Colorful Spanish Fiestas And Festivals

Colorful Spanish fiestas and festivals are as unique and diverse as the nation and her peoples. While most of the Spanish fiestas and festivals are celebrated nationally, there are many that are observed regionally, a direct result of the varied regional histories of this historic country. It seems that if there is one thing that the people of Spain all know how to do it’s party. In fact, no matter what time of year a tourist chooses to visit, there is some important celebration happening somewhere in Spain and you are always welcome to join in.
Most of the population of Spain is Roman Catholic. bviously the major Christian holidays and observances play an important part in the life of the average Spaniard, with both Christmas and Easter playing major roles. Christmas is so important that its observations last from December 8 until January 6. There are, however several Spanish fiestas and festivals associated with these holidays that are unique to the citizens of Spain and many festivals and fiestas that are wholly Spanish traditions and not known elsewhere.
Every single city, town and village in the country celebrates its own unique fiesta and it's the smaller, local festivals that can prove just as rewarding to the visitor. In Miraflores de la Sierra in the Guadarrama mountains of Madrid we used to always go to the annual village festival of San Blas in February. The whole village heads out to a local hillside where a shrine to the village's patron saint stands. Everyone is equipped with chairs, tables, food and wine and huge pots are put on open fires where 'bacalao con patatas' (cod and potatoes) is prepared for the whole village. By late afternoon all the villagers have returned to the bars which remain packed throughout the night. At the end of the Carnival celebrations the villagers bury a sardine in a nearby field (El Entierro de la Sardina) and it's time to start looking forward to the next fiesta.
There are many festivals of international interest which celebrate music and the arts notably the Granada International Festival of Music and Dance which takes place in the grounds of the Alhambra Palace. San Sebastian in the Basque Country is packed to the seams during its annual jazz and film festivals and the Benicassim Festival has become an important European music festival in a small town north of Valencia.
One of the more interesting fiestas is the August celebration of La Tomatina, the Tomato Festival. Taking place in Bunyol, near Valencia, the celebration of La Tomatina begins the last week of August with the main event, a massive "tomato battle" happening on that Wednesday. The tomato battle is exactly what its name implies, a fight in which the participants (typically everyone in town, locals and visiting tourists alike) throw tomatoes, shirts and other objects at one another.

Why People Learn Spanish?

Language itself maybe is not as useful and important as it is today. But how could language become meaningful and important for all us people from across the world? It is the reason that we need to communicate with each other and learn from each other and make the world well-connected for sure. So at least people everywhere can speak some English at least, for the global communication and understanding ask us to do so. It is the same to Spanish today. People can now speak English well, but English cannot be the only instrument for communication. You see, large amounts of people in South America and Europe prefer to speak Spanish instead. Of course, you cannot ignore those living in America, either. Then let's see the reasons to speak Spanish seriously and neatly. First, speak with those near you.
If you are living in America, you must learn the truth that lots of people in American use Spanish to communicate with one another. This time you need to understand, you have to use their language to speak with them even though you can speak English which is supposed to be the international language. You see that such Spanish speaking American citizens cannot speak English well, or even cannot at all. When you need to do such communication, you either learn this language, or employ one Spanish translator for youself. Actually it is possible for the businessmen with much money, not for common citizens. So the best choice for you now is to learn this language so that you will be able to communicate with them as fluently as you wish. Second, speaking Spanish is very beneficial for your work and to earn money. You must see the truth that some companies use those who have more than one language today, especially you can speak the most popular language.
Really that will be another experience. You see, your colleagues maybe never know how to pronounce a Spanish word. So now it is your chance! Certainly you have the choice to learn it in a Spanish speaking community. But I think the most convenient one is to use one renowned computer software like Rosetta Stone Spanish to help you learn this language. It is convenient and cheap compared with learning in a Spanish community. And at the same time, you can also make use of Rosetta Stone Russian to learn Russian. Third, you will learn lots of culture of Spain and nations in South America. If you speak to you that Spanish has some relation with English language, you will not feel so easy to accept. But it is the truth! You may notice that some pronunciation of Spanish is nearly the same with English's.

