Hawaii,One of the most Beautiful Islands in the World

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Ibiza Tourists Attractions

Ibeza Beaches:

With over 18 Km. of beaches, Ibiza boasts some 56 different beach locations. These range from the wide open sandy beaches of the south west to intimate coves and bays of the north and west coast. Ciudad de Ibiza boasts Playa Talamanca in the north and Ses Figueretes and Playa d'en Bossa in the south, two outstanding white sandy beaches.

Playa d'en Bossa, Playa Figueretes and Playa de Talamanca are the main beaches near the town of Ibiza. There are more tan 50 beaches in Ibiza, some of the most beautiful are:

Cala d’Hort
A magnificent beach of fine sand and shallow waters. Small, beloved beach with a fantastic view of the mysterious island of Es Vedra, which lies only several hundred meters from the shore and the smaller Isla Vedranell. Reached by car, bus and ferry. There are also some good bars and restaurants from where you can enjoy the wonderful views. All beach amenities and motor-boat rental.

Playa d’En Bossa
Playa d’En Bossa, the longest stretch of beach on Ibiza, is dotted with Bars and Cafés offering a variety of scenes; one of them is the famous Bora Bora bar. Excellent views of D'Alt Vila (the Ibiza Old Town) and close-ups of low flying aircraft. Also, in front of Playa d'en Bossa, located at the South, you will see a small group of islands: "Islas Malvinas".

Salinas
Las Salinas, in the south, near the old salt flats, offers excellent sands. This beach is known also as Playa de Miljorn. The very long, wide crescent of sandy beach is bordered by pines. Waters are crystal clear with super breakers that appear on windy days, perfect for body-surfing. The surroundings of this beach are pretty good for adventure walks as this terrain is Ibiza's Wildlife Conservation Area.

Es Cavallet
Playa Cavallet is an Official Nude Bathing Beach. This is the Ibiza’s most famous gay beach. You'll find here excellent restaurants, DJ’s and more. Es Cavallet has a sweeping sandy beach which is known as the nude bathing venue of the island and a popular rendezvous for the third gender.

Playa des Cavallett and Playa de las Salinas are both popular gay haunts and Playa Cavallet and Aigües Blanques attract the nude sunbathers.

Cala Tarida
Sheltered by a backdrop of well urbanised hills, this is the longest and widest beach, of fine white sand, of this side of Ibiza. Two main sections of this sandy beach, with lots of amenities, include banana boat rides. You will find here many interestingly shaped rocks as well, to swim out to for a solitary sunbathe. This beach is reached by bus or car on a good road or ferry.

Cala Mastella
Cala Mastella is made up of two inlets located in a narrow, protected cove with a beautiful marine environment. This is a lovely small, sandy cove surrounded by pine woods and with one of the most charming beach restaurants on Ibiza, where you will enjoy both a pleasant swim and a magnificent meal. Perfect for sunbathing, free diving and safe bathing.

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Salamanca Tourist Attractions

Plaza Mayor

The central feature of Salamanca is the Plaza Mayor, a regular square (actually trapezoid in shape) of arcaded three-story buildings in uniform architectural style which was begun in 1729 to the design of Alberto de Churriguera and completed in 1755. In its unity of conception and execution it is one of the most magnificent squares in Spain, a splendid setting for ceremonial occasions, in which bullfights were still being held in the 19th century. With its many cafes and bars under the arcades, it is a lively scene in the evening.

University

(Local Name: Universidad de Salamanca) From the Clerecía it is a short distance southeast along Calle Libreros to the once world-famed University of Salamanca (on the left). Among those who taught here were the humanist Fray Luis de León (1527-91), the mystic John of the Cross (Juan de la Cruz, 1542-91) and the philosopher Miguel de Unamuno (1864-1936), who also became Rector of the University. Cervantes was a student here. The Copernican system was recognized at Salamanca University at a time when this was still a grave heresy.

Cielo de Salamanca

The Sala Calderón de la Barca has decorative elements from the old University Library, including particularly the fine ceiling painting by Fernando Gallego (ca. 1480) known as the "Cielo de Salamanca", which illustrates the state of knowledge of astronomy in the late fifth Ccntury. Some of the painting has been lost, but it is still possible to see the signs of the Zodiac, a number of constellations and the four winds.

