Ceuta flag Extremadura flag Galicia flag
Murcia flag Basque Country flag Navarre flag
Madrid flag Melilla flag La Rioja flag
Valencian Community flag
Spain
This is Spain’s flag which is made up of most of the 19 above flags of the individual regions in Spain.
Three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar.
The main language spoken in Spain is Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%. Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other languages are official regionally. However from the increase of immigrants over the last decade there are a number of other languages spoken, such as English, Portuguese and French. A lot of British families have immigrated to Spain over the last decade, to find a better life in Spain or just to chill out.
At the moment most Spanish people are Roman Catholic 94%. The remaining 6% is made up of Muslims, Orthodox, Protestant and other.
Spain changed its currency in 2004 from Pesetas to the Euro, which enabled its economy to increases because the Euro has a higher exchange rate.
At the moment Spain has a Head of State which is called King Juan Carlos and a President which is called José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
At the, moment Spain’s population is at a high 40,341,462 people with 14.4% of the population being aged 0-14 years, (male 2,994,124/ female 2,815,456). 68% of its population are aged 15-64 years, (male 13,762,281/ female 13,664,762). The remaining 17.6% are aged 65 years and over, (male 2,965,859/female 4,138,980).
Most people in Spain either live in Madrid or Barcelona because that’s where the money is. These are the two of the most populated cities in Spain, however the other three are:
Madrid is the capital city so this is another reason why so many people live in the big city. Even though Madrid is the capital there are more tourist attractions in Barcelona, so the city I am going to do my second compulsory topic will be on the stunning city of Barcelona.
Spain history can be traced back to 50000 B.C from Pre-historical Times to the Habsburg and Borbon Kings and finally the 20th century.
Pre-historical Times
The oldest historical findings made in Spain date of about 30000 to 50000 B.C. Among the most important remains of this period are the caves Cova Negra (Játiva) and Piñar (Granada).
The Celt-Iberian Spain
The Iberian population probably arrived to the peninsula from the north of Africa. Tartessos, probably an Iberian tribe, founded an important kingdom of high culture in the Valley of Guadalquivir River, in the south of Spain. By 1200 B.C. Celtic tribes entered the peninsula from the north, mixing up with Iberians and so generating the Celt Iberian race. The origin of the Bask race living in the north of the country is uncertain, but many historians suppose that it goes back to a Pre-Iberian population.
Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians
By 1100 B.C. Phoenicians arrived to the peninsula and found colonies, the most important of which was Gadir (today's Cadiz). Greeks also found colonies in southern Spain and along the Mediterranean coast.
During the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthago Carthaginians, Spain invaded and conquered large parts of it. Their most important colonies were the island Ibiza and Cartagena, the "new Carthago".
Romans and Goths
After Rome had defeated Carthago definitely, Romans also invaded the colonies in Spain, and ended up conquering the entire peninsula. The provinces Hispania became part and parcel of Roman Empire and acquired great importance, even two Roman emperors, Traian and Hadrian, were born there. Spaniards absorbed completely the Roman culture as still today is very evident in their language.
In 409, when the Roman Empire started to fall, Gothic tribes invaded the peninsula and established their kingdom in 419.
Moorish Epoch and Reconquista
Gothic dominance lasted until 711, when Muslim armies crossed the Straight of Gibraltar and defeated Roderic, the last Visigoth king. Some of the southern parts of Spain, called al-Andalus, were prospering in the Moorish epoch, thanks to new sciences and agricultural techniques. The Moors conquered major parts of the country until they were defeated for the first time by Visigoth king Pelayo at Covadonga in northern Spain, 722.
Though the small Christian kingdoms in the north were a nucleus of resistance, the Arabian culture was prospering in the rest of the country.