Spanish Translation

The key word in this field  come to "professionals." As long as an  elegant document is requireed to be delicately translated into Spanish, amateur translators will never be people you need to employ. There is certainly just too much that may go incorrect with basic or amateurish Spanish language translation perform. For a single, the results might be a document containing not even been correctly translated.
Naturally, in order to employ a good quality skilled you will need to procure these kinds of providers from an existing translation business that is in the marketplace for a while. Another widespread error that people make is the fact that they will seek out to employ the freelancer from a web based bidding web site. This might or might not be an intelligent alternative. Truly, you wouldn't know what you are acquiring before time arrives how the translated substance is really delivered. Those that would not have time to waste may not need to examine this kind of situation.
Once again, when you stick to a higher quality specialist Spanish translation plan to handle these work, you get rid of several issues and beginner or a freelancer may existing. In the event you can get rid of problems...you ought to. Which means when you want a document translated into Spanish, you will need to perform using a reputable business. These set on the operation of the company would never ever contemplate any other choice.
Those that definitely desire to be positive their paperwork are translated from the proper manner should check out these companies offering professional translation. The word expert translation just isn't one particular that is certainly bandied about as an marketing slogan. Somewhat, it refers to the translator keeping a large amount of expertise in a very specific area. For instance, the man or woman converting a legal document will not only be considered a certified Speaking spanish translator may also have a legal background.
Although it might not continually be needed to employ professional translation solutions, it undoubtedly isn't going to harm to have access to such translators if needed. In some situations, a higher amount of knowledge might be essential for sure Spanish translation careers.

How To Learn Spanish Language

Therefore, every one of the individuals utilized to speak Spanish on the market. Nevertheless, it becomes quite difficult for someone who's not necessarily readily available to say Spanish language. Today, this is simply not an issue at all because learning to speak Spanish isn't very difficult nowadays. One can learn Spanish clear of the websites like internet where they can discover all the details about how to understand Spanish language. Few other outside will be expected once you will look at the previously listed site. The process supplied on the webpage is extremely well organized to make the learning secure. Therefore, to understand Spanish language clear of sites such as this is getting very popular day by day as more and more individuals choose to learn the Spanish language on the internet. The Web had introduced a new change in the considering the folks regarding learning by means of internet. Plenty of burden decreases when one tries to discover Spanish language on the web, enough time along with the large amount of cash is being preserved with a specific degree. Also the worries of participating in the regular courses from the organization will be neglected. Apart from that, you can understand it from their own timings to take a seat in the home.
The Spanish worksheets should be well conceptualised and formulated. You must include the content or the exercises that allow your kids to practice what they have learnt so far. For instance, you may include pictures or drawings in the Spanish worksheets and ask your kids to identify them. Or, you may ask your kids to make small sentences using certain Spanish words. Several similar exercises can be incorporated in the Spanish worksheets to make Spanish learning quick and effective for kids.
For the best Spanish worksheets, you may visit www.lcfclubs.com. Here you would find printable Spanish worksheets to teach Spanish at home or at school. As well as Spanish worksheets, the website also offers songs, stories, and games to make Spanish learning fun-filled and exciting for your kids.
Those of you who are thinking of work from home may also visit the website. Here you would get whiteboard compatible, online resources to teach Spanish, French, and English. LCF Clubs offers complete support for starting up and maintaining Spanish, French, and English language classes for children. As well as enjoying great comfort and convenience, you would also enjoy great income from this wonderful work from home opportunity.

48 hours in Valencia, Spain

VALENCIA, SPAIN -- Take Paris, add palm trees and a handful of fruit to the wine, swap a snaking, sunken park for the Seine and paella for steak frites, put the whole thing on the sea and you get something like Valencia.

　　With a youthful vibe driven in part by the University of Valencia, Spain’s third largest city bursts with cultural offerings, stunning architecture and a sometimes-jarring juxtaposition of the ancient and the contemporary -- everything from the Holy Grail to the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, designed by world-renowned local architect Santiago Calatrava.

　　Happily, Valencia remains off the tourist radar.

　　Reuters correspondents with local knowledge help visitors get the most out of a 48-hour visit.

