Travel ideas for Spain - unique sights, worth Guinness records

The amazing monastery of Montserrat located in a mountainous area of the same name is the main religious center of Catalonia. It attracts Catholics from around the world. Hundreds of years ago, a wooden statue of the Madonna has been founded by shepherds in one of the caves. The monastery was laid down around this legendary cave in the early 11th century. It’s incredibly beautiful mountainous area at an altitude of over 720 meters above sea level.
The monastery borders with a nature reserve and is under state protection. A hundred years ago pilgrims had to go on foot to get to the monastery. Today, many people deter from modern technology and prefer climbing the mountain to overcome themselves.
Those preferring a more comfortable way to travel can choose the more convenient option, the funicular. Over the long history, the Monastery of Montserrat was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt anew. However, it has managed to keep its main relic, a unique wooden statue of the Virgin Mary. It’s annually visited by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from around the world. These amazing places are visited by ecotourists attracted by an abundance of natural attractions. ... Complete sights collection

Miniature Spanish town of Bunol became famous thanks to one of the most original and largest festivals of the world - the festival Tomatina. The event is dedicated to a well-known vegetable - Tomato that literally appears at the centre of events during the celebration. On the last Wednesday of August real battles unfold in the streets of the city. Juicy and over-ripe tomatoes are the participants’ main weapon. Traditionally locals and guests throw tomatoes and get involved in the tomato fight. During the Festival the city streets are covered with tomato juice.
The history of the festival is very interesting. More than 60 years ago in the Plaza del Pueblo local youths went on strike. Some of them in a fit of rage started to pelt each other with tomatoes. Young men instantly forgot about the reason for the quarrel and continued to gamble until they ended up "weapons". A year later it was decided to repeat the event, but the city authorities considered it immoral. Only a few years later the town dwellers managed to get permission for the festival.
During 60 years the holiday has gained international fame and popularity. Each year the city's population increases fivefold during the festival. That’s about 30 000 participants, who are provided with 100 tons of excellent tomatoes. The holiday program is not limited by just street battles, interesting performances, music concerts and firework displays are offered to the guests. ... Complete sights collection

Semana Santa is the name of the famous Spanish annual festival that can literally be translated as "Holy Week". This is one of the few religious festivals in the world which is known far beyond the country. The festival is based on the performance of solemn religious processions that are held in absolutely all cities. A few dozen ceremonies can march past in one day of the festival in one city, they are usually accompanied by the performance of religious music and all old customs are kept up.
Only at first sight such events may seem boring. The solemn processions always attract a huge number of spectators. The central place in the processions belongs to pasos - huge platforms with statues of the saints. Parade participants dressed in festive robes carry pasos through the city streets. While waiting for the solemn procession everyone can enjoy holiday treats. There are always small fairs next to the main streets.
Experienced travellers say that the most beautiful celebrations are held in Toledo, Seville, Cordoba and Madrid. Many of them prefer to go to Semana Santa Festival exclusively in the city of Antigua Guatemala. For many years Antigua Guatemala was a Spanish colony and inherited many beautiful traditions. During the Holy Week the city streets are being covered with incredibly beautiful flower petals where solemn processions pass afterwards. ... Complete sights collection

Spain's longest tunnel Guadarrama was opened for traffic in 2007. The railway tunnel connects Madrid and Valladolid, its length is about 28400 metres. Guadarrama is a twin-tube rail tunnel which is a large transport complex. Since its opening the tunnel is used by the AVE high-speed trains which run in both directions simultaneously.
It is much easier to get from one city to another now as travel time reduced to a few minutes after the opening of the tunnel. As a result, Guadarrama became the centre of active travellers’ attention. Construction of the tunnel commenced in 2002 and lasted a little less than 5 years. Huge material, manpower and time costs are fully offset by the urgency of the tunnel. It takes about 10 minutes to get from Madrid to Valladolid. ... Complete sights collection

In Spain there are worthy natural reserves too. Gorgeous Coto de Donana is among them. It is located in the southern part of the country and is known to ornithologists as a Paradise for Birds. It is the diversity of the feathered inhabitants that has made the reserve world famous. The reserve is located on the paths of bird migration, 360 species of which one can see here within a year.
Graceful pink flamingos, storks and herons, imperial eagles known for their stern temper – this is one of the only places on Earth with such an enormous variety of bird species like this. Rare species of Iberian lynx are also worth mentioning. The National park was created in 1769 and covers an area of 770 square kilometres. Over 250000 travellers from all over the world come here annually to experience unforgettable natural attractions of the region.
Nevertheless, there exist areas, were tourism is poorly controlled, which is of great threat to the unique ecosystems. Some years ago large and resort hotels, modern golf centers and farm territories of impressive size appeared in coastal protected park areas. Large-scale development resulted in a complete draining of somel lagoons, so nowadays, a bill prohibiting further construction in protected areas is being worked out in Spain. Many lovers of nature tend to make winter visits as thousands of heat-loving birds fly here from other continents at this time of the year. ... Complete sights collection

