(www.Iberia.com)

Iberia is Spain’s premier airline and specialises not just in Spain’s airports, but in Spanish-speaking countries. You can fly with Iberia to popular holiday destinations from as little as £77 return to Barcelona or £128 return to Palma Mallorca.

The great advantage with Iberia flights to Spain is that Iberia flies from regional airports in the UK such as Manchester, as well as London  – and you can also search for flights according to your budget and not just your destination; so if you want to fly to Spain for a holiday, but are not set on a particular destination or holiday resort, you can not only pick up a bargain flight with Iberia but also try a new holiday resort without spending a fortune on the flight.

Photo by admin

Some of the Spanish airports Iberia flies to include:

• Barcelona
• Bilbao
• Gran Canaria
• Madrid
• Palma de Mallorca
• Seville
• Valencia.

Monarch

(https://www.monarch.co.uk/spain-mainland/flights)

Monarch can fly you to the most popular Spanish holiday resorts, including Alicante, Almeria, Barcelona, the Canaries, Costa Brava, Costa Blanca and the Costa del Sol (Malaga). You can also fly Monarch to Gibraltar – a British island but joined to the Spanish mainland.

Monarch flies from the following UK airports

• London Gatwick (Alicante, Barcelona, Malaga)
• Luton (Alicante, Malaga, Gibraltar)
• Birmingham (Alicante, Almeria, Barcelona, Gibraltar, Malaga)
• East Midlands (Alicante, Malaga, Gibraltar)
• Manchester (Alicante, Almeria, Barcelona, Gibraltar, Malaga)
• Leeds/Bradford (to Barcelona).

Monarch not only offers cheap flights to Spain (from around £35 one way off peak), but you can also select from three different Monarch Airpacks which will upgrade your flight with extra leg room or more luggage allowance, according to your needs.

Ryanair

(www.ryanair.com/en)

Ryanair takes the chore out of choosing a flight to Spain with a handy online route map (https://www.ryanair.com/en/cheap-flight-destinations) which will tell you at the click of a mouse where you can get to from your local airport.

Ryanair flies to all these destinations in Spain, so whether you are looking for a city break or a beach holiday, there is plenty of choice available.

• Alicante
• Almeria
• Asturias
• Barcelona
• Bilbao
• Fuerteventura
• Girona
• Gran Canaria
• Ibiza
• Jerez
• Lanzarote
• Madrid
• Malaga
• Menorca
• Murcia
• Palma
• Santander
• Santiago
• Seville
• Tenerife North
• Tenerife South
• Valencia
• Valladolid
• Zaragoza.

In the UK Ryanair flies from

• Birmingham
• Bournemouth
• Bristol
• Derry
• Doncaster
• East Midlands
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow Prestwick
• Leeds Bradford
• Liverpool
• London Gatwick
• London Luton
• London Stansted
• Manchester
• Newcastle.

You can also register with Ryanair for cheap offers on flights – and there are also discounts on Hertz car hire in Spain.

When a holidaymaker is ill at a hotel in Spain, and it is a package holiday, it is the tour operator that sent the holidaymaker to that hotel that is liable for their welfare. This is thanks to the Package Travel Regulations.

Peter Anderson – I love to blog about holidays in Spain Google+

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Tossa del Mar, Costa Brava / Jay Cross

Going Back in Time

The Costa Brava is an ancient region and nowhere is this more evident than in Tossa del Mar, where the Vila Vella is an amazing sight. The name means old town. It’s a well preserved walled city, part of which was constructed in the 12th century. Later additions included the fortifications, completed some time in the 14th century. There are other sights to see nearby (such as the Sant Vincenc Gothic Cathedral and a striking lighthouse) so it’s worth planning a day trip to this area.

Going even further back in time, you can also explore the area’s medieval history. Ulla is worth a look and you can also visit the medieval ramparts of the Torroella de Montgrí in La Bisbal. Summer offers a surreal experience as you listen to the sounds of a modern music festival in this ancient setting. And the time travel experience doesn’t end there. The early Iberians left traces of their passage on the Sant Andreu mound – find out more about these 7th century settlers in the archaeological museum in Ullastret.

