La Luz. Translating to the ‘coast of light’, there’s no better place to catch some rays. The area is home to an almost continual beach with white sands stretching for miles.

Alhambra and Sierra Nevada mountain by Adam Jones

Alternatively, you could head for the Sierra Nevada. Its towering snow-topped mountains couldn’t be in greater contrast to the regions’ coastal areas. In winter skiing is available and there are mini bus trips along Europe’s highest road. The city of Grenada also boasts one of Andalucía’s most impressive monuments the Moorish palace and gardens of the Alhambra.

Catalonia

Catalonia is home to one of Spain’s biggest tourist draws – Barcelona. Famed for its architecture and lively Mediterranean vibe, the city is well worth a visit. Park Guell is a beautiful spot not to be missed. Designed by the famous Gaudi it’s jam-packed with colourful modernist works, and has stunning panoramic views of the city.

Park Guell, Barcelona by Emma

Barcelona’s star attraction is another of Gaudi’s works, the Sagrada Familia. It’s difficult not to be impressed by this giant basilica that has been under construction since 1882. Covered in intricate details it is an ambitious project to say the least.

Make sure to head to one of the city’s famous flamenco shows during your stay. The traditional Spanish dance is particularly popular in Barcelona and makes for a great night out.

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona by thecrypt

However, there is more to Catalonia than its most famous city. When you’ve had enough of the bright lights, head to the rural areas where you’ll find Catalan spoken and traditional Catalan food. The coastal areas north and south of Barcelona are well worth a trip, as are the regional towns such as Girona, Tarragona and Lleida.

If you’re more of the adventurous type, the Catalan Pyrenees offer a perfect isolated setting for skiing and hiking. The rivers in the areas’ Noguera Pallaresa valley also cater for adrenaline junkies and provide the ideal conditions for white water rafting.

Camarasa reservoir in the Noguera Pallaresa river by El monty

Galicia

Galicia offers an alternative experience for travellers to Spain. It is much less touristy than other regions, but still has plenty to offer. Characterised by rolling green hills, this is the area to head to, if you’re looking for peace and quiet.

Like many of the more popular regions of Spain, Galicia has no shortage of beaches. The beach of As Catedrais in the Rias Altas, near Ribadeo was recently voted as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It certainly lives up to its title with white sand, towering arches, and unusual rock formations.

As Catedrais Beach by Linda Hartley

Galicia is a foodies heaven, famed as having the best wine and sea food in Spain. The city of Vigo is the place to head if you’re looking for top quality, freshly caught produce. You’ll be spoilt for choice by the endless array of tapas bars and restaurants serving delicious mussels, oysters, and fish.

An internationally renowned wine-producer, a trip to Galicia has to include a tasting of one of the regions wines. The area is best known for its Rias Baixas which is a crisp, aromatic white.

Spain’s varied landscape of rolling hills, mountains, beaches, and arid plains has something for everyone. If you shop around you can find lots of Spanish hotels, at good prices, outside of the major resorts. For your next holiday try one of these hidden gems.

Gavin Harvey is a fitness instructor who loves travelling. He currently lives in Bristol with his partner.

The post From Andalucía to Catalonia – Which Spanish Region Should You Holiday In? appeared first on Europe Explored.

1. The Dorset County Show – September

The Dorset County Show held within the outskirts of Dorchester presents a glorification of Dorset’s celebrated and often romanticised relationship with the great outdoors.

Starting life in 1841, this two-day event held during the twilight of summer blends modernity with rural tradition to deliver agriculturally themed activities, events and competitions the whole family can enjoy.

Highlights include a collection of the nation’s finest famers showing off the spoils of their labour in much the same way as they would have over 170 years ago; as well as enough parades packed full of animals and machines to occupy the minds of even the busiest children.

Read more about The Dorset County Show at dorsetcountyshow.co.uk

2. The Great Dorset Steam Fair – August/September

Based on the exhibition of our national heritage, The Great Dorset Steam Fair provides a prism from which we can discover how our ancestors lived and worked during the dawn of the industrial age. Traditionally held at the village of Tarrant Hinton, this extravaganza covers 600 acres of showground and is now regarded as one of the finest of its kind anywhere in the world.

