Driving in Spain - The Balearrics (Majorca - Minorca - Eivissa - Formentera) & The Canary Islands (Tenerife - Fuerteventura - Gran Canaria - Lanzarote - La Palma - La Gomera - El Hierro - La Graciosa - Alegranza- Isla de Lobos - Montaña Clara - Roque del Este - Roque del Oeste)

Winning nation of the 2010 World Cup football, 2008 Euro football and 2012 Euro football championships

Key rules, regulations and things to know

Driving: Drive on the right and overtake on the left.

Speed limits: Towns: 50 km/h ( 31 mph), outside built up areas: 90-100 km/h (56-62 mph) - motorways: 120 km/h (74 mph)- Please note - March 2011 The maximum speed limit on Spanish motorways ( Autopista) was 120 km/h (75 mph) and this has been reduced to 110kph (68mph) on a temporary basis as of the 7th March.

Autopista - autovía: Motorways - and dual carriage ways - the autopistas are generally faster and have wider lanes. A lot of motorways in Spain are toll roads.Maxiumum speed is 120 km/h.

Drink and Driving: Blood alcohol limit is 0.05 .The Spanish police have powers to can carry out spot checks. Depending on how much a driver is over the limit, you could receive a large fine, lose points on your licence and have your licence suspended for a minimum of three months. Spain is a large tourist country with lots of people renting self catering holiday accommodation. Visitors will often drive to a restaurant and the responsible driver must keep to the strict alcholol limt. The legal limit is about one small glass of sherry or wine.More information Here

Parking: On uneven (odd) dates in one-way streets in towns, vehicles should be parked on the side of the road where the houses bear uneven numbers. On the side where houses bear an even number, parking is allowed on these dates. Seems complicated, however as long as you are not the the firts to park, then it should be straightforward to follow.

Grúa are the vehicles that remove and illegally parked car and the Depósito Municapal is the car pound it will be taken off to. To release the car can cost in the region of up to  140 plus a fixed fine of around  80.

Glasses: Drivers in Spain who wear glasses must carry a spare pair with them at all times. Keep one set in the glove compartment, but if you are hiring a car don't forget to remove them when you return the vehicle.

Multa - Fines Non residents can be spot fined up to 300 euro for a range of traffic offences. These include driving or having a passenger without wearing aa seatbelt, talking on a mobile phone whilst driving or obstructive parking. Residents will be sent a boletin de denuncia.

Warning / Emergency Equipment: Motorists must carry a set of replacement bulbs. Reflective vests are also complusory (like in France, Belgium and Italy) - In Spain you must carry reflective vests for all occupants). If an accident occurs, one warning triangle must be placed in front of the car and one at the back.

Triángulo de peligo - Warning triangles - You must also carry two warning triangles. If you have a breakdown on the motorway, you must place one of them 50 metres ahead of the vehicle and one behind. You must wear your reflective vest(above) to do this. On roads with two way traffic you must place one behind and the other in front.If you need to leave t a stationary vehicle on a motorway or main road, you and any passengers must wear a reflective jacket.

Overtaking - Adelantar You must never overtake where there is a single or double white solid line. Outside built-up areas, signal your intention to overtake by sounding your horn in the daytime or by flashing headlights at night.

Stationary trams may not be overtaken when passengers are boarding or alighting.

Mobile Phones: It is forbidden to use earpieces or headphones while driving. Only fully hands-free phone systems are permitted. Don't risk using one as you can receive a heavy fine in most countries and more important cause a serious accident.

Seat Belts: It is compulsory for front and rear seat occupants to wear seat belts.Children under the age of 12 are not permitted in the front of the car unless in an approved seat or harness.

Headlights: It is prohibited to use full headlights in built-up areas, sidelights or dipped headlights must be used. You must use dipped headlights in tunnels

Carnet de conducir - Driving licence - A Spanish drivers licence must be renewed every 10 years unitil the age of 45 and then every five years from 45 to 70. After that it has to be renewed every two years. Each time that you renew your licence you must have a medical examination - Revisión médica. If you hold a British licence for example you must still have a medical certificate that costs around  35.

Since 2006 Spain has had a points system Carnet de puntos. Everybody except novice drivers started out with 12, if you don't upset the Guardia Civil or municipal police for 3 years you can win back points or earn extra ones.

L Plate (Learner drivers) These are white on a green background and you must display one on

Spanish Highway Code - Normas are the rules and regulations, there are almost 700 of these.

