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Aragonese Pyrenees Holiday Rentals: Formigal, ski resort for beginners, intermediate skiers and families

What about a ski holidays in the Aragonese Pyrenees? Yes? Then the destination is Formigal. The ski resort of Formigal, officially called Aramon Formigal, is located at the heart of the Spanish Pyrenean Mountains in the region of Aragon. It’s a lively purpose-built resort suitable for beginners, intermediate skiers and families. It is situated near the town of Sallent de Gallego in the upper Tena Valley of the western Pyrenees (province of Huesca, Spain).

There are 57 kilometres of marked runs consisting of four greens, 13 blues and 24 reds. More than 21,000 skiers per hour can be transported via the resort’s 22 lifts (one gondola, five chair lifts and 16 drag lifts). Expert skiers have the option of going off-piste or heading for the more challenging resort of Candanchu which has steep, tough blacks to rival the hardest Alpine slopes. The highest point is Tres Hombres peak, 2250 m AMSL, with a vertical drop of 750 m.

Technical Specifications Formigal
Skiable Area 137
Total Number of Slopes 97
Green Slopes 7
Blue Slopes 18
Red Slopes 33
Black Slope 23
Freeride 20
Snowpark 1
Boarder-cross/Ski-cross 2
Moguls Slope 1
Skidoo Circuit 1
Snow-bike 1
Snow Shoe Circuit 1
Sleigh-Dog Circuit 1
Lifts 21
8-Place Chair-lift. 1 desembr
6-Place Chair-lift. 4 desembr
4-Place Chair-lift. 5 (1 desembr)
2-Place Chair-lift. 1
Drag/Button Lifts 5
Travelaotor 5
Skiers per Hour 36.860
Snow Canons 440
Artificial Sbow Cover 30 Km.
Highes Point. 2.250m.
Lowest Point. 1500m.

How to get to Formigal
By Road
From Madrid (493 Km.) A-2 Follow Signs Zaragoza-Huesca-Sabiñánigo-Formigal.
From Barcelona (370 Km.) A-2 Follow Signs Lleida-Huesca-Sabiñánigo-Formigal.
From Pamplona (160 Km.) Follow Signs Jaca-Formigal.
From San Sebastián (217 Km.) Follow Signs Pamplona- Jaca-Formigal.
From Zaragoza (165 Km.) Follow Signs Huesca-Sabiñánigo-Formigal.
From Valencia (490 Km.) Follow Signs Zaragoza- Huesca-Sabiñánigo-Formigal
From Pau (71 km.) Follow Signs Laruns-Portalet
From Toulouse (175 km.) Follow Signs Pau-Toulouse-Portalet
From Bourdeaux (266 km.) Follow Signs Pau-Toulouse-Portalet

By traing
Railway Stations Nearby:
Sabiñánigo (35 Km.) Telephone: 974 480 062
Huesca (90 Km.) Telephone: 974 210 700
Zaragoza (165 Km.) Telephone: 902 24 02 02

By Plane
Airports Nearby:
Zaragoza (165 Km.) Telephone: 976 71 23 00
Pau (66 Km.) Telephone: 00 33 559 33 33 00
Huesca- Pirineos (102 Km.) Telephone: 902 40 47 04
Pamplona (160 Km.) Telephone: 948 16 87 00
Barcelona (370 Km.) Telephone: 93 2983 83 8
Madrid (493 Km.) Telephone: 902 353 570

By bus:
Bus Stations Nearby:
Sabiñánigo (35 Km.) Telephone: 974 480 045
Jaca (57 Km.) Telephone: 974 35 50 60
Huesca (90 Km.) Telephone: 974 210 700
Zaragoza (165 Km.) Telephone: 976 229 343
Pamplona (160 Km.) Telephone: 948 203 566
Barcelona (370 Km.) Telephone: 934 904 000
Madrid (493 Km.) Telephone: 91 468 42 00

More info
Formigal: http://www.formigal.com/

Bilbao Holiday Rentals: Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the great masters of 20th century architecture

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao hosts an exhibition dedicated to Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the great masters of 20th century architecture. Frank Lloyd Wright is an exhibition about the significance of Wright’s thinking about space and the large impact this has had on the organization of modern life. Dates: 10.22.2009 – 02.14.2010.