　　FRIDAY

　　7 p.m. -- Choose a hotel in the city’s compact, historic center, for both maximum convenience and aesthetic charms. After checking in, head to the Plaza de la Virgen for a pre-dinner aperitif of sangria or, better yet, Agua de Valencia, a local concoction of sparkling wine, orange juice, vodka and gin. Beware, this fire water’s gentle taste belies its potency. Take in the jumble of locals, tourists, pigeons, and formally attired churchgoers attending a Baptism or wedding just a stone’s throw away at the Basilica de la Virgen.

　　9 p.m. -- While it’s early for dinner by Spanish standards, you’re a tourist so go ahead and head to La Carme for a bargain €19 (about $25) three-course, fixed price menu. Choices might include hake in a rich white sauce, grilled pork, roast duck or specialty ribs, with perhaps a fig, pine nut and cheese salad or a creamy carrot soup starter, capped by the requisite creme caramel.

　　11 p.m. -- Wander the narrow, cobbled back streets and wend your way back to the center, taking in the stunningly lit building and monument facades. Stop for a nightcap in the Plaza de la Reina. Or if your taste runs more in that direction, ice cream shops abound in the area, staying open past midnight.

　　SATURDAY

　　8 a.m. -- Start the day with a stroll through the Gardens of Turia, a onetime river now diverted that is home to lush, bucolic sunken parkland which cuts a narrow swathe through the city. Pampas grass stands beside riotously blooming trees, fountains, and a patchwork of bridges that span the greenway.

　　10 a.m. -- Head over to the Central Market, where some 1,000 vendors sell everything from Spanish cheeses, olive oils and fine hams to fruit and vegetables, spices, meats and all manner of seafood. Pick up a few packs of spices for the folks at home. Pimenton, or paprika is a particular bargain, as is saffron, known as the world’s most expensive spice. Have a light Valencian breakfast of fartons, a light, elongated donut, and wash it down with horchata, a cold, sweet milky brew made from tiger nuts.

　　Noon -- It’s time for a dose of culture, and the expansive, recently renovated Belles Arts, or Fine Arts Museum, beckons, renowned for an extensive collection of (religious) art as well as works by Goya, Velazquez and El Greco. Next door you’ll find the welcoming Jardines del Real park and an array of fountains, native plantings, squares and dozens of stray cats, many as friendly as any domestic house cat.

　　2 p.m. -- Like all meals in Spain, lunch is typically eaten at a time that Americans would think of as late. Try the sleekly modern Palo Alto, and bask in the deferential service and copious, multi-course Mediterranean offerings of pates, salads, stews, rice dishes and roasted meats.

　　3-5 p.m. -- It’s siesta time, so when in Valencia, do as the Spanish and recharge for a bit. Things really do mostly shut down from 2 p.m. until about 5 p.m. Go with it.

　　6 p.m. -- Take in the gorgeous late afternoon light and incomparable, panoramic view from a vantage point atop the Serranos Towers, the 13th- century monument that stands as the largest gothic gateway in all of Europe.

　　7 p.m. -- Try the Dublin House for pre-dinner drinks. A relatively new addition to the Plaza del Patriarca, it attracts a diverse crowd ranging from families to couples to football fans, who turn out to catch Valencia C.F. matches.

　　9 p.m. -- For dinner, a table at La Utielana is worth the wait, although if you get there right at opening at 9 you’ll be seated straight away. With a homey vibe and warm hospitality, it’s a favorite of locals and visitors in the know for hearty, authentic Spanish cuisine.

　　But if you’re pining for a bit of home, or Naples, try A Pomodoro, a moderately priced, bi-level pizza and pasta hot spot said by many locals to serve the best pizza in the city. Don’t miss a bottle of their excellent house wine.

　　11 p.m. -- Street cafes come to life in the midnight hours, so there is a wealth of choices for a nightcap in the city center.

　　SUNDAY

　　9 a.m. -- Most shops and even some attractions still close on Sunday. So rise early and head to the Rastro flea market, adjacent to the football stadium, where you’ll find hundreds of vendors selling everything from houseware and vintage games or clothes to furniture, cookware, books and vinyl records.

