AUSTRIA

Velden-Worther lake

Visits to Austria mostly include trips to Vienna with its Cathedral, its "Heurigen" (wine pubs) and romantic Waltz music flair. Worth a visit are Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart, Innsbruck, capital of Tyrol surrounded by the Alps, and the Danube valley with its vineyards, for example the Wachau or Dunkelsteinerwald, which are between Melk and Krems. In the western part of the country the province Vorarlberg reaches the Lake Constance, in the eastern part Neusiedler See.
Of great touristic importance are the Austrian skiing, hiking and mountaineering resorts in the Alps as well as family-friendly recreation areas (e.g. the Witches's Water in Tyrol). The same applies to the numerous Austrian lakes (e.g. Wolfgangsee and other lakes in the Salzkammergut east of Salzburg or Wörthersee in Carinthia).
For visitors interested in Media Art, there is the Ars Electronica Center in Linz. Since 1979 this center has organized the Ars Electronica Festival and presented the Prix Ars Electronica, the worldwide highest-ranked prize for media art.

Obertauern by night

Halstatt

Seefeld-winter

Vienna (German: Wien) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primate city; with a population of about 1.7 million (2.3 million within the metropolitan area), and is by far the largest city in Austria as well as its cultural, economic and political centre. Vienna lies in the very east of Austria and is close to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. In 2001, the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an Economist Intelligence Unit study of 127 world cities ranked it third for quality of life.

Vienna

Hofburg-Vienna's Imperial Palace

Vienna State Opera

When To Go

For warm weather, aim for the months between April and October. In the summer high season (July to August) crowds are bigger, prices higher and temperatures in cities can rise to uncomfortable levels. Austrians also take their summer break at this time and many famous institutions close down. Consequently, June and September are also busy months for tourism, and are quite often the best times for city trips and hiking in the Alps.

During winter you'll find the cities less crowded and the hotel prices lower (except over Christmas and Easter), but it can get bitterly cold. The length of the skiing season depends on the altitude of the resort - skiing is possible on glaciers nearly year-round. Alpine resorts are very quiet from late April to mid-June, and in November and early December. School children have week-long breaks over Christmas and during February, making it a good time to avoid the pistes. Festivals occur year-round, although the majority of music festivals are held between May and October.

Kitzbuhel-winter,night

Graz

Kitzbuhel by night

Places to see

1) Eisriesenwelt Caves

Set at an elevation of 1640m (5380ft), these caves are the largest accessible ice caves in the world with more than 40km (25mi) of explored passageways. Entry to the caves is regulated and a 75-minute tour takes in several immense caverns containing elaborate ice formations and frozen waterfalls.

2) Salzburg

Salzburg's Altstadt (old town), on the south bank of the river, is a Baroque fiesta of churches, plazas, courtyards and fountains, oozing the waves of charm that you would expect from this Mozart Mecca. Museums, houses, squares, chocolate bars and liqueurs are all part of one giant homage to Wolfgang.

When To Go to Salzburg
Salzburg is a year-round destination so when you go depends on what you want to do or see. The summer high season is in July and August, when both large crowds and high prices may be a turn off. June and September are also busy months for tourism. Winter can get very cold but things will be less crowded and hotel prices will be lower (except over Christmas and Easter). Winter sports are in full swing from mid-December to late March.


3) Eisriesenwelt Höhle

The world's largest accessible ice caves are in the mountains near Salzburg. These Eisriesenwelt Höhle (Giant Ice Caves) house elaborate and beautiful ice formations. Take warm clothes because - surprise, surprise - it gets cold inside. The tour lasts 75 minutes, so you need to be reasonably fit.

4) Hohe Tauern National Park

This park covers over 1786 sq km (690 sq mi), making it Europe's biggest. At the heart of this protected oasis of flora and fauna (including marmots and some rare ibexes) lies the 3797m (12,454ft) Grossglockner, Austria's highest mountain. The highway through the park, the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse, is one of the world's most scenic.

5) Krimml Falls

These triple-level falls are an inspiring sight and attract hordes of visitors in summer. In winter, the slopes above Krimml village become a ski area, and the falls a static lump of ice. The falls' combined height is 380m (1246ft), over three main sections connected by a twisting river and rapids. The trail alongside them is steep in parts, but rewarding.

