• Austria
• Germany
• Italy
• Spain

Welcome to Spain

Welcome to the first of a series of articles on Travel in Spain.  Welcome to what will hopefully aid the prospective traveler to a better understanding of beautiful Spain.
Spain occupies approximately 85% of the Iberian Peninsula. Beaches are bountiful. In fact, about 88% of the country is surrounded by water.
To the north the Pyrenees Mountains are part of the natural boundary that Spain occupies with France. To the far south, the Straits of Gibraltar separate the Peninsula and the north of Africa. In 1998 it was estimated that the population of Spain was 39,133,996.
What about the language? In most major tourist destinations one can get by quite adequately with English. But there are a few interesting facts worth noting. Most people might be under the impression that only one language is spoken in the country. Unfortunately, the confusing reality is otherwise. The positive side is that Spanish, or Castilian, is the official language spoken by all of Spain's inhabitants.
Along with Spanish, there are 4 other languages spoken by various autonomous regions. The Basque area uses the Basque language. In Galicias Galician is also spoken. Catalan is the other language used throughout Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. And finally, in the Valencian community Valencian is spoken in addition to the official language of the country.
It is important to remember that the above languages are spoken in addition to Spanish. Every child has to study the official language at school, so there is no need to panic. One does not have to learn 5 different languages if they want to travel to Spain! But I’m sure that a Catalan would appreciate a basic greeting in the language specific to their region.
Different articles in this series will focus on some of the major cities of Spain. The most obvious one is Madrid, which is the capital city of the country. The second largest city, Barcelona, has a major port and is a very busy commercial center. Valencia is a major industrial center. Seville, the largest city in the region of Andalusia, is famous for its cultural life.
Spain is internationally known for its important museums. One of the world’s greatest collections of art can be found at the famous Prado Museum. Many of the historically important works of Spanish artists such as El Greco, Velázquez and Bartolomé Esteben Murillo y Goya can be found here. Other artists who are located at The Prado include the Italians Sandro Botticelli and Tiziano and the Dutch painter, draftsman, and etcher of the 17th century, Rembrandt.
Hopefully this introductory article on Travel in Spain has given people a general overview of the country and what it has to offer.  Perhaps there is something you would like me to cover. If so, do not hesitate to contact me and I will try to include it in a future publication. Until then, “Hasta la vista!” (http://emilio.idx.com.au)

• Barcelona