The Facts:
Capital: Madrid
Currency: Euro
Time Zone: GMT +1
www.spain.info
Introduction:
White washed villages cling to hillsides. The beat and swirl of flamenco stamps a unique sound and in the bullring the matador lives on to fight another day. Platefuls of paella are washed down with sangria and cerveza, whilst the beaches of the Costa del Sol offer year round solace for the sun seeker. This is also a country with a deep artistic core. From inspiring such greats as Gaudí, Picasso and Dalí, to the creation of the dazzling modern Guggenheim museum, Spain is nothing if not diverse.
Where To Go:
With 17 different autonomous regions and four officially recognised languages (Spanish is spoken by 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7% and Basque 2%) it's no surprise that Spain is a country of dramatic contrasts. Occupying half a million square kilometres it's twice the size of the UK and the third largest country in Europe.
The pounding waters of the Atlantic break against its western shores in verdant green Galicia whilst its northern coastline is seated beneath the Bay of Biscay and the Cantabrian Sea. From the coastal Mediterranean the mountainous Pyrenees rear majestically upwards forming a natural border between France for some 1660km. Abundant beach life in the east has made the Costa Brava and Costa Blanca popular holiday destinations. But if you want the sea and the chance to ski the mountains of Andalucia's Sierra Nevada are home to Europe's most southerly resort at Solynieve.
In the interior agricultural landscapes dominate overlooked by proud solitary castles and medieval towns. Elegant cities like the capital, Madrid and Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, provide ideal city break options. Beyond the mainland there are the Balearic Islands of Ibiza, Formentera, Mallorca and Menorca and the Canary Islands (off the coast of Africa).
What To Eat & Drink:
- Head to Valencia for Paella, the home of this traditional Spanish dish.
- Try Tapas. The region of Galicia is notable for its seafood variations.
- For carnivores, Jamón Serrano, the traditional air-cured hams.
- Rioja, made from grapes grown in La Rioja, Navarre and the Basque province of Álava
- Cava, Spanish champagne.Sangria, a wine punch,
- Cerveza, lager-type beer.
Unmissable Spain:
Ten things you really should do in Spain
1. Run With Bulls:
The annual adrenaline fuelled race through the streets of Pamplona held in July.
www.bullrunners.co.uk
2. Get Squashed at La Tomatina
Spain's messiest festival, a two-hour tomato fight in Buñol, near Valencia. Usually the last Wednesday in August.
www.latomatina.org
3. Drive Over Lemons:
Explore the Alpjurras, a mountainous region speckled with olive farms and lemon groves made famous by Chris Stewart the ex-genesis drummer turned author and Andalucian farmer.
www.andalucian-adventures.co.uk
4. Get to grips with Gaudi:
Explore Barcelona through the work of one its most famous residents. Visit the flamboyant but unfinished Sagrada Família, Parc Güell with its ceramic detail and the façade of Casa Milà.
www.barcelona.com
5. Lap up some Luxury:
Stay in a Parador. Castles and monasteries are just some of the grand buildings, which have been converted into luxurious boutique hotels.
www.parador.es
6. Follow in footsteps:
Embark on one of Europe's most famous pilgrim routes, the Camino de Santiago. If you don't have time for it all then shorter sections of the route are possible.
www.caminodesantiago.me.uk
7. See the original Guernica:
Widely regarded as Picasso's best work, depicting Spain's struggle against fascism. It is housed in Madrid's Centro de Arte Reina Sofia.
www.museoreinasofia.es
8. Put the wind in your sails:
Head to Tarifa, the southernmost tip of Europe and one of the windiest spots in the world for windsurfing and kitesurfing.
www.tarifa.net
9. Feel Surreal
Visit the home of surrealist artist, Salvador Dali at Portligat near Cadaqués on the northeast coast.
www.salvador-dali.org
10. Try something a little Moorish:
For Moorish influences head south to Andalucia and visit the Mesquita a former mosque in the city of Córdoba and the Alhambra, in Granada, a palace and fortress complex of the ruling Moors.
www.alhambradegranada.org
www.andalucia.com/cities/cordoba/mosque.htm
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