The straw donkey and sombrero image of Spain is now largely consigned to the bin - along with the paella and chips. In its place comes a sheaf of sparkling and evocative new images, as the visitor trend turns from sun-and-fun package holidays to individually tailored, more sophisticated themes.
Spain is a country on the move, a place of
rapid change. High-speed railways have conquered the country’s
mountainous terrain and many cities now have modern metro and tram networks, testifying to a vibrant and growing economy. But here, too, you will find a country where
time stands still, where
Roman columns rise into a clear blue sky, where crumbling
Arab watchtowers maintain a lonely vigil over vast and magnificent landscapes, and city plazas where the baroque jostles with the modern to strike a uniquely Spanish harmony.
The
historic cities of Spain are drenched in the atmosphere of the past, but well equipped to meet modern needs as well. The
countryside is infinitely varied, from the ‘Green Spain’ of the rugged Atlantic coast to the parched plains of Castile and La Mancha. The open roads across endless open spaces produce a steady stream of surprises, with
hidden villages and unexpected
castles, shepherds roaming with their flocks and hilltop
windmills appearing unexpectedly. It is a great country for touring.
Rich in history and natural beauty and with more than a fair share of sunshine Spain is a year-round, natural choice for many different kinds of holiday, from outdoor adventures to
world-class museums and art galleries to an infinite variety of popular
beaches and secluded coves. Not least the people are warm and welcoming - and they know how to party. The Spanish experience would be incomplete without joining in at least one of its
famous fiestas.
GeographySpain shares the Iberian Peninsula with its smaller neighbor, Portugal, and is bordered to the northeast by the Pyrenees Mountains, which separate Spain from France. The Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera), 193km (120 miles) southeast of Barcelona, and the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa are part of Spain, as are the tiny enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla on the North African mainland.
Mainland Spain is the second highest and most mountainous country in Europe, with an average height of 610m (2,000ft). The Pyrenees stretch roughly 400km (249 miles) from the Basque Country’s Atlantic coast, eastwards to the Mediterranean Sea. In places the peaks rise to over 1,524m (5,000ft), the highest point being 3,404m (11,169ft). The main physical feature of Spain is the vast central plateau, or
Meseta, divided by several chains of sierras. The higher northern area includes Castile and León, the southern section comprises Castile/La Mancha and Extremadura. In the south, the high plains rise further at the Sierra Morena before falling abruptly at the great valley of The Guadalquivir.
Southeast of Granada is the Sierra Nevada, part of the Betic Cordillera, which runs parallel to the Mediterranean, rising to 3,478m (11,411ft) at the summit of Mulhacen, the highest point on the Spanish peninsula (the Pico del Teide on Tenerife in the Canaries is the highest peak in Spain at 3,718m (12,198ft). The Mediterranean coast extends 1,660km (1,030 miles) from the French frontier to the Straits of Gibraltar, the narrow strip of water linking the Mediterranean with the Atlantic and separating Spain from North Africa.
Next Page »
