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Only a few days left until the beginning of the Volvo World Match Play Championship which takes place at the Finca Cortesin Golf Club between October 29th and November 1st. The field has now been finalised and the 16 confirmed qualifiers are: Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), Scott Strange (Australia), Paul Casey (England), Retief Goosen (South Africa), Anthony Kim (USA), Camilo Villegas (Columbia), Jeev Milkha Singh (India), Robert Allenby (Australia), Henrik Stenson (Sweden), Sergio Garcia (Spain), Lee Westwood (England), Martin Kaymer (Germany), Ross Fisher (England), Oliver Wilson (England), Simon Dyson (England), Angel Cabrera (Argentina). Finca Cortesin is located in Casares, which is in the very western part of the province of Malaga just 1.5 km north of the N340 on the road to Casares village. This is for sure one of the best Golf torunaments that we will see this year.

The Falles, or in spanish Las Fallas, is an internationally known fire celebration in Valencia, which was this week. It is a Valencian traditional celebration in praise of Saint Joseph. Every citizen in Valencia works and prepares himself for this few days of festivity with the biggest enthusiasm man can have for this tradition. It is being held between the 14^th and the 19^th of March mainly in the city of Valencia, where for example on Thursday they have burned 772 monuments, specially built for this occasion. All of this monuments, called Ninots represent actual themes with a satire point of politics, comedy and social life, some of the Ninots can get up to 30 m high and are exposed until their burning. The party goes continuously from one morning to the other during the 5 days surrounded by fireworks, massive amount of firecrackers and the smell to gunpowder.

Planning a holiday in Lanzarote? Or simply want to find out more about this unique Canary Island? Then download the new edition of Lanzarote Guidebook – the free, in-depth tourist guide to the Island of Fire.

Lanzarote Guidebook is researched and written by long term island residents. Which means that it provides readers with the real inside track to the island. And it is published every quarter. Ensuring that information is always accurate and up to date.

The new Spring 2009 edition is packed with useful information for visitors. Along with some fantastic pictures of the island from local photographer James Mitchell. And can be downloaded for free at www.lanzaroteguidebook.com.

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Sierra Nevada is a ski resort near Granada only one hour away from the beach. It is a popular tourist destination, as its high peaks make skiing possible in Europe’s most southern ski resort, even this area along the Mediterranean Sea is more known for its warm temperatures and yearround sunshine. But just have in mind that the highest point of continental Spain, the Mulhacén mountain at 3,478 metres is situated in the Sierra Nevada. Just to go up to the Sierra Nevada from any corner of the Costa de Sol is an easy and cheap way to ski and only takes an hour or two. For 40 € you get your daily ski pass and you can enjoy about a 100 km of slopes with up to 350 cm of depth. We haven’t had this amount of snow for a long time and it’s actually a shame not to have more free time left to spend skiing up in the Sierra Nevada. Read more »

50 years ago, 5 children discovered the Nerja caves or better known as “La Cueva de Nerja”, when they were just playing and looking for bats. In 2008, the caves received 415,000 visitors, which makes it the second most visited monument in Andalucia after the Alhambra in Granada, even though they have just investigated 15% of the Nerja cave yet. This year a group of Anthropological scientists has been formed to study and follow with the diggings in the Chamber of the Mine, here is where they believe to find the rests of the last Neanderthals of Europe. In this anniversary year they planned plenty of activities like conferences, seminars and a special edition of the international festival of music and dance of the Cave, which also celebrates its half-century anniversary this July. In summer the caves are opened from 10:00 to 19:30 and the price is 8,50 Euro for adults and 4,50 Euro for children. Be sure to check out the caves when you visit Nerja!