Spain

Overview

Are you tired from the busy days of life? Come to Spain and rejuvenate yourself at the lap of its natural beauty. It is one of the most beautiful places in the Europe in which myriad of travelers arrive to get pleasure from its adventurous activities, delicious cuisines and architectural magnificence. In reality, touring to this marvelous destination will indeed entered your vacations into the best memories of your life. Spain is located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern region of Europe. It is panoramically surrounded by France in the north-east, Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean in northwest and Mediterranean Sea in south and eastern side. Besides that, it is also the second largest country of the Western Europe and the European Union along with fifth largest country in the whole Europe.

Capital

Madrid is the capital city of Spain. As the largest city in the country, it is located on the Manzanares River and represents an amazing blend of historical and contemporary attributes to allure the visitors from different corners of the world.

Area

505,992 km

Population

46,704,314

Language

Spain is a multi-lingual country where people belong to varied languages, cultures and traditions. However, Spanish has been accepted as the official language of the country along with some other official languages such as Basque with 2%, Catalan with 17% and Galician with 7% of speaking people.

Currency

The official currency of Spain is Euro, which is also the currency that is used by the Institutions of the European Union. Euro is also being accepted as the main language of five other European countries. It usually subdivided by 100 cents.

Weather

The weather in Spain is largely determined by its diversity of coasts, position, mountains and large land. The climate here normally remains warm Mediterranean climate with dry summers and balanced winter temperatures. Majority of the areas in Spain remain dry with Canary Islands are considered as the warmest and hottest region in the country.

Mode of Transport

The transportation in Spain is quite far from any hustle and bustle. There are multiple ways of transport available here to which the tourists take assistance to reach at their destination. These are:

By Air: Spain has the airports in almost all its cities. Some of the important airports are Barcelona Airport, Madrid Barajas International Airport, Melilla Airport, Valencia Airport, Gran Canaria Airport and Menorca Airport. As a tourist, you can board a flight from these airports to reach at your desired location.

By Road: Local bus services are constantly working in Spain. The buses here are very comfortable to board as they connect to the entire cities of the country. The travel vacationers can use these buses for both the long and short distances. Moreover, the road transportation of Spain is also comprised of car rental services that ensure smooth traveling for the tourists.

By Railway: Your tour to Spain will become more comfortable if you travel via high-speed trains of the country. These trains are operating at major cities such as Madrid, Galicia, Valencia, Bilbao, Barcelona and Malaga. They quickly take you from one destination to another with all comfort and joy.

By Waterways: In order to reach at your desired destination, you can ride on boats and cruises. They are available at all the major ports of Spain. These boats have the facilities of overnight services, proper seating and sleeping sojourn in a cabin.

Local Cuisine

Spanish food is the top preference among the local people of Spain. Such kind of cuisine may be different in taste depending on the location. Some of the famous Spanish dishes are Canarian wrinkly potatoes, Coca, Escalivada, Migas, Patatas bravas, Pincho, Tapas, Tortilla de patatas, Tumbet and Zarangollo. These dishes are not only popular in Spain but in other countries of the world too.

Shopping Centers

Make your trip to Spain more memorable by purchasing attractive things from these shopping centers of Spain:

Puerto Venecia: It is the most preferred shopping mall in Spain among the locals and the tourists. There are total numbers of 200 shops here. Located in Zaragoza, people can buy multiple products with affordable prices.

Marineda Plaza: Buy whatever you would like to at this huge mall, located in Coruna (A). Almost 180 shops are nestled in the mall, which are offering varied kinds of manufactured goods to the people.

Parquesur: Tourists of Spain also prefer to visit Parquesur Shopping Center where they can buy attractive products for their needs. It was founded in the year 1989 and since then it houses 230 shops in its ambiance.

Madrid Xanadú: It is a large shopping mall and entertainment center located in Arroyomolinos, Madrid, in Spain. Around 222 stores are available here where offer different kinds of products and eateries. A movie theatre is also located in this shopping center.

Restaurants

Your visit to Spain will become more enjoyable thanks to the delicious cuisines served at these wonderful restaurants:

El Bulli: It is a three-star restaurant, which has acquired international status. It is run by Chef Ferran Adria and offers dishes like trout roe tempura and tapioca. The restaurant is located in Roses, Catalonia in Spain.

Mugaritz: Tourists of Spain also prefer Mugaritz as their dining place. It is nestled at San Sebastian city of Spain. The courteous staff of this restaurant serves you mouth-watering monkfish cheek alongside ceramic potatoes.

Arzak: Come at Arzak, a fine dining restaurant, to taste scrumptious dishes like mackerel and tender pigeon. It specializes in serving delicious Mediterranean dishes with latest flavors. The location of this restaurant is Av del Alcalde José Elosegi, 273, 20015 Donostia-San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain.

Major Tourist Attractions

Spain is the abode of astonishing destinations. Every year, a number of travelers from across the world come here to spend their vacations and back home with lots of unforgettable memories. Some of the major tourist attractions of Spain are:

Alhambra: Alhambra is surely among the most visited destinations in Spain. It is located on a plateau near Granada city of the country. Tourists enjoy here the radiance of part fortress, part palace and part garden, which are treat to watch. The Palace was established in 14^th century by the Nasrid Sultans. Its architectural beauty pulls the travelers who visit to Granada, Spain.

Mezquita of Cordoba: If you are traveling to Spain, then don’t forget to visit astonishing place like Mezquita of Cordoba. It is an amazing building that is worldwide popular for the forest pillars and arches located inside the main hall. Initially, it was a Roman temple and then become a Visigothic Church. Later, it was converted to a Mosque by the Umayyad Moors.

El Escorial: Come to El Escorial, which is one of the ancient places of Spain. Various travelers come to this attraction and get amazed from its architectural beauty. It was the political center of the Spanish empire and later it was built as a monument to highlight Spain’s role as a center of the Christian world. At present, it has been utilized as a monastery, royal palace, school and museum.

Sagrada Familia: Nestled beautifully in Barcelona, Sagrada Familia is one of the most popular Roman Catholic Church. The unique thing about this Church is that it was started to build in 1882 and still its construction has not been completed yet. This beautiful attraction was designed by Antoni Gaudi who was a Catalan architect.

Ibiza: Enjoy your vacations in Spain by visiting to Ibiza. It is one of the Balearic Islands, which is located in proximity to Mediterranean Sea. It is counted among the best party destinations in Europe where travelers gather to enjoy eating and drinking in beach bars and restaurants and dancing in the night clubs especially in summer.

Local Festivals

The local people of Spain usually don’t miss an opportunity to enjoy their life by solemnizing various kinds of festivals. Some of them are:

San Fermín Festival: San Fermín Festival is worldwide popular for its violent celebration. It is organized in Pamplona at Navarra region of Spain. The main activity of the festival is El Encierro or the Running of the Bulls where lots of people running in front of a dozen bulls on the street. This festival is celebrated every year from July 6^th to July 14.

La Candelaria: La Candelaria is also a major festival in Spain. Conducted in February, it is celebrated in the entire country with lots of joy and respect. The festival is rejoiced for commemorating Jesus’s coming at the Jerusalem Temple with the purpose of purification. During this day, festivities and parades are usually performed.

Wine Festival of San Mateo: Wine Festival of San Mateo is conducted in Logrono, Spain. It is celebrated on 21^st September of every year. On this day, wines are distributed along the streets with people dancing along with parades of carriages. Regional food is also served during this festival.

Orujo Festival in Potes: Conducted in the month of November, Orujo Festival is wholeheartedly celebrated in Potes, Spain. During this festival, the pipers and drummers congregate to perform folk music through the streets.