Frank Lloyd Wright is co-organized by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, which owns and operates the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives, the primary source of loans to the exhibition. The more than eighty projects in Frank Lloyd Wright-ranging from privately commissioned homes and office, civic, and government buildings to religious and performance spaces as well as unrealized urban sites-accentuate Wright’s oeuvre as an architecture that encourages social interaction and integration with the natural world.

The exhibition is presented through a range of media, including over 200 original drawings; historic and newly commissioned models; historic and contemporary photographs, as well as through related books, periodicals, and correspondence. In addition, newly created video and digital renderings will shed light on Wright’s designs. This unique presentation of Wright’s work aims to inspire visitors to think about architecture as a vital extension of daily life.

Biography
Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) was born in rural Wisconsin in 1867, the son of William Carey Wright, a well-educated musician and composer from New England, and Anna Lloyd-Jones, the daughter of a Unitarian preacher who had emigrated from Wales. Wright said the career choice of architecture was preordained by his mother, who wanted her son to grow up to build beautiful buildings. To this end she hung engravings of old English cathedrals in his nursery. She also introduced him to the Kindergarten Gifts and Occupations of Friedrich Froebel, the German educator and inventor of the “kindergarten.” These wooden stacking blocks meant to develop children’s spatial and construction abilities awakened a young Frank Lloyd Wright to the “rhythmic structure in nature.”

Within a decade he had transformed American residential design, creating what became known as the Prairie Style. He resolutely moved away from European models that had set the standard up until that timeby lowering overall heights and breaking up the common boxlike Victorian rooms by removing unnecessary interior partitions, introducing free-flowing interior spaces and walls of art glass he called “light screens.”

Over the course of his long career, Wright created hundreds of government and commercial buildings, hotels, apartment towers, recreational complexes, museums, religious houses, residences for the wealthy and those of more modest income, decorative pieces, furniture and lighting features, textiles, and art glass. His wide-ranging output shared one characteristic, the seamless integration of form and function and a close connection with the natural world.

More information
The Guggenheim Museum: Frank Lloyd Wright

Barcelona Holiday Rentals: Spain will face the Czech Republic at the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Final

The Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Final between Spain and Czech Republic will be staged at Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, on 4-6 December. Spain and the Czech Republic are playing each other in Barcelona, in the world’s most important tennis tournament between nations.

Spain, the winner of three Davis Cups and the current number one in the competition’s ranking, will face the Czech Republic (number four in the ranking) for the most important trophy between the countries on the international tennis circuit.

Spain, attempting to become the first nation since Sweden in 1998 to retain the title, has named a full strength team of Rafael Nadal, Fernando Verdasco, David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez.

Czech Republic, chasing its second title after triumphing for the first time in 1980, has also named a strong line-up of Radek Stepanek, Tomas Berdych, Jan Hajek and Lukas Dlouhy.

Teams
Spain
Rafael Nadal
He has won 36 career singles titles – including six at Grand Slam events – and five doubles titles. This year, he triumphed at the Australian Open but injury has hampered his progress in the second half of the season.

Fernando Verdasco
He has enjoyed the best year of his career in 2009. He won the singles title in New Haven – one of three in his career – and reached No. 7 in the world rankings, his highest to date. At the Australian Open, he defeated Radek Stepanek, Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga before finally succumbing to Rafael Nadal in five sets in the semifinals.

David Ferrer
Ferrer reached a career high world ranking of No. 4 in 2008. He has won seven singles titles although he hasn’t managed to lift a trophy this year. His best Grand Slam performance came at the US Open in 2007, when, having defeated Rafael Nadal in the fourth round, he reached the semifinals before eventually losing to Novak Djokovic.

