What body of water borders spain to the southeast: Spain | History, Map, Flag, Population, Currency, Climate, & Facts

Spain | History, Map, Flag, Population, Currency, Climate, & Facts

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National anthem of Spain

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Head Of Government:

Prime Minister: Pedro Sánchez

Capital:

Madrid

Population:

(2022 est.) 47,323,000

Currency Exchange Rate:

1 USD equals 0.966 euro

Head Of State:

King: Felipe VI

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Summary

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Spain, country located in extreme southwestern Europe. It occupies about 85 percent of the Iberian Peninsula, which it shares with its smaller neighbour Portugal.

Spain is a storied country of stone castles, snowcapped mountains, vast monuments, and sophisticated cities, all of which have made it a favoured travel destination. The country is geographically and culturally diverse. Its heartland is the Meseta, a broad central plateau half a mile above sea level. Much of the region is traditionally given over to cattle ranching and grain production; it was in this rural setting that Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote tilted at the tall windmills that still dot the landscape in several places. In the country’s northeast are the broad valley of the Ebro River, the mountainous region of Catalonia, and the hilly coastal plain of Valencia. To the northwest is the Cantabrian Mountains, a rugged range in which heavily forested, rain-swept valleys are interspersed with tall peaks. To the south is the citrus-orchard-rich and irrigated lands of the valley of the Guadalquivir River, celebrated in the renowned lyrics of Spanish poets Federico García Lorca and Antonio Machado; over this valley rises the snowcapped Sierra Nevada. The southern portion of the country is desert, an extension of the Sahara made familiar to Americans through the “spaghetti western” films of the 1960s and early ’70s. Lined with palm trees, rosemary bushes, and other tropical vegetation, the southeastern Mediterranean coast and the Balearic Islands enjoy a gentle climate, drawing millions of visitors and retirees, especially from northern Europe.

Spain’s countryside is quaint, speckled with castles, aqueducts, and ancient ruins, but its cities are resoundingly modern. The Andalusian capital of Sevilla (Seville) is famed for its musical culture and traditional folkways; the Catalonian capital of Barcelona for its secular architecture and maritime industry; and the national capital of Madrid for its winding streets, its museums and bookstores, and its around-the-clock lifestyle. Madrid is Spain’s largest city and is also its financial and cultural centre, as it has been for hundreds of years.

The many and varied cultures that have gone into the making of Spain—those of the Castilians, Catalonians, Lusitanians, Galicians, Basques, Romans, Arabs, Jews, and Roma (Gypsies), among other peoples—are renowned for their varied cuisines, customs, and prolific contributions to the world’s artistic heritage. The country’s Roman conquerors left their language, roads, and monuments, while many of the Roman Empire’s greatest rulers were Spanish, among them Trajan, Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelius. The Moors, who ruled over portions of Spain for nearly 800 years, left a legacy of fine architecture, lyric poetry, and science; the Roma contributed the haunting music called the cante jondo (a form of flamenco), which, wrote García Lorca, “comes from remote races and crosses the graveyard of the years and the fronds of parched winds. It comes from the first sob and the first kiss.” Even the Vandals, Huns, and Visigoths who swept across Spain following the fall of Rome are remembered in words and monuments, which prompted García Lorca to remark, “In Spain, the dead are more alive than the dead of any other country in the world.”

In 1492, the year the last of the Moorish rulers were expelled from Spain, ships under the command of Christopher Columbus reached America. For 300 years afterward, Spanish explorers and conquerors traveled the world, claiming huge territories for the Spanish crown, a succession of Castilian, Aragonese, Habsburg, and Bourbon rulers. For generations Spain was arguably the richest country in the world, and certainly the most far-flung. With the steady erosion of its continental and overseas empire throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, however, Spain was all but forgotten in world affairs, save for the three years that the ideologically charged Spanish Civil War (1936–39) put the country at the centre of the world’s stage, only to become ever more insular and withdrawn during the four decades of rule by dictator Francisco Franco. Following Franco’s death in 1975, a Bourbon king, Juan Carlos, returned to the throne and established a constitutional monarchy. The country has been ruled since then by a succession of elected governments, some socialist, some conservative, but all devoted to democracy.

Land

Spain is bordered to the west by Portugal; to the northeast it borders France, from which it is separated by the tiny principality of Andorra and by the great wall of the Pyrenees Mountains. Spain’s only other land border is in the far south with Gibraltar, an enclave that belonged to Spain until 1713, when it was ceded to Great Britain in the Treaty of Utrecht at the end of the War of the Spanish Succession. Elsewhere the country is bounded by water: by the Mediterranean Sea to the east and southeast, by the Atlantic Ocean to the northwest and southwest, and by the Bay of Biscay (an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean) to the north. The Canary (Canarias) Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean off the northwestern African mainland, and the Balearic (Baleares) Islands, in the Mediterranean, also are parts of Spain, as are Ceuta and Melilla, two small enclaves in North Africa (northern Morocco) that Spain has ruled for centuries.

