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Guadalest, Spain - the Eagle's Nest carved
into the MountainThe Eagles Nest. Close to Altea and Benidorm but in reality a world away is the amazing village of Guadalest. Occupying one of the most stunning, beautiful and interesting places in all Spain, this small village is precariously perched on the pinnacle of a granite mountain, giving fabulous views across the valley carved out by the River from which the village takes its name. Getting to Guadalest by the twisting road that climbs ever upwards, passing through the village of Polop, is almost as spectacular as the position of the village, but the breathtaking views make the drive worthwhile even for the more nervous passengers! 
On
reaching Guadalest you can see why the Moors, who constructed
castles to defend the area, considered this place a site of
strategic importance.Some of these castles were unconquerable and the remains of several can still be seen today, even though they were bombarded in the 18th century during the Spanish war of Succession. However the building you will see on most of the postcards is the whitewashed bell tower of Penon de la Alcala which seems to cling to the mountain face. Intriguingly the old village and castle is accessed through a tunnel carved from the rock and when you reach the other end and see the ancient houses, you seem to have been transported to another age. 
Guadalest
has plenty of museums, so you can learn more about its history,
little crafts shops and places to buy a souvenir of your visit.
Costing only a few euros the visit through the tunnel to the
village is definitely worthwhile as the castle tour (starting at
10am) takes in the dungeon (great for the kids) and offers
fantastic views across the valley from cobbled footpaths and
lookout points.
The
population of only 200 people now dedicates itself entirely to
tourism, hence some of the area's best museums being located here.
If you want to be transported to another world when land was
fiercely defended, don't miss a trip to the village of Guadalest!Guadalest Tourist Office: Tel. (+34) 965 885 298 Castile and Leon Valadolid Medina del Campo Castillo de la Mota 
A castle that was begun in 1440,
although most of the work dates from the era of Ferdinand and
Isabella. The moat, sloping walls, different types of defensive
ramparts and high castle lead to the conclusion that it was
designed to withstand artillery attacks. It was built using
mortar dressed with brick; stone was only used for crenels.
Castile - la ManchaToledo El Greco in Toledo The city of Toledo is a monument to El Greco, a painter who found Toledo to be the perfect environment for expressing his art. El Greco Museum and House 
The house has the features one would
expect of a well off Toledo household, and a courtyard with two
stories and galleries, including octagonal pillars on the lower
floor and wooden supports on the upper floor.
Created in 1942 the museum includes
works from several collections.
The most interesting series is
perhaps the Apostolate, one of the three painted entirely by the
artist himself.
Aragon
Zaragoza
A settlement from the
8th century BC, unearthed in the neighbourhood shows the
antiquity of Zaragoza. The old part of the city retains the
urban structure created during the Roman era. Streteches of
second century walls are still standing together with the
remains of the amphitheatre.
The Aljaferia is an
Islamic fortress, relativel;y well preserved, from the era of
the Taifa kingdoms. A number of museums have collected some of
its pieces. The most important part of what has been preserved
and rebuilt is the walled enclosure, the Patio de los Narangos
or courtyard of orange trees, the small sanctuary and the Throne
Room, decorated during the period of reformation by Ferdinand
and Isabella, the Catholic Kings.
What was during the
Middle Ages the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon has a rich
heritage of monuments mingling the influences of the different
cultures which have existed there. Medieval streets and broad
frenchified avenues make up a city with an open and cosmopolitan
atmosphere. Cultural wealth that, when speaking of cuisine,
transforms itself into mouth-watering recipes. Zaragoza is also
an excellent starting point for visiting landscapes like the
Moncayo Natural Park, or touring historic towns like Ejea de los
Caballeros and Sos del Rey Católico
Andalucia
Malaga
Casares
Casares dates to
before Roman times, is located on the edge of the Serrania de
Ronda. The parish church tower affords a fine view of the nearby
hills, full of pine and Spanish fir trees, the Mediterranean and
the CAmpo de Gibralter. Casares has narrow streets leading up
and down the steep slopes
with houses that seem
to hang in the air and is a model village fully integrated into
the surrounding hillside. The remains of the arab castle Vera
Cruz Hermitage are declared a site of historical artistic value
Penyal d’Ifac (Peñon d’Ifach)
Calpe, Costa Blanca North
The Phoeonician
adventurer's who sailed along the Mediterranean coast thousands of years
ago called it the 'Northern Rock' ( the southern rock being Gibralter)
and ever since the Calpe Rock has been a symbol on the coast.
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Fuentes del Algar
(Algar
Waterfalls)
A
supremely beautiful and interesting place to visit in Spain is Fuentes del Algar (Algar Waterfalls)
a beautiful natural park which gets more popular every year.It is an enjoyable journey winding through the groves of nisperos. Over 22 million kilos of nisperos are produced in the Guadalest and Algar valley regions each year.These groves are covered by a massive framework of netting which act as protection from birds which enjoy the tasty fruit. The easiest route to Algar begins by taking the road to Callosa d'en Sarriá and then following the signs for the Fuentes del Algar. There has been a small diversion recently on the road between Callosa and Algar which can be slightly bumpy but no doubt the road will be improved as soon as possible. 
The
walk up to the waterfalls begins by passing the bars and
restaurants lining the route, some boasting swimming pools - one
is even guitar shaped! Other areas of local interest are also
signposted along the way, one being a small train museum. You
will find a selection of bottled nisperos and nispero products
as well as the usual fayre in a couple of souvenir shops you
pass on the approach to the waterfalls. You will enter the
waterfalls through a bar/restaurant and there is no entrance
fee.A dozen steps down will bring you to the main pool into which the largest of the waterfalls cascades. Many people do have a swim in the fresh mountain waters so if you are prepared for the cold, then ensure you take appropriate swimwear with you. 
Seville
Seville is a beautiful city in
Andalucia, Spain. It is well worth a visit not only because of its
wonderful buildings and places but also its colourful fiestas, its
world famous 'feria' in April and its interesting people.
The Gothic Cathedral contains over 400
works of art.
Part of the cathedral 'The Giralda
Tower' is the tallest tower in Spain.
Tarragona
In the year 2000, UNESCO once
again granted World Heritage Status to a Tarragona building;
previously, in 1991 it had granted this same status to the
Cistercian monastery of Poblet,
this time it was for the
Roman remains of the historical centre of Tarragona itself
and its immediate surroundings: the forum,
amphitheatre,
circus,
aquaduct,
the tower of the scipions,
the Medol quarry,
the villas of Munts and
Centcelles,
and the Bara arch.
Top Ten
Places to Visit
Valencia Region
Denia on the northern Costa
Blanca is a charming old town with many beaches, fiestas, a
wonderful mountain and an historic castle.
Beautiful Denia
Jávea is charming town in three
parts and is one of the most
important tourist destinations on the Costa Blanca. The historic
quarter, located two kilometres away from the coastline,
preserves a beautiful architecture, with emblematic monuments
such as the church of San Bartolomé, the city's neuralgic
centre. The port area is still a vibrant and active fishing port
as well as a yachting base and numerous restaurants. The
arenal area has miles of perfect beaches, restaurants, bars and
clubs.One of the main attractions of this region is its coastline. No less than twenty kilometres of sands and hidden coves where visitors can enjoy a swim and a wide variety of water sports. Beautiful Javea Palau Ducal, Gandia (Gandía) Places of Interest Spain has 15 National Parks, of which 10 are on the mainland, 1 in the Balearic Islands and 4 in the Canary Islands. |
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