Spain

The Las Arenas Balneario Resort is the only 5-star seafront hotel in Valencia. Even with a lack of competition, the Las Arenas Balneario Resort strives to make sure their guests get their 5-stars worth. The rooms are clean, well stocked (nice TV, comfy king-sized bed, slippers, bathrobes, quality linens, a minibar that gets topped off twice daily, a CD player, turndown service with chocolates, and a daily weather report delivered to your room), and ours opened onto a lovely balcony with an ocean view.

The Las Arenas Balneario Resort is right on the beach and has a fantastic pool area with comfortable lounge chairs for reclining, sunning and reading. We took our lunch here as well during our “beach day.”

There is a decent selection of seaside restaurants and bars near the hotel for a nearby meal and the tram (just across the road from the hotel) gets you into central Valencia is a matter of minutes. We took the tram in every morning and usually came back in time for sunset, so the tram system was more than adequate both ways. Taxis from the city center would also be reasonable if you are out late.
The area around the Las Arenas Balneario Resort is currently being redone for the America’s Cup races and promises to provide even more high-end eating and shopping selections in the near future.

While visiting Barcelona, do yourself a favor and take the roughly two hour train trip from Barcelona to Figueres. The highlight of this daytrip is most definitely the Teatre-Museu Dalí (a well-marked fifteen minute walk from the station); the small town is most famous for being Salvador Dalí's birthplace and home to the museum he built. The museum is a worthy monument to a great artist and his longtime wife, companion and muse, Gala.

The Museum sits on the site of the former municipal theatre (destroyed during the Spanish Civil War) and was designed by Dalí himself. It is also where Dalí is entombed (though you need to have a keen eye to find his actual gravesite). The Gala-Dalí Foundation manages more than 4,000 of Dalí's works- including paintings, sculptures, jewelry, engravings, photos and holograms. Much of the work is on permanent display at the museum while other parts of the collection appear in temporary exhibitions in the museum and abroad. The architecture of the museum is made specifically by Dalí for his life work and, in fact, the design could be considered his crowning achievement.

Every visitor has their own "must see" list, varying from the car that you can water, the room that, when viewed from above, looks like Mae West, and the multitude of recognizable famous pieces. No one leaves the museum unimpressed. The cost of admission is 10 € (which includes admission to the Jewelry Exhibit) and the museum is open Oct.-June, Tues.-Sun. 10:30-5:15; July-Sept., daily 9-7:15.

If you want to explore the area further and you are a huge fan of Dalí, you should also consider checking out the House-Museum Gala Dalí Castle in Pubol (where Gala is buried) and the House-Museum Salvador Dalí in Portlligat.

Two years ago Madrid fashion week caused a media storm when it banned underweight models on the basis of their body mass index.Organisers this year will be hoping to waif goodbye to that controversy and concentrate on fashion matters instead as one of the industry's most prestigious events kicks off on July 17th.A glut of designers and celebrities will descend on the Spanish city's Juan Carlos Exhibition Centre for catwalk shows and glittering parties.However, for a designer experience away from the crowds Calle Serrano in Salamanca offers upmarket shopping in the heart of the European capital.For the best boutiques on this street try out Pedro del Hierro for luxurious one-off pieces or Hoss, which features glamorous eveningwear for young professional women.Outlets of reliable Spanish export Zara can also be found dotted around the city; the chain is famous for bringing catwalk designs onto the street at great prices.

See the Spanish countryside on horseback with an Andalusian trail riding adventure.Tours can be organised from Son Menut - a farm retreat situated in the stunning Mallorcan Levante hills.After a riding lesson to determine ability, suitable guests are invited try out a dressage lesson on one of the region's top stallions or undertake further basic instruction.Meanwhile, those with a taste for adventure can head out to the hills with equestrian visits to the historic town and vineyard of Son Negre or the fabulous Necropolis de Son Real.Other tours include beach rides with complementary picnics on the dunes or nature trails around some of the region's magnificent parks and reserves.Those hoping for a break from the saddle may be interested to learn the stables of Son Menut are located just 20 minutes from the beaches of Es Trenc and Cala Mondrago. In addition, the Sunday market of Felanitx is just five minutes away and well worth a weekend visit.

Known for being a favourite of Ernest Hemingway, Valencia's La Pepica restaurant has served up local specialties since 1898.It was immortalised in the writer's bullfighting memoir, The Dangerous Summer, and has attracted both literati and foodies ever since.Paella is the focus here, with fresh lobster and grilled or fried seafood playing the starring role.In the past, a variety of celebrities - including bullfighters, movie stars and European royalty - have walked through the door to enjoy the Valencian specialties on offer.According to concierge.com, "you'd be hard put to find a more assured version of Valencia's trademark dish".However, although the paella may be unmissable, it will not come cheap - and some locals claim that neighbouring restaurant La Rosa should be the bargain-hunter's choice for delicious seafood dishes.La Pepica is located on Arenas Beach, with the Port America's Cup marina right next-door.