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Spain
Art, culture, shopping, gastronomy,
leisure, entertainment, hospitality Experience the fun and magic
of our great cities, wander through their streets and discover
the cultural heritage of centuries of history. There is a wealth
of treasures in store for you in all the great cities of Spain.
Don't wait to be told; find out for yourself.
A trip to Spain is an opportunity
to enjoy their excellent climate, cuisine and joie de vivre.
It is also a chance to discover Spains exceptional heritage,
its unique, dazzling natural environment and to become acquainted
with the customs of their people, and to share with them their
holiday celebrations and popular traditions. Taking a trip to
Spain means to live an experience that you will never forget.
Visiting Spain is not only
about sun, great cuisine, and a warm welcome, but also its rich
monumental heritage and dazzling natural environment. There is
a perfect destination for everyone.
Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia,
Seville, Bilbao, Cordoba, and Granada are examples of the harmonious
coexistence of tradition and modernity in each and every Spanish
city. Seven destinations to discover Spain through its greatest
capitals. Seven cities to discover.
The climatic and geographic
diversity found in Spain has produced natural spaces of great
beauty, which have witnessed the development of ancestral traditions
and culture that make up a rich heritage reflecting the idiosyncrasy
and personality typical of the different Spanish regions and
autonomous cities. A country of contrasts.
More than 7,800 km of coastline
where the visitor can enjoy the sun and sea in gorgeous settings:
from vast beaches with golden sands, to hidden coves flanked
by cliffs.
The official tourist site for
Spain is http://www.spain.info
The Balearic
Islands
The Balearic Islands, each
year a magnet for millions of holiday-makers, comprise of three
major islands, Majorca, Minorca and Ibiza, plus three smaller
pieces of land by the names of Formentera, Cabrera and the uninhabited
Dragonera. They lie off the coast of Spain between France and
the coast of northern Africa.
Mallorca is the largest island and the most
commercial. Much of it's countryside has given way to large expanses
of hotels and apartment complexes, although there are still some
parts of the island that remain untouched. Here you will find
the capital of the Balearic Islands, Palma.
Ibiza is known for it's attraction to the party-goers
but many tourists are alos attracted to it's white sands and
clear blue waters.
Minorca is the most serene of the islands
and the last to succumb to the tourist invasion. Much of the
island has been protected by the government to stop the wild
tourist development of the past.
Formentera was for many years, known as the forgotten
Balearic. At just 30 square miles it is the smallest of the islands
and the least developed. Most people visit the island for the
day as there has been a strict limit on the number of hotels
that have been allowed to be constructed. British and German
visitors form the bulk of the holiday makers seeking the long,
white beaches and clear, unspoilt waters.
The offical tourist site for
the Balearic Islands is http://www.illesbalears.es/visbal/web/ing/index.jsp
The Canary
Islands
Few places on earth can compare
to the natural beauty and near perfect climate of the Canary
Islands.
Situated approximately 70 miles
from the African coast washed by the Gulf Stream and protected
by The Trade Winds, and knowing no real winter these islands
can truly be called the Fortunate Islands. The northern areas
are green and fertile, the southern zones are dry and desert
like. The climate is sub-tropical and spring like all year.
The archipelago consists of
7 islands and 6 islets and is divided into two provinces. At
the east, the first one is called Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
with 3 islands - Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and the
islets. At the west is Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro
which form the second province named Santa Cruz de Tenerife.The
islands belong to Spain.
Tenerife is a sub-tropical paradise that offers
something for everyone. The island is dominated by the now dormant
volcano "Mount Teide", which at 12,000ft is the highest
mountain in Spain. To the south, the ever popular resorts of
Playa de Las Americas and Los Cristianos are basked in year round
sunshine, whilst the north of the island is a lush green tropical
paradise of banana plantations, palm trees and flowers.
Lanzarote lies 60 miles off the coast of Africa
and has a population of less than 100,000. Whilst tourism has
overtaken more traditional aspects of the economy, the Island
has successfully maintained its heritage and charm. It is a tribute
to the conservation effort seen on the island, that Lanzarote
was declared a world Biosphere by UNESCO in 1993. Due to its
location on the Tropic of Cancer, Lanzarote boasts sunshine all
year round. The Island has several resorts that offer beaches
of golden sand. Lanzarote has numerous opportunites for sightseeing,
and its scenery, culture and history make it an ideal holiday
location.
Gran Canaria has a mixture of landscapes and vegetation
from mountains, to desert to tropical. Sandy beaches are abundant.
The mountain range in the island's centre rises to 2,000 metres.
Many colorfully painted houses can be seeen in the islands capital
of las Palmas.
Fuerteventura is the Canary island with the oldest
history and has the longest beaches of all the archipelago, of
wonderful fine sand. Only a narrow channel separates Fuerteventura
from the African continent. It is a paradise equally for spending
holidays at the beach as for fishing. There are great beaches
even very close to the islands capital, Puerto Rosario.
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