Alhambra SpainSpain is the second largest country in Western Europe and as such it has many different regions and much diversity. It is located in the South West of Europe with France, Andorra and the Bay of Biscay to the North, Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean to the West, and the Mediterranean Sea to the South and the East.

Spain is such a wonderful country of extremes, from beautiful sandy beaches, to stunning mountain ranges, to cosmopolitan and historical cities. Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities. Below is a brief description of these regions:

Andalucia

Andalucia is mainland Spain's most Southern region and is made up of eight provinces; Huelva, Seville, Cadiz, Cordoba, Malaga, Jaen, Granada and Almeria.

Huelva is at the most Western point of Andalucia and is bordered by Portugal. The region is known for its rural tourism. Its capital city is also named Huelva and its history has been associated with the Greeks, Romans and Moors. Today the city has a bustling port and visitors can sample the local seafood in the many restaurants and bars.

The province of Seville has a popular capital city which also named Seville. The city is not just the capital of the province but also the capital of Andalucia.

Caziz province is bordered by both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and has the British territory of Gibraltar neighboring it. 

The province of Cordoba is in the North central part of Andalucia and has a varied countryside. The province is well known for its delicious locally made dry white wine.  

The province of Malaga has a vibrant tourism industry especially along the Costa del Sol. Sandy beaches, bustling harbor towns and the stunning mountains are all reasons why Malaga has been a popular destination for holiday makers for many years. Marbella and Puerto Banus in the Costa del Sol are often visited by the rich and famous.Visit the charming town of Competa on your next visit.

Jaen province is distinguished by its orange soils and has a great quantity of olive trees. In fact Jaen is one of the world's largest producers of olives and olive oil.  

The province of Granada is well known for its capital city which is also called Granada. The city of Granada is located at the bottom of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Muslim city was lost to the Christian Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand in 1492, where they took occupation of the breathtaking Alhambra Palace. Today the Alhambra is a popular tourist attraction and guests can see the stunning Islamic architecture as well as the 16^th century Christian buildings and gardens.

Aragon

Aragon is in the North East of Spain and borders France. The region is rich in history and has many medieval towns. Aragon has some stunning mountain ranges, great for skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer months.

Asturias

Asturias is on the Spanish North Coast along the Bay of Biscay. Oviedo is the capital city of Asturias and has some fascinating architecture.

Highlights of the region include the lush mountain ranges, the small fishing villages scattered along the coast and the lovely beaches.

Balearic Islands

The Balearic Islands are located East off of the mainland in the Mediterranean Sea and have been a hugely popular holiday destination for many years. The Balearic consists of three main islands; Ibizia, Mallorca and Menorca, and two smaller islands; Formentera and Cabrera.

Ibizia is a clubbers paradise and has many sandy beaches, bars and nightclubs with famous DJ's performing. However Ibizia isn't just about the nightlife. Away from the main towns the intrepid explorer will find some wonderful scenery from mountain views to traditional Spanish island villages.

Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands and is located North West of Ibizia. Magaluf is a popular package holiday destination in Mallorca whist the capital Palma de Mallorca is more exclusive.

If you're looking for tranquility then Menorca is the perfect island for you. There are miles of peaceful beaches and small traditional Spanish villages.

Basque Country

The region known as Basque Country is in the North of Spain and borders the Atlantic Ocean and France. Although Spanish is widely spoken, Basque Country has its own language of unexplained origin which is intriguing as it is neither a mixture of Spanish, France or indeed any other known language.

Although an industrial region of Spain, the Basque Country still has some stunning landscapes as well as National Parks.

Canary Islands

Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are part of Spain but they are located much closer to Africa. The Canary Islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean and benefit from a subtropical climate with mild weather all year round. There are seven larger islands and several smaller islands.

Lanzarote is one of the main islands and has a unique landscape of volcanic origin with much of its surface being covered in ash and lava.

Tenerife is very popular with tourists and is the largest of the Canary Islands. In fact Tenerife has the highest mountain of all of Spain, the volcano Mount Teide, as well as many beautiful beaches with very fine sands.

The island Gran Canaria has a very diverse landscape, from the mountain range and canyons to the tropical forests and dessert lands. This island certainly offers its visitors much variety.