Convento de San Esteban

A little way upstream from Puente Romano is the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge), from the southwestern end of which radiate the roads to Ávila, Plasencia and Ciudad Rodrigo. From the near end of the bridge the Avenida de los Reyes leads to the Dominican monastery of San Esteban (on right, on higher ground), with a church built between 1524 and 1610, its facade covered with a riot of Plateresque decoration. It has a gilded high altar of 1693 by José de Churriguera, one of the sculptor's greatest works, and three side altars by pupils of his. To the left of the high altar is the tomb of the Duke of Alba, governor of the Spanish Netherlands. On the west wall, above the raised choir, can be seen a large fresco by Antonio Palomino, "The Triumph of the Church" (1705).

Patio de las Escuelas

Opposite the front of the University is the Patio de las Escuelas, in the center of which can be seen a monument to Fray Luis de León (1869). Around it are buildings in pure Plateresque style, giving it a very characteristic atmosphere of its own.

Old Cathedral

Immediately adjoining the south side of the New Cathedral is the Romanesque Old Cathedral of Santa María de la Sede, which is entered from the south aisle of the New Cathedral. It is difficult to get a general view of both cathedrals; the best view of the exterior of the Old Cathedral, however, is from the Patio Chico, which is reached from a doorway in the south aisle of the New Cathedral. The Old Cathedral, one of the most splendid buildings of its period in Spain, was begun about 1100 and was probably ompleted before 1200. From the Patio Chico there is a view of the chancel, with a magnificent tower-like dome over the crossing, known as the Torre del Gallo from the figure of a cock which surmounts it.

House of the Scallop-Shells

From Plaza Corillo the Rúa Mayor runs southwest to a small square, at the corner of which, on the right, is the Casa de las Conchas, built in 1514. This was the town mansion of Talavera Maldonado, a knight of the Order of Santiago, who decorated the facade of his house lavishly with the scallop-shells associated with St James, which create changing patterns of light and shade according to the position of the sun. Note also the finely wrought window grilles. Visitors are shown round the house, which has a very handsome two-story courtyard and a staircase well with a beautiful coffer ceiling.

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San Sebastian Tourist Attractions

The Resort

San Sebastián's rise to become a resort of worldwide reputation began in the 19th Century, when Queen María Cristina chose it as her summer residence. Since then it has developed into an international resort where the boulevards, restaurants and cafesstill preserve something of the fashionable atmosphere of the 19th century, attracting visitors from all over the world with a summer program of major events such as the International Film Festival, the Jazz Festival and the Semana Grande in August. San Sebastián has practically no old buildings, since a great fire in 1813 destroyed much of the town.

Arantzazu

From Oñate a narrow road leads up to the shrine of Arantzazu (alt. 800m/2,625ft), where a shepherd is said to have discovered a figure of the Virgin in 1469. The original 16th century chapel was replaced in 1950 by a modern church decorated by contemporary artists. From the church there are magnificent views of grand mountain scenery.

Jaizquibel

From Fuenterrabía there is a very attractive road up the bare sandstone ridge of Jaizquibel (584m/1,916ft), with the pilgrimage church of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe and the commandingly situated Hostal Provincial de Jaizquibel (alt. 448m/1,470ft).

Monte Igueldo

At the far end of the Playa de Ondarreta is the Royal Tennis Club, from which a funicular and a winding road go to the top of Monte Igueldo (184m/604ft). Here there is a terrace restaurant, an amusement park, an observatory and an outlook tower, from which there are magnificent views of the town, the sea and the Basque mountains.

Paseo Nuevo

From the Aquarium the Paseo Nuevo encircles Monte Urgull, above the rocky shore, to the mouth of the Río Urumea, affording fine views. The river is spanned by the Puente Zurriola, beyond which a seafront promenade runs east to just before Monte Ulía.

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Malaga Tourist Attractions

Alcazaba

From the Plaza de la Merced in Málaga, Calle del Mundo Nuevo ascends to the Alcazaba, which occupies the site of the earliest settlement. This old stronghold of the Moorish kings was begun in the ninth century, but has been much rebuilt and restored since then. Three circuits of wall surround the hill. The principal remains of the original structure are the Torre de la Vela and the Arco de Cristo.


Cathedral

From the Plaza de la Marina in Málaga, Calle Molina Larios leads into the old town, which is dominated by the cathedral with its twin-towered façade. This massive limestone building, on the site of an earlier mosque, was begun in 1538 to the design of Diego de Siloé, partly destroyed by an earthquake in 1680 and rebuilt from 1719 onwards. From the 86m/282ft high north tower there are extensive views.


Semana Santa

The processions and passion plays which take place during Holy Week are particularly extravagant and spectacular in Málaga.