Feliciano Lopez
He turned professional in 1997 and has been ranked inside the world’s Top 100 for over seven years. He has notched one singles title and one doubles title – both coming in 2004 – and it was around that period when he reached his best career ranking of No. 20. He is also a two-time quarterfinalist at Wimbledon.

Czech Republic
Radek Stepanek
He turned professional in 1996 and has been a late bloomer on the singles court, winning all four of his career titles since 2006. He has been a regular fixture in the world’s Top 30 for the last five years and has also won 13 doubles titles.

Tomas Berdych
He broke into the world’s Top 100 in 2004 and has since won five singles titles – including at the indoor Paris Masters in 2005 – and one doubles title. His career high world ranking of No. 9 was achieved in 2007 and then repeated a year later. He is also a former Wimbledon quarterfinalist, his best Grand Slam performance to date.

Jan Hajek
He who is coached by Jiri Novak and is the only player to have ever defeated Rafael Nadal in a Davis Cup singles rubber. He turned professional in 2000. He spent nearly a year in the world’s Top 100 during which time, in 2006, he reached a career high world ranking of No. 71. He has no career titles to his name on the main tour.

Lukas Dlouhy
He has without doubt enjoyed the finest year of his career so far. He reached his best singles ranking of No. 73 in 2006 but, with great success, has concentrated on his doubles play in recent times. He has won seven titles including this year’s Roland Garros and US Open, both with Leander Paes. He has also been ranked inside the world’s Top 5 doubles players.

More info
http://www.daviscup.com/

Madrid Holiday Rentals: Eroticism at the Thyssen-Bornemisza

The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza and Fundación Caja Madrid present ‘Tears of Eros’. The exhibition takes its name from Les Larmes d’Éros (1961), Georges Bataille’s last book before his death and his final contribution on a theme he had researched in depth in Eroticism. If you visit Madrid between anytime during the next few months you can enjoy this exhibit which is shown until the end of Januay 2010.

To explore the intimate relationship between Eros and Thanatos, the mythological figures are set out in an almost narrative sequence, moving forward from innocence to temptation, from temptation to the torment of passion, and ending in atonement and death.

Every Saturday this November, the Museum’s Artistic Director, Guillermo Solana, will be giving a lecture on various issues related to the contents and argument of the exhibition Tears of Eros, of which he is the curator. Eve and the Serpent, The Kiss, Eternal Sleep, and Bound in Chains are the four topics that he has selected with the intention of allowing those attending to learn more about the exhibition’s fascinating subject: the relationship between Eros and Thanatos and its depiction in art over the centuries. The lectures take place on 7, 14, 21 and 28 November at 12.30pm in the Museum’s Auditorium.

Click here to enjoy a virtual visit

Mallorca Holiday Rentals: Enjoy a winter in Mallorca full of cultural events

If you are planning to go to Mallorca, I recommend you to check out ‘Un Hivern a Mallorca’ (A Winter in Mallorca). It is a wide-ranging activities programme designed to make visitors’ holidays on the island even more entertaining. You can choose among excursions, exhibitions, concerts and other cultural events. And it is all free of charge for visitors to enjoy while spending their holidays on the island.

The Winter in Mallorca programme kicks off in January, continues until April and, after a brief hiatus in the summertime, starts again in October and runs until December, a total of seven months chock-full of activities.

The Balearic Government’s Ministry of Tourism has been organising and sponsoring a series of recreational activities since 1982 for residents and visitors alike during the months in which the island is most closely identified with the volume penned by writer and painter Santiago Russinyol L’illa de la calma.

Download the program for October here.

Malaga Holiday Rentals: Practice Golf in Malaga

If you are planning to visit Malaga and practice some golf, here are some golf courses that you should visit:

Guadalhorce Golf Club
Located 7km to the west of Malaga airport. It is a parkland course, with wide fairways lined with tough rough and some banksthis is a Parkland type course for the first 9 holes but the back 9 has elevated greens. The front nine flat and wide layout contrasting greatly from the back nine, which is found to have more hazards including lakes and tropical vegetation, and raised greens with sloping banks. It has a very friendly, family atmosphere and offers many other activities such as tennis, paddle and swimming pools.

