Madrid & Beyond's 10th Anniversary Newsletter

WELCOME!

Madrid & Beyond is 10 years old and we're celebrating with our travel partners and collaborators all around the world!  It seems like only yesterday that we first opened for business but 10 years have passed since that balmy day in October 1998 when founder Nigel Hack launched Madrid & Beyond. Since then we’ve grown to be the leading player in arranging upscale vacations in Spain and of course we’re best known for our very own ‘Special Experiences’, the experiences which make us stand out as providing your clients with unique access to places and faces in Spain.

So to celebrate we’re launching this one-off edition of our newsletter with some great travel tips for your clients, and there's the chance to win a special prize.

All of course with the theme of 10!

10 surprising facts about Spain & its people

1. Spanish citizens enjoy 14 public holidays a year (this on top of the stipulated 22 days holiday a year)
2. No wonder the Economist in its Quality of Life report ranks Spain in the Top Ten
3. There are four co-official languages in Spain, alongside Spanish; Basque, Catalan/Valencian, Galician and Aranese
4. For a time in the late 15th century, Spain was the world’s richest and most powerful nation
5. Spain has one of the youngest democracies in Europe. 2008 marks its 30th anniversary
6. Spain is second country only to Italy in boasting the largest number of Monuments and Natural Reserves inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List
7. Madrid has the largest number of bars per capita of any European city (so they say!)
8. The first schools of modern fencing were formed in Spain approximately 550 years ago
9. Spain has 4,964 km of coastline, and that’s a lot of beaches!
10. The Prado Museum is considered one of the best 10 museums of the world

10 things that you didn't know about Madrid & Beyond

1. We're based in central Madrid, 100 meters from the Royal Palace 2. We are a mix of Spanish, American and British 3. The "Beyond" covers all areas of Spain, including the islands 4. Of the current team, all have lived and worked overseas 5. Our team speaks five languages and all are bi-lingual in English/Spanish 6. Our clients come from all over the world 7. Apart from licensed local guides, we work with architects, artists, an art advisor, bullfighters, chefs, Jewish Heritage experts, flamenco musicians, winemakers to name but a few. 8. Madrid & Beyond is ten years old – just in case you didn’t read the opening paragraph! 9. Madrid & Beyond will be exhibiting in ILTM in December 2008

10. We’ve organized trips for politicians, actors, actresses, senior judges, CEOs and presidents of major companies. Rest assured, we apply strict confidentiality so that everybody, EVERYBODY, can enjoy a vacation in Spain that meets their preferences and requirements

10 beautiful moments in rural Spain

1. Gaze across to Africa from the old Moorish village of Vejer de la Frontera in Cadiz
   
2. Just a short drive south of Granada, explore the Alpujarras, the last stronghold of the Moors in Spain, where the villages that have retained their traditional Berber architecture
3. Roam the dramatic “Coast of Death” in Galicia with its awesome views and authentic traditional villages
4. Discover footstep after footstep, village after village, the magic of one of the most ancient routes in Europe - the Camino de Santiago
5. Be surprised and wowed by one of the most spectacular landscapes in northern Spain, the Picos de Europa in Asturias
   
6. Off the beaten track in the Pyrenees, be seduced by the stunning landscape of the Baztan Valley, especially in spring and the fall with its carefully preserved villages of robust farmhouses and traditional way of life
7. Amble along the old medieval streets in the villages of Pals and Peratallada in the province of Girona, Catalunya
8. Savor the evening chants at the Monastery of Silos. Its cloister is one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe
9. Sip classic Riojan red wine in the delightful walled village of Laguardia. The vineyards stretch out below for miles and miles…
10. Go back in time and revel in the atmospheric beauty of Trujillo, Extremadura a 16th century village whose history was central to the discovery of the New World

10 famous 21st century Spaniards

Rafa Nadal – tennis player Antonio Banderas – actor Javier Bardem – actor Penelope Cruz – actress Sergio Garcia – golfer Pedro Almodovar – film director Santiago Calatrava – architect Ferran Adria – chef Plácido Domingo – opera singer Fernando Alonso - 2005 & 2006 Formula 1 World Champion

10 architectural landmarks of Spain

	Roman aqueduct at Segovia (above) Valencia's City of Arts and Science (right) The Royal Palace Madrid La Mezquita in Cordoba Cathedral of Burgos The Monastery of El Escorial The Gugemheim Museum, Bilbao (left) The City Walls of Avila Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, Barcelona The Alhambra, Granada (below)

WIN 10 bottles of Spanish wine

Just answer this simple question and send to prizedraw@madridandbeyond.com

Who wore the number 10 shirt in the triumphant Spanish football team at this year's European Championships?

The winner will be sent (at least!) 10 bottles of fantastic Spanish wine…

Cheers! And here's to 10 more years!

And if don't already work with Madrid & beyond are interested to know more…

Why Madrid & Beyond - Ten Reasons!