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Cordoba Tourist Attractions

Mosque-Cathedral

The Córdoba's outstanding monument is the Cathedral, formerly the principal mosque of western Islam and still known as the Mezquita, one of the largest mosques in the world and the finest achievement of Moorish architecture in Spain, comparable in beauty and size with the great mosques of Mecca and Damascus, the El-Azhar Mosque in Cairo and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The site on which the mosque stands was originally occupied by a Visigothic church, which the Moors used after the conquest as a mosque, though at first leaving part of it to the Christians. This part was acquired by Abderrahman I, and the building of the present mosque began in 785, with eleven aisles open to what is now the Court of Orange-Trees and the mihrab (prayer niche indicating the direction of Mecca) at the end of the central aisle, which was larger than the others. Building material from Roman and Visigothic buildings was used in the construction. During the reign of Abderrahman II, between about 830 and 850, the aisles were increased in length; in 951 Abderrahman III built the minaret (which has been altered since his time); and Al- Hakam II enlarged the mosque still further to its present length of 179m/587ft. In the course of this extension the unique ''third mihrab'' and the maqsura (enclosure for the Caliph) were added. Finally Almansor increased the width of the mosque, bringing it to its present dimensions, by building on eight additional aisles along the whole length of the structure, so that the prayer hall now has no fewer than nineteen aisles.

Alcazar of the Christian Kings

Across the Puente Romano from the Torre de la Calahorra we turn left and come to the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos. Some parts of the massive walls and towers date from Moorish times, but most of them were built when Alfonso XI strengthened the fortress in the 14th century. It contains a number of very fine Roman mosaics. Around the Alcázar, within the walls, are beautiful gardens, with ornamental pools and fountains, which are illuminated on summer evenings. In front of the main building is a square called the Camposanto de los Mártires, said to have been the place of execution of Christian martyrs.

Juderia

On the north side of the Camposanto lies the Judería, the old Jewish quarter of Córdoba. With its narrow lanes, its whitewashed houses and patios gay with flowers and its cozy little squares, it has a very distinctive atmosphere of its own.

Puente Romano

Beside the Triunfo rises the Puerta del Puente, a Doric triumphal arch (16th century) at the end of the 16-arched Puente Romano over the Río Guadalquivir in Córdoba. The bridge was originally built after Caesar's victory over Pompey, and a Moorish bridge, 223m/244yd long was later built on its foundations.

Medina Azahara

10km/6mi west of Córdoba, reached by way of C 431 and a secondary road which in 8km/5mi goes off on the right, stands Medina Azahara, a palace-town built by Abderrahman III from 936 onwards and named after his favorite wife Zahara which is said to have been large enough to house 30,000 people. In 1010 it was destroyed by the Almoravids and thereafter used as a quarry of building material; as a result it is now largely in ruins.

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Ronda Tourist Attractions

El Tajo

Walking through Ronda's El Tajo, there is a choice between continuing on the main path which pursues a zigzag course to the lower mills (- 1/2 hour), and taking a side path on the right, through a small Moorish gate, the Arco Árabe or Arco del Cristo, to the power station (20minutes) and the upper mills. From either path there are fine views of the waterfalls and the Puente Nuevo.

Cuevas de la Pileta

C 339 (the Jerez road) crosses the river and runs northwest through beautiful scenery. In 12km/7.5mi a side road turns off on the left and goes via Montejaque to Benaoján (11km/7mi), near which are the very interesting Cuevas de la Pileta, stalactitic caves with realistic Stone Age paintings of animals, like those of Altamira but older (c. 10,000-25,000 B.C.).



New Bridge

(Local Name: Puente Nuevo) Beyond the Plaza España, the Puente Nuevo of 1788 spans the gorge of the Río Guadalevín at its narrowest point (70m/77yd); here the gorge is over 100m/330ft deep. From the bridge there is a breathtaking view into the gorge.

Old Town

On the far side Ronda's new bridge, high above the gorge, lies the old town of Ronda, La Ciudad.

This is the area where visitors will find many of the town's historical attractions.

Plaza de Toros

Near the junction of Carrera de Espinel and Calle Virgen de la Paz in Ronda is the Plaza de Toros (Bullring) of 1785, Spain's second oldest bullring, notable for its two tiers of arcaded galleries for the spectators. Ronda was the home of the Romero dynasty of bullfighters (Francisco, Juan and Pedro), who developed the rules of the present-day bullfight in the 18th and 19th Centuries.

Serrania de Ronda

Southeast of Ronda are the barren rocky hills of the Serranía de Ronda. Part of the range, the Coto de la Serranía de Ronda, is a nature reserve in which ibexes and other wild animals can be seen.

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