When January comes around with its hella freezing weather, you'll be dreaming of sunny beaches; shoot, we're doing that now. To prevent seasonal affective disorder, you'll need a dose of Costa del Sol, or "Coast of the Sun." According to Travelzoo, the beachfront locale has more than 300 days of sunshine each year. The company's offering a package to the Spanish coastal region along the Mediterranean for $499, which includes a five-night vacay with airfare, but you have to book by Oct. 28.

The deal includes round-trip airfare from NYC to Malaga, Spain. You'll also spend five nights at either Sol Principe or Cervantes, both of which are four-star hotels. If you opt for Cervantes, you'll get free breakfast daily. And if you're the type to tire from frolicking on the beach all day—crazy talk, we know—you can add day tours to Cordoba, Granada or Tangier to the package for an additional $71 to $91. ]]> Jennifer Kester 2009-10-16T15:11:54-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/9/2/10555/62464

After New Orleans welcomed him with open arms, Super World Traveler Brad Pitt has set his sights on drawing tourists to another little-visited town in northern Spain. Only 860,998 cities left before tourism is saved!

The city of Avilés is in the process of building a cultural center dedicated to Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, responsible for designing the city of Brasilia and contributing to the UN Headquarters design. For the northern region of Asturias, best known as the area of Catholic reconquest of Spain from the Moors, the Centro Niemeyer will attract touring theatre productions, cultural exhibits and famous authors to the city once it opens in 2010. ]]> egw 2009-09-02T11:20:47-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/7/14/202745/157

If you find yourself wandering the streets of Madrid this summer, stumbling upon some culture should be even easier than usual.

June 25 marked the start of the city’s 24th annual Veranos de la Villa—Summer in the City—60 days of music, dance, and theatre held throughout the city’s squares and plazas (and in some inside theaters and concert halls too).

The festival is a time when Madrid comes out to celebrate its international flair, so expect less Spanish guitar and flamenco dancing in favor of more pop music and breakdancing. The eclectic lineup includes everyone from Cuban hip-hoppers Orishas to ballet impresario Mikhail Baryshnikov, and funk legends Kool in the Gang, along with a slew of free events throughout the festival, which runs through August 23.

Related Stories:
· Verano de la Villa [Official Site]
· Madrid summer festival features star-studded lineup [Travel Weekly]
· US Airways Begs You To Go To Europe This Summer [Jaunted]

[Photo: museu reina sofia] ]]> BS 2009-07-16T09:10:02-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/23/92834/0326

It pays to work for Oprah. The second most powerful celebrity in the world is treating 1,700 of her employees and their families to an all-expenses-paid Mediterranean cruise this week, estimated to be setting Oprah back about $5400 per person, totaling $9.2 million.

The trip began on the mainland in Barcelona, where Oprah celebrated her 55th birthday in Poble Espanyol, a popular tourist destination featuring shops, restaurants and bars. During their three day stay in the Barcelona, Oprah and her staff toured the city, taking in sites like the famously incomplete Antonio Gaudi church La Sagrada Familia. ]]> cmb 2009-06-23T10:02:15-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/19/9145/18107

Economic crisis time has brought us plenty, really: cheap airline tickets or staycations, just to name a couple. A surprising bonus out of the global recession is the fact that you can now abuse bar staff in a pub in Spain and get a free beer out of it.

The Casa Pocho bar in Cullera, near Valencia, offers free drinks for "original or hilarious abuse". The owner Bernard Mariusz figured that in these difficult times, people need an outlet for their frustrations and his bar was as good a place as any for it.

Mariusz also says that the Spanish language is full of fantastic abusive phrases, so the challenge to come up with drink-worthy slander shouldn't be too hard. Our limited Spanish doesn't yet extend to too much abuse, but for a free drink, we'll learn anything.

Related Stories:
· Gimme A Beer, Imbecile [Reuters]
· Beer Travel Guide [Jaunted]

[Photo: IanKershaw] ]]> amandak 2009-06-19T12:53:47-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/2/142014/9669

Last one in's a rotten egg! We're finding the best places in the world to stick our toes in this summer (or next winter) for our World's Coolest Pools map. Know of any pools we must check out? Let us know.

One guest's dealbreaker is another's delight: The Hotel Arts Barcelona's website barely mentions its pool among luxury offerings like the deluxe suites and the "Spa By Six Senses," but we think this gorgeous seaside tower's got something to shout about.

This Ciutat Vella skyscraper operated by Ritz-Carlton opened in 1994 and was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the architects who brought us the US embassy in Beijing and the Sears Willis Tower in Chicago. The neighborhood, the oldest part of the city currently holding the FC Champions League title, includes La Rambla, the long boulevard which is both tourist trap and exuberant artery of Barcelona street life. ]]> egw 2009-06-02T15:17:05-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/3/5/6516/30221

With our giant soft spot for Australia we probably would already have voted Down Under beaches ahead of Spain's Costa Brava, but now the Spaniards have done it themselves. In a recent resort brochure for the supposedly beautiful Spanish coastline, they used a picture of a Perth beach by mistake. Ooops.

If you, like that resort, suspect Western Australia's beaches might be prettier than the Costa Brava, then you could check out City Beach, which was used for the Spanish ad. Along the same city coastline, Cottesloe Beach is also famous for atmosphere and easy train route access; a little north of the city, Scarborough Beach is one for the teenagers and surfers.

Of course, the beaches across Oz might all be better than the Costa Brava--just check our top five Sydney beaches to start your comparison. And when daydreaming over Spanish vacation brochures next, don't forget to wonder if what you're seeing is really Down Under.

Related Stories:
· Costa Pertha in Spanish Resort Promotion [The Age]
· The Five Best Beaches in Sydney [Jaunted]
· Perth Travel Guide [Jaunted]

[Photo of Cottesloe Beach, Perth, not the Costa Brava: Ole Reidar Johansen] ]]> amandak 2009-03-05T15:56:16-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/