Starting in March, cities all over Europe will be celebrating the spring weather by way of festivals, parades and other events. One of the most exciting of these events is the April Fair (or La Feria de Abril de Sevilla) held annually in Seville, Spain.
The festivities commence about two weeks after Holy Week at midnight (on Monday) with the official Lighting of the Lanterns. Half a million tiny lights are illuminated at the same time, the majority of them at the main city gate.
During the festival, many events take place. Local girls dress in traditional flamenco dresses and every day at noon, there is a procession through the city, in which these girls are pulled through the city by horse and carriage. It is quite possibly the most colorful parade there is!
Each afternoon at 5:30 p.m. an event that people from the world over come to Spain to witness – Bullfighting! Top bullfighters from all over the country come to participate in this event which takes place at the Plaza de Toros de Maestranza .
The streets are full of colorful, lantern adorned tents (called casetas). Some of these casetas are private and guests are only allowed in by invitation. These are set up by anyone from local businesses to societies or families and serve the purpose of making sure the invitee is kept happy with entertainment, food and drink. There are public casetas as well, where anyone can enter and join the merriment inside.
The event ends the following Sunday at midnight by way of a fantastic fireworks display. If you have ever wanted to take a trip to Spain, this is the time to go. The Fair of Seville will be an excellent opportunity to see traditional Spanish customs, attire and events at their best. Call us for a free quote on a cheap flight to Spain and make sure to ask about additional discounts when booking your car rental and hotel reservations with us.
Barcelona, the capital city of Spain, is one of the loveliest places in the world to visit. It is located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and the climate is so nice year round. The average low is approximately 40° F and the average high is around 82° F. Wouldn’t it be splendid to visit Barcelona right now, as we are entering the bitingly cold month of February? For the moment, how about cooking up a recipe a friend from Spain sent me? This is called Pisto Manchego, it is a ratatouille-like dish.
Pisto Manchego
4 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 medium sized onions, diced
2 zucchini, cubed
3 minced garlic cloves
¼ c olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent, then add zucchini, garlic and peppers. When all ingredients have softened, stir in tomatoes.
Cover and cook about 12 – 15 minutes, stirring often. Set heat on low and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add small amounts of water as needed to avoid food sticking to the pan.
Add vinegar and salt/pepper to taste.
This is a fairly versatile dish and can be served hot or cold with toasted bread, in a Spanish omelet or as a filling for a sandwich. Use your imagination. If you wish to serve it as a main dish, you can add ham, chorizo or hard boiled eggs.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? And hey, if you’re not a cook, just book a flight to Spain and have someone else make it for you
Do you consider yourself to be a foodie? Do you want to travel to Iceland and just need a good enough reason to go? Well, the Reykjavik Food Festival is your answer. For the last nine years, Reykjavik has been home to this event which is held during the last week of February. People from all over arrive to partake in this event. The festival brings together outdoor activities, the Reykjavik nightlife and fine cuisine. Local chefs will be competing with others from around the globe. Each is assigned to one of the local restaurants participating in the competition (the restaurants chosen are considered to be the best in the city). He or she will create a menu of gastronomic delights using only Icelandic ingredients and the special menu is served for an entire week. Awards will be given for “Best Meat Course”, “Best Fish Course” and “Best Dessert”. But there will be only one award give to “Reykjavik Food and Fun Festival – Chef of the Year 2010”.
This year the event will be held from Wednesday 24 February until Sunday the 28th of February. Come and join the fun, and don’t forget to visit the Blue Lagoon and go see the glaciers, geysers and waterfalls while you’re there. Visiting Iceland is a once in a lifetime experience that should be taken full advantage of. Book your flight to Reykjavik now and join the party!
Valentine’s Day will be here in a few weeks. Do you want to buy your sweetheart the ultimate gift? Why not travel to Paris – the City of Love! Dining on fine cuisine, taking in a show at the Moulin Rouge and taking a stroll down the Champs-Elysees, now that is a great way to celebrate! Something else that couples can do is visit the Pont-Marie. The Pont-Marie is a bridge in Paris that is known as the “Bridge of Lovers”. The way legend goes, if you kiss your lover underneath the bridge and wish for eternal love, your wish comes true.
Another romantic city to visit is Venice. Imagine snuggling up to your sweetie during a private gondola ride and being serenaded while winding your way through the canals of the city. Although rumor has it that gondola rides are fairly expensive, it’s not quite as bad as you may think. Plus, the memory of the experience will make it worth it. Then, enjoy a candlelit dinner on a balcony overlooking the Rialto bridge, and see others enjoying their romantic rides down the Grand Canal.
Even if you are not traveling on February 14th , you could purchase the airfare for travel later this year and give your love the itinerary folded up into a sweet little card. Then, once you’re on your trip, it would be like the second Valentine’s Day of the year! Whether it’s airfare only, or a whole travel package complete with car rental, hotel stay and sightseeing tours, we are here for you! Just call one of our friendly reservation agents to help plan your perfect fairy-tale vacation!
