Spain

Art and architecture
Spain has given birth to a few very famous artists in the past. For instance the well known painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga. His work influenced modern art in a big way. His most famous pieces can be seen today in the Museo Picasso in Málaga, in the Museu Picasso in Barcelona and in the Reina Sofia in Madrid.
Salvador Dalí is one of the most important Surrealist painters of all time. You will find a museum displaying his work in the city where he was born, Figueres, close to Barcelona.
Antonio Gaudí was one of the most famous architects of 'Modern', a Catalanian type of Jugendstil. He built the Casa Milà and the Parque Güell in Barcelona for the well known Sagrada Family, which attracts many visitors today from all over the world.

Tradition
Spain is known for its traditional bull fights or 'corridas', which can still be seen today all over the country, especially in Andalusia, and in the Baskenland. Tourists and the Spainish themselves, take part in this traditional ritual.
The Flamenco consists of singing, the strumming of a guitar and dance. Flamenco music was strongly influenced by the spanisch Gypsies. Today the Flamenco belongs to the spanish culture and has been adapted by many musicians to modern music. Luckily it hasn't lost any of its passion and spirit. The original Flamenco can be seen in Andalusia (Málaga, Jaén, Sevilla and Córdoba) and in Madrid.
Spain is also very famous for its Fiestas. Almost every city has their own traditional Feria as well as many other festivals, (often having religious roots).

Spain is situated on the Iberian Peninsula and is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Bay of Biscay. The mainland is dominated by high plateaus and mountain ranges, as well as several major rivers. Alluvial plains can be found along the coast. Spain can be divided into : the humid and very green north, the scarcely populated and never ending coastal plains, the fertile, sunny Spain on the Mediterranean Sea, the most well known, hot and dry south – Andalusien – and two groups of small islands, the Balearic and the Canary Islands.

The eating habits of the Spanish vary from those of the Swiss. Breakfast is usually eaten after 9am and is a Tostada – a toasted piece of bread with tomatoes and olive oil – and an Espresso. Lunch is usually eaten between 2pm and 5pm. The lunch break in Spain is longer than the one we take, and most shops close during the Siesta, but remain open later in the evening. Dinner is eaten between 8 and 9pm.

There is a big choice of seafood in the north and north west; mussels and oysters, crabs and lobsters, octopus and so on. On the east coast you will find a great variety of rice dishes. The south is famous for its 'fritos' (fried food) and in the center various stews made of meat, sausages, chick peas and vegetables. Paella, that originated from Valencia, and the Tortilla Española, an omelette with potatoes and eggs, are must have's if you visit Spain. The Andalusian Gazpacho, a cool tomatoe soup served with cucumber, capsicum and bread, is also a Spanish traditional dish.

Spain is also known for its Tapa-Bars. Tapas are small snacks or meals, which are served with a glass of cold beer, or a glass of wine; for example olives, different sorts of cheese, seafood, the very popular ham - Jamón Serrano or Chorizo sausage, prawns with garlic or even tripe. After celebrating the whole evening, the Spanish often round off the early morning with Churros fried, and dipped in chocolate. If the Spanish wine is too heavy for you in the summer heat, then order a 'Tinto de Verano' (wine with soda) or Sangria. Sherry from Jerez and sweet almond milk are Spanish specialities. Because many Spanish could not dream of leaving out that expresso, it is served with iceblocks. (Café con hielos)

Spanien is divided into three parts; the very humid north with thick vegetation and fertile fields, the high plateaus of 'Meseta', (which is where Madrid is located) and the dry south.

The pine trees flourish on the dry earth in the south of Spain. The south is particularly well known for the Olive trees. 54% of the land is used for farming, reticulation systems being necessary. The main products are: grains - wheat and rice, vegetables, olives, grapes for wine (Rioja), sugar beets and citrus fruit such as oranges and lemons.

