For many Europeans, Spain means sunshine & beaches, and there is plenty
of both; but as many saw during the recent Ryder Cup, there's also golf
(and rain!). The fact is that Spain's a large country (about the size of
Texas) with lots of mountainous terrain, thousands of miles of coastline,
and major island groups in the Mediterranean (Ibiza and Mallorca) and the
Atlantic (Canary Islands).
Basic facts
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Size: 504,750 sq km (194,834 sq mi)
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Coastline: 4,964 kilometers (over 3,000 miles)
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Population: 47 million
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Languages: Castilian Spanish, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%
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Currency: Euro ($1.10 = €1)
Tourism is one of the country's major industries. Here, we look
at an overview of the key areas:
Vacationing
Spain's warm, generally dry climate makes it ideal for all sorts of vacationing
styles:
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Beaches and sun
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Camping and hiking
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Adventure vacations: mountain bike, treking, whitewater, climbing, and
so on.
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Gourmet and wine vacations.
Sports
Spain is a sportsman's paradise with climate, terrain, and facilities for:
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Windsurfing, scuba diving, boating, etc.
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Golf with more than 150 championship courses
around the country.
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Skiing with quality facilities in the Pyrenees
and Sierra Nevada.
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Fishing in fresh and salt water.
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Small and big game hunting.
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Cycling, tennis, and more.
Urban and Cultural
Spain's cultural heritage can be enjoyed and appreciated in many ways:
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Madrid: The country's capital offers just about
everything, including two world-class art museums.
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Barcelona: The capital of Catalonia is steeped
in culture - the old city center and the superb Picasso musuem are a good
place to start.
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Seville: Andalusia's capital is a must - the
gardens, the cathedral, the old Jewish ghetto.
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Toledo: Not far from Madrid, the whole city's a monument, with the cathedral
at the center.
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Segovia: Also close to Madrid with an amazing Roman aquedect, the spectacular
Alcazar castle, and world class roast suckling pig.
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Others: The whole country's full of historic monuments - Ávila,
Mérida, Siguenza, Santiago de Compostela, Cordoba, and Silos just
to name a few.
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The Pilgrim's Road to Santiago, which crosses
the north of Spain from the Pyrenees to the northwestern city of Santiago,
traces the medeval pilgrim's trek to the holy city of Santiago de Compostela.
Information Links
- TimeOut Guide to Spain
The always useful TimeOut Guide has ample information on all aspects of travel to Spain.
- Turespaña's
Guide to Spain
Turespaña, the country's official tourism institute, offeres
a very useful site with travel, hotel, and tourist information on a wide
range of subjects including culture, sports, beaches, cities, and more.
- CIA
Factbook on Spain
For those interested in background information about the country, the
CIA's Factbook is loaded with data about Spain, it's geography, economy,
government, and culture. There are also maps and other graphics available.
