Puerto de la Cruz is the second largest tourist city on the island with accommodtion for around 30,000 tourists. In contrast with the modern resorts of the south, El Puerto has had a great tradition as a place opf relaxation since the end of the last century when the spa, which today is the Hotel Casino Tauro, was built. The accommodation offered in Puerto de la Cruz is also different from most of the other places in the islands since hotels predominate over apartments.

The lushness of the gardens and the agreeable atmosphere are very special features of this city, which has lively places to stroll around. In the evening the streets near the Plaza del Charco and the promenade are pleasant places of enjoyment where one can eat at any of the many open air restaurants, all this in a pleasant climate and with the ever present sea. The city hourses a number of buildings of great historical and artistic value such as the church of Nuestra Señora de la Peña, la Ermita de San Telmo, el castillo de San Felipe, la casa de la Aduana and the old quay where small fishing boats are still moored.

The Lago Martianez

The impressive size of the Teide Volcano (3,718 meters)

One of the greatest attractions of el Puerto is without doubt the Lago Martianez. This series of seawater pools conceived by the Canary artist Cesar Manrique forms an extraordinary spot for bathing and resting in the sun. Harmonising his architecture with the exotic vegetation of the volcanic coast Cesar Manrique created his most beautiful project. Besides the Lago, Puerto de la Cruz has small beaches of volcanic sand, the best ones being Playa Jardin and Martianez. On the outskirts of the city the botanical gardens and the Loro Park are a must for the nature lover. The botanical gardens founded in 1788 harbour an enormous number of trees and plants from every corner of the planet thanks to the bening climate of Tenerife. Loro Park is another tropical garden with the largest collection of parrots in the world, a parrot show and an excellent dolphinarium.

The city of Salamanca

The province of Salamanca situated in the South-west corner of Castile & León on the borders with extremadura and Portugal, covers an area of 12,336 sq. km (4,763 sq. m.). Lying on Spain's Northern Plateau (meseta), it forms part of the Duero river system where Paleozonic soils, poorly suited to cultivation, have resulted in a landscape of pastures, dotted with trees and bushy undergrowth. Winters tend to be relatively long, with minimum temperatures averaging around 6ºC (42,8ºF), while the shortish summers are marked by average highs that never climb above 20ºC - 22ºC (68ºF-71ºF).

The city is large enough (180.000 inhabitants) to be able to offer the advantages of a real city, but at the same time it keeps the intimacy of a village. In Salamanca, the inhabitants speak the "purest" Spanish in Spain - Castilian. For this reason Salamanca is enormously popular with people all over the world who want to learn Spanish. Contacts are made easily. You don't have to make rendezvous as you are bound to see everyone in the Plaza Mayor, one of the finest squares in Spain and known as the living room of the Salamantinos. As there is such a varied range of nationalities, it is tempting to keep to fellow don Quijote students. Salamanca is however, a real university city, Spanish students are everywhere and you can go practically everywhere on foot.

Calle Zamora

Plaza Anaya

The choice is yours: there are plenty of places where only Spaniards go. The area around Salamanca also offers many facilities for cultural and sporting day-trips to villages, the mountains or to the many lakes.

After visiting Salamanca we also recommend Barcelona. Making a stop in Barcelona is great way to get more out of your Spanish experience. Barcelona is the vibrant capital of Catalunya, giving you a nice contrast with the landlocked region around Salamanca. A short stop can be easily arranged via easytobook.com. Besides hotels in the city center, they also offer hotels near the airport. For instance the Best Western hotel is situated only three kilometers from the airport.

The Alhambra

The city of Granada has been shaped by the hills, where the old districts in the Albaicín and the Alhambra were founded, brimming with steep, narrow streets, beautiful nooks and crannies, and marvelous landscapes. The new part of the city is situated on the plain, crisscrossed by the large arteries of Gran Vía de Colón and Calle de los Reyes Católicos, and where the busy streets around the Cathedral are found.