Fuerteventura is an island paradise with fantastic beaches and superb water sport activities.

Cantabria

Cantabria is in the North of Spain with the Cantabrian Mountains to the South and the Cantabria Sea (Bay of Biscay) to the North. Although not as well frequented as other regions of Spain it does have some wonderful draws for the visitor including its fascinating and ancient history with cave drawings that date back thousands of years.

Santander is the capital of Cantabria and is a thriving port city located on a beautiful Bay.  

Castilla La Mancha

Castilla La Mancha is in a central position of Spain and has many towns and sites of important historical significance, including Toledo which was once the capital of Spain. Toledo has some fantastic architecture and marvelous monuments.

Castilla Y Leon

Castilla Y Leon is known for its medieval history and has a number of ancient castles, monasteries, cathedrals and towns. The region was once two separate regions of Spain, Castilla la Vieja and Leon. They were joined in 1983 to become Castilla Y Leon making it the largest region of Spain.

Catalonia

BarcelonaCatalonia is a very important region of Spain for many reasons Barcelona being one of them. Barcelona is the regions capital and is a fantastic cosmopolitan city to visit with some stunning architecture in particular designs from Antoní Gaudí.

Catalonia borders France, Andorra and the Mediterranean Sea. The region is famous for being the home of the artist Salvador Dali and visitors can view some of his collection at the Dali museum in his home town of Figueres.
Other attractions in Catalonia include the Universal Studios theme park Port Aventura on the Costa Dorada, the Pyrenees to the North of the region, and the Costa Brava with its sandy beaches.

Extremadura

Extremadura is in the West of Spain and borders Portugal. This region is mostly undiscovered by tourists but it still has much to offer with many traditional Spanish customs and traditions, and beautiful countryside including mountain ranges and valleys. Much like most of Spain the region is also rich with history and it has many Roman ruins to be explored.

Galicia

Galicia is located in the North West of Spain and borders both Portugal and the Atlantic Sea. The region is noted for its abundance of rivers that flow across and through its mountains to the coast. The coastline has very striking scenery which attracts many visitors to the region and is also popular for the local seafood and fresh fish.

La Rioja

La Rioja is not only famous for producing one of my favorite wines! There is so much more to La Rioja. It may be one of the smallest Spanish regions but it is still a fantastic place to visit. Rural tourism is particularly popular in this region with superb activities available including skiing, white water rafting, hiking or enjoying the benefits of the therapeutic thermal waters.

Madrid

Madrid is in the center of Spain and the region is home to the Capital City of Spain, also named Madrid. Madrid is in the heart of the Iberian Peninsula and the city is both a center of history and culture as well as business and commerce. The Spanish Royal Family, Government and Parliament are all located in the city.

Murcia

Murcia is in the South East of Spain and is becoming well known for its golf courses, many of which have been designed by the famous golfer Jack Nicklaus.

The region has a large salt water lagoon, the Mar Menor (meaning small sea in English), which is believed to have therapeutic qualities. The Mar Menor is separated from the Mediterranean Sea by a thin strip of land La Manga.

Navarra

Navarra was visited by Ernest Hemingway and he wrote extensively about the region. Possibly Hemmingway was impressed by the region's history, culture, character and Charm.

We know that Hemingway visited the medieval capital city Pamplona in the 1920s and was much taken by the fiesta of San Fermin, the running of the bulls. This fiesta is still going strong today and attracts approximately one and half million visitors to celebrate and witness the fiesta in July.

The Navarra region is situated North/Northeast of the Iberian Peninsula and has lush green mountainous terrains.

AlicanteValencia

The Mediterranean region of Valencia is a popular tourist destination and it's easy to see why. It has over 500 kilometers of coastline and a fantastic climate.

The capital of the region is the city Valencia, a cosmopolitan city on the Mediterranean Sea. The city has recently hosted the America's Cup and the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Alicante is another popular city in the Valencia region. It is a historic city with beautiful sandy beaches on the Costa Blanca. The Costa Blanca itself is a very popular stretch of coastline and has some major tourist resorts such as Benidorm, with its blue flag beaches, bars, restaurants and entertainment for all ages.