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.


Spain has a very ancient and complex prehistory. Under the Roman empire Hispania flourished and became one of the empire's most important regions. During the early Middle Ages it came under Germanic rule.

Later, nearly the entire peninsula came under Muslim rulers. Through a long process Christian kingdoms in the north gradually rolled back Muslim rule, which was finally extinguished in 1492. That year Columbus reached the Americas, the beginnings of the first global empire.

Spain became the strongest kingdom in Europe in the sixteenth and first half of the seventeenth centuries but continued wars and other problems eventually led to a diminished status. In the middle decades of the twentieth century it came under a dictatorship, under which it went through many years of stagnation and then a spectacular economic revival. In 1986 it joined the European Union

The Costa Brava

The Costa Brava, part of the coastal region of Cataluña, in the northeast of Spain, extends along 125 km of stunning coastline, from the resort of Blanes, in the south, to the French border. While the region is well known for its big resorts like Lloret de Mar, Tossa de Mar, and Estartit, which cater for mass tourism, there are still many unspoilt and beautiful places to stay. This is especially true along the north of the Costa Brava, where you'll find places such as Tamariu and Cadaquès.

If you avoid the larger, crowded beaches, you'll discover many small, charming resorts and villas tucked away in picturesque, whitewashed villages. These are often perched above secluded, scenic coves, and are bounded by wooded hillsides and rolling vineyards ' ideal places to stay when exploring this region renown for its extraordinary natural beauty and cultural heritage.

The best time to visit the Costa Brava is during May and June, when the resorts and villas are less crowded and temperatures are in the mid 70s. September is also a good time, but the weather can sometimes be rainy.

Heading north from Barcelona, you'll encounter beautiful beaches, warm seas, small sandy bays, and quaint little fishing villages. Apart from the beaches and coastal scenery, the region has a highly rated, distinctive cuisine, several natural parks, a rich Roman civilization heritage, and museums featuring many of Spain's famous artists. If you're looking to give the crowds a miss, make an effort to visit some of these delightful place.

Tamariú is a lovely whitewashed village that overlooks a small cove with startling blue waters, set around with pink rocks. The restaurants along the promenade offer delicious grilled fish, paella and tapas, and local wines. There's no nightlife to speak of, since the only resort closes at 11pm, which makes this a destination for those who appreciate quiet evenings, great seafood, and beautiful surroundings.

Backed by orange cliffs and wooded hills, Alguablava is a small traditional Costa Brava village with an immaculate sandy beach and the sea here is a particularly intense cobalt blue. Popular with older couples and young families, the nightlife is minimal, since the restaurants and bars tend to shut in the evenings. The town's two hotels have excellent restaurants.

The coves between Aiguablava and Sa Riera, are among the Costa Brava's most beautiful. Take a short drive inland to visit the medieval hilltop town of Begur, which lies in a semicircle around an imposing 15th-century castle, with five huge towers. The castle was occupied during the War of Independence. The narrow, winding streets end at the main square, where there are plenty of good restaurants.

Empúries is a fascinating archaeological site, just five minutes drive from L'Escala. First settled by the Phoenicians, then the Greeks and Romans, this was once a thriving city, founded early in the 6th century BC. Its ruins include temples, streets, shops, and the remains of villas and mosaic floors. In front of the ruins is a lovely duned beach with shallow water and soft sand.

To reach the secluded town of Cadaquès, you will have to drive along a steep road that winds through rolling hills toward the sea. At the coast, lines of old whitewashed, blue-shuttered houses stretch along the beautiful main bay, and the beach here is small and pebbly, with lots of boats coming and going. Restaurants, cafes, boutiques and galleries line the waterfront. Art lovers are well catered for here ' the Perrott-Moore Museum displays a collection of Dali's graphic art, and the municipal Museu d'Art exhibits works by the locals, as well as paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec and others.

The Costa Blanca

Whether you've began in the North working your way south, or the other way around, you vacation in Spain is going to be enjoyed. Being set in the Province of Alicante, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the Costa Blanca begins in the South in the fairly well known Spain town of Torrevieja, which is a part of the Valencian Community in the region.

Translated to English, Costa Blanca means the "white coast", which is likely derived from it's white beaches, and the buildings that are mostly white washed through towns like Javea, Benidorm, Moraira, Alicante, and Torrevieja. You'll likely start near the town of Alicante on your vacation being that it holds an international airport which is known as the Atlet - and this is where your wonderful vacation will gain momentum as an experience that you'll not soon forget.

