Tribute to Queen in Marbella, August 2011

25 years after the last concert of "Queen" in Marbella, a tribute concert in honour of the greatest rock band of all times will be held on August 5th at Pinillo Beach.

On August 5th 1986 Freddie Mercury and Queen played their last concert for an audience of 25.000 people in the football stadium of Marbella. Exactly 25 years later, on Friday August 5th 2011, Marbella will once again offer a Queen, this time tribute, concert.

"One Night of Queen"A show not to miss, the international success ¨One night of Queen¨ produced by Gary Mullen & The Works. For 10 years they have been giving concerts all over the world that are always sold out, like the show held in the iconic Hyde Park in London in front of 45.000 fans. Apparently, this is the only show that Queen´s guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor recommend to their fans. Now  Marbella will move to the beat of Queen's successes performed by a fantastic and internationally recognized band, that performs perfect versions of their songs, and with a great staging and light show. You'll never see a performance that is so similar to a true Queen concert! Gary and the guys are excited about their first show on Spanish soil, "We've been waiting for the best opportunity to play for the legion of Spanish Queen fans .... so be prepared to get up from your seat and nonstop sing and dance along!"

Songs in the programmeWe Will Rock You - Bohemian Rhapsody - We Are the Champions - Kind of Magic - Radio GA Ga - Don't Stop Me Now - One Vision - I Want to Break Free - Barcelona - Killer Queen - Somebody to love – and more....

Second soprarno Ruth Kerr will sing ¨Barcelona¨, Plus, Ruth Lorenzo returns and DJ Russell will participate in ¨We will Rock you¨

When
August 5th 2011. Doors open at 19:30, the first performance will take place at 21:00 pm and the party will continue until 1 am.

Place
The concert will take place under the stars in the incredible concert venue next to the sea at  Pinillo beach in Marbella. The entrance is next to Marbella´s Arch; the Town hall of Marbella has made this fantastic place available for some concerts this summer, and the Queen group is honoured to be among the few selected.

Tickets for the concertTicket prices €30 for standing places; €40 for general seats, €70 for all premium seats with previous payment. Tickets can be bought at El Corte Ingles, FNAC La Cañada, Hard Rock Café in Puerto Banus and online www.ticketmaster.es or www.elcorteingles.es or by calling 676 289 968.

Information:
+ 34 676 289 968 (for English)
+ 34 680 815 102 (for Spanish)
or go to http://www.queentributeconcert.com/

The event is sponsored by the HARD ROCK CAFE and the Marbella Town Hall

Apart from this great event, Marbella and Puerto Banus are certainly worth a visit, with many cultural visits, luxury hotels, spa´s, great restaurants and bars to enjoy and relax, shopping possibilities, a marina, marvallous beaches and beach bars, a selection of golf courses and perfect temperatures. With your rental car, you have all options within easy reach. AurigaCrown has an office in Marbella or at Malaga airport so you can pick up your car directly upon arrival. From convertibles, luxury cars to 4x4s, AurigaCrown offers all options to provide you the car that suits you best. For more information on car rentals, fleet, offices and/or prices, please visit AurigaCrown´s website.

The Almeria Fair

AurigaCrown Car Hire offers their clients ideas on different events and places to visit during their stay in Spain. Providing options for visits that are within easy reach with a rental car, nice routes, places to visit and from where to start. In this article some tips when visiting Almería and the much celebrated fair of Almeria in August.

The fair of Almeria is celebrated in honour of the Virgin del Mar, patron saint of Almeria. The city turns completely with this party. The  citizens and visitors of the city, park their problems for a few days and go out on the streets to live the joy and revelry that this city offers. The festival is divided into the day fair, celebrated in the historic centre where you can enjoy drinks and typical tapas; and the nigh fair that is celebrated at the fairgrounds of El Palmeral, in the neighbourhood of el Zapillo, where you can enjoy the great atmosphere and fun until dawn. Further there are technical firework shows that iliminate the skies of the city and delight all spectators. You can alos enjoy the musical performances by singers of the national forefront.

The fair of Almería usually unfolds during ten intense days of the second fortnight of August, this year from August 22nd till 29th 2011. In the morning the fair is celebrated in the city centre, where there will also be a culinary competition. At night, the diversion moves on to the fairgrounds with its stalls and attractions for all ages.

