A Relaxing Vacation In Altea, Spain

A Relaxing Vacation In Altea, Spain

Altea, Spain is a small town in the Costa Blanca and is located roughly nine miles north of Benidorm, a popular Costa Blanca city. Altea is one of the few villages in the region that has maintained the atmosphere of a fishing village, creating a tourist area without sacrificing its natural beauty. This small village offers its visitor an atmosphere much more peaceful and quiet than the larger cities. The mountains surrounding the village keep the climate comfortable in the summer months as well as the winter months when the mountains help protect the village from cold winds.

Most visitors to the village fly into the Alicante airport located about an hours drive from the town. There are buses and trains available at the airport to take you to the village, or you can rent a car from one of the car hire companies at the airport. With real estate growing in Altea, you will find many new hotels and apartments in which you can stay.

Altea is the perfect destination for a quiet, relaxing vacation in one of the most beautifully landscaped areas in the Costa Blanca region. Many writers and painters come to the village for its tranquility and beautiful surroundings. The length of stay varies, but most visiting writers and painters stay in the area surrounding the old church, Nuestra Senora Del Conseulo. This church was built in 1910 and has a beautiful Mediterranean style design with its hand-painted tiles and blue dome roof. In fact, the church’s roof is a landmark in the area.

Walking tours are the best way to experience Altea and are available in the town or the surrounding mountains. You can take a private tour or a guided tour of the trails around the village. If you enjoy nature, the mountain walking tours are a great way to enjoy the beautiful surroundings in a tranquil environment.

A short distance from the beach and harbor area is a selection of small stores for shopping. Many stores break for an afternoon siesta from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 or 5:00 p.m., but the stores are generally open from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Larger stores may stay open all day. There is also a craft market open from Easter through September, offering another opportunity for shopping. You can find a wide variety of reasonably priced handmade items for sale at the market. The market is near the harbor area.

Despite its small size, golfers will still be in luck with the Altea Golf Club offering a great course for visitors to the area. The beautiful climate in the area is great for golfing, especially with the comfortable summers and mild winters. Finally, for some nightlife or more popular tourist attractions, you can take a trip to the nearby city of Benidorm where you will find vibrant nightlife, theme parks and water parks. You can travel to Benidorm by car or by train.

Sewing Supplies and Fabrics for the Thrifty and Green

Sewing Supplies and Fabrics for the Thrifty and Green

If you love thrift stores and garage sales, this is the column for you. There’s gold in them thar hills—sewing gold! Change your perspective a little and look at the world as one big fabric store and you’ll find all kinds of treasures to add to your stash.

– Have a closet full of old bridesmaid or prom dresses? Use them to make a quilt or a patchwork pillow. Give the bride a memento from her wedding by printing her wedding details on a piece of printable fabric. Then, use fabrics, trims, and even petticoat tulle from the bridesmaid dresses (or even the bride’s dress if you have scraps from alterations) to artfully dress a pillow she can keep always. Give your daughter a memento of her high-school dances with a quilt made with fabric from her dresses. Create an appliqué of a dress to put in each square using the fabric from her gowns.

– Handkerchiefs, gloves, scarves, bandanas, lace & linens. When I was a child, we had to have a new embroidered handkerchief and a pair of white gloves every Easter. Sew these mementos into projects to create an artistic memoir. Trims can often be pricey when new, so take them off of old garments or lingerie and re-use them. Make a dress from a vintage pillow case or from a bandana.

– Used Clothing & Thrift Items. Find tablecloths with embroidery or lace to transform—many vintage linens were made with handmade lace. Use old straw hats as forms to create fancy dress-up bonnets. Use old jeans to make trendy handbags. Find old craft or knitting kits and use the threads and yarns to create decorative trims for your projects. Remove the back and insides of an old stuffed fabric doll or toy, and use the front or profile for a cute appliqué on jeans. Silk or lace from wedding gowns can be removed and used for other sewing projects, and the tulle from underskirts can be re-made into pettiskirts. Take a blouse from your closet that you haven’t worn (but can’t bear to give away) and use it to create a camisole or a fabric belt.

– Robes & Terrycloth. Cut worn parts from old robes or towels and sew them together to make a fun shower curtain (use with a liner). Vintage chenille is fun to use for stuffed toys.

– Buttons, Beads & Jewelry. If you have an old jacket with great buttons, consider taking the buttons off to re-use them. Find beaded sweaters or jackets, old jewelry—even shoes– and disassemble to reclaim the beads and findings. Remove belts from cool belt buckles and attach a new fabric belt. Re-use hardware from old purses to make new ones. Frequently, hardware is expensive to buy new but remains undamaged on used pieces.

– Scraps. Be sure to use those scraps of fabric for small projects like appliqué, scrapbooking, patchwork, hair clips, stuffed toys, and embellishments.

Planning A Trip To Spain

Planning A Trip To Spain

If you’re traveling to Spain and looking for a vacation spot in which to relax and unwind, consider Altea. North of Benidorm, you’ll find an unspoiled fishing village that has kept its small-town charm and natural beauty.

Traveling to Altea

This city is located approximately one hour from the Alicante airport. Several different modes of transportation are available to you once you land. You might find it most convenient to rent a car, but public buses and trains are also options.

The economy of the area is booming, largely due to the increase in available real estate. As tourism is the biggest economic growth factor, new hotels and other types of lodging have sprouted up in recent years. Chances are, here you’ll find the perfect accommodations to suit your needs.

Things to See in Altea

This area, nestled in the mountains of Sierra de Bernia, offers some of the most beautiful views of the Costa Blanca. It attracts tourists from all walks of life, from international writers and painters to local artists. For some, it’s a permanent home, for others, it’s simply a tranquil vacation spot.

The best way to see the city and all of its unique features is by taking a walking tour. Private and group tours are available throughout the town and surrounding areas. You may even find that this type of tour can be included in a vacation package.

Here you’ll find the well-known church, Nuestra Senora del Consuelo. Its familiar blue dome is a tribute to the traditional Mediterranean-style architecture that is prevalent in this area.

If you’re looking for a little more excitement, you can wander down the narrow cobblestone streets to find unique shops, some with quaint handmade souvenirs. You’ll find that some stores operate all day, while some are closed for an hour or two during the middle of the day.

You can visit the craft market, near the harbor area. It’s open from Easter through September. You can find unique gift items from local artisans. Most of the items are handmade, and the prices are reasonable.

Some would argue that a vacation is not complete without golf. If that’s the case, you’ll find many courses around the Costa Blanca to please any golfer. It’s a good idea to call ahead, as green fees vary from course to course, and from season to season.

If you like the hustle and bustle of a city brimming with activity, Benidorm is the place for you. It’s the most popular resort area on the Costa Blanca, with over 1000 restaurants. During the day, you can visit its theme parks and at night you can dance the night away at one of its 30 nightclubs.

Plan ahead, so when you’re finally on vacation, you can relax!