You'll likely arrive in the city by public transportation such as bus or taxi, and you'll understand why so many people love this vacation spot. The Saint Barbara Castle, which was built in 300 B.C. and is still standing is prominent at the foot of a hill. This castle has stood through numerous wars and battles, yet it's beauty and structure have been kept up, and these days houses a renowned restaurant in town.

As well, you'll love strolling along the beaches of the area, which separate from the city with just a tiled promenade walkway that is lined with all types of flowers and palm trees. Along this walkway you'll get to experience the vibrancy of the town where booths line the way with handmade goods, or different forms of live entertainment such as jazz bands, or live orchestras that compliment perfectly the gentle summer nights breeze.

Following a fine guide book, or map of Alicante you'll see your choice of the different holiday festivals like the Saint John Bonfires, which hosts impressive wooden and carton monuments that display local international characters, where pagan tradition has ensured the warding off of evil spirits by burning the images of these characters into the ground.

Also on your trip you'll be able to visit Benidorm which will be quite easy to get to and from because of the great transport system that flows from the Alicante airport into the region. In this area, during the day you can lounge by the beach relaxing in the near perfect weather, or else take your family to one of the cities great theme parks. These theme parks include Terra Mitica, which hosts rides that contain history of ancient Rome or Egypt, or visit the exciting water park Aqualandia, which is within the city. This is one of the places to keep on your list in order to keep nice and cool.

You can also keep cool at the Terra Natura, which is actually a zoo where the family can enjoy all different sorts of animals that your family can come into full contact with. So there should no longer be any doubt in your mind that you and your entire family can enjoy a superb vacation of excitement and relaxation.

The Costa Del Sol

Spains costa del sol(Coast of Sun) is situated in the south of the country and experiences around 320 days of sunshine every year. This is why it has become in recent years one of the most popular holiday destinations for the British as well as other europeans including the Germans and the French.

The costa del sol has a host of towns a cities to explore such as its capital Malaga, Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Mijas, Marbella and Estepona to name a few.

The costa del sol is a fantastic holiday resort for people of all ages. If you have children then there are lots of places to visit such as Selwo Marina in Benalmadena which has a variety of sealife to see including sea lions, dolphins, flamingos and penguins.

Or if you are visiting Fuengirola the zoo there is a must. Located pretty much within the hustle and bustle of the town it has a great number of different animals from all over the world to see and is great for the kids.

If golf is your thing then the costa del sol is perfect for you as its one of the worlds golfing mecca's. There are around 50 courses to choose from and most are of a very high standard. A particularly nice course is Santana Golf Course in La Cala and is well worth 18 holes. Bare in mind though if you do play golf in Spain try and avoid July and August as although the green fee´s will be a lot less than the rest of the year, it can get very hot and is not ideal for playing any sport.

If it is nightlife that you are after then the costa del sol is definetely a good choice. With literally hundreds of bars and clubs to tickle your fancy you will be spoilt for choice on where to spend your evenings.

On the other hand if all the above sounds like just a bit too much activity for you, why not settle for a nice spot of sand on one of the many fine beaches that there are on offer. Lay your towel down, chill out and feel that warm sun on your body.

The great thing about the costa del sol is that there is something for everyone.

Italy is situated in Europe and attached in the north to the European mainland. To the north, the Alps separate Italy from France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The Alpine regions, the Po Plain and the Ligurian-Etruscan Appennines. Piedmont and Val d’Aosta contain some of the highest mountains in Europe and are good areas for winter sports.

Many rivers flow down from the mountains towards the Po Basin, passing through the beautiful Italian Lake District (Maggiore, Como, Garda). The Po Basin, which extends as far south as the bare slopes of the Appennines, is covered with gravel terraces and rich alluvial soil and has long been one of Italy’s most prosperous regions.

To the east, where the River Po flows into the Adriatic Sea, the plains are a little higher than the river itself; artificial (and occasionally natural) embankments prevent flooding.

Central Italy: The northern part of the Italian peninsula. Tuscany (Toscana) has a diverse landscape with snow-capped mountains (the Tuscan Appennines), lush countryside, hills and a long sandy coastline with offshore islands. Le Marche, lying between the Appennines and the Adriatic coast, is a region of mountains, rivers and small fertile plains.

The even more mountainous regioni (administrative districts) of Abruzzo and Molise are bordered by Marche to the north and Puglia to the south, and are separated from the Tyrrhenian Sea and to the west by Lazio and Campania. Umbria is known as the ‘green heart of Italy’; hilly with broad plains, olive groves and pines.