As a result of the volcanic activity, the cave Cueva-de-los-Verdes has formed on Lanzarote Island. Their length is more than 6 km, and the depth reaches 35 meters. The cave was formed more than 5000 years after the eruption of the Corona volcano. The frozen lava has created the incredible beautiful landscapes in the underground vaults, which attract the many tourists.
Cueva de Los Verdes is one of the largest volcanic caves in the world and is considered one of the most convenient for tourists. Thanks to the unique microclimate, the air temperature in the cave remains unchanged throughout the year and forms about 19 degrees. The tourists are able to descend into the cave through the natural entrance, which is located on the Malapis Lawa plateau. More than 1 000 meters of the tunnels are accessible for the hikes.
These passages are equipped with the excellent lighting system. On the banks of one of the underground lakes was the tiny nice restaurant. Among the greatest secrets of the volcanic cave are the blind albino crabs, which usually dwell in the caves on the very great depth. The walk through the cave will definitely please the followers of the nerve kitzel. The itinerary stretches through the dangerous narrow passages and the edge of the slope. It is also necessary to mention the unique acoustic properties of the cave caused by the porous structure of their walls. On the upper level of the cave was the concert hall, where the performances are regularly performed. ... Complete sights collection

In Spain, on Menorca Island is the ancient tomb Naveta de Tudons, whose age, according to the assumptions of the scientist, forms about 3 200 years. It is built of the large stone blocks and reminds of the kielobene boat. The unique crypt was discovered by archaeologists very recently, in 1975. In the research of their interiors, the ancient ceramic buttons and bronze bracelets were found. Currently, the crypt is completely restored and opened to visitors.
The corpses found in the crypt were encircled nearby, and the crypt itself became a prominent tourist object. Naveta de Tudons is the most famous archaeological site of the Balearic Islands, and if its age is properly assessed, the oldest building in Europe.
Like many other old buildings, the crypt was built without the use of the dry brickwork method. Its length is 13.6 meters, and the width - 6.4 meters. Although the visit of the crypt in the high season is subject to fees, there are always very many tourists next to the most ancient building. The travelers who visit Menorca in the period from the beginning of October to Easter can wander through the archaeological district free of charge. ... Complete sights collection

In the Asturias, in Spain is Playa de Ballota - the enchanting beach, one of the most united and most beautiful in the country. If you look at these coastal stretches surrounded by the inaccessible rocks, from the bird's perspective, their outlines recall the small shell. The high cliffs surrounding the beach are overgrown with lush scrubs and trees that contrast beautifully with the sand coast and the turquoise blue waters.
Playa de Ballota is quite large, the extent of the sand beach is 350 meters. One of the main attractions of this area is the rocky island of Castro, where the magnificent view from the coast opens. The tourists prefer to get to the beach by sea. Even in the high season you can see the holidaymakers on this beach extremely rare.
Since recently the territory has been protected by the state not far from the beach and is protected by the state. The tourists who want to spend a day at the Playa de Ballota should take into account that there is no infrastructure on the coast and the beach areas. The striking peculiarity of the beach is the almost constant strong waves, which are considerably lessened by the natural breakers - the rocks surrounding the coast. ... Complete sights collection

The charming Cuevas del Mar beach, located in the eastern part of Asturias, is one of the most picturesque and quiet beaches in Spain. The name of the beach is translated as 'the sea caves' of Spanish, which completely reflects the main particularity of this coast. The beach is framed by the beautiful rocks with a lot of arches and caves, which form a unique sight of natural origin. Through one of the arch, whose location the inexperienced tourists hardly find, one can reach the excellent beach.
The stretch of the beach is about 300 meters. Cuevas del Mar is covered with the soft and incredibly beautiful snow-white sand. Many travelers strive to visit this area at high tide to watch as the rising waters fill the void in the rocks. During the low tide, the guests can look at stone and limestone rocks in all their details, whose unique peculiarities have led to the formation of the unusual landscape.
Next to the beach is a lot of interesting sights, including the mouth of Cueval river and the unique Shutam Pri rocks. That is why you always have the opportunity to bring the change into the recreation with the interesting hike. The picturesque coast also attracts professional photographers. While choosing the best shooting spot, they must be very careful as the coast is at the numerous sharp rocks and shots. ... Complete sights collection

One of the most remarkable airports in the world is located at the foot of the Gibraltar plateau. Gibraltar airport is the only airport in the world whose runway crosses the road. He was still in 1939 for war purposes. Today one of the most dangerous airports in the world belongs to the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain.
Since recently, the airport also serves civil aviation and receives the airplanes that connect Great Britain to Spain. The length of the only airport runway is 1 829 meters. When the aircraft lands or starts at the airport, Winston Churchill Street is closed off. This structure of the airport and the runway is unique. In many respects the security of the airport depends not only on the experience of the pilots, but also on the work of the ground services.
In May 2002 the accident happened with the aircraft Monarch Boeing 757-200 from Luton. Because of the wrong maneuver of the first pilots, the aircraft has bent forward strongly. Miraculously, thanks to the coordinated cooperation of the pilots, it has succeeded in avoiding the aircraft crash. Since 2008, Gibraltar Airport has served more than 300 thousands of passengers a year whose health and lives depend entirely on the faultless work of the pilots and the airport. ... Complete sights collection