INTERESTING PLACES

Spain

Tourism in Spain is now almost synonymous with Ibiza. It is known for its perennial party culture clubs, pubs and discotheques. Juxtaposed to this, Spain also offers a quiet and peaceful holiday in the Basque Country or Pais Vasco, situated to the north of Madrid bounded by the Pyrenees Mountains and the Bay of Biscay. For a dose of art, visit the Museo del Prado, Madrid’s premier tourist attraction which boasts of one of the best art collections in the world.

A trip to the picturesque city of Barcelona is a must, especially to Parc Guell. Built by Antoni Gaudi, with its colourful and imaginative layout, it provides for a psychedelic experience. The wildlife of Spain is exhibited in the Donana National Park. The Guggenheim in Bilbao, touted as ‘the best building of our times’, is a museum designed by Frank Ghery. It attracts millions of tourists every year and houses the work of all famous twentieth century artists, from Picasso to Rothko.

Ibiza

The island of the Ibiza, or Eivissa as it is officially known, is one of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea that belongs to Spain.

Ibiza is a beautiful island paradise with amazing cove beaches and high towering cliffs covered with pine trees. The climate is Mediterranean with mild winters and hot summers. There is also some rainfall in winter. The average temperatures in winter are around 15°C and in summer they reach an average of 30°C.

Ibiza has a population of approximately 100,000 people, thought this figure increases dramatically in the summer months when millions of tourist flock to the island.

Although Ibiza is known as the modern day Mecca of trance music, the island has an ancient history. Phoenician settlers founded a port here that dates as far back as 654 BC.

Almería

Almeria, capital of the Province of Almeria, is located in Spain. Situated on the Mediterranean Sea, Almeria is the driest and the warmest cities in Europe. With a population of not more than 181,000 inhabitants, the city is a centre of culture and commerce.

The city has a mild subtropical to Mediterranean climate—warm and dry throughout the year. This favourable warm climate makes Almeria an ideal tourist destination all round the year.

Initially inhabited by the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, the Romans and finally by the Arabs, the region was then conquered by the Catholics in 1489. This city witnessed a series of pirate attacks and earthquakes in the following century.

Agriculture and exports account for a large portion of the economy. Tourism is also a major source of income in Almeria.