12 | March | 2014 | Hotels and destinations

Lanzarote, magical land that will amaze you before landing: from the aeroplane window you will see its wonderful lunar surface created thousand years ago and the presence of two essential elements in this Canary Island: lava and Atlantic Ocean. Although there are dozens of places to visit in Lanzarote, beaches to rest and monuments to admire, here we include 5 must-see things in Lanzarote:

1) Timanfaya: This National Park is located in the southern area of the island, gathering some of the most amazing landscapes in Lanzarote. Among its most well-known volcanoes are La Montaña de Fuego and La Montaña Rajada.

2) La Graciosa: A tiny archipelago of spectacular pristine beaches. Away from the usual tourism circuits, La Graciosa is a place to escape a whole day enjoying the sun, sand and deep calm it offers.

Sandos Papagayo Beach Resort Hotel

3) On the trail of César Manrique: The multi-faceted artist of Lanzarote is the author of the most characteristics monuments and spaces of the island. Thus, in Arrecife, capital of the Island, you can enjoy the San José Castle, turned by him into the Museum of Contemporary Art with a restaurant with panoramic views over the sea. If you stay in a hotel in the Costa Teguise area, you could visit the César Manrique foundation just 5 km away, built on what used to be his house that represents a key element to understand the entire work of the artist.

Barcelo La Galea Hotel

4) The holiday in Majorca could be very different depending on the island area you have chosen to rest. The variety of lodging options is similar in the whole island, but atmosphere could drastically change from north to south, Calvià area or Playa de Palma. Choosing is complicated, above all if you do not know well every district and municipality of the island, since each one has a different holiday proposal.

5) The “Hervidores”.– If your hotel is in Playa Blanca, Yaiza you will be located just 13 kms from one of the most spectacular places in Lanzarote. Los Hervideros are cliffs bursting with magic, formed after the last volcanic eruptions registered in Lanzarote resembling solidified arms that melt into the ocean while the foam appears over the coast line. It is very close to other popular places in Lanzaorte, the Salinas del Janubio.

No one can deny that one of the greatest landmarks that placed Barcelona at the pinnacle of the international scene were the spectacular 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. The organisation, the facilities prepared to host the best athletes of the world, the innovative and creative character of its people and, of course, the beauty of the city and its culture have formed a whole that captivated the world and that, more than two decades later, keeps being considered a great tourism destination of Spain, even ahead of Madrid.

Despite the time, the trace of that great universal sports meeting remains indelible not only in the memory of the Spanish people but also in the streets and places of the city. The Olympic Barcelona is part of the today’s Barcelona and one of the facets worthy of a day in its honour or at least a morning of visit during our stay in the City of Counts.

Barcelo Raval Hotel in Barcelona

A walk by the Olympic village

In the Sant Martí neighbourhood, beyond the Parc de la Ciutadella and right in the heart of the Poblenou, La Vila spreads out: a big sea area, with a promenade plenty of bars and restaurants, marina and big residential buildings that, once, received several design and architecture prizes, giving life to an urban area that was out of the usual tourism and travel circuits in Barcelona.

What was used to be called the Fort Pius made suddenly a different sense: during the Olympic Games, this area was established as the residence of athletes from all over the world that arrived to Barcelona to show their efforts and achievements, but all the work was carried out with the clear objective of making of this area, defined in the zone of the Llaccuna del Poblenou, a place full of life.

The village is outlined between the Salvador Espriu, Marina, Llull streets, Icària avenue and the Vicens i Vives street. It mixes green spaces with complete services for its residents and visitors: here is the Communication Campus of the Pompeu Fabra University, with numerous centres, auditoriums. libraries… A great shopping centre, tube station, tram and public bicycle, (ideal for travelling by the centre of Barcelona, at any time of the year.)

One of the scenes that offers a biggest Olympic legacy is the Olympic Port, around which a fashionable daytime leisure area is being created, with shops, restaurants and a great park to enjoy the excellent weather of Barcelona. The marina is one of the biggest ones in the Catalan coast and offers space for the boats with high capacity.

A little further the Nova Icària beach stretches away, offering an irresistible stop to the visitor that goes from spring to autumn: the Mediterranean is cold from November to May, but sun gets hot enough to lie down and relax next to the sea.

At the other side, looking at the centre of Barcelona, there is the Barceloneta, the zoo, the Aquarium and the Hospital del Mar. An area where you can have a leisurely walk until arriving to the Barcelona harbour.

Accommodation in the Olympic village

In this neighbourhood next to the Ciutadella you can find some of the best hotels of Barcelona. Good prices, with wider spaces and more complete services than those of the city centre. Some of the hotels in the Olympic village in Barcelona stand out for being more targeted to the business public that to the leisure traveller, nevertheless, most of them are ideal for a weekend escape to Barcelona.

It is important seeing the nearness of those hotels to the Barcelona centre and to the tube, bus and tram stops, since walking to the old town of the city requires a long stroll, not very convenient for doing it everyday. What is more, if you are looking for combining beach and city, the closer to hotel of the Nova Icaria beach or to the Barcelona, the better.

Booking a room next to Las Glórias square, the Fórum and the Olympic Port can be a good option to have a bit of everything. Although the best for the nightlife lovers will be always booking a hotel in the centre of Barcelona.

Getting around:

The best advise to get around Barcelona is leaving the idea of a private car: taxis, urban buses, tram and, of course, by foot or bicycle. City is pleasant and the weather does not imply a excuse (quite the opposite) to walk or get around on two wheels.

Another option is renting a moped or motorbike. Barcelona, as in the rest of the Spanish Levante. is a perfect city for small cylinder capacity bikes. And even it could be a marvelous experience, especially if cannot enjoy it as you want in your city.