Idealspain - Travel writers in Spain

Semana Santa video

2011-04-22T10:33:00.001+02:00

Here's our latest video - Semana Santa (Easter Week) in Denia (Alicante)
What a solemn, beautiful event
See the video here

The end of the Copa del Rey

2011-04-21T15:27:00.005+02:00

oops !
Real Madrid have converted the Copa del Rey into the Plato del Rey. Butterfingered Madrid player let the valuable cup slip last night from the top deck of the double decker bus.

Failing to see the cup fall from the skies, the driver continued on his journey through Madrid, driving over the cup and converting into a silver plate.

Watch the video of dropping the Copa del Rey here

Easter in Spain (Semana Santa)

2011-04-16T18:13:00.006+02:00

The most important celebration in the calendar of Spain

Tomorrow sees the start of Easter and another busy week for idealspain. We will be photographing and filming the whole week. Our reports will be published daily and as usual, our videos will be on YouTube, within an hour of being filmed.

Sunday 17th April
Palm Sunday begins with a morning mass which is followed by a procession through the streets. People will be carrying palms.

Monday 18th April
Holy Mass and celebration of the Penance

Tuesday 19th April
Holy Mass

Wednesday 20th April
Holy Mass

Thursday 21st April
Holy Thursday with a late mass for the last supper of Jesus. Late procession through the streets 'Passion of Jesus and Holy Hour'

Friday 22nd April
Good Friday is marked by a morning procession and a mass for the death of Jesus

Saturday 23rd April
Late mass for solemn Easter night

Sunday 24th April
Early morning mass for Easter Sunday, followed by a procession through the streets. Evening mass of easter

Full details about Easter in Spain, along with a dictionery of terms can be found here

Easter is on its way

2011-04-15T14:53:00.002+02:00

With just a few days to go

before Easter celebrations begin in Spain, preparations are well underway and roads are beginning to be closed off for the parades. Semana Santa as it is called in Spain is one of the biggest celebrations of the year. Each day of Easter there will be masses at the churches and parades through the towns.

Our feature here makes interesting reading if you want to find out more about Easter in Spain.

This year, Palm Sunday is on the 17th April

Holy Thursday falls on the 21st April

Good Friday is on the 22nd April and Easter Sunday is the 24th

The train to Alicante

2011-04-15T09:11:00.005+02:00

What a wonderful service Today we are taking a day off and going to Alicante on the train. We board the train in Denia at around 10.10am and are surprised on how cheap the train is. At 11.15€ return, it's excellent value. Pensioners over 65 pay just 6€ return. The trains are almost new, spotlessly clean and very safe. They're also very easy to use. You can buy a ticket at the ticket office or use the machine on the train. If you don't have a ticket, the fine is 50€ and the guard checks all tickets. It might be a rather long journet but the scenery is beautiful. You pass Gata de Gorgos, Altea and Calpe and arrive in Benidorm where you have around 15 minutes to change trains. The next train goes into Alicante city and we found the Mercado the best stop for the historical centre. The stations are all very clean and safe and disabled friendly. On arrival in Alicante, the escalator brings you right outside the market. You can see more details about the train service here

When returning from Alicante, study the timetable carefully as the last train at night only goes as far as Altea and you have no connecting train to take you to Denia. The last train arrives into Denia at around 22.15pm. It makes me wonder why trains aren't like this in the UK. From what I remember, trains and stations are old, scruffy and often unsafe places to be. They're also considerably more expensive. The train on the Costa Blanca is a wonderful way to get around and without doubt, the best way to see Alicante.

Train journey times Denia to Benidorm on L9 - 1 hour 17 minutes Benidorm to Alicante Mercado on L1 - 1 hour 14 minutes Total journey time = 2 hours 31 minutes

Latest news from Spain

2011-04-11T12:52:00.004+02:00

MONDAY 11 APRIL 2011

Mallorca plans

Idealspain will be visiting Mallorca in September to film a new DVD 'Let's visit Mallorca'. Produced in association with the Mallorcan tourist board and the film commission, the 2 hour DVD will be released in December. Whilst in Mallorca we will be visiting every town and village and filming everything we see. We will also be reviewing 7 hotels. If you are based in Mallorca and wish to be involved in any way, please contact us at info@idealspain.com

The weather yesterday was the hottes tday of the year so far - at 7pm it was still 43 degrees ! Forest fires were starting in many regions. Today is somewhat cooler and more comfortable at just 25 degrees. Guess summer is on its way at last.

