Düsseldorf Flughafen (DUS) is Germany’s third busiest airport by passenger numbers. It is conveniently located only minutes from downtown Düsseldorf and other major Ruhr area towns.

Valencia, Spain’s third metropolis, is a delightful city on the sea, a place where most of the tourists hail from Spain itself, where paella is the real thing, and where the beaches are a revelation. Few city beaches in Europe can compare with the sweep of golden sands that make up Las Arenas and La Malvarossa, stretching from the Port for some 3 km. Overcrowded? Never. Good restaurants fringing the sands? Yes.

The Parador of Cardona is one of the oldest paradores, a castle built between 9th and 11th centuries. The castle itself takes one's breath away, occupying a whole hill top looking over the small town below.

Barcelona boasts of fascinating museums and culture, Mediterranean Sea and beaches as well as wonderful gardens and parks not to forget the renowned works of the great Antonin Gaudi who is regarded so highly that 7 of 9 UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Barcelona are the creations of this architect who was born in Reus.

Over the past years the caganers have made news outside Spain. They are little clay statuettes portraying the act of defecation and traditionally they decorate a corner in the Catalan Nativity scenes at Christmas. There are numerous reports on them in foreign press, but the inventive Catalans have found another way to delight Christmas shoppers in this festive season!