TRAVELING TO SPAIN HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER

Many tourists are pleasantly surprised by how convenient and affordable it is to go to Spain. The country is very accessible, especially if you are coming from North America and the United Kingdom. You will find that many of Britain’s airports have very cheap flights that go directly from there to Spain’s largest hubs, and they leave very day. It’s also possible to go to Spain via the scenic route, riding the country-wide train system, and taking ferry, enjoying a cruise (crucero) and coach links, and driving by car.

GOING TO THE NORTHERN PART OF SPAIN

The most convenient method of reaching Northern Spain is to take a flight from the UK airport to Bilbao. If you are coming from the United States, you can go to Malaga and then take a connecting flight to Bilbao. Alsa and Eurolines also have highly developed coach networks, letting you take the coach and rail connections to Bilbao or San Sebastian. If you wish to travel by water, you can take a boat from Plymouth—one of the ports of the United Kingdom—then dock at Santander. Another option is to travel from Portsmouth to BIlbao.

CASTILE AND LA RIOJA

If you are on a budget, the most affordable way of reaching Castile and La Rioja is to take a flight to one of the major cities of Spain, like Madrid, Barcelona or BIlbao. From the airport you can take a connecting flight or rent a car and drive to the area. Since the road system is very developed, you will find car drives to be very pleasant and easy. Another option is to take a direct flight to La Rioja, Valladolid or Lorgrona via Iberia airlines. The area is also very accessible by coaches.

PYRENEES, ARAGON, AND NAVARRE

You will not have any trouble reaching these areas, which are all very accessible from Spain’s capital, Madrid. Take a flight to that city, or ride the Eurostar rail from Paris (the overnight trip is very fast and convenient). From there you can then drive down the E90 highway. If you are in a rush, you can take a connecting flight to the hear of the region, Zaragoza. From here you can easily travel to the outlying provinces by rail or coach.

COSTA BRAVA AND COSTA DORADA

Take a flight to Barcelona, and then ride the underground rain. You can also go to Costa Brava via the central coastal road, or take the ferry to Mallorca, Menorca Genoa, Rome and Ibiza.

CENTRAL SPAIN AND MADRID

The largest airport in Central Spain is found in Madrid. It is accessible from all the major airports in the world, and is in fact the country’s main travel hub. From there you can find several means of reaching the rest of the country. You can take the coach, the rail, or rent a car and travel via Spain’s excellent road system. It is also possible to take the underground metro.

COSTA DEL AZAHAR

Go to Valencia, the region’s main travel hub, or take the coastal route of N430 and A3 to and from Madrid. Since Valencia is a port city you can also travel by ferry to and from Malta, Ibiza and Italy.

COSTA BLANCA, COSTA CALIDA, COSTA DE ALMERIA

Reach these regions through the Alicante airport, which has several car rental facilities nearby. You can also travel by rail and coach. You may also reach Costa Calida and Costa de Almeria by Murcia.

COSTA DEL SOL AND ANDALUCIA

These areas are highly accessible. You can go to the Malaga airport which is connected to every major airport in the world. Another option is to take a scenic car drive or enter via sea, by sailing from Plymouth or Santander.

There has been a proliferation of travel websites which all claim to give great deals and big discounts. But how do you know where to get the cheapest airline packages, and is it really necessary to go through a travel agent? Here are some tips from frequent travelers.

Travel off season

Since Spain has over 300 days of sunshine a year, then you can travel even off season and still be able to enjoy many of the country’s beaches and other attractions.

Book flights very early or very late

If it’s necessary to travel during the peak season, then you will be able to get a good package by booking ahead of everyone else, or taking advantage of other people’s last minute cancellations and booking your flight days or even hours before your departure time.

Be flexible about where to go

If you have a very specific destination in mind, then this is not possible. But if you don’t care which beach you go to, then shop for the best deal.

Or you can at least be flexible about where you will be dropped off. Sometimes you can take a cheaper flight to another airport and then rent a car to drive down to the area you want to sea. Just that extra hour of travel can save you hundreds on airfare.

Sacrifice some comforts

Taking a direct, non-stop flight is expensive. But if you are really trying to save mone, then opt to get a flight that has two lay overs—it takes longer, but you will not have to fork out as much cash for your ticket. Of course one disadvantage of changing planes is that you could lose your luggage. How awful to be stranded in Spain without even change of clothes! To avoid this problem you should bring a big carry-on bag and pack very, very lightly.

Don’t travel on a Friday

Flights on Fridays and Mondays are often booked because people are either taking a weekend vacation or returning from one. Consider leaving on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, since prices are cheaper and you are more likely to get discounts from airlines who are trying to fill up the plane.

Spain has a lot to offer to vacationers. There are the exciting and thrilling bull flights, the color flamenco dances, the sunny beaches. But aside from these well known attractions, there are actually quite a number of things about this country that very few people are aware of.

It has a very diverse geography, so that you see different things depending on the region you visit. Lush, undulating hills….sunny beaches…mysterious caves…snowcapped mountains…abundant valleys. You can go swimming, or skiing, hiking or horseback riding.

It has an amazing history. You can visit its prehistoric cave paintings, or its beautifully designed Moorish palaces. You can view the Roman ruins, and the castles where its proud lords once ruled. You can look at the Gothic and Renaissance cathedrals, testimonies of the faith and the creativity of the Spanish people. Or, you can visit the unique modern architecture and marvel at the vision of Spain’s artists. For example, for 800 years Andalucian Spain was under the Moor civilization of Morocco, and you can see the influence in Granada’s Alhambra palace, Cordoba’s mosque and Sevilelea’s Giralda Tower and Alcazar. Don’t forget to stop by the White Villages, which are not only picturesque, but embraced by breathtakingly beautiful landscapes.

There is just so much to do and see in its little separate “kingdoms” which continue to have their own local culture to explore and to appreciate: Cantabria, Extremadura, Galicia, Castilla La Mancha, Andalucia, Aragon, Madrid, Murcia, Asturias, Basque Country, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Castilla Leon, Catalonia, La Rioja, Navarra and Valencia.

If you wish to experience a quiet and relaxing vacation by the beach, then you have so many places to choose from. You can go to Cadiz and Almeria in the south, or head towards the coasts of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and Euskadi. If you want to have all the pampering and luxury of the prestigious resort towns, there are plenty of places to go to on the Costa de la Luz and the Costa del sol.

These are just some of the places you can see in Spain. Call your travel agent today to find out about the kinds of tours and packages you can avail of.