SPAIN

Widely known for Flamenco music and dance, bull-fights, fantastic beaches and lots of sunshine, Spain has to offer much more than that. 

It is - and has been for thousands of years - one of the cultural centers of Europe. It has beautiful cities and towns, offering really old monuments as well as futuristic architecture. 

Its various regions are all different one to each other, geographically, climatically and even in personality. It is a fascinating country to know and to know more about it.

COSTA BLANCA

"Costa Blanca" (White Coast) is the name of the 200 km long coastline of the province of Alicante. We find as well wide sandy beaches as small coves and beautiful landscapes with palm groves, wetlands and several nature parks.

Fantastic are also the climate is, with over 300 days of sunshine per year and an annual average temperature of 17 degrees Celsius, and the tourist facilities that are found along this coast.


In the northern part of the coast there is Denia, Javea, Calpe, with its massive rock formations, in the south of it there are the artist's paradise Altea, Albir, as well as the touristic center of the coast, Benidorm, with incredible leisure facilities and nightlife. Passing Cala Finestrat and El Campello the way leads on to the capital of the province, Alicante.

South of Alicante there are Santa Pola, Guardamar del Segura, Torrevieja and Pilar de Horadada.

COSTA CALIDA

The Costa Calida is an about 250 km long coastline in the region of Murcia. The name, which means "warm coast", comes from the warm water temperatures which are here on average five degrees higher than in the surrounding Mediterranean.

The reason for this is the coast's protected location in the Gulf of Mazarron, a wide gulf which reaches from the cape of Palos (Murcia) to the cape Cabo de Gata in Almeria. The cold currents from the Atlantic Ocean which flow through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean simply pass ahead of the Gulf of Mazarron.

In a bay exactly in the center of the Gulf there is the town of Mazarron with its beautiful beaches. South of it we find the largest salt water lagoon in all Europe, El Mar Menor ("the smaller sea"). It is separated from the Mediterrean by a 22 km long sandy promontory, La Manga del Mar Menor.

With its crystalline and warm water the Costa Calida is an ideal location for beach holidays. At the coastline wide sandy beaches alternate with small bays and steep coasts.

At the Costa Calida there are also perfect conditions for all types of water sports, including wind surfing, sailing, waterski and diving.

Thanks to the particular micro-climate, the yearly averave temperature is 18 degrees Celsius, there lots of sunshine and very litte precipitates, the total rainfall being below 340 millimeters. So, the Costa Calida is a recommendable holiday destination all the year round.