Spain has been playing the most important role on the world stage for hundreds of years. The discovery of America and the Inquisition, bullfighting and flamenco, Goya and Picasso are just a small part of her glorious past and present. The country's administrative structure can also be attributed to the curious features of the country. Thus, the provinces of Spain, the list of which includes 50 names, are combined into 17 autonomies. Each is like a state within a state. It must be said that a province in Spain is not a region remote from the capital with all the consequences, but a large territorial subdivision, whose representatives are included in the country's legislative bodies. Now they have somewhat lost their former meaning, but until now the Spaniards use their names to clarify the postal address, telephone and electoral codes. In addition, Spain has 2 autonomous cities located in Africa. This is Melilla and Ceuta.
Andalusia
Spain, whose provinces occupy part of the continent and several islands, is the southern country of Europe. Andalusia is located in the very south of its mainland. It is separated from Africa by the Strait of Gibr altar. It also delimits the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, which wash the southwestern shores of Andalusia. It was once inhabited by African tribes. It was in Andalusia that the remains of people who lived here more than one and a half million years ago were found. Since the 700s of our era, an Arab-Islamic state has existed on its territory. Andalusia includes the most famous provinces of Spain. The list includes 8 names: Almeria, Cordoba, beautiful Seville, Jaen, Malaga, Huelva, glorious Granada and Cadiz. This is also the name of their capitals.
Each province of the district is original and unique. Almeria is the least touristy and the richest in unique virgin beaches. There is also a natural reserve with the interesting name of Cabo de Gata. Almeria is famous not only for its unique landscapes and diverse fauna, but also for the Moorish fortress of Alcazaba, the village of La Chanca with cave houses