Señales de tráfico - Traffic signs - These are mostly of the general European (excluding the Republicy of Ireland) type.There are local variations like pedestrian crossing signs etc.

Speed Cameras -Radares At the end of 2009 there are just over 500 of these compared to 6,000 in the UK. Many drivers will flash their headlights to warn about an upcoming police speed trap. According to Anglo Info in May 2011 - As of August 2010, some cameras (on the AP-7 in Castellón, on the A-7 in Murcia, on the A-31 in Alicante and on the A-52 in Zamora) are equipped to alert the nearest traffic officer in the event a foreign-plated car is caught exceeding the speed limit.

The officer receives a photo of the offending car and has the authority to pull the vehicle over and impose a large on-the-spot fine. If the fine is not paid the car may be immobilised. More such cameras are planned to be installed

Sat Nav: Known as GPS

Car and Vehicle insurance in Spain

Information below is provided in good faith, but as conditions are always changing, professional advice should be sort before arranging insurance.The information should not be relied on for accuracy.All vehicles must have at least third party insurance. Proof of insurance must be carried at all times. There are penalties for drivers of vehicles without valid insurance.

Types Motor of Insurance in Spain

Spanish insurance policies may differ to other countries standards, including EU countries. For example when a car is considered a write-off in Spain the insurance company will only refund a percentage of the value.

• It is obligatory for all cars to have - at least - third party, fire and theft insurance (part comprehensive). This is called: Seguro de terceros o de responsabilidad civil obligatoria
• Fully comprehensive "all risks" insurance (Seguro a todo riesgo) is available and often obligatory when leasing a car or buying on hire purchase
• Optional driver and passenger insurance (Seguro de ocupantes) provides compensation for loss of earnings and death. Special insurance may be required for exceptional contents and accessories

The Spanish insurance system operates on a no-claims bonus (bonification/sistema bonus-malus). In order to benefit evidence of no prior claims will need to be provided. It can significantly reduce the cost of insurance. The insurance premium may be reduced by electing to pay an excess (franquicia).

If an accident is caused by an uninsured vehicle, the damaged/injured party is entitled to compensation from the Insurance Compensation Pool (Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros).

If the car is registered in another country, a Green Card, (certificado internacional de seguro de automovil) must be carried in the vehicle.

Insuring an EU registered car in Spain

If the car spends over six months of the year in an EU country other than Spain it is necessary to take out a European insurance policy with the home insurer. EU regulations mean that all vehicles must be insured in the country in which they are registered. Therefore if the car is (for example) UK-registered it cannot be insured with a Spanish company. The vehicle can, however, be insured with a British insurer in Spain, by using the Spanish branch of a UK insurance company.

As the law stands a foreign registered car can spend six months per calendar year on Spanish roads without any additional paperwork. It can remain in Spain indefinitely as long as it is garaged on private land (not left on the roadside) for six months per year. The vehicle will need to maintain a valid roadworthiness (MOT in the UK).

To register a car in Spain it needs to be deregistered in the country of origin then re-registered with the authorities in Spain.

ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos )Vehicle Roadworthiness Test in Spain.

The ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) is the roadworthiness test of a motor vehicle in Spain. It is the equivalent of an MOT in the UK. ITV tests are compulsory and may only be undertaken by an authorised garage. The test exists to ensure that the vehicle is not a hazard on the road. It is compulsory for a vehicle in use to be roadworthy.

If a vehicle has been involved in a serious accident, it should undergo an ITV test after repair to establish whether the repair has been carried out correctly.

Disabled Parking: Cars parked in disabled spaces must display the disabled sticker or blue badge in the window. A Spanish resident may request a disabled sticker and information on applying for a blue badge from their local town hall.

Warning about some car hire companies Fuel Policy: Like certain car hire companies in Portugal and Cyprus, you need to check the car hire company's fuel policy as several of these are now working on collect full, pay for a full tank of fuel at their price and return empty. This can prove quite expensive if you do not hire the car for several days and use up the fuel. There is also the risk that you might also run out of fuel beforing returning it to your car hire destination (often airports) and then miss your flight.

Foreign Vehicles

Vehicle roadworthiness is not transferable across the EU countries. A car imported into Spain must pass the Spanish ITV test before it can be registered in Spain; likewise, the ITV of an an exported Spanish registered car will not be valid in another country.

