The Spain Travel Deals Blog

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Well, it’s been quite awhile now since I last posted on Spain Travel Deals Blog.  Unfortunately, I’ve been quite busy with various other projects, and just haven’t been able to find the time to write.  I have however found some time to read through the many comments I’ve been getting from visitors to this site.  It seems that many of you have really found the content thus far to be of value in your travel planning efforts.  I’m very pleased to hear this, and I wanted to take the time to write now to let you know that I have some exciting plans for the future of the blog. 

First of all, I want to let you know that I will continue to do the in depth articles on popular Spain tourist attractions, accommodation deals etc.  However, In addition to this I also want to try and deliver more multimedia content on a regular basis.  As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.  With that in mind I plan to share more images   and video from Spain with you as it fits into the articles which are posted.  I think this will give you a much better idea of what the locations being discussed are really like, and it should make the site more enjoyable as well. 

In addition to this, I am currently exploring a number of other methods of content delivery on the blog which I think you’ll enjoy.  I’ll talk more about that inn a later post.  Until then, good luck with your travel planning, and thanks for stopping by Spain Travel Deals Blog!

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Awhile back I did a post detailing how you could use Twitter as a means of finding good Spain travel deals.  Actually, the Twitter technique can be useful regardless of where in the world you are traveling.  Today, I want to share another little trick with you that I’ve found quite useful for my own travel planning.  Using this technique will allow you to gain a better understanding of the places you will be visiting, and hopefully clue you in as to whether or not a particular deal is a good one.

To do this bit of travel research, we will be using YouTube.  Now, you may be wondering how a video sharing site is useful for travel planning.  What makes YouTube great is the huge amount of travel related video clips, and vacation slideshows that it contains.  One of the first things many vacationers do when they return home is put up images and video from their trip on the YouTube site.

If you’re still wondering how this is useful, take a second to consider some of your own past travel experiences.  How many times has a particular attraction or hotel looked good on paper, only to disappoint you on arrival?  Many travel brochures will give you written details about a place, but show you little of what it is actually like.

With video this is not the case.  You get to see the tourist attraction you’re curious about, or the resort you’re considering.  In many cases the author of the video will also be giving you their impressions of the location as they film.

If you’re interested in Spain travel deals, do a YouTube search for the name of the resort you’re looking into, or a place you’re thinking of visiting, and see what you can find.

To give some examples, I ran a quick YouTube search for the Riu Monica Hotel.  (This is a resort hotel in Nerja that I’ve written about on the blog).  The search revealed a number of great videos that gave me an excellent look at the hotel’s rooms, its facilities, and the surrounding area.

For those wanting to learn more about tourist attractions, a quick search for Sagrada Familia on YouTube yielded among other things, a narrated history of the site which included some fantastic views.  No matter which aspect of your Spain vacation you want to research a bit further, YouTube is likely to be of help.

Another often overlooked source of information is the comment section below each video.  If you’ve got further questions about a place you saw in any video, you can usually post a comment below the video which the author of the clip can see and respond to.  Given that they have been to the place you’re investigating, they can often help you out.

Thanks for stopping by Spain Travel Deals Blog today.  Please come back again for more free travel planning information.

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As the holiday season has now arrived for many of us, I wanted to take a minute to tell you about some of the Spain travel deals, and special advantages that can be had by those who choose to visit Spain during this time.  Now, you may think that a summer holiday to Spain would be better, as the weather is sure to be more agreeable then.  However, there are some very good reasons to visit Spain during this time of year.

In early December, Spanish city centers and shops are decorated for the Christmas holiday.  You will see the familiar sights of Christmas lights and beautifully decorated trees throughout the country.  One thing you will notice is that there is considerably less of a commercial element associated with the Christmas season in Spain than you might see in other countries.  As someone who has visited Spain during this time of year, I can say that this makes for a trip that is quite calm and enjoyable.

That being said, if you do want to shop a bit during your time in Spain, early January can be a wonderful time to visit the country.  You will have a better chance of finding Spain travel deals on airline tickets as those visiting family for the holidays will already have returned to work.  However, it is near the end of the holiday season when you can often find great shopping deals.  Shorty after Three Kings Day (January 6), many stores in Spain have their best sale prices of the year. 

Also, let’s not forget the celebrations that can be enjoyed in Spain throughout the holiday season.  New Years Eve is a huge event throughout the country, with special events in all major cities and throughout the hotels. 