WEDNESDAY 23 MARCH 2011

Guadalest and more

On Monday we spent the day in Guadalest, a small, hilltop town 25km from Benidorm. A truly beautiful little place but we vote it for the most unhelpful and unfriendly tourist office in Spain. The woman there was miserable and uncooperative. They had also run out of guides in English. If you go to Guadalest, you will need lots of cash. All museums have an entry fee and there are around 10 of them. Even the castle has an entry fee. The views of the reservoir are free however. See the video here Today the weather has turned for the worst again and the rain is hammering down. Plains are flooding. Let's hope it doesn't last too long. We feel sorry for those here on a weeks' holiday. At least we know it will be nice again next week. The bad weather might stop our tours for a while but at least we can catch up on the paperwork and research. Our next fiesta is Easter, shortly followed by a major Moors and Christians in Alcoy - one of the biggest in Spain and world famous.

SUNDAY 20 MARCH 2011

End of Las Fallas and another fiesta squeezed in

The Las Fallas celebrations in the Valencia region came to an end at 2am this morning with the Crema or burning of the Falls. On Saturday however, it was another totally separate fiesta - the day of the Lady of the Forsaken. This colourful fiesta involves carrying flowers through the town to the church where they are placed on a large wooden statue of the lady. A beautiful day, enjoyed by all.

Airport strikes in Spain

2011-03-09T09:13:00.003+01:00

It was announced today that airport strikes are planned for Easter this year and they could continue well into the summer. This is the last thing that Spain need at the moment as tourism is the only thing keeping the economy afloat.

This could mean that camping holidays and driving in Spain will become even more popular this year.

One thing for sure if you have a holiday booked in Spain this year, make sure you have adequate holiday insurance which covers cancellations and delays.

Sad, sad times in the middle of a recession and very bad news for Spain.

Our busy weekend touring Spain

2011-02-27T20:32:00.007+01:00

It's been another successful weekend touring and we have taken in lots of places, lots of photographs and new videos. All of which are online now.

Alicante city
The weekend started in Alicante city where we based ourselves in a small hotel on the main Ramba, right in the heart of the city and just 100m from the cathedral. It turned out to be a wise choice, avoiding the larger hotels out of the city and having to travel in each day. As with any visit in Spain, the only problem is the car. Parking in Alicante is at a premium so we opted for the underground car park and paid 9€ a night.

The port and marina in Alicante is modern, clean and full of life. We resisted the large casino but enjoyed a lovely meal by the water's edge. From here we made our way into the historic city where we took in all the sights.

Alicante is rich in history and superb architecture. Many of the buildings are of Classical and Renaissance style and a sight to behold. There are remnants of the Moorish era as well as early Iberian excavations.

The beaches in Alicante are of the best in the region. Golden sand stretches for miles and the paseo runs alongside, with lots of places to rest and drink.

As we tucked ourselves into bed after a hard day's work, the city was just coming alive. I looked from the hotel window at 4am and the main street looked like lunchtime. There were as many people out as there were during the day and they were all having a ball.

A busy weekend

2011-02-07T12:37:00.005+01:00

Saturday
The weekend weather was beautiful so taking advantage of this we went exploring again.

The little town of Pego, despite its size has a great deal to offer the visitor. Once you find yourself in the town, there are several beautiful churches. The Plaza del Font is the nicest of the town squares with its tree-lined avenue, offering some shade from the sun.

The main church stands proud above the rest of the town and is a classic example of Baroque architecture. There are a couple of nice cafes to rest in and enjoy the views. The Basilica is just around the corner, as are the two museums in the House of Culture, worthy of a free visit.