Real Automóvil Club de España - (RACE) - to enter the site, click on the image above left

Talk Radio Europe is an English language talk radio with news, current affairs, interviews, sport and music. Costa Blanca on 88.2fm/105.1fm/95.3fm: Costa del Sol on 88.9fm/91.9fm: Costa Calida on 92.7fm: Costa Almeria on 89.0fm: Mallorca on 103.9fm and live via their website Here

Central FM is a radio station based in Gibraltar and covers the entire Costa del Sol, inland areas and Gibraltar. From Gibraltar, Algeciras and Tarifa in the West to Motril, Nerja, and Almuñecar in the East. It can be found at 98.6 FM from Motril to Calahonda and on 103.8 FM from Calahonda to Gibraltar.Website Here

Coastline FM 97.6FM is this radio station's freequency and is southern Spain’s longest established English speaking radio station and no.1 on the eastern Costa del Sol. They play a mixture of music from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and up to date with News, Talk, Weather, Sport, Travel. Website Here

Back to top

Information from holiday autos Spain

If you are looking for cosmopolitan life, Madrid in Central Spain and Barcelona on the East coast are perfect for vacation. In AndalucÌa on the South coast, Seville is home to the Flamenco and the moorish Alhambra Palace in Granada is well worth a visit.

By travelling a few miles from the cultural hot-spots you will discover unspoiled villages and quiet beaches. For great walking, journey into the Picos De Europa on the North Atlantic coast, and of course the Pyrenees are a must for skiers.

Please be vigilant when returning car keys after your rental. If the office is closed when you return your car, please ensure the keys are posted in the drop box outside the rental office and are not handed in to anyone else.There have been recent instances of car theft after rental office hours from bogus car rental representatives.

Brits love Spain. It’s our favourite sunny place. Cheap flights go everywhere from Alicante to Zaragona – so city breaks, quiet family getaways, and secluded luxury holidays are easier than ever. Renting a car is the best way to experience the country and we've great rates on Spanish car hire all year, so you'll have extra pennies for all those paellas. Book cheap car hire Spain, grab a map and explore your own way.

It’s all far too easy to get yourself to the popular playgrounds of the Canary Islands. Budget flights are packed with us Brits year-round. So hire that car, get that map and explore the real Canaries. Book low-cost car hire in the Canaries today.

It’s easy to see what attracts us to Majorca; sun, sand and sea in just under two hours. Pick up your hire car and head east for the beaches or north for the mountains. Now that you have your car, don’t head straight for the same beach as everyone else. Take your bucket and spade further a-field. We've great rates all year round, so book car hire in Majorca today.

Don’t just spend your days lazing on crowded beaches sleeping off last night’s drinks. Hire yourself a car and explore Ibiza’s secluded coves and bays – you’ll get a better day’s sleep. If you’re not visiting the island for its famous club scene, Ibiza will amaze you with its changing, and challenging, terrain. Book now for great rates on car hire in Ibiza.

car hire in Bilbao - Bilbao is a perfect place to explore the north coast.. All you need is cheap car hire for your trip to Spain. Oh, and probably a map. It’s also a great base to explore the Pyrenees. Just jump in your car and head east. If that doesn’t float your boat, drive down to San Sebastian in your car hire. The Bay of Biscay whips up some serious waves.

car hire in Madrid - Madrid. Relentless nightlife and great tapas bars. Its football team is pretty popular too. Catching a game at the Bernabeu isn’t easy though, everyone and his wife wants a ticket. Madrid is also a great place to just jump in your Spanish hire car and go exploring. Make the most of your car rental deal and head out to Toledo for a swashbuckling adventure. Alright; you won’t be fighting pirates on the high seas but it’s a great place to buy swords.

car hire in Gran Canaria - There’s something for everyone on this island. Car hire is the best way to get around. Don’t miss feeding time at Parque de los Cocodrilo. Stay behind the railings and you should be fine. The crocodile park is a few miles south of the airport. Drive the hire car to Arucas. Here, they’ll gladly show you how sugar is turned into rum. Don’t walk off with any samples. They don’t like that.

car hire in Palma - Majorca’s capital is swamped with Brits all year round. Hire a car and discover the real Majorca. It may just surprise you. In the mood for a party? Take the hire car to Magaluf. If you like foam, sticky floors and neon lights, you’ll love it. Lost someone? See if you can spot them from the top of Bellver Castle. It offers a great view of the city.

car hire in San Antonio - Brits cram onto budget flights to dance the night away at Ibiza’s famous clubs. Pick up your hire car from the airport and head to San Antonio - it doesn’t disappoint. Need to sleep off last night? Drive the hire car down to Playa d’en Bossa. It’s the island’s longest beach, so you’re bound to find some space. Had an early night? Drive down to Ibiza Town and take a stroll along the cobbled streets of the Old Town.

top driving tips - In Madrid keep your wits about you when driving through the city. Signalling seems to be a thing of the past. Plan your route before you go, Bilbao’s one-way streets will quickly confuse you.