　　11 a.m. -- Pick any local sidewalk cafe and enjoy the traditional breakfast of coffee with hot milk, fresh bread and the ubiquitous tortilla, another Spanish favorite which is basically a potato omelette that’s more tuber than egg.

　　Noon -- Lucky for you, museums do open on Sunday. Check out the modern art museum (IVAM), which like most is free and boasts first-rate exhibitions such as the current Robert Morris retrospective that runs until January.

　　If time allows, take in the Botanic Garden just a few minutes walk along the Turia.

　　2 p.m. -- You can’t visit Valencia without sampling its signature dish, so tuck into a platter of paella served at virtually any local restaurant dishing up Spanish cuisine. The best can be found seaside, at either Malva Rosa or a short ride from town, in the village of El Palmar.

　　4 p.m. -- Walk off that heavy lunch, which might suffice as dinner, with a stroll down the Gardens of Turia to the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia’s modern complex of aquarium, opera house, natural history museum, reflecting pools and more. Great photo ops for any student of architecture.

　　6 p.m. -- End your weekend with a glimpse of the Holy Grail. The cup which is purported to be one used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper rests at the Cathedral of Valencia.

Madrid offers mix of history and culture

　　No one forgets Madrid. Whether discovering the city while studying abroad, when nights are filled with dancing followed by churros and hot chocolate at dawn, or enjoying its endless Rioja wine and jamón on a whirlwind European honeymoon, the Spanish capital offers experiences for all the senses — and plenty of surprises.

　　Matt Lauer lands in Madrid on the second day of Where in the World

　　While Spain’s coastal cities entice with their rugged sun-bleached cliffs, seafood, archeological ruins and hedonistic beaches, Madrid holds a darker mystery, one of smoky, cave-like bars on winding alleys, and the famous poems, novels, political rebellions, flamenco ballads and romances created within.

　　Established by the Moorish caliph Muhammad I in the ninth century during centuries of Muslim rule, Madrid was from its birth an unlikely center for a nation that would eventually rule and plunder multiple continents a world away. Though the city is at the basin of the Manzanares river, Madrid is dry and unbearably hot in summer, and often cloaked in smog because of the lack of sea winds. But the mysterious pull unique to Madrid must have existed even for centuries as it was continually invaded by the Romans, Germanic Visigoths and French.

　　Following its glory years of conquering the New World, Spain was long cast aside as Europe’s poor, gregarious and anything-goes playground. Francisco Franco’s 39-year-long brutal dictatorship helped keep the capital locked in the past, missing its chance to modernize at the same pace as London, Paris and other cosmopolitan European cities. Once Franco’s rule ended with his death in 1975, Madrid became a symbol for the country’s recovery. Now visitors are just as likely to encounter contemporary Spanish design boutiques as historical architectural treasures. This is Madrid’s charm: her history and present constantly blend into something novel and transfixing.

　　Classic Madrid

　　On a first visit to Madrid, hitting the highlights, including two of Europe’s finest art collections, is a must. The Museo Nacional del Prado was inaugurated in 1819 by King Ferdinand VII as a showcase for the royal art collection. The museum is home to works by Spanish greats Goya, Velázquez and El Greco, plus Renaissance religious scenes and 17th-century depictions of the conquest of South America by lesser-known Spanish painters. Fast-forward to the present at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, a post-Franco temple of 20th-century modernism in a converted 16th-century hospital, with classics by Dalí, Miró and Picasso, whose famous commentary on the Spanish Civil War, “Guernica,” is on the second floor.

　　Despite the country’s multiple distinct regional languages, contemporary Spanish society is based on national cultural commonality. This camaraderie is on display in many of the outdoor cafes on the central Plaza Mayor. From the streets outside, the structures hiding the plaza don’t reveal their breathtaking interior: a trip back in time to the late 18th century under the Hapsburg dynasty, when the plaza was rebuilt after a series of fires, to a majestic square enclosed on four sides by red buildings topped with turrets, with hundreds of balconies looking out over passersby gathered below.

