Top 10 Destinations in Spain

If you are planning a visit to Spain, but are wondering where the most popular destinations are, TripAdvisor have put together the Travellers' Choice and come up with the top 10 destinations in Spain during 2013 to provide some inspiration for your next holiday.

Set out below are the destination in order of preference together with a short description of what you can expect from your holiday.

1.  BARCELONA, SPAIN

Barcelona is located on the northeast coast of Spain in the region of Catalonia.  Probably the most popular attraction here is Las Ramblas where you can stroll down the mile-long promenade and be entertainment by street performers, meander around the market stalls, take a break in one of the many cafes and bars and then end up at one of he beaches this city has to offer.  Other places are Gaudi's Parc Guell, Sagrada Familia and for the sports enthusiast Nou Camp stadium.

Visit Teide National Park in Tenerife

Mount Teide in Tenerife

When travelling around the island of Tenerife, you will not fail to notice Mount Teide and decide that you would like to find out more about it.   Head to Parque Nacional del Teide [Teide National Park] and you will not be disappointed.  A great day out for all the family there is plenty to do on this popular tour.

Covering 189sq km, the whole park lies above 2,000m and is strictly prohibited from development.  You can visit by car, coach, by bike and even by foot on one of the numerous smaller tracks. If you have a head for heights, take the cable car [teleferico] up to 163m below the summit.

A Spanish Self-Catering Holiday Will Cost Less

Make your Euro go further

According to a report produced by the Post Office, the best places for value for money on a self-catering holiday are resorts in Costa Blanca, Lanzarote, Menorca and Mallorca.   

It transpires that the Spanish resorts are far cheaper for tourists to carry out their self-catering shop than resorts in other European resorts in Corfu, Turkey, Crete and Cyprus.    The only other destination to come in the top results was The Algarve in Portugal.

They say - Never Travalo Without One

Travalo - The Perfect Travel Accessory

We saw an article the other day in Travel Bulletin about the Travalo, and thought we would share this with you as it's a perfect accessory both women and men would benefit from when travelling.

Let's admit it, we always take our favourite fragrance[s] on holiday with us, and the chunky glass bottles can take quite a bit of room in our cases.  This is where the Travalo comes in - a fragrance spray that you can fill up directly from your larger bottles.

Monthly Instalment Plan for Your Holiday

With the majority of people having to be careful with their budgets, a holiday may seem to be outside your means. 

This is why Corona Holidays have recently introduced a "Monthly Instalment Plan" in order to assist customers with budgeting for their holiday.

 

How does this work?

We will automatically take payment, and will email you an update of your balance. Just let us know if you would like to take advantage of this scheme, which is totally FREE [normal credit card charges will apply - debit cards no charge].

Example

* Holiday booked on 20-Dec-12 for 2 people travelling on 30-Sep-13:

* Hotel and Transfer Price = £671

* Deposit = £50 [due on date of booking]

* 9 Monthly instalments = £69 [starting 9-Jan-13 and ending 09-Sep-13]

* TOTAL PAID = £671

What do I need to do?
Just let us know that you would like to take advantage of this Instalment Plan and we will put this in place for you and will send you a full breakdown of the dates and amounts that will be taken …. easy as that.

Can I benefit from this even if I currently have a booking?
Of course, just give us a call and this can be worked out for you.

Telephone us on FREEPHONE 0800 5 677688 or send an email with your enquiry, and we will get back to you with more details.  

EHIC - The European Health Insurance Card

Do you know what an EHIC is, and what is/isn't covered by this European Health Insurance Card?   Do you even have one?   Corona Holidays recommends that you take your EHIC with you on holiday to the European countries as it enables you to get state healthcare at a reduced cost, or sometimes for free.  It will cover you for treatment that is needed which will allow you to continue your stay until your planned return.  It will also cover you for pre-existing medical conditions, so it is certain worthwhile reading on.

European Health Insurance Card [EHIC]

The card is valid in all the following countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Litchtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
For full details on what is covered in each country, visit the NHS England site. 

The EHIC is completely free of charge.  However, unofficial sites may charge you if you apply through them.  Use the above site [NHS England] to ensure that you are not charged.   

It is important to remember that the EHIC is "not" travel insurance, or an alternative to travel insurance as it will not cover any private medical healthcare, costs such as being flown back to the UK, or lost or stolen property.  Therefore it is important to arrange to have a travel insurance policy in place as well.

Each member of your family will need to have their own card which is valid for a period of 5 years.  Why not check your card now to ensure that it is still valid.  It is certainly worth checking as to renew your card is, again, free of charge and can be renewed up to 6 months before the expiry date.  If you intend to rely on what used to be call an E111 - don't.  These are now invalid and have been since 2006. 

So, it may be worth just spending 5 minutes to make sure your current card is valid, or if you do not have one, applying for one now before your holiday.

£75 is Average Spend on Souvenirs

Recently, in the Travel Trade Gazette, there was an articles concerning how money was spent by Brits on souvenirs of their holidays.

Research has shown that locally produced souvenirs such as carved items and kept longer by people rather than fake designer goods or DVDs.  Over half of people bought a T-shirt on holiday but only a third of these have already been thrown away.

The report showed that there was a lack of awareness among British travellers about the importance of checking whether gifts and souvenirs were locally produced.  Sue Hurdle, Chief Executive of The Travel Foundation said "£75 is a fortune for some local producers and it is important that we to give back this way and it's a fantastic way to interact with local people."

