Long Work Week? 3 Options for Your Spain Get-Away
Posted by You’ve worked a long and arduous week and the last thing you want to do is think about the office on your days off. If you’re looking for a little “me” time in Spain, you’ll find there’s plenty to hold your interest. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the mood for beauty, culture, or excitement, because Spain delivers in all categories. So forget all your office woes and make an appointment for a little fun.
1. Hang ten while surfing: During a very unscientific poll I conducted, 3 out of 5 people said the first thing that came to mind when they thought about Spain was flamenco dancing. The other two thought of tapas. After some prodding for something more exciting they all came to the same answer: the running of the bulls. The problem with this is that, unless you happen to be visiting during the San Fermin festival—July 6th-14th, in case you were wondering—this isn’t really an option.
Surfing, on the other hand, is exciting, challenging, and available on any day the weather permits. If you feel like hopping on a board and catching some killer waves (you can’t tell, but right now I’m doing that stereotypical surfer hand gesture: a fist with the thumb and pinky-finger outstretched), there are plenty of hot spots to visit. Try Biarritz, San Sebastian, or Mundaka if you’re new to the surfing scene. If you have some experience under your belt, head over to the more challenging beach in Bakio. Or try your skills in Zarautz, one of the places where the world championships in surfing takes place.
2. Take in some culture: If you prefer to spend your touring time taking in the local culture, you’ll have your hands full in Spain. The 16 km long Aqueduct of Segovia is one of the best-preserved monuments left by the Romans in Spain; if you can believe it, it was constructed around 50 AD it still provided water to the city in the 20th century. Lending to Spain’s rich architectural history are the Mezquita of Cordoba, the Sagrada Familia, and the Palacio Real de Madrid. If art is more to your liking, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao houses modern and contemporary works sure to please any aficionados.
3. Sit back and relax: Spain has a great mix of cultural and historical attractions, but sometimes you want to spend less of your time as a tourist touring, and more of it experiencing the ebb and flow of the Spanish lifestyle. Are you a fan of dance clubs? Ibiza, an island of the coast of Valencia, is known as one of the clubbing capitals of the world. Spend the day relaxing on the beach then spend your night listening to some of the world’s best DJs.
Instead, if you find yourself wanting a more authentic experience try exploring one of the many towns of the beaten path like Teruel in Aragon. This small town in eastern Spain is one of the least populated capitals in the country. Spend your time getting to know the area and people; make friends and memories to last you a lifetime.
No matter what your plans in Spain are, I suggest learning a bit of Spanish to help you assimilate into the culture a bit. Visit our Enquiry Centre for information on classes in your area. If you have some of the basics down from previous study, take our Language Level Test to figure out a good starting point for your new lessons.