If you’re in Spain on the fifth of January, you can also enjoy the very popular street parades throughout the country.  These are widely attended and feature some beautiful floats. 

Finally, don’t forget the advantage of sightseeing at this time of year.  The last time I visited Spain during the holiday season, I noticed that major tourist areas were significantly less crowded than they often tend to be during the summer months.  Do bear in mind that some shops and tourist sites will be closed at times during the holiday period (particularly on Three King’s Day), but you can always find something to do.  Given that Spanish winters are fairly mild, a walk along the beach in January is quite pleasant. 

So, the holiday season can be an excellent time to look for spain travel deals if you’d like to combine your celebrations with a great trip.

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When it comes to finding the best Spain travel deals, or leaning more about travel to any part of the world for that matter, it never ceases to amaze me how the internet continues to offer more and more solutions.  One of the newest, and I believe most powerful methods of finding up to the minute travel information and deals is through the use of social media websites.

For those that don’t know social media sites are those which strive to facilitate a community environment where you can keep in touch, and interact with friends, family, and people who share similar interests.  Sites offering this kind of community include pages like Twitter and Facebook. 

In the rest of this post, I will talk more specifically about Twitter, and how you can use it as a tool to help you find the best Spain travel deals.  First, a brief explanation of Twitter is required.  I’m sure by now you’ve all heard of this service.  In its most basic form, Twitter can help you to send short messages to the people in your life.  You can tell them about them about your latest activities, and keep up to speed with what they are doing as well.

However, the great thing about Twitter that many people don’t realize is that it goes much farther than that.  Indeed, you can also use the service to keep up with companies and individuals who specialize in specific topics.  For example, if you wanted to use Twitter to find out about the best Spain travel deals, you could follow people representing travel agencies, airlines, and websites like this one specializing in Spanish travel. 

By doing so, you will get more up to the minute information about the best travel deals on offer across the internet.  You can get information more often, because rather than writing a full article about a specific deal, the person you are following can send off a quick message about the latest information they’ve found. 

For those interested in getting some great information about visiting Spain. You can follow me at the username Spaintraveler.  I recently started this account as another means of bringing you the best information I can about the latest Spain travel deals, and other items of interest to those visiting Spain. 

In addition, followers will be notified via my account when any new posts or changes are made on this blog.  Finally, Twitter will serve as a medium of communication, where you can ask me anything you want about the content I provide, and make suggestions for future content. 

I hope to see you on Twitter soon!

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This time around I’ve got a bit of general advice for you regarding your vacation planning strategy, that I believe will help you to get the best Spain travel deals for your money, and also help you to enjoy your time in Spain a lot more.  In fact, I think this advice will be helpful to you when you want to save money on travel to other places as well.

What I would like to discuss with you today is my preferred method of travel structure when on holiday.  I want to suggest that in order to get the best Spain travel deals, you should pick one specific area of the country to explore on any one holiday, and plan your tour of this area in a way that has you enjoying the kinds of sites and activities that really match up your your personal preferences.

A quick example should make this quite clear.  I have mentioned on the blog a number of times, that I enjoy visiting historical sites of interest whenever I take a trip.  Aside from making the rounds at such places, I also enjoy a nice beach holiday, as Spain has a lot to offer for the beach lover.

If I were asked to recommend a destination in Spain for someone with similar kinds of interests, I would probably point them toward Granada.  I said in a previous post that I believe the Alhambra to be one of Spain’s most impressive and historically important sites.  Indeed, no history lover would want to miss it.  Granada would also be a nice choice because of its close proximity to the beach resort town of Mortil.  I feel that Mortil offers one of the best Spain travel deals for a day trip from Granada, because it can be reached by bus in less than two hours, and the cost to get there should be no more than 5 Euros.

So, for me, a few days touring Granada, combined with some time at the beach in Mortil, would make for a nice holiday for two reasons.  Firstly, the trip would offer something that peaks two of my interests when it comes to travel.  Secondly, I would really have time to see both places well because I would not be trying to cover too much ground in one trip.

Now, I realize that many people, particularly those on their first visit to Spain, may be tempted to try and cover many cities at once.  Indeed, if you have never seen Europe before, you may be tempted to try and see many countries in one trip.

This is understandable, but not recommended.  I have found that when traveling in Spain or anywhere else, you don’t really get to know anyplace better unless you have time to see it in some depth.  Also, you can’t expect to get the best Spain travel deals, if you are spending a lot of time and money moving from place to place.  In addition to spending a lot on transport, you’ll have less time to get to know where the best deals are in each city you visit.

