Under the new entry rule, unvaccinated tourists with a negative COVID test result will also be allowed to enter Spain. It is essential that the PCR test must be carried out 72 hours before the hour of…
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men’s basketball team will venture on a 10-day foreign tour to Barcelona, Spain, and Paris, France, in August, head coach Nate Oats has announced. The Crimson Tide will play two games and spend four days in Barcelona before traveling to Paris for another four days and one contest.
Per NCAA rules regarding a foreign tour, Alabama will hold 10 days of practices prior to departing Tuscaloosa. The Tide’s trip will begin on Aug. 5 when it departs Tuscaloosa for Atlanta. The Tide will arrive in Barcelona at 8:55 a.m. local time on Saturday, Aug. 6.
The two games in Barcelona will be played Aug. 8 and Aug. 9, with the team departing for Paris on Aug. 10. The lone contest in France will take place Aug. 12. The team will return to Tuscaloosa on Aug. 14.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to have our program go on a foreign trip as a team to Barcelona and Paris,” head coach Nate Oats said. “It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our guys. It will give us all an opportunity to come together as a team before the season begins through the extra practices we’ll have, the educational and cultural experiences that we’ll encounter and the high-level competition that we plan on facing. It will be an experience that will remain with us all.”
Further details surrounding the trip including opponents, tip times, locations and more will be announced at a later time.
For all the latest information on the team, follow AlabamaMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can be found @UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
Spain is one of the most popular summer holiday destinations among Britons, but it may become less picturesque than in years previous.
Environmentalists are urging local councils not to remove unsightly sea algae from beaches.
Their argument is that it is all part of marine life and conservation and the fight against climate change.
In parts of Alicante, this is coming into effect, with the local authority announcing just yesterday that it has approved an order to protect it at all costs.
However, it is often unsightly and annoying for sunbathing tourists.
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Other holiday resorts across Spain are also keen to hold off on removing the algae slush, despite beachgoers having to jump or wade through it in order to get to the sea.
The Spanish Institute of Coastal Ecology recommends delaying the removal until the arrival of high season.
Even still, they only recommend it to be removed on the busiest of beaches.
The Valencia council has had to remove some of the sea grass on busy beaches due to the extremely hot weather.
However, it has introduced conservation measures which British tourists may not be best pleased with.
The Coastal Ecology Institute said: “Algae and marine plant debris have an important ecological role to play in coastal ecosystems.
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“This role is clearly set out in the criteria under which beaches can obtain Blue Flag status.”
The Blue Flag website reads: “The iconic Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary awards for beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators.
In order to qualify for the Blue Flag, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained.”
The Coastal Ecology Institute continued that coastal areas are not simply an “asset in the local leisure industry that only needs to be kept clean”, but rather “natural and living environments”.
Tourists have been reminded that until the algae becomes “harmful” for beachgoers, it is “inevitable and should be accepted” as part of nature.
The institute suggested that when possible, the first option should be that debris are left – “precisely because of its important environmental and beach protection role”.
Scientific director, Gabriel Soler explained that when firms were brought in to clear the algae, 80 percent of the matter cleared was in fact sand. which therefore contributed to beach erosion.
Because this contributes to beach erosion, he found: “The longer the posidonia is left, the better.”
But he made a distinction; while the matter should remain in coves and natural beaches year-round, it can be cleared on urban beaches in the high season.
This is between June – August.
Spanish politician Monica Oltra explained that Friday’s degree “responds to the need to protect these ecosystems due to their great environmental wealth, since they are inhabited by more than 400 species of plants and 1,000 animals, many of which are of commercial interest and some are seriously threatened”.
But despite the environmental positives, the visual pollution is proving too much for some tourists.
In Ibiza’s Platja d’en Bossa, one businessman stated: “We used to have up to four rows of hammocks but now there is not even a beach.”
Locals have also taken to social media to voice their displeasure, with one commenting: “Posidonia is decomposing organic matter, piling it up on urban tourist beaches is a health risk. It smells rotten.”
Posidonia oceanica, also known as Neptune grass or Mediterranean tapeweed, is a seagrass species found in the Mediterranean Sea.
The local council said that in areas where sand has been washed away, the posidonia is being left “in order to act as a natural barrier and thus favour the regeneration of the beach”.
In Elche, beach councillor Héctor Díez said that since May 9, they had cleared up 200 cubic metres of posidonia to better the area’s “image”, and this would increase in the coming weeks.
However, he explained that posidonia is actually a symptom of the good quality of the waters of the Elche coast, while he did lament that it was a nuisance for beachgoers.
In beachy Benidorm, the local council is raising awareness to tourists to hit home the importance of posidonia and sustainable tourism.
Additional reporting by Rita Sobot.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men’s basketball team will venture on a 10-day foreign tour to Barcelona, Spain, and Paris, France, in August, head coach Nate Oats has announced. The Crimson Tide will play two games and spend four days in Barcelona before traveling to Paris for another four days and one contest.
Per NCAA rules regarding a foreign tour, Alabama will hold 10 days of practices prior to departing Tuscaloosa. The Tide’s trip will begin on Aug. 5 when it departs Tuscaloosa for Atlanta. The Tide will arrive in Barcelona at 8:55 a.m. local time on Saturday, Aug. 6.
The two games in Barcelona will be played Aug. 8 and Aug. 9, with the team departing for Paris on Aug. 10. The lone contest in France will take place Aug. 12. The team will return to Tuscaloosa on Aug. 14.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to have our program go on a foreign trip as a team to Barcelona and Paris,” head coach Nate Oats said. “It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our guys. It will give us all an opportunity to come together as a team before the season begins through the extra practices we’ll have, the educational and cultural experiences that we’ll encounter and the high-level competition that we plan on facing. It will be an experience that will remain with us all.”