The Muslim Spain by the time got politically independent of the Arabian empire, and in 10th century Abderraman III made Al-Andalus his own caliphate. In this epoch Cordoba was the indisputable cultural centre of this area of the world. Corruption however, started in 11th century, when the various Arabian noble families were more and more at variance among themselves, and al-Andalus broke into numerous small caliphates. The Christian kingdoms in the north started then to regain Spain. The marriage between Isabel of Castilia and Ferdinand of Aragon in 1469, uniting the two most important among them, was the turning point of the Reconquista. From now on Muslims rapidly lost territory, until they were definitely expelled when they lost their last remaining caliphate, Granada, in 1492.
The Catholic Monarchs
Isabel and Ferdinand succeeded in uniting the whole country under their crown, and their effort to "Re-Christianise" Spain resulted in the Spanish Inquisition, when thousands of Jews and Moors who didn't want to convert to Christianity were expelled or killed.
After the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492 tons of gold and silver were brought in from the new continent and Spain became one of the most powerful nations of this epoch called the Golden Age.
Habsburg and Borbon Kings
After Isabel died in 1504, her daughter Joan who was married with the German emperor's son Philip succeeded to the throne. Charles I, at the same time Austrian king and German emperor united in 1517 one of the largest empires in history. Nevertheless after his retirement in 1556 it was split between the Spanish and the Austrian line of Habsburg family.
Spain was prospering economically under the Habsburg crown thanks to the trade with its American colonies, but on the hand involved in wars with France, the Netherlands and England, culminating in the disastrous defeat of the "Invincible Armada" in 1588.
When the last Habsburg King Charles II died without descendant, the nephew of French King Louis XIV, Philip of Borbon, succeeded the throne. As a consequence of the French Revolution, Spain declared war on the new republic but was defeated. Napoleon took the power in France and sent his troops against Spain in 1808. He established his brother Joseph as Spanish king, but Spaniards fought a 5-year Independence War against the French. After Napoleon's definite defeat at Waterloo in 1815, Ferdinand VII was restored to the Spanish throne and reined with rigid absolutism. When he changed the law of succession to the throne and his daughter Isabel was established as queen, his brother Charles rebelled against it and the War of Seven Years broke out. Economical recession and political instability were the consequences. Spain lost its colonies with the exceptions of Puerto Rico, Cuba and Philippines. The revolution of 1868 forced Isabel II to renounce to the throne, and the First Republic was proclaimed. Anyhow, it lasted for just about one year. After a coup d'état Isabel's son, Alphonse XII, restored the kingdom. The rebellion of Cuba in 1895 resulted in a war against United States, with disastrous results for Spain. It lost its last overseas possessions.
20th Century
Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986. Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.
Since the 16th and 17th centuries only several ethnic groups have kept a separate identity, cultural and linguistic. These ethnic groups include the Catalans (16 percent of the population), who live mainly in the northeast and on the eastern islands; the Galician’s (7 percent), who live in the north-western Spain; the Basques, or Euskal-dun (2 percent), who live mostly around the Bay of Biscay; and the nomadic Spanish Roma (Gypsies), also called Gintanos.
Madrid may be the capital of Spain and where business is done however Barcelona has more attractions and the sandy beaches.
Barcelona has emerged from a spotty history. With Castilian kings pumping cannonballs over the city walls and anarchists disagreeing on which shoulder to hang their rifles, the city shrank in the shadow of greater cities and powers for centuries however it has emerged from all that to become one of the most famous tourist destination and one of the worlds greatest football teams.
Barcelona is located on the coast of the North- East of Spain. This is a map of Barcelona’s town centre:
At the moment Barcelona is the second most populated city in Spain with a population of 1,454,000.
Barcelona has a lot of tourist attractions with approximately 15 million visitors every year. There are so many wonderful attractions in Barcelona that there is sure to be something for everyone to see. Attractions in Barcelona include a wide variety of places to visits and which of some are described below.