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Relief

Spain accounts for five-sixths of the Iberian Peninsula, the roughly quadrilateral southwestern tip of Europe that separates the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. Most of Spain comprises a large plateau (the Meseta Central) divided by a mountain range, the Central Sierra (Sistema Central), which trends west-southwest to east-northeast. Several mountains border the plateau: the Cantabrian Mountains (Cordillera Cantábrica) to the north, the Iberian Cordillera (Sistema Ibérico) to the northeast and east, the Sierra Morena to the south, and the lower mountains of the Portuguese frontier and Spanish Galicia to the northwest. The Pyrenees run across the neck of the peninsula and form Spain’s border with France. There are two major depressions, that of the Ebro River in the northeast and that of the Guadalquivir River in the southwest. In the southeast the Baetic Cordillera (Sistema Penibético) runs broadly parallel to the coast to merge with the mountains of the Iberian Cordillera. Along the Mediterranean seaboard there are coastal plains, some with lagoons (e.g., Albufera, south of Valencia). Offshore in the Mediterranean, the Balearic Islands are an unsubmerged portion of the Baetic Cordillera. The Canary Islands in the Atlantic are of volcanic origin and contain the highest peak on Spanish territory, Teide Peak, which rises to 12,198 feet (3,718 metres) on the island of Tenerife.

Spain has some of the oldest as well as some of the youngest rocks of Europe. The entire western half of Iberia, with the exception of the extreme south, is composed of ancient (Hercynian) rocks; geologists refer to this Hercynian block as the Meseta Central. It constitutes a relatively stable platform around which younger sediments accumulated, especially on the Mediterranean side. In due course these sediments were pushed by major earth movements into mountain ranges. The term meseta is also used by geographers and local toponymy to designate the dominating relief unit of central Iberia. As a result, the Meseta Central defined by relief is subdivided by geology into a crystalline west (granites and gneisses) and a sedimentary east (mainly clays and limestones). The northern Meseta Central, which has an average elevation of 2,300 feet (700 metres), corresponds to the tablelands, or plateau, of Castile and León, although it is in fact a basin surrounded by mountains and drained by the Douro (Duero) River. The southern Meseta Central (the Meseta of Castile–La Mancha) is some 330 feet (100 metres) lower. Its relief is more diverse, however, owing to heavy faulting and warping caused by volcanic activity around the Calatrava Plain and to two complex river systems (the Guadiana and the Tagus) separated by mountains. Its southern plains rise gradually to the Sierra Morena. The southeastern side of this range drops almost vertically by more than 3,300 feet (1,000 metres) to the Guadalquivir depression. Dividing the northern and southern Mesetas are the Central Sierras, one of the outstanding features of the Iberian massif. Their highest points—Peñalara Peak at 7,972 feet (2,430 metres) and Almanzor Peak at 8,497 feet (2,590 metres)—rise well above the plains of the central plateau. In contrast, the granitic Galician mountains, at the northwestern end of the Hercynian block, have an average elevation of only 1,640 feet (500 metres), decreasing toward the deeply indented (ria) coast of the Atlantic seaboard.

Part of Alpine Europe, the Pyrenees form a massive mountain range that stretches from the Mediterranean Sea to the Bay of Biscay, a distance of some 270 miles (430 km). The range comprises a series of parallel zones: the central axis, a line of intermediate depressions, and the pre-Pyrenees. The highest peaks, formed from a core of ancient crystalline rocks, are found in the central Pyrenees—notably Aneto Peak at 11,168 feet (3,404 metres)—but those of the west, including Anie Peak at 8,213 feet (2,503 metres), are not much lower. The mountains fall steeply on the northern side but descend in terraces to the Ebro River trough in the south. The outer zones of the Pyrenees are composed of sedimentary rocks. Relief on the nearly horizontal sedimentary strata of the Ebro depression is mostly plain or plateau, except at the eastern end where the Ebro River penetrates the mountains to reach the Mediterranean Sea.

A series of sierras trending northwest-southeast forms the Iberian Cordillera, which separates the Ebro depression from the Meseta and reaches its highest elevation with Moncayo Peak at 7,588 feet (2,313 metres). In the southeast the Iberian Cordillera links with the Baetic Cordillera, also a result of Alpine earth movements. Although more extensive—more than 500 miles (800 km) long and up to 150 miles (240 km) wide—and with peninsular Spain’s highest summit, Mulhacén Peak, at 11,421 feet (3,481 metres), the Baetic ranges are more fragmented and less of a barrier than the Pyrenees. On their northern and northwestern sides they flank the low-lying and fairly flat Guadalquivir basin, the average elevation of which is only 426 feet (130 metres) on mainly clay strata. Unlike the Ebro basin, the Guadalquivir depression is wide open to the sea on the southwest, and its delta has extensive marshland (Las Marismas).