The Alhambra

Granada's cathedral as seen from Plaza Pasiegas

The Moors crossed the strait of Gibraltar in 711 and settled in what was then a small Visigoth town perched atop the Alhambra hill. Here they settled, erected walls and laid the foundation for the prosperous civilization that would follow. It was in the 9th century when Granada rose to importance after the fall of the Caliphate of Córdoba. Its splendor was reached in 1238, when Mohammed ben Nasar founded the Nasrid dynasty, and the kingdom of Granada stretched from Gibraltar to Murcia. This dynasty bore twenty kings until King Boabdil was forced to surrender Granada to the Catholic monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, in 1492. During three centuries, a magnificent and rich Islamic culture flourished, leaving Granada with architectural marvels of the caliber of the Alhambra, declared a World Heritage Site, along with the Generalife and the Albaicín.

When traveling to Granada making a stop in Barcelona is great way to get more out of your Spanish experience. Barcelona is the vibrant capital of Catalunya. With attractions such as the Sagrada Familia, the 1992 Olympic Venue, Ramblas boulevard and the Camp Nou stadium (home to FC Barcelona), Barcelona is a great place to spend some time in. Hotels in Barcelona are located near the airport as well as in the city center, such as the Vincco Condal Mar hotel.

Granada is of course known of the city with the Alhambra and the possibillity to do some wintersports. When you stay in a hotel in Granada you can ask your reception for numerous more great things to do. If they do not have enough information you can also try the local tourism office.

For cheap Granada hotels, check out Travel Republic, the UK's number one independent travel website. Travel Republic offers a vast range of low cost, scheduled and charter airlines and over 150 hotels in Granada. Whether you're looking for a value for money self-catering apartment or a luxury suite in a five star hotel this site is well worth a look. The site offers total flexibility and you really can save a fortune.

How to get there: There are a number of options for cheap flights to Granada. Iberia and British Airways offer regular services from the UK via Madrid. Flying time to Madrid is around 2.5 hours and an additional hour to Granada. More information at http://www.AirfaresFlights.co.uk.

Plaza de España

Seville is located in the South of Spain. A provincial capital, seat of the government and parliament of the Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía (Regional Government). It has more than 700,000 inhabitants, nearly half the population of the whole province. The city of Seville is located on the plain of the Guadalquivir river which crosses the city from North to South. The river can be navigated from Seville all the way to its outlet near Sanlúcar de Barrameda, on the Atlantic coast. In the past the port of Seville played an important role in commerce between Spain and the Americas and it remains today one of the most active river ports of the Iberian peninsula.

The Tartessians were the original founders of Hispalis. Next to this settlement, in 207 B.C., the Romans built Itálica. It was the centre of their Western Mediterranean dominions for seven centuries until the Roman empire was overrun by Northern barbarians at the beginning of the 10th century. The long Moorish occupation of the Iberian peninsula, from 711 A.D. to 1248 A.D., left indelible traces in Seville as in all of Al-Andalus. La Giralda, the tower of an important mosque, is the most well-known of the remaining Islamic monuments. In 1492 Seville played an important role in the discovery and conquest of America. The 17th century was a period of artistic splendour in Seville. Painters such as Velázquez, Murillo and Valdés Leal, and sculptors like Martínez Montañés were born in Seville and left behind important works. The city also assumed an important role in world literature and was the birthplace of the myth of Don Juan. On two occasions in the 20th century Seville has been in the spotlight of the world's attention. In 1929, it hosted the Latin American Exhibition, which left important urban improvements in the city. More recently, Expo 92 reinforced the image of Seville as a modern and dynamic city.

Real Maestranza

Plaza de España

Don't miss out on the tapas. The city is credited with the invention and has more than a thousand bars where the choice of food, is virtually unlimited, from seafood to ham and sausage and from vegetable to cheese. The Sevillians actually make a meal of. them, moving from bar to bar and trying one dish at a time.

A short stopover in Barcelona can be just the thing to get the most out of your visit to Spain. Barcelona has a very different vibe than Seville. Seville. is in the heart of Andalusia, with its Moorish influence and Flamenco heartbeat. Barcelona is situated on the Mediterranean Sea and has a cosmopolitan pulse. A short stop can be easily arranged via easytobook.com. Besides hotels in the city center, they also offer hotels near the airport. For instance the Best Western hotel is situated only three kilometers from the airport.