So, try to find one city or area that peaks your interests (this blog can help you there), then make that the base for your Spain holiday.  You’ll get to know the place better, and save money in the process.

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In a previous post, I told you about some great Spain travel deals being offered by a beachfront Hotel in Nerja.  In that article, I expressed my opinion that the town of Nerja is a still a bit neglected by many tourists, and I promised to share with you some information about a few of the best things to do in Nerja.

In this p0ost, I want to discuss some Spain tourist attractions in the town that I think will be of real interest to those who enjoy natural sites. 

I’ll start with a beautiful attraction in the center of the town known as, Balcon de Europa, or the Balcony of Europe.  There you’ll find a man made outlook built on a beautiful cliff that overlooks the sea.  Local tales state that the cliff itself got the title of Balcon de Europa when King Alfonso XII of Spain visited the area, and was moved by the beautiful view.  Accordingly, a statue of the king now stands at the site.

I would say that the balcon is certainly one of the best Spain tourist attractions for photographers, and lovers of natural beauty.  It offers wonderful views of the rocky coastline below the cliff, and a crystal clear view of the water for some distance.  There are also beautiful views of the Aljimara Mountains, and the palms around the cliff.

As a lover of historical sites, I am also intrigued by the fact that a Moorish castle stood on this cliff in the ninth century, and was later replaced by a fort that remained on the site for several hundred years.  One can imagine what striking views those residing in these structures must have had.

If you’re intrigued by natural Spain tourist attractions, the caves of Nerja are also a must see during your visit to the town.  The beautiful and extensive cave complex was discovered in the late 1950’s, and has a rich history dating to prehistoric times.

Archeological studies have revealed that humans were using the complex as a shelter as early as 25,000 BC.  Over time, tribes of prehistoric hunters began to use the caves as a year=round shelter.  This practice would continue until the Bronze Age.

Today, you can visit the caves to see paintings done by prehistoric inhabitants, and an impressive number of items discovered during archeological digs at the site.  Interestingly, one of the chambers which are open to the public is also used for several festivals and concerts, due to the natural acoustic effects which are produced. 

If you want to see areas of the cave which are generally not open to the public, it is possible to join a tour led by professional spelunkers. 

Access to the cave complex will cost you a very reasonable 6 Euros (discounts are available for children, elderly, and groups).  This makes the complex one of the best Spain travel deals for the naturalist on holiday in Nerja. 

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For this article, I want to let you know about the very reasonable Spain travel deals on offer for a room at the Riu Monica hotel in Nerja.  I am bringing you this review today not only because the hotel in question is an excellent value, but because I believe the town of Nerja is greatly underappreciated.  While the town has certainly built itself up around tourism in recent years, I feel that more tourists should consider Nerja when selecting a holiday destination in Spain.  I will be bringing you more articles about Nerja in the future, in an effort to show you what the city has to offer. 

For now, let me tell you a bit more about Riu Monica.  The first big draw for this hotel is that it is located right on Playa de la Torrecilla, just far enough outside of Nerja’s city center to offer you a quiet stay in a relaxed environment.  You’ll have fantastic access to the beach anytime you wish to go, and you can easily book a room that has great views of the water. 

Its prime location aside, the hotel has a lot of other things to offer.  The rooms here are spacious and modern with television and air conditioning available.  You’ll be pleased to find that everything here is very tidy, as the cleaning staff visits rooms daily.  Additionally, you also have the option to hire the use of a safe in your room for added security, 

Another reason why Riu Monica can be seen as one of the best Spain travel deals in Nerja is the fact that it offers quality dining for guests.  You can eat wonderful buffet style meals at the restaurant that always includes a wide variety of quality local food among the choices.  Indeed, the offerings are extensive enough here that you should have no trouble finding cuisine you will enjoy.

If you do choose to dine elsewhere, the fact that this hotel is just a short walk from central Nerja means that other restaurants and stores are close at hand.  There is a bus stop located conveniently close to the grounds if you decide you want to go into town via public transport. 

When you’re back at Riu Monica, you will find that you can enjoy a swim in either the indoor or outdoor pool.  Both are clean and inviting, and the outdoor pool offers a lot of space for those who just want to sunbathe. 

There is also a gym available for guest use, a beautiful hotel garden, and daily entertainment for both children and adults. 

