Popular Holiday Destinations in Europe. Spain
Nowadays travelling is fairly considered to be one of the most exciting hobbies. More and more people are striving for bright impressions exploring the world and discovering new cultures. Travel agencies offer plenty of destinations and those ones we are going to talk about will definitely cater for your taste and guarantee an unforgettable journey. All you have to do is choose.
According to the survey carried out by holiday review website Zoover in 2011, Spain occupied the first place in popularity having outrun Italy, France, Greece and Turkey.
So, prepare for a breathtaking virtual visit to Spain – the country that will make you want to go back and see it again and again.
There are many Spanish cities that are known internationally for diverse reasons:
Madrid, the capital of Spain, is famous for its museums and lifestyle. Millions of tourists from all over the world visit the city each year. Its numerous palaces, art galleries, parks, gardens and sparkly night life is a real lure for culture vultures and party animals.
The most popular tourist attractions are as follows: Palacio Real (which means Royal Palace) – the official residence of the King of Spain. The major work on the palace was done by the Italian architect Giovanni Battista Sacchetti from 1700 to 1764. The facade is decorated by the drawings prepared by Bernini for the Louvre in Paris. The impression of imposing and unapproachable majesty of the palace is reinforced by the statues of Spanish kings at the top of the white stone balustrade.
No other museum offers such an outstanding overview of Spanish painting from the 12th to the early 19th centuries as the Prado. A visit to the museum is undoubtedly one of the high points of a stay in Madrid. Besides, you are likely to fall in love with tapas and the city's other abundant dining options.
But when you need a break from all the eating and site-seeing, unwinding in the inviting Retira park can be a fine endeavor. This large urban park is the kin to New York city's central park. And Madrid locals love to visit it when they find themselves with some free time.
Another city that attracts people of different nationalities by its extraordinary beauty and vivacity is Barcelona. Flying over the city by plane you can't help noticing the imposing Sagrada Familia (Cathedral of the Saint Family) – the unfinished work of Antoni Gaudi, a famous architect. He engineered Parc Guell and some other remarkable buildings that make Barcelona an out of the ordinary place. Its attractions are very famous in the world and because of them Barcelona is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Without seeing them your trip to Barcelona might be incomplete: the Barri Gotic is the center of the old city and the many of its buildings date from medieval times. Other tourist attractions include Plaza Catalunya, Magic Fountain of Montjuic, La Rambla, Port Vell, Casa Mila, Columbus Monument, the Aquarium.