You can see our photographs and video here.

From Pego we went off the tourist route and head into the mountains. We took a little used, un-named road and were rewarded with the best views of the coast from the highest point. After a few kilometres we found ourselves in the little hamlet of Val de'Ebro.

Sunday
Today we head for Elche to catch yet another fiesta and explore the city. You can see our visit in video and photographs here.

Our busy weekend

2011-01-31T18:14:00.004+01:00

Idealspain took advantage of the beautiful weather this weekend and went exploring

Our first stop was in Benidorm
Ok, we know that Benidorm is not to everyone's taste but you have to admit that it's one of the most popular holiday destinations on the Costa Blanca and the local council have gone to the end of the earth to clean up it's image.

Benidorm has some wonderful places. The beaches are amazingly clean and millions of Euros have been spent on the seafronts and some of the major roads.

We made a short video of the best sights in Benidorm and you can watch it here. We stayed the night and reviewed a hotel. The MedPlaya Hotel Regente was very comfortable. You can read our review here. Our review includes a video walkround the hotel.

You can get fish and chips in Benidorm along with a cup of tea like Mum makes but if you look hard enough you will also find some top international restaurants, brimming with culture and class and there's never a shortage of entertainment.... day or night.

Moving on
From Benidorm we called in at Altea with it's quaint little port. Our page includes a short video introduction. Our last call was in Calpe which is a town that has expanded beyond recognition over the last few years. Our last visit was 11 years ago. The beach is as beautiful as ever, as is the seafront.

We continue to explore the Costa Blanca and hope for more sunny days soon. It's bitterly cold at night at the moment but then we are a bit soft in our old age.

A day out on the Costa Blanca

2011-01-26T22:13:00.003+01:00

The Jalon Valley

The weather held out and the rain stayed away so we took a drive through the Jalon Valley today. This wonderful piece of Spain is located slightly inland from Denia and Oliva.

There's a group of small villages and towns that nestle against the valley, including Jalon, Parcent, Alcalali and Orba. Each one offers something different.

Driving through the valley is a pleasure; the roads are great considering the rural nature of the area. The road is lined with almond blossom that's just coming to an end. Dotted inbetween are trees laden with ripe oranges and lemons.

As we reach the end of the valley and come within 15km of Benidorm, we took a slight detour from our planned route and visited the Waterfalls of Algar. Known locally as the Fuente de Algar, this has long been a tourist attraction.

Strangely enough, the falls featured on TV last week in the comedy series Benidorm when all the guests took a coach trip there.

We looked hard but couldn't see Madge on her mobility scooter... she had long gone.

We took some stunning photographs which you can see here, and you can watch our short video here.

Our next trip

Weather permitting we will be spending the weekend in Benidorm and reviewing a hotel. Our reports will follow shortly afterwards.

What a busy day while it rains on the Costa Blanca

2011-01-23T15:30:00.003+01:00

The weather outside may not be at its best

but we have spent the day wisely. We've re-launched the Idealspain Facebook page so people can keep up to date with our travels

Sandra is ploughing her way through 10,000 photographs and trying to get the best into selected albums for all to see.

Look for this symbol on our homepage at www.idealspain.com and follow us today

Our weekend on the Costa Blanca

2011-01-23T09:02:00.004+01:00

The Caves of Benidoleig

This tiny little town is just a few kilometres from Denia and Pefreguer on the Costa Blanca. Idealspain went to have a look at the weekend.

The biggest tourist attraction in Benidoleig are the caves.

The caves have been used since the stone age and are open to visitors. For just €3.50 you can wander deep into the caves. See the video of our cave tour here.

The mirador at Monte Pedreguer

A little further along the N332 and you come to the Mirador on Monte Pefreguer.

The steep drive up the mountain is rewarded with panoramic views of Denia and Javea. See the video of the views here.

Over the following week we have ten more places to visit on the Costa Blanca.... watch for our new daily videos.