Further south lies Rome, Italy’s capital and largest city. Within its precincts is the Vatican City. Southern Italy: Campania consists of flat coastal plains and low mountains, stretching from Baia Domizia to the Bay of Naples and along a rocky coast to the Calabria border. Inland, the Appennines are lower, mellowing into the rolling countryside around Sorrento. The islands of Capri, Ischia and Procida in the Tyrrhenian Sea are also part of Campania.

The south is wilder than the norh, with mile upon mile of olive trees, cool forests and rolling hills. Puglia, the ‘heel of the boot’, is a landscape of volcanic hills and isolated marshes.

Calabria, the ‘toe’, is heavily forested and thinly populated. The Calabrian hills are home to bears and wolves. The Islands: Sicily (Sicilia), visible across a 3km- (2 mile-) strait from mainland Italy, is fertile but mountainous with volcanoes (including the famous landmark of Mount Etna) and lava fields, and several offshore islands. Sardinia (Sardegna) has a mountainous landscape, fine sandy beaches and rocky offshore islands.


Italian is the official language. Dialects are spoken in different regions. German and Ladin are spoken in the South Tyrol region (bordering Austria). French is spoken in all the border areas from the Riviera to the area north of Milan (border with France and Switzerland).

German is spoken around the Austrian border. English, French and German are also spoken in the biggest cities and in tourism and business circles.

Most people who think of Egypt think of antiquities, but Egypt offers much more.

Certainly it is a prime location to see our great heritage from the ancient world, including Pyramids and wonderful temples, but it is also part of the Holy Land, and tours to Christian and other religious monuments are popular.

Yet Egypt also offers nature and desert treks, great scuba diving and even golf, fishing and birding expeditions. One may choose to relax on the wondrous Egypt Red Sea or Sinai coasts, take in the high culture of Cairo, or even leisurely float down the Egyptian Nile on a luxurious river boat.


Egypt is bordered to the north by the Mediterranean, to the south by Sudan, to the west by Libya, and to the east by the Red Sea and Israel. The River Nile divides the country unevenly in two, while the Suez Canal provides a third division with the Sinai Peninsula. Beyond the highly cultivated Nile Valley and Delta, a lush green tadpole of land that holds more than 90 per cent of the population, the landscape is mainly flat desert, devoid of vegetation apart from the few oases that have persisted in the once fertile depressions of the Western Desert. Narrow strips are inhabited on the Mediterranean coast and on the African Red Sea coast. The coast south of Suez has fine beaches and the coral reefs just offshore attract many divers. The High Dam at Aswan now controls the annual floods that once put much of the Nile Valley under water; it also provides electricity.


Islam is the dominant influence and many traditional customs and beliefs are tied up with religion. The people are generally courteous and hospitable and expect similar respect from visitors, shaking hands will suffice as a greeting.

Because Egypt is a Muslim country, dress should be conservative and women should not wear revealing clothes, particularly when in religious buildings and in towns (although the Western style of dress is accepted in modern nightclubs, restaurants, hotels and bars in Cairo, Alexandria and other tourist destinations).

Official or social functions and smart restaurants usually require more formal wear. Smoking is very common. Photography: Tourists will have to pay a fee to take photographs inside pyramids, tombs and museums.

On taking power in 1952, President Nasser quickly instituted a Soviet-style command economy that was closed to Western investment. After Nasser’s death, his successor, Anwar Sadat, gradually dismantled the existing system in favour of a policy of infitah (openness) towards investment. Egypt’s economy underwent rapid growth during the 1970s with the swift expansion of the oil industry, tourism and the Suez Canal.

During the 1990s, stern fiscal policies, agreed with the IMF and World Bank, and further market-oriented measures brought the Egyptian economy to its current condition. As of mid-2004, annual growth had fallen to 3 per cent, inflation was about 14 per cent, while official unemployment was 10 per cent (although there is considerable under-employment).

Egypt’s major industries are textiles, fertilisers, rubber products and cement. There are also steel production works and several vehicle assembly plants. The main crops are cotton, rice, wheat, sugar, maize and a range of fruit and vegetables. Expansion of the tourist sector has been briefly hampered by the terrorist activities of Islamic fundamentalists. Agriculture, which relies on irrigation from the Nile, employs one-third of the working population. Foreign aid, especially from the USA, is an important source of government funds.