The fair’s scale and scope means its attractions are not solely limited to the steam engines that give the fair its name. Whether you are into food, music, animals, fairground rides or just soaking up the vibe of a vibrant atmosphere, there is something for all ages to behold at The Great Dorset Steam Fair.

Great Dorset Steam Fair by Timitrius

Read more about The Great Dorset Steam Fair at gdsf.co.uk

3. The Larmer Tree Festival – July

Founded in 1991 by James Sheppard, The Larmer Tree Festival has since grown from strength to strength, and is now considered to be among the leading family orientated festivals in the UK; winning the best family festival award at the UK Festival Awards in 2008. A five-day celebration of music and the arts; the festival is situated within the glorious Larmer Tree Gardens- leisure grounds built by Augustus Pitt Rivers during the Victorian age.

Famed for its varied and enticing line-ups incorporating the best of world music, headliners in recent years have included Sea Sick Steve and Irish living legend Van Morrison.

Read more about The Larmer Tree Festival at larmertreefestival.co.uk

4. Camp Bestival – July/August

Taking place at Lulworth Castle, Camp Bestival is run and organised by BBC Radio 1 DJ Rob Da Bank, who also runs the Bestival festival in the Isle of Wight.

The fact that Camp Bestival won the UK Festival Award’s best family festival in the successive years of 2009 and 2010 after the Larmer Tree Festival, adds weight to the body of evidence proving Dorset is the king of events based on family fun. A point reinforced by the almost exhaustive list of things for children to do at last year’s event. Additionally, the variety of live acts that have performed in recent years also makes attractive reading for music fans.

Camp Bestival by mike george

Read more about Camp Bestival at campbestival.net

5. The Bournemouth Air Festival – August/September

Held over Bournemouth’s idyllic coastline, this air festival revels in showcasing some of the best aeronautical engineering and piloting ability from home and abroad, including the RAF’s world renowned Red Arrows.

However, perhaps the most eye-catching display the festival has to offer are the dusk displays. Here the planes light up the sky just as the sun begins to set.
In addition to the planes are several music venues and exhibition areas, including a Wave 105 sponsored stage at Boscombe Pier that often attracts a host of big names in the world of music.

Bournemouth Air Festival by Santosh Puthran

Read more about The Bournemouth Air Festival at bournemouthair.co.uk

6. Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival – September

Set against the backdrop of a beautifully quaint village, the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival provides a real taste -both literally and figuratively- of Dorset.
The festival is home to over 60 stalls allowing you to sample some of the finest cheeses in the world. If that is not enough to satisfy your taste buds, each cheese can be washed down with the aid of locally brewed ciders and ales that serve a refreshing change to the homogenised pints on sale found in the majority of pubs.

Entertainment is provided in the guise of live music, morris dancing and a Punch and Judy show to ensure that the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival provides one of Dorset’s best and most popular shindigs.

Read more about Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival at cheesefestival.co.uk

7. Kingston Maurward firework display – November

Bonfire night annually provides a vast array of firework displays that jostle for people’s attention. But what sets Kingston Maurward’s display apart from the others is the setting, taking place within the English Heritage registered gardens of a large Georgian house country house.

The fireworks are set off above the garden’s beautiful lake, so that the reflective quality of the water magnifies their effect. The colour and spectacle that this creates instils a sense of awe children and adults alike that lasts long after the display has ended.

8. Bournemouth Christmas Festival – December

Situated in the town’s square, the Bournemouth Christmas Festival offers plenty in the shape seasonal cheer and spirit. Taking its inspiration from traditional German ‘Weihnachtsmarkt’ markets the festival that stretches from mid-November to early January and features delicious German cuisine at its heart. New to this year’s festival is an Alpine chalet style bar that serves a selection of the highest quality German beers and mulled wines.

In addition to food from Germany and the rest of the world, the Bournemouth Christmas Festival offers visitors the chance to buy gifts for themselves and others from a selection of world-class vendors.