January updates

2011-01-18T14:36:00.004+01:00

IDEALSPAIN RELOCATION
The Idealspain relocation went unbelievably well and our office has now been moved from the Costa del Sol to the Costa Blanca.

Why move? people keep asking us.

The answer is simple; being based on the Costa Blanca will now enable us to properly explore this part of Spain, having explored the south of Spain for more than 10 years.

Our travels were started within days of arriving and we already have lots of new pages and updated information.

NEW ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES
We have launched a new option for our advertisers.
Wherever you see this image you can place a company advertisement for just €50 per year. This includes all our popular place guide pages. It's a great and cost-effective way to reach our readers and possible cutomers.
Steal your space now by emailing us at info@idealspain.com

OUR FIRST COSTA BLANCA FIESTA
At the weekend we went to the San Antonio fiesta in Oliva where we made a short video. Click here to watch the video.

Three Kings in Spain

2011-01-07T13:19:00.002+01:00

How happy the children of Spain must have been on the 6th January when they awoke to find that they had been visited by the Three Kings during the night.

In Spain, the tradition is no so much Santa Claus on the 25th December but Los Reyes Magos who arrive on the 5th January.

All over Spain on the evening of the 5th, the Three Kings arrive and parade around the town.

The three Kings are:

Gaspar has brown hair and a brown beard (or no beard!) and wears a green cloak and a gold crown with green jewels on it. He is the King of Sheba. Gaspar represents the Frankincense brought to Jesus.

Melchior has long white hair and a white beard and wears a gold cloak. He is the King of Arabia. Melchior represents the Gold brought to Jesus.

Balthazar has black skin and a black beard (or no beard!) and wears a purple cloak. He is the King of Tarse and Egypt. Balthazar represents the gift of Myrrh that was brought to Jesus. Myrrh is a perfume that is put on dead bodies to make them smell nice.

See our video of the Three Kings arriving by helicopter then parading around the town here

Another beautiful day

2011-01-04T13:25:00.003+01:00

The weather in Spain
It's days like today that remind us why we live in Spain. It's early January and the sun is already high in the sky. The glorious winter sun makes us feel so good about ourselves and about life in general.

This morning's solar eclipse was clearly visible on the southern coast of Spain in a cloudless sky and against a pure blue backdrop.

The town is surprisingly busy with holiday-makers who have managed to escape the cold of the UK. It's almost too nice to be indoors today.

Happy new year from Idealspain

2010-12-31T17:36:00.002+01:00

As 2010 dawns to a close, we look forward to a prosperous 2011. Idealspain looks forward to a bright future and lots of new travels.

We would like to thank all our loyal readers and wish you all a very Happy New Year.

LATEST MAGAZINE PUBLISHED
The latest issue of the Idealspain magazine is published today and can be found here

It's packed with travel features, news and advice about Spain. There are a few new videos to see too. During 2011, the magazine will be published quarterly as Idealspain will be relocating and exploring a new part of Spain.

Best wishes
Steve and Sandra
Idealspain

Our weekend travels

2010-12-12T15:17:00.002+01:00

A weekend in Cadiz
Taking advantage of the warm December sunshine, we planned a weekend away in Cadiz. This wonderful southern city has always held an attraction for us but our last two visits were far too short.

You can’t help but love Cadiz whatever time of year; in the summer the beaches are unbelievably clean and draw huge crowds. In the winter, there’s nothing finer than exploring the historical city centre.

Over two days, we covered almost every square inch of the city, including all the plazas and parks, the two cathedrals, 11 churches, towers and so much more. We found Cadiz to be one of the cleanest cities we have ever been to and wherever we went we received a warm welcome.

Our hotel was just outside the city gates, in the new part of Cadiz. It was just a few minutes’ walk into the old part. The highlights of the trip were the Plaza Espana with its monument of huge proportions and a trip up to the top of the Tower de Poniente. Opened to the public this year for the first time.

