Spain
Spain is located on the Iberian Peninsula, occupying about 80% of its surface. Portugal lies on the remaining 20%. In the North, Spain borders on France and Andorra, with the Pyrenees as a natural frontier.
Spain has a long-standing reputation as a holiday country. It is the country of sun, sea, beach and paella. However, Spain has so much more to offer! Lush orange plantations, waving vineyards and splendid valleys dominate the scenery of the Costa Blanca.
Before you start looking for a house in Spain, it is advisable to learn more about the country itself. Not just the tourist attractions, but also about matters such as the culture and the legal aspects of life in Spain.
Especially if you are planning to emigrate, it is important to be informed well in advance about all the things you may and will have to deal with. A good preparation can spare you a lot of annoyance and trouble. A wealth of information about moving and living in Spain can be found on: www.spain.othercountries.com
On the next pages you will learn more about Spain. We will enter at length into the various characteristics of the country, its people and their customs.
Meteorology
Although Spain lies in the temperate zone, as a result of its relief the country presents a great variety of climates.
The Cantabrian mountains mark the clear climatologic division. North of this mountain range, where we find the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia, lies the rainy Spain with a distinct maritime climate. Here the variations in temperature are only slight, with mild winters and cool summers. There's almost continuous cloud and it rains regularly, although less frequently during the summer. This type of climate is typical for Western Europe.
South of the Cantabrian mountain range lies the arid Spain, with extremely varied climatological types. Elements you find everywhere in the arid Spain are the very scarce rainfall, the mercilessly burning sun and the sheer blue sky. Occasionally, a short, fierce thunderstorm may break.
On the Costa Blanca the average year-round temperature is 17.6 degrees centigrade, the average daytime temperature is even 23.3 degrees centigrade. During the summer, the daytime temperature is usually around 30 degrees centigrade or more, and in winter the temperature usually ranges between 15 and 20 degrees centigrade.
The region has at least 300 days of sunshine per year, which is clearly demonstrated by the many overgrown brooks and riverbeds.
The climate is so healthy that there is even talk of its being recognized by the World Health Organization.
Geography
Apart from the Iberian Peninsula, Spain possesses transmarine territories, such as the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza) in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, close to the Moroccan coast, and Ceuta and Melilla, both situated in North Africa.
In size, Spain is the number three country in Europe, as far as population is concerned, it ranks fifth.
The landscape is extraordinarily varied, from desertlike to green and fertile, and of course, there are the vast coastal areas, in the east along the Mediterranean from the Pyrenees to Gibraltar, and in the west along the Atlantic Ocean as far as Portugal.
Festivities
Two of the most spectacular festivities in Spain take place on the Costa Blanca. Moros y Cristianos and the Misterio de Elche, are undoubtedly very popular festivities.
Moros y Cristianos is being celebrated in 46 towns in the Alicante region. The feast commemorates the reconquest of the region from the troops of Al-Azrah. The highlight of the festivities is at Alcoy. Most villages and towns celebrate these festivities between the 22nd and 24th of April.
At Villajoyosa a naval battle and invasion on the beach are re-enacted in the month of July as part of the celebration of Moros y Cristianos. The climax is the defence of the castle and the victory of the Christians over the Moors.
The Mystery of Elche (Misterio de Elche) is a religious celebration. Halfway through August a play is performed about the Virgin Mary. Here, theatre and music lovers can indulge themselves. The play, at some points overwhelming, is made even more interesting because it is being performed by amateurs who rehearse the year round. The principal days are the 14th and 15th of August, but in the preceding week there are already performances, which last four hours.
Other religious celebrations are the drama Auto de los Reyes Magos at Cañada and the Semana Santa (Easter Week) at Orihuela and Crevillente. Fireworks play an important part in Spanish festivities. Jávea and other mountain villages celebrate fire festivals.
Traditions
Apart from the principal holidays, Christmas, Easter Week, All Saints etc., al towns and villages have their own patron saint whose festivities last several days. These celebrations usually take place during the summer.
Although festivities of this kind are of religious nature, there are always bulls present. The Fiesta Nacional, as the bullfight is called in Spain, is popular with the young ones as well as with the old. Originally, the bullfight was a sport for the upper classes, and was practised on horseback. Since 1724, the bulls are being fought on foot.
Spanish cooking
The Spanish cuisine offers a great variety of foods. Thanks also to the Arabs, who brought, amongst others, rice and citrus fruit, and the climatologic circumstances, the Spanish cuisine offers everything the modern gastronome wishes for: fish or meat, light or heavy.