The musical performances that can be enjoyed during the feria are pop/rock as well as flamenco spectacles (also referred to as the Flamenco Festival which is held during the fair of Almeria), held at the the Palace of the Mediterranean Games (pop/rock) or the Plaza de Constitución (flamenco). Below the performances held during the 2011 fair:

Luz Casal features on the poster as the opening of the concerts during the fair of Almeria.
"La joie de Luz." "The Joy of Luz" she was named by the Montreal newspaper La Presse that commented on the concert she gave in the Canadian city last June. "The spectacle offered by Luz Casal allowed us to meet a unique personality, a style over time," Sylvie St-Jacques wrote in this newspaper. The opening concert will take place on August 20th at 22:00.

Camela in concert in Almeria
Presenting their latest album: La Magia del Amor The Magic of Love
To define the music of Camela, there are locutions  for all tastes. According to José Mercé, the music is a combination of the technical melody of the Pet Shop Boys with the neighbourhood scamps: "I listen to Camela and see that there is sentiment and purity!¨. It is what the English call ¨the people's choice¨, is what the newspaper El Mundo published some time ago on the Madrid group. Fact is that over six million people have bought their official records since the trio released its first album  in 1994, and there are many more followers that remember songs that hook up to the first because, as Camela says, "all artists perform love songs. We perform love stories.¨

The concert of Camela takes place on August 21st at 22:00.

Estrella Morente and her group
After the previous edition of the Flamenco Festival which was the last in which Enrique Morente participated before his death, who better than his daughter to pay tribute to the great among the greats with this special concert that Estrella has been preparing from the depths of her heart.

If art is in the genes, is will be more than demonstrated with this singer, born in 1980, daughter of Enrique Morente and dancer Aurora Carbonell.
"Morente in concert": Singer Estrella Morente with José Carbonell "Montoyita"  at the guitar; Monty, second guitar; Kiki Morente,  Antonio Carbonell and Angel  Gabarre, will do the choirs and palms; Popo, the crate.

The concert of Estrella takes place on August 22nd at 22:30.

Flamenco Jondo

Singer Toñi Fernandez with David Delgado “El Niño de la Fragua”, guitar + palms

Singer Pansequito with Manuel Parrilla, guitar
Singer José Mercé with Moraíto Chico or Diego del Morao, guitar

The concert of Flamenco Jondo takes place on August 23rd at 22:30.

“Flamenco for everybody”Singer Sonia Miranda with Miguel Ángel Cortés, guitar

 Singer Esperanza Fernández with Miguel Ángel Cortés, guitar + 2 at palms

 Dancer Manuela Carrasco with Emilio Molina, Rubio de Pruna and Enrique el Extremeño, singers; Joaquín Amador and Miguel Iglesia, guitars; José Carrasco, percussion.

The concert of Flamenco for everybody takes place on August 24th at 22:30.

Maldita Sol Festival

On August 25th, sharing the poster announcement with El Columpio Asesino, Eladio and Los Seres Queridos and the Almerian group El fin del mundo. An Indian Pop theme. Starting at 21:00.

Rosendo y Obús, two of the most genuine and authentic Spanish rock legends. If you love rock, do not miss this golden opportunity to enjoy this concert in this great place: the Palace of the Mediterranean Games, with more than 50,000 W of sound, air conditioning, parking, bar, toilets,and next to the Fairgrounds! 

Further, the city of Almeria offers of course a lot more to the visitor: there is beautiful nature to enjoy at the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, an excellent place for a relaxed holiday, to enjoy the sea life, nature, beaches and – of course - fresh fish cuisine.

You can conveniently rent your car directly upon arrival at AurigaCrown´s office at Almería airport. With your rental car you can easily get to all different sights and towns. For more information on rental cars, fleet and prices, please visit AurigaCrown´s website.

Gibraltar: little Britain in Spain

Cross the border from Spain into the last colony on the European mainland: Gibraltar is British, you can still see British policemen, high-street stores, red phone boxes, pay in Pounds and enjoy the duty free shopping. A miniature of Britain perched on a rock formation right at the entrance of the Mediterranean sea, but with an international culture, a lot of history, monkeys and a nice city centre with a Spanish touch.

