Spain

Overview

Spain ( Spanish : España ) is famous for its friendly inhabitants, relaxed lifestyle, its cuisine, vibrant nightlife, and world-famous folklore and festivities, and historically the core of the vast Spanish Empire . It has the second-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites after Italy and the largest number of World Heritage Cities.

With great beaches, mountains, campsites, ski resorts, superb weather, varied and fun nightlife, many cultural regions and historic cities, Spain is a popular tourist destination in Europe for any kind of trip.

A country of large geographic and cultural diversity, Spain may come as a surprise to those who only know of its reputation for great beach holidays and almost endless sunshine. There is everything from lush meadows and snowy mountains to huge marshes and deserts in the south east. While summer is the peak season, those who wish to avoid the crowds should consider visiting in the winter as not only is it normally mild and sunny, but attractions such as the Alhambra Palace in Granada and La Gran Mezquita in Cordoba will not be overcrowded. However the ski resorts of Sierra Nevada do get very crowded. The Mediterranean climate that predominates in Southern and Central Spain is noted for its dry summers and (somewhat) wet(ter) winters, so visiting in the winter or spring brings the added benefit of the vegetation looking much more healthy. Northern Spain (e.g. Asturias) on the other hand gets quite a bit of rain year round and is ripe with lush green vegetation even in August.

Some of the earliest known remains of Homo of any kind in Europe have been found in Spain (see Prehistoric Europe ). Spain is also thought to have been the last refuge of the Neanderthals, and one of the few places that were inhabitable and inhabited throughout the ice ages.

Places to explore

Spain is a diverse country with contrasting regions that have different languages and unique historical, political and cultural traditions. Because of this, Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities ( comunidades autónomas ), plus two autonomous cities. As a result, some even describe Spain as a "federation without federalism". Some of the autonomous communities—notably the ones which have other official languages alongside Spanish—have been recognised as "historical nationalities" that have a unique historical identity. These include the Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia, the Valencian region, Andalusia, the Balearic Islands, Aragon and the Canary Islands.

Sights and landscapes

The most popular beaches are the ones along the Mediterranean coast, in the Balearic Islands and in the Canary Islands. Meanwhile, for hiking, the mountains of Sierra Nevada in the south, the Central Cordillera and the northern Pyrenees are the best places. You can also visit some of the National Parks in Spain

Historically, Spain has been an important crossroads between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, between North Africa and Europe, and as Europe began colonising the New World, between Europe and the Americas. The country thus is blessed with a fantastic collection of historical landmarks — in fact, it has the second largest number of UNESCO Heritage Sites and the largest number of World Heritage Cities of any nation in the world.

Experiences

New Year eve : "Nochevieja" in Spanish. There's a tradition in Spain to eat grapes as the clock counts down the New Year, one grape for each of the last 12 seconds before midnight. For this, even small packs of grapes (exactly 12 grapes per pack) are sold in supermarkets before New Year.

La Puerta del Sol, is the venue for the New Year's party in Spain. At 23:59 sound "los cuartos (In Spanish)" some bells announcing that it will begin to sound the 12 chimes (campanadas in Spanish). While sounding "los cuartos", moves down from the top chime of the clock, with the same purpose as "los cuartos" sound will indicate that "las campanadas". That will sound at 24:00 and that indicate the start of a new year. During each chime must eat a grape, according to tradition. Between each chime, there is a time span of three seconds.

"Las Campanadas", are broadcast live on the main national TV channels, as in the rest of Spain, people are still taking grapes from home or on giant screens installed in major cities, following the chimes from the Puerta del Sol in Madrid.

After ringing "las campanadas", starts a fireworks extravaganza. This is a famous party in Spain and is a great time to enjoy because show is secured in the centre of the capital of Spain.

Culture and food

Spanish cuisine may not enjoy the prestige that French or Italian cuisine does in the Anglosphere, but it has skyrocketed in popularity in the 21st century, driven in no small part by the large number of Spanish celebrity chefs who have been making waves around the fine dining world.

Planning your route

The least expensive way to get around most parts of Spain is by bus. Most major routes are point to point, and very high frequency. There are many companies serving within certain autonomous communities or provinces of the country on multiple routes or on a single route going from a major city to several surrounding villages and towns. You can find schedules at bus.es . The following operators serve more than a single region:

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.