Spain

Famous for the sun, sea, beaches and tapas. But surely as popular for it's culture, history and beautiful countryside...

An unique destination, due to its rich history and cultural heritage, diverse landscape and varied gastronomy. Here you will find green, hilly country side with pastures and small fishing harbours to the mountains with permanent snow, like the Sierra Nevada or the Pyrenees. From the steep rocky coast to the busy beaches of the Costa's, from the worldly towns to the small middle ages villages inland.

The diversity and the contrasts which characterize Spain can also been seen in the culture. The country is strewn with interesting cultural sights, each with it's own influences: Celtic, Iberian, Greek-Roman, Moors.

The Spanish people enjoy a lively culture, with it's many folk festivals and in the music and dance (think of the 'Flamenco' in Andalusia or the somewhat gentler Sardana in Cataluña), each region with it's own festivals and customs. On top of which Spain has excellent cuisine: olives & olive oil, tapas, fish and shell fish paella, wine, sherry and above all a many sided local gastronomy.

Castilla y León

Discover Castile & León, in the northwest of Spain. Castile & León is the largest autonomous region of Spain. The region is mainly covered in dry plateaus, with vast corn fields and a few mountain ranges. Here and there you will encounter a village or a Romanesque convent, and you will see many castles as a remembrance of the wars between Arabs and Christians. A few of the better known ones are Castillo de Coca, Castillo de Frías and Castillo de Mota. There are a few palaces too, such as San Ildefonso de la Granja and Real Palacio de Riofrío.

In Castile & León you will find a number of interesting historical cities. Three cities in this region even have UNESCO World Heritage status: Salamanca, ávila and Segovia. The monumental Salamanca is also known as a university town (the oldest university in Spain is here). Don't forget to visit the beautiful town square Plaza Mayor and have a stroll along the Casa de las Conchas. The walled city of ávila is beautifully located in the mountains, and in Segovia the Alcázar castle, the cathedral and the Roman aqueduct are worth a visit.

Other interesting cities: León, with its walled centre and some important architectural works: the spectacular Gothic cathedral, the basilica San Isidoro, the pilgrim hospital San Marcos and the Palacio de los Guzmanes. Zamora deserves a mention too. In this town you will find a Romanesque cathedral and churches for example.

Are you interested in archaeology? The archaeological site of Atapuerca, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, is definitely worth a visit. In the caves of the Sierra de Atapuerca, spectacular finds of human remains of probably the oldest humanoid Europeans were discovered. UNESCO also allocated world heritage status to Las Médulas, the archaeological digs of the Roman gold mines./p>

The pilgrim route of Santiago de Compostella runs also through Castile & León. Tops here are Burgos (with its jewel: the monumental Gothic cathedral), Frómista, Carrión de los Condes and León.

For nature lovers there are different nature parks: The national park ‘Picos de Europa', in the North, is partly located in this region (and also in Cantabria and Asturias). This gorgeous mountain region, with capricious rock formations, crevices and ravines, is a favourite with hikers. You will find different signposted walking paths here, for example the impressive Cares crevice.

In the south east, bordering on the region of Madrid, is the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range, with mountains, forests and mountain lakes. In winter this mountain region is a popular ski destination for the Madrilenes. The most popular here is the nature park Parque Natural de Penalara. In the hills you will see la Granja, the ‘Versailles-palace' of the Bourbons dynasty. Nature lovers can also visit the nature reserve of Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre, or the nature park Las Hoces del Rio Duraton, at the north east of Segovia. Near the Portuguese border, in the west, you will find the nature park Los Arribes del Duero. You can make a boat trip here through the ravines of the Duero river.

Soria is a popular holiday region - and the least densely populated in Spain. The landscape is characterised by its many woods and mountains. With its many sheep, the region is renowned for its lamb's meat and embutidos (sausages). In and around the city with the same name (Soria) you will find various museums, churches, monuments and a nature park (Parque Natural del Cañón del Rio Lobos). A substantial part of medieval history can be found here. Other interesting places to visit are Almazán, Medinaceli, Burgo de Osma and San Estebán de Gormaz.

But besides visiting historical attractions and nature reserves, you can also get active in this region: from horse riding and golf to climbing, water sports and skiing in winter. Finally, enjoy a drop (or two) of regional wine; the region is known for a few good (Denominaciones de Origin) wines. The main wine region is situated along the Duero river.