The Rock
Gibraltar´s best-known attraction is of course the Rock with its Upper Rock Nature Reserve. The nature reserve is a beautiful area on a height of 421 metres, with the Apes´Den as its most famous attraction: the home of gentle apes. From here you can climb up to Jews Gate for views over the Moroccan Atlas mountains; explore the St Michael´s caves with an impressive interior of stalagmites and stalactites, which are currently used for dinners and concerts. Further you find here the Great Siege Tunnels, an immense network of man-made passageways inside the Rock, built as a defence during the Great Siege in the 18th century.  History lovers can visit the O´Hara´s Battery and Military Heritage Centre and the Moorish Castle: this Castle dates back to the 8th century and covers large part of the Rock and although most of it is ruins, you can still visit parts. You can get up the Rock by minibus tour or by cable-car and on top you can enjoy the beautiful views over the Spanish and African coastlines.

The centre
The city centre of Gibraltar you find at the foot of the Rock, an old town of labyrinthine streets and with a random mix of architectural styles, very nice to stroll around. For a nice terrace, a drink or something to eat, you have an elaborate choice: Gibraltar offers the true English style fish, chips and cream teas but also the typical Spanish fresh seafood, tapas and chorizo. A multicultural cuisine, with great places to go to around Marina Bay and Catalan Bay.

Shopping

Gibraltar is also a great place to go for shopping, especially because in most stores you buy VAT free! Main street is a good place to go for gold jewellery, cameras, computers or a local hand-blown glasses as nice souvenirs.

And moreYou can visit the Rock hotel, that offers a great terrace from which you watch over the bay, Spain and Morocco. A trip in the cable car can be nice and offers of course also fantastic views: the cable car goes up 352 metres and at the top there is a bar and restaurant in order to join the views with a nice drink and/or bite. There is a stop also at the Ape´s Den. Make sure though you do not carry any food or drinks outside on the Rock, as the monkeys will shamelessly grab it out of your hands or bag! The Gibraltar Museum, set in a Moorish bathhouse is also worth a visit and offers an insight into the Rock´s history. Last but not least, of course you are right at the sea, and you can go for a nice swim in the warm waters of Catalan Bay.

Upcoming events in Gibraltar:* Gibraltar Song Festival, 24 September 2011 (annual)
* Polar Bear Swim on boxing day, December 2011 (an annual refreshing and detoxing swim in the bay)
* Three Kings Cavalcade, January 2012 (annual)
* Gibtelecom Chess Festival, January-February 2012 (annual)
* Gibraltar International Boat Show, April 2012 (annual)

Gibraltar´s surrounding offer even more: beautiful beaches, nature reserves and cultural visits to cities like Seville, Jerez, Málaga, La línea de La Concepción, Chiclana de la Frontera are all within easy reach with your rental car. For more information on car rentals, please check AurigaCrown´s website.

Playing Golf in Andalusia

If your passion is golf, Andalusia Spain is the best region for this sport. The excellent climate allows you to play golf during the whole year. The courses are located in privileged areas, with beautiful landscapes and/or close to beaches.

In Andalusia the golf courses scattered around the provinces, offering various itineraries , where you can enjoy equally whether you're a beginner, amateur or professional.

Many luxury hotels that offer some excellent facilities are located in the neighbourhood of the courses. They offer numerous services as training areas, equipment hire, teachers, children's playing areas, restaurants, swimming pools, lounge, changing rooms etc ... and so complete the offer of the golf clubs.

Further, throughout the year the clubs organize diverse and important championships, some at European level, so if you like this sport, but have not started practicing it, you can enjoy as well as a spectator.

Among the wide offer you will find a course that fits your desires for sure.

Where to practice it?
In Andalusia you will find courses all over the province. The Costa del Sol in Andalusia is also known as the Costa del Golf for its numerous golf possibilities. No matter what level, you will not have a shortage on courses for practicing, pitch and putt, 9 and 18 holes courses, and a variety of surfaces adapted to the diverse geographical settings. Most courses are situated in the villages near the sea and offer other leisure alternatives as well. Still, the inland courses enjoy the surroundings of beautiful landscapes, and offer all necessary services, facilities, advice and other leisure options as well for when we take a break from golfing.

Precautions
Is is essential that you value your level of fitness. Depending on whether you are a beginner or if you have one or another handicap, we recommend you to choose the field that best suits your category as a golfer. It should be needless to remind you that the courses have federal rules that prevent you to play if you do not justify your level. So do not forget your documentation!
If you've decided to get started in this sport, consult the golf course you have chosen, the availability of training areas, rental of equipment and instructors for classes. 

Necessary Equipment If you have your own equipment, you can of course bring that along, if you don´t want to carry that with you on your trip or do not have it, at all courses there are possibilities to rent the equipment. If you decide to do a renovation you can also purchase the material you need: clubs, balls, tees, bags, clothing and footwear. 