Drainage

Although some maintain that “aridity rivals civil war as the chief curse of [historic] Spain,” the Iberian Peninsula has a dense network of streams, three of which rank among Europe’s longest: the Tagus at 626 miles (1,007 km), the Ebro at 565 miles (909 km), and the Douro at 556 miles (895 km). The Guadiana and the Guadalquivir are 508 miles (818 km) and 408 miles (657 km) long, respectively. The Tagus, like the Douro and the Guadiana, reaches the Atlantic Ocean in Portugal. In fact, all the major rivers of Spain except the Ebro drain into the Atlantic Ocean. The hydrographic network on the Mediterranean side of the watershed is poorly developed in comparison with the Atlantic systems, partly because it falls into the climatically driest parts of Spain. However, nearly all Iberian rivers have low annual volume, irregular regimes, and deep valleys and even canyons. Flooding is always a potential hazard. The short, swift streams of Galicia and Cantabria, draining to the northwestern and northern coasts, respectively, have only a slight or, at most, modest summer minimum. The predominant fluvial regime in Spain is thus characterized by a long or very long summer period of low water. This is the regime of all the major arteries that drain the Meseta as well as those of the Mediterranean seaboard, such as the Júcar and the Segura: for example, from August to September the Guadiana River usually has less than one-tenth of its average annual flow. Only the Ebro River has a relatively constant and substantial flow—19,081 cubic feet (540 cubic metres) per second at Tortosa—coming from snowmelt as well as rainfall in the high Pyrenees. In comparison, the flow of the Douro is only 5,050 cubic feet (143 cubic metres) per second. The flow of many Iberian streams has been reduced artificially by water extraction for purposes such as irrigation. Subterranean flow is well-developed in limestone districts.

Soils

There are five major soil types in Spain. Two are widely distributed but of limited extent: alluvial soils, found in the major valleys and coastal plains, and poorly developed, or truncated, mountain soils. Brown forest soils are restricted to humid Galicia and Cantabria. Acidic southern brown earths (leading to restricted crop choice) are prevalent on the crystalline rocks of the western Meseta, and gray, brown, or chestnut soils have developed on the calcareous and alkaline strata of the eastern Meseta and of eastern Spain in general. Saline soils are found in the Ebro basin and coastal lowlands. Calcretes (subsoil zonal crusts [toscas], usually of hardened calcium carbonate) are particularly well-developed in the arid regions of the east: La Mancha, Almería, Murcia, Alicante (Alacant), and Valencia, as well as the Ebro and Lleida (Lérida) basins.

Soil erosion resulting from the vegetation degradation suffered by Spain for at least the past 3,000 years has created extensive badlands, reduced soil cover, downstream alluviation, and, more recently, silting of dams and irrigation works. Particularly affected are the high areas of the central plateau and southern and eastern parts of Spain. Although the origins of some of the spectacular badlands of southeastern Spain, such as Guadix, may lie in climatic conditions from earlier in Quaternary time (beginning 2.6 million years ago), one of the major problems of modern Spain is the threat of desertification—i.e., the impoverishment of arid, semiarid, and even some humid ecosystems caused by the joint impact of human activities and drought. Nearly half of Spain is moderately or severely affected, especially in the arid east (Almería, Murcia), as well as in much of subarid Spain (the Ebro basin). The government has adopted policies of afforestation, but some authorities believe that natural vegetation regrowth would yield more speedy and more permanent benefits.

Mediterranean Sea – WorldAtlas

Seas are defined as large water bodies that are partially enclosed by the surrounding landmasses. Covering an area of about 2. 5 million km², the Mediterranean Sea is the 10th-largest sea in the world located between Southern Europe and Northern Africa and accounting for about 0.7% of the global ocean area.

The term “Mediterranean” is derived from the Latin word Mediterraneus, where Medius means middle/between and Terra means land/earth. The sea was named Mare Magnum or Mare Internum by the ancient Romans. The Mediterranean Sea is also often referred to as the “Eurafrican Mediterranean Sea” by oceanographers due to its location between the continents of Asia and Europe.

Where Is The Mediterranean Sea?

Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is bordered by the continent of Europe in the north; by Asia in the east and by Africa in the south. In the west, the Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the narrow Strait of Gibraltar. In the extreme northeast, it is connected to the Black Sea via the Dardanelles Strait, the Sea of Marmara, and the Bosporus Strait. The Mediterranean Sea is also connected to the Red Sea via the Suez Canal in the southeast. Some of the significant countries that are located along the Mediterranean Sea are Greece, France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, etc.  

Geography

The Strait of Messina in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Mediterranean Sea extends for about 4,000 km (west to east) from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Gulf of Iskenderun on Turkey’s southwestern coast. The sea has an average depth of about 1,500 m and a maximum depth of 5,267 m at its deepest point, the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea. A large number of rivers drain into the Mediterranean Sea including the Ebro, Rhone, Po, Nile, Tiber, etc. Several studies have indicated that the Mediterranean Sea waters are more saline compared to the waters of the Atlantic. Nevertheless, there is a continuous movement of water from the Atlantic into the Mediterranean and vice versa through the Strait of Gibraltar.

