10 Reasons to Visit Spain this Spring

Spring in Spain is a wonderful experience and here are 10 great reasons to go.

Climate

In Barcelona average temperatures range between 15ºC and 21ºC and from May onwards the temperature really begins to rise, reaching a peak of around 29ºC in August. The Canary Islands are never too cold or too hot, in fact Tenerife has become known as the “Island of Eternal Spring.” On the mainland, the city of Madrid can be overbearingly hot in summer, but in spring the weather is just right for exploring all that the country’s capital has to offer.

Culture

La Laguna, in Tenerife, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with medieval streets and squares and wonderful historic buildings. Marbella has an unusual attraction in The Bonsai Museum, a curious and delightful place to see.

Great Road Trips

Travelling the regions of Spain is great fun. Whether choosing car hire to scoot around the islands, such as the Balearics or the Canaries or embarking on a full-scale expedition into the Sierra Nevada on the mainland, every excursion is an adventure.

Sports

Golf is a popular activity in Spain and there are lots of great courses dotted around the beach resorts in all parts of the country. Marbella and the Canary Islands are particularly good and there are many golfing opportunities throughout Andalusia.

Beaches

There are lovely beaches all over Spain and in Barcelona from spring onwards people begin to flock to the little beach bars to enjoy a cold beer after a lovely long walk on the beach. Marbella has wonderful beaches too, many with the coveted blue flag status.

Spanish cuisine

Delicious and tempting, all over Spain tapas bars offer bite-size tasty samples of the best local fresh ingredients, perhaps paella, fresh fish or the delicious cold soup gazpacho. In March and April lots of people in Catalonia hold Calçotadas or barbecues, enjoying grilled vegetables, meat and fish.

Outings and Excursions

Great Spanish outings include a trip to the picturesque village of Masca, on the island of Tenerife. A good car hire deal will ensure access to the dramatic scenery, which includes plunging cliffs. The winding roads make for an exciting driving experience.

Festivals

Barcelona is the annual venue for some of the most important music festivals in Europe. The city of Madrid is famous for its museums and other cultural attractions, one of which is the annual spring event, the San Isidro Festival. The spring festival in historic Cadiz is known as Carnaval and is a ten-day extravaganza of entertainment and fun.

Party Atmosphere

In certain parts of Spain, for example Marbella, the beach bars continue to provide music and dancing well into the early hours and many famous DJ names are to be found performing in Marbella’s clubs. In Tenerife, Puerto de la Cruz and the largest resort, Playa de las Americas, are the places for nightlife with lots of restaurants, pubs and clubs.

The Great Outdoors

Hiking is a popular activity for nature lovers staying in the Barcelona area and a day spent hiking to Montserrat is rewarded with stunning views of the parkland, one of the most beautiful parts of Catalonia. On the island of Tenerife, travellers can enjoy hiking amidst the volcanic landscape of the Tiede National Park.

Cleaning and Drying Outdoor Wear

For outdoor sports enthusiasts, it’s vital you have a washing machine that knows exactly how to wash your expensive outdoor gear. This will make sure it’s in top condition for your next extreme adventure.

After all, when you’re exercising you want the coat and base layers you’re wearing to protect you against the rain and chilling cold, as well as being comfy to move around in and breathable when it’s hot.

If your washer doesn’t have what it takes to look after your outdoor clothes, then take a look at what Indesit have to offer. Their washing machines come with four fantastic programmes designed to wash anything from water proof jackets to muddy trainers:

• The Outwear wash uses low temperatures and is designed to not only protect and but also retain the waterproof coating on hiking jackets and the kid’s school cagoules.

• The Sports intensive cycle is a long cool wash which gives your clothes a really thorough soak – perfect for tackling muddy, grass-stained cycling and running leggings.

• The Sports light option is a slightly shorter cycle and takes care of your breathable base layers, rinsing away odours and sweat stains.

• There’s even a Special shoes cycle which uses a slow gentle wash to clean your mucky trainers, without damaging them or the surface of the drum. Considering how tricky it can be to scrub your trainers, this is such a handy programme to have.

Indesit have even developed a tumble dryer which comes with a special sports rack. By suspending the shoes away from the surface of the drum, the shoe rack helps to dry and air out your trainers at the same time. And it does this whist protecting them against banging around the inside of the drum. So, no more stuffing your running shoes with newspaper and having to leave them on the radiator for ages to dry!

