Spain

Once away from the holiday costas, you could only be in Spain. In the cities, narrow twisting old streets suddenly open out to views of daring modern architecture, while spit and sawdust bars serving wine from the barrel rub shoulders with blaring, glaring discos.

Madrid
Spain's capital is also its most popular destination, not just for visitors passing through to other parts of the country, but also in itself, as a citybreak or as a base for exploring the centre of Spain. Slap bang in the middle of the Iberian Peninsula, Madrid is a large city but, like other Spanish towns, its verticality means it is relatively compact, and most of its museums, parks and monuments are within walking distance of each other or, at most, a bus or metro ride away.

Barcelona
One of the nice things about Barcelona is that you almost always know where you are. As with most seaside places, this is partly because the sea will usually be downhill from you, but in the case of Barcelona, you have two higher landmarks to orientate yourself by. Montjuic is to the south of the city, the greenish area near the bottom of the map, while Tibidabo, the 'magic mountain,' is in the Serra de Collserolla, the green hills in the top left corner, nowadays urban park.

Bilbao
Bilbao is the heart of a metropolis with a population of more than a million people. It is the driving force of social and economic development and it is the main factor in the modernisation of the Gulf of Biscay. Ambitious architectural, and general infrastructure projects have fuelled the urban and financial regeneration of the city.

Valencia
The province of Valencia is the largest of the three which go to make up the Valencian community. It is situated in the centre of the spanish Mediterranean coastline. It overlooks the spacious Gulf of Valencia and is skirted at the back by a group of medium high mountains and rolling plains leading to the lands of Aragon and Castile La Mancha.

Las Hurdes
Nowhere in Spain has been untouched by tourism, but beautiful Las Hurdes in mountainous northern Extremadura comes close. Time has not quite stood still, but it has certainly slowed right down, and many people still live in the traditional stone houses that are unique to this corner of Spain.

Activities and Tours

Alcazar
The Alcazar commands a strategic outcropping of the city's plateau high above the juncture of two small rivers. It is, of course, everyone's personal castle in Spain. Built in the eleventh century and rebuilt in the early fifteenth, it has a dashing, even romantic intimacy with its site that is difficult to equal. Muslim influence is seen in the name and in the building itself, particularly the interior.

Alhambra
On a hill overlooking Granada, the Alhambra a sprawling palace citadel that comprised royal residential quarters, court complexes flanked by official chambers, a bath, and a mosque was begun in the thirteenth century by Ibn al Ahmar, founder of the Nasrid dynasty, and was continued by his successors in the fourteenth century.

Castillo de Santa Barbara
Located on Mount Benacantil, giving it a strong strategic position.Given its name because the day Santa Bárbara was held it was taken by prince Alfonso de Castilla from the Arabs.In times of Felipe II the castle was reformed.

Cordoba Mezquita
The Mezquita (Spanish for "Mosque") of Cordoba, Spain is a beautiful and fascinating 8th century mosque cathedral combination that symbolizes the many religious changes Cordoba has undergone over the centuries. Today, the Mezquita is the cathedral of Cordoba and no longer a mosque, but the vast majority of its architecture owes its origin to the Islamic architects who built it as a mosque in the 8th century.

La Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia is one of Gaudi's most famous works in Barcelona. It's a giant temple that has been under construction since 1882 and it's not expected to be completed for between 30 to 80 years.

Museo del Prado
Considered one of the world's most important art galleries, it exhibits paintings by Goya, Velazquez, Murillo, Zurbaran, El Greco, Ribera, Titian, Boticelli, Tintoretto, El Bosco, Rubens, Van Dyck, Poussin and Durer. The collection of decorative arts features the Tesoro del Delfin. There are displays of classical Greek and Roman sculpture.

Travel Tip and useful information

Climate
The climate in spain is diverse, being affected by altitude (Spain is the second most mountainous county in Europe), the sea (Mediterranean or Atlantic Ocean) and continental effects (central spain is in effect in a large land mass).
There is also of course a significant difference between north and south Spain.

Time Zone
Current time zone offset: UTC/GMT +2 hours

Transport
Bus travel in Spain is increasingly an attractive option for people traveling on a tight budget. Long distance trains always get in time, but be aware that short distance trains (called Cercanías) can bear long delays, from ten to twenty minutes, and especially in the Barcelona area

Currency and credit cards
Spain is part of the European Union and the Eurozone. Credit cards are well accepted: even in a stall at La Boqueria market in Barcelona. Most ATMs will allow you to withdraw money with your credit card, but you'll need to know your card's PIN for that.

Dress Code
You will have to allow for a range of temperature. Its very unlikely to get very cold, but it can get quite chilly at night, particularly if you go outside the center. At mid day the temperature can easily rise to short sleeve temperatures. Rain gear is recommended, as is a jacket to break the wind.

Safety and security
Spain is a safe country, but you should take some basic precautions encouraged in all the world.