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Holiday rentals in Spain
Even today Spain is still one of the most attractive vacation countries in the world. Every year, millions of tourists spend their holidays in wonderful, sunny Spain. Although the majority of tourists in this country are actually Spanish themselves, Spain still receives Europe’s second-largest influx of foreign tourists every year—and for good reason!
The diversity and authenticity Spain has to offer is unrivalled by any other country in Europe. Not only does it have an ideal climate and beautiful landscapes, but it boasts a rich culture, a passionate language, colourful native flavours, and a warm, open population as well. All of this makes Spain one of the most irresistible countries in which to spend one’s vacation.
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General information about Spain 
Spain is a country in southwest Europe. It has a population of approximately 43.7 million people, and with a total land surface area of 505,992 square kilometres, making it the third largest country in Europe, behind Russia and France. Spain shares its northern border with France and Andorra along the Pyrenees, its western border with Portugal, and its southern border with the British colony of Gibraltar. The capital of Spain is Madrid, a vibrant city of more than 3 million residents, and is located at the heart of the country. There are currently 17 autonomic regions in Spain, each of which has a different amount of independence from the central government. There are also two states: Ceuta and Melilla. Almost all of the regions are further subdivided into different provinces.
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Climate in Spain
 Spain has a very hilly, attractive countryside, and is one of the most mountainous countries on the European continent. As a result, there are many different climates (as well as microclimates). The Costa Blanca, where you will find most of our holiday villas, houses, and apartments, has two different climate zones:
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North-eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea (Catalonian coast, Balearic islands, and the northern half of the Valencian region): Mediterranean climate: warm and sometimes hot summers. Mild winters with an average of 600 millimeters of precipitation per year, but sometimes also a few consecutive days of heavy rain.
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South-eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea (Alicante, Murcia and Almeria): Mediterranean climate: hot summers and mild winters. Very dry, almost desert-like, with less than 150 millimetres of precipitation per year in some places. Considered the driest area in Europe. |
Languages in Spain
 There are two different ways to refer to what is in English called Spanish: “español” (Spanish), or “castellano” (Castilian, spoken in Castile).
The many different languages spoken in Spain frequently cause some confusion, especially because they are sometimes called dialects.  While this is not entirely true, there are still only four languages officially recognized in Spain. Castilian is the official language of the entirety of Spain; Catalán, Basque and Galician are officially recognized regional languages, and are used almost exclusively in some regions. Asturian and Aragonian are also two other languages frequently spoken in some regions, but they are not officially recognized. In addition to those mentioned, there are also countless provincial languages and dialects. What, then, is Valencian? Valencian, which is spoken in the Comunidad Valenciana, is a derivative of Catalán. Catalán is spoken by a little more than 18% of the total population of Spain (roughly 7.5 million people), in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and in the Comunidad Valenciana. Strictly speaking, the Catalán spoken in Valencia is not actually Catalán, but a language in itself, called Valencian. Recently however, the differences between the two have become fewer, and the language is increasingly recognized as Catalán. |
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Siesta in Spain
 A siesta is an afternoon nap, often after lunch, when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. This is a tradition that is often maintained in warm regions, especially in Spain. Because of this, the siesta is most often associated with that country.
During the siesta, which lasts from 2 PM to 5 PM every day, many shops are closed. This is because the siesta is also the time to eat, to spend with family, or (depending on the region) to relax and sleep. Larger supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, and cafés, however, usually stay open during this time. |
Food in Spain 
One of the most attractive features of Spain is the local food. The Spanish kitchen is just as diverse as the Span |