It has been designed by Kosti Kuronen. Holes: 18 Yardage: 6759 SSS: 72

Miraflores Golf Club
It is mid way between Fuengirola and Marbella. Only three kilometres from the N340 and the A7 toll road at Calahonda, Miraflores is situated in the very heart of the Costa del Sol’s many golf courses. Golf course with 18 challenging holes. A golf academy with driving range and much more. Restaurant with entertainment four nights per week.

Designed by Falco Nardi and opened in 1990, Miraflores Golf Club has undergone a transformation and offers a real challenge to all levels of golfing ability. Each one of the 18 holes offers a different challenge. The course follows the natural contours of the valley and is much flatter than first appearance suggests.

Monte Mayor Golf Course
Designed by José Cancedo, opened in in 1989. The Golf course is set in an area outstanding natural beauty. The valley in which Monte Mayor is laid out, clings to the slope of Monte Mayor. The ruins of a 10th Century Moorish Fort, crown the summits of Monte Mayor. Monte Mayor has fairways by Bermuda 419. The Driving Range is breathtaking. Buggies are included with the Green Fee. Amongst the Pro, Alex Cejka practiced a lot here and enjoyed to work all his shots at Monte Mayor. He’s the course holder record with 66.

Holes: 18, Par: 71

Barcelona Holiday Rentals:Barcelona invites Istanbul for the Merce ‘09

If you happen to be in Barcelona this week, from Septembre 23rd to September 27th, you can join all the celebrations of the Merce’09. In less than a week Barcelona brings together a huge programme of events which forces you to choose between them: street arts, street processions, concerts, traditional dances…

The Eixample, converted into a mark of identity for the city, hosts part of this year’s Festival programme. Emblematic spaces of the area will put on shows, such as the poetic Scan Girl, by the video-creator Franc Aleu, where water and the movements of a girl dancer are the main characters.

Barcelona La Merce lasts for around 5 days and is a festival held in honour of Mare de Deu de la Merce, the Patron Saint of Barcelona. In 1687, Barcelona suffered a plague of locusts, and placed itself in the hands of the Virgin of La Merce. Once the plague had been overcome, the Council of the City named her patron saint of Barcelona.

This year, Barcelona has invited Istanbul, which will be Europe’s Capital of Culture in 2010, to offer a taste of Turkish culture to everybody in the city. And not only the most traditional elements, best represented perhaps by the whirling dance of the dervish Akin Çakmut (Maritime Museum), but also by the newest. Among other events, we will see an exhibition of contemporary artists from Barcelona and Istanbul (La Capella), we will hear the Eastern dub; of the Baba Zula, a group that combines the purest oriental tradition with electronic sounds, and we will see the shadow theatre of Gengiz Ozek (Maritime Museum), a renovator of the tradition of what is called karagöz.

A show at the Teatre Grec on Montjuïc has been put on in memory of the folklore expert Joan Amades. It is a spectacle in which tradition and modernity, embodied in elements such as the music of Carles Santos and traditional dances, go hand in hand. In parallel, there will be a cavalcade in homage to the author of Costumari català (Catalan customs), in which you can see live all the festive imagery that adorns the pages of his books. But the person who wants to know who Joan Amades was and what he did will have to listen to the two narrators in the Ciutadella Park and the Maritime Museum, who will explain a metatale full of many other tales.

Music continues to be one of the Festival’s main attractions. Don’t miss the (BAM) if you want to listen to new sounds such as The Hives, Billie The Vision; The Dancers, Manel or Estanislau Verdet. And visit the other music stages to hear fascinating artists such as the urban poet Anthony Joseph; The Spasm Band (who visits Barcelona for the first time), James Hunter or Joe Bataan; Los Fulanos, a small sample of the extensive and exciting sound-track of the Merce’09 Festival.