6) Kuenringerburg

High up on a hill, where it commands a marvellous view of a curve of Danube River, is the ruined castle of Künringerburg, where King Richard I (the Lionheart) was imprisoned from 1192 to 1193 for the heinous crime of insulting Leopold V.


7) Schloss Hellbrunn

Built in the 17th century by bishop Markus Sittikus, this castle is mainly known for its ingenious trick fountains and water-powered figures. When the tour guides set them off, expect to get wet! Admission includes a tour of the baroque palace. Other parts of the garden (without fountains) are open year-round and free to visit.


Events Overview

The cycle of music festivals is unceasing. In January, New Year concerts consist of lavish balls in Vienna. February brings Fasching (Shrovetide carnival) which celebrates the return of spring with masked processions and dances. Corpus Christi (the second Thursday after Whitsun) is heralded with more carnivals, some held on lakes in the Salzkammergut. The Wiener Festwochen (from May to mid-June) has a wide-ranging programme of arts and is considered the highlight of the year. Midsummer Night's celebrations on 21 June light up the sky with magnificent bonfires. The Salzburger Festspiele takes place in late July and August and includes plenty of music by the city's favourite son, Mozart. National Day on 26 October involves lots of patriotic flag-waving. St Nicholas Day, on 5 to 6 December, marks the beginning of the Christmas season.

Stuben

Saalbach

Getting around in Austria

Cars

The Austrians are known to be a car-loving nation. As a result, Austria boasts an excellent road network. However, almost all of the bigger cities suffer from severe parking availability problems. Spaces are scarce and prohibitively expensive. If you do find a space, the time you are allowed to park for is usually around 90 minutes in central districts. One way streets and traffic jams also take enjoyment out of the journey.
If you do decide to drive your own car here to Austria you will need to purchase a Vignette which is a form of toll that allows you to drive on Austria's motorways. These vignettes can be purchased at gas stations, border crossings etc.
Drivers in Austria are also required to carry safety warning equipment, namely a reflective warning triangle to place on the road in the event of an accident, a first aid kit and a reflective vest. Failure to carry these items in your car will leave you liable to a fine.

Public transport

The public transport system in Austria is excellent. Austria's rail network is comfortable, reliable and fast. The main rail website offers excellent information on timetables, services and discounts. The quality of service offered by the rail network makes it far more appealing than bus links.
Cities such as Bratislava, Budapest, Prague, Munich, Venice are all are regularly served from main stations. For the more adventurous there is also the possibility to travel further a field to destinations such as Warsaw, Berlin, Kiev etc.

Air links

All of Austria's major cities including Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Graz and Klagenfurt and Vienna have their own international airports. Austrian Airlines, Austria's national carrier, serves all of the above cities and connects Austria with many international destinations. There are now a range of low cost carriers which connect Vienna, Linz and Bratislava to a number of European destinations e.g. AirBerlin, FlyNiki, Ryanair, Sky Europe and German Wings.

Cycling

Many Austrian cities and towns encourage cyclists through designated cycle lanes. There are many beautifully tended cycling routes throughout the country esp. in areas of natural beauty such as along the Danube river.

Hallstatt lake

Krems

Mauerbach

Maurach-Dalfazer-waterfall

And if you want to get a Christmas feeling,see this video which shows you Austria in winter!

SWITZERLAND

Small, mountainous and wealthy, with a population of just seven million, Switzerland is renowned for its enviable quality of life in a country that ticks along like clockwork. Its products are sought after the world over, from dangerously delicious cheese and chocolate to luxurious watches whose timekeeping is as sharp as a Swiss army knife, another popular export from this clever little nation in the Alps.Switzerland's famed political neutrality and isolated location, ring-fenced by mountains, have enabled it to play a safe but central role in European affairs. These factors also gave rise to the coveted Swiss bank account, whose anonymity, along with tax relief and what may be the safest banks in the world, have made Zürich one of Europe's major financial hubs. The conveniently central location in the middle of Europe has also made Switzerland a favourite meeting place for conventions and international conferences - Geneva, for instance, is home to the United Nations.Switzerland is not only a place for professionals, though. As a stylish tourist destination it offers top ski resorts like Zermatt and celebrity-studded St Moritz, while the white peaks of mountains set against blue skies make a wonderful backdrop for summertime hiking. The ancient capital of Berne provides opportunities for sightseeing and elegant shopping, while nightlife can prove to be a lot of fun, too, since the Swiss like their food and folk music even in discotheques and nightclubs.Switzerland’s political model is based on consensus-building, and considering that the country consists of several culturally different groups speaking different languages, Swiss German, French, Italian and Rhaeto-Rumantsch, the country’s peaceful domestic situation is admirable. And while the Swiss in practice have been neutral in foreign affairs for several centuries, there are signs that they are increasingly willing to get more deeply involved in world affairs and deploy on the international stage the skills in democracy and diplomacy they have developed domestically. The most obvious sign is that Switzerland finally became a member of the United Nations in 2002 .