A 316 m-deep submarine ridge situated between Sicily and the African coast divides the Mediterranean Sea into eastern and western portions. The western portion of the Mediterranean Sea is further subdivided into three major submarine basins. These are the Alborán Basin, the Algerian Basin, and the Tyrrhenian Basin. The eastern portion of the Mediterranean Sea is subdivided into two principal basins: the Ionian Basin and the Levantine Basin. There are many major subdivisions of the Mediterranean Sea. These include the Aegean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Alboran Sea, Ionian Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea, Ligurian Sea, Balearic Sea, and Strait of Gibraltar. In addition to these, there are some other seas such as the Sea of Sardinia, Sea of Sicily, Libyan Sea, Cilician Sea, and the Levantine Sea. The Aegean Sea is further subdivided into the Sea of Crete, the Thracian Sea, the Myrtoan Sea, and the Icarian Sea.

The Mediterranean Sea experiences a typical Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers and mild and rainy winters.

The Mediterranean Sea hosts numerous beautiful islands. Some of the large Mediterranean Islands include Corsica, Crete, Cyprus, Chios, Euboea, Lesbos, Mallorca, Rhodes, Sicily, and Sardinia. Covering a total area of about 25,711 km², the island of Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The islands of Euboea, Chios, Lesbos, and Rhodes are some of the dozens administered by Greece.  

Brief History

Ancient Greek ruins overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

The Mediterranean Sea basin was formed during the Late Triassic and the early Jurassic periods due to the convergence of the African and Eurasian plates. Geological evidence indicates that about 5.6 million years ago, during the Messinian salinity crisis, the Mediterranean Sea became mostly desiccated by evaporation and due to the closing of the Strait of Gibraltar. About 5.33 million years ago as a result of the Zanclean flood, the Atlantic waters rapidly refilled the basin to form the present Mediterranean Sea.

The Mediterranean Sea has been regarded as the birthplace of Western civilization. Many ancient civilizations such as the Phoenicians, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire were located along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Since ancient times, the Mediterranean Sea has served as an important transportation route and has influenced all the important civilizations that have occupied its shores. It is believed that when the Persian King Darius I conquered Ancient Egypt, he had built a canal that connected the Mediterranean with the Red Sea.

Wildlife

A Mediterranean seahorse.  

The Mediterranean Sea hosts an amazing diversity of marine wildlife. Some of the significant marine animals that are found here include loggerhead turtles; different species of sharks and rays like giant devil ray, shortfin mako shark, and Maltese skate; the Mediterranean monk seal, and many species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Numerous commercial marine fishes such as bluefin tuna, grouper, sea bass, sardines, anchovy, and hake are also found here. However, all these species of fishes are threatened with extinction due to severe overfishing.

Economy

The port of Byblos, Lebanon is a popular tourist destination.

The areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea contain some of the world’s famous tourist destinations. Tourism thus accounts for a major source of income for the coastal Mediterranean countries. Major cities like Alexandria, Rome, Venice, Beirut, Athens, Marseille, Tel Aviv, etc are located along the Mediterranean Sea. The sea and the regions surrounding it are also very economically viable through fishing and agriculture.

Map of the Mediterranean Sea and surrounding countries.

Diptarka Ghosh March 31 2021 in Bodies of Water

Spain: Geography

Overview Visa Country Features History Geography Climate Culture Cities Cuisine Shops Phone Transport islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The total area of ​​the country is about 505 thousand km ² . It borders France, Portugal, Andorra and the English colony of Gibraltar. Spain is like a bridge between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, an important crossroads of sea routes through the Strait of Gibraltar. Natural contrasts in Spain are striking: if the north-west of the country occupies one of the first places in Europe in terms of rainfall, then in the south of Spain, the most arid region of this part of the world, you can find almost African semi-desert landscapes with thickets of fan dwarf palm, the only wild palm tree in Europe.

After Switzerland, Spain is considered the highest country in Europe. Plateaus and mountains make up about 90% of its territory. Almost half of the country’s surface is occupied by the largest high plateau in Europe, Meseta (in Spanish – “table”), its average height is 660 m. Meseta are huge monotonous dry flat spaces with very hot summers and cold winters. Local residents say this about their land: “We have three months of cold and nine months of hell.”

Spain’s most powerful mountain system, the Pyrenees, consists of several parallel ranges stretching from west to east for 450 km and separating the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of Europe. This is one of the most inaccessible mountainous countries in Europe, but also one of the most picturesque. The Pyrenees are especially diverse and beautiful in the central part, where there are glacial landforms, alpine lakes and snowfields. The main peak of the Pyrenees is Aneto Peak (3404 m). The Spanish Pyrenees is a major area of ​​international tourism with excellent conditions for mountaineering, skiing, cycling, and alpine skiing.