On the coast, the accent of the meals is more on rice, fish and fruit; in the interior and the mountains hearty meat dishes are more common.
Spain is one of Europe's leading wine countries. On the following pages we offer you some more information about the subject.
Spanish wine
Measured by the surface planted, Spain is the world's largest wine-producing country. The fact that, as far as volume is concerned, the country ranks only third is due to the low yield. The light crops have everything to do with the sometimes severe conditions under which the vines have been planted, as large parts of the country are hot and dry, bordering on desertlike. This can be clearly seen from the location of the winegrowing regions. Most of the vineyards lie in the north and the east of the country, with one important exception: La Mancha, south of Madrid, which is the largest winegrowing region in the world.
History
Spain has a centuries-old tradition of winegrowing, which harks back to the time when the country was ruled by the Romans. Until recently, renown of the Spanish wines was only small and almost exclusively related to the fortified and sweet wines, such as Jerez (sherry) and, in the nineteenth century, Malaga. The production of other wines simply suffered from a lack of knowledge. The white wines were oxidative, the red wines alcoholic. The first table wine to cause a sensation was the red Rioja. This only happened towards the end of the nineteenth century, also thanks to a substantial contribution of claret. Around 1900, the production of sparkling wines in Catalonia began to be successful. Under the name of Cava, these wines would score great success worldwide.
The mayor breakthrough of Spain as a supplier of quality wines came in the eighties. After the restoration of democracy and the entry of Spain into the European Union, an unprecedented modernization process started. Since then, Spain has distinguished itself by making both "mondial" wines, made of internationally popular grape varieties, as well as very typical, very Spanish wines, but then made according to the latest criteria. Thus the country caters to al tastes.
Climate and grapes
Spain has a surprising variety in climatological conditions and landscapes. The cool and humid Galicia in the northwest differs in virtually every respect from the warm and sunny Andalusia in the south. And the Mediterranean regions with their mild climate differ radically from the upland plains in the interior, where it can be both scorchingly hot and icingly cold. Drought is a more or less general in Spain. Because irrigation of the vineyards is forbidden, the number of vines per hectare is low, and their yield is also a lot lower than in the other winegrowing countries in Europe.
The best known variety of Spain is the tempranillo grape. It has been planted in so many regions that the number of synonyms is countless. It can be found, amongst others, in the Rioja, Navarra, Ribera del Duero, La Mancha, Valdepeñas and along the Mediterranean. Another well-known grape of Spanish origin is the garnacha, better known as grenache. As far as white wines are concerned, the macabeo, albariño and palomino grapes stand out. The first provides the fruit for a large number of wines in the north and northeast of Spain, the second for the Rias Baixas region north of Portugal, and the third for the sherry wines.
In recently developed areas, the international grape varieties have a strong position, thanks to the tolerance of the Spanish legislation.
Label
As a rule, Spanish quality wines bear a "denominación de origen"(DO), a guarantee of origin. In the meantime there are about fifty of those, varying strongly in size, from several dozens to many tens of thousands of hectares. The Rioja region was the first to obtain the status of "denominación de origen califcada"(DOCa), a guarantee of origin and quality. Compliance with the rules of the DO's is being monitored by a Board of Supervision, a Consejo Regulador.
The Spanish wine producers like to have their red wines ageing in barrels and bottled. Depending on the total duration of the ageing process, they can give their wine the following designations: Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. A wine marketed as 'Joven"(young) has not undergone an ageing process.
The Costa Blanca
The Comunidad (province) of Valencia owes its name to the ancient Romans, who called it Valentia (the Strong One). This autonomous community is the prototype of "Mediterranean" Spain, with a wonderful climate and over 500 kilometres of coast. It is the principal tourist attraction of the country.
Yet the region offers much more than merely sun and sand. Here you will find ruins of former Phoenician, Greek, Iberian and Roman settlements.
In the coastal region, the region of the city people, the language is Valenciano, which strongly resembles the Catalan of Barcelona. In the interior the language spoken is Castilian (Spanish).
The influence of the Moors is still evident in the traditional agriculture with the oranges, almonds and rice that came in from North Africa. This has had a mayor impact on the regional cuisine.
The cuisine of Valencia
The cuisine of Valencia is just as varied as the languages spoken. While in the fertile coastal region people consume the fruits of sea and orchards, in the mountainous interior the meal frequently consists of stews of game and goat meat.