Barcelona Attractions and Barcelona Sightseeing
Barcelona Attractions: Barcelona Walking Tours -
Walking tours in Barcelona provide an ideal way to see many of the attractions in Barcelona and gain a real insight into the history. Organised by the tourist information office in Barcelona, these walking tours go through the Ciutat Vella (Old Town) and last around 90 minutes. There is an English-language tour that starts at 10:00 at the main tourist information office in the Plaça Catalunya.
Barcelona Attractions: Barcelona Bus Tours -
City bus tours are available and these depart from Ronda Universitat 5 and Gran Viá de les Corts Catalanes 65. Morning bus tours take in the sites in Montjuïc and the Gothic Quarter, whilst afternoon Barcelona bus tours concentrate on Barcelona's rich, architectural heritage.
Barcelona Attractions: Casa Mila -
Barcelona's Casa Mila is Gaudi's unique and interesting apartment block, which features an exhibition hall and access to the roof area. It was built between 1905 and 1911 and is commonly known as 'La Pedrera' (The Rock Pile).
Attraction open: 10:00 to 20:00
Attraction admission: free
Barcelona Attractions: Platja de Sant Sebastià -
Barcelona's Platja de Sant Sebastià is the nearest beach to town, close to the La Barceloneta neighbourhood. With palm trees, lifeguard services, children's plays areas, showers and disabled services, it is on one of many excellent beaches near to the city. Barcelona has over 4 km / 2.5 miles of coastline.
Barcelona Attractions: L'Aquàrium -
This sea life aquarium is one of Barcelona's many popular tourist attractions and is housed in an unusual transparent building. With a varied collection of marine life from all over the world, including sharks, this sea life centre also includes a play area for children. The nearest train station is Drassanes.
Attraction admission: charge
Attraction open: Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 21:00, Saturday and Sunday, 09:00 to 21:30 (opens later in the summer)
Barcelona Attractions: Barcelona Zoo –
Home to more than 7,000 animals and over 500 species, one of the star attractions in Barcelona Zoo is Snowflake, the only albino gorilla in captivity, Barcelona Zoo. There are also lions, tigers, tropical birds, insects, spiders and even dolphins.
Attraction admission: charge
Barcelona Attractions: Plaça Catalunya -
The Plaça Catalunya is Barcelona's main square and is situated in the Gothic Quarter of the city. This vast and busy square is surrounded by many large buildings and beautiful architecture. There are also two splendid sculptures in the square. The nearest train station is Catalunya.
Barcelona Attractions: Anella Olímpica -
The 'Olympic Ring' in Montjuïc was one of the major sites used during the 1992 Olympic Games. Situated next to the Olympic Stadium (Estadi Olímpic), which now houses an exhibition centre about the Olympic Games, there are a number of sporting facilities. These include the Picornell swimming pools, which are open to the public. Regular sporting events are hosted in the Palau Sant Jordi, which seats around 17,000 spectators. Anella Olímpica is easily reached by bus.
Barcelona Attractions: Moll de la Fusta-
The Moll de la Fusta in Barcelona is a long wooden boardwalk, running along the Passeig de Colom shorefront. This is an ideal place for a walk by the sea and there are plenty of benches to sit on an admire the views. The nearest train stations to the Moll de la Fusta are Barceloneta and Drassanes.
Barcelona Attractions: Plaça Del Pi and Plaça Sant Josep Oriol -
These two squares in Barcelona are situated next to each other in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. They are full of history and are surrounded by many good cafés. The lively squares lead into each other and are often home to art and food markets, as well as street performers and musicians. The nearest train stations are Liceu and Catalunya.
Barcelona Attractions: Plaça Espanya -
The Plaça Espanya in Barcelona is the old gateway to the city and is situated in the L'Eixample neighbourhood. It features a large fountain that was designed by Josep Maria Jujol and inspired by Gaudí. The nearest train stop in Espanya.