See our video report here

Baelo Claudia – Roman city
On the way home from Cadiz we called in to see the Roman city of Baelo Claudia at Bolonia. This third century city, although in ruins, makes an interesting visit. The new visitors centre houses a museum of finds and with free entry for EU citizens so it’s great value too. We were a little disappointed that the staff wouldn’t let us into the complex with the video camera in order to make a video for the website. However, the problem was solved as we headed down to the beach where a perfect view of the city can be had. We ended up with a nice video after all.

Baelo Claudia is the most complete Roman city in the Iberian Peninsula and shows the forum, baths, market, stores and several temples.

See our video report here

Bank holidays and local scum

2010-12-06T10:30:00.001+01:00

Constitution Day (Día del Constitución)
The 6th December is a national holiday in Spain and marks the ratification of the new Spanish constitution of 1978 after the death of Franco. After the death of Franco in 1975 a general election was held in 1978 and the new parliament (Constituent Cortes) drafted a new Spanish constitution. This was eventually passed by King Juan Carlos on the 27th December and came into force on the 29th December.
Since that day, the 6th December has been a public holiday and 99% of businesses are closed. The Spanish use the day for family outings and the restaurants fill to capacity.
The 8th December is also a public holiday to mark the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This means that the 7th December, in the middle, although not an official holiday, is also often taken as a day off. This is called a ‘puente’ or bridge.

Petty crime in Spain
Spain is no different to any other country, where petty crime is rife and tourists are often seen as easy targets. Tourists tend not to be as street wise as the locals and are often unaware of the typical methods used by street thieves. That’s not to say that locals are not at risk too. We, personally were subjected to a typical theft just this week.
Whilst sitting in a street café, my coat was placed on the back of the chair. A group of 3 Moroccan men came and sat behind me and placed their coats on the backs of the seats. They were only there 2-3 minutes and sat sipping water from bottles. Suddenly two of them got up and left in a hurry whilst one went to pay the bill inside.
A few moments later I realised that one of the men had dipped into my coat pocket and stolen my mobile phone.
We managed to get in touch with Vodafone within an hour and had the number blocked and the sim card replaced. This was made easy as I had kept the original sleeve in which the sim card came. This had the original serial number on it. Without this number it would have been impossible to stop the card and retrieve the number: a lesson to all.
Although losing a £100 mobile to a scumbag was difficult to swallow, I feel I came off lightly. It could easily have been my wallet.
This event has inspired me to re-write information about stolen mobiles on our website here and about stolen credit cards here.

A rainy day on the Costa del Sol

2010-12-01T13:56:00.003+01:00

What to do on a wet day in Spain?

We decided to visit the Museum of Fuengirola. Not the biggest museum in Spain but a nice visit anyway.

The entry fee is just €2

There are several rooms of exhibits and the museum centres around the Venus of Fuengirola, a Roman statue discovered in the 70's when excavations were underway for the new railway. There's also an original Jabega on display - a fishing boat typical of this area.

The only fault with the museum is that there are no notes in English.

See our video of our visit here

Don't organise a street party !

2010-11-26T19:44:00.003+01:00

Oh my.... I know that the UK has already strangled itself with the red tape and red tape but is this a step too far?

With the Royal wedding fast approaching, it's just been discovered that in order to organise a street party within your local community, you have to get a handful of permissions, complete pages of forms and pay huge fees to the council.

What has happened to good old community spirit?

This is just one more reason why we are so glad we left the UK before it sinks.

Can you imagine what would happen if every fiesta in Spain had to go through that kind of procedure? This could be seen as good reason to start a civil war.

Can the UK actually back-peddle and remove all these 'nanny state' restrictions?
What exactly can you do in the UK to have fun?

In the event of a Royal wedding in Spain, the country would come to a standstill and the authorities would join in the street parties. Life should contain at least a a little fun.

Long live the fiesta !!

Back to the grindstone

2010-11-19T15:27:00.002+01:00

What a fabulous trip away but nice to get back to the office.

Our research trip took in over 1,500 miles and cities such as Tarragona, Alicante and valencia. We called in at lots of towns such as Vilanova, Denia, Calpe, Casteldelfels and Altafulla.

