From Andalusia to Valencia, Spain is a world rich in sights and sounds and tastes. Spain has 17 main regions to which you can travel, each with its own distinct culture and landscapes. Read one page of the book of Spain, and you’ll find that you only want to keep reading.Andalucia, a large region in southern Spain that includes the area adjacent to the Strait of Gibraltar across from Morocco, is a fascinating place for its spectacular Moorish monuments, beautiful white hill towns, sparkling blue coast and mountainous country. Andalucia itself is divided into eight provinces, all of which have their own traditions. Seville and Malaga are the two main cities in Andalucia, yet Granada and Cordoba are equally as enchanting.
Madrid, located in the heart of Spain, was founded by the Moors in the 9th Century. It is currently a very modern and energetic city with a rich architectural heritage. For all its modernity, the medieval village has been perfectly preserved around the Plaza de la Paja. The Plaza de la Villa, with its beautiful City Hall Building built in Baroque style, is a sight to see; as is the 18th Century Royal Palace, surrounded by magnificent gardens that are partially open to the public.The Canary Islands, which are actually closer to the west coast of Morocco than they are to Spain, are paradise for both Spaniards and foreign tourists who visit the islands' resorts year round. Colonized and populated by Spaniards in the 15th Century, the islands were originally home to a people called the Guanches. The islands are politically and administratively Spanish, yet have a culture, climate, and landscape all their own. Find a guide or explore on your own some of the sub-tropical vegetation, volcanic semi-deserts, lush mountains, and sandy shores.
Along the Mediterranean region, the Valencian region is famous for its orange groves and its seemingly endless beaches. People who visit this region will find a melodious blend of Mediterranean, Spanish, and Moorish traditions. Feel free to kick back and relax here, because relaxing is what this place lets you do best.Barcelona, Spain, home of the 1992 Summer Olympics, is made up of the real spice of life. The city fully embraces its storied past, as evident in edifices of the Barri Gòtic, the most intact Gothic Quarter in Europe; but Barcelona is always looking towards the future and new additions to the city are always springing up. Barcelona is on the doorstep of some of Europe's great playgrounds and vacation retreats.
One feature of Spain that is quite remarkable is its diversity of wine producing regions. Depending on what country in Europe you’re in—be it France, Italy, or Spain—you’ll get a different answer as to where you’ll find the best wine. But few places in the world equal Spain when it comes to the number of regions that produce different flavors. For instance, the Celtic north -western region of Galicia, with its fresh white Albariño wines and damp weather, draws a distinction with the satiny red wines being made in the flat, hot Castillian plains of Ribera del Duero.Spain is a place in which every moment is savored. The food is excellent (in 2004 six restaurants in the region received the coveted Michelin star); the cityscapes and landscapes are photogenic; the people, welcoming. You’ll find yourself wondering why and how you never visited this place before, and perhaps planning your next Spanish vacation before you even finish the first.
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