If you spot a car with a white towel hanging from its window in theCanary Islands , they’re not showing support for the local footy team, they have an emergency – get out of their way.

Ignore those that say you shouldn’t drive in Palma. Keep calm and you’ll do just fine

Be on the lookout for packs of wild dogs in Ibiza.

A Definition of Bed and Breakfast Accommodation in One Place May Not be the Same as in Another You are off on holiday and book into Bed and breakfast accommodation. You expect a bed for the night and breakfast in the morning. It might happen in most places, but not my experience in Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona, Spain in February 2006 Was Fabulous A short visit to Barcelona, Spain in February - a very warm city in many ways. Great people, great places to visit and eat and drink in. More Here

Barcelona Fact File - Barcelona is hip, vibrant, welcoming. The capital of Catalonia and one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean, it's an eclectic mixture of Gothic, 'modernist' and contemporary architectural treasures

Back to top

Key Info

Capital - Madrid

Currency: The Euro (€) Currency Conversion Here

Language: Spanish

Religion: Catholic

Distance between London and Madrid: 1,263 km

Time Zone: UTC/GMT +1 hour

Must Sees in Spain

Prado Museum, Madrid: Madrid's Prado Museum offers a welcome break from sightseeing, shopping and generally gawking at the magnificence of Spain's capital city. With an extensive collection of works by Goya, Valezquez, Bosch, Rembrandt and El Greco (to name a few), you can get lost in some of art history's most exquisite pieces. The gorgeous neo-classic building that makes up the Prado museum could itself be a prize piece in an architectural museum.

Views of Madrid Here....

Views of Barcelona Here....

Fiesta: La Tomatina (The Worlds Biggest Food Fight), Bunol: La Tomatina all started back in 1944 when a local parade turned ugly and youngsters began throwing tomatoes in an act of protest. The cathartic bliss of hurling over-ripe fruit must have made an impression on the crowd, because a year later they repeated the process. Since then, with the exception of some legal ups and down that stinted progress in its first few years, people have been returning to Bunol in late August every year to participate in the festivities. Today more than 30 000 participants get involved for a long weekend of messy madness. If you find yourself in Valencia at the right time of the year, you owe it to yourself to go to La Tomatina, because there is nothing else like it.

Flamenco Dancers in Sacromonte, Granada: It's been said that there is no greater sorrow than to be born blind in Granada. To miss out on the stunning mountains, ancient buildings, devastating sunsets and brightly-coloured flamenco dancers would be a crying shame. Sacromonte, only 20 minutues away, offers a completely unique way to view a flamenco dancing show. The town is known for the caves that are etched into the hillsides, where resident gitanos (who actually live in the caves) perform. As far as getting an authentic performance goes, as well as witnessing it in a unique setting, Sacromonte is worth every penny.

Beaches: Las Islas Cies, Galacia Islas Cies is an archipelago off the coast of Galacia, only accessible by boat. In recent years, the three islands making up Cies have been declared a national park, so the land is heavily protected: littering is heavily frowned upon, so make sure you bring something to put your rubbish in. Visually, it is breathtaking: a stunning contrast between shimmering white sand, shiny turquoise water that dances below the sun, and the majestic landforms that make the islands an outdoor-lovers playground. In Spain, it is almost impossible to say which is the most beautiful beach of all. But if you mention Las Islas Cies, people probably wouldn't argue. For information about snorkelling, hiking, camping and day trips.

Back to top

FACT FILE — Spain — España : World Cup Winners 2010:

Spanish holiday vacation villas and apartments on the Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol, Costa Brava and other areas in Spain — Español vacaciones villas y apartamentos en la Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol, Costa Brava y otras zonas de España

SPAIN : With its sun baked stretched of plateaux, high peaked mountains with fertile river valleys and picturesque coastline, it covers an area of over 195,000 square miles — 505,990 square km and occupies most of the Iberian peninsula. It is borded by water for 88 percent of the periphery. The country has so much to offer, both in the way of natural beauty and of priceless tereasures.