All our reports will be published in the next Idealspain magazine as well as on the website.

Higher still

2010-11-13T20:49:00.002+01:00

We've driven well today and made it as far as the outskirts of Barcelona. We have explored Casteldelfels and weren't that impressed. Certainly not the nicest place to live. It looks like this is where those city slickers from Barcelona spend the weekends.

From here we went back south slightly and ended up in a little town called Vilanova, right on the coast. We will spend the night here tonight and explore in the morning. It looks like there's a nice marina and seafront. The hotels in this area are expensive compared to those on the southern coast which is a surprise. Sandra awarded a bar in Sitges an award day - the most expensive gin and tonic in Spain. The Macciato bar on the Paseo Maritimo in Sitges deserves the award for charging 7.50 euros. You should avoid this bar if money means anything to you.

Exploring north

2010-11-12T21:25:00.001+01:00

It's a bit colder in Alicante tonight rather than Marbella. We are heading north towards Barcelona and exploring new towns along the way.
When we return in a few days time we will have lots of new reports on the website.

It took about five hours to get to Alicante but was a pleasant drive. Alicante is very quiet this time of year and we have no trouble finding a hotel at a good price. Tonight we are staying at the northern end of the city, close to the beach. Tomorrow we head for Valencia.

iPad jailbreak for 3.2.2

2010-11-10T20:30:00.002+01:00

Oh how I love those friendly geeks who spend their lives hacking and cracking. Can't believe that the new OS for the iPad (3.2.2) has been cracked at last. GeoHot has liberated my iPad at last and poked Apple in the eye.

Without these clever hackers the world would be so different and freedom of choice would be non existent.

Long live the hacker and mu iPad. Down to Apple now to try to patch the latest jailbreak.

A wonderful day out

2010-11-06T18:38:00.003+01:00

Malaga Car Museum

What a superb day out at this new museum - the Museo de Automoviles in Malaga. This museum is located in the enewly refurbished tobacco factory and has a huge collection of important motor vehicles representing more than 100 years of driving.

Entry to the museum is just 6€ or 3€ for pensioners, which represents excellent value for money.

See the Idealspain video here

Chestnut harvest time in Pujerra

2010-11-03T20:26:00.004+01:00

A day out in Pujerra in Andalucia to see the chestnut harvest

Pujerra is known as the chestnut capital of Andalucia and today we went to find out how they process the chestnuts in this tiny village

The whole area is covered with chestnut trees and most of the village work in the industry at harvest time. On the 1st of November it's the annual fiesta for the chestnut (Castanos) and the village truly comes alive.

We were invited into the village cooperative to see how the chestnuts are processed before being sold all over Spain. Roasted chestnuts are a delicasy in Spain and they are also used in cakes and purees.

Whilst walking round the village a local lady comes out and presents us with a plate of cakes, much to Sandras' delight.

See the video of our day out here

Idealspain Magazine - Latest free issue

2010-11-02T17:24:00.003+01:00

December magazine online now

The latest issue of the Idealspain Magazine is now online and it's FREE to read as usual

The Christmas special is packed with 30 pages of features and articles including reports from our recent tours including Malaga, Trujillo, Albacete and much more

There's a timely feature about skiing in Spain as the Sierra Nevada opens its doors and a great survival guide to living in Spain over the winter. As always there's lots of multi-media content including our latest videos of Spain

Make sure you read your copy here

Time to take the rock tour

2010-10-29T14:41:00.006+02:00

Gibraltar day out

We have been to Gibraltar dozens of times and took the tour of the rock many years ago. It's not really something you would want to do on a regular basis and isn't the cheapest of days out. However, with a few hours to spare this week we decided to take the tour once again, this time armed with the video camera and we're so pleased we did.

The tour costs £10 per vehicle and £2 per person but you can spend as much time on the rock as you like throughout the day. The price includes a visit to the tunnels, St.Michael's Cave, the fortress and a few small exhibitions. You also have the chance to see the famous Gibraltar apes. You have to mind where you park though when you get to the apes or they will pounce on you and start to dismantle your car.