Lugano

Vals

When To Go

You can visit Switzerland any time throughout the year. Summer lasts roughly from June to September and offers the most pleasant climate for outdoor pursuits. Unfortunately, you won't be the only tourist during this period, so prices can be high, accommodation hard to find and the mainstream sights crowded. You'll find much better deals and fewer crowds in the shoulder seasons of April-May and late-September-October.

At any time, as you travel around the country you'll hit many different climatic conditions. The continental climate in the Alps tends to show the greatest extremes between summer and winter. Mid-August to late October generally has fairly settled weather, and is a good period for hiking trips.

If you're keen on winter sports, resorts in the Alps begin operating in early December, move into full swing around Christmas, and close down when the snow begins to melt in April.

Martigny by night

Night over the Limmat River,looking towards the Fraumunster

Some of the places you should see:

1.Geneva

Nope, Geneva is not Switzerland's capital, despite what many think. This chic, sleek, cosmopolitan lakeside city is, in fact, only Switzerland's third-largest city and has an overwhelmingly international feel: 43.4% of the population is from elsewhere.

The city is crowded with museums, has many excellent cultural events and is ideally placed for quick hops to the Swiss and French Alps. Basking in the sunshine of its peaceful setting on Lake Geneva's banks, this acclaimed neutral territory displays an obvious self-confidence. It is in pristine condition, clean, efficient and safe, yet spirited in its style and love of adventure.

2.Champex

An idyllic and tranquil retreat high up in the Swiss mountains, Champex Lac offers a picturesque village surrounded by woods. It is an ideal location to simply escape from the pressures of the modern world and wind down. It is also a wonderful place for families.During the summer the lake is the focal point of the village. Boats are available to hire and there is fishing too. Or you may simply want to sit in a local bar or café beside the lake and soak up some mountain sunshine. Other summer activities include tennis, swimming, cycling and of course walking.

3. Lucerne

'Lucerna' in Italian, 'Luzern' in Swiss-German, 'Lucerne' in French. 'Alpine splendour' in all languages. Lapped by scenic Lake Lucerne and surrounded by majestic snow-capped mountains - a picture of this once small fishing village and its striking skyline epitomises the very essence of Switzerland.

Charming Lucerne has an 'Old Town' centre of 15th-century buildings with painted facades, towers, a 17th-century Renaissance town hall, old squares and postcard-perfect medieval bridges adorned with rooftop art. When tour guides in medieval costume appear, Lucerne is occasionally vaguely reminiscent of Venice, but it rarely gets too busy with tourists. There are also some fine art galleries and museums. Northeast of the city centre is the poignant Lion Monument, dedicated to the Swiss soldiers who died in the French Revolution.

4.Zurich

We know what you're thinking, but honestly this is not the boring banking capital it's reputed to be. In fact Zürich is - whisper it softly - surprisingly hip and trendy. Hundreds of new bars, restaurants and clubs have opened since planning laws were changed in the late 1990s and Zürich now hosts Europe's largest annual street party.

Admittedly, the first impression, of a small, clean and orderly metropolis with church steeples above a crystal-blue river and lake, is pleasant rather than exciting. But then you're struck by the happy noise of the cobbled Niederdorfstrasse, on the eastern riverbank, and won over by the hedonism around the lake.

5.Martigny

Martigny (German: Martinach) is the capital of the primarily French-speaking district of Martigny in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
It lies at an elevation of 475 meters. Its population is of approximately 15000 inhabitants (Martignerains or "Octoduriens"). Martigny is located at a crossroad between Italy, France and Switzerland, one road linking this town over the Great St. Bernard Pass to Aosta (Italy), and the other one, over the col du Trient to Chamonix (France). In winter, Martigny is appreciated for its nearby ski resorts like Verbier.

