4 million speakers out of the Spanish population of 45 million may not initially sound huge, but in those communities who do speak it, Catalan has a significant standing. A somewhat maligned language, it has a turbulent history which highlights the point of contention it long has been. Fundamentally though, despite the presence of other minority languages in Spain such as Basque and Galician, Catalan is the most prominent.Catalan is, to most of its speakers a very important sign of identity, som
There are few cities in the world that are as astonishing as Bilbao. Its contrasts, its gastronomy, the combination of an elegant past and a contemporary present make it irresistible. Today of course, the star attraction is the Guggenheim Museum but there is so much more to Bilbao than that. The city established itself as a significant port in the middle ages, then at the end of the 19th century Bilbao became an important industrial town, based on the iron industry.
Salamanca! Even the name has a resonance of history. And it truly has history in abundance. Salamanca is home to the third oldest university in Europe, and is still today one of the most important centres of education in Spain, with more than 40,000 students studying there. Like other ancient seats of learning, the university of Salamanca is an architectural treasure trove as well as a place to study. The university building was founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX and the main building
Tarragona is a city that can please all manner of people; from history buffs wanting to see some of the best Roman remains outside of Rome to adrenalin-junkies who want to ride the biggest roller coaster in Europe. The Romans first came to Tarragona in 218 BC, and quickly established the city as the capital of Roman Iberia. Appropriately enough, they built some amazing civic structures that survive to this day, notably the Roman Circus where chariot races were held and the amphitheatre which is
Ibiza Town really is the most fascinating part of the island, day or night. Here you will see a concentration of all the attractions and eccentricities which have made Ibiza world famous. You can stroll through the winding lanes of the Port area, soaking up the vibrant, atmosphere of Ibiza by night; wander up through the cobbled streets of the Old Town to admire the stunning views across the bay; browse through the many and varied stalls and designer shops; dine in one of the many
Córdoba is not the biggest city you'll ever visit, and it's all the better for that. All the attractions are within easy reach of each other, and really, Cordoba is one of the lesser known jewels of Spain. This city has a history that is a match for any in Europe, perhaps the world. It was the capital of the Roman province of Hispania Baetica and at one time had more cultural buildings than Rome itself.
Asturias has an abundance of wonderful beaches; long sandy ones, small rocky ones, a few busy ones, many deserted ones, some unusual ones. Most unusual of all is Playa de Gulpiyuri near Llanes. It has all the essentials of any beach anywhere: sand, salt-water, rocks, cliffs, waves and tide. But it is surrounded 360° by fields! This beach is over 100 metres from the sea.
Hiring a car can be the key to a wonderful holiday, but it can also be a minefield! With differing terms and conditions being offered at every turn, understanding what you are covered for can be challenging. That’s why Little Hotels chose Zest Car Rental! Their terms and conditions are standardised as much as possible across locations worldwide, and are generally better than the competition.
Every time that I get a whiff of the heady fragrance of orange blossom, a scent I love and have never yet taken for granted, I think back with great fondness to the time our family spent in Seville, at the end of March some two years ago. As Easter Sunday that particular year fell on the 27th March the city was actually between its two very diverse festivals, the solemn Easter Holy Week 'Semana Santa', and the very boisterous April Fair, 'Feria de Abril'. During both of these festivals it is
To many people the image of Mallorca is drunken parties and over-crowded beaches in resorts like Magaluf and Arenal. But the more adventurous discover another side to Mallorca away from these areas. Towns like Soller and Valldemossa offer pretty streets and beautiful mountain views, interesting shops, bars and restaurants and a range of cultural attractions. There is however yet another Mallorca that is much less well known.