However, the good news for local destinations is that Brits said they favoured markets, independent stores and buying direct from craftspeople.

So when you are next on holiday and are looking for a souvenir to bring back, try and help the local community and perhaps purchase something produced by a local craftsman.

Peseta Makes Comeback in Spanish Village

A village south-east of Madrid - Villamayor de Santiago - has taken steps to reintroduce Spain's old currency, the peseta, in an effort to boost the local economy.

Since re-introducing the peseta in January,  locals have spent nearly 6000 euros worth of pesetas. When the scheme end in February, the old currency will be taken to the Bank of Spain and exchanged for euros and then distributed to the business which have taken part.

Pesetas can still be exchanged at the Bank of Spain for euros.

They think it's all over - It is now ...

Spain have deservedly become "Los Campeones del Mundo" the Champions of the World,  after 5 weeks of the World Cup competition and an extra-time goal from Andres Iniesta.   Alan Shearer - former England striker - has said "Not only were Spain easily the best team on the night, but they were also without question the best team in the entire World Cup".

Did you know ... 2 of the Spanish team are from the Canary Islands. David Jimenez Silva was born in Arguineguin on the island of Gran Canaria in 1986. Although he has been living off the island since the age of 14, he never misses an opportunity to return to Gran Canaria to see family and friends and helps promote the municipality of Mogan and Gran Canaria as a holiday destination.


The second player is Pedro Rodriguez who currently plays for Barcelona.  Pedro was born in Tenerife - Santa Cruz de Tenerife - in 1987 and played for a third division team until he signed for Barcelona in 2005. 

The World has stopped for the World Cup

Here were are - the opening games for the World Cup are due to start any minute - and the world has seemingly come to a complete standstill.   

The roads are free from traffic, the supermarket shelves are devoid of burgers, buns and beer .... and the topic of conversation is no longer Britain's Got Talent - but who is playing who, on which day and at what time.    Nothing matters in the world anymore apart from football.

Anyway - for those who have no interest whatsoever in spending the next 4 weeks listening to vuvezela horns then we have just the ticket - spend some time away for it all [let's hope that not all bars and restaurants have sky sports in-situ].  

Just give Corona Holidays a call, and we will look at the best option for you to escape to normality - for a while at least.

Heathrow Express advise How to Pack

With the summer season just started, Heathrow Express is offering free advice on how to pack for holidays.

They have produced 5 short video demonstrations of how to fold and pack items of clothing to avoid creases and also how to effectively use the space in the suitcase or bag.  Their MD - Richard Robinson - has said that they wanted to give customers some clear and concise advice that is highly visual and relevant to business and leisure passengers.

So, why not take a look at the videos - it may help you beat one of the top 3 stresses of travelling.

Stuck for the Perfect Xmas Present? - Red Letter Days

If you need something special for someone special, look no further than Red Letter Days.   They have a great selection of Christmas gifts ranging in price, and even have a sale on - for instance book an Aston Martin thrill for just £88 [reduced from £110], or book Orbing for Two in Brighton for just £36!!


Visit Red Letter Days and book your perfect Christmas Present .... or for someone's birthday.

Lonely Planet Magazine - Subscription Details

If you are interested in reading about travel - why not treat yourself to a 12 month subscription to the Lonely Planet Magazine.  The BBC Shop describes the magazine as "the new glossy travel magazine for people with a passion for travel and new experiences."  It goes on to say "Whether you're planning your next trip or simply looking for a good read, Lonely Planet Magazine is your monthly guide to the best of everything travel-related."

Currently you can get 12 issues for the price of £29 [reduced from £42].  Just visit the BBC Shop for more details.

Huelva is Spain's Sunniest City

It was recently reported in the autumn edition of "Spain" magazine that the National Institute for Statistics in Spain annoucned that the city of Huelva is, in fact, the sunniest Spanish location.

Huelva is a located in the south of Spain - in the westernmost point of the Costa de la Luz, and is located west of Seville and east of Faro in Portugal.  Enjoying 3,200 hours of sunshine each year [which equates to an average of 9 hours per day] means that Costa de la Luz lives up to its name - Coast of Light.  However, although the sunniest location, it certainly is not the hottest.  Cities such as Seville and Madrid can reach the high 30s in August, but the maritime influence can take 10 degrees off in Huelva.

We can offer a lovely rural, family run hotel in Alajar, called Posada Finca la Fronda.  Located in the heart of the Sierra de Aracena & Picos de Aroche Natural park in the northwest of the province of Huelva, right out in the country, and with views all around. Approximately 1.5km from the village of Alajar and about 750m above sea level on a 10 hectare farm covered principally with cork and edible chestnut trees.   If you would like to receive a quotation, just give us a call or send an enquiry and we will be delighted to assist.

Red Letter Days through Corona Holidays

Corona Holidays have just introduced in their "Travel Extras" the opportunity for you to book Red Letter Days via our affiliated membership. 

A perfect gift would be a memorable day out - the ideal birthday, anniversary or Christmas gift.   Choose from a huge selection of gifts from adventure to pampering days - designed for him, her, children or families.  Or, give gift vouchers and let them choose for themselves. 

Take a look at what Red Letter Days can offer you.