It is officially known as the Kingdom of Spain — in Spanish: Reino de España.

Administratively, Spain is divided into 50 provinces, grouped into 17 autonomous communities and 2 autonomous cities with high degree of autonomy. These are in "Morocco" on the North African coast — Ceuta and Melilla. The 17 autonomous communities are: Andalusia -Andalucía in the south coast, Galicia -Galiza in the north west, Madrid where the capital in the centre, Extremadura in the south west bordering Portugal, Castile-La Mancha -Castilla-La Mancha south of Madrid, Castile and Leon — Castilla y León north of Extremadura , Valencia and Murcia on south east bordering the Meditteranean, Cataloniain the north east, La Rioja, Principality of Asturias -Principáu d'Asturies in the north, Aragon -Aragón in the north , Basque Country -Euskadi in Basque -País Vasco in the north, Navarre -Nafarroa — Navarra in the north adjoining the Basque Country.

Madrid is the capital city and the largest city in Spain, as well as in the province and the autonomous community of the same name. It is located on the river Manzanares in the center of the country.

Places to visit in Madrid

EL Rastro — large flea market — The meaning of the name ELRastro is "The Stain". Mixture of cheap clothes, household goods and junk.

Plaza Mayor — Dating back to 1619 it is one of Spain's most beautiful squares.

Museo Del Prado — Art gallery with over 3,000 paintings by the great Spanish artists ans other European artists.

Plaza De Oriente — Is one of the most famous squares in Madrid, It is ocated opposite Palacio Real (Royal Palace), There are statues of medieval kings and the one that takes centre stage is the equestrian statue of Felipe V. The square will have street performers including violinists. You can watch the changing of the guard at noon on the first Wednesday of the month except in July and August.

Parque Del Buen Retiro A very popular place with the locals and visitors, especially on a Sunday, in the heart of Madrid. It was once purely for the Royality. The park has a lake that is popular with people relaxing in rowing boats.

Estadio Santago Bernabéu — The home of Real Madrid football club that was voted the world's greatest football club of all time by FIFA in 1998.

More Cities and Towns

Barcelona is the capital city of Catalonia, an autonomous community in Spain. It is located in the comarca of Barcelonès, along the Mediterranean coast. It is the location for the Formula One Motor racing Spanish Grand Prix. It was the home of the 1992 Olympics.

Places to visit in Barcelona

La Sagrada Família — Not completed yet, but Spain's most visited sight. Antoni Gaudí's La Sagrada Família Church.

La Rambla — Tree lined pedestrian boulevard with street performers and stretches some 1.25 km.

Carrer De Montcada — One of the wealthiest streets in Barcelona and home to the Museu Picasso.

Museu Nacional D'Art De Catalunya — Built in 1926-29 as a temporary paviliion for the 1929 World Exhibition and now a permanent home to Catalan art

La Boqueria — A market that is one of Europe's greatest permanent produce fairs selling fruit. vegetables, meat, sweets, nuts and fish.

Circuit de Catalunya — Home of the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix . It opened in 1991 and is loacted north west of Barcelona.

Mont Juïc — Has several fine museums, including the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and landscaped garden — Jardins de Joan Brossa.

FC Barcelona Camp Nou Stadium — With a capacity of 100,000 in the stadium the club itself was founded in 1899 and is now one of Europe's biggest football clubs

Park Güell A park on a hill with superb views over Barcelona and out to sea. Antoni Gaudí' designed this park and also lived there for a number of years. The house in now a museum to him. The original plan in 1900 for Eusbi Güell was to convert the 15 hectares of land into 60 blocks for the rich people of Barcelona. By 1914 only three block had been sold. Gaudí' had created 3km of roads and walks including a plazza and two gatehouses. It now remain a Park and is very popular all year round.

More Cities and towns

Málaga is a port city in Andalucia, southern Spain, on the Costa del Sol coast of the Mediterranean with a large international airport to serve the sourthern area.

Granada is situated at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains y and the capital of the province of Granada, in the community of Andalusia.Granada is the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous region of Andalusia. It is famous for being home to the fabulous Alhambra Palace which is widely regarded as being one of the 10 architectural wonders of the world.

