| Spain boasts long stretches of sandy beaches | | | | Madrid hosts the world's largest bullfighting |
| and once you leave the spurious glitz of the | | | | ring. |
| tourist resorts, you'll find the real Spain | | | | |
| which shimmers to the strum of flamenco | | | | Barcelona: vibrant metropolis |
| guitars. | | | | |
| | | | An increasingly popular destination, |
| Accommodation: Luxury to budget stays | | | | Barcelona's modern face is fashionable and |
| | | | vibrant but still holds the Spanish |
| The internet can offer some of the best | | | | traditional spirit. Parts of the city are |
| information on the cost, range and location | | | | haunted by the spirit of the eccentric genius |
| of Spain hotels. | | | | Gaudi who fantastic architecture dazzles the |
| | | | imagination. |
| Madrid: the city that loves art | | | | |
| | | | Transport: how to get there and around |
| Madrid is not a sightseeing haven like Paris | | | | |
| or Rome but there are a host of attractions | | | | Barcelona's international airport is located |
| like the Prado museum, Plaza Mayor and the | | | | only 7.5 miles out of town. It is also |
| Royal Palace. Sit at one of the many cafes | | | | possible to travel internationally to |
| and observe the passing procession and the | | | | Barcelona by train. If coming from Italy or |
| street artists. | | | | the Balearic Island another options is the |
| | | | ferry. |
| Transport: how to get there and around | | | | |
| | | | The town is pedestrian friendly which helps |
| Madrid's large airport, Barajas, is | | | | when exploring the sights on foot. If you |
| accessible by metro from the city. Once | | | | want a faster way to get around, the metro is |
| downtown you can walk around as the area is | | | | an easy option. |
| quite compact. Transport options include the | | | | |
| bus, metro and taxi. | | | | Weather |
| | | | |
| Weather | | | | Summer temperatures can reach a simmering 34 |
| | | | C. The most pleasant weather is between May |
| As a whole, Spanish weather is glorious from | | | | and July. When October comes around it starts |
| April to November. Madrid's summer reaches 30 | | | | to cool off with a little rain. |
| C where as the winter can drop to 0 C. | | | | |
| | | | Accommodation: Luxury to budget stays |
| Accommodation: Luxury to budget stays | | | | |
| | | | The internet can offer some of the best |
| The internet can offer some of the best | | | | information on the cost, range and location |
| information on the cost, range and location | | | | of hotels in Barcelona. |
| of hotels in Madrid. | | | | |
| | | | Attractions & Events |
| Attractions & Events | | | | |
| | | | With 15 official holiday days annually, |
| Spanish people love to celebrate, Festivals | | | | Barcelona likes to celebrate. |
| are part of their culture. You can enjoy the | | | | |
| best of the festival fun during Semana Santa | | | | *There are 10 days of fancy dress and dancing |
| and also from Sept to Oct. | | | | parades during Carnaval in Feburary-March. |
| | | | |
| *The popular Carnevale is held from February | | | | *Catalunya's patron saint, Sant Jordi is |
| to March. | | | | celebrated on the 23rd April. |
| | | | |
| *During May there are two main events to mark | | | | *For dancing, music and theatre don't miss |
| in your diary - 2 May, The Fiesta de la | | | | Festival del Grec, from June to August. |
| Comunidad de Madrid and 15 May, Fiestas de | | | | |
| San Isidro. | | | | *For something a little different, Festes de |
| | | | la Merce, has a swimming race and a fire race |
| *The bullfighting season starts in February, | | | | on the 24 September. |