　　With a cold clara (beer with lemonade) on a warm night, the square is an ideal spot for reveling in Madrid’s history and a bit of contemporary people-watching — local families come for evening strolls, and throughout the year there are concerts, stamp shows and even celebrations of the city’s patron saint, San Isidro. For a bite afterward, the newly renovatedMercado de San Miguel,a public market for nearly 200 years, boasts dozens of tapas bars amidst stalls selling produce, fish and baked goods. This is an ideal place to get handfuls of Marcona almonds, slices of jamón and perfectly cooked mussels.

　　With newfound stamina, stroll a few blocks to the Puerta del Sol, which is at the center of Spain’s national road network, dubbed the “kilometer zero.” The plaza has been at the center of Madrid life for centuries, for everything from royal receptions to popular rebellions, and is the site of New Year’s Eve countdowns, which end with Spaniards stuffing twelve grapes into their mouths for good luck — a ritual invented in 1909 as a stroke of marketing genius by the country’s grape growers to boost sales after an unusually bountiful harvest. It is now a tradition across the Spanish-speaking world. On one corner is the quintessential national department store, El Corte Inglés, where everything from souvenirs to what may become a new favorite outfit or pair of boots can be purchased. Nightclubs nearby, such as Joy Eslava, heat up past midnight.

　　Madrid’s growing crop of design hotels translate the city’s present and past into unique accommodations. Hotel Urban pairs ultra-modern furniture with wood sculptures, and Vincci Vía 66 has a sleek minimalist aesthetic, all the way up to the rooftop bar with an expansive view over the city. A block from Vincci Vía 66 is the city’s self-proclaimed “most delicious museum:” the Museo del Jamón, an old-Madrid-style restaurant centered around Spain’s famous aged ham.

　　Know the city like a local

　　After hitting the traditional hotspots, get to know Madrid like a local. Start by adopting a barrio, such as bohemian Malasaña, a mix ofentrenched and newly transplanted residents, including thriving gay and immigrant shopkeeper communities. Named for Manuela Malasaña, a young seamstress executed under French rule in 1808 for carrying a weapon — her scissors —to an uprising of madrileños, the neighborhood was the epicenter of the la movida counterculture movement in the late 1970s and 1980s after Franco’s death, bringing to the world the creative talents of musicians, artists and filmmakers (including Pedro Almodóvar) who could finally express themselves.

　　Meander Malasaña’s narrow cobblestoned streets, stopping at specialized mom-and-pop shops such as comics trove Elektra. Fill up on a hearty meat-and-potatoes lunch at Taberna de Pez alongside businesspeople downing red wine mixed with soda, or spend the evening at a table on a plaza savoring spinach pizza topped with pine nuts, feta and raisins at Lamucca. Tiny new boutiques also abound in Malasaña; Wanda, which is full of avant-garde Spanish designs for men and women, is a highlight. But beware: No matter how modern Madrid becomes, many shops still close for a siesta from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

　　f all the walking, shopping and eating becomes exhausting, discover Madrid’s most relaxing secret. Make sure to make a reservation at Medina Mayrit, an Arab bathhouse invoking Spain’s Moorish legacy, just a short walk from the main train station. For 90 minutes, and just 38 euros, take your pick of warm, cold or hot baths, topped off with a visit to the sauna, a 15-minute massage and sweet mint tea streaming from a spigot in the wall. To prolong the escape, stay for lunch or dinner at the restaurant onsite, specializing in fusion of Middle Eastern and Spanish flavors, such as tajines with couscous, with belly dancers for entertainment. Pick up music from the medina at Mayrit’s bazaar, which also sells soaps and tea.

　　Wind down

　　The best way to eke out a few last Madrid moments is by spending a Sunday outside. In the morning, check out the Rastro, a blocks-long flea market in the neighborhood where madrileños have been hawking leather and used clothes for centuries. (The market’s name, Spanish for ‘trail,’ comes from the trails of blood flowing onto the streets from local slaughterhouses as far back as the late 1400s.) Ogle and barter for everything from art to used clothing, but keep wallets hidden, as the Rastro is known for its pickpocket problem.

