Cities of Spain
Barcelona
Barcelona – a port city in North-Eastern Spain, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and between the Besos and Llobregat rivers. The administrative center of Catalonia province and the second largest city of Spain in terms of population, Barcelona is the home of 1,8 million people and has an area equal to about 10 thousand hectares. There are two official language spoken in Barcelona: the Spanish language and the Catalonian language.
The history of Barcelona started from the time when the father of Hannibal, Hamilcar Barca founded a settlement called Montjuic. The local people called their settlement Barcino, and after the Visigoth invasion the Barcino settlement was renamed into Barcinova. Today Barcelona is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe with a history that spans over two millennia.
Barcelona is the historical capital of Catalonia and the largest port city on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the busiest and most “European” city in Spain. Native Barcelonans have a good reputation of art connoisseurs, especially in regards to music. In addition, this is the largest trade center and the most industrialized city of Spain. The proximity of ancient architecture, palaces, churches and ultra-modern buildings, wide street lined with platanus and palm trees, as well as cozy town squares creates a unique and magnificent sight. The Old City is near the bay and until 1860 it was surrounded by big walls, shaped like a hexagon with busy streets. Ramblas, one of the streets in the Old City actually crosses the hexagon front to back and Somerset Maugham believed this to be one the most beautiful street in the world.
Bilbao
Bilbao is the sixth largest city in Spain, the capital of the Biscay and the largest port, industrial and economic center. Bilbao is the center of chemical and heavy industries of the North of Spain as well as the political center of Bask Country. Ship building, ship navigation and metallurgy make Bilbao a very prosperous city. The business center of the city is full of skyscrapers and life is in full throttle here.
Bilbao is the most densely populated Bask city, with around 450 thousand people that live here. This city is sometimes described as grey, smoky, and maybe this is partially true. However it stores many secrets, such as delightful cuisine, famous museums and an intriguing history. The historical value can be attributed to the strategic location of the city, on the Cantabrian Coast and Gulf of Nervion River. Don Diego Lopez de Aro founded the city on the banks of the Nervion river in 1300.
The food in Bilbao is characteristic for Bask Country: an abundance of seafood, cod, eel can be ordered at the typical taverns and chased with great wine. The climate in the city is oceanic, temperate, with mild temperature all through the year.
Valencia
The city of Valencia is located on the coast between Barcelona and the Gibraltar straight and is considered to the capital of the Valencia province. Valencia is the land of flowers and celebration fireworks, it is also the third largest Spanish city. The city is located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Valencia was founded by the Romans somewhere around 138 B.C. and was built predominantly by the Arabs. The city manifested itself as a trade center of European proportion.
The climate is rather mild in Valencia, which is typical for the Mediterranean region. The average yearly temperature is above 17°С. The summers are very hot here and the beaches of Valencia (Costa Blanca, Costa Valencia, and Costa del Asaar) stretch out all along the coast of the province. The beaches of the city (Costa Valencia) are regularly awarded the title of the “Blue Flag” for clean water and sand, first class and various beach devices and quality services. Not surprisingly, a lot of tourist visit Valencia each year. A vacation in Valencia is a perfect opportunity to practice a favorite sport (golf, scuba diving, tennis, and more), enjoy a varied nightlife or get acquainted with the diverse culture of the locals.
Valencia is also one of the most dynamic cities in Spain. You will not notice how time goes by as you stroll the streets of Valencia, taking advantage of the various entertainment options that are available. The main attraction of the city is probably the Valencia Institute of Modern Art; here you will be able to see the works of Gonzales and Tapies, as well as visit the Museum of Oceanography which has the largest aquarium in Europe. This is a complex of astronomical proportion, a must see.
Granada
Granada is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The history of this city and its neighboring communities, the multitude of stylish monuments and various traditions make the city of Granada a tourist all time favorite. Among the numerous cultural treasures the ones that stand out the most are the magnificent palaces Alhambra and Generalife, the Arab Quarter Albayzin, the Royal Cathedral and the chapel where the remains of Queen Elizabeth and King Ferdinand of Aragon are buried, the Science Park, and finally all those city street that tell its walkers the history of Granada.