Flueli

Le Locle

Travelling in Switzerland

Although Switzerland is a small country, travelling times are often longer than expected. Taking the shortest way is not always an option in mountainous regions. Particularly in the south, where the highest mountains are situated, you will often be dependant on tunnels and passes. In winter time, drivers should take into account that some passes are closed. Car trains can sometimes be used instead. In other cases, you will have to make a detour through a road which is still passable. Some car train services are available outside the winter season as well. A car train makes your trip more expensive but can be a time saver and will spare you from crossing a difficult pass. This form of transport is offered more and more, especially for freight traffic. The Swiss tend to choose for rail transportation instead of road transportation more often when building or improving major transit routes. Crossing a pass is a great experience. Often there is a magnificent view and the landscape above the timberline is rough and impressive. It is advisable to get some information about the quality of the road in advance. Many passes can easily be crossed in summer. Others are a bit more difficult due to small roads, narrow curves and steep slopes. For this reason, some passes are not accessible for home trailers. Switzerland has excellent expressways, but there are quite some areas without any expressways at all. This goes for many parts of Graubünden (among others). Gas stations offer diesel and unleaded fuel ("Bleifrei 95" and "Bleifrei 98"). LPG is only available from 57 gas stations (as of February 2005). In general, fuel is cheaper at gas stations that are not located along an expressway. Fuel is about CHF 0.40/liter cheaper in the tax-free enclave of Samnaun in Graubünden.

Champex

Emosson

Fionnay (above), Geneva (below)

Eisson-morning light

Some Annual Events in

Switzerland:

Event: La Tchaux Carnival

Venue: La Chaux-de-Fonds

Dates: March 31 - April 2, 2006

This carnival celebrates the end of winter and is characterized by many colorful parades accompanied by great music. Enjoyment and revelry become the order of the day as people celebrate this lively carnival.

Event: Salon des Inventions

Venue: Geneva

Dates: April 6 - 10, 2006

Hosted by the Palexpo Exhibition Centre in Geneva, this fair showcases new inventions and technologies. It also provides a good platform for inventors to market their products in a big way.

Event: Triftji Bump Bash

Venue: Zermatt

Dates: April 14 - 17, 2006

Enjoy being part of this grand event that is held every year on the slopes surrounding the 3000-meter high Triftji glacier. The event also sees some excellent skiing and snowboarding feats by a number of participants.

Event: Lausanne Carnival

Venue: Lausanne

Dates: April 16 - 24, 2006

Enjoy three full days of fun, food, street theatre, confetti fights, music and DJ nights. Besides, the carnival is also characterized by a number of colorful processions that are a sight to watch.

Event: Patrouille des Glaciers

Venue: Valais

Dates: April 26 - 30, 2006 (held every two years)

Be part of this exciting event that sees groups of highly experienced skiers make their way through the Haute Route along the Swiss-Italian border.

Event: Geneva Book Fair

Venue: Geneva

Dates: April 27 - May 1, 2006

Held at the famed Palexpo Exhibition Centre, this annual event brings together many international publishers and writers. A number of parallel events are also held at this fair that attracts around 125,000 visitors every year.

Oderhofen

Val des Dix

St Martin

Zermatt

Over the Alps

SPAIN

For thousands of years Spain has been one of the cultural centres of Europe. It has many beautiful cities and towns, offering thousands of monuments as well as a tremendous mix of architecture. Its various regions are all vary from one to the next by cultural, language, geographically, climatically and even in personality differences. Spain is about life, music, and “Carpe Diem” to seize the day. In each region of the country you will find many different versions of this philosophy being played out. That is the one unique thread that holds the Spaniards together and why Spain is such an enjoyable country to study abroad in and learning Spanish here is so much fun. Once away from the holiday costas, you could only be in Spain. In the cities, narrow twisting old streets suddenly open out to views of daring modern architecture, while spit-and-sawdust bars serving wine from the barrel rub shoulders with blaring, glaring discos. Travel is easy, accommodation plentiful, the climate benign, the people relaxed, the beaches long and sandy, the food and drink easy to come by and full of regional variety. More than 50 million foreigners a year visit Spain, yet you can also travel for days and hear nothing but Spanish.