Top Tip from our Cleaning Expert

“I’m a very active person and attend British Military Fitness training three times a week as well as regularly hiking and running. I wash my outdoor sports wear at least 3 times a week and quite often it’s all caked in mud! If it weren’t for the tailored outdoor and sports wash cycles on my machine protecting my clothes and trainers, I don’t know how I’d manage. I’d be constantly replacing my outdoor clothing and base layers, which just isn’t practical. Luckily my machine takes care of my clothes, keeping them as good as new and ready for my next outdoor adventure!”

Scottish Coach Holidays with Caledonian Travel

Coach travel in Scotland started to take off in the mid 1980’s with a growing demand for an alternate way to travel across the country. Before this the only viable option would’ve been to take a train but thanks to the rise in bus tour operators there was also a growing competition between the two industries. Since trains were fairly expensive at the time, the bus tour operators provided a vital service for younger people and lower income families that wanted to travel over a large distance within Scotland.

Long before this Caledonian Railway was a large railway operator in Scotland. Even though they were operational during the century change between the 1800’s and 1900’s the name Caledonian is still relevant when it comes to travel in Scotland.

Coach Holidays Scotland with Caledonian Travel is one of the most popular ways to travel through the country. It also offers its customers the opportunity to visit the rest of Britain via coach trips and for the ones wanting to go even further they also have routes going down in to continental Europe.

 ©Elnur_ /Depositphotos.com

Coach Holidays have been around for quite a while but before the latest recession they were mainly something that senior citizens would travel on. Because of the lower incomes and lack of jobs people are now looking at Coach trips as a great alternative to get that well deserved break during the summer or winter.

The reason why this industry has long surpassed the train as a long distance travel method is mainly due to financial aspects. Trains can cost around £40 from Scotland all the way down to London while some coach operators offer one way tickets for less than half of that. If you go further in to Europe the price gap between Coach Holidays and train holidays will only increase.

Travelling with a reliable coach operator also means that they can sort out your entire trip. The transport, hotel and anything else that your trip might include will all be taken care of as soon as you pay for your trip.

There are several coach holidays from Glasgow that not only go around Scotland, but down in to England, over to Ireland and also in to Europe. This huge variety of destinations is great for anyone who isn’t sure of where to travel during their well deserved holiday.

Coach Holidays have been a huge factor in developing the tourism industry and keeping it alive during a tough time. The times haven’t just been tough in Scotland, but all over the world, and this means that most resorts and holiday destinations will cut their prices to attract more guests. Combined with the cheap coach trips to the destination this makes the ultimate holiday package for anyone looking for coach holidays from Glasgow.

Even though the train is one of the greatest inventions that mankind has ever created, it has had to take the backseat to the coach when it comes to price and usefulness for tourists and holiday travelers from all over the world.

It seems that London is the place to be in the summer of 2012, with the Queens Diamond Jubilee in June, and of course, the Olympic Games being held between the 27^th of July and the 12^th of August closely followed by the Paralympic Games held between the 29^th of August and the 9^th of September.

Each of those events promises to be a memorable occasion, with the Olympics in particular expected to draw tens of thousands of people from all over the world. The hotel industry is gearing itself up to accommodate them, and those people that want to stay close to to the Olympic village and be near the thick of things might want to consider staying at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel London – Tower of London.

This luxury hotel was formerly a Mint property before joining the Doubletree brand of the Hilton Hotel Group, and has all the quality services and amenities that you would expect from one of London's top contemporary hotels. With multi-lingual staff who can assist visitors from overseas, its own beauty salon, spacious rooms and a fitness area, it is a comfortable, quality hotel to be based at for the Olympic Games.

The Doubletree Tower of London hotel is not only situated close to the Olympic village, but is also placed close by to some of London's main attractions. The Tower of London and Tower Bridge are the closest places of interest, with many others such as St. Paul’s Cathedral less than a mile away. The Globe Theatre is also near by, and guests desiring to see a play during their stay could ask the concierge desk at the hotel to arrange tickets.

Ideally situated to enjoy the Olympic and Paralympic games of 2012, the Doubletree Tower of London Hotel is an excellent choice as a place to stay, and reservations made well in advance for this period are highly recommended.