Characteristic of the landscape between Alicante and Valencia are the vast rice fields near the coast and the rolling orchards full of citrus fruits such as oranges, limes and clementines. In spring, when the orange trees are in blossom. the blossoms produce an enchanting perfume, which has given the coastal region south of Valencia its name, Costa del Azahar (coast of the orange blossom).
It is therefore not surprising that the cuisine of the inhabitants of the coast consists mainly of combinations of rice, citrus fruit, almonds, fish and seafood, with, of course, the paella, the traditional rice dish with fish and/or meat as a world-famous example.
Moraira, a wonderful town
Moraira is one of the few towns on the Costa Blanca that has conserved its authentically Spanish centre.
The little town is characterized by the narrow streets in the centre, meandering along inviting outdoor cafés and eating-places, ending at the beautiful modern marina and the small fishing port. The town comprises 8 kilometres of the coastline from Morro de Tamarit to Punte de L'Estrelle, enclosed by a sea that's always blue and warm. Some beaches have fine sand for the modern visitor who likes bustle and tourism. Other beaches are situated in small bays surrounded by rocks, ideal for visitors who prefer quiet and intimacy.
Of course, as on the whole Costa Blanca, the facilities are of a quality that is unique for the European Union. Everything people might wish for can be provided, whether it's water or other outdoor sports, fine cooking, services like medical care, banks, rental etc..
Everything is being done to entertain and please the visitors.
The coastal road from Moraira to Calpe, with a length of 18 kilometres, may rightly be counted amongst the most beautiful routes on the Costa Blanca. Close to the coast with superb vistas of the Mediterranean with sheer cliffs and surrounded by strips of pine forest.
The inhabitants of Moraira have created a fine mixture for the many visitors and owners of splendid villas, without spoiling that which gives the region its beauty. Highly recommended is a visit to the weekly market on Fridays and the daily fish auction, where you as a visitor and private person can bid on small lots of freshly caught fish, just brought in by the small fishing boats.
Jalón, the picturesque Spain
About 20 kilometres off the coast near Moraira lies the Jalón valley. This fertile oasis harbours a number of picturesque villages, of which Jalón is the best known.
The village of Jalón is authentically Spanish with its small centre and narrow alleys. People here make their living out of winegrowing, agriculture and the developing tourism. The number of inhabitants is about 2000 and since 1990, the population is growing again.
The village is known for its various bodegas, where wine from the region is being sold at modest prices.
Surprisingly, on the border of the village a beautiful promenade arises along the Rio Jalón, a river which runs dry during 360 days of the year. During a couple of days every year, this river changes into a magnificent, big and wild stream.
Benidorm, tourist attraction
Benidorm is for youngsters from all over Europe the principal tourist attraction of Spain, perhaps even of Europe. Situated in a basin, Benidorm offers the lovers of sun, sea and beach all that they can wish for. The nightlife is abundant, with a choice of uncountable bars and discos.
Also for the somewhat older visitor, Benidorm is more than worth while. After the holiday season and during the winter months, Benidorm is very popular with hibernators. During the coldest months, the suave climate attracts many people to the seaside resort, where the temperature keeps fluctuating around 18 degrees centigrade.
From a modest fishing village, Benidorm has grown into a modern metropolis, where the old Spanish traditions live side by side with new European sources of entertainment.
The broad sandy beaches Playa Poniente and Playa Levante are separated from the many outdoor cafés and restaurants by a magnificent promenade.
In the old centre of the town the typical Spanish culture is to be found in the narrow winding alleys.
In the modern hotel area of Rincon de Loix high hotels and apartment building alternate with the numerous bars, discos and restaurants.
Inland you will find the new and very extensive theme park "Terra Mitica". This amusement park, which may be counted amongst the biggest fun-fairs of Europe, offers both the young and old varied entertainment around the theme *Ancient Times". The park throws light on five themes from ancient times:
Egypt, bazaar of dreams
Greece, country of the gods
Rome, the border
Iberia, the warm coast
The islands, the great journey
Calpe, symbol of the Costa Blanca
The rock, Peñón de Ifach, towering above everything else. Quiet, spacious beaches. Vertiginous rock formations that rise straight from the Mediterranean. The magnificent hinterland with its mountains and green valleys, that protect the coastline and safeguard its splendid Mediterranean climate.
Calpe will surprise you with its enormous contrasts. Calpe is the town where modern apartment blocks and hotels next to the broad promenades harmonise with the ancient fishing port and the centre from times long past. Where the local population is proud of its past, but now welcomes the tourists and visitors with a warm hospitality and friendliness.
