Castilla-La Mancha

Castilla-La Mancha, located at the very center of the Iberian peninsula, is dominated by an extense tableland, although there are mountainous landscapes too.
Of major interest to the visitor are of course the monumental cities and towns of great historical importance, like Toledo, the enchanting Cuenca and Albacete, but one should take as well several interesting alternative routes into consideration, among them: Ruta de los Pueblos Negros ("Route of the Black Villages"), having their name from the use of slate in their traditional architecture, the "Route of the Saffron Fields", "Route of the Castles", and the "Route of Don Quijote", named after Cervante's legendary "Man from La Mancha". Still today you will see many of those characteristical windmills Don Quijote was fighting with in all the land.
Traditional gastronomy is simple but tasteful, with stews, game, sausages and the famous Manchego cheese. The region's excellent wines are a perfect match.
Artisany is varied, from ceramics and embroiderings to the famous Swords of Toledo and Knives of Albacete.


The Cities:
Toledo
The former capital of Spain is certainly one of the country's architectonical treasures, with magnificent monuments specially from Moorish, Mudejar, Gothic and Renaissance periods. Toledo was also the hometown of the great painter El Greco.
Cuenca
This enchanting medieval city, declared Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO, is surrounded by landscapes of incredible beauty. Among the town's most remarkable sights are the famous "Hanging Houses", the Gothic cathedral and the Museum of Abstract Art. In its surroundings there are several fantastic natural preserves, among them Ciudad Encantada, the "enchanted city", where erosion has created most bizarre forms.
Guadalajara
Major attractions are the Mudejar style church Santa Maria la Mayor, the 15th century palace Duque del Infantado, the Moorish town-walls and bridge over Henares river, from 10th century. In the province of Guadalajara the medieval town Siguenza, with its great fortress and cathedral, is worth a visit.
Ciudad Real
This city is marked by the history of Don Quijote who is said to have fought against the windmills at the nearby Campo de Criptana. The nearby Lagunas de Ruidera, consisting of 17 lagoons, offer splendid landscapes.
Albacete
A modern and functional city, located at the typical plains of La Mancha. It is known for its knife-making industry.

Cantabria

With a surface of 5.300 square kilometers Cantabria offers extremely varied landscapes and climates. In its mountain ranges, Picos de Europa and the natural preserve of Saja, still live bears, wolves and eagles, and the rivers are full of salmons and trouts. Pico de tres Mares ("peak of the three seas") is a real curiosity: a drop of water that falls here may equally arrive to Atlantic Ocean, by Duero river, the Cantabric Sea, by Nansa river, or the Mediterranean Sea by Ebro river.

In total contrast is the coast with beautiful bays and romantic fishing villages. Inbetween you will find green valleys and hills.

The capital, Santander, is located at a beautiful bay. It is an economically extremely active city with an important port. There is an ample cultural offer, specially remarkable are the Menendez y Pelayo International Summer University, and the International Festival. Santander's great sports facilities make it an ideal place for leisure.

At a few kilometers from the capital there are the medieval town Santillana del Mar, and the highly interesting prehistorical Caves of Altamira . Some other attractions in the surroundings of Santander are the church of Santa Maria de Valverde, or the natural park of Cabarceno, where you will find animals from the five continents in an outstanding and singular landscape.

Finally, Cantabria's colorful popular customs, its artisany and gastronomy make it a holiday destination which certainly will not disappoint.

Canary islands The Happy Islands

This paradisiac group of islands, with a preferred climate and constant temperature through all the year, and splendid beaches of fine sand, consists of 7 larger islands (Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Palma, Gomera, Hierro) and a few smaller ones (Alegranza, Graciosa, Montaña Clara, Roque del Este, Roque del Oeste und Lobos). Surprisingly, the landscape of each island is radically different to the others.

Already Greeks and Romans reported on this archipelago of volcanic origins, and called it the Happy Islands, Garden of the Hesperides, Atlantida, ... Some historians suppose that the legendary continent Atlantis was located here. The islands' original population, called Guanches, is tall and of white skin.
In 1496 the islands became part of the Spanish kingdom, and the ships of Christopher Columbus stopped here on their travel to discover the New World.