Barcelona Attractions: Port Olímpic (Olympic Port) –
Opened in 1992 for the Olympic Games, the Port Olímpic is a popular entertainment and leisure attraction. With many restaurants, bars, shops and nightclubs, Port Olímpic is situated underneath two large and impressive skyscrapers and you are able to rent speedboats around the port. Ciutadella is the nearest train stop.
Barcelona Attractions: Rambla de Canaletes -
The Ramblas is a popular part of the city and the Rambla de Canaletes is a walkway, with newspaper kiosks selling newspapers from all over the world. There is also a small fountain (Font de Canaletes) which has the legend that if you drink from it, you will revisit the city of Barcelona in the future.
Nou Camp-
Nou Camp is the home ground of Barcelona which holds 90,000 people, so why not come and see the lights of Puyol, Ronnaldinio, E’tos, Deco and Larson playing to defend their title.
Pictures of Barcelona
If you’re visiting Barcelona without a car, don’t worry because you can still do the above things. Barcelona has metro and bus systems which are very cheap to use.
The Barcelona Metro System
Barcelona boasts an excellent metro system, with convenient lines, cheap fares (especially in quantity), and a simplified colour-coded system that's easily understood. The "Guia d'Autobuses Urbans de Barcelona," a free map of the city's bus and Metro lines, is available at the tourist offices and at city Metro stations. To locate stations from the street level, look for signs with a blue letter "M" inside a squat red diamonds.
Ticket windows and automatic vending machines sell Metro passes. Once you pass through the turnstiles, keep your ticket with you, as inspectors may ask to see it. Travelling without a ticket carries a 40 Euro fine. A single ride costs one euro.
Several passes, "los abonos," are a good idea for anyone planning to use public transportation often. All passes work interchangeably for the metro, bus, urban lines of the FGC commuter trains and the night bus. The T-10 pass is valid for 10 rides and can be used by multiple people. At 5.80 Euros, it's a savings of nearly 50% off the regular price of 10 full-cost rides. The T-Dia pass is 4.40 Euros and is good for a full day of unlimited travel. The 3 Dies at 11.30 Euros gets customers 3 days of unlimited travel and the 5 Dies at 17.30 Euros does the same for 5 days. The T-Mes for one month and the T-Trisemestre for 90 days are 37.65 and 103.60, respectively. The T-50/30 for 24.30 Euros buys 50 trips in a 30-day period.
Most trains run Monday-Thursday, 5am-midnight, and Friday and Saturday, 5am-2am, and Sunday and holidays, 6am-midnight.
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya, FGC, are the commuter trains with service to Monserrat. Blue symbols made of two interlocking 'V's indicate connections with the Metro. It costs one euro per ride until the Tibidabo stop. After Tibidabo, the rates go up by zone. Zone 2 destinations are 1.55 Euros and zone 3 spots are 2.2 Euros. Metro passes are valid on the trains.
The Barcelona Bus System
The bus system in the city is made up of more than 80 lines. Passes for the Metro and the FGC also work for buses. You can easily find stops by locating red signs with brown benches under a small roof. Try to get a ticket before you get on the bus, avoiding confusion with bus drivers or the possibility that they cannot make change.
Upon entering the bus, you will see two machines. If you have a Metro pass, insert your ticket into it, printed side up, with the arrow pointing down. The machine will stamp your ticket. Most major lines are wheelchair accessible. At least some, though not all, buses on the line have wheelchair lifts. Buses keep the same hours and charge the same fee as the Metro (see above).
When main bus lines stop running, the Nitbus takes over. Running on 16 lines, 12 of which stop at Pl. de Catalunya, the Nitbus runs from 10:30pm-4:30am, every 30 minutes. Metro passes are valid on all Nitbuses. You can also buy a single ride or 10 rides right on the bus. Nitbuses stop in front of many popular nightclubs and most work their way through the Ciutat Vella and Zona Alta. Some go to the airport. Metro maps, which also mark Nitbus routes, are available at Metro stations and tobacco shops ("los estancos").
