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Holiday Rentals Spain Sandy beaches that melt into the warm Mediterranean waters line the southern Spanish coast. Just north of the coast stretches the Sierra Nevada, and beyond this storied mountain range are vast expanses of open plain. Craggy hills surrounded by farmland dot the horizon. Spain’s modern cities are built on well-established sites, kept at respectful distances from one another.
Cowboy culture rules rural Spain, with ranches and farms carefully placed to make best possible use of the country’s limited rainfall and rivers. While it was water that caused Spanish towns to flourish where they did, wine is the beverage driving Spanish life. From a frosty pitcher of summer sangria to a glass of Rioja, downed with a plate of tapas, wine is always of the occasion.
Churches loom in Spanish cities like prominent personalities. Their doors are frequently open to wedding parties that crowd city parks and squares. Visitors are easily caught up in the romantic atmosphere. Most Spanish cities have old districts that spread across large swathes of town, making a simple stroll into a walk though Spain’s past. Larger cathedrals draw crowds—as food and flower markets often appear nearby.
Spanish festivals shut down the country a few times a year. Semana Santa, or “Holy Week”, sees students returning home or making a first foray to the beach. While Semana Santa quiets cities and strange, somber processions of hooded figures carry ornate Catholic floats throughout the streets amid billowing clouds of incense the murmur of medieval chanting, other festivals are raucous celebrations. Musicians and other types of performers crowd public spaces as whole towns are converted into makeshift fairgrounds. Indeed, the Spanish dedication to recreation is witnessed all year round.
Tourists are attracted to Spain by the relaxed pace of life and the drama of Spanish culture. Flamenco music and dancing capture the soul of the Spanish people, revealing the country’s take on death and the battle of the sexes. The controversial bullfighting tradition offers yet another face of Spanish society, hearkening back to Spain’s violent history and highlighting the grandiosity of public life.
Swimming and sunbathing are the activities that drive the tourism industry along Spain’s southern coast. Every year millions of visitors can be found lounging on the sand and soaking up the Spanish sun. Resorts are packed for months out of the year, though a little bit of effort can turn up comfortable accommodation in more traditional settings. The Spanish pensión, for example, which functions like a boarding house, as well as short-term rentals. |
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