　　Finally, devote the afternoon to the Parque del Buen Retiro. The royal family gifted the enormous park to city residents in the 19th century, and in addition to manicured gardens and sculptures, now there are paddleboats, street performers, ice-cream vendors, and — on summer Sundays at lunchtime — free classical music concerts by the Banda Sinfónica de Madrid. But the most enjoyable way to experience the park is a lo madrileño: a few hours with a picnic, blanket and Sunday paper under the shade of the perfect tree.

Shona Spanish play at cultural festival

　　The Spanish Embassy will on Saturday present a performance of a play titled Mutambo Wepanyika during the Mbende Jerusarema Festival at Murehwa Culture Centre.

　　Mutambo Wepanyika is the only Spanish play translated into Shona by a Spanish priest and first published in Zimbabwe in 1958.

　　The Mbende Jerusarema Festival was designed to celebrate the arts of Zimbabwe and in the process, preserve one of the rich national dances.

　　“Mutambo Wepanyika, was written by Pedro Calderón de la Barça, one of the most important playwrights of the Spanish Golden Age during the 17th and 18th centuries. Calderón is renowned as one of the most relevant playwrights in Spanish literature,” said Spanish Embassy cultural attaché Marina Garcia.

　　The play was co-directed by acclaimed Zimbabwean playwright and director Stephen Chifunyise and produced by Chipo Basopo, Clayton Ndlovu and Belinda Mufute.

　　“Mutambo Wepanyika is performed by a group of young and dynamic actors from Children’s Performing Arts Workshop’s New Horizon Theatre Company.

　　“The Embassy of Spain has had very successful and productive relations with the team since December last year, when the play was performed for first time at the Zimbabwe College of Music in Harare,” said Garcia.

　　She said after a successful debut, the embassy celebrated the commemoration of Africa Day and the Day of the African Child with performances in various schools in the medium and high-density suburbs of Harare such as Mufakose, Waterfalls, Glen Norah and Eastlea.

　　She said the shows were attended by hundreds of students and the play was well received.

　　It was also staged at the Masvingo Youth Festival in August.

　　The Mbende Jerusarema Festival, which started on Wednesday, will end on Saturday.

　　The major drawcard of the festival is the Mbende Jerusarema Dance Competition in which 20 primary schools from Murehwa and Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe compete for the grand prize.

　　The event is complemented by 10 mbende jerusarema professional groups who will showcase their dance skills.

Spanish Tablet Maker Fights Apple Ban

　　A small Spanish tablet company won a rare victory over tech giant Apple, indicating project ban injunctions aren't always permanent.

　　Spanish tablet maker Nuevas Tecnologias y Energias Catala, or NT-K, successfully appealed an injunction from a local court banning its tablet from sale from China. NT-K's tablets can now return to that market for sale to consumers.

　　NT-K founding partner Pedro David Pelaez said the ban, enacted in 2010, was part of an Apple push to "keep as many tablets from entering the market as possible."

　　NT-K's successful appeal may give hope to much-larger company Samsung, whose Galaxy Tab 10.1 is banned from launching in Australia thanks to Apple's injunction request.

　　Samsung is appealing the ban and filed a countersuit to block the iPhone 4S from launching, but has not been generally successful in its worldwide patent battles against Apple.

　　Unlike Samsung, NT-K is extremely small, so its victory is a David vs. Goliath win that may concern Apple as it wages battles against much larger competitors.

　　"We're nothing; let's be realistic. I don't think they were looking just for us, but the sum of all of us together was something," said Pelaez, referring to other tablet makers, including Samsung.

　　Samsung has, however, won some small victories against Apple. For example, last week, the Australian courts agreed to let the company fast-track its appeal against the Galaxy ban, which the South Korean company says may block the tablet from ever launching in that country.

　　Typically, courts don't order product bans as part of a patent battle, although many companies threaten bans to force settlements. In the NT-K case, and in the Samsung block, the ordered bans weren't permanent but took the form of injunctions that blocked the product sales until a full trial.

　　But with products launching so quickly, even a ban of only a few months may mean a tablet becomes obsolete in the months it takes for the injunction to lift.