Taxis in Barcelona
Taxis zip their way all over Barcelona. On weekend nights, however, you might have to wait up to 30 minutes to grab one. Passengers waiting for taxis form lines at popular spots. The "lliure" or "libre" sign in the windshield or a lit green light on the roof of the car signals a vacant car, while yellow means it's occupied. Taxis prices are set in Barcelona. The price for a taxi during the day (6am-10pm) is 1.15 Euros plus 0.69 Euros per km. After 10pm and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, the cost is 1.30 Euros plus .88 per km.
Attractions in Barcelona include a wide variety of places to visits, so whether you are looking for thrills and excitement, Barcelona history and exhibitions, or animals and the more exotic, you will not have to look far in Barcelona.
Hola, me llamo Rigers. Soy inteligente, divertido y generoso .Tengo catorce años. Mi cumpleaños es el cuatro de septiembre.
Soy alto y delgado. Tengo el pelo corto y liso, tengo el pelo negro y los ojos marrones. Tengo la piel blanca.
Hay siete personas en mi familia. Tengo cuatro hermanos y una hermana. Me hermanos se llaman Fatos, Mili, Reni, Arbri. Me hermana se llama Jonida. Me madre se llama Fortuna y tiene cuarenta y siete años. Me padre se llama Agron y tiene cincuenta y uno años.
Tengo unos cinco tíos y tres tías. Tengo unos siete primos y unas trece primas.
Vivo en una casa en la ciudad. Vivo en Borehamwood. Me hermanos Mili y Reni vive en una piso en la ciudad en la London. Me abuela y abuelo vive en una hacienda en las afueras.
Soy de Inglaterra. Soy ingles.
Me gustan los animales. Tengo un perro que se llama Rex es de color blanco, tiene cinco años.
Me practico el baloncesto la gimnasia y juego la football por Elstree Vale. Me escucho música, voy al gimnasia, veo la televisión, salgo con los amigos, juego con el ordenador y juego con los video juegos en me tiempo libre.
Mi colegio se llama Hertswood. Me colegio es mixto y hay uniforme. En colegio me gustan las matemáticas y me gusta el español y el deporte.
Spain is in the heart of Mediterranean Sea, with its beautiful beaches and scorching summers, the country of Spain is located in South-western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Pyrenees Mountains, and southwest of France. Spain has the Geographic coordinates, 40 00 N, 4 00 W.
Spain has a total surface area of 504,782 sq km, which 499,542 sq km is land
and 5,240 sq km is water. However the total surface includes the Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - Ceuta, Melilla, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera.
At the, moment Spain’s population is at a high 40,341,462 people with 14.4% of the population being aged 0-14 years, (male 2,994,124/ female 2,815,456). 68% of its population are aged 15-64 years, (male 13,762,281/ female 13,664,762). The remaining 17.6% are aged 65 years and over, (male 2,965,859/female 4,138,980).
Spain has land boundaries adding up to 1917.8 km. It borders Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km.
The Spain has a coastline which totals up to 4,964 km.
Spain is a Mediterranean country so it has clear, hot summers in interior however more moderate and cloudy along coast. Its winters are very cold in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast.
Spain has a terrain which is large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills, mostly in north of Pyrenees. The highest point in Spain is Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands which is 3,718 m above sea level. The lowest point is Atlantic Ocean which lies at 0 m above sea level.
Spain has a land full of natural resources such as coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower and arable land.
Most of the land in Spain is used as arable land. The arable land represents 30% of Spain’s land surface. Another 32% is used up by forests and woodland. The remainder 38% is used by permanent crops (9%), permanent pastures (21%) and other (8%).
The most common natural hazard in Spain is periodic droughts during the winter season.
Spanish Geography 2005
This is a bit more information on Spain and its Geography and climate.
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)
territorial sea: 12 nm
Irrigated land: 34,530 sq km
Environment - current issues: pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
Signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
On the below table are the climate averages of Spain for the year 2005/2006.
