Spain and its Regions - An Overview

Spain's beaches, of course, the famous sun, sea and s... (insert your own word beginning with 's'), are the foundations on which Spain's tourist industry rests and absorb the bulk of the fifty-odd million visitors it receives annually. The Mediterranean costas need no introduction from me, though I must mention that, although it is true that much tourist development in the Med has been inadequately planned, or not at all, it is still possible to find unspoilt coves and beaches even somewhere as popular as Majorca. And Spain's other coastlines, its Atlantic coast north of Portugal, the Costa de la Luz in the Bay of Cadiz, and its Cantabrian Costa Verde, green coast, are yet to be discovered by international mass tourism.

Spain's cities, towns and villages are fascinating, from great historical cities like Toledo or Granada to the bustle of modern Barcelona, or the white villages of Andalusia, or the black towns of the unknown Alcarria, or... Rummage around in Spain and Portugal for Visitors for more.

And while we are thinking of historical places, the history of Spain is an immense subject, unique in the world, and largely visible on the ground. The Segovia aqueduct illustrates the Roman occupation perfectly, the streets of Toledo take you back to the time of the "city of three cultures," Christian, Muslim and Jewish, the Alhambra palace tells of the opulence of the Moorish conquerors and the castles of the two Castiles show how Spain was inexorably retaken, kilometre by bloody kilometre.

Spain's regions surprise the visitor by their diversity, from the desert landscapes of Almería to the lushness of the Basque Country, or from the sweeping steppes of La Mancha to the peaks of the Pyrenees. This variety partly explains the different courses history has taken in Spain's regions, as well as the social and cultural differences between them. How could anyone from an area as rocky and rugged as Old Castile, with its climatic extremes, not be spare of speech and conservative by nature, or the inhabitants of sunny Andalusia not be cheerful, outgoing and jocular?

Spain's nightlife is enjoyable to a degree not found anywhere else - the renowned Spanish lust for life with its tie off and its sleeves rolled up. And unlike other countries, it is not exclusive. Drink and entrance prices are reasonable, and only in the most fashionable clubs and discos will you have to face the humiliation of a bouncer deciding whether your clothes are expensive and modern enough.

Spain's fantastic food and drink beats down all barriers of unwillingness to try the foreign. Its taverns and bars provide good, filling, staple fare, and restaurants are plentiful for when you want to splash out a little. And regional differences are enormous, the cuisine of each area having its own distinctive flavour. Plus, Spain now boasts some of the best, most cutting-edge chefs in the world, to boot, names like Ferrán Adrià and Martín Berasategui.

Spain's outdoors are tremendous, with a variety of landscapes and wealth of nature, the perfect environment for walking, adventure sports or nature observation. And although nature reserves like Doñana, the Picos de Europa or Ordesa y Monte Perdido in the Pyrenees are familiar names to enthusiasts, you will not be likely to run into crowds - there is simply room enough for everyone.

Spain's cultural heritage is enormous, with writers like Miguel de Cervantes, painters like Velázquez, Goya and Picasso, and musicians and composers like Enrique Granados and Andrés Segovia. It is possible to to have a most enjoyable visit to Madrid, for example, without seeing any of its three great art galleries, the Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, but for art lovers, they represent the best of European culture.

For more information, the best way to move around Spain and Portugal for Visitors is using the menu on the left. I hope the site will help you find out what you need to know and to enjoy Spain to the utmost.