The entire southeast of the Iberian Peninsula is occupied by the Cordillera Betica, which is a system of mountain ranges and ranges. The highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, is second in height in Europe only to the Alps. Here is the highest peak of the Iberian Peninsula – Mount Mulasen (3478 m).

Valleys, depressions and lowlands occupy only 11% of the country’s territory. The largest plain is the Andalusian, through which the Guadalquivir River flows. In the northeast of the country, in the valley of the Ebro River, lies the Aragonese plain. The lowlands stretch along the Mediterranean coast in a narrow strip.

Approximately 60% of the territory of Spain is dry, so the problem of water is one of the most important in the country. Spain’s water resources are distributed extremely unevenly: in the northern and northwestern regions there is an abundance of water, while in the Mediterranean and central regions there is a huge shortage of water.

The main rivers of the country are the Ebro, Tajo, Guadiana, Duero, Minho, Guadalquivir, Jucar. Most of the rivers are shallow, in summer they become very shallow. They have almost no transport value. The only navigable river is the Guadalquivir, and even then only as far as the city of Seville.

Spain – Tourist company “Alipriana”

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General information

Capital: Madrid
Language: Spanish
Currency: euros (€ EUR)
Time: GMT +1
Climate: Subtropical Mediterranean type

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Telephone code: +34
Visa regime: Schengen visa

Spain is a country that will easily and gracefully fulfill your dreams and give you many new, even brighter ones. Every moment in Spain is full of sizzling bright colors, fiery flamenco sounds and salty air of adventure. Greet the sunsets with a glass of fine Spanish wine. Walk the coasts that are worthy of the most beautiful and romantic movies. Lose yourself in the noise of nightlife or enjoy the unforgettable comfort of Spanish hotels. A trip to Spain is where one of the most fabulous trips of your life will begin!
The whole palette of adventures – enjoying the Spanish flavor

A varied range of impressions will be presented to you by the famous beaches of Spain, stretching on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It is simply impossible not to fall in love with this magical splendor! The beaches of the Costa Brava with their picturesque cliffs and grandiose castles, the golden sand of the Costa Dorada, the never-sleeping beaches of Ibiza and the charming bays of Tenerife – the number of beach resorts is simply incredible!
Holidays in Spain are not only sunbathing and the gentle touch of the waves, but also inspiring excursions to famous historical places. Fly in a helicopter over charming Barcelona, ​​get lost in the mysterious nooks and crannies of the Royal Palace in Madrid, look at the ruins of the Roman amphitheaters in Tarragona, discover bullfighting and see how desperate brave men fight angry bulls to the roar of spectators!

Geography

Geography

Spain is a state in the extreme south-west of Europe, occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
Schematically, it has a shape resembling a stretched skin of a bull. Spain is a bridge between the two parts of the world, Europe and Africa, and a barrier separating the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Spain borders in the west with Portugal (the length of the border is 1214 km), in the north with France (623 km) and Andorra (63.7 km), in the south with Gibraltar (1.2 km), in North Africa (Ceuta and Melilla ) (15.9km). Spain is washed in the east and south by the Mediterranean Sea, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the north by the Bay of Biscay (Cantabrian Sea). A distance of only 14 km (the width of the Strait of Gibraltar) separates Spain from Africa.
Spain owns the Balearic and Canary Islands, as well as 4 sovereign territories of Spain in North Africa and the territories of the former Spanish Morocco with the cities of Ceuta and Melilla. Spain has a long-standing territorial dispute with Great Britain over the issue of Gibraltar (since 1713, Great Britain has owned Gibraltar under the Treaty of Utrecht).
The total length of the border is 1917.8 km, the length of the coastline is 4964 km. The total area of ​​Spain is 504,782 km² (in Europe 504,750 km²) and the land area is 499,542 km². It is the fourth largest European state after Russia, Ukraine and France.
The extreme northern point of continental Spain is Cape Estaca de Bares, Galicia; southern – Cape Marroca (Tarifa), Andalusia; western – Cape Turignan, Galicia; east – Cape Creus, Catalonia.

Climate

Climate

The trained eye of a meteorologist divides mainland Spain into three distinct climatic zones at once. The north of the country (from Galicia to Catalonia) is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean: there are mild, wet winters and moderately warm summers. The southeastern coast (Andalusia and Extremadura) is, of course, a Mediterranean climate with very mild, short winters and dry, hot summers. Precipitation is scarce, falling mainly in autumn and winter. In summer in coastal Spain, it is usually around +25 … +32 ° С, the swimming season lasts from June to October. Finally, on the central plateau of the country, the climate is sharply continental, with a noticeable difference (sometimes up to 15 ° C) between day and night temperatures. Summers are hot and dry, winters are dry and cold.
As for the Canary archipelago, the climate there is warm, mild and very stable. The average annual temperature is +20 °C without extreme heat even at the height of summer, the water is warm all year round. See also the current weather forecast by month and the weather forecast for the main resorts and cities in Spain for the next 10 days.