　　NT-K says it lost a great deal of money during the time its tablet was banned and is suing Apple for alleged anti-competitive behavior, seeking compensation for its losses.

　　Pelaez told Reuters said the company predicted, before the legal problems started, it would sell 15,000 tablets this year, totaling between $6 and 7 million in sales.

　　NT-K is also seeking restoration of its reputation. After the Spanish court ordered the injunction, the company's shipments from China were seized and its name was placed on an EU-wide list of product pirates, which NT-K says ruined its reputation.

　　The courts may not compensate NT-K for its losses, but the small company's victory shows that while Apple is extremely powerful, it may not always be successful in its claims that competitors copy its patents, especially as more tablets and smartphones launch worldwide.

Spain: Very Moorish

　　Granada's cultural legacy will make your head spin, writes John Gardner.

　　There is a lot of waiting around if you want to see the best of the Alhambra, the fabled heart of Moorish culture, in Granada. Tickets are strictly limited and booking ahead is essential.

　　But although you have booked, you still have to collect the tickets and join a series of queues to enter the Nasrid palaces. The wait is worth it, even if you are as pathologically averse to queuing as I am.

　　The palaces are the jewel of the Alhambra, with mosaics of an intricacy that defeat imagination, and motifs of a geometrical complexity only mirrored in advanced-science texts.

　　Yet even as the head spins with the detail, the whole architecture of the palaces - with their courtyards and fountains and the harmonious balance of light and shade - bring to life a lost world of tranquillity.

　　It's here the benefits of the booking system become clear. The numbers are low enough for visitors to take in the majesty and find relief from the camera-crazed.

　　The Nasrid palaces are the gems of the Alhambra, but the rest of the vast site offers even more - from the climb to the towering battlements to the spectacular formal gardens on the long approach to the Palacio de Generalife at the summit of the complex.

　　If the best advice is to book your tickets online and pick them up at a city kiosk, the next-best is to make sure you have plenty of time. This is not the place for a quick highlights tour, and that applies to the whole of the city of Granada.

　　Another useful tip is to double-check what the clerk at Malaga bus station, who was distracted by intense conversations with his mate, tells you or you may, like us, find yourself on a coach going in the wrong direction. To be fair, the route along the eye-watering coastal developments was more interesting than the direct journey. But having to change buses in a small town was less gripping. If anyone tells you the Spanish have given up the siesta, I'll bet you all the drinks you can manage in two hours in a bus-station bar that they are wrong.

　　But once in Granada, described by Robert Hughes as "one of the supreme cultures in world history", you need time. Time to wander the warren of narrow lanes of the Albaycin district with their wonderful houses with walled gardens - if only because the chances of getting disoriented are high. Nowhere other than Toledo, another great Moorish legacy, have I seen see so many bewildered gazers circling haplessly, looking at useless maps.

　　You also need to take your time wandering round the royal chapel and cathedral, with its unbelievable baroque organs and array of saints depicted as being variously barbecued, broken on wheels and suffering other torments so dear to the Spanish soul. Coming out into the daylight, it's a comfort to breathe the air, scented by the spice and flower oil stalls, or to drift into the souk.

　　Staying at one of the hotels in the Albaycin, which have been converted from old houses and palaces, is an experience. With its long corridors, courtyards and interesting plumbing, our choice of the Palacio de Mariana Pineda couldn't have been further from the standardised atmosphere of the modern hotel.

　　But Granada is not just a museum piece; the modern city, with its upmarket shops and miles of book stalls, has its own appeal. And it's nice to know that it's not only Auckland that can cock up its town planning, as you look in disbelief at the vile block of apartments that sits squarely behind the Plaza Isabel la Catolica.

　　Still, you can always stroll away and enjoy the hunt for the bar serving the best tapas. And here's a last tip: unless you are really hungry, don't make the mistake of ordering too many raciones.

　　CHECKLIST

　　Getting there: If you are already in Spain, there are direct flights to Granada from Madrid and Barcelona. If you're in Britain, as we were, the cheapest way is to fly to Malaga with one of the budget airline options which operate from various airports.