By Rick Steves Many Americans are intimidated by dialing European phone numbers. You needn t be. With these tips and list of calling codes for Europe, it s simple, whether you re calling from the US, Canada, or within Europe. Calling Internationally Whether you re phoning from a US landline, your own mobile phone, a Skype account, or a number in another European country (e.g., Spain to Italy), you re making an international call. Here s how to do it: Dial the…

While the northern provinces of Cantabria and Asturias are popular holiday terrain for Spaniards and the French, they remain hardly touched by the mass tourism of the Mediterranean coast, mostly because of the somewhat unreliable weather. But the sea is warm enough for swimming in the summer months, and the sun does shine, if not every day; it’s the warm, moist climate, too, that’s responsible for the forests and rich vegetation that give the region its name…

Pack your bags, book your Spain flights, and get ready for an adventure. No matter if you re on the hunt for an thrilling escape or a tranquil trip, you ll find myriad ways to personalize every aspect of your adventure. On your trip, visit the can t-miss landmarks and revel in the vistas of the most gorgeous areas. It s no wonder why adventure seekers, history buffs, and travel bugs alike are drawn to this alluring destination. Here at Expedia, we re committed…

The birthplace of Salvador Dalí, and the capital of the Alt Emporda region, Figueres, is famous because of the Dalí Theatre-Museum, which is the second most visited museum in all of Spain, after the Prado Museum in Madrid. However the town of Figueres makes a good base for a night or two, to enjoy a number of fine buildings, apart from the famous Dalí museum, plus some other great museums – the Toy Museum of Catalonia, The Emporda Region Museum and the Technical…

Asturias: an unknown but remarkably beautiful region of Spain! With its combination of beaches, mountain ranges, natural parks and caves, Asturias is the place to go if you can t decide between a holiday in the mountains or at the beach. For a holiday immersed in amazing landscapes and pure nature, Asturias is your dream destination. Now that summer has ended, autumn has transformed the Asturian forests and parks into a landscape straight from a fairy tale…

People hold Catalan separatist flags, known as Esteladas , during a gathering to protest against legal challenges made by Spain s government against pro-independence Catalan politicians, in Barcelona, Spain, November 13, 2016. Albert Gea/Reuters Catalonia, the small, ancient nation of seven million people in the northeastern corner of Spain, is living with an unheard of situation in the heart of democratic Europe. From February 6 to 10 our former president…

You can plan a vacation in Malaga throughout the year with the refreshing summers, or serene winters. Springs (March, April, May) in Malaga are warm and pleasant and a good time to enjoy Malaga’s outdoor activities. The months tend to get gradually warm (ranging from 50-68ºF in March to 55-75ºF in May), with cool nights, occasional showers (averaging 40mm) and fog. Carry light clothing in layers, a jacket, light cardigans, good walking shoes, and an umbrella…

Spain has been described by some historians and explorers as one big mountain range, with 24% of the country being above 1, meters above sea level, and the other 76% situated between 500 and 1, meters. The country has an average elevation of 660 meters above mean sea level, the second highest in Europe after Switzerland. Some of the mountain ranges in Spain include the Pyrenees, the Sierra Nevada, the Cordillera Cantabria, the Sistema Iberico, the Cordillera…

Connecting flights to Granada are offered by a variety of different countries and airlines as Granada does not have an international airport. You will be able to take a bus, train or purchase airfare to Granada. Granada Airport (GRX) is a single-terminal facility that acts as a gateway into Andalusia. The airport only caters for domestic flights with the majority of Granada flights arriving from Barcelona and Madrid. The airport is officially known as the Federico…

Castile Spanish Castilla, traditional central constituting more than one-quarter of the area of peninsular . Castile’s northern part is called and the southern part is called . The region formed the core of the Kingdom of Castile, under which Spain was united in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The name Castile—meaning “land of castles”—is first known to have been used in about ad 800, when it was applied to a small district at the foot of the in the…

During the height of the Spanish Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries the epic kings of Spain channeled some of the riches that were coming from the Americas into art. They would order from and buy paintings and sculptures from the best artists in Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. Spain today is one of the European countries that has the largest collections of art. Much of this art is found in its museums. Spain has also been the country…

Overview of Ojén Its name is derived from an Arabic word, hoxán, meaning rough or bitter place. It seems a curious description to give to such a tranquil and beautiful spot, and even more curious that the Moors should establish a settlement in a place they presumably did not care for. But they did, and in common with other inland villages such as Istán, it was allowed to survive the Christians embargo on Moors living too close to the sea after the reconquest…

Flights travel from New York to Barcelona daily. Both business travelers and tourists enjoy visiting Barcelona. The city is a hub of cultural activities and historic sites. Orbitz.com can help travelers locate the best deals on accommodations and flights from New York to Barcelona. New York City Three airports in New York provide flights to Barcelona: JFK International Airport, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International Airport. Several airlines offer flights…

Photo The Robin Hood restaurant in Madrid this month. The restaurant is one of four with the same name that have opened in the past month in Spain to serve those who cannot afford to dine out. Credit Samuel Aranda for The New York Times MADRID — Ángel Castillo once worked as a restaurant cook. But after losing his job and struggling with alcoholism, he has been sleeping on the streets for most of the last 16 years. It has been a while since he has worked in…

Executive Monarch is commander-in-chief of the Spanish armed forces and nominates a candidate for president of government. Prime minister is president of government, conducts domestic and foreign policy, civil and military administration, and defense of the nation under the king. Prime minister is elected by parliament. Prime Minister: No fixed term length Judicial Responsible for processing substantial complaints of wrongdoing against prominent persons such…

A few weeks ago I found myself in the strange position of having a rental car in Spain! Like most young expats here, I don’t own a car, but I get by just fine with the great public transportation system or with my friends who have pity on my. Luckily, my best friend who’s living in Switzerland hopped on down to sunny Spain to visit me for a week! For the special occasion, we decided to be grown-ups and rent a car. With all of northern Spain at our feet, I decided…

I have been preparing this post for a long while now, because my intention was to give you a thorough tourist guidebook to Salamanca, but for that I needed to gather a series of information and take photos that had not been taken yet. So hereby I would like to present to you my current residency, one of the cultural capitals of Europe: Salamanca! Salamanca is a vibrant university city, located in the autonomous community of Castilla y León and in the province…

Located in very center town, flat has an ample patio (18m^2) with amazing view on the bay of Cadaques. Perfect for a couple to enjoy a calm and relaxing vacation. All furniture is at disposal including: WIFI, WASHING MACHINE, DISHWASHER Possible park car CLEANING COST ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE PRICE! NO EXTRA COSTS! No smoken accepted (excepted on the terasse) No pets allowed Very charming and typical flat (38m2) with ample patio (18m2) which offer a stunning…

This year I have been lucky enough to find myself living in Logroño, the capital of La Rioja, Spain’s top wine-producing region. I have called many cities in Spain home over the years, but nothing has tugged at my heart like living in La Rioja. I am unashamedly in love with this little city. Situated in beautiful northern Spain, about an hour and a half from the coast and France and about 4 hours north of Madrid, many people skip this little region altogether…

While I adore train travel in Spain , sometimes renting a car is the best way to go. Especially when you have the time and ability to make some stops along the way. When we decided to spend a few days in San Sebastían, we knew the only way to go was by car. Not only would it give us the flexibility to properly explore a tiny piece of the Basque Country (we even crossed over to the French side), but we were also able to stop in one of the most beautiful Spanish…