La Bisbal d’Empordà (Costa Brava) / Jean Robert Thibault

Exploring Natural Beauty

While there’s plenty of natural beauty on show as you walk or drive along the Costa Brava region, there’s one more must-see for nature lovers – the Santa Clotilde Gardens. These exquisite gardens are done in an Italian Renaissance style with fountains and ornate sculptures set among the beautiful flora. The gardens’ location on a hillside give access to gorgeous views and if you look carefully, you might be able to spot Fenals beach, which makes a nice place to relax after your visit.

There’s lots more to see on the Costa Brava, but these attractions make a good starting point for a memorable and enjoyable visit.

Marian Jaime writes for Suntransfers. She recommends the company’s’ low cost airport transfers from Barcelona to get your holiday off to a wonderful start.

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Vila Vella

Tossa del Mar’s Vila Vella (old town) is one of the most striking sights in this part of the world. Standing 70 metres above sea level and offering great views of the rugged coastline that gives the area its name, it is the best preserved walled city along this coastline. The city dates back to the 12th century but the fortifications continued to be extended until the late 14th century. This area also offers access to other interesting sights, including the ruin of the the Sant Vicenc old Gothic cathedral, the 14th century governor’s house which now houses the Municipal Museum, and the lighthouse. This area is well worth a visit.

Vila Vella, Tossa de Mar, Spain / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Alex Alishevskikh

Dali Museum

If you’re visiting this part of the world, don’t miss the chance to see the Portlligat House-museum where Salvador Dali lived and worked from 1930 to 1982. It started as a fisherman’s hut, but Dali extended it over the years. Now, it’s more like a labyrinth with surprising objects around every corner. Even if you’ve already visited one of the other Dali museums at Figueres and Pubol, this is a must for Dali fans.

Santa Clotilde Gardens

If enjoying nature is your thing, then you will love the Santa Clotilde Gardens. Like many Costa Brava sights, this garden is perched on a rocky hillside with amazing views of the sea and coastline. This is a beautiful Italian-Renaissance style garden which means plenty of sculptures and fountains to accompany the flowers and plants. The gardens provide a relaxing, enjoyable interlude for sun-seekers and when you’re done, head down to the small shingle beach at Fenals – it’s beautiful!

Catalunya Lloret de Mar – Jardins de santa clotilde, Spain / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Jaume Meneses

Medieval Costa Brava

The Costa Brava is a great place to explore the mediaeval period, which was very important to the region’s history. Of particular note are La Bisbal, which boasts a city centre castle, Toroella de Montgri, which has medieval ramparts (and a summer music festival to boot) and the mediaeval village of Ulla, but there are many more – any drive in this part of the world will bring you to one.

Toroella de Montgri, Spain / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Jos Dielis

To go even further back in the region’s history, check out the Iberian settlement on Sant Andreu mound just past Ullastret. You can see signs of how the inhabitants lived in the 7th century and explore the period further in the Ullastret Archaeological Museum.

There’s so much to see in this part of the world that this is only a short introduction. You’ll soon be able to add some favourite Costa Brava attractions of your own.

Ready to see the Costa Brava? Marian Jaime recommends Suntransfers’ taxis from Barcelona Airport to start your holiday right!

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Roser Goula

Northern Costa Brava

Starting in the north Figueres and Cadaques are the main towns of the area stretching up to France. Figueres is a beautiful Catalan town with an interesting architecture and plenty of warmth. The town is most famous for its Dali museum which is the world’s best collection of Dali’s and absolutely un-missable. Dali was born in Figueres and the museum is the most popular in the whole of Spain. Beyond the museum the ramblas are a great place to stroll and while away your afternoons while enjoying the fantastic cafes and street culture of this great town. Cadaques is also tied intimately to Dali and is a beautiful fishing village with a much more sedate and peaceful way of life for you to enjoy.