The relatively young democracy of Spain is well established and stable. Only the tabloid press seem to be interested in the Monarchy and their family. The solidarity of the country is always an issue for debate, this relating to cultural and financial issues in certain regions.
The threat of terrorists should not be underestimated, (Basques Untergrundorganisation ETA). Terrorist acts are rare and mostly unannounced, the group is after the attention of the Media.

Originally the warm and fertile country of Spain was populated by people from Iberia and Italy. Their successors disregarded the infrastructure they had constructed (streets, aquaducts, cities, wine), and divided the land into smaller areas. In the 8th Century they were driven out of the country by the Arabs that came from Marokko. This era of Al-Andalus was full of turmoil. It also brought with it a certain cultural and farming prosperity that lasted in the south west corner of Europe, until into the 13th Century. Fragments of architecture, art, cusine and the language, survived repossession by the Christians, rounded off by the fall of the Alhambra in Granada in the Year of Columbus (1492). With this, began the reign of Spain as a World Empire, in which under Carlos V. 'the sun never went down'. South America was plundered until there was nothing more to take, whilst the farming land in Spain stagnated and the country became more and more engulfed in war. This was due to arguements between the European Monarchy and their alliance, and clashes with the Catholic church. During this period the colonies of Spain were able to free themselves, so that Spain was left at the end of the 19th Century, without the colonies of Kuba and the Philippines, and without a King. A very unsettled period followed where extremes of Democracy and Military Dictatorship were experienced.
The very destructive and horrific Spanish Civil War 1933-36 was won by the fascist General Franco with the help of Nazi Germany. The resulting very Catholic, Military Dictatorship in Spain, kept well out of the Second World War, however, it supressed in no shy way the Opposition and let the country, in comparison to the rest of Europe, sink in poverty. Even though tourists lounged on the beach in the 50's, Spain was not able to build an economic bridge with Europe until after the death of Franco in 1975, when King Juan Carlos re-introduced democracy and Spain was able to join the European Union. Within a quarter of a century, Spain had developed into being one of the leading and economically speaking, most strongest members, renewing its culture in every positive way thinkable.

The variety of things to do in your free time is almost unlimited in Spain. If you love sport, then you can really benefit from these opportunities. It does not matter if you prefer sun, wind or water, if you like to go walking, mountain climbing or skiing – it's all there waiting for you. Spain also has a lot to offer on a cultural level. You can learn to dance the Flamenco, or visit a one of the historical centers, a palace, park or a garden. Just take it all in and make the most out of your stay; the fiery temperament of the people of Spain is contagious!

Recreational activities

Spain offers a variety of sport and leisure activities. Sport freaks just love Spain: water, wind and sun lovers, those who prefer to hike (it has many secluded areas), mountain climbers, you can even go skiing – there is something for everyone. Spain also has a lot to offer on a cultural level: learn to dance the Flamenco, visit the many squares, palaces, parks and gardens. Make the most out of your stay. The fiery temperatment of the people of Spain is contagious!

Language

Spain has four different languages: The official language is Castilian, and this is spoken in most of the country, 17% of the population speak Catalan, 7% Galician and 2% Basque.

Spanish Cuisine

In Spain, especially in the North and North West, there is a great variety of Seafood to be enjoyed: mussels, oysters, crayfish and crabs, squid and octopus, and so on. On the Eastcoast they offer a large choice of rice dishes. The South is known for its "fritos" (fried food), and in the centre they have a lot of different stews made with meat and sausages, vegetables and chick peas.
The very famous "Paella" is always popular. This dish actually originated from Valencia.

Flamenco

The Flamenco dance originated from Andalusia. It reflects the Spanish life style. The original Flamenco can be seen in Andalusia (Màlaga, Jaén, Sevilla and Córdoba) and in Madrid.

Climate

Spain has a very warm climate with hot and dry summers, and mild and humid winter months. This however can vary due to the size of this country. The south is mainly dry and hot, and the north west humid and cool.