Read more about Bournemouth Christmas Festival at
bournemouthchristmasmarkets.com

9. Weymouth Kite Festival – May

There is nothing quite as equally surreal and joyous as seeing a giant penguin or a twelve foot octopus take to the sky, and the Weymouth Kite Festival offers both these things and more in abundance.

Taking place on the May Bank Holiday Weekend every year, the festival takes advantage of Weymouth’s sea breeze to show off a weird and wonderful range of kites that bring delight to the masses of revellers that descend on the seaside town to witness the spectacle.

10. The Dorset Knob Throwing Competition – May

This one may raise a few eyebrows, but the “Dorset Knob Throwing Competition”, situated in the village of Cattistock, is about as Dorset-esque as it gets. For those that don’t know, a Dorset Knob is a hard and dry savoury biscuit made by the Moores Biscuits company.

Besides the throwing competition, Dorset Knobs are used in a variety of competitions including knob darts and knob eating. The Frome Valley Food Festival runs also runs in conjunction with the competition and features a range of locally produced food including meats, cheeses and pies to sample.

Read more about The Dorset Knob Throwing Competition at
dorsetknobthrowing.com

If you have been to any of these events or wish to suggest an experience the list missed, please do so in the comments section below.

Dorset patron and Festival veteran Gavin Harvey pulls on his own experiences to share his opinion on the 10 annual events in Dorset not be missed.

The post 10 Annual Not-To-Be-Missed Events in Dorset appeared first on Europe Explored.

Break of dawn, Majorca, Spain by David Petty

Here are some of the best ways you can save money on a trip to Majorca.

Flights

Comparison websites are the best way to check out your flights. They do the legwork for you, finding the cheapest deals on your selected dates. Travel Supermarket, Expedia and Cheap Flights all offer a useful service.

Contrary to popular belief it can pay off to book flights early. Particularly during the popular months there may be a late rush to buy tickets. Avoiding peak times, such as the school holidays and weekends may also help to cut costs.

A good tactic is to sign up to email alerts from your favourite travel sites. Then you don’t miss out on any ticket sales. This article by the Guardian offers expert advice on bagging cheap flights.

Food

The key to eating on the cheap is to avoid the major tourist spots. You will often pay a premium to dine where the masses want to go. Instead find out where the locals recommend. Not only will you save money, but you will get a real feel for native life and cuisine.

The best tactic is to dust off your Spanish, and talk to shop owners or the proprietors of your hotel. If you want to establish what’s out there before you depart, you can find useful lists of expert recommended restaurants online.

Playa de Muro, Majorca, Spain by PRINSOTEL HOTELS

Activities

Majorca’s warm climate means that there are plenty of activities you can do that won’t break the bank. The island is strewn with beautiful beaches like Playa de Muro, a never-ending stretch of golden sand and turquoise sea.

Adrenaline junkies can get their fix with Experience Mallorca and their range of instructed activities, such as scuba diving for around sixty pounds.

Accommodation

Just as with flights the key to getting a deal on your accommodation is to do your research and compare. Sites like Hotelopia offer hotels in Majorca for as little as 15 pounds a night.

You can get deals if you book last minute or out of peak season. The best thing is to subscribe to emails from travel sites to get alerts about sales.

Palma de Majorca, Spain by Cristian Bortes

Extra Tips

If you fly with a budget airline you are likely to pay extra to store luggage in the hold. Instead try to minimise how much you take and pack it as hand luggage.

Many travellers also overlook the fact that most credit cards add a 3% cost to the exchange rates banks themselves get. The Halifax Clarity credit card has no foreign exchange rate fee anywhere in the world. Using one just for spending overseas can save you money, as long as you make sure to pay it back in full to avoid interest.

A holiday in Majorca doesn’t have to break the bank. In comparison to many destinations you can find very reasonable deals. A little extra legwork could mean that you can enjoy a great family holiday for a great price. Do you have any money saving tips to share?

The post How To Do Majorca On A Budget: All The Fun Less Of The Cash appeared first on Europe Explored.