PEDRO SANCHEZ himself is to visit Costa Blanca South on Monday, February 1, in part to celebrate the first AVE from Madrid to Orihuela. He will be joined by Ximo Puig, head of the Valencian regional government, on this auspicious occasion. ORIHUELA VISIT: Pedro Sanchez and Ximo Puig
PERIMETER checks in and out of larger towns and cities will severely slow down the operation of the new AVE into Costa Blanca South. NOT SO SPEEDY: An AVE train at Valencia's Joaquin Sorolla station Tickets for the new high-speed trains were due to go on sale by the end...
THE number of young Brits looking to make the leap and move to Spain has jumped by nearly 500% last year, new research has revealed. Online property platform Kyero.com says they saw a 446 per cent year-on-year increase in Britons aged 18 to 24 viewing Spanish property on its website. Site...
THE staff at Madrid’s Westin Palace Hotel are long used to dealing with guests with masks. In fact it was over 30 years ago that they welcomed mask-clad germ-phobe celebrity Michael Jackson to their esteemed five-star establishment. Arriving with his young family the American singer insisted that staff didn’t stare when...
THE number of tourists visiting Spain from overseas has plummeted by 90% year on year in November. Figures from the National Statistics Institute (INE) showed the number of international travellers had dropped dramatically compared with the same period in 2019. International travel restrictions combined with strict curfews and early bar closures...
CHRISTMAS is the time to make dreams come true. And while carolling, parties and markets might be on pause this year there is still plenty to see and do this December. So take advantage of the extra time with kids - and the easing of travel restrictions - and head out to explore all...
WHEN Spain finally lifted the State of Emergency after almost three months of enforced isolation what I, like many people, most craved was a breath of fresh air, in both the literal and metaphorical sense. And what better way to escape the nightmare of lockdown and rediscover a sense of space than with a...
WITH Brexit and the pandemic, this year has seen more people than ever consider a move abroad. Online searches related to living and working abroad increased by 29% between January and October 2020. WORLD-RENOWNED: Spanish beaches & laid-back lifestyle Money transfer company, Remitly, looked into the 'whys'...
FOLLOWING Easyjet’s controversial change in luggage allowance, Jet2 has pledged to continue its passenger-friendly policy. The Leeds-based firm claims it will NOT change its on-board baggage rules after Easyjet recently emulated Ryanair’s charging policy. The Irish airline has long had additional charges for second carry-on bags, but Jet2 has promised it...
SAN Sebastian has been named the sixth best foodie spots in the world according to a panel of top chefs. The much loved city in the Basque Country is the only Spanish spot to make the list. Chef’s Pencil surveyed 250 foodies and chefs for the list and quizzed them on...
THANKS to COVID-19 the Spanish hotel industry has suffered more than ever before. In July, usually one of the busiest months for tourism, hotel cancellations dwarfed booking numbers with more than half of scheduled guests backing out of their holidays. With expansive 25,000m² gardens, indoor and outdoor pools lined by cabanas, Fairmont Barcelona Rey...
I HAVE ignored the main piece of advice my mother ever gave me and climbed into the back of a strange man's car. As I watch the twinkling lights of Marbella disappear behind me I wonder if the picturesque hills this stranger’s four wheel drive is now bouncing down will be where I...
MADRID has once again been named as the best city to work from remotely. Just a few weeks ago, Olive Press revealed that the Spanish capital beat the likes of Istanbul, Warsaw and Budapest to claim the title of the place to work from remotely during the pandemic. The study...
THE OLD cliché is that people go to Malaga - only just to leave just as quickly as their plane lands. But those in the know will tell you that's not true. Malaga is far more than an airport with a city on its outskirts, it’s a buzzing Andalusian metropolis stuffed with things to...
WE’RE eating €8 sausage sandwiches with thinly-sliced Toro tomatoes, washed down with ice cold Estrella Damm lagers and a couple of fizzy drinks. With a plate of prawns as a starter and ice-creams for the kids for postre, the bill comes to just €58 and the owner throws in a...
A STORM is brewing over the makeover of 90-year-old lighthouse on the Costa del Sol, with a campaign group taking a dim view of the colourful changes. The beacon, near the Cantabrian town of Ajo, is at the centre of a cultural row after a vibrant paint job by local artist Okuda San Miguel.
AMID dramatic estimates of 40 million fewer international visitors already this year, the campers and caravanners of Spain are offering some financial solace to the tourism industry. Costa Blanca’s leading hotel association, HOSBEC Benidorm, says its members have averaged 50% hotel occupancy, with only 28% in holiday apartments. "HOLA DE...
There are two less than complimentary phrases that spring to mind when you say Albacete: ‘Albacete, carga y vete’ and the more parental advisory option ‘Albacete, no vete!’. The capital city of Castilla La Mancha is, to say the least, a bit of an underdog. But now they are pivoting towards popularity in a...
A smorgasbord of sugar cube houses perch on the rolling hills of Casares. Situated amongst woodland on a 1,427ft high cliff, the pueblo blanco is quaint and peaceful. CUTE: The cluster of casas in Casares The charming town has long attracted A-list Hollywood visitors, including Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
JUST over an hour’s drive from the busy beaches of Marbella, tucked between the Spanish hillside and evergreen woodland, exists a scene so soothing it could remove furrows from your forehead. VIEWS: Embalse del Conde de Guadalhorce El Chorro, near the village of Ardales, is a series of winding reservoirs...
EVERY barrio in Sevilla's city centre is packed full of historical sites and Alfalfa is no exception. The ancient neighbourhood has convents and churches aplenty along with some of the best examples of Baroque architecture. It's also home to the up-and-coming Soho Benita area and the birthplace of one the greatest painters of all time, Velazquez. See the most notable sites below. Casa...
IT may appear small from its unassuming entrance to the right of the end of Isabel II bridge, but the Mercado de Triana is packed with gastronomic and cultural offerings. From fresh fruit to jamon, oysters, tapas, flamenco and more, below are the best places to visit inside the market. Ostreria & Sushi De Mercado If you’re looking to treat yourself, splash...
IT'S one of the city's most distinctive and historic barrios and is unsurprisingly packed with sites to keep you busy. From its iconic pastel exterior to its medieval remnants and holy shrines, no trip to Sevilla can be complete without a day in Triana. Below we have rounded up the top sites to see in 2020. Calle Betis This riverside street is the...
SEVILLA really is a foodie’s paradise, and the ancient Triana does not let the side down. It may have its own distinct personality, but this fiesty barrio’s restaurants deliver knockout Andalucian cuisine. From humble tapas haunts to fine dining, below are the hottest eating spots in Triana in 2020. Maria Trifulca With the most enviable location in Triana, on the riverbed next to...