Outside of the towns the north of the Costa Brava has beautiful countryside with the area around Cap de Creus being fantastically beautiful. Inland the medieval capital of the region Girona is spectacular and a beautiful town with exceptional architecture.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Roser Goula

Central Costa Brava

The central areas of the Costa Brava are the most popular with beach tourists. The main areas between Palamos and Pals are the favourite haunt of locals from Barcelona and tourists. The central coastline is really just a tourist attractions with Costa Brava villas, hotels and luxury resorts lining most of the coastline and somewhat ruining the local atmosphere. That said there are still some places to escape the tourist crowd and some beautiful beaches. If you head a little further inland though you can enjoy the stunning scenery of this fantastic region and a much more local atmosphere.

Southern Costa Brava

The southern Costa Brava takes us further into the concrete jungle and the traditional hotel and beach villa holidays Spain has to offer. It’s much more lively this end of the Costa Brava strip with the area around Lloret de Mar being the most vibrant and boisterous. The sun, sea and sands are undoubtedly the biggest draws and there are some stunning beaches and beautiful resorts to enjoy. However, if you want local culture you will again have to head inland for the main part as the southern coast is one of the most popular tourist regions. Nevertheless this shouldn’t put you off as the area is still beautiful and it’s a lot less crowded and more beautiful than the neighbouring Costa del Sol.

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The constant sunny weather is almost guaranteed here. There is subtropical Mediterranean climate with an average annual temperature of 18 °C and average summer temperatures above 30 °C. Tourism started to develop here in this area in the 60′s of the 20th century. Until then there were just small fishing villages on the coast with the quiet life.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Stephen Heron

Costa del Sol is still relatively sparsely populated in comparison with northern parts of the coast, such as Costa Brava or so. In addition to a wide range of accommodation there is also a wide range of entertainment and shopping options. You can taste the famous Spanish cuisine and meet with the locals who are very friendly.

The area features the long beautiful beaches, many of which have previously received the Blue flag of the European Union, which proves their high quality. These beaches boast not only for its cleanliness and grooming, but also a high quality of services. Costa del Sol consists of a large number of large and small beaches, most of which has a gentle access to the sea, which is especially appreciated by families with children. Swimming is offered in a crystal clean and warm Mediterranean sea, whose waves are also ideal for various water sports. It is a popular destination for the lovers of windsurfing, kiting, water skiing or riding on water scooters.

Costa del Sol is an ideal place to spend quality holiday full of sun. In addition to great swimming in the sea and sunbathing on the beaches here you can also find beautiful landscapes and many historically significant places. Top cities worth a visit are Malaga, Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Torremolinos, or resorts like Benalmadena, Fuengirola and last but not least is Gibraltar. Costa del Sol is also very close to African continent, it is not a problem to get for example to Morocco.

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The old city center of Tossa de Mar offers a network of narrow streets and its most important monuments include the Church of San Vicente. You also should visit a local gallery and city museum. Along the coast you can find the beaches like Gran Playa, El Codolar and La Baume, offering a complete tourist service. At sea you can enjoy a variety of water sports, such as the diving, sailing, surfing, water skiing or scooters. Along the coast there in a pretty nice promenade with shops and souvenir shops, clothing, jewelry and ceramics. Hotels in Tossa de Mar offer a large hotel complexes, but you will find also the camping here.

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Marineland is a specific marine zoo with a variety of water attractions. You can see the wonderful performances of trained smart dolphins, sea lions and parrots. Marineland occupies an area of 4.5 hectares. You can also learn about the life and biology of these fantastic animals, here. During the presentation you will learn about the negative impact of human activities on natural habitat. There are zoological garden and an outdoor water park, where are several types of slides, including kamikaze slides, twister or boomerang, or even special water attractions for children.

Marineland is easily accessible by a special bus (blue bus with Marineland mark) from the resorts of Calella, Pineda de Mar, Santa Susanna and Malgrat de Mar. If you purchase tickets in advance, you will take the bus even for free. Marineland is open daily from 10 May till 17th September. Admission is 24 euros for adults and 17 euros for children (4-12 years). Children under 4 years are admitted free.

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