We were fortunate enough to time the visit with a landing at Gibraltar airport so got some great video of the Easyjet Gatwick flight landing. This airport is the only one in the world where the traffic has to stop to let planes cross the road. This won't be the case for long though. Gibraltar will very shortly have a tunnel that goes under the runway.

See the video of the plane landing here

The rock tour is something that everyone should do at least once when visiting Gibraltar. See for yourself with our short video guide here. We were lucky enough to see the apes violently brawling and caught it all on video.

Malaga airport museum

2010-10-24T17:03:00.003+02:00

I've been past it a thousand times and never had the time to go and have a look. Today I changed all that and made the effort. It's not the biggest museum but it's interesting all the same and it's free to look round. I've put together a short video of the highlights.

My Epson printer has finally died

2010-10-20T07:49:00.003+02:00

It's a sad day today....
My trusty Epson R265 has finally died after three years of service. Admitedly, we converted it to use a continuous ink system when we bought it so we have saved thousands of pounds, but alas, we couldn't beat the greedy giant, Epson in the end.

It seems that all Epson printers have a self-destruct facility built in. When Epson think you need to give them £50, the printer tells you the ink pads are full. It refuses to work until you take it to Epson and pay them to replace the pads.... even if they are not really full.

How can this be legal I ask?

The printer was only £50 to buy new so.... we throw them away, filling our landfill and buy another one. I think Epson should pay a huge tax on landfill due to their greedy tactics.

Anyhow, that's my moan for the day as I bid farewell to my Epson and I've just installed a new HP 5460. Let's see how long that lasts before HP start demanding money for services that are not really neccessary.

Battle of Fuengirola 1810-2010

2010-10-17T18:37:00.004+02:00

The Battle of Fuengirola 200 year bi-centenary

Re-enactment 2010

This weekend saw the 200th year since the Battle of Fuengirola took place at Sohail Castle.

This important event in history was marked with a huge re-enactment of the battle.

Idealspain had two video crews and two photographers there all weekend and have produced more than 500 colour photographs and a two hour DVD that is available online.

See the trailer of this totally unique DVD here and order the DVD here

2010-10-14T23:24:00.002+02:00

Our day in Malaga

Today we spent the day exploring Malaga city. Arriving refreshed by train was excellent and avoided the hassle of parking the car.

Our first port of call was the tourist office where we collected a street plan. Our walking route started at the Cathedral, then the castle and Roman theatre.

From here we explored the back streets, taking in an excellent tapas bar.

Our video shows the highlights of our visit to this wonderful Andalucian city

What a wonderful day - see the video here

Gibraltar for the day

2010-10-14T11:27:00.006+02:00

A day in Gibraltar

Yesterday was yet another cloudy day in southern Spain but we decided to head for Gibraltar for the day. The cooler temperatures of October make exploring much easier. Gibraltar was as busy as it always is and coaches were pouring in. The queue at the border was about 30 minutes so not too bad. Once in, we parked in Morrisions after filling up with cheap diesel and collecting some cheap cigarettes. They are still just £1.50 a packet and deisel remains under £1 per litre.

We drove towards Europa Point where we made a short video. It shows the Trinity Lighthouse, the Mosque and views to Africa. See the video here.

Our next trip is a day in Malaga city.

Last day of the feria

2010-10-12T10:04:00.002+02:00

Today, the 2010 Fuengirola feria comes to a close.
The final event is a mass at the Church of Carmen this morning in honour of the Virgen del Pilar, the Patroness of Aragon.

The service will be followed by an exhibition of Aragonese folk dances in the Plaza de Espana.

The 10 day feria has been hailed as a huge success despite the economic downturn.

Bullfighting on horseback

2010-10-10T23:11:00.001+02:00

Idealspain visits a bullfight

Idealspain went to see the bullfighting on horseback today

See our video here

2010-10-10T14:53:00.002+02:00

Rain stops play on the Costa del Sol

The last two days have been horrendously wet in southern Spain but we're pleased to say it's over now and the sun is shining once again. We'll find out later today if the bullfight will take place. Currently the arena is 6 inches deep in water.

