Spain
Spain shares the Iberian peninsula with Portugal and
is bordered to the north by the Pyrenees, which separate
Spain from France. The Balearic Islands (Mallorca,
Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera), 193km (120 miles)
southeast of Barcelona, and the Canary Islands off
the west coast of Africa are part of Spain, as are
the tiny enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla on the north
African mainland. With the exception of Switzerland,
mainland Spain is the highest and most mountainous
country in Europe, with an average height of 610m
(2000ft). The Pyrenees stretch roughly 400km (249
miles) from the Basque Country in the west to the
Mediterranean Sea; at times the peaks rise to over
1524m (5000ft), the highest point being 3404m (11,169ft).
The main physical feature of Spain is the vast central
plateau, or Meseta, divided by several chains of sierras.
The higher northern area includes Castille and León,
the southern section comprises Castile/La Mancha and
Extremadura. In the south, the plateau drops abruptly
at the Sierra Morena, beyond which lies the valley
of Guadalquivir. Southeast of Granada is the Sierra
Nevada, part of the Betic Cordillera, which runs parallel
to the Mediterranean, rising to 3481m (11,420ft) and
the highest point on the Spanish peninsula (the Pico
del Teide on Tenerife in the Canaries is the highest
peak in Spain). The Mediterranean coastal area reaches
from the French frontier in the northeast down to
the Straits of Gibraltar, the narrow strip of water
linking the Mediterranean with the Atlantic and separating
Spain from North Africa.
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ideal months to visit Spain are between May and September
(plus April and October in the south). At these times
you can rely on good weather, yet avoid the sometimes
extreme heat - and the main crush of Spanish and foreign
tourists. In
many parts of Spain, high season begins during Holy
Week (Semana Santa) and includes festival days. If
you want to make sure you hit some parties, the best
festivals are concentrated between Holy Week and September.
Summer
is high season for coastal and interior regions in
Spain. Tourism on the Iberian Peninsula reaches its
height in August; the coastal regions overflow while
inland cities empty out, leaving closed offices, restaurants,
and lodgings. The Peninsula plays host to some thirty
million tourists a year - almost one for every resident
- and all the main beach and mountain resorts are
packed in July and August, as are the major sights.
So, as a general rule, always make reservations if
you plan to travel in those months.
On
the other hand, traveling in the low season has many
advantages, most noticeably lighter crowds and lower
prices. Many hostels cut their prices by at least
30%, and reservations are seldom necessary. However,
keep in mind that, during these months, many smaller
seaside spots are ghost towns, and tourist offices
and sights cut their hours nearly everywhere.
The
Best Beaches in Spain
Spain
may be flanked to the east by France and the Pyrenees
and to the west by Portugal, but most of the country
is ringed with sand, rock, and seawater. That, coupled
with almost year-round sunshine, has attracted many
millions of beachgoers.
Costa de la Luz
This
stretch of coastline in southwestern Andalusia boasts
long stretches of sand and almost-constant sunshine.
The blue, sometimes rough, Atlantic waters are enticement
enough for a visit, as is the region’s proximity
to several historic cities, including Cádiz
and Seville. This area is less developed than the
more popular Costa del Sol.
Costa del Sol
Stretching
east from Gibraltar along the southernmost coast of
Spain, the Costa del Sol is the most famous, partyhearty,
and overdeveloped string of beaches in Iberia. The
beaches feature superb sand, and the Mediterranean
waters are calm and warm throughout most of the year.
But these charms have
brought throngs of visitors, making this the most
congested string of coastal resorts in Europe. The
most important resorts here are Marbella, Torremolinos,
Málaga, and Nerja. Look for soaring skyscrapers;
eye-popping bikinis; sophisticated resorts and restaurants;
lots of sunshine; and interminable traffic jams.
Costa Blanca
This
southeastern coast embraces the industrial city of
Valencia, but its Best-known resorts, Benidorm and
Alicante, are packed with northern-European
sun-seekers every year. The surrounding scenery isn’t
particularly dramatic, but the water is turquoise,
the sand is white, and a low annual rainfall virtually
guarantees a sunny vacation.
Costa Brava
Rockier,
more serpentine, and without the long stretches of
sand that mark the
Costa Blanca, the cliff-edged Costa Brava stretches
from Barcelona to the French border. Look for the
charming, sandybottomed coves that dot the coast.
Although there are fewer undiscovered beaches here
than along Spain’s Atlantic coast, the Costa
Brava still retains a sense of rocky wilderness. One
of the more eccentric-looking villas along this coast
belonged to the late Salvador
Dalí, the region’s most famous modern
son who lived much of his life near Cadaqués.
Costa Verde
Radically
different from the dry and sunbaked coastline of Andalusia,
the rocky Costa Verde (Green Coast) resembles a sunny
version of Ireland’s western
shore. It’s temperate in summer, when the rest
of Spain can be unbearably hot. Much of the coast
is within the ancient province of Asturias, a region
rife with Romanesque architecture and medieval pilgrimage
sites—and one that has not yet been overwhelmed
with tourism. Premier resorts include some districts
of Santander, Gijón, and, a short distance
inland, Oviedo.
The Balearic Islands
Just
off the coast of Catalonia and a 45- minute flight
from Barcelona, this
rocky, sand-fringed archipelago attracts urban refugees
seeking the sun, jet-set glitterati, and exhibitionists
in scanty beachwear. The Mediterranean climate is
warmer here than on the mainland. The city of Palma
de Majorca has the greatest number of high-rises and
the most crowded shorelines. Much of Ibiza is party
central for young people and gay visitors during the
summer. Sleepy Minorca offers more isolation.
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