Murcia is a city and municipality on the river Segura located a few kilometres inland in the south east of the country. It is the capital of the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia.The Cathedral de Santa Maria was cpmpleted in the 15th century and is the most impressive monument of Murcia.

Bilbao — Bilbo is the largesr city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of Biscay and is in the north (Atlantic) coast of the country.

Places to visit in Bilbao

Museo Guggenheim - This opened in 1997 and transformed Bilbao with this modern architecture. Designed by Canadian architect Frank Gehry and in a way to show the paintings exhibited in their best light.

Casco Viejo — Bilbao's old town full of bars, restaurants and shops. At the centre is the 19th century arcaded Plaza Nueva that hosts a lively Sunday market. The Catedral de Santiago complete with its Renaissance portico is located in this area.

Funicular De Artxanda — This is a three minute ride with breathtaking views over Bilbao.

Museo De Bellas Artes - A much older building than the Guggenheim, the museum houses sculptures, clasical art, 20th century pop art and more

Seville is the capital of Andalusia and of the province of Sevilla

Places to visit in Seville

Alcázar This is the residence of many generations of kings that originally foundedas a fort in 913. It is located south of of the cathedral and across the Plaza del Triunfo.

Cathedral & La Giralda Along with the Alcázar, the Cathedral and the Giralda make up the trio of must-see attractions in Seville.The Cathedral was built in the 15th and 16th century in Gothic style on the grounds of an Arab mosque. It is the largest place of worship in Spain, and is the biggest Gothic Cathedral in the world. The Giralda is the bell tower of the cathedral and you can climb this by ramp walkways. It is over 90 metres high.

El Arenal is home to some of Seville's most interesting sights. These include Museo De Bellas Artes — fine arts museum, Plaza De Toros De La Real Maestranza — the bullring and Torre Del Oro — 13th century Islamic river bank watchtower.

El Centro is the centre of Seville. There are numerous narrow streets with picturesque squares. The area includes — Casa De Pilatos a fine mansion, Museo Del Baile Flamenco — Flamenco dance museum, Plaza De San Francisco & Calle Sierpes — is Seville's main square and Plaza Salvador — has a baroque church Parroquia del Salvador that was built on the site of a Muslim mosque. Further south of El Centro will be the Parque De María Luisa — This was transformed in 1929 for the International fair. A very tranquil park with over 3,500 trees. Plaza De España has fountains and minicanals. Antigua Fabrica De Tabacas — was a tobacco factory and is now part of the Universidad de Sevilla.

Valencia — València is Spain's third largest city and a port located on the Costa del Azahar.

Places to visit in Valencia

Cathedral — Gothic style is located at the Paza de la Reina.

Ciudad De Las Artes Y Las Ciecias - The city of Arts & Sciences — occupies 350,000 square metres of the old Turia riverbed, being predominately the work of architact Santiago Calatrava. It is an exceptionally moderned buildiing built with a curved roof in part.

Museo De Historia De Valencia — is located in the Calle Valencia. Instituto Valenciano De Arte Moderno (IVAM) — This houses 20th century Spanish art.

Museo De Bellas Artes — Is located in the Calle San Pio (translated means the Fine arts museum) has works by Goya, El Greco, Velázquez, Ribalta and more.

Plaza Del Mercado — This market was built in 1928.

Plaza De La Virgen — Constructed on the forum of Roman Valencia.

Palacio Del Marqués De Dos Aguas — Inside is the Museo Nacional de Cerámica — that displays ceramics from around the world. Torres De Serranos and Torres De Quart — these are the tow twin towered.

Andalucia, land of the guitar and flamenco: Castile, with its ruined castles in the heart of Spain and Madrid the thriving capital, are all excellent centres. The Costa Brava, Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol are the areas where you will find the majority of holiday home properties.

For the sporting enthusiast, Spain has everything; golf, hunting fishing and plenty of water sports facilities. Further entertainment is provided by the fiestas held annually to commemorate religous and historical events. Finally a very controversial form of entertainment-corrida-the bulfighting, that is held in most main towns throughout the summer.

Currency: — Euro (€) Currency Conversion Here

Electricity Voltage: 230v European 2 prong round plug.

