** Spain is a beautiful and diverse country located in the southwest of Europe. It shares the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. To the Northeast it borders with France and the tiny principality of Andorra. To the West its limits are defined by the Balearic Islands located in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea. Its Southern most territories are the picturesque Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean and the cities of Ceuta and Melilla located in the North of Africa. This is why travelling to Spain is likely to be a enriching experience since tourism in the country offers a wide variety of destinations, activities and landscapes.
** Spain is a country of large geographical and cultural diversity, often a surprise for tourists who are expecting to find a country mostly known for beach tourism. Travel to Spain and you will find everything, from lush meadows, green valleys, hills and snowy mountains in the Northern regions to almost desert zones in the South. Its beaches are also famous and worth visiting, small and charming creeks in the North and wide white sand beaches on the South and Western parts of the country, without forgetting the exotic black sand beaches of the volcanic Canary Islands.
Every year millions of tourists decide travel to Spain, the country has been one of the most important tourist destinations of thelast decades becoming the third most popular travel destination in Europe.
** One of the better known cities is Madrid, capital city of Spain. Due to its central location, in the heart of Spain it has excellent communications with the rest of the provinces and is seat to the Spanish government and to the Royal Palace where the kings of Spain usually dwell. The city features distinctly winding streets, all of which seem to be heading either up or down and gather in the central square in the centre of the city.
** Barcelona is probably one of the favourite destinations for tourists, a worldwide known city whose name recalls the awesome art of the architect Gaudi, the celebration of the 1992 Olympic games, and the cosmopolitan atmosphere of its streets. Tourism in the city offers also the possibility of enjoying its beaches and water sports.If you are travelling with your family renting a car can be a good option for your holiday. You will find family holiday cars in Spain at the airports and most train stations.
BARCELONA ** Barcelona
** Barcelona is probably the most famous city of Spain, although it is Madrid which is the capital of the country. It is also a polemic spot since the region of Catalonia is one of the most nationalist and independent of the country. This feature is especially noticeable in their speech, since Catalonia has its own language, and although both Spanish and Catalan are official languages most people will only use Catalan to communicate. Catalan is somehow similar to Spanish and it is not difficult to understand if you have some notions of "Castellano", as they usually call Spanish.
The streets of Barcelona have been carefully planned and the city map shows an organised array of squares where the streets are in straight lines. The centre of the city is crossed by La Rambla, the main avenue of the city, going from the Square of Catalunya to the Mediterranean sea and to the Old Port of the city. Visiting the city you will discover astonishing works of architecture. In fact, the city has become a point of reference for architects from all over the world following the steps of the famous Antonio Gaudi, author of master pieces of the Spanish modernism such as the Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona, still unfinished today.
Barcelona is also known for being the city of the famous Camp Nou stadium and of the Barça football team.
** One of the main achievements of the city was the hosting of the Olympic games in 1992, thanks to this event Barcelona became famous to the eyes of the world and is now one of the main tourist attractions of Spain. Tourists have many options to find a great hotel in Barcelona during their stay in the city. It also gaining importance as a business centre, benefiting from its strategic location and historical links with France and other Mediterranean countries.
The hosting of the Forum of cultures in 2004 was again a successful international event, this time focusing on culture and arts.
** Barcelona and the surrounding areas can be an excellent beach destination; it enjoys a mild climate throughout the year, with an average temperature of 10ºC in winter and 25ºC in the summer, although rains are frequent.If you plan to visit other cities in Spain or want to get to some of the beach resorts in the coast of Catalonia you can use the trains or buses. Hiring a car in Barcelona can also be a good idea for travelling around.
CACERES
** Caceres gives its name to a province of Extremadura region. It’s a small city with a population around 90.000 habitants. The city is situated on Westside of Spain, bordering Portugal border on the west and Castilla La Mancha on the east and Badajoz province in the south. It is connected to Madrid by railway and motorway at about 250km away from the capital.
Its history can be traced back for thousands of years in the surrounding area since there are evidences of being settlements at Neolithic times in Maltravieso caves. The actual city was founded by the Romans in 25 BC.
MADRID
** Madrid is the capital city of Spain, located right in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula. Its geographical location grants good communications of the city with other Spanish regions. As capital of the country, it is the seat to the Spanish government institutions and the city of residence of Spanish Royal family.
** Traffic is heavy in Madrid and driving in the city can be quite and adventure for visitors. Taking the "metro" (tube) or the bus can be a wise alternative when you are visiting Madrid. From here you can easily travel to most Spanish cities by train, plane or bus.
In Madrid you will find all kind of interesting things to do and to see, whatever your interests are. The city has a wide offer for tourism, culture, business and for ludic activities with excellent facilities and services. A great acknowledgement in this sense was the election of the city as European Capital of Culture in the year 1992.Madrid was also candidate city to host the Olympic games in 2012, although finally the winning city was London, Madrid had been one of the favourites and reached a third position in the competition.
VALENCIA
**
Valencia is one of the three provinces composing the Valencian Community, a region located in the West of Spain by the Mediterranean sea.
The city of Valencia is one of the main business focuses of the Mediterranean, it has become a renowned European Congress Centre as well as an important venue for trade and fairs. Valencia is also undoubtedly a cosmopolitan city and can be the perfect place for commercial and cultural exchange.
** Deeply linked to the sea since its foundation, Valencia’s relationship with the sea is as strong today as it has been in the past. Thanks to this maritime tradition, to the city’s experience in celebrating important events and also to the support from the Spanish government, Valencia has been selected among other 65 cities in the world, as the Host City of the 32nd America's Cup. Valencia has been chosen due to its reliable weather conditions, which will help to avoid delays in the competition, and to its project for transforming the commercial port area into a race village.
MALAGA
** Malaga is one of the most popular provinces of the Spanish region of Andalucia.Malaga is a synonym of golden sand beaches, sun, warm weather and holiday. It has been a popular tourist resort for years and the influence of the English and German speaking tourist is present in the city and in the most popular beach towns where most information is available in English and German besides Spanish, specially in restaurants and travel related services.
** When we talk about Malaga we are talking about a Spanish province containing the city Malaga itself and other popular towns like Benalmadena, Torremolinos, Fuengirola and Marbella, and included in the Coastal Spanish area known as Costa del Sol. Visitors can easily find a hotel in Malaga or a hotel in any of the other popular towns. But Malaga is not only tourism, as part of Andalusia it keeps the charm and spirit of the South, and you will find the imprint of Flamenco and traditions in its warm people and its monuments. Have a look at our section What to do in Malaga to find out more about interesting sights and activities in the city.
** Malaga has a rich history resulting from the mix of cultures. It is a gate to Africa and it was an important point of communication with the New World.
Malaga is well connected with other cities of Andalusia, with the ports of the North of Africa and with Madrid the capital of Spain, making of this city a perfect starting point for a tour in Andalusia or a visit to other destinations. If you fly to Malaga you can find cheap car hiring at Malaga airport.
Find out more in our section Travel in Malaga.
*** From a cultural point of view we can’t forget that Malaga was the hometown of Picasso and has a museum dedicated to the famous painter.The city has a busy port and lively streets, full of bars, restaurants and shops. Its beaches are a meeting point for young people from all over the world and you can even spot famous people, mainly from Spanish social life. In the old city centre you will find a calmer atmosphere, amazing historic monuments and impressive churches. While you enjoy discovering Malaga, don’t forget to try its delicious dishes like fried fishes and the typical white wines from Andalusia like fino or manzanilla
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