Note: Temperatures are in Fahrenheit.
Widely known for Flamenco music and dance, bullfights, fantastic beaches and lots of sunshine, Spain has much more to offer than that. It is-and has been for thousands of years-one of the cultural centres of Europe.
Most of the Spanish culture evolves around its Roman Catholic religion. Spanish people are one of the most religious people in the world, with on average 99.9% of their population having prayed at some time in their life.
Spain however has more to it than its religion, dance and bullfights. Spain has an extraordinary artistic heritage. The dominant figures of the golden age were the Toledo-based artists El Greco and Diego Velasquez. Francisco Goya emerged in the 18th century as Spain's most prolific painter and he produced some wonderfully unflattering portraits of royalty. The art world in the early 20th century was influenced by a remarkable group of Spanish artists: Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris, Joan Miró and Salvador Dalí.
Spain also has its architecture which ranges from prehistoric monuments in Minorca in the Balearic Islands, through to the Roman ruins of Mérida and Tarragona, the decorative Lonja in Seville, Mudéjar buildings, Gothic cathedrals, castles, fantastic modernist monuments and Gaudí's intricate fabulist sculptures.
As we already know the Spanish nation like its music, which brings us to this next thing, the guitar. The guitar was invented in Andalusia in the 1790s when a sixth string was added to the Moorish lute. It gained its modern shape in the 1870s. Spanish musicians have taken the humble guitar to dizzying heights of virtuosity and none more so than Andrés Segovia (1893-1997), who established classical guitar as a genre. Flamenco, music rooted in the cante jondo (deep song) of the gitanos (gypsies) of Andalusia, is experiencing a revival. Paco de Lucia is the best known flamenco guitarist internationally.
On the above table are lists of traditional events which happen every year in Spain and a few which are only happening this year such as the Montmeló F1 Race.
Spain attracts the most tourists in Europe annually, with an approximate 45 million people visiting every year. Tourism has a major role in the Spanish economy, with 20% of the GDP coming from tourism.
With its hot weather and sandy beaches Spain is a perfect destination for a lot of people. Spain at the moment uses the Euros as their currency so the prices aren’t as cheap as they were 3 years ago, however most people find its still worth going there.
Spain may be known for its beaches and weather, however it has more to it than that. Barcelona and Madrid has been the centre of European culture for year, starting from their football to their agriculture.
Barcelona with its beautiful agriculture, starting from the Casa Mila to Platja de Sant Sebastià attracts millions of tourist each year. Barcelona also has its stunning beaches which are another tourist attraction. Valencia and Bilbao are another two cities which get a lot of tourist due to their beaches. Valencia, Bilbao and Madrid are the cities which attract the most tourists, so I have described them in more detail.
Madrid
The Madrid area has been settled since the Lower Paleolithic age, but it was not until 1561 that King Philip II made it the capital of his mighty empire. The historic old town, also known as “Madrid de las Austrias” (referring to the Hapsburg Empire) is a living example of the city’s 16th and 17th century glory days, as is its empressive Plaza Mayor (square), which was opened in 1620 and remains one of the most popular and typical spots.
Art and culture are central to Madrid life. The city has 73 museums that cover all the fields of human knowledge. Of these, the most important are the Prado Museums, one of the worlds greatest art galleries, the Thyssen- Bornemisza Museum with more than 800 paintings, sculptures and tapestries that go from the earliest Dutch masters to the most avantguard trends, and the Reina Sofia National Art Centre, which is dedicated to Spanish contemporary art, with works by Picasso, Joan Miro, Salvador Dali and Juan Gris among others.
