ES - Spain

Territories and tourist destinations:
Spain is a varied country with contrasting regions having different languages and unique historical, political and cultural traditions. Because of this, Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autónomas), plus two autonomous cities. Some of the autonomous communities (in particular those that have other official languages besides Spanish) have been recognized as “historical nationalities” having a unique historical identity. Among these, the Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia, the region of Valencia, Andalusia and the Balearic Islands stand out, but more recently they also include Aragon and the Canary Islands.

The various Spanish regions and its exclaves can be grouped as follows:
      Spanish green coast – Includes Galicia (Galicia), Asturias (Principado de Asturias) and Cantabria.
      Northern Spain – Includes Aragon (Aragón), Basque Country (País Vasco or Euskadi), Navarra (Navarra or Nafarroa) and La Rioja.
      Eastern Spain – Includes Catalonia (Cataluña), Valencian Community (Comunidad Valenciana) and Murcia (Región de Murcia).
      Central Spain – Includes Madrid (Comunidad de Madrid), Castile-La Mancha (Castilla-La Mancha), Castile and León (Castilla y León) and Extremadura (Extremadura).
      Andalusia (Andalucía)
      Balearic Islands (Islas Baleares) – Islands in the Mediterranean sea.
      Canary Islands (Islas Canarias) – Islands in the Atlantic ocean.
Spain also includes the following exclaves:

Melilla and Ceuta are two autonomous cities on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco
Llívia and the Pheasant Island in the Bidasoa River (in condominium with France)
Urban centers

Four skyscrapers in the commercial district of Madrid

The Agbar Tower in Barcelona
The major Spanish urban centers and the smaller but touristically relevant ones are:

Madrid – vibrant capital with fantastic museums, interesting architecture, great food and lively nightlife.
Avila – Famous for its cathedral, one of the first examples of Gothic art, Avila is the home of Santa Teresa d’Avila.
Barcelona – Spain’s second city, full of modernist buildings and a lively cultural life, as well as night clubs and beaches.
Bilbao – Former industrial city, home of the Guggenheim Museum and other cultural features. It represents the main Basque city.
Cordova – The Great Mosque (Mezquita) of Cordoba of its kind is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
Figueres – Dalì’s homeland.
Granada – Amazing city in the south, surrounded by the snow-capped mountains of the Sierra Nevada and also home to the famous Alhambra.
Malaga – The heart of flamenco with the best beaches on the Costa del Sol.
Montserrat – Popular destination for religious pilgrimage.
Pamplona
Salamanca
Santiago de Compostela
Zaragoza – Fifth largest city in Spain that hosted the 2008 Expo.
Segovia
Seville – A beautiful green city and home to the third largest cathedral in the world.
Toledo
Valencia – Paella was invented here and has a very pleasant beach not far from the city.
Other destinations
Galicia – Historic towns and small towns, world famous seafood and includes more “Blue Flag” beaches than any other autonomous community.
La Rioja – The wine of the same name and traces of fossil dinosaurs.
Sierra Nevada – The highest mountains of the Iberian Peninsula, ideal for walking and skiing.
Seaside resorts

Costa Blanca – 200 km of white coast with plenty of beaches and small villages.
Costa Brava – Jagged coast with numerous seaside resorts.
Costa Verde
Costa del Sol – Sunny coast in the south of the country.
Balearic Islands

Formentera
Ibiza – A Balearic island and one of the best places for clubs, discos, unbridled fun and DJs from all over the world.
Majorca – The largest island in the Balearic Islands, full of incredible beaches and nightlife.
Minorca
Canary Islands

El Hierro
Fuerteventura
Gran Canaria – Known as “a miniature continent” for its many climates and distinct landscapes.
La Gomera
The Palm
Lanzarote
Tenerife – It offers lush forests, exotic fauna and flora, deserts, mountains, volcanoes, beautiful coastlines and spectacular beaches.