Resorts

Resorts

Spain is a diverse and multifaceted country, even officially it is divided into autonomous regions. Catalonia, which has not lost hope of separating from the country for many years, is famous for its capital Barcelona with its city beaches and Gaudí architecture.
The southern region – Andalusia – is considered the most “Spanish” Spain. Here you can see bullfighting banned in Catalonia, flamenco and ancient original Spanish cities with history: Seville, Granada and the birthplace of Antonio Banderas – Malaga.
Valencia is famous for its widest sandy beaches in the country, as well as authentic paella with beans. Well, in the Basque Country, you should definitely visit Bilbao with its museums and restaurants, the beach-surfer San Sebastian and small port towns on the coast, where other tourists rarely get.
Andalusia
This is the “hottest” and southern region of Spain, the birthplace of flamenco, bullfighting and Carmen. It has everything – cathedrals and Arab towers, medieval fortresses and “snow-white” villages in the mountains, as well as the resort of Costa del Sol with the fashionable coast of Marbella. The main city of Andalusia is Seville. Malaga is the second city of the region, the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and Antonio Banderas. Its sights are the smallest church in the world and the cathedral, nicknamed “The One-Armed Lady”.
Aragon
Aragon is located in the north of the country and borders on France. The Aragonese park “Ordesa y Monte Perdido” is the oldest national park in the Pyrenees, where you can contemplate the most picturesque landscapes of Europe. The Pyrenean part of the region attracts climbers, kayakers and rafters. The ancient Romans were treated with the mineral waters of Aragon. Now on the basis of healing springs there are numerous spa complexes.
Asturias
Asturias is a northern region on the coast of the Bay of Biscay. In the local part of the Peaks of Europe National Park, there are lakes of Covadonga – a real paradise for trekking lovers. Numerous pilgrims come to Asturias to visit the main attraction – the sacred altar of the Virgin of Covadonga. Oviedo – the capital of the region, known as a reserve of pre-Romanesque architecture 8-9centuries.
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago in the western Mediterranean Sea. Its main wealth is the resort islands with magnificent beaches and a developed entertainment industry: Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The fashion for a romantic getaway was introduced here by George Sand and Frederic Chopin at the beginning of the 19th century. Now every season the resorts are visited not only by numerous tourists, but also by the royal family of Spain.
Basque Country
The Basque Country is a region in the northeast of Spain. Basque Country is not like other Spanish provinces – its freedom-loving and proud inhabitants have their own national dress, a peculiar dance and a language different from Spanish. The city of Bilbao is home to one of the world’s major museums, the Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art, dedicated to avant-garde art. About 1.5 million people visit it every year.
Valencia
Valencia is a popular region in the southeast of the country. Tourists here are interested not only in the beaches of the Costa Blanca, but also in the cultural values ​​of Valencia and Alicante. The Valencian Museum of Fine Arts is the best in the country. It contains works by Goya, El Greco, Velazquez and other famous artists. The most popular resorts on the Costa Blanca are Benidorm, Denia and Calpe.
Galicia
This region in the northwestern part of the country attracts a large number of pilgrims and agritourists. Due to the fact that at the beginning of 9century in Santiago de Compostela, the burial place of the Apostle James himself was discovered, this area became an object of religious worship. The most popular holiday destinations in Galicia are fishing villages with extraordinary beaches in Rias Altas and national parks with reserves in Rias Bajas.
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands is a Spanish tropical paradise off the northwest coast of Africa. Tenerife is home to Spain’s highest point, the Teide volcano, as well as the Infierno nature reserve, the Guimar pyramids and one of the most recognizable Spanish buildings, the Auditorio de Tenerife concert venue. Half of the territory of Gran Canaria is considered a protected area. The “lunar” landscape of Lanzarote is formed by frequent volcanic eruptions. Fuerteventura is famous for its beaches, and Gomera is famous for its laurel-heather forests and unusual “Homeric whistle”.
Cantabria
This region in the north of the country is called “Spanish Switzerland”. It is considered the richest in the world in archaeological finds of the Upper Paleolithic. Particularly famous is the cave of Altamira with the oldest multi-colored examples of rock art. Cantabria owns part of the National Park “Peaks of Europe” with one of the deepest abysses in the world. For climbers and outdoor enthusiasts, there are 5 reserves and a natural monument.
Castile-La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha is located in the center of Spain. The hero of the novel by Cervantes, who bears the loud surname La Mancha, brought worldwide fame to this region. Windmills and Don Quixote have become the same symbols of the country as Carmen and bullfighting. Toledo, the capital of the region, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Cathedral of St. Mary of Toledo is considered the main Catholic cathedral of the country.
Castile and León
Castile and León occupies the north of the country. This area is called the breadbasket of Spain. More than a dozen modern ski resorts welcome winter sports enthusiasts to this region every winter. In the wine-growing Spain, Castile and Leon have a special place. It was here that Spanish winemaking was born and the legendary Spanish wine, Vega Sicilia, is produced.
Catalonia
In Catalonia, the golden beaches of the Costa Brava, Costa del Maresme, Costa Dorada successfully coexist with numerous attractions. The Catalan capital, Barcelona, ​​was founded in the 2nd century BC. e. and is rightfully considered an open-air museum. The medieval Gothic style is perfectly preserved in its historical center, and the great Barcelonan architect Antonio Gaudí gave the city an incomparable originality. The town of Figueres on the border with France is the second most visited place in Spain – after all, the great Salvador Dali was born here and his theater-museum is located.
Madrid
The capital of Spain and the region of the same name occupy the center of the country. Many tourists are attracted to Madrid not only by the Royal Palace, the Prado Museum and the Retiro Park, but also by football matches of the Real Madrid team and matador performances at the largest Spanish bullring, Las Ventas. The famous Spanish jamon is the same symbol of the capital as the bear with the strawberry tree in Puerta del Sol.
Murcia
Tourists come to this region in the southeast of the country because of the fine sandy beaches and fine weather. Along the Murcia coast lies the Costa Calida with the popular resort of La Manga del Map Menor. The sandy spit of La Manga separates a vast but shallow lagoon from the Mediterranean Sea, the water in which warms up well and has a high concentration of mineral salts and iodine.
Navarra
The Pilgrimage Way of St. James, which runs through the territory of northern Navarre, attracts a large number of believers, and the castle-palace in the town of Olite and the ancient fortress walls of Artakhon attract history buffs. There are all conditions for hunting, fishing, hiking, mountain climbing and golf. The region is famous not only for its landscapes and sights, but also for its healing springs. The thermal resort of Baños de Fitero was popular in ancient Rome.
Rioja
The name of this northern region is associated worldwide with the wines of Spain. Vineyards give a good harvest due to the special microclimate in the valleys – the mountains protect from cold winds, and the rivers add the necessary moisture. Rioja is home to the largest Wine Museum in the world. There are several national parks and reserves in the region, where there are examples of mountain architecture – dwelling grottoes, hollowed out in the rocks.
Extremadura
One of the most peculiar and least appreciated by tourists region. It is located in the west of the country next to Portugal. The regional capital is Merida. The local Museum of Roman Art has a valuable collection of exhibits. Monfragé National Park owns the most extensive forests in the Mediterranean. This region breeds black Iberian pigs, from the hams of which the famous local delicacy, the Iberico jamón, is produced.