How to get thereThere are various airports in Andalusia that you can choose to fly on. AurigaCrown has various offices in the main cities and airports, like Malaga and Seville, from where you can get a rental car, and get to all golf courses easily. For more information on car rentals, prices, fleet and conditions, please visit AurigaCrown ´s website.

Marbella International Film Festival 2011

AurigaCrown Car Hire offers their clients ideas on different events and places to visit during their stay in Spain. In this article some insights into Marbella and the International Film Festival organized in Marbella during the fall of 2011.

The International Film Festival in Marbella has emerged as a showcase of excellence for promoting the work of independent artists and young filmmakers. It gives them an opportunity within the world of art cinema and the visual and performing arts, and the ability to engage in the business world of entrepreneurs, financiers and sponsors. Only the artwork of the highest quality will be selected.

This new edition, which will last from October 14th to 16th 2011, will present works from Europe, America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The events will include film premieres, music, dance, art exhibitions, workshops, conferences, fashion shows and gala evenings. The Marbella Film Festival is a highly anticipated event on the social calendar of Marbella.

The 24 hour film challenge is organized by Marbella International Film Festival, in association with New World Trust and with support of The Marbella Film Commission: a great opportunity for film makers to list their name and demonstrate their talent to the large international audience.

In the last couple of years the 24 hours Marbella Film Challenge attracted many talented film makers, that created excellent work. This year the festival will try to increase participation even more, by offering subsidies and festival accreditations. The participants (filmmaker, cast, crew) are challenged to make a 3-4 minute short film on a given theme, write a script, direct the actors, film, edit sound and music and hand in the result within 24 hours.

An event not to miss, attracting film makers from all over the world, eager to make movies and show off their talent. Enjoy a long weekend of films, fun, events, screenings and workshops, red carpet opening night cocktail party, awards night dinner, dance ceremony, after parties and much more.

The celebration takes place at the H10 Andalucia Plaza in Marbella.

Apart from the film festival, Marbella has of course much more to offer, luxury hotels, spa´s, restaurants and bars to enjoy and relax, great shopping possibilities, the super marina, many magnificent golf courses and perfect temperatures. With your rental car, you have all options within easy reach. AurigaCrown has an office in Marbella or at Malaga airport so you can pick up your car directly upon arrival. From convertibles, luxury cars to 4x4s, AurigaCrown offers all options to provide you the car that suits you best. For more information on car rentals, fleet, offices and/or prices, please visit AurigaCrown´s website.

Alicante Sun Festival 2011

AurigaCrown Car Hire offers their clients ideas on different events and places to visit during their stay in Spain. In this article some insights into Alicante and the Sun Festival this summer.
The Alicante Sun Festival is an electronic music and house music event, which will be held from July 14th and 16th at Pier 14 in Alicante.

This year is the organisation expects some 6.000 visitors during the three day event. The first day DJ Fonsi Nieto will play, the next day will be DJ Wally Lopez´s turn, with a party that will last until dawn.

The Mayor of Alicante, Sonia Castedo, announced that the Festival is considered one of the most important festivals of electronic music in Alicante and throughout Spain.

This year the festival has been denominated Alicante Sun Festival The Week, which will take place during several days in various pubs, terraces and clubs in Alicante.

The Sun Festival Alicante The Week is the improved version of the Alicante Sun Festival, which had been organized in this city for already 3 years. It features 48 different DJs and music artists on the level of Wally Lopez, Carlos Jean, Fonsi Nieto, Gonzalo Menoyo, Dj Nano, Jp Candela, Robert Gaez, Sergio Gallegos, Villa Gombao INC. .. The Festival is divided into several stages: the Motorcycle Festival, Fiesta White Fashion Vip and ending with the great Festival on Saturday the 16th.

Without doubt the most intense and important festival of electronic music and house, an event that combines light, sun, sand, sea, lights, music and fun, of course with the hands of the 48 DJs who will make this festival unforgettable.

The tour will begin on Wednesday July 13th, with the "pub tour", Theatre Day & Night, Desafinado and John Mulligan's & Co. Spirit Store. On Thursday July 14th there is the "Motorcycle" party Z-Klub, Byblos and Coll 37, with three special guests, DJ Nano, Fonsi Nieto and JP Candela. And Catu, Cesar Sanchez, David Puche and Kuaki will be present as well. All attendees will have access to the events with the same bracelet.

