No matter how much you read about the siesta and how it affects the flow of daily (and nightly) life in Spain, it must be experienced to be fully understood – and appreciated. Hopefully you will not arrive at your Spanish destination during the restaurants' siesta, but if you do, plan ahead by bringing along some snacks or something to eat from the airport to fill the period of time between lunch and dinner. >> Read more <<

Want to save money on a trip to Spain and feel good at the same time? Look for a fruit stand and stock up on fresh fruit.  Simple advice, yes, but you'll thank me for it.

You'll eat less at restaurants, have less desire for fast-food restaurants (McYuck), and you'll keep from being hungry throughout the day.  All you need is some fruta.

Pictured is a small fruit stand in Malaga, Spain. Fruit stands throughout Spain will usually have a wide range of fruits on hand: apples, oranges, kiwis, grapes, bananas, peaches, strawberries, rasberries, avacodos, pears, plums, apricots, melons, lemons, limes, olives and tomatos. >> Read more <<

Long-layovers. So necessary but so despised.

I've had so many delays on outbound flights that I now aim for a layover of 2 to 3 hours between flights. It may be a little excessive, but I am usually assured to make the next leg of the flight instead of waiting several more hours -or overnight- for an alternative flight which is a lot less fun.

Sure, I end up sitting around for a while. With part of the Madrid Barajas Airport being newly added in 2006, waiting around is not so bad.

What do you do with 3 hours to kill at Madrid Barajas Airport?

Let's look at ways to plan your time in this Madrid Airport Survival Guide.

Flying from the US to Malaga, I had to do a transfer in Madrid and figure out what to do with myself during long layovers both going to Spain and leaving. >> Read more <<

The holiday rental industry is offering holiday makers a good choice for holiday rentals in Spain. Luxury villas, beach apartments and a great selection of family friendly property rentals are available though www.spain-holiday.com.

Renting holiday homes offers plenty of benefits, since you don't have to pay per person but per holiday home. All over Spain and the Spanish coasts there are good holiday spots ideal for friends and families and all kind of holiday ideas for a successful vacation. >> Read more <<

So you want to plug in your laptop or recharge your digital camera batteries during your Spain vacation holiday?

Here are some things to know ahead of time.

In Spain, electric power comes through at 220 volts and at 50 Hertz. Though similar to most of Europe, this differs from the 110-120 volts at 60 Hz North America electrical standard. Certain types of equipment from North America won't work properly if it does not have a built-in capability to work with 220 volt power supplies. >> Read more <<

Want to learn more about the Canary Islands? A new free guidebook for Lanzarote, which is one of the Canary Islands, makes it easy.

Lanzarote, the easternmost island in the Canary Islands, is a popular Spain travel destination. The island of Lanzarote is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve protected site and the small 20km by 60km island is also packed with easily accessible attractions, from resorts to the Volcano Park at Timanfaya and Cactus Garden in Mala.

 Having a few Euros in your pocket upon arrival to Spain offers a little bit of peace of mind and a good amount of convenience. But where do you buy euros?

Buying euros ahead of time in the US for a trip to Spain is as easy as going to your bank, credit union or even AAA can provide foreign currency for members. Each charge different fees though. Availability also varies. Most places have to order the euros from their central facility and this takes a few days and usually not more than a week. 

A large metropolitan city bank may even have foreign currency on hand - especially Euros because the Euro is a major currency - also usable in France, Germany, Italy and several other European Union countries. 

>> Read more <<

Everything was all set for a return trip to Spain. I found a great price for a ticket on Iberia airlines. I booked it and looked forward to the flight.

Then I found out that I may need to change my flight dates. I called Iberia customer service to find out the bad news. The terms and conditions for my particular reservation where this:

• No refunds for cancellations.
• No changes permitted.
• No shows not permitted.

Not good. I should have checked the conditions before ordering the ticket. >> Read more <<