Friday 29 March 2013

Costa Brava House: Rental Tips for First-time Tenants

The “Wild Coast” or Costa Brava is one of the most scenic, dramatic and beautiful coastlines in the world and since the 1950s it has been developed as a tourist hub for visitors from all over the globe. This stretch has the largest number of Blue Flag beaches, with the highest standards in hygiene, features, water and sand quality and facilities for tourists. The spectacular scenery, dominated by the wild Spanish Pyrenees sweeping down to the gorgeous turquoise Mediterranean Sea, this coastline is indeed an unforgettable experience.





Villa Rosanna, Lloret de Mar, Costa Brava

With such a huge influx of tourists all the year round, Costa Brava has stepped up to the challenge of accommodation with a wide range of housing options. Current trends are more towards house rental rather than the conventional hotel or resort. This option gives much more flexibility and since costs and chores can be shared, many tourists prefer this. The houses in Cosa Brava include villas, apartments, condos, country farm-houses, estates, paradores, youth hostels, mountain-shelters and castles, monasteries and convents, town-houses and aristocratic mansions, beach-front cottages, fishermen's shacks and row houses abound all along this coastline. Up in the mountains, you get typical montane type architecture, where the traditional way of life still survives and many of these dwellings are centered round winter-sports and activities.

However, if you're a first-time renter, it's good to keep some tips in mind.

Choices: Shortlist a good number of likely properties and then eliminate them one by one based on your needs and preferences. Once you've finalized, you can start communicating with the owner and get a firm idea of what it really looks like. Ask for recent photos and testimonials.

Trustworthy: If you've located your Costa Brava house over the Internet or via a brochure, it's good to confirm that this is indeed a reliable source of information. It's essential to go through a trustworthy organization that has affiliations with travel and tourism associations. Word of mouth is another great source. Sometimes, these ads could be fake, or have been hacked by identity thieves or phishing crooks. Never send any money till you are convinced that this is a genuine outfit.

Payments: Never pay cash or make money transfers to addresses provided by the home-owner. Paying by credit-cards is preferable if the portal is a safe one. This also ensures that you get redress if there are any issues with the property later.

Add-ons: Rentals may also come as package deals with flights, airport transfers, car rentals etc. You can opt for self-catering or request for staff. This could be either the entire complement, including butler, chef, chauffeur, maids, cleaning-staff, ground-staff etc. or it could be one or more of them. In either case, remember to budget for tipping at the end of your stay.

Based on these guidelines, you can pick the most appropriate house in Costa Brava and enjoy the perfect holiday.



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Monday 25 March 2013

Holiday Spain: Madrid

If you're looking for a short city break in Spain, which gives you the authentic feel of the country, its history and traditions combined with fun, relaxation and some excitement, head for Madrid. As the country's vibrant capital, this is a place that has re-invented itself over the centuries and is today a city that has something for every visitor.

Madrid is ideal for a quick weekend getaway or a longer stay, but if you're short of time, there are some things you simply must do and see here. This cosmopolitan city is the seat of the government, a business hub and cultural center of Spain. Other attractions include the Real Madrid football museum.

 Villa Adrien, Sant Lorenc, Ibiza




Art and Culture: The Prado Museum has the biggest art collection in Europe. Ranging from medieval masters to contemporary geniuses, you can get your fill of sculpture, painting, prints or sketches. The museum has a wonderful gift-shop and hosts a number of exhibitions/cultural events too. There are scores of smaller museums here, if you have the time to take a tour. The National Library of Spain is another magnificent building that contains some rare books and manuscripts. Madrid also hosts a plethora of music concerts, art events etc with a grand celebration in May in honor of its patron saint San Isidoro. There are lots of palaces and stately mansions, churches and monuments too.

Night-life: This lively city boasts an exciting night-life, with any number of bars, pubs, clubs, discos, tapas bars, flamenco, etc. Just remember that drinking on the street is not legal here.

Shopping: Spain's biggest mall, Xanadu, is located in Madrid. With nearly 150,000 sq m of space and more than 200 shops, you'll be sure to find exactly what you want. Look for off-season sales at the designer labels. The El Rastro, Spain's biggest open-air flea market is a must-do visit.

Cuisine and Wine: With a bewildering range of food and wine to choose from, Madrid is the foodie's delight! From fast-food to tapas, to local delicacies, regional cuisines, international favorites and specialty restaurants, cafes and tiny eateries, this is where you can truly indulge your taste-buds. Apart from the famous paella, Madrid has its own signature dish – Callos a la Madrilena.

Parks and Gardens: If you have an hour or two to spare, don't forget to visit Madrid's legendary parks and gardens. The Buen Retiro is the city's biggest park, built round a huge lake, and it's filled with charming sculpture, walks and is a wonderful lung space in the heart of the city.

Pick Madrid for that unforgettable city-holiday in Spain!






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