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June is here and summer is finally knocking at the door. Endless nights, afternoons with friends on the beach… hours in which the only thing that matters is to enjoy ourselves.
Because playing is the way to go back to childhood, to be free and forget everything else. Let’s play!
Outdoor sports
What a better way to play than through sport? For adults, playing team sports is the closest thing to childhood games. It helps us to release adrenaline, to feel better and to develop relationships with others.
In Spain, we love playing outdoor sports. Thanks to the good weather that we enjoy on the Mediterranean coast, we can spend hours playing tennis, beach volleyball, sailing…
In this post we will recommend you some of our favourite outdoor sports here at Sonneil, and the places where you can practice them while enjoying the breathtaking scenery. Are you up for any of them?
Beaches for sports in Spain
It is difficult to choose between the more than 3,000 beaches in Spain. Each one is different and they can all be great for doing yoga, running along the shore, playing a beach volleyball match…
For instance, the long beaches of Andalusia are a runner’s favourite. The 8 km long beach of El Palmar in Cadiz, with its fine golden sand, is a great place for your muscles and offers beautiful scenery for your training.
Surfers should not miss the beach of Mundaka, in the Basque Country, one of the best known surfing beaches in the world. They say it has one of the best waves in Europe, especially in autumn and winter, and is about 500 metres long.
And, of course, playing football on the beach. The beach of San Juan, one of the best known on the Costa Blanca, has goals and fluorescent balls for those who dare to challenge the sand with a few kicks. There are also beach volleyball courts, fitness equipment and areas for water sports. Would you like to live just one minute away from this stunning beach?
The most ancient sports
The need to play, compete and have fun is as old as mankind itself. That is why sports have been with us since the beginning of time, although it took a few years for them to be categorised and acquire the rules they have today.
These are three of the oldest sports in our history:
- Ulama / Tsu Chu. This is believed to be the oldest ball game, played some 3,500 years ago in Central America, in a region that stretched from Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The ball, which weighed 4 kilos and could break more than a bone, had to go through a hoop representing the sun, and the teams were either gods or demons.
Even older, however, is a Chinese version of modern football called Tsu Chu. The players had to put a small leather ball into a hole without using their hands. It is believed to have been played between 5,000 and 500 BC.
- Athletics. The first Olympics were held in 776 BC and only involved a 210 metre race. Today, athletics comes in many different forms, but back then it was all about one thing: running as fast as you could.
- Polo. It was the Persians who invented polo some 2,500 years ago, making it the oldest team sport. Team members had to have their own horse, so it was restricted to the very rich.
Competitions were huge, with some matches involving up to 100 players per team. Modern polo developed in India during the Raj era, and the first polo club dates back to 1833.
Child-friendly destinations in Spain
For families with young children, it is essential to have places where they can play when looking for a home or an area to spend their holidays.
If this is your case, here are some of the best destinations for families with children in Spain:
- Valencia. The capital of the Valencian Community is a great city for the little ones in the family. Starting with the Bioparc, where children can explore different habitats and watch the animals in an almost wild environment.
And let’s not forget the Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe located in the City of Arts and Sciences, or the Gulliver Park, with a 70-metre long statue that represents Gulliver as he is captured by the Lilliputians.
- Costa Daurada. The ultimate coast of entertainment. Not even grown-ups can resist the fun at PortAventura World, a constant adrenaline rush thanks to its 43 rides and games. It also includes the Costa Caribe Aquatic Park, a water park where there is even a pirate galleon.
Karting Salou will be a delight for the little drivers and, needless to say, the fantastic beaches of the Costa Daurada are always a sure bet for enjoyment.
- Mallorca. This Balearic island is not just for adults and nightlife. Children will have a great time on the beaches of the Bay of Alcudia, which stretch for 35 kilometres. Animals also have their place at Marineland Mallorca, which has one of the best dolphinariums in Spain.
And for the little Indiana Joneses, the S’Albufera park and the Sa Creueta viewpoint are true natural paradises.
Hopefully this post will help you make the most of this summer’s games and sports. As always, we leave you with a playlist created especially for your fun moments.
Let’s enjoy!