Gather all your strength because Friday July 15th is a special night of White Fashion VIP at the Hall Live Club, where Wally Lopez, the most important international electronic DJ will be playing. Luis Boni, Jose Diaz de Factomanía Showcase; Bonel Ruben, DJ Sera, Alex Now, Jaime Bernabé and Tomy Marco of the Ibiza White Experience will be accompanying him.

Finally the most awaited festival will be on Saturday July 16th, the Alicante Sun Festival with Carlos Jean, Nalaya, Dario Nunez, Sergio Gallegos, Ramses Lopez, Tango, Villa Gombao Inc, Javi Palmero and many more, further the two winners of the Alicante Dj's Sun Festival 2011 contest will be present.

The Festival will start at 12:00 in Pier 14 of the Volvo Ocean Race and will last until early in the morning.

This year in conjunction with the festival, there is the Alicante Sun Conference, with more than 25 activities, including lectures, forums, lectures and master classes led by Dario Nunez, Luis Boni Ruben Bonel, Dj Nano, Jonathan Delgado.

Do not miss this great festival in Alicante. AurigaCrown Car Hire has an office at the airport in Alicante, book your car with us, we have several models at the best prices and enjoy this great party!

The Imperial Ice Stars at Lope de Vega Theatre in Seville!

AurigaCrown Car Hire offers their clients ideas on different events and places to visit during their stay in Spain. In this article some insights into Seville and the spectacular performance later this year at Seville´s theatre Lope de Vega.

The Imperial Ice Stars presents the fascinating Swan Lake on ice with the extraordinary music of Tchaikovsky. This classical performance has delighted many youngsters and adults in the past and still does so today.

The Imperial Ice Stars has created this fantastic representation which has got outstanding reviews, filling theatres to the crest. The show has visited Australia and New Zealand, and in Spain you can see them in the city of Seville from October 4 to 12 at the Teatro Lope de Vega.

The Company has introduced true ice rinks on the stage to provide ideal skating surface for the artists. In order to set this up, a system with two cooling machines, more than 15 kilometres of cooling pipes and over 2.200 litres of water are needed to create 14 tons of ice. The show features 25 world competition-winning skaters, that won more than 200 medals in competitions.

The stars on ice present the story of two wonderful fairy tales: The Swan Lake with the unique music of Tchaikovsky and Cinderella with music by Tim Duncan and Edward Barnwell, composed exclusively for this performance. Two classics with many years of history, but the stars have managed to fascinate everyone who has seen it.

The director and choreographer Tony Mercer is considered the number one worldwide, and he has brought together a top-notch artistic team, including double Olympic gold winner in figure skating Evgeny Platov and four-time gold medallist Alexei Nemov. This assembly makes the performance unique, a truly sensational theatrical and unique presentation, great for all ages.

The performance is produced by James Cundall and Tony Mercer, and tells the story of Prince Siegfried, incited by his mother to choose a wife at a party organized for the occasion. The melancholic Siegfried decides to go out hunting with friends before he has to make the inevitable decision. In a hidden lake they discover a group of girls turned into swans that regain their original form at night. In this lake the swan queen, Odette, bewitched by the magician Rothbart, who arrives just before Siegfried breaks the spell.

Enjoy this unique piece every day from 20:30 to 22:00 from Tuesday October 4th until Wednesday October 12th 2011, tickets cost between 22 € and 52 €.

Auriga Crown Car Hire has an office in the city of Seville, if you're looking to rent a vehicle please contact us and do not miss this fantastic show.

Summer party season at Nikki Beach, Marbella 2011

AurigaCrown Car Hire offers their clients ideas on different events and places to visit during their stay in Spain. In this article some insights into Marbella and the famous luxurious Nikki Beach.

Marbella and Nikki beach both stand for fame and luxury, visited frequently by the rich and famous that search the finer places in the world. Nikki beach is situated in a superb location on the eastern side of Marbella, and offers a beautiful and relaxed environment to enjoy the beach, sun and music. The club is a worldwide phenomenon and represents everything that is cool, sexy and glamorous, hosting the hottest parties in an exotic palm tree setting.

You can rent huge oversized sunbeds for the day and enjoy the champagne, fresh fish and sushi served directly at your sunbed, drink cocktails at the VIP terrace and dance to the tunes of world-class DJs and musicians. Nikki Beach is universally considered one of the best day party venues in the world and you can enjoy an intimate dinner for two as well as a number of glamorous summer events and parties: dress in chic colour-coded outfits for the opening and closing celebrations, Miami Vibes nights, The Champagne World Tour, along with the Moonlight Dinner Experience for glamorous fine dining throughout June, July and August, Mojito parties, full moon parties with beach bonfires and live music Sundays.