Events

In true Spanish style, cultural events are almost inevitably celebrated with a wild party and a holiday. Among the festivals to look out for are La Tamborrada (Festividad de San Sebastián) in San Sebastián on 19 January, a short but rowdy event where the whole town dresses up and goes berserk. A march to the deafening sounds of drums, as groups of drummers parade through the city on the night of the first day of the year. The next morning, the "Tamborrada Infantil" (Child Drummer's Ceremony) is celebrated. Carnaval takes place throughout the country in late February; the wildest are said to be in Sitges and Cádiz. In March, Valencia has a week-long party known as Las Fallas, This Fiesta dates from the Middle Ages, but it did not acquire the personality we know today until the middle of the last century. The festivites include a nighttime parade; a procession of the old towns of Valencia; the offerings of flowers to Nuestra Senora de los Desamparados (Our Lady of the Forsaken), patroness of the city; and the famous "Nit del Foc" (Night of the Fire), on which all the "fallas" (grotesque and humorous scenes made up of carboard figures) are burned. Semana Santa (Holy Week) is the week leading up to Easter Sunday, and is marked by parades of holy images through the streets; Semana Santa is one of the most popular festivals in Spain. It’s also the oldest and the most significant in Spain, in which the people think of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ after his coming to Jerusalem. Since the 5th century, the processions represent an essential part of these festivities and are regarded very highly in cities like Seville, Valladolid and Malaga. On Palm Sunday palms, olive leafs and other trees are consecrated for the following procession in memory of Jesus Christ’s triumphal procession into Jerusalem. Those customs were initiated during the 4th century and are maintained until today. During the whole week they held special celebrations which are remimesant of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ. All fraternities of different churches show the images of Jesus Christ in the streets and they can be viewed during the processions from Monday until Friday, the day on which the old church is dedicated to penitence, abstinence and prayer.Seville is the place to be if you can get accommodation. In late April, Seville's Feria de Abril is a week-long party counterbalancing the religious fervour of Semana Santa.The last Wednesday in August sees the Valencian town of Buñol go bonkers with La Tomatina, in which the surplus from its tomato harvest is sploshed around in a friendly riot. Surely the worlds' biggest food-fight: every year around 30,00 people descend on the Spanish town of Bunol (in the Valencia region of Spain) to throw more than 240,000 pounds of tomatoes at each other. The Running of the Bulls (Fiesta de San Fermín) in Pamplona in July is perhaps Spain's most famous festival. Along the north coast, staggered through the first half of August, is Semana Grande, another week of heavy drinking and hangovers.

Bullfighting:one of the most popular event of Spain.

Best places to go

The Alhambra, Granada:The Alhambra (literally "the red") is a true expression of the once flourishing Moorish civilization and is the finest example of its architecture in Spain. The Alhambra is an ancient palace and fortress complex of the Moorish monarchs of Granada, in southern Spain It was the residence of the Muslim kings of Granada and their court, but is currently a museum exhibiting exquisite Islamic architecture.

Modernisme, Barcelona:Located on the Mediterranean coast, Barcelona is the historical capital of Cataluña and Spain's second leading city in both size and importance. In terms of charm, however, Barcelona yields first place to no one, with its rich history, Mediterranean vistas and unique culture making it an especially rich and rewarding city to experience.At the end of XIX century, Barcelona was quaked by anarchism together with catalan nationalism. The catalan modernism movement aimed to gather every artistic skill and wanted to get out of the steady and leisurely historicism like other european Art Nouveau movements. It starts from the 1880 wiyh the painter Ramon Casas and the theoriser Cirici Pellicer.Some of Spain’s more famous Architects are: Gaudi, Domenech i Montaner, Jujol, Puig y Cadafalch. The sculptural forms of Barcelona's modernista architects - most famously Gaudν – define the city's exuberant architectural heritage. Barcelone gathers more than 150 modernist buildings including the Sagrada Familia.

Sagrada Familia.

Below some pictures of the park guell:

A night on the tiles, Madrid: The traditional way to end a night of bar hopping and clubbing in Spain is to have a chocolate con churros (thick hot chocolate with deep-fried hoops of batter). Just what you need after a night on the tiles!

The Mezquita, Cσrdoba:The Mezquita (Spanish for "mosque), is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Cσrdoba, Spain that was at one time the second largest mosque in the world. The Moslem emir Abderrahman I ordered construction of the temple in the year 785 on the ruins of the old Visigoth church of St. Vincent.Cordoba's Mosque has a mixture of different architectural styles, that have occurred over the past nine centuries. Today the Mezquita as it is known can be visited throughout the year for 6 Euro entrance fee. The approach is via the Patio de los Naranjos, a classic Islamic ablutions courtyard which preserves both its orange trees and fountains.

