The Perfect Spanish Trip

Have you chosen Spain as your holiday destination? Well, prepare for a once in a lifetime experience as Spain is a country full of surprises. You can choose from a sunny beach or a high mountain peak; a traditional, charming, white village or a cosmopolitan city; a relaxing day in one of the historical towns or a full of energy party in one of the islands which are renowned for their nightlife. Regardless of what you choose, when you travel to Spain you have to be well prepared so here are some tips.

The peak season

Don’t despair if the boss only gives you the free days you need for your holiday during the peak season. It is a fact, starting with June and finishing with September, Spain is packed with tourists but this doesn’t mean that you have to stress too much. There are a few places not too famous and not too popular, but as beautiful as the well known ones, where you can relax and have a wonderful time. Instead of choosing Ibiza for a seaside destination, go to Menorca or to the coast of Almeria. For a mountain destination, leave the Sierra Nevada for Aragon, Asturias or even the wonderful Cantabria.

Sport lovers

The active tourists, those who choose Spain because it offers them the chance to practice one of the sports they love, should be cautious about bringing their equipment over by air. For example; Air France charges a substantial amount of money for surf boards and bicycles. A better alternative would be to buy everything you need on your arrival in Spain and re sell it when your holiday is over or better still hire the equipment. Either way, there is every possibility that these two alternatives will be more cost effective than bringing your own.

Preparations needed for Spain

The majority of shops in Spain have a special timetable, unique in Europe. They open their doors at 9am and work until 2pm; some of them reopen at 4pm and others at 5pm and they remain open until 8pm or 9pm. This applies from Monday to Friday and then on Saturday the shops will only be open from 9am until 12 noon so if you need to shop on a Saturday get there early! The reason for the long lunch period is the treasured Spanish siesta.

The Spanish main meal of the day is lunch and it is surprising how much food they can consume, especially when they have to go back to work afterwards. After they have eaten their lunch they have a nap to refresh themselves. There is also a unique schedule for restaurants. Lunch is usually served between 2pm and at the very latest 4pm. They will not reopen until 8pm so bear this in mind unless you want to be hungry for several hours. Take into account all these details and your holiday will be perfect.