The regions of Spain about the regions in Spain

Catalona best known apart from the capital, Barcelona, is of course the Mediterranean coast, Costa Brava, with ample beaches and mild climate, doubtlessly a first rate tourist attraction.Howeverone shouldn't forget that Catalonia offers high mountain ranges, the Pyrenees in the north.

Catalonia has a very marked culture of its own, most evidently of Mediterranean tradition, and is distinguished of most other Spanish regions in several aspects, not at least by its language, Catalonian

The coast offers ideal facilities for all sorts of water sports, but everywhere you will realize about that special talent to combine the beauty of nature or monuments with modern attractions, a main reason why Catalonia developed into one of the preferred tourist destinations.

Catalonia's excellent gastronomy is characterized by seafood, rice dishes, wines of great international reputation and traditional desserts like the famous "Catalonian Cream".

Valencia (The Autonomous Community)
This Mediterranean region, located south of Cataluña, is famous for its magnificent orange groves and the beauty of its long beaches. There has been a harmonious blending of Mediterranean traditions here while the centuries of Moorish presence have resulted in a profound Hispano-Moorish heritage.
Valencia is the capital of the region. It is world famous for its unique fiesta of Saint Joseph, known as "Las Fallas", when enormous papier-mache sculptures are set ablaze. The city has a priceless Gothic-style architectural heritage, including the Lonja and El Miguelete, the cathedral bell tower.
The Valencian Coast lies alongside the capital, and a short distance away are two enormous beaches. It also includes other tourist centres such as Cullera, Gandia and Oliva.
La Costa Azahar (Orange-blossom Coast) stretches to the North of Valencia alongside the province of Castellon. Its most important tourist centres are Vinaroz, Benicarlo, Peñiscola, Alcoceber, Oropesa and Benicasim. Of special interest in the zone are: Castellon, with its Santa Maria cathedral and the impressive ashlar-stone façade of the City Hall Building.
Peñiscola, a village located on a high promontory that is dominated by a medieval castle, within the walls ofwhich are houses and streets creatively positioned to take advantage of the scarce, irregular terrain.
Oropesa, which preserves the so-called Tower of the King, built in the 16th Century.
The Desierto de Las Palmas Carmelite Convent, located inland on the same latitude as Benicasim.
Alicante, the capital of the province of the same name, is the s econd most important city in the Comunity of Valencia. Located south of Valencia, the city has two large beaches and is dominated by the great Moorish castle of Santa Barbara, with its marvelous view of the entire date-tree-dotted city.
La Costa Blanca, which runs alongsid ethe region of Alicante, is one of the most popular tourist zones in Spain thanks to its excellent installations and magnificent, large, fine-sand beaches.
Benidorm is oneof the most important tourist cities iin spai. It has two splendid, well maintained beaches, an excelletn hotel infrastructure and a nighlife full of attractions.
Other important tourist centres of the Costa Blanca are Denia, Javea, Moraira, Calpe, Santa Pola, Guardamar de Segura, Torrevieja and Campoamor.
Of special interest in this zone is the Rock of Ifach in Calpe, an enormous rocky spur jutting out into the sea. It is one of the most impressive natural formations on the Mediterranean coastline.

MurciaOf major touristical interest is of course the Mediterranean coast, Costa Calida ("the warm coast"), with beaches of fine sand. The salt-water lagoon Mar Menor and La Manga del Mar Menor offer great possibilities for water sports. The inland is almost desertic, and you may visit several towns which still preserve their medieval structures.

Typical cooking includes stews, salads, roasted meat, rice, and of course great sea-food along the coast. Murcia also produces wine of high quality.Murcia the capital of the region is, located inland.

Andalusia opens out onto two seas. Separated from the Central Plateau by the great natural barrier of the Sierra Morena mountain chain, which, in historical times, made communication with the rest of Spain difficult, it is, however, open and easily accessible from its coasts. Connecting the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, astride between Europe and Africa, the richness and fertility of its lands, the variety of its landscapes, the generosity of its climate, its towns and its people have made it a land of welcome, and a place for the merging of ethnic groups and cultures.

Andalusia has the greatest number of inhabitants and the second in surface. Its varied landscapes, its mild climate and the friendly character of its population have turned it into one of the most attractive regions.

3000 hours of sun per year, many kilometers of golden sand beaches and those beautiful natural ports made it a safe refuge already for Phoenician navigators, thousands of years before Christ.

The offer for visitors is extremely varied, from golden beaches to those beautiful mountain ranges and the famous "white villages" There are great possibilities for most different sports as well, from skiing in the Sierra Nevada to surfing at the coast of Cadiz, where you will find ideal conditions as nowhere else in Europe.

Major attractions:

Seville
The Andalusian capital, the third largest city of Spain, is among the most beloved places by tourists, thanks to its unique ambience and its great monuments

Granada
Granada is one of the pearls of Spain, most visited by tourists from all the world. The long-time capital of Moorish Andalusia

Costa del Sol
The coast of Malaga is of great touristical importance, thanks to its splendid beaches, outstanding installations and smooth climate. Among the most famous centers are Marbella, Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Malaga and San Pedro de Alcantara.

Ronda
A beautiful town, surrounded by an impressive mountain range.

Almeria
Almeria is among those Andalusian cities which have best preserved their Moorish heritage. Of great touristical attraction is also its splendid coast, Costa de Almeria.

Cadiz
Cadiz is one of the oldest cities in Spain, founded by Phoenicians. It is fascinating for its typical Andalusian ambience with whitewashed houses and tropical vegetation.

Huelva
Of great importance as a fishing port as well as for its industry. The city itself and its surroundings are marked by Christopher Columbus, who started his travel to America from the nearby Palos de la Frontera. There you may still visit the monastery where he prepared his travel, alongside with a reconstruction of the port and the three famous ships.

Costa de la Luz
The "Coast of the Light", in the provinces of Huelva and Cadiz at the Atlantic Ocean, offers splendid beaches of fine sand. Major centers of attraction are Punta Umbria, Islantilla, Isla Cristina, Mazagon, Matalascañas, Barbate, Algeciras, Tarifa, Conil de la Frontera, Chiclana de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa Maria, Rota, Chipiona, and Sanlucar de Barrameda.

Jerez de la Frontera
In the hometown of the world-famous Sherry wine several "Bodegas" may be visited. Jerez too is the site of a renowned equestrian school. Wine and horses mark the ambience of this manorial town.

Jaen
Jaen, located inland, is dominated by its medieval fortress. Additional attractions are the 11th century Moorish baths and the Renaissance cathedral. The nearby Sierra de Cazorla is an outstanding natural preserve.