Urban tourism in Spain: more than Madrid

We all agre that Madrid and the Prado Museum are a must, but there are other cities in Spain worth the trip. Salamanca is one of my favourites.

Salamanca is a historic city well known for its University (it's one of the best destinations to learn Spanish).

Fantasy beaches in Valencia

If you are looking for the best beaches in Valencia, you better look for new destinations. Malaga, Tenerife or Galicia all have fantasy beaches, so forget Valencia and look for a new destination in Spain.

Why forget Valencia? Well, the regional government has been accused of using chlore to disguise the contamination in the beaches of Valencia. You can use your online translation tool of choice to read the report, which is already a scandal in Spain. We recommend Deepl.

Spain by train

This is what James Rhodes thinks about the high-speed trains in Spain.

As a Brit, this astonishes me. Spanish trains hurtling along at 300km/h. Cheap, spotless, always on time. Amazing. pic.twitter.com/VP5NU4Zl2j

— James Rhodes (@JRhodesPianist) November 27, 2016

Infinite Spain

• 12 Spanish climbs every cyclist should conquer in their lifetime: Puerto de Ancares.
• Cycling one of the world's most famous pilgrimages.
• 19 reasons why Spain is still the best holiday destination.
• A wine hotel you won't forget.
• Spain's cursed village of witches.

Why Spain? These five articles answer this question, though there are many more answers...

Birdwatching - why Spain?

With 121 types of habitats, Spain is home to more than 50% of the animal species found in Europe. A total 563 bird species have been recorded in Spain. If you are into birdwatching, here you are a few ideas.

1. Northern Donana Area tour: Donana Park is probably the best birdwatching spot in Europe. Several agencies and guides offer different tours throughout the park.
2. Bird watching in León: León is where the mediterranean and the atlantic climate areas meet, so it is possible to see tens of different birds within miles. You might catch a glimpse of the Cantabrian capercaillie, one of the rarest birds in the world. Not to miss the Villafafila Reserve (yes, Villafafila is in Zamora, but Zamora used to be part of the Kingdom of León). There is a great birding blog about the province of León, but it is only available in Spanish: birdingleon.
3. Birding holidays in Extremadura: Extremadura is one of the best bird watching areas in Spain, and Martin Kelsey's blog is what you need to make a decision.

Great bustard by Andrej Chudý from Slovakia - Drop fúzatý (Otis tarda), CC BY-SA 2.0, Link

Fantasy beaches in Asturias, Spain

Asturias hides some of the most beautiful beaches in Spain. Ready? 

1. Gulpiyuri beach: the beach without a sea view, Gulpiyuri is 100 mt from the coast! Natural tunnels in the limestone have created this incredible inland beach. [Images]
2. Cuevas del Mar beach: the rock archways carved through limestone create a unique landscape you will only find in Asturias! [Images]
3. Cobijeru beach: very similar to Gulpiyuri, but not so iconic. [Images]

Which is your favourite Asturian beach?

Historical Reenactment events in Spain

Up to twelve Historical Reenactment fiestas in Spain have created an association to promote these events in the country. Here you are the most interesting ones, 

• Astures and Romans (Astorga, León, end of July): a great event of Roman Reenactment in which the indigenous Astures play a key role. The city's bull ring is disguised as a Roman Circus to house the main act. Not to miss: the Astur village and the Roman camp, built for the event every year. More than 1,000 reenactors from Astorga (population: 12,000) take part in the event.
• Carthagineses and Romans (Cartagena, Murcia, end of September): up to 50 groups take part in this event, considered of National Touristic Intererest in Spain. The festival is based in the Second Punic War, where Cartagena played a key role.
• Moor and Christian Festivities (Alcoy, Alicante, April): probably one of the first reenactment events in the world, it is already documented in the 15th century. Thousands of reenactors take part in the event every year, and you will have to book well in advance if you plan to stay for the three-day festival.