Reading practice - places to stay
With year-round sunshine, beautiful beaches and exciting cities like Madrid and Barcelona, it's no wonder that Spain is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Whilst los paquetes de vacaciones (package holidays) are common in coastal resorts, Spain is also known for las vacaciones culturales (cultural holidays) with so much to see and do.
Whether you are relaxing on a beach or visiting historical attractions, you can be sure that there is a wide variety of holiday accommodation available. Here is some useful vocabulary to talk about places to stay:
| el alojamiento | accommodation |
| alojarse | to stay, lodge |
| un albergue juvenil | youth hostel |
| un camping | a campsite, camping |
| una tienda | tent |
| un hotel (de tres estrellas) | a (three-star) hotel |
| un parador | (state-owned) hotel |
| una pensión | boarding house, B&B |
| pensión completa | full board |
| media pensión | half board |
| una habitación doble | a double room |
| una habitación individual | a single room |
| de lujo | luxury |
| el alojamiento |
| accommodation |
| alojarse |
| to stay, lodge |
| un albergue juvenil |
| youth hostel |
| un camping |
| a campsite, camping |
| una tienda |
| tent |
| un hotel (de tres estrellas) |
| a (three-star) hotel |
| un parador |
| (state-owned) hotel |
| una pensión |
| boarding house, B&B |
| pensión completa |
| full board |
| media pensión |
| half board |
| una habitación doble |
| a double room |
| una habitación individual |
| a single room |
| de lujo |
| luxury |
Question
Rearrange these words into sentences and translate them into English.
- pasar días Voy en a juvenil un albergue unos
- individual pensión una para media Quiero habitación con noches siete
- alojarme en prefiero Siempre una en un tienda camping
- hoteles Los de lujo paradores que encuentran en se España son
- habitación completa con Busco doble una pensión
- Voy a pasar unos días en un albergue juvenil. (I'm going to spend a few days in a youth hostel.)
- Quiero una habitación individual con media pensión para siete noches. (I want a single room with half board for seven nights.)
- Siempre prefiero alojarme en un camping en una tienda. (I always prefer staying at a campsite in a tent.)
- Los paradores son hoteles de lujo que se encuentran en España. (Paradors are luxury hotels which are found in Spain.)
- Busco una habitación doble con pensión completa. (I'm looking for a double room with full board.)
Spain is filled with tourist attractions from art galleries like El Prado, to theme parks and water parks in the coastal resorts. Here is some useful vocabulary for talking about trips and excursions that you might take whilst on holiday:
| contemplar las vistas | to look at the views |
| hacer un paseo marítimo/ir de excursión en barco | to go on a boat trip |
| ir a un parque temático | to go to a theme park |
| ir a la sierra/la montaña | to go to the mountains |
| ir de excursión en autocar | to go on a coach trip |
| ver los monumentos | to see the sights |
| visitar un pueblo antiguo | to visit an old town |
| visitar la catedral/el castillo/el museo | to visit the cathedral/castle/museum |
| la costa | the coast |
| una excursión | a trip, an excursion |
| gratis/gratuito | free |
| un parque infantil | children's playpark |
| contemplar las vistas |
| to look at the views |
| hacer un paseo marítimo/ir de excursión en barco |
| to go on a boat trip |
| ir a un parque temático |
| to go to a theme park |
| ir a la sierra/la montaña |
| to go to the mountains |
| ir de excursión en autocar |
| to go on a coach trip |
| ver los monumentos |
| to see the sights |
| visitar un pueblo antiguo |
| to visit an old town |
| visitar la catedral/el castillo/el museo |
| to visit the cathedral/castle/museum |
| la costa |
| the coast |
| una excursión |
| a trip, an excursion |
| gratis/gratuito |
| free |
| un parque infantil |
| children's playpark |
Read this leaflet advertising day trips from Benidorm.
Viajes González
Excursiones turísticas desde Benidorm
- Excursión en autocar a Valencia - Valencia tiene una gran riqueza de monumentos históricos como la catedral, además de los famosos edificios modernos de la Ciudad de los Artes y las Ciencias. La visita incluye también entrada gratis al museo de las Fallas.
- Excursión en autocar a Guadalest - Visita uno de los pueblos más antiguos e históricos de España con su increíble castillo. El pueblo está situado en la sierra en una región rica en agricultura - se cultivan aceitunas, limones y naranjas - y tiene vistas preciosas a la montaña.
- Excursión al parque temático - 'El Mundo de los Dinosaurios' - Pasa un día en este parque exótico con más de 30 modelos de tamaño real de estos animales prehistóricos. Hay también parque infantil, zona de picnic y un cine 3-D.
- Paseo marítimo a la Isla de Benidorm - Un viaje tranquilo en barco hasta la isla, donde hay servicio de bar/restaurante. Desde la isla se puede contemplar las magníficas vistas a toda la costa.
Now read what sort of trip these people are looking for.
Question
Choose the trip that you think would suit each person best.
- Marisa: I'd like to go on a relaxing trip where I can see good views of the coast and perhaps have a nice meal. I'm not very keen on long coach journeys.
- Antonio: I'd like to learn more about the history of the region and I'd also like to see something of the agriculture of the area. It would also be nice to get away from the coast and into the mountains.
- Elena: I always like trips where I can see something a bit different and learn some new information but it's important that my eight-year-old daughter will also enjoy the trip.
- Enrique: I like looking at historical places and I'm also interested in learning more about the arts and culture of the region.
- Marisa would like trip 4 best. She wants a relaxing trip and doesn't want a long coach journey, so a quiet boat journey might suit her. A restaurant is mentioned so she'll be able to have a meal and also see views of the coast.
- Antonio would like trip 2 best. It's to an historic old town with a castle and he'll also be able to see something of the agriculture of the region and the mountains.
- Elena would like trip 3 best. A dinosaur theme park should provide her with something a bit different and, as well as the dinosaurs, her daughter might enjoy the children's playpark, the picnic area and the 3D cinema.
- Enrique would like trip 1 best. Valencia offers plenty of historical monuments, as well as an arts and sciences zone, and the trip includes free entrance to the Fallas museum.
