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Spain
Best bits " Shopping in Barcelona " Family-friendly beaches " Diving in Costa Brava
What to eat
To the Spanish, the tapas tradition is as much about conversation and company as it is the food. Every Spaniard has their favourite tapas bar or tasca where they meet friends and family or do their business. Other culinary highlights include pork stews, chorizo ham, anchovies from LEscala and spit roasted chicken.
Above: Tossa de Mar, Costa Brava. Right: La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona.
As an accompaniment try Rioja Crianza reds or vino tinto as the Spaniards would say, rose and reds from Penedes, Sangre de Toro red, and Cava for a light and fruity fizz.
We Brits have been big on Spain since the first package holidays of the 1950s. But theres a lot more to the Iberian Peninsular than the three Ss of sun, sea and sand. OK. So most of us head this way for some fun on the beach especially for the children. So youll find our four parcs are dotted along some of the Costas finest coastline offering plenty by way of traditional attractions. But throw in a little sightseeing and local culture and suddenly your holiday takes on a whole new dimension. From Roman ruins to Gothic Cathedrals, Moorish castles and the wild imagination of Gaudi, Spain is blessed with a rich architectural heritage. Its artistic track record is impressive too, with home grown talents including El Greco, Velasquez, Goya, Picasso, and Salvador Dalí. So youre never far from an interesting art gallery.
What to see
Costa Brava: Visit the quiet pebble beach at Tossa de Mar with its quaint castle or lively neighbour Lloret de Mar or upbeat Estartit and its great range of watersports. But the star attraction has to be the beautiful city of Barcelona, worth at least one days exploration for anyone visiting the area. Dont miss the 14th Century Streets of the Gothic Quarter and Gaudis unfinished cathedral, La Sagrada Familia. Costa Dorada: The golden coast offers safe shallow waters, the busy resorts of Salou and Cambrils and plenty of water parcs, making it the perfect playground for children. For chic shopping visit Sitges and for an unforgettable day out try PortAventuraTM theme park in Salou. For even more inspiration visit thomsonalfresco.co.uk
Catalonia
1558 Puig de Figueres Comanegra
Cap de Creus
Balsareny
Tarrega
Average daily maximum temperature
Monserrat Martorell
Estartit Playa de Pals Pals Girona Palafrugell Cala Platja dAro Gogo Sant Feliu Tossa de Mar de Guixols Lloret de Mar
Torroella de Montgri
Castell Montgri
30
80 70 60 50 40
Mataro BARCELONA
Cost
ava a Br
25 20 15 10 5
London Catalonia
1073
1201 Tossal de la Baltasana
N
Sitges Comarruga
Best price
No Gimmicks. No Tricks. Just good, honest pricing.
°F
Apr 6 5 May Jun Jul Aug Sep Average daily hours of sunshine 8 9 10 9 7 6 7 6 6 5 Oct 5 3
°C
Salou Cambrils
PortAventuraTM
Sanguli Playa Cap de Salou Montroig
Cost
a Do
a rad
Me
dit
er
ra
a ne
n
Se
a
CATALONIA
30 km
© TUI 2005
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