An atmosphere of pure relaxation during the day, and a true clubbing environment at night, with a varied summer programme of irresistible parties and top-class entertainment to enjoy.

Although the Beach's restaurant is open from April, the clubbing season really gets going with the White Opening Party. a nightlife legend where all guests dress completly in white and dance and enjoy a great summer evening full of entertainment, DJs, GoGo´s, live musicians, dancers and bands. The season ends in a similar colour-themed fashion at the Red Closing Party. Attracting up to 1000 people in the height of the summer, it is the ultimate beach party experience.

Apart from the beach club and parties, Marbella and Puerto Banus are certainly worth a visit with many luxury hotels, spa´s, restaurants and bars to enjoy and relax, great shopping, a yacht marina, many magnificent golf courses and perfect temperatures. With your rental car, you have all options within easy reach. AurigaCrown has an office in Marbella or at Malaga airport so you can pick up your car directly upon arrival. From convertibles to 4x4s, AurigaCrown offers all options to provide you the car that suits you best. For more information on car rentals, fleet, offices and/or prices, please visit AurigaCrown´s website.

Valencia Open 500 - 2011

AurigaCrown Car Hire offers their clients ideas on different events and places to visit during their stay in Spain. In this article some insights into Valencia and the Valencia Open 500.

The 17th edition of the "Valencia Open 500"  tennis tournament will be held from October 29th to November 6th, 2011, in the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain. The world's best players have a date this season  with the city of Valencia.

The tournament will have a total of 12 sessions, three of which are nocturnal. On Thursday and Friday evening the nocturnal sessions will begin at 20pm and will contain two matches: one singles and one doubles. On Saturday the matches  will start at 18pm displaying one singles, one doubles and one wheelchair match.

The tournament is an ATP competition including individual category (32 players) and doubles (16 pairs). It will also host the third edition of the wheelchair tournament.

The names of the players who will play the Valencia Open 500 2011 will be published at the beginning of the tournament.

The Agora building will become the tennis  meeting point from October 29th to November 6th. For the second year in a row, the main court of the tournament will be constructed inside this building, it will have a capacity of 6075 spectators, far more than last year.

Located a few meters from the Pont de l'Assut de l 'Or, the centrepiece of the City of Arts and Sciences which was designed by the Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava. The interior states a covered, public square, with a diaphanous floor. Furthermore, the covered  area  has almost 5,000 square meters and the exterior part consists of panels with blue tones. The surface of the Centre Court will again consist of acrylic fibre on wood, which includes this tournament in the highest category to be played in Spain on fast court.

How to get there? The A-7 motorway and the N-340 surround the Valencian community  from North to South. The A-3 Motorway connects Valencia with Madrid. The National road 234 connects Valencia with Aragón, Castilla-León and the Northern part of the Peninsula.

Furthermore, the tournament has a shopping and entertainment zone: the FUN PARK will be located next to the Agora and will open its doors to welcome tennis fans as well as the general public. The entrance to the FUN PARK complex is free, you only need to present your ticket to access the courts.

This edition will also have activities for children, so that little ones also enjoy the tournament, at the KIDS FUN PARK.

Apart from the tournament there is of course a lot more to enjoy in and around Valencia: the beaches, nature parks, museums, etc. All is within easy reach with your rental car. Auriga Crown Car Hire conveniently has an office directly at Valencia airport, reserve your car with us and enjoy this great tournament and the surroundings of Valencia.

 

Jerez Grape-Harvest Festival

AurigaCrown Car Hire offers their clients ideas on different events and places to visit during their stay in Spain. Providing options for visits that are within easy reach with a rental car, nice routes, places to visit and from where to start. In this article some insights into the Jerez, the cultural wine capital, its Grape-Harvest festival.

Jerez de la Frontera celebrates its wine harvest with the Jerez sherry festival which begins on the first Saturday of September every year. The event last for 3 weeks and is known locally as the Fiestas de Otoño, involving sherry, horses and flamenco.

Jerez is the cultural capital of wine since time immemorial. The benefits of their land and climate led to the birth of vine cultivation, which later become a first-class commercial element, the birth of the wine in the period of Indian trade. The mythology of the birth of the wine, the new cycle every September, the culture of Jerez de la Frontera around the land... Arguments that define the strength, temperance and nobility of its people.

