Spain | Travel Research Online

60-Second Geography

Spain

• Spain is the second largest country of Western Europe, with only France being larger.
• The high plateau known as the Meseta is the predominant landform of the Iberian Peninsula, separated from the coast by the mountain ranges, or sierras.
• The vast land mass and the mountains on the interior created great cultural diversity over the centuries with regional languages such as Galician, Basque and Catalan along side the more standard Castilian Spanish.
• The great Pyrenees mountains in the north separate and, historically, isolated Spain from the rest of Europe.
• Only a narrow waterway separates Spain from Northern Africa and at one time all of Spain was dominated by Islamic culture.
• The long domination by Islam and the Moorish culture came to an end in 1492 and caused a deep resurgence of and devotion to Roman Catholicism.
• The great Catalonian city of Barcelona is home to avant-garde artists and fashion designers. The 1992 Summer Olympics were there are brought the city great reviews.
• The Valencia region is one of Spain’s most important agricultural areas.
• It is in the Andalucia region where the Moorish influence can be most readily observed in the picturesque architecture of the villages.
• The 1992 World Expo was held in Seville. Holy Week processions here are particularly well attended and travelers from all over Spain and Europe descend on the city.
• The Costa Del Sol is that region extending from Gibraltar to Adra and is the focal point for much of the European package tourism. Protected by the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges this area receives generous and warm sunshine nearly year-round.

• Barcelona, Madrid & Seville
  9 Day/ 8 Nights
  Enjoy the architectural works of Gaudi in Barcelona; eat tapas in Madrid; and see a flamenco show in Seville. These are just some of the highlights of what there is to see and do with this package. The sights and sounds of each of these cities are distinct, which is why we created this package: to give people the opportunity to explore, with a relaxing train ride through the Spanish countryside between. Experience the travel value of Spain with three nights each in Madrid and Barcelona and two nights in Seville.

• Deluxe Design & Rioja Wine Package
  5 Days / 4 Nights
  For the traveler interested in exploring the exciting new architecture of La Rioja and Bilbao, we included new hotels designed by Frank Gerhy and Javier Mariscal, as well as the exceptional wines of the La Rioja region. This package offers a wide range of experiences in Madrid, La Rioja and Bilbao. Included are visits to the Museum of Wine Culture in La Rioja, an ultra-modern winery designed by Santiago Calatrava, and the Gerhy designed Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. 

• Southern Spain Driving Tour
  8 Days / 7 Nights
  Discover southern Spain, famous for its spectacular Moorish monuments, beautiful “white villages” and scenic mountainous countryside. This self-drive package allows you to experience the region at your pace. From Seville to Malaga you will be exposed to the natural beauty of Andalucia. We suggest continuing on to Marbella to enjoy the sparkling blue coast of the Costa del Sol.