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Spain
 Spain is the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea with the Straits of Gibraltar, a British territory, in the south and the Pyrenees Mountains in the north. It has picturesque coastlines and beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean as well as on its popular vacation islands.
The Pyrenees Mountains are beautiful and draw a lot of vacationers interested in hiking and bicycling as well as learning about the Basque culture and cuisine. Some vacationers, who visit southwestern France, drive through the Pyrenees to explore Spain.
Madrid, the Spanish capital city, has a culture that dates back to 1561 when Philip II selected it for his court because it is in the middle of Spain. When visiting Madrid, some tourists opt to purchase the new Madrid Card to discover the city and save money at interesting restaurants with local and regional cuisine. During the warm weather, the restaurants move their tables outdoors. Shoppers in Madrid can find lots of places to shop from malls and markets to tiny specialty boutiques. Some stores feature high fashion while others specialize in Spanish crafts such as lace, leather, tooled metal, jewelry, and artistic carvings. Madrid is a city of famous art and architecture from its museums and convents to cathedrals, palaces, and plazas.
Barcelona is a beautiful Mediterranean port city where vacationers like to tour its quaint old town, interesting waterfront, parks, and gardens. It has 50 museums and galleries along with wonderful architecture in its street sculptures, building artifacts, and stately cathedrals. Interestingly, among its popular museums are the Maritime and Football (Soccer) Museums. There also is a zoo with about 7,000 animals. Shopping near and around Passeig de Gracia is fabulous with high fashion boutiques as well as outlets. Restaurants in Barcelona are famous for their Mediterranean cuisine like mussels in marine sauce served with the rich local white, red, and rose wines.
Santiago in northwest Spain is a city of festivals and has the Shrine of St. James, the patron saint of Spain. The heart of Santiago, the old town, is a pedestrian only area like many of the European historic city centers. The cuisine in this area features seafood as well as lamb. Many Spaniards make pilgrimages to Santiago where vendors sell a lot of religious artifacts. Santiago is a beautiful city with grand plazas and statuary.
No one can visit Spain without spending several days in Seville in the south. It is famous for its bullfights, Moorish art and architecture of early Spain, and festivals. Popular tapas originated in Seville. In addition to the beauty of the city, Seville is the place to go for flamenco, mantillas, and castanets.
Travelers can fly to any of the major cities in Spain as well as drive, or take the train to many of the Spanish tourist destinations. For special vacations, the Spanish coast and Barcelona can be a special stop as part of a Mediterranean cruise. Its Mediterranean islands are known for the good life, leisure, and recreation among the European vacationers.
When visiting the Mediterranean region and Spain, travelers with extra time and a sense of adventure should go to North Africa and visit Morocco just across the Straits of Gibraltar.
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