Telephone Country Code: + 34 including Spain, Baleric Islands and Cannary Islands

Population 2006: 40,341,462

Land Area: 504,782 Km2

FACT FILE THE BALEARICS — Islas Baleares — Illes Balears

The Balearics ( Islas Baleares — Illes Balears ): Ibiza, Menorca, Mallorca (Majorca) and Formentera are these islands off the east coast of Spain. The largest is Mallorca with its capital Palma and it has one of the busiest airports of European holiday destinations. Ibiza is famous for its lively nightlife, although this is largely confined to San Antonio in the north.

Mallorca with its capital Palma and it has one of the busiest airports of European holiday destinations. The main towns and attracvtions are: Pollença and Puerto de Pollença, Cala de San Vicente, Playa de Formentor ( fabulous beaches), The medieval town of Alcudia, Manacor, Porto Cristo, Cala Millor, Artá, Llucmajor and Felanitx are amongst the great selection of places to visit.

Ibiza is famous for its lively nightlife, although this is largely confined to San Antonio in the north and ther authorities have clamped down on heavy drinking in the last few years. Other major towns on Ibiza are Ibiza Town,Santa Eulària and other places to see are :Santa Eulalia, Sant Miquel, Cala de Sant Vicent, Cueva des Cuieram and San José.

Minorca: The major towns are Maó and Ciutadella.Other places to visit are: Torret, Sant Lluis, Cala d'es Rafalet, Alaior, Mercadal, Santo Tomás, Santa Galdana, Ferreries , Arenal d'en Castell and Fornells.

Formentera is the smallest and most southerly island of the Balearic Islands group with a surface area of 90 sq. km The island can only be reached by ship, so relatively few tourists come to this location, making it a much quieter place than the other islands in the region. It is known for the fact that nude sunbathing is allowed on many of its beaches.The sea is visible from practically any point of the island. Formentera is the only town. Some of the villages are — La Sabina — the port, Las Salinas, San Francisco Javier, San Fernando and La Mola.

The Islands form one of the Autonomous Communities of Spain, the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands. The Community's capital city is Palma de Mallorca. This island has a fabulous climate offering aroud 300 days of sunshine a year that enclourages visitors throughout the year.

In addition there is the small island of Cabrera. It was declared nature preserve in 1991. You will need a permission to visit the island.You can make arrangements in Mallorca, but no dogs are allowed and you should bring your own food and drink as there is only a small canteen cafe there.

FACT FILE — Canary Islands — Islas Canarias:

Are made up of seven islands. Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Gomera and Hierro. They have an average year round temperature of 23 degrees centigrade making them a very popular location to take a holiday in.

They are very much part of Spain, but at the same time in a world of their own benefiting from year round sunshine and cooling sea breezes. Each island has its own distinctive ambience. In Lanzarote for example the landscape is volcanic wheras in La Gomera it has jungle type of vegetation.

The fastest growing holiday destination is Fuerteventura It has white sandy beaches and is a watersports enthusiast's dream destination. It is ideal for windsurfing all year round with the strong offshore breezes and often 350 days of sunshine each year.

Lanzarote with its volcanic landscapes is the eastern most of the Canary Islands. It is only 70 miles from Africa and is popular with northern Europeans looking for somewhere warm in the middle of winter. Originally discovered some 700 years ago by Genoese naval Captain Lanzarotti Malocello who then named the island after himself. The volcanic landscape is often compared to the moon, however there are green areas with championship golf courses. You can also ride camels across sand dunes. Truly a place full of contrasts.

Tenerife is the largest of the seven Canary Islands. The capital of the island and seat of the cabildo insular (island government) is Santa Cruz. Most of thetourism is concentrated more in the south of the island, which is hotter and drier and especially around Playa de las Americas, and Los Cristianos. The coastal development has grown northwards recently from Playa de las Americas and now encompasses the former small enclave of La Caletta. In the north of the island the main development for tourism has been in the town of Puerto de la Cruz .

Gran Canaria is the third largest island in the group. It is located southeast of Tenerife and west of Fuerteventura. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the capital. Most tourists stay in the south of the island, which is sunnier and has less rain than the north. The north tends to be cooler while the south is warmer and sunny. The east coast of the island is flat dotted with beaches while the western coast is rockier and mountainous.

La Gomera is the second smallest island. San Sebastián is the Island's capital. The island is roughly circular, about 22 kilometres in width.

La Palma has an area of 706 square kilometres. Santa Cruz de la Palma is the capital that is located in the east..

Source jmlvillas.com - (some of this information has been provided by jmlvillas.com clients)

Back to top