Prince Danforth - Frommers Spain 2011

Spain 2011

by Darwin Porter & Danforth Prince

Published by:

Wiley Publishing, Inc.

111 River St.

Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774

Copyright 2011 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978/750-8400, fax 978/646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201/748-6011, fax 201/748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Wiley and the Wiley Publishing logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Frommers is a trademark or registered trademark of Arthur Frommer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

ISBN 978-0-470-61435-8 (paper); ISBN 978-0-470-87718-0 (paper); ISBN 978-0-470-59487-2 (ebk); ISBN 978-0-470-59488-9 (ebk); ISBN 978-0-470-89019-6 (ebk)

Editors: Matthew Brown with Emil J. Ross

Production Editor: Heather Wilcox

Cartographer: Elizabeth Puhl

Photo Editors: Richard Fox, Alden Gewirtz

Cover Photo Editor: Richard Fox

Design and Layout by Vertigo Design

Graphics and Prepress by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services

Front cover photo: Ceramic tiles depicting pilgrims in regional costume, Mlaga, Spain Ken Welsh VWPics / SuperStock, Inc.

Back cover photos: Left: Valencian paella Steve Vidler / eStock Photo. Middle: Bullfighter in Madrid's Las Ventas bullring White Star Agency / AGE Fotostock, Inc. Right: Vineyard in Morales de Toro Mick Rock / Cephas Picture Library / Alamy Images.

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About the Authors

Veteran travel writer Darwin Porter wrote the first ever Frommers guide to Spain. Back then it was called Spain on $5 a Day , and it became an immediate best seller in the travel book business. The only good thing about those dark days of the Franco era were the $2 hotel rooms, the $1.50 paella dinners, and the 25 glasses of Rioja wine. Spain has changed drastically since then, and the new Frommers Spain has kept up with the developments. Porter was joined in 1982 by Spanish-speaking Danforth Prince, formerly of the Paris bureau of the New York Times. Together, they have also written such Iberian guides as Frommers Lisbon; Frommers Barcelona; Frommers Madrid; and Frommers Seville, Granada & the Best of Andalusia.

How to Contact Us

In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful placeshotels, restaurants, shops, and more. Were sure youll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, wed love to know that, too. Please write to:

Frommers Spain 2011

Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774

frommersfeedback@wiley.com

An Additional Note

Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any timeand this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.

Frommers Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations

Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (recommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).

In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists. Throughout the book, look for:

special finds those places only insiders know about

fun facts details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun

kids best bets for kids and advice for the whole family

special moments those experiences that memories are made of

overrated places or experiences not worth your time or money

insider tips great ways to save time and money

great values where to get the best deals

The following abbreviations are used for credit cards:

AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa

DC Diners Club MC MasterCard

Travel Resources at Frommers.com

Frommers travel resources dont end with this guide. Frommers website, www.frommers.com , has travel information on more than 4,000 destinations. We update features regularly, giving you access to the most current trip-planning information and the best airfare, lodging, and car-rental bargains. You can also listen to podcasts, connect with other Frommers.com members through our active-reader forums, share your travel photos, read blogs from guidebook editors and fellow travelers, and much more.

Chapter 1: The Best of Spain

A horse dressed for Feria del Caballo in Jerez.

Spain is one of the most diverse and visually stunning nations of Europe. As you plan your trip, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the number of fascinating sights, beautiful landscapes, and off-the-beaten-path towns to fit into your limited time. So let us give you a hand. Weve scoured the country in search of the best places and experiences, and weve listed our favorites below, admittedly very personal and opinionated choices.