Visas

Visas

Traveling to Spain requires a Schengen visa. At the same time, Belarusians can still open visas to Spain through the Spanish visa center in Minsk.

Travel guide

Travel guide

USEFUL COUNTRY INFORMATION

Time. The time difference with Minsk is minus 1 hour.
Language. The official language is Spanish. In some regions, local languages ​​are also official: Catalan, Basque, etc. In hotels, restaurants and resort towns they understand German, English, French.
Religion. Catholicism.
Money. The monetary unit is the euro. Banking hours on weekdays are from 09.00 to 14.00. There are exchange offices at airports, large hotels and resorts (some are open around the clock).
Transport. The most popular types of intercity transport in Spain: express buses, intercity trains, electric trains. The fare on trains is significantly lower than the fare on conventional buses. In Barcelona and major resort cities, you can buy a T-10 card, valid for 10 bus and train trips. The fare for a taxi is about 1 euro per km. On about. Mallorca is convenient to use regular buses.
Connection. For phone calls, it is convenient to use “Tarjeta telefonica” phone cards, which are sold in shops and kiosks (Tabaco). From 22.00 to 06.00 hours, as well as on public holidays, a reduced rate applies. You can also call from the hotel, but it will cost more. Code of Belarus – (00) 375, Minsk – 17.
The mains voltage is 220 W, the sockets are “European standard”.
The shops. Open on working days from 09.00 to 13.00 and from 16.00 to 20.00, on Saturday until 12.00. From 13.00 to 16.00 – siesta. The largest department store chain in Spain is El Corte Ingles.
Tipping: payment of tips – optional, in the amount of 5-10% of the cost of services in hotels, restaurants, when paying for the services of taxi drivers, guides.
Beaches. In Spain, all beaches are municipal. The use of the beach is free, but the rental of sun loungers and umbrellas is paid additionally.
Smoking. Spain has a law prohibiting tobacco smoking in public places, except for specially designated places (marked with a sign “ESTÁ PERMITIDO FUMAR”). Outdoor smoking is allowed. If you smoke outside special zones organized in public places, you may be fined.
Safety. We recommend keeping an eye on your handbags, wallets and photographic equipment in tourist centers and shopping areas. To store money, valuables, documents, we recommend using safes at the hotel. We recommend that you make an inventory of valuables and indicate the amount of money stored in safes and ask a representative of the hotel administration to certify your inventory.
Do not stop on the road, even if you meet voting citizens – this is not accepted in Spain.
Before you travel, take a photocopy of your passport and other documents proving your identity (driver’s license, etc.) and airline tickets, and keep them separate from the originals. In case of loss of documents, you will have fewer problems, especially with tickets. In case of loss of your passport, air ticket or baggage, please immediately inform the representative of the receiving company about this, who will tell you how you can solve the problem.
Tourists throughout the route must adhere to the rules of conduct established in the hotel, on transport, sports grounds, in places of recreation, etc.
Insurance. First of all, carefully read the terms of insurance. If you feel unwell or injured during your stay in Spain, your first step should be to call the emergency center listed on your insurance policy.
First aid kit. If you are on medication, please be sure to take it with you. Create a first aid kit that will help you with minor ailments, save time looking for medicines and relieve the problems of communicating in a foreign language.
You should never drink tap water or eat unwashed vegetables and fruits.

