subject: Beating the Heat in Sunny Spain [print this page] Beating the Heat in Sunny Spain Beating the Heat in Sunny Spain
As Spain experiences one of its hottest summers in recent history, foreign tourists and Spanish nationals alike are searching for new and inventive ways to beat the heat. In a somewhat bizarre turn of events, Pamplona city officials have altered the route for the age old running of the bulls in order for it to culminate with a dive into the cool, clear Atlantic Ocean-for bulls and bull runners alike. Thus the "running of the bulls" could sadly become the "swimming of the bulls", shortly followed by the drowning of the bulls.
Sunburn, heat stroke and the attending physical, emotional and financial maladies being taken into consideration, perhaps this is the right time to enjoy a Spanish holiday defined by, yes, you heard it correctly, good old fashioned air conditioning. Rather than traipsing around Madrid in forty-five degree heat in search of tapas, sangria and a bit of Iberian culture, one would do well to get out of the city and have a proper holiday, sunburn and heat stroke thankfully not included.
The trip to Toledo, some seventy kilometres south of Madrid in an air-conditioned first class train carriage, contingent on availability and personal finances of course, may prove precisely the kind of vacation from your vacation that the stiflingly hot Spanish weather necessitates. Diminishing the frequency of what would otherwise be the summer vacation refrain of tourists all over Spain, "I didn't want it to be this hot," or worse "I think I'm going to collapse and die," is certainly not a bad idea.
The city itself is by no means too chilly, but a number of luxury hotels in Toledo surrounding the UNESCO heritage site mean that you can buy comfort and respite from the heat at half the price of what it would cost in Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Alicante or just about any other major Spanish tourism destination. You can still traipse, though the size of the heritage site and the city itself means you won't have to traipse as far. All the Iberian flavour, tapas, sangria and all still awaits you there, though there is less risk of the aforementioned sunburn, heat stroke and outright fatality in getting there and enjoying it. Especially if you've had the good sense to book one of the hotels in Toledo that has air conditioning and full-size pool. Don't forget to pack sunscreen, always remember to reapply and, most importantly, try to mind the bulls.
