Spain
Spain is located in South Western Europe and is boarded by the Mediterranean Sea, however it does have a small land boundary wit Gibraltar towards the north by France. Within Spain you can also find the very popular Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Spain is also the second largest country within the European Union and Western Europe.
Even though due to Spain's location in the past it has been influenced by a number of external factors it is now a democracy which is organised in the form of parliamentary Government under a constitutional monarchy. It is now a developed country with the ninth largest economy by GDP in the EU. As well as being members of the EU, Spain is also members of the United Nations.
As mentioned above Spain is made up of the Balearic Islands which are located along the western area of the Mediterranean Sea. The four Islands that make up the Balearic are Majorca, Ibiza, Minorca and Formentera. The main languages within the four Islands are Spanish and Catalan. All four of the Islands are extremely popular holiday destinations and welcome thousands of tourists on to their Islands each summer, whether it's for a relaxing beach holiday, a family holiday or a holiday made up of wild sunbathing the Balearic Islands attract all sorts of tourist every year who are waiting to forget about reality and get lost in the sun!
Spain is also made up of a number of other cities which are hugely popular for tourist destinations, not just for their beaches but for their history too. Take a look at just some of the places Spain has to offer;
Barcelona - is the capital city of Catalonia and is also the second city in Spain, however it does hold the title of the largest city in Europe on the Mediterranean coast. Barcelona is listed as a global city due to it being such an attraction and finance in commerce, entertainment, arts, media and international trade. It also holds the one of Europe's principal Mediterranean ports and its own International airport which is Spain's second largest airport. Barcelona also have a rich cultural background with the works of Antoni Gaudi and Lluis Domenech I Montaner. Another attraction in Barcelona is a walk down Les Rambles; tourist can experience the excitement and magic of Barcelona and its great street entertainers. Another very popular tourist attraction to visit is the football ground Camp Nou Stadium, which is one of the biggest football stadiums in the world!
Madrid - the capital and largest city of Spain, it is right in the centre of the Castillian plain. Madrid is the most cosmopolitan city in Spain and is home of its business centres, Government, public administration, the Spanish Royals and Spanish Parliament. Madrid is also a major player in Spain's industrial and banking sectors. Madrid is also known for its massive cultural and artistic activities and lively nightlife. Popular places to visit whilst in Madrid include 'The Golden Triangle' - the very popular art museums in Madrid, Museo Nacional Del Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Museo Nacional Centro De Arte Reina Sofia, which have meant Madrid is now extremely thought of within the art world. Another popular place to see is the Palacio Real - the Royal Palace of Madrid, which contains some of the most fabulous rooms, even though the ordinal Palace was unfortunately destroyed by a fire in 1734 and then re-built soon after. The Palace is still used for ceremonies.
Valencia - is the capital of Valencia and Spain's third largest city. The famous Spanish dish of paella was originated around Valencia and is known for its landmark of the City of Arts and Sciences - a futuristic museum complex. In the late 19th Century Valencia's city walls were pulled down in order to let the city grown, however when you visit the city you are still able to get the feeling of the wall being there due to the cities two major landmarks Torres de Quart and Torres de Serranos still remaining there. The famous river Turia which often flooded and unfortunately killed a number of residents in 1957 that was re-routed, has seen been made into the gorgeous Turia Gardens is also a popular place for tourists to visit.
Tourism