Visitors and residents alike can enjoy the sun, go for walks, go rowing or feed the squirrels in Madrid’s large, impeccable parks and gardens. The Retro Parks, once playground of Spanish Monarchs, the Caa de Campo and the Juan Carlos I Park among others make Madrid one of Europe’s greenest capitals. Madrid is also one of Europe’s most attractive business centres. Its international airport receives more than one thousand flights weekly from all over the world and it has two main conference centres, as well as the modern Campo de las Naciones exhibition centre and a capacity to hold more than 80,000 people in other varied conference and meeting facilities.
Madrid’s happening nightlife is another major attraction. Its pubs, bars, discos and flamenco clubs have a tremendous atmosphere, while by day there are traditional verbenas (open-air dances), popular festivals or the San Isidro bullfighting festivals- rated the worlds most popular.
Children
Madrid offers a wide variety of children’s activities. Animal lovers and those with an interest in science and nature will experience an unforgettable day at the Zoo-Aquarium located at Casa de Campo, as well as in the Faunia Theme Park, where lots of fun can be had from combining nature and leisure. The livelier visitors will love Madrid’s Amusement Park and the Warner Bros- Madrid Theme Park one of the most spectacular in the world.
Congress and Business
Madrid is exceptionally well equipped for trade fair, conferences, and exhibitions, with two convention centres, and two fair trade complexes. Equipped with the most modern service facilities, the city’s capacity and high standards attract more than five million professionals each year, who attend a variety of events.
Food and Wine
Almost the whole of Spanish cuisine is present in the tapes of Madrid.
Shopping
From antique shops to the latest fashion design: furniture, the most prestigious fashion houses, gifts, souvenirs or food stuffs can be found in the shop window of the city. Shops, shopping centres and street markets mean Madrid offers almost infinite shopping possibilities.
Sport and Nature
Madrid has an abundance of open space with varied landscape, from the Madrid Sierra, a gorgeous mountain range filled with beauty spots, where winter sports and mountaineering can be practised, to the fertile plains of Aranjuez and La Mancha landscape, surrounding Alcala de Hernares.
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 financial regeneration of the city. The Guggenheim Museum; the Euskalduna Concert Hall and Convention Centre; the underground, build by Norman Foster; the airport, build by Calatrava; the new tram and the projects by architects such as Arata Isozaki and Cesar Pelli are all examples of the overwhelming vitality that permeates Bilboa. Situated in the Territory of Bizkaia, the city is surrounded by fertile landscapes, with forest, mountains, beaches, and steep coasts, that make Bilbao an excellent destination for any traveller. The modern network of transport and roads brings the nearby Basque capitals like Vitoria and San Sebastian much closer.
Art and Culture
Bilbao’s culture calendar is hard to resist; it has two of the best art galleries in Spain, six themed museums, countless contemporary art exhibitions and a continuous series of shows and performances, such as opera, symphony orchestras, theatre, dance, cinema, easy listening, pop and rock ‘n’ roll.
Children
The programme of shows, leisure and cultural activities does not forget your youngsters. An intensive programme all year round includes theatre and musicals, increasing during Carnival, Semana Grande and Christmas; times when children take the leading role.
Congresses and Business
Bilbao is ready to host any kind of conventions or professional meeting all their needs. Historically, the city has played host to many conventions and it has held business conferences in all economic and financial fields.
Food and Whine
The industrial city of Bilbao radiates class.
Shopping
Shopping for antiques, typical ceramics, exquisite cakes and pastries or the latest fashions is one of the options offered by the shopping centres and shops of Bilbao. Going shopping in Bilbao is a unique occasion for enjoying the architectural heritage of the city and whilst out you can enjoy the popular pintxos in one of the many taverns or cafes lining in the streets.
Sports and Nature
Playing sports is also easy in Bilbao. The bicycle lanes keep on growing in the city, and they will soon reach 30 kilometres. Other sporting options include swimming pools, gyms, and golf, not to mention jogging or walking thought the streets and parks.
Youth
Avant- garde art, fashion, music and leisure are an everyday affair in Bilbao, a city filled with trendy shops, great pop and rock concerts, and excellent venues for live performances.