SPAIN INFORMATION.-

Mainland Spain is dominated by high plateaus and mountain ranges like the Pyrenees and Sierra Nevada, the large flowing rivers like the Ebro, the Duero, Tagus and Guadalquivir. The Balearic Islands are situated in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands off Africa's Atlantic coast.

Spain, influenced throughout many centuries by occidental and oriental cultures, is a country with a surprising variety of landscapes and ways of living. Its richness has been built up by Iberians, Celts, Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Goths, Moors, Jews, Muslims and Christians.

Spain is a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliament, the Cortes. The 1978 Constitution enshrines respect for linguistic and cultural diversity within a united Spain. The country is divided into 17 regions, each with its own directly elected authorities. In Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia, the respective regional languages official status with Castilian language.

Spain can be enjoyable any time of year. The ideal months to visit are May, June and September . At these times you can rely on excellent weather, yet avoid the heat of July and August.

Spain has a booming manufacturing and services, while agriculture (especially fruit and vegetables, olive oil and wine) and tourism sectors are also thriving.

Velazquez in the seventeenth century, Goya between the eighteenth and nineteenth, to Picasso, Dali and Miro in the XX are some examples of the rich Spanish artistic culture. The music and flamenco dancing are admired worldwide, and works of Cervantes Don Quixote de la Mancha is one of the landmarks of modern European literature. Spanish film directors like Pedro Almodovar, Alejandro Amenabar and Luis Buñuel have been awarded international prizes.

If you know Spanish and visit the country to improve your knowledge, you should be aware that in the autonomic regions like Cataluña, Galicia or País Vasco, they each have another language other than Spanish, but also you should know they all speak Spanish and are completely capable of understanding it and using it.

Being in Spain is like traveling in a time machine thanks to the impressive legacy of all this civilizations. From the archeological remains of prehistory to the pieces of art and architecture of Picasso, Dali or Gaudi, Spain offers a great variety of possibilities for visitors.

Spanish cuisine is known for paella, spanish omelette and sangria.

The local currency is the Euro.