Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler - Spring 2018

SPAIN TRAVELER Cosmopolitan

Special Edition May 2018

PARADORES OF SPAIN

BIKE FRIENDLY GETAWAY

LUXURY ON RAILS

With the slogan ‘90 Remarkable Years’, Paradores is celebrating nine decades of playing a key role in Spain’s tourism.

Travel through Spain to the rythm of your pedals. Custom-tailored cycling holidays for the entire family.

El Transcantábrico Clásico. A cultural and gastronomic journey on the oldest tourist train in Green Spain.

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Special Edition May 2018

Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

The Tourist Offices of Spain form part of a network of 33 worldwide offices of TURESPAÑA, Spain’s government tourism promotion authority based in Madrid. Four branch offices in the USA (Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Miami) promote leisure and convention travel to consumers, press, and travel professionals in their respective geographic jurisdiction.

CONTENT

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL OFFICE

LOS ANGELES (West Coast USA) losangeles@tourspain.es

CHICAGO (Midwest USA) chicago@tourspain.es

Paradores of Spain 90 Remarkable years and counting.

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NEWYORK (North-East USA) nuevayork@tourspain.es

MIAMI (South-East USA) oetmiami@tourspain.es

Bike Friendly Getaway Custom-tailored cycling holidays for the family.

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Luxury on Rails Come aboard El Transcantábrico Clásico and rediscover the pleasure of traveling.

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CONNECTWITH US

ON THE COVER

La Senda del Oso, Asturias, Spain One of many Vias Verdes or ‘Green Ways’. More on page 8.

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Letter from the Director

Welcome to our inaugural edition of Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler , a magazine geared toward tourists as well as travel industry professionals who know or want to know Spain. Five times a year you’ll discover the most attractive tourist destinations as well as special places or experiences you may not have known about. For this we invite you to experience Spain through each edition as we focus on topics such as Paradores, food and wine, art and culture, rural adventures, learn- ing Spanish in Spain, and more. Feel free to share this magazine with your friends and associates, and be sure to let us know what topics are important to you so we can include them; we look forward to detailing the highlights in future editions of Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler .

Teresa Guardia Consul in Charge of Tourism Affairs Tourist Office of Spain in Chicago

And remember –

No matter where you come from, when you visit Spain, a part of it stays with you.

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Parador de Baiona

Paradores is a unique tourism concept, with the majority of its facilities located in historical buildings - castles, fortresses, convents, palaces - in areas of exceptional natural beauty. Out of the 97 Paradores that make up the network, 30% are located in buildings or areas that have been declared as National Heritage Sites. 25% of the Paradores are located in UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. Its experience and activity throughout these past 90 years have led Para- dores to be a leading company in the hotel sector on a global level. It is a unique company in the world that works to preserve and enhance historical and artistic heritage through its touristic use with special interest and attention in regard to the environment. E ver since its beginnings, Paradores has worked with the aim of developing a high-quality tourism product which would be the image of Spain’s hotel sector and benchmark for ‘Brand Spain’ on the international market, facilitating the res- toration of historical heritage for tourism purposes, encouraging sustainable development that is respectful of the en- vironment, promoting Spanish cultural destinations, and being a profitable company that uses its cash flow for the preservation and enhancement of the historic heritage buildings, Paradores operates as hotels and restaurants. What Are Paradores?

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

PARADORES of SPAIN

90 REMARKABLE YEARS

Paradores is a unique tourism concept, with the majority of its facilities located in historical buildings—castles, fortresses, convents, palaces—in areas of exceptional natural beauty. ” Paradores is a 100% state-owned company through the Spanish Treasury. It operates under the guidance of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tour- ism. In 1991 it became a public limited company. At present, Paradores has 97 establishments and more than 6,000 hotel beds. 3,900 professionals work at the company. The properties have an average of 65 rooms. This size means that guests are treated personally and there is a higher quality of customer service. With hotels in all the Autonomous Communities, except for the Balearic Islands, Paradores is the hotel leader in cultural and nature tourism. It has hotels in nine cities declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO as well as in monumental surroundings, national parks and some of the most interesting natural areas in Spain. More than 800,000 people are members of its loyalty program Amigos de Paradores or ‘Friends of Paradores’, and according to the latest Cool Tabs report on the hotel sector, it is the hotel chain with the largest engagement on social media.

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History of Paradores

The origins of Paradores date back to 1910, when the Spanish government, presided by José Canalejas, decided to entrust Marquis of Vega Inclán with the project of creating a hotel structure which would provide accommodations for tourists and travelers, while also improving Spain's image abroad. In 1926, King Alfonso XIII of Spain took it upon himself to personally choose the best location for this project. He chose the Sierra de Gredos mountain range between Madrid and Ávila, in the midst of a remarkably beautiful location. The works finished on October 9, 1928 with the inauguration of the Parador de Gredos : the pioneer of the network of Paradores in Spain. The journey from then was breathtaking. In 1929 a new Parador opened in Cádiz. A year later two more opened in Oropesa and Úbeda. Cuidad Rodrigo opened in 1931, Manzanares in 1932 and Mérida just a year after. The most active expansion period took place in the 60s; this coincided with a significant development in the tourism sector in Spain, with the construction of infrastructure, such as motorways, railways, airports, and ports. It was in this time period that Paradores doubled the number of its establishments, from 40 to 83, and the brand gained a level of prestige throughout the world. During the Spanish transition to democracy, there was a large-scale restructuring of the Paradores network, and some unprofitable buildings were closed. Three years before becoming the first Prime Minister of the democracy, Adolfo Suarez was in charge of the National Tourism Company (Entursa), which he wanted to combine with the national net- work of Paradores. However, it was not until 1986 when part of Entursa was privatized and three of their twelve hotels, due to their historic, artistic and monumental standings, became part of the national network of Paradores: the Hostal del los Reyes Católicos (Santiago de Compostela), La Muralla (Ceuta), and the Hostal San Marcos (León). A major change came in January 1991 when Paradores became a public limited company called "Paradores de Turismo de España S.A.", and the ownership of all the buildings -- and the single shareholder-- became the Directorate General of State Heritage. Paradores also have remarkable, unique, and peculiar backstories that make their build- ings far more important than just a hotel: they're a complete experience. Some examples are the suite at Baiona that has a remarkable view of the Atlantic Ocean and the Cíes Islands; or the Suite del Cardenal with views of the Plaza de Obradoiro main square at the Parador de Santiago de Compostela.