FLIGHT

The air ticket that you received along with other documents for your trip indicates the airport and time of departure (always local for each airport). It is advisable to arrive at the airport 2 hours before departure. The seat on the plane is indicated when registering the ticket. Check-in for the flight ends 40 minutes, and boarding the plane, as a rule, 30 minutes before departure. Remember that passengers who are late for check-in or checked-in, but late for boarding, are not allowed to fly, the cost of the ticket is not compensated. According to the Air Code, after issuing an air ticket, which is an agreement between the passenger and the carrier, the responsibility for the flight lies with the carrier.
When traveling by air, each passenger has the right to carry 20 kg of baggage free of charge. Carriage of excess baggage, as a rule, is paid additionally. One piece of baggage must not exceed 30 kg.
Rules for the transport of liquids. It is forbidden to carry on the plane any packages purchased before boarding control containing liquids with a volume of more than 100 ml. The total number of packages carried on board the aircraft must not contain more than 1 liter of liquids. All liquids are placed in a special plastic container. Each passenger can carry no more than one container. The restriction does not apply to liquids purchased after boarding control (duty free, etc.). It is forbidden to unpack purchases purchased in duty free shops before passing through security control before boarding the aircraft. If you are transiting to one European airport, through another (with a transfer), then it is forbidden to unpack such purchases before passing through security control before boarding the aircraft of the final destination. Liquids transported in violation of these rules are confiscated during security control.
Customs regulations. – To cross the border of Belarus, you need a passport that complies with the current legislation. Citizens under the age of 18 who leave without being accompanied by a legal representative present a notarized application of their legal representative.
When importing or exporting from Belarus more than 10,000 US dollars (or equivalent), it is necessary to issue a customs declaration. This $10,000 limit only applies to cash and traveler’s checks.
Without paying duties and taxes, you can import goods (including personal property and things) into Belarus with a total weight of 50 kg and a total amount of 1,500 euros. For those who arrive in Belarus by plane, this amount increases to 10,000 euros.
Duty-free import into the Republic of Belarus is allowed: alcoholic beverages and beer in the amount of not more than 3 liters, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars (cigarillos), or 250 grams of tobacco, or these products in the assortment with a total weight of not more than 250 grams per individual who has reached 18 years of age.
The import of foreign currency into Spain is unlimited (a declaration is required if the amount exceeds 2500 EUR). The export of previously imported foreign currency is allowed – in an amount not exceeding that declared at the entrance. Persons over 18 years of age are allowed duty-free import of 200 cigarettes (or 100 cigarillos / 50 cigars / 250 grams of cut tobacco), 2 liters. wine, a liter of spirits, household items and items – within the limits of personal needs. The import of perfumes is limited to 50 grams of perfume and 0.25 liters of eau de toilette. Coffee – 500 g, tea – 100 g. Duty-free import of coffee is allowed for persons under 15 years of age.
You can not take out of Spain more than 800 cigarettes, 10 liters of strong and 90 liters of weak alcoholic beverages. It is forbidden to export antiques and items of cultural and historical value.

ACCOMMODATION
• The document on the basis of which your accommodation is carried out is a voucher.
• If your voucher does not indicate the location of your room in relation to the garden/mountain view or whether it is located in the main building or bungalow (not all hotels reflect these features when compiling their price list), the hotel management will place the rooms available at the moment.
• If you find any problems in the room, you should contact the administration in order to eliminate them.
• When checking into a hotel, please inquire about the payment system for additional services. In some hotels all payments are made in cash, in others you leave a deposit and receive a debit card, etc.
• The cost of drinks offered in the mini-bars of hotel rooms, the use of pay TV programs and all telephone conversations (not counting inside hotel calls) is not included in the room rate and is paid by tourists on their own when leaving the hotel.