Palencia is a lovely province, or was when I stayed there in 1989. The part I was in - the Aguilar de Campoo region - is sort of high desert and on the fringe of some pretty healthy mountains. This part of Palencia was fairly unpopulated and can get pretty cold in the winter and at night. But the days are lovely with clear skies and brilliant sunshine. The area would be great for painters. There are many attractive villages around and close lies the source of the river Ebro (I think!). A shortish but rugged drive on a good dual carriageway from Santander, this is an area worth a visit, with much more than this brief comment can encompass.
Madrid is more of a working city than a tourist attraction. But even the locals leave during the summer because it's just so darned hot. Tip: look for a "Solero Smoover" (tropical smoothy in a tube... mmm) here and everywhere else in Europe to beat the heat.
Tarifa is a bit laid back place, it feels quite far away from the rest of Europe and you can feel it. I really enjoyed the beaches, which are wide and half empty, top beaches in Europe. Feels almost like Jamaica. I loved the place.
You know... the traditional paella was made with rat and chicken -vomitive- now is done with rabbit and chicken, in Spain the rabbits are not pets. Seafood paella is only for tourists and in Valencia usually eat the paella at lunch.
Uncastillo is an incredible romanic vilage, houses made of stone and lovely people and food.
Girona City is 103 kilometers to the northeast of Barcelona. It's a good tourist place, so many tourists fly into Girona on one of the many budget airlines and then make their way to Barcelona or the Costa Brava. The Girona Tourist Guide will help you arrange your visit to Girona in Spain.
Miranda de Ebro is a small town with great weekend nightlife.
Toledo is a magnificent place. There is so much to see, the people are friendly, I loved the place and am planning to take my mother there.
When you're in Sevilla, don't miss the Seville Mosque. It's worth it.
Granada is an interesting place. It is a mixture of old (the Alhambra, the original streets) with the new (modern shops, a very young crowd, as it is a university town). It is a lively place with plenty of street musicians, a spirit of flamenco in the air (though less than I was hoping for), and one of the best part--teahouses! The Arabic influences are my favorite part of Granada.
Now I am going to tell you the single best part of Granada which most people will miss: the birds. In several places, you will see HUNDREDS of tiny, ovalish brown birds flying all over the place within a certain radius of their perching trees, but mostly just making a really loud racket. They can be found in several places and plazas, but in particular, on an unassuming side street in the courtyard of the "Banco de Espania," across the street from a scummy strip-joint. Here, the birds gather and talk with one another all day and all night long; I would often pass at 1 or 2 AM and they were easily…
I visited Burgos in July 2003 and instantly fell in love with it, what a beautiful city, what a place to live, I will definitely go back soon.
Ávila is a beautiful city. I went to Avila to visit the sites of St. Theresa of Avila (aka. Theresa of Jesus). I took a train from Madrid to Avila. It was a beautiful train ride. There is a lot to see in Avila, especially if you are interested in St. Theresa. If you are on a tight budget, then Avila should not be a problem. One suggestion: If you need to exchange money, do it before you get to Avila. They charge a high fee! Avila is awesome!
While you're in Barcelona in the evening, grab some new friends from the hostel and go check out the "Magic Fountains" nighttime fountains/lights show (ask your hostel front desk person for directions).
San Sebastián … San Sebastian is a great place to chill out and take a break from your vacaction for a bit. Beautiful beaches and a nice town.
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