The most traditional activities of the Merce Festival are, in fact, a compendium of popular culture from all over Catalonia. There is the Gironese Sardana, the human castles and devils from the Camp of Tarragona, dances that still survive today all over the Catalan lands. But the great Barcelona speciality is its street parades, originating from the spectacular processions which took place centuries ago for the celebration of Corpus Christi. They are some of the oldest street spectacles that still exist today. Now, as ever, the organisation of the street parades relies on groups representing popular culture working side by side with the street artists. Their joint task means that we can keep alive the festive and theatrical spirit that these events have always had.

Costa de la Luz Holiday Rentals: Pick up your clubs and try your skill on Cadiz Golf Courses

If you play golf, you should start thinking about travelling to Cadiz to practice your game. There are several excellent golf courses, including Montecastillo where the Volvo Masters has been played for the last few years. Here are some golf courses that you can visit:

Sotogrande Golf Club
Located in the province of Cádiz (Andalucía, Spain), at kilometre 130 of the National Highway 340 and 3 kilometres from its neighbour Valderrama Golf Club and 150 metres from the Mediterranean Sea, in the luxury urbanization of Sotogrande.

Ranked as one of the best courses in the 100 Greatest Courses in the World by the GolfWeb Editorial Staff, and ranked number 5 in Europe. Holes 7 and 12 have special relevance, as are considered two of the best holes in the World by Golg Magazine’s publishers. It is the first golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones in Europe.

Montecastillo
Home to the Volvo Masters from 1997 to 2001 this championship course was designed by Jack Nicklaus. It is a test of golf for the most accomplished player but is equally enjoyable for all golfers.

Sherry Golf
Sherry Golf Jerez, designed by Stirling & Martin of the Global Golf Company, with its wide fairways and large greens provides a challenge for both amateurs and professionals alike while a choice of tee positions means the golfer may select a course suitable for his own level of play.

Sanlucar Golf
A par 72 course which combines two very distinct styles. The first 9 has a more British feel to it with its wide fairways and deep bunkers. The second 9 have more an American feel with lots of water hazards, several doglegs and greens divided in platforms.

Ibiza Holiday Rentals: Sun, beaches, sea and fun in Ibiza

Don’t be scare of the sun. You just need to get good sun lotion and be brave. Here are some beaches to discocer in Ibiza:

Talamanca Beach
A long, curved beach borders Talamanca Bay with the little resort Talamanca. The soft sand shelves gently into clear waters making it excellent for safe bathing. A wooden boardwalk runs the length of the beach, passing over into a lovely promenade on the left end of the bay, easily connecting you to either end. You’ll find a very good choice of bars and restaurants along its length. Some are open the whole year round and so Talamanca is very popular in the winter months for walks around the bay and lunches in the warm winter sun.

Aigua Blanca
Must be one of the most well known beaches for a variety of reasons, it is one of only two official nudists beaches on the Island. It has a long sandy stretch with generally ‘frothy white waves’ (hence the name). It’s a good place for swimming and snorkelling. The evenings are quite special here with locals often playing music (the drums etc) the sunsets are lovely and so a nice place for a ‘chill out’.  There are a couple of restaurants /beach bars. It’s a good place to spend the whole day and well into the evening. The beach is reached by the means of a steep road with parking at the end. This can get very crowded, so if its high season it may be advisable to park at the top on the farmer’s field – it costs a few euros. Then walk down to this lovely beach its well worth a visit.

Portinatx Beach
Beautiful beaches, ideal swimming and sunbathing facilities, and a lovely surrounding area. Portinatx has two bays, one of which – Port de Portinatx – is further divided into two smaller beaches, s’Arenal Gross and s’Arenal Petite, both of which are sandy. The clear water is perfect for snorkelling and diving

Cala d’Hort
It is a well hidden sandy cove just beyond Cala Vadella heading south. It is the nearest too and has a stunning view of the mystical islands of Es Vedra and Es Vedranell. As a bonus there are a couple of excellent restaurants serving fresh seafood and other local dishes. Just about right after a refreshing swim in the crystal waters – can get good waves there too if the wind is in the right direction.

