LIVE like a king in Spain. There are lots of castles there for rent. Some are authentic; others are mansions, villas, manors or estates designed as castles to achieve that fine medieval feeling. All are built for one purpose – tourism. Undeniably, Spain is the tourism capital of the Mediterranean. Well, there are a few places which are located in the Mediterranean such as a few islands and part of the Italian Peninsula. But still Spain tops them all.Why is this so? Based from a casual observation, the Spanish people especially the ones found in Andalucia and Costa del Sol are united in preserving their tourist spots. Spain has an immense richness of heritages and these are preserved by UNESCO itself. Among them are the cathedrals which have withstood countless centuries and rules by various church groups. When they were first built, the cathedrals in Spain were designed in Gothic to attract the natives at the time to be lured to the new religion. Later on, they were eventually converted into mosques when the Moors began conquering certain parts of the country. When the Christians reconquered back the land and the churches were surrendered back to the Catholic realms, the Islamic interior designs were retained.

These peculiarities are a sure catch to tourists. Another static cling for foreign visitors would be the yummy Mediterranean food. Mediterranean food consists of redfish, grouper, crabs, shrimps or lobsters coming from the Mediterranean obviously. They fetch in splendid prices because Mediterranean is said to be the cleanest seawater in the world where lots of diverse marine ecosystems in the world. These catch are hauled in every day by diligent fishermen in the area who have made a fortune by delivering these fishes directly to the restaurant kitchens to be cooked. As much as possible, the Spaniards want their food cooked raw rather than refrigerated or frozen.

And when they cook their food, they want it done with olive oil as cooking oil. Olive oil is fermented right here in the Spanish heartland but they also abound off-coast in such as islands as Palma del Mallorca. In Palma del Mallorca lies the largest olive plantation in Europe. Olive oil is said to be the healthiest cooking oil in the planet as it contains minimal fatty content. Olive oil used in Spanish Mediterranean seafood is extensively used and promoted by the cable channel Food Network specifically by the chef who specializes in Mediterranean dishes, Mario Battali.

Spain is also home to two other passions – bullfighting and flamenco music. Flamenco music may be learned through dancing or through playing the various indigenous instruments associated to it. Bullfighting on the other hand is enjoyed all summer long not only in Barcelona where it originates but all across the land where it is replicated in various festivals. There are different variations in bullfighting such as those in one city where bulls are released and chased down to the beach. These are a few of the natural wonders of Spain. Live here and you’ll surely have the experience of a lifetime.