During the festivities that are a homage to its history you can taste quality fino, manzanilla and other types of sherry in the old tavernas, watch the refined equestrian events, enjoy flamenco music and dance concerts, street performances and entertainment, lectures, international puppet shows and a procession that will be held in honour of the Virgen de la Merced.

One of the highlights is the blessing of the grapes at noon the first day. At the Catherdral on Plaza de la Incarnación, a basket of grapes is places inside a wooden press and, and to the sound of the music and singing of a choir, 4 strong men with special boots will begin the first pressing of the vintage. White doves are released from the Cathedral, with the tower bells ringing with glory.

Many cultural happenings to experience some unforgettable days in Jerez. Apart from the festival, Jerez has of course much more to offer. The city itself is very nice to visit, you can enjoy the gastronomy with great sea food -of course accompanied by a good sherry. Cadiz offers beautiful beaches to relax and nature like the Doñana national park to go hiking and many other nice towns worth a visit like El Puerto de Santa Maria, Chiclana de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Cádiz and more.

AurigaCrown has offices in Jerez de la Frontera or in the nearby Chiclana de la Frontera, convenient to rent your car and have all places you want to visit within easy reach. For more information on car rentals, fleet, offices and/or prices, please visit AurigaCrown´s website.

Tour de España 2011

AurigaCrown Car Hire offers their clients ideas on different events and places to visit during their stay in Spain. Providing options for visits that are within easy reach with a rental car, nice routes, places to visit and from where to start. In this article some information about the Tour of Spain and tips if you want to follow part of the tour live.

Just as the famous French and Italian versions, the Tour of Spain is an important event on the European cycling calendar. Spaniards are passionate about cycling and one of the examples is of course the famous five-time French Tour winner Miguel Indurain. The Spanish Tour is divided into 21 stages and covers more than 3000 kilometres passing by Benidorm, Granada y la Sierra Nevada, Seville, Madrid, Marbella, Andorra, Salamanca, Toledo, Pontevedra, Bilbao, among other places. The 2011 tour takes place from August 20th till September 11th.

The 66th edition of the Vuelta returns to the Angliru climb and visits the Basque Country for the first time in 33 years. Last year’s tour winner Vincenzo Nibali was one of the riders present at the unveiling of the route in Benidorm, from where the tour will start as well on August 20th, with a 16km team time trial. Vincenzo commented that it is a ¨very hard Vuelta¨ this year. The tour will end in Madrid on September 11th, after a total of 3295 kilometres.

The route this year does not pass through Catalonia nor the Pyrenees, but does include ten mountain stages and six peak finishes, two that never have been ridden before: the Estacion de Montaña Manzaneda in Galicia and La Farrapona in Asturias.

The race returns to Valdepeñas de Jaen and to San Lorenzo del Escorial, it goes through the Sierra Nevada and visits the Angliru and the Peña Cabarga, where Igor Anton crashed out during last year´s race.

There is only one time trial which is held over a 40 kilometres track around Salamanca, making the Tour de España a race for true climbers. The final stages will be held in Basque Country, and the very last part of 94 kilometres in Madrid where the Tour finishes.

The race had not returned to Basque Country since 1978 as supporters of the Basque independence created security problems by blocking the course with metal barriers and sticks back then. The regional authorities – with nowadays a non-nationalist leader – tried hard to get the Tour back to the region where cycling is a very popular sport.