Ses Salines
This is a brilliant afternoon beach. As critical as we try to be, this is a nice spot and the waves just kept rolling in. In summer you have a choice of three bars, the furthest from the car park/entrance being Sa Trencha.

Cala Llonga Beach
One of the most beautiful and popular coves on the island, it boasts a huge sandy beach some 200 metres long and over 100 metres wide.Although a bit quiet during the winter, it becomes a self sufficient holiday resort throughout the Summer – a beach from which people don’t need to stray far to find everything they might need for two weeks of beach escapism

Cala Conta
Two stretches of sandy beach, backed by rocky terrain, with a third, smaller beach at the far end (Unofficial nudist beach), reached by steps hewn into the rock. No shade, so take cover-ups. The shallow waters near the shore are safe for children. The views from above the beach, across to the islands and the changing colours of the sea, are beautiful. Reached by ferry, bus or car. There is a couple of cafe/restaurants at the beach. The prices are reasonable and the quality is good.

Cala Salada
Just north of San Antonio, and merely a difficult 2 hour walk along the coast, this beautiful cove is like a busy Benirras. People already parking before you get halfway down the long descent. It consists of two beaches separated by rocks, into which have been built traditional fishermen’s boathouses that could only exist in the tideless Mediterranean. The largest beach is accessible by road and at it’s southern end sits a beach bar and restaurant that, mid-summer, offers a sunset into the sea. The smaller, more tranquilo, northern beach m

Menorca holiday rentals: Swim, relax and eat fish in Menorca

Take your towel and sun protection lotion and start discovering Menorca beaches. Here are some tips:

Punta Prima
To the east of Sant Lluis is Punta Prima a large beach of fine white sand very rocky at the eastern end. It can be dangerous with strong currents when the wind blows from the right direction. I urge all parents with small children to keep an eye on them when out swimming. Situated in a small but growing resort with a good selection of bars and shops, easy parking right on the beach, sun beds water sports etc.

Binibequer beach
Binibequer south of Sant Lluis Binibequer has a small sandy cove. With Binibeca vell to the west & Cala Torret to the east both with a selection of bars and restaurants. Binibequer is all privately owned villas and apartments, not a hotel in sight. Beach bar (renowned the world over) sun beds water sports easy parking.

Cales Coves
On the way to Cala’n Porter Cales Coves has a small coarse beach [not one that you would spend any time on] reached by a short walk down a steep sided limestone gorge. There are many caves high up in the walls of the gorge, making the exploration of this area very exciting for children and there dads as well, no facilities at all.

Cala en Porter
on the coast south of the airport, Cala’n Porter has all the facilities of an established resort. The beach is reached from the resort by steps, lots of steps, although there is a regular shuttle from the centre to the beach. Good beach with everything one needs, easy parking beach bars sun beds water sports etc.

Son Bou -San Jaime
South of Alaior Son Bou has the longest beach on Menorca. Three modern beach bars connected by a wooden path. A red cross hut with lifeguards, Sun beds, good choice of water sports and plenty of space. To the west is popular with naturists. Son Bou can suffer from strong currents, please take notice of the flag system.

Cala Galdana
South of Ferreries Cala Galdana is known as the “Queen of the calas” it is a beautiful pine clad bay. Cala Galdana is a huge touristic place. Four 4* hotels are situated in Galdana just near the beach. The beauty of the bay still stops me in my tracks even now when we visit , with all facilities, beach bars, restaurants and water sports. By walk you can reach Cala Macarella.

Cale en Bosch – Platja Son Xoriguer
La platja de Son Xoriguer is situated near the touristic village of Cala en Bosh. The beach can be reached by bus from Ciutadella.

Arenal de Son Saura
L’arenal de Son Saura is situated at the south of the island. The beach is situated in a desertic aera. There is a free parking and you will have to walk for 10 minutes.

Cala en Turqueta
It is situated at the south of the island. The beach is situated in a desertic aera. There is a free parking and you will have to walk for 5 minutes.

Cala Macarelleta
It is situated just near Cala Macarella at the south of the island. The beach can be reach only by walk or by sea. This is a wonderful beach with few people