Spain from A to Z

Picos de Europa, Santander

landscapes full of variety and beauty, form an impressive counterpoint. And if you look towards Africa, you will see the two warm and friendly cities of Ceuta and Melilla. THE ARCHIPELAGOS The Balearic Islands are located in the Mediterranean Sea. Due to their rich culture and captivating landscape, they are one of the most popular destinations in the country. Spain’s second group of islands, the Canary Islands, is located in the Atlantic Ocean. The islands’ volcanic origins offer an impressive and uniquely original landscape.

La Rioja, we find a more open landscape, complemented by the extensive campos of Extremadura, a landscape of open horizons over grainfields, river valleys and tiny villages, which, in addition to the cities marked by a long history, contain a significant wealth of sights and artwork. Traditional architecture is present everywhere in Spain and is reflected in the versatile and rather eccentric design of granaries, country houses, farm houses and farms ( hórreo, caserío, masía, casona, cortijo, pazo, barraca ), which define and characterise the Spanish landscape. MEDITERRANEAN COASTAL AREAS Mediterranean Spain is located between the Pyrenees

and Andalusia. Sandy plains are interspersed with a landscape alternating steep coasts with small bays and picturesque fishermen’s villages. Estates and vineyards dominate rural areas, which to the south are more colourfully dotted by huge plantations with almond, apple and lemon orchards. At the nascence of the Andalusian coast, the landscape is bathed in gleaming light which spreads over olive groves and naturally preserved marshes, and the whitewashed villages and glimmering beaches pay homage to the sun. The mountainous regions (Alpujarras, Sierra Nevada) and the desert dunes of Almería, which create stunning

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