When you want to keep in touch with those back home, you can access the internet in the reception area for a small fee.  Should you require anything else, I think you’ll find that the staff here is very hands on and eager to please. 

Taking all this account, along with the fact that nightly prices average just over 67 Euro ($100 USD), I think you find this place is a great choice. 

Thanks for visiting Spain Travel Deals Blog, and please check back soon for more information about vacationing in Spain.

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In this article I want to give you some details about a site that will help you to do a bit of comparison shopping when looking for the best Spain travel deals.  The site I am referring to is called Travel Grove (www.travelgrove.com).

Now, most of us who have traveled by air have seen some of the websites that allow you to check airline ticket prices that are being advertised by different companies.  By doing this, they save you the effort of going to each company’s site individually to check for the best offers.

Travel Grove does this as well.  So, if you visit the site, you will be able to check with a number of the major ticket brokers to find the best Spain travel deals they offer for your flight.  However, what makes Travel Grove special when compared to other sites offering a similar service is the fact that they allow you to comparison shop for every other aspect of your trip as well.

In, other words, you will be able to use Travel Grove to search a number of major hotel booking sites, in order to find the cheapest price for a room.  After doing that, you can shop around for the cheapest car rental company.  All you need to do when looking for deals for any particular facet of your trip, is type where and when you are going, and tell Travel Grove which of the major booking sites you want it to search for deals.

If you are planning a cruise based vacation, there is also a facility on the site to search among several different cruise lines to find the best offers.

Another nice feature on Travel Grove is the deals page.  Just click the deals tab, and enter in your destination in the search box.  If you want the best Spain travel deals that the site can currently find, you could just enter Spain in the search, and then see where in the country you can get the best offers.  If you have already made a definite decision about where in Spain you want to travel, you can also enter a city name in the search box for a more focused list of offers.

Finally, check out the quick reference travel guides that are available on Travel Grove to get an introduction to Spain, and anyplace else you might want to visit during your holiday.

As a final piece of advice for this article about getting the best travel deals, I highly recommend that you also check out the great offer on the sidebar of this blog.  The product listed there will show you some lesser known ways for getting good deals (particularly on airline rickets).

In the interest of full disclosure, the sidebar product is an affiliate offer, so if you do purchase it through any link on this site, I will receive a commission for the sale.

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I have written quite a lot on this blog already about how and where to find the best Spain travel deals when looking at accommodation and dining options.  This is because these two elements of travel generally account for the largest part of your financial outlay on any holiday.  That being said, there are some ways to save money on many of the activities you do while in Spain.  Indeed, it is possible for tourists to find discounts on everything from sightseeing, to shopping, to enjoying a night out at a local club.

In this article, I want to discuss the Spain travel deals that can be had on a visit to the Spanish capital, when you choose to purchase the Madrid Card.  I will do my best to outline for you what this card does and does not offer, and give my opinion as to when it represents the best value for a traveler.

First of all, the Madrid card is a discount card for tourists that will get you into a number of attractions and events in Madrid for free.  It will also save you some money when you choose to purchase various products and services that are generally of interest to tourists. 

Tourist sites are definitely the places that offer the greatest number of deals for Madrid Card holders.  Indeed, you will be given free access to several dozen museums, and other areas of cultural significance in Madrid.  The types of museums offering free access are quite varied, so there is certainly something for everyone in that respect.  In my opinion, there are several sites granting free entry which I think represent the highlights of the Madrid Card’s offerings. 

For art lovers, the Prado Museum is not to be missed.  While in the capital, the royal palace, and royal monasteries are also must see destinations.  As someone who is keenly interested in historical sites, I would put the Nation al Anthropology Museum on my list of top destinations as well.  It has exhibits encompassing the full scope of Spanish history.

As I have already briefly mentioned, the card offers Spain travel deals on more than just tourist sites.  You can save at nearly 50 restaurants, about 20 clubs, and a number of car rental companies among other things. 

Now, do be aware that the card does not get you any discounts for public transport (although there are other discounts available for this that we will discuss later).  However, it does give you free access to a sightseeing tour bus which I highly recommend.  Using the bus, you will save time visiting sites, and help you get the full value out of the card. 

You can purchase a Madrid Card that is valid for 1-3 days at tourist information centers throughout Madrid, or purchase it online.   Prices range from 47 to 74 Euros ($70 to $110 USD).

I hope you found this article useful.  Come back again soon for more Spain travel deals and information.

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