Calpe is a town with a rich history and culture. Due to its strategic location on the coast, throughout the ages it has attracted inhabitants and visitors like a magnet. Romans, Iberians and Moors have sojourned there within the space of 20 centuries, have battled there and enjoyed this beautiful location. Remains of all these civilizations can be found in the local museums and exhibitions.
The Peñón de Ifach is the symbol of this town. With its height of 322 metres it rises high over the Mediterranean and is therefore the landmark of this town. The Peñón de Ifach is a national park, but there are possibilities for a visit. Via footways this rock can be visited and admired. For the mountaineers too, this rock offers many possibilities. About 30 trails have been plotted for the practice of this sport. Simple ones for the novices and very difficult ones for the cracks amongst you.
On both sides of these rock are the two magnificent broad sandy beaches, surrounded by chic promenades and places to eat and to drink. For the modern water sports enthusiast, all kinds of experiences are possible and all kind of equipment for rent. Calpe is furthermore famous for its big salt lake, situated behind the beaches. This salt lake is a relic of Roman times and now is a protected area, inhabited by a large colony of wild flamingo's.
As far as cooking is concerned, Calpe is know for its dried fish, called Salazones, and Putxero de Pulp, which is octopus in a delicious sauce. Further well-known dishes are the fisherman's stews from the oven and the many paella dishes. It goes without saying that this fashionable sea resort also offers a magnificent international cuisine.
Jávea, jewel of the Costa Blanca
Nested between the rocks of San Antonio and La Nao lies the town of Jávea or Xabia (as it is called in Valencian, the local spoken language). It lies in the north of the Costa Blanca, worshipped by the Mediterranean and protected from the colder land winds by the Montego mountain (the Montgó). Jávea has a varied coastline of excellent sandy beaches and rugged rock formations. The place has a mild Mediterranean climate throughout the year, has a magnificent distribution and offers excellent facilities for tourists. Jávea is a jewel on the Costa Blanca that has conserved all the charms of an old fishing village.
You have a choice between various beaches. The crowded beach of El Arenal in the centre of the bay has a beautiful promenade and many restaurants. If you prefer quiet and a breathtaking scenery, you could go to the quiet Granadella cove, an ideal place for scuba and skin-diving. There is also a place for nudists on the Ambolo beach.
In the rugged rock formations of the coastline there are many caves and coves which can be accessed by boat and on foot. You can visit these on your own or with a local guide, who can also tell you everything about the native plant and animal life. The small islands before the coast can only be reached by boat, but are certainly worth the effort. Here you will imagine yourself to be in a place where you are the first visitor.
The old town has been laid out around the old fishing port or marina and has been splendidly preserved throughout the ages. The white houses with their Gothic windows accompany you through the maze of narrow and attractive alleys. The Gothic church, fortified as a 15th century fortress, is certainly worth a visit. Furthermore in the various museums everything can be found about Jávea, even back to the epoch of the Romans.
Like everywhere on the Costa Blanca, the local people are friendly and hospitable and they seem to have plenty of time to lead you around and help you in their town of which they are justifiably proud.
Denia, both seaside resort and seaport
Denia is sometimes called the capital of the Marina Alta, one of the regions of the Valencian community. Denia is situated between the spectacular Cabo de San Antonio and the top of the mountain named Montgó. This mountain, nicknamed "The Elephant" as it rises from the sea, has an altitude of 753 metres and is also a national natural park.
Denia is a very ancient town, with a history that goes far back in time. Characteristic of the town is the beautiful castle "El Castillo de Denia" which lies just next to the centre. There are various museums, ranging from modern art to ancient archaeology and everything in between.
Denia has plenty of beaches. You can choose among the sandy beaches of Las Marinas, like the Playa de la Almadrava. With a total length of over 20 kilometres of golden yellow beach, Denia may rightly be called a bathing resort. The town is also famous for its many windsurfing contests and sailing races.
In a culinary sense, Denia caters for all tastes, with over 250 restaurants every connoisseur can find a place to his liking.
Denia has he character of a seaside resort and port town all in one. The town is famous for its big marina and fishing port, but is possibly even better known as the starting-point of the many ferries to the Balearic Islands. Its qualities as a seaside resort, fishing place and point o departure to many destinations, lend Denia an atmosphere unequalled by any other place.
We hope that this information has provided you with a little more insight in the Spanish country and a number of customs and traditions.
We wish you a sunny stay on the Costa Blanca.
The management of Top Villas Internacional s.l.
Susanne and Robert Zwarts.