The stages of the 2011 Tour de España:
• Saturday, Aug 20 - Stage 1, Benidorm, team time trial, 16km
• Sunday, Aug 21 - Stage 2, La Nucia to Playas de Orihuela, 171.5km
• Monday, Aug 22 - Stage 3, Petrer to Totana, 164km
• Tuesday, Aug 23 - Stage 4, Baza to Sierra Nevada, 172km
• Wednesday, Aug 24 - Stage 5, Sierra Nevada to Valdepenas de Jaen, 200km
• Thursday, Aug 25 - Stage 6, Ubeda to Cordoba, 185.7km
• Friday, Aug 26 - Stage 7, Almaden to Talavera de la Reina, 185km
• Saturday, Aug 27 - Stage 8, Talavera de la Reina to San Lorenzo del Escorial, 182km
• Sunday, Aug 28 - Stage 9, Villacastin to Sierra de Bejar La Covatilla, 179.5km
• Monday, Aug 29 - Stage 10, Salamanca, individual time trial, 40km
• Tuesday, Aug 30 - Rest day
• Wednesday, Aug 31 - Stage 11, Verin to Estacion de Montana Manzaneda, 171km
• Thursday, Sept 1 - Stage 12, Ponteareas to Pontevedra, 160km
• Friday, Sept 2 - Stage 13, Sarria to Ponferrada, 150km
• Saturday, Sept 3 - Stage 14, Astorga to La Farrapona Lagos de Somiedo, 173.2km
• Sunday, Sept 4 - Stage 15, Aviles to Alto de l'Angliru, 144km
• Monday, Sept 5 - Rest day
• Tuesday, Sept 6 - Stage 16, Villa Romana La Olmeda to Haro, 180km
• Wednesday, Sept 7 - Stage 17, Faustino V to Pena Cabarga, 212.5km
• Thursday, Sept 8 - Stage 18, Solares to Noja, 169.7km
• Friday, Sept 9 - Stage 19, Noja to Bilbao, 157.9km
• Saturday, Sept 10 - Stage 20, Bilbao to Vitoria, 187km
• Sunday, Sept 11 - Stage 21, Circuito del Jarama to Madrid, 94km

It is very popular to combine the holidays in Spain with viewing and experiencing a part of the tour live. AurigaCrown Car Hire has a great number of offices all over Spain. Visiting for example the region of Andalusia, offers a great possibility to view the runners come by and at the same time offering plenty of options to enjoy the culture, visit the beautiful cities of Seville, Cordoba, Granada and Malaga, enjoy nature, have fun in entertainment parks, etc. With your rental car all sights and towns are within easy reach. For more information on rental cars, fleet and prices, please visit AurigaCrown´s website.

A relaxed holiday in Almería´s Natural Park Cabo de Gata

AurigaCrown Car Hire offers their clients ideas on different events and places to visit during their stay in Spain. Providing options for visits that are within easy reach with a rental car, nice routes, places to visit and from where to start. In this article some tips when visiting Almería and its surroundings.

For nature and sea lovers, we can recommend the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, at just half an hour from Almería Airport. This natural park has got some of the most beautiful beaches of Spain, with very clean and crystal clear water, perfect for enjoying the underwater life, snorkelling, scuba diving and swimming. Moreover, the underwater flora and sea life of the reserve is protected from commercial fishing. There are large areas of sea grass beds which are a refuge for the monk seal. Look out for pods of dolphins and expect to see sunfish and turtles too.

The centre of activity is based around the coastal town of San Jose, a small fishing port with marina area, a nice sandy beach and many bars and restaurants for a tapa, lunch or dinner. Further you can visit the towns of Rodalquilar which had an old gold mine, Los Escullos, Las Negras, La Isleta del Moro and Aqua Amarga.

Cabo de Gata covers 460 km2 and was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, it has been protected since 1997. And in 2001 it was included among the Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance. It is the largest terrestrial-maritime-reserve in the European Western Mediterranean Sea. It is of volcanic origin and one of the driest places in Europe. Despite this, it supports a great variety of flora and fauna, adapted to the arid, salty environment.

Because of the harsh conditions for agriculture and its isolated location, habitation was sparse and kept the area relatively virgin, something rare on the Spanish coast. In 1997, 3.500 people were registered as living within the boundaries of the natural park, but since the UNESCO declaration, tourism boomed and in 1998 there were already over 500.000 tourist visiting the area. Especially during the summer season. Tourists stay in nearby hotels from where they make day trips to the beaches inside the natural park.

South of the village of Cabo de Gata, you can find Las Salinas (the salt lakes) where in the first millennium B.C., the Phoenicians controlled the seawater, which entered through the marshes, in order to extract salt. In this area, the Laguna de Rosa and dunes are home to many bird species. The best known are the pink flamingos but other species such as the avocets, storks and eagles, can be spotted from spring to autumn as well. Very few stay over the winter as the Salinas are drained after the autumn salt harvest. But there are exceptions, like for the rare, Italian Wall Lizard, Spain, in particular this area, is its only habitat.

Summarizing, an excellent place for a relaxed holiday, to enjoy the sea life, nature, beaches and - of course - the fresh fish cuisine. You can conveniently rent your car directly upon arrival at AurigaCrown´s office at Almería airport, and drive in less than half an hour to the Cabo de Gata Nature Reserve. With your rental car you can easily get to all different sights and towns. For more information on rental cars, fleet and prices, please visit AurigaCrown´s website.