Further details surrounding the trip including opponents, tip times, locations and more will be announced at a later time.
For all the latest information on the team, follow AlabamaMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can be found @UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
However, paella is the name now given to 200 or so “distinctive rice dishes” from the Valencia region.
The video was popular on TikTok, amassing almost 20,000 likes, and several flocked to the comments to share their own experiences of Spain.
@wicklessinwonderland stated: “Traveled to Barcelona – they were shocked when we tipped! Loved it there. Beautiful!
@silent2hands said: “Thank you! I’m going to Barcelona. I bought pickpocket proof pants!”
In another video, titled ‘Top five things you have to know before travelling to Spain’, Ana said: “Topless bathing at the beach is VERY normal.
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With its glorious weather, gorgeous architecture, and world-class gastronomy, Barcelona has everything you could want in a city.
It’s why five years ago, I chose to move here from New York, ditching my all-black wardrobe, umbrella, and NYC attitude to embrace the Catalan capital’s wonderfully laid-back vibe and sunshine-filled days.
As I’ve found, there’s plenty in Barcelona to keep visitors busy, from touring the Modernisme masterpieces of Antoni Gaudí to visiting outstanding museums devoted to Picasso and Joan Miró, and exploring the Gothic Quarter’s tangle of medieval streets.
But what I love most about living here is that most days are simply about relaxing: at a café on a scenic plaza, at a beachfront chiringuito with your toes in the sand, or on a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of the city, sea, and mountains.
If you have the means, it’s worth splurging on a Michelin-starred meal — Barcelona is one of the best eating cities in the world — and staying in a century-old five-star property. But you can have just as fabulous a time bedding down in a budget hotel and dining at local tapas bars.
Here’s everything you need to know to plan the perfect Barcelona vacation.
The Canaries’ rules are similar to those of Spain, as you need to be fully vaccinated or have proof of recovery to visit.
Again, unvaccinated teens aged 12 to 17 can visit provided they have proof of a negative test taken within 72 hours before travel.
You may also be required to show proof of a negative coronavirus test for your accommodation – check with your tour operator or travel agent.
All travellers will need to fill out a pre-travel online form before visiting the Canaries.
If Britons are travelling to the islands from Spain, the Foreign Office travel advice notes: “To travel to the Canary or Balearic islands from mainland Spain, you may need to show a negative COVID test depending on the region you are travelling from.
“Check with your travel operator and the local authorities in your final destination for guidance on domestic entry requirements.”
In a recent holiday boost for Britons, the Canaries have ended their local coronavirus restrictions, which included removing capacity limits for venues such as bars and restaurants, and once again allowing dancing in nightclubs.
All bars and restaurants in Spain are now required by law to offer free tap water as an alternative to bottled water, which customers would have previously had to pay for. It’s been introduced in a bid to help people reduce the consumption of plastics – but it’ll also benefit tourists dining out at abundant restaurants in holiday hotspots, including Benidorm.
Up until now, businesses could choose whether they want to offer tap water and could decide whether to charge for it or not.
But the new regulations in the Law on Waste and Contaminated Soil for a Circular Economy state: “Establishments in the hotel and restaurant sector will always have to offer consumers, customers or users of their services the possibility of consuming unpackaged water free of charge and complementary to the offer of the same establishment.”
Water fountains are also being encouraged to be installed so visitors and locals can refill their reusable bottles throughout the day.
And, as Glasgow Live reports, the change has been largely celebrated.
One man stated online: “About time, the Spanish government stepped in to stop this rip off practice. But let’s face it, any tourist trap anywhere in the world, rips off tourists.”
Another Facebook user posted: Great news. To think of the amount of money we wasted on bottle water over there.”
A third said: “Well done, Spain.”
Another man shared: “This is a game changer.”
When plastic water bottles end up in landfills, they still absorb and leach toxic chemicals as they break up into tiny polluted pieces.
Despite the cost of living crisis, some Britons are eager to get away on a luxury holiday. Marbella in Spain has been named Europe’s most exclusive holiday destination but where else can Britons go for luxury?
The rankings from European Best Destination rated holiday spots on their standards for luxury.
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It’s no surprise to see Marbella take the top spot for exclusivity in Europe. Popular with superyacht owners, the Costa del Sol resort has a reputation for luxury.
Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie travelled to the exclusive Spanish spot for a luxury break in 2021.
The pair stayed in a holiday villa worth over £25,000 per week with two swimming pools and a tennis court.
Marbella is located around half an hour’s drive from Malaga airport and temperatures often reach well over 30 degrees in summer.
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Portugal’s stunning Madeira rounded off the top three most exclusive destinations in Europe.
The beautiful island is known for its namesake wine and fantastic weather. Hiking fans will enjoy exploring its expansive forest.
Despite its exclusive status, Britons will be able to find deals on Madeira and cheap flights to the capital Funchal are available from the UK’s major airports.
Capri in Italy’s Bay of Naples was the second most exclusive spot in Italy. A celebrity favourite, the island will stretch most holiday budgets.
Gstaad in Switzerland is one of Europe’s most exclusive ski resorts with a price tag to match.
Popular with royalty and celebrities, British tourists will find a better bargain at a French or Austrian resort.
Monte Carlo also made the top 10 of Europe’s most exclusive destinations. Its residents are well known for their extravagant lifestyle.
St Barts, Megeve, Montreux and Sveti Stefan rounded off the top 10 of Europe’s most exclusive destinations.