Espana por favor (Spain in General)

Member Name: jennikitten

Product:	Spain in General
Date:	06/02/09 (33 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great for a holiday, lovely weather, lots to do

Disadvantages: Can get too hot and crowded

I haven't been to Spain for a good few years now, but we went on family summer holidays there several times. My mum used to live in Spain when she was younger, and so it was one of her favourite places to go.

On family holidays we always used to go to the typical tourist region of the Costa Del Sol, which has plenty to do. As my family leans more towards the strange side, this involved visiting 50 pesata shops and buying very random things (I recall an ugly vaguely Teletubby looking plastic head which we found hilarious). I also remember staying in a hotel - I think it was called El Pinar - which housed a range of cats, including one mother with kittens who had made a home in a large plant trough (?!)

We visited lots of little restaurants - though my fussy sister had to have typical English food, my mum loves paella and I find Spanish food interesting to say the least! Though my mum speaks Spanish, most people in the Costa Del Sol speak English, and there are many more people who have relocated and started small businesses or retired.

One of the reasons why many Brits head to Spain is because of the almost guaranteed sunny, hot weather - perfect for lazing by the pool or on the beach. For this reason, if you go on a package holiday, you are likely to have to fight for a spot by the pool or to find a big enough place to relax on the beach. Spaniards themselves just take this for granted, and don't fuss about frying themselves to death!

Another reason is that flights and holidays to Spain are very cheap, and the flight only takes around a couple of hours, so it's perfect for families or those not overly keen on flying.

A couple of years ago me and my mum visited Barcelona as part of a cruise. This was a very different experience of Spain for me because I'd never seen a proper Spanish city. There were lots of crazy and fun shops, stalls everywhere and lots to see and do. It was more relaxed than most other European cities I've visited - maybe because it was so hot!!

All in all, Spain has a lot of good memories for me and I really hope I'll get the chance to go back and explore the country a bit more, perhaps more off the beaten track.

Summary: I really like Spain