Arcos de la Frontera – the town of ten bells
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Overview

The town, Arcos de la Frontera, is located in the Cadiz province in the southern part of Spain. The river Guadalete flows to the Bay of Cadiz and this town is situated on the eastern bank of this river. Since it was the frontier of the battle with the moors in the 13th century, it is named as Arcos de la Frontera. It gives a panoramic view of Guadalete valley and San Cristobal.

History

There is evidence that shows that this city had Stone Age cave dwellers who constructed their living area with rocks. Remains of Roman era also exist in this area.

Alfonso the wise of Castile ruled this town during the period 1252-1284 after expelling the Moors. He built the Gothic Cathedral on the high ridge of this town.

This town is famous for the ten bells that knelled during the war with Moors.

Climate

The maximum and minimum average temperatures in this city are 28 °C in July-August and 12 °C in January.

Art and Culture

The tourists could visit the following monuments and museums in this city:

1.Castillo De Los Arcos – is a castle originally constructed during the 11th century by the Moors. In 1250, Christians captured this town and reconstructed this castle to ensure that the border between Christian and Muslims kingdom was clearly defined. The word Frontera meaning frontier was added to the name of this town in this period. At present this castle is not open to the general public because it is owned by a private person.

2.Parish church of Santa María – is an 18th century monument and has a finely carved Plateresque door on the western side. The design of the interior was carried out by Diego Roldán and contains choir stalls made from ebony, mahogany and cedar.

3.Iglesia De San Pedro – is a church built in the 16th century and is positioned perilously. The paintings of Francisco de Zubarán that detail the life of San Pedro adorn the altarpiece.

4.Palacio De Mayorazgo – is located opposite the San Pedro church and is an OAP social center at present. Architect Herrera designed its exterior façade and interior patios.

5.Convento De La Encarnacion – is a 16th century church and convent that not only served as a chapel but also as a hospital.

6.Mercado – is a market in the town that is located in an 18th century unfinished church; the Jesuits abandoned construction after their expulsion from Spain.

Cuisine

Pork and fish from the nearby sea and mountains are the main ingredients of the local cuisine.

Sports and Entertainment

Cycling, climbing, hiking trails, swimming, rowing, kayaking, adventure sports, windsurfing and Golf are popular.

Shopping

Popular items for shopping are ceramics and local crafts.



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Aranjuez – the Royal city
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Overview

The city of Aranjuez is situated at a distance of about 50 Km from Madrid and Toledo. Its location is at the junction of two rivers – Jarama and Tagus. Its population in 2009 was about 57,000.

There are different theories for the origin of the name Aranjuez. According to the first theory, this name comes from the Basque language wherein Arantza means hawthorn in English - trees or shrubs having

clusters of white or pinkish flowers and reddish fruits. Aran also means valley or plum. This city has a lot of strawberry plants that have reddish fruits.

The second theory states that it has originated from the Latin word – Ara lovia or Ara Jovis which means Jupiter’s alter. However, the first theory is the most accepted theory.

History

This town had been in existence from the period of Romans and was Knights of Santiago’s headquarters. Philip II was instrumental in developing this city in the 16th century and he called it the Royal city.
 
Art and Culture

The Royal Palace – was designed by the architect Juan Bautista de Toledo in the year 1560 on instructions from King Philip II. This palace got destroyed by fire twice and was completed only in 1778.


Aranjuez Gardens – the popularity of the Aranjuez palace is more due to the gardens than due to collections in the palace.

Bullfighting Museum – is one of the oldest and most beautiful bullrings in Spain, Portugal, France and Latin America.

Cuisine

This city has a good micro-climate and its fields are fertile. Its gastronomy centers around asparagus, broad beans and artichokes and these are extensively used in the local cuisine. This place is also

popular for growing juicy and sweet strawberries.

Sports and Entertainment

Water sports such as canoeing and rowing are popular in this city because of the connection with the river Tagus. Madrid bid for 2012 Olympics and they planned to hold the above water sports in Aranjuez.

Football is a very popular game in this city. In addition, facilities are available for skydiving and gliding.Shopping

There are souvenir shops inside the Royal Palace that sell items from the Aranjuez and other palaces in Spain. Handkerchiefs, mugs, pencils, chocolates, postcards, books, umbrellas, etc. can be bought in

these shops. Business

The economy of this city depends mainly on hotels and tourism. It attracts the tourists because of the Royal Palace, gardens, river Tagus and various landscapes. This city was designated by UNESCO as

the World Heritage Cultural Landscape In 2001; from this time onwards the tourist population has gone up considerably. A Pub was opened in 2005.

This city is situated in the fertile plains of river Tagus and hence suitable for growing various items such as cereals, wheat, strawberries, asparagus, melons, vines, etc.

Since this city is located very near to Madrid, its road and rail communications with Madrid are good and it is better suited for industries.


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Aracena – the town with the cave of the marvels
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Overview

The town, Aracena, is located in the north east part of Huelva province and is a municipality. Its population was about 7400 in the year 2007. This town is quiet with attractive white houses that form a semi circle under the church and castle. It is one of the popular tourist spots in this region. History

The first known human settlements in this town were from prehistoric times. Archaeological remains have been found in the village of Umbria which date back to III millennium BC. Since this place was rich in minerals, settlements were found both in the Bronze Age and Iron Age. The main cause for Roman settlements in the 3rd century was the mines and they created support for agricultural settlements which could have resulted in the origination of Aracena as well as other towns.

Climate

The maximum and minimum temperatures in this city are 35°C in July-August and 4 °C in January. Since this town is located on a mountain, it has frequent rains, moderate summer and cold winter.

