Semana Santa video

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Read more and watch our video here.

After two nights in Alicante, we packed up and moved on.

Santa Pola

Not far from Alicante is the most wonderful seaside resort of Santa Pola. The beaches are superb but the real gem is the 16th century fortress that stands right in the heart of the town. The very helpful tourist office made sure we didn't miss anything before moving on later in the day.

You can read our full report and watch our video here.

Torrevieja

We haven't been to Torrevieja for 10 years so our visit this weekend was well overdue. I must say that since our first visit, much has changed in Torrevieja. The council have worked hard to clean up its image and presentation. Roads have been renewed and scruffy old buildings have gone. The beaches are as good as they always were but the town public areas have been totally revamped.

Torrevieja is a great holiday resort if you like that sort of thing and it certainly makes a pleasant visit. Whilst in the area we took a look at the salt industry by visiting the saltlakes and a salt production plant. Quite an education.

Read more and watch our video here.

Future plans

Very soon we will be re-visiting the cities of Almeria and Cartagena where we will make our usual videos and update our website information.

Digressing

It's times like this when we really appreciate and love the job we do. We are so lucky to be exploring Spain as our job, however we often forget how lucky we are when it gets tough, or even moreso when it gets expensive. We must have one of the most expensive jobs out and the rewards are personal more than financial. It's such a shame that the economy is in such a mess as it does tend to take the shine off the job.

The way Idealspain explores Spain in such fine detail and to such an extent is what makes us so different, and of course, so special. There are no other websites like Idealspain and 90% of the Spain guides are assembled by copying our work from a council flat in the UK. I suppose it's the same with any job - if you do it well, the leeches will feed off you.

Unitl our next visit
Steve and Sandra
Idealspain

A busy weekend

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.