2010-10-09T16:21:00.002+02:00

Bulls saved - for today anyway

Today is the bullfighting day for Fuengirola feria on the Costa del Sol and 5 bulls were due to fight this afternoon, however the first heavy rain of the year has been falling all day and the bullfight has been postponed

At present it's unsure how long it will be before the bull's fate is arranged

The bullfight in Fuengirola is one of the most important of the year and tickets were practically sold out, despite the cost. The best seats are 120€ each. Sunday was supposed to be bullfighting on horseback but this too may have to be cancelled

Meanwhile the feria will continue until next Tuesday. It's quite common for the Costa del Sol to be hit by rain at this time of year and it's not the first time Fuengirola feria has been affected

Latest Idealspain Magazine available free now

2010-10-08T15:33:00.004+02:00

The latest issue of the Idealspain Magazine

Is now available online and it's FREE to read

Packed with information about Spain and our travels

This month we visit Carmona, Benalmadena, Cuenca, Segovia, Guadalupe and more

News from Spain over the last month
Tips on life in Spain

and much more ......... Read it online here

Flamenco dresses out in force at the 2010 feria

2010-10-07T21:57:00.001+02:00

Thursday night and we make another visit to the 2010 feria in Fuengirola

Now all the girls are in flamenco dresses... the Andalucian horses are out and the sun's still shining at 7pm

Have alook at the latest video at today's feria here

2010-10-07T16:00:00.003+02:00

The 2010 Fuengirola Feria is well underway

This week we have been busy filming and photographing the 2010 Fuengirola Feria. This is one of the largest ferias on the Costa del Sol and is a classic example of how the Spanish love to party and show off.

Our videos include the build up to the feria, the opening ceremony and switching on of the lights as well as the traditional Flamenco Mass on Thursday 7th October.

The feria is full of colour, music and tradition.

You can see our series of videos, uploaded within an hour of the event, here

Idealspain magazine

The latest issue of the magazine is almost ready for publication. Packed with features and stories about our travels, it's availabe online free of charge.

Read the latest issue here

Updates from Sunny Spain

2010-07-21T10:09:00.002+02:00

Flamenco weekend
What a wonderful weekend we had; we stumbled upon a genuine flamenco show in a tiny Andalucian village. We were the only foreigners there and the Spanish villagers made us so welcome. The flamenco was filled with so much passion it brought us to tears

Latest magazine
Our latest issue of the Idealspain Magazine is just a day or so away from publication. The magazine is our biggest ever issue and is packed with new features and stories. It's available free of charge online at www.idealspain.com

Fish supper
A taste of real Spain last night; the sword fish was so fresh. What a wonderful meal and the ocean lapping at our ankles. Oh how we love the food in Spain

New horizons
This weekend we are planning a trip to Almeria to explore a few new towns that we have misses. The reports will be published on the website next week and in the September issue of the Idealspain Magazine. We will tell it exactly how it is, as usual

Baking
We cooking now as the weather hits over 40 degrees. It hasn't rained for 12 weeks. Struggling a bit but thank heaven for air conditioning

Fiesta del Carmen on the Costa del Sol

2010-07-14T19:46:00.000+02:00

This weekend sees the annual Feria in the Los Boliches part of Fuengirola. Carmen is the patron saint of the fishermen.
The weekend will be marked by a fairground in the town, lots of concerts, parties and games on the beach.

On Saturday the statue of Carmen will be brought out of the local church, paraded through the town and let along the beach to the sea.

This will give the fishermen a whole year's good luck.

Behind the times no more

2010-07-14T19:35:00.000+02:00

Ok so we've been so busy touring Spain and writing about our travel exploits that the modern world has whizzed past us. We've realised that we should be telling the world about our travels not only through our website but using social media, hence, then new blog.

You might find it amusing for a while until we get the hang of it but eventually we hope to write as we travel

You will be fascinated by some of the stories