Spain

What can I say, I live here where others come for holidays!

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Spain is a kingdom – a hereditary parliamentary monarchy.

The country is divided into 17 autonomous communities and two autonomous cities, Ceuta and Melilla.

The largest city is also the capital of Spain, Madrid. Other important cities are Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Bilbao, Zaragoza and Malaga.

Spain has different islands. The Balearic Islands – Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. As well as theCanaryIslands - Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma.

The Pyrenees, Cantabrian Mountains, the Picos de Europa, the Serra de Estrela, the Sierra Morena, Sierra Nevada and the Teide make for mountain scenery in Spain.

The largest rivers are the Tajo, Ebro, and Duero.

Spain is such a diverse country and so much more than beach and sun.

Faith and religion

Spain is a Catholic country but even here the number of active practitioners is steadily declining.

A little bit of history

First came Celts and Basques, especially in the north of Spain.

In the 11th century B.C. The Phonicians settled in what is now Cadiz.

In the Second Punic War, Roman troops came to the Iberian Peninsula for the first time. The Romans conquered the west and south relatively quickly, but it took around 200 years for the north to be conquered as well. In the last phase of the Visigoth Empire, Toledo became the new capital.

In the 8th century, the Moors destroyed the Visigoth Empire. The country was shaped by centuries of rule. The only thing the Moors couldn't control was the north, and it was from here that the Reconquista started.

Granada also fell in 1492 and the Catholic kings Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon expelled the Moors.

In the same year, 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered America on behalf of Spain. The Spanish colonial empire stretched across parts of South and Central America around 1600. In 1898 the last major possessions went to the USA and in the 20th century the remaining colonies in Africa also ended.

In 1939, after a putsch, the Francoist dictatorship began. Franco restored the monarchy and named Juan Carlos I as his successor as head of state in 1969. After Franco's death, Juan Carlos I led the democratization process and Spain became a parliamentary monarchy in 1978. In 2014 Felipe VI was proclaimed king by his father Juan Carlos I.

What to do in Spain

Wow where do I start, Spain has so much to offer. The landscape offers so many possibilities, from water sports to skiing.

- Beach holiday popular areas are the Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Costa Brava, Costa Blanca and the Costa del Sol.
- Hiking holidays on Mallorca, the Canary Islands, in central Spain or one of the many pilgrimage routes of the Way of St. James are perfect for this
- Language holiday in Salamanca
- Skiing in the Sierra Nevada or in Catalonia
- Yoga vacation
- Sailing and other water sports
- City tripse.g. Barcelona, Toledo, Avila, Salamanca, Granada, Seville, Cordoba…..
- Culture and food
- Experience and celebrate festivals
- Rental car round trip
- And andand
In the country itself you can also travel well on some routes with the AVE (express train).

What is thebest way to get to Spain?

Many travelers still come to Spain from Europe and Great Britain with their own car or camper van.
By plane, Spain has countless airports here some cities with the respective IATA codes to make it easier for you to search for flights when making your booking.
- Madrid Barajas – MAD
- Barcelona-BCN
- Girona (Costa Brava) – GRO
- Alicante (Costa Blanca) – ALC
- Palma de Mallorca – PMI
- Malga-AGP
- Santiago de Compostela – SCQ
- Ibiza – IBZ
- Menorca – MAH
- Jerez de la Frontera - XRY
- Gran Canaria – LPA
- Tenerife – North TFN and South TFS
- Lanzarote - ACE
- Fuerteventura – FUE
- La Palma - Spc
- La Gomera - ACE
- El Hierro - VDE

Rental cars and mobile homes

If the journey is too long for you or you come from outside Europe, you can also book a rental car or camper here on site. It is worth exploring Spain.

Where to sleep

There are many hostels, hotels and apartment complexes that you can easily choose via Booking or Trivago, you can also find the big hotel chains IBEROSTAR, RIU or Melia here. But there are also many private providers who now rent out via booking or Airbnb.

Spain is not just sun, sand and sea. History, landscape, tradition, festivals and friendly people make the country a jewel of Europe!

The cosmopolitan city of Barcelona, the Santiago Way , coasts and islands that attract holidaymakers and pilgrims from all over the world.

history from other times

I am particularly fascinated by the legacy and the associated history from other times !

The Alhambra in Granada, Cordoba and Seville enchant. But also cities far inland like Toledo, Cuenca, Avila, Salamanca, Leon and so many more have endless history to offer.

my favorit Island is Mallorca

Of course my favorit Island is Mallorca as I lived here from 2000-2004 and love to come home to Mallorca. Special Insider Tips here.

The landscape also has many facets and has something to offer for everyone.

Every year since my childhood I get to know a little more about Spain and I would like to share that with you here. My father, who has also been living in Spain on the beautiful Costa Brava since the 80s, will also report here about his pages. Without my dad this page would not be possible!

Since we have so much about Spain you can find more about each place under Spain and blog posts will keep you up to date.

Enjoy browsing

Willy (Dad) and Katrin

• Willy (dad) und Katrin (me) Your authors on Spain
• Barcelona – the cosmopolitan city with a heart - by Willy (only in german)
• Lloret de Mar – former fishing village and Willy's home since 1983 (only in german)
• Tossa de Mar – Willy praises the pearl of the Costa Brava (only in german)
• Katalonien – Willy describes the interior and the coastal regions. (only in german)
• Avila - Katrin on tour with the mobile home - Beautiful city walls that tell your story.
• Tabarca - Katrin visits the smallest inhabited island in Spain.

Coming soon to my page:

• Majorca - Explore the island, villages, beaches, festivals, history and so much more.
• Alicante - Surroundings, beaches, inland, festivals and a bit of history, my adopted home.
• Toledo - A city full of history and sister city of my birthplace Aachen.
• The Route of Don Quixote - villages, windmills and country life.
• Way of Saint James – from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela 113km
• Santillana de Mar
• Leon and the beautiful cathedral
• Salamanca – university city that will enchant you.
• Caceres - UNESCO
• Ronda – Andalusia in the mountains
• Granada - Visit the city and the Alhambra, like a fairy tale from 1001 Nights
• Cordoba – history and festivals!
• Seville - Cathedral and Gardens
• Teruel – small but fine.
• Zaragoza
• Cuenca
• Canary and Balearic Islands - Not just beach holidays.
• and so much more!

Katrin in Besalú / Girona