Granada is located in the mountains of Sierra Nevada, where you can witness many sunny days and a climate perfectly suitable for skiing sports. Skiing on fully lighted tracks is a unique opportunity available for the visitors of Granada.
Granada is also famous for its outstanding cuisine and amazing local tapas (various light appetizers). Some of the restaurants have tapas which might seem a bit heavy, but they can easily substitute you breakfast or dinner. The most typical produce is Jamón, Gazpacho, and tortillas al sacromonte (a local variation on the Spanish omelet). Paseos de los Tristes has many bars where you can order different tapas and these are the places best fitted for the begging of a long Granadan night.
Madrid
Madrid is the capital of Spain, the administrative center of the historical region of Castilia. The big Madrid represents a huge but harmonious agglomeration with an area of 1200 square kilometers. Actually the city occupies an area of 607 square kilometers but includes 18 administrative regions that surround it.
The population of the capital amounts to 5 million people. Madrid is on the first place in Spain by population number, which grows mostly due to immigration. According to the latest data Madrid has around 16 thousand permanently residing foreigners. Most of the population is Catholic.
Winter months can have temperature averaging near 2-11°C, the average temperature in January is +5°C, and sometimes in February the temperatures can rise all the way to +17°C. The average July temperature here is near +24,5° С. There is also an average of 440 mm of precipitation throughout the year, falling predominantly during the months of December and January.
Seville
Seville is the capital of Andalusia, the fourth largest city in Spain and undoubtedly the favorite tourist destination among all the Spanish cities. According to a legend, Seville was founded by Hercules and its appearance is related to the Tartessian civilization, descendent from Atlantis. Seville lies on the banks of the Guadalquivir river, which is one of the largest historical centers in Europe.
Even today the Arab influence on the city is fairly obvious –Andalusia was occupied by the Arabs for about 800 years- even though Seville was a cultural center long before the Arab occupation. The fertility of the lands and the beneficent climate with mild winter and hot summers (if you visit the city during summer temperatures can rise as high as +47°C) helped Phoenicians and Carthaginians settle here. The Romans arrived later two of their Emperors were born here – Trojan and Adrian. Later on Seville became the home town of famous historical figures, the legendary Don Juan started his women’s heart conquest here, and Christopher Columbus left for his journey of discovery from the Seville suburbs. Carmen from the self titled Prosper Merimee’s novel was a worker at a tobacco factory in Seville.
San Sebastian
21 kilometer away from the French border, in Bask Country, lies the city of Donostia-San Sebastian, the summer capital of Spain. San Sebastian is a real pearl of Bask Country with an unmatched dashing elegance and an exclusive flavor of antiquity. The city stands on the shores the Bay of Biscay and is surrounded by green mountains. This summer resort on the Atlantic coast is located in a picturesque bay and is very popular. It is a perfect place to explore Bask Country. The city is divided into two parts by the Urumea River. The easiest way to get to this city is by taking a bus, and as a matter of fact all trains going from Madrid to France will make a stop here as well. San Sebastian is one of the most elegant and fashionable marine resorts in Spain. Much like Madrid, it is an expensive and prestigious city.
San Sebastian was founded in 1180 and used to be a small fishermen’s village. The local villagers used to hunt for whales and caught cod. From the other side, it was a busy port which exported wine and oil to France and England. For centuries the city withstood endless sieges, and in 1808 was occupied by Napoleon’s army, which stayed until 1813. The city went through a serious drawdown period in the 19th Century, but in 1845, ever since Queen Elizabeth started spending her summers here, the city revived.
Toledo
Toledo is a city in Spain, the capital of the Toledo province in the autonomous region of Castilia La Mancha. The population of the city is 72,5 thousand people. Toledo is located in the very heart of the Iberian Peninsula, on a rocky plateau with an area of 1,5 square kilometers, Southeast of Madrid on the Tagus river and is the center of the Archbishops.
Toledo is one of the magnificent discoveries for tourists in Spain. Its privileged location on the Tagus River contributes towards the creation of a unique city where beautiful and harmonic building of different architectural style coexist together.
Toledo, which is declared a national monument of Spain actually looks a lot like one huge museum.
In 1987 Toledo was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List