All of this, plus 90 secrets - or treasures - of the remarkable experiences can be found on their official website www.parador.es .

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Bike-Friendly GETAWAY

Kid-centric biking adventures on Spain’s best trails where your luggage is shuttled to the next awaiting destination for you.

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler V ias Verdes has partnered with Bikefriendly Tours, a travel agency that specializes in cycle touring, to offer Bikefriendly Kids , a unique cycling experience geared towards families with children. Vías Verdes (literally, “green ways”) are abandoned railway lines that have been recovered and reconditioned for use by walkers and cyclists. When the trains stopped rolling over these tracks once and for all, they fell into disrepair and were forgotten. The old lines have now lost their rails, and what was once the domain of wagons and locomotives is the realm of cyclists, walkers and day-trippers. There are 1,500 miles of Vía Verde all over Spain that are easy to get to, and being flat and even, provide no technical difficulties -- ideal for riders of all ages and every skill level.

Bikefriendly Tours has crafted custom itineraries that employ bike-friendly accomodations and even offers to forward your

luggage to the next destination. So now you can spend 100% of your time enjoying the trails and not worrying about back-

tracking to the hotel. Once you arrive after an exhilarating day of sightseeing, select hotels provide you with nourishing meals

and spa treatments that prepare you for the next day’s adventure.

In addition to the bike-friendly accommodations, guides, transfers to and from the airport, bicycle rentals, and tours (cultural,

gastronomic, and nature) can all be arranged through BikeFriendly Tours.

For more information, view the 2018 Bike Friendly Kids Catalog online or click on the links below:

www.viasverdes.com | www.bikefriendly.com | info@bikefriendly.com | 2018 BikeFriendly Tours Full Catalog (PDF)

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Spain´s El Transcantábrico Clásico

LUXURY on RAILS

Take an epic cultural and culinary journey through Green Spain An evocative and pleasant atmosphere, a first-class crew, and the rich culture and cuisine of Castile and Leon, the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, and Galicia are the pillars that make every trip on El Transcantábrico Clásico a real pleasure for the senses.

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

S ynonymous with takes travelers back to the Golden Age of the great railway journeys, accompanied by all comforts and services of the 21st century. El Transcantábrico Clásico makes the trip unique on the whimsical course of the meter width track, from Santiago de Compostela to León via Bilbao or vice versa. elegance and comfort from the beginning, El Transcantábrico Clásico El Transcantábrico Clásico in- cludes an extensive portfolio of services and activities to ensure their customers enjoy a unique and unforgettable experience. The journey itself is a tour of the gastronomic identities of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country and Castile and León, where different cultures have THE EXPERIENCE

inhabited, each leaving their own trait on the typical flavors of Northern Spain. To ensure passengers a good night’s rest, the train remains parked at a station at night. The train lounges are especially de- signed for relaxation and unfet- tered enjoyment of the evocative ambience, also offering the chance of sharing the company of fellow travelers. Magnificent scenery, fine din- ing, art and culture add on to this unparalleled trip aboard the most vintage luxury tourist train. For seven nights and eight days the Transcantábrico Clásico becomes your living room, your means of transportation, your socializing place, your bar, your bedroom: A hotel on wheels in which you sleep and wake up in a different place every day.

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El Transcantábrico Clásico takes travelers back to the golden age of the great railway journeys, accompanied by all comforts and services of the 21st century.

Let yourself be carried away by El Transcantábrico Clásico on a unique 8 day/7 night journey through Spain’s northern lands, following the meandering narrow tracks.

For more information, view the 2018 Itineraries and Departures (PDF) or visit www.renfe.com/trenesturisticos

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Hotel Montiboli - Villajoyosa, Spain

There are only two types of people who visit Spain: Those who stay, and those who return.

— Leon H. Liberman

Leon H. Liberman first went to Spain (Villajoyosa) in 1962 and stayed for 33 years, doing acting, voice-overs, and leading tours throughout the mainland and islands. Since returning to his hometown of Chicago, he has gone back and forth to Spain frequently, escorting tours and organizing private travel arrangements. He has also been a freelance contributor to AAAWestways Magazine and is a frequent guest on Armed Forces Radio Network. His latest interview can be found on www.ontravel.com .

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SPAIN TRAVELER Cosmopolitan

About Us TURESPAÑA is the government tourism agency responsible for marketing Spain around the world, creating value in its tourism industry, and driving the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of Spanish destinations. Its mission is to break new strategic ground in Spanish tourism, coordinating and leading public and private actors. All our activities form part of our tourism brand Marca España . Our network of 33 Tourist Offices abroad act both as centers of knowledge and marketing, and as business platforms for the tourism sector. Their role abroad is essential for the execution of our international tourism promotion strategy.

Design and Layout: Tom Milanovic, Marketing Manager - Tourist Office of Spain in Chicago

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