Aqueduct, Segovia:The Aqueduct of Segovia is one of the most significant and best-preserved monuments left by the Romans on the Iberian Peninsula.The Roman aqueduct of Segovia, probably built c. A.D. 50, is remarkably well preserved. These feats elevates this construction as a masterpiece of engineering of which 20,400 stone blocks are not united by mortar nor concrete. The Roman aqueduct bridge of Segovia is about 2950 feet long although the section where the arches are divided in two levels is about 900 feet. The workings of the Segovia Aqueduct extend for 14 kilometers under an urban complex that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

Coto de DoρanaDoρana National Park (Parque Nacional de Doρana), also called Coto de Doρana, is a national park and wildlife refuge in southwestern Spain. Lying in the delta of the Guadalquivir river, between the southern Spanish city of Seville and the Atlantic Ocean, the Doρana National Park is one of the world’s most valuable wetlands.Coto de Doρana is located in Andalusia, in the provinces of Huelva and Sevilla, and covers 543 km², of which 135 km² are a protected area. Doρana is also home to one of the last surviving populations of the world’s most endangered cat species, the Iberian lynx.

Las Alpujarras: The Sierra Nevada is a rugged and extensive mountain range, the highest in Europe after the Alps and the most significant section of the Cordillera Penibιtica. It was declared a Unesco Biosphere Reserve in 1986, in recognition of its exceptionally diverse plant, bird and animal species. Designated a national park in 1998, it is one of only two in Andalucia, the other being the Doρana National Park.Between the highest mountains in Spain and the Mediterranean Sea, La Alpujarra is one of the most enchanting and beautiful regions in the world. La Alpujarra is a mountainous district in Southern Spain, which stretches south from the Sierra Nevada mountains near Granada and the eastern of the region lies in the province of Almerνa. In older sources the name is sometimes spelled Alpuxarras; it may derive from Arabic al Busherat meaning "the grass-land".

Toledo:Toledo is one of the most important centers of european medieval history. It was capital of Spain from the Gothic epoch until 1560, fact that explains its really impressive medieval architecture. However, this symbol of religious tolerance during the Medieval Age has changed little since its depiction in El Greco's paintings.Toledo is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. In fact, walking through Toledo’s streets one feels like having stepped back into the Middle-Ages. If you go to Toledo, see and buy some of its fine artisany and enjoy of its highly recommandable cuisine.

La Mancha & Don Quixote:Don Quixote is often nominated as the world's greatest work of fiction. Many artists have drawn inspiration either directly or indirectly from Cervantes' work, including the painter Honorι Daumier, the composer Richard Strauss, the writer Henry Fielding and the filmmaker Terry Gilliam.Don Quixote's importance in literature has produced a large and varied cultural and artistic legacy. The autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha has used the fame of Cervantes's novel to promote tourism in the region. Many places in La Mancha are linked to the novel, including windmills and an inn upon which events of the story are thought to have been based. Culturally, La Mancha includes the Sierra de Alcaraz, Montes de Toledo, northern Sierra Morena and Serranνa de Cuenca, parts of Tajo river valley, and it is administrative divided among the comarcas of Campo de Calatrava to the south and Campo de Montiel (Don Quixote himself started his adventures in Campo de Montiel), the eastern Mancha Alta, the central Mancha Baja, the western Valle de Alcudia, and Parameras de Ocaρa y Manchuela to the north.

When to go

Spain can be enjoyable any time of year. The ideal months to visit are May, June and September (plus April and October in the south). At these times you can rely on good-to-excellent weather, yet avoid the extreme heat - and the main crush of Spanish and foreign tourists - of July and August. But there's decent weather in some parts of Spain virtually year round. Winter along the southern and southeastern Mediterranean coasts is mild, while in the height of summer you can retreat to the northwest, to beaches or high mountains anywhere to escape excessive heat. The best festivals are mostly concentrated between Semana Santa (the week leading up to Easter Sunday) and September to October.

Transportation

Spain is dotted with international airports, and connections with the rest of Europe are good. If you're coming from the UK or from Morocco, you could consider a ferry. Otherwise, bus is the cheapest option, unless you're a whipper-snapper with an under-26 rail pass.