Spain is famous world wide for its flamenco dancers and bullfights. The architecture reflects the Moroccan style. Cave paintings, renaissance cathedrals, Moorish palaces prove the diversity of the country. Spring, fall and early summer are very pleasant here, though summers are hot.

Culture

Spanish is the regional language of Spain. English is also widely spoken here. Over the period of time, Spanish people have become modern in order to gel with the changing times and are no longer conservative. But that hasn’t changed the values, traditions, manners and customs of the locals. People here have two surnames; the first surname can be used to refer to the person. To greet someone, a handshake will do the job. Take a small gift along when visiting someone’s house. Save the flowers for special occasions. Dinner is generally taken very late in the night. People wear casuals most of the time. Men are expected to wear jackets at some restaurants. Swimsuits should be confined to the pools and beaches. Recently a ban has been applied on smoking in public places.

Shopping

Shops open quite early in the morning and stay open late in the evening. In the afternoon, they are closed for lunch or siesta. Porcelain and leather goods are famous and they will be good gifts for friends and family members back home. Bills are to be paid along with the service charges, so tipping is a matter of gratitude.

Electricity

Voltage is 220 volts and frequency is 50 Hz

Getting There

IBERIA is the national airline of Spain. Many other low-cost airlines offer services in the country. There are nearly thirty international airports in Spain, out of which Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante and Malaga are famous.
Madrid located at 13km away from the city has a good bus service every fifteen minutes. Underground service also works to transport passengers to their destinations. Other facilities offered at this airport are duty free shops, bank, restaurant, tourism information, and hotel reservations.

Barcelona is very close to the city, situated at a distance of 3 km only. Buses are available every 15 minutes and trains are available every 20 minutes. Taxis are available throughout the day. Duty free shops, restaurants, bank, car hire and tourism information are available here.

There is a good network of roads connecting Spain north to south. Toll booths are installed in some parts of the country. Carrying few Euros will help smooth sailing at the toll booths. If driving one’s private car, it would be better if the travel insurance covers medical costs too. Carrying a medical kit can prove to be of some help.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos 50 cigars or 250g tobacco (300 cigarettes, 150 cigarillos, 70 cigars and 400g of tobacco for EU nationals)
2. 1litre of spirits if exceeding 22 per cent volume or 2 litres of alcoholic beverage not exceeding 22 per cent volume and 2 litres of wine (1.5 litre exceeding 22 per cent and 3 litres of up to 22 per cent and 5 litres of wine for EU nationals)
3. 250ml eau de toilette and 50g of perfume
4. 500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract (1000g of coffee and 4000g of coffee extract for EU nationals)
5. 100g of tea or 40g of tea extract
6. Gifts up to the value of approximately €37.26.

If you don’t have to be in Alicante proper, you can consider hotels in Alicante and Torrevieja.  Once you travel outside of the city limits, there are small towns in the Alicante region that offer lovely accommodations and can be very reasonable. In addition, you will experience the local culture and some of the beauty of the mountains and beaches of that region.  You may find you prefer the small town atmosphere to that of the bigger city, and you will be introduced to new foods and customs.

The Costa Blanca has many places to visit besides Alicante. Stay in Benidorm or Alicante. Stay in Murcia, Javea, Denia, Calpe, or one of the other resort towns along this coast.  Each of them has a wide variety of accommodations for you to choose from as well as restaurants and attractions. The entire Costa Blanca is ideal for a vacation, whether you take it in the summer or other times of the year; the weather is gentle year round. And there is something to do in this region any time of the year. Try the last week in June for the festival of St. Joan, if you want a lively, busy time.

Anywhere you go in the Alicante region you will find interesting attractions. While you are there, consider visiting the Elche Palm Forest, the Isla Tabarca Fishing Village, Castell de Santa Barbara and the Museu de Arte del Siglo XX Asegurada.

You will be close to all sorts of experiences in any hotel in the region of Alicante. The region is so accessible and easy to get around in that you will understand why it is a year round tourist destination.

If a five star hotel is for you, try the Hotel Torrequebrada, with all the amenities you could require, including an in house casino. Other luxury hotels have private beaches, extra large rooms with terraces, tennis courts and many services such as baby sitting, concierge services, laundry and housekeeping, spas and beauty parlors, health clubs and of course, pools, usually more than one. Needless to say, you will pay for all these luxuries, so this is not the cheapest options available for a tourist.

For a really different experience, why not stay in a castle? A number of old castles in Spain have been converted to hotels and are also available for rental for weddings or business conferences. You will really experience the history of a place if you stay in a castle. If you are a history buff, this may be the perfect hotel for you.

But the less expensive options are also very nice. Wonderful old buildings are still being run as hotels, and they have the distinct advantage of being in the center of town. Many have been newly renovated and decorated, but kept in their original style. Since they are near public transportation and major attractions, you will save even more money.

If you are familiar with the hostel system, you know that they offer the most basic accommodation. If you want to
save money, and do not require more than a clean bed and a shower, a hostel is a good choice. If you are out at the beach or sightseeing all day, you may not want anything more. Since hostels are also centrally located, getting around inexpensively in the city will be easy and help you to save even more money.

So which one is for you? You must consider your own needs and what you feel comfortable with. Are you comfortable with bare bones accommodations, or do you need some upgrades?  The most important component in this decision is usually budget. Go with what you can afford and then you will have more to spend on attractions. If you plan on a short holiday, you may consider a more expensive hotel since the total outlay will not be that great, but if you are staying for a while, you may have to choose a three star hotel.

Read independent reviews of the various restaurants; there are a number of websites that offer reviews by people who have stayed at the hotel.  You can get an idea about how good the features the hotel offers are. No use paying for something and then finding out you didn’t even want to use it.

There are some wonderful five star hotels in Madrid, and these accommodations in Spain are expensive but luxurious.  Many tourists can get some good deals on these fine hotels by making their arrangements through some kind of package tour.  There are great small hotels throughout Madrid that are reasonably priced for those on a budget.  These accommodations in Spain are usually very comfortable and located conveniently throughout the city.  These smaller hotels often provide a place where tourists will feel welcome by the staff of the hotels.

Accommodations In Spain Are Modern And Ancient

Spain has some magnificent beaches, and the accommodations in Spain around the beaches are often designed for the informal lifestyle around the seaside.  The beaches of Spain attract thousands of tourists every year, and there are many facilities for the tourists close to the beaches.  Most of the tourists looking for a holiday in the sun make reservations for accommodations in close proximity to the beaches.  Most of the people in charge of the beach accommodations cater to those who want a holiday in the sun.

The accommodations in the beach areas are often very modern, and these accommodations in Spain seem to increase constantly.  Some of the accommodations in Spain are very old.  Tourists often look for the older accommodations in Spain because they are looking for the flavor of the country and the culture.  These accommodations often provide great insight into the past and present of this beautiful country at the same time.  Spain welcomes people from all over the world every year because of the fascinating sights and events in this great country.  Tourists can visit great museums, beautiful shops or a bull fight with colorful matadors.  Many of the tourists who visit Spain return to see what they missed on their first trip.  www.living-in-spain.info