Art and Culture

The following monuments are popular:

Cave of the Marvels – this is a hidden treasure and the most important national monument. This cave is inside the hill below the castle and was formed by water filtering through the calcareous rock for ages. According to a legend this cave was found by a boy who was in search of his pig.

Aracena Castle – was built in the 13th century on the site of the Muslim fortress and you can see the views of the entire range of mountain from here.

Templar Church – is located next to the castle and was built between the 13th and 14th centuries; this is the oldest church and also a national monument.

Geology and Minerals Museum – is located at the cave’s entrance and was formed in the year 1983.

Town Hall – was designed in the year 1911 by the architect Aníbal González and is a red brick building.

Contemporary open air Sculpture Museum.

Cuisine

The most famous food item in this city is jamón ibérico which basically is a cured ham from pigs fed with acorn. This town is also famous for seta mushrooms. Other popular food items are sausages, pork loin and blood sausage.

Sports and Entertainment

There are facilities for various sports - basketball, volley ball, chess, mountain biking, canoeing, football and soccer and martial arts.

Business

The economy of this town is mainly dependent on Agriculture, Livestock and Tourism.


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Antequera – the heart of Andalusia
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Overview

The city of Antequera is located in the Malaga province and is a municipality. It is also known by the name – the heart of Andalusia because it is central to Granada, Cordoba, Seville and Malaga. It is situated at a height of 57 m above sea level and has a population of 42,000.

History

Two Bronze Age burial mounds exist in the city’s northern outskirts - Dólmen de Viera and Dólmen de Menga and they date back to 3rd millennium BC. The structures of these mounds are the largest in Europe.

Climate

The maximum and minimum average temperatures in this city are 26 °C in July-August and 9 °C in February.

Art and Culture

The monuments in this city are as follows:

Roman baths – excavated recently.

Arch of the Giants, built in 1585.

Church of Santa Maria la Mayor.

Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen.

13th century Moorish castle.

19th century bullring.

Barefoot Carmelitas.

Megalithic mass tombs.

The following museums are popular:

Municipal museum – is an 18th century museum situated in the Nájera Palace; contains Roman remains and paintings of Cristóbal Toral.

Museum House of the provincial government – is housed in the 18th Century mansion.

Bullfighting Museum – is situated in the bullring.

Convent museum – exhibits local culture artworks.

San Benito Folklore Museum – displays local history using artifacts, vintage items, etc.

Hojiblanca - is an olive co-operative where you can learn about the production of olive oil.

Cuisine

Popular food items are:

Porra Antequerana – a cold thick Spanish soup.

Molletes – a kind of bun.

Sports and Entertainment

Popular sports in this city are Golf, trekking and horse riding. There are plenty of opportunities to practice team games as well as individual sports. There are many Gyms that you can make use of for your workouts. Paddle tennis and tennis are other popular games.

The following parks are useful for enjoying your time:

Paraje Natural del Torcal – is a protected area that has rock formations because of erosion over a period of years. You can practice trekking, horse riding or mountain biking in this place. A number of birds from Europe and Africa migrate to this place.

El Chorro – is the Lake District.

Jardín de la Plaza de Toros – has play areas for children.

Jardines del Rey – is a new park inaugurated in 1998. Can get a view of the city from this park.

Río de la Villa – has an artificial lake as well as recreational area.

Shopping

There are many family run small shops in this city; in addition there are many shopping centers. Hipermarket in the outskirts is popular. Some of the items that you could shop are furniture, items required for home improvement, gold works, etc.


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Almuñécar – the city of British Tourists
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Overview

The town of Almuñécar is a municipality in Andalusia on the coast between Motril and Neria. The climate here is subtropical. This town is located in the Granada province and its population in the year 2006 was 26,000. It has become one of the popular tourist towns in Granada after the death of the Military General, Francisco Franco in the year 1975.  It lies in Costa Tropical part of the Spanish coast. This town is well connected by various transport facilities.

The coat of arms of Almuñécar displays the Berber pirates’ turbaned heads that are floating in the sea; King Carlos I granted this to this town in the year 1526 for destroying the Berber raiding force.

This town is located at a distance of 75 Km from the airport of Malaga and 40 Km from Granada. The name Costa Tropical is coined because of the larger number of sunny days than in any other area in Spain. It also has many sandy beaches. In the olden days only Spanish people visited this place for spending their holidays; however nowadays it has also become popular with British tourists.

History

This was originally a colony of Phoenicians and was named Sexi; even today some people call themselves Sexitanos. It became a fishing town under the rule of Moors.

Climate

The city has long hot summers with mild winters. The maximum and minimum average temperatures in this city are 29 °C in July-August and 13 °C in February.

Art and Culture

1.Seven Cave Palacios – is a Municipal Archaeological Museum and is a monument from the 1st century AD. This is located on San Miguel hill.

2.Roman Aqueduct and hot springs – built in the 1st century AD.

3.Phoenician Necropolis Bridge – built in the 7th Century.

4.Parish Church of the ENCARNACION – was designed by Juan de Herrera and built between 16th and 17th centuries.

Cuisine

The following food items are popular in this city:

1.Fresh fish and Seafood.

2.Sardines on the grill.

3.Traditional local dishes – paella, tapas, tortillas and chorizo.

4.Spanish wines.

Since this is a tourist city, it has international restaurants serving Italian, French and Argentine foods.

Sports and Entertainment

The following are some of the things you could enjoy in this city:

Beaches – where the temperatures are enjoyable.

Parque Botanico

Ornitológico – bird watching.

Trekking

Scuba diving, mountain climbing, kayaking, windsurfing, parapenting

Horse riding

Cycling

Golf

Shopping

There are supermarkets that sell holiday essentials and souvenir and gift shops. You can purchase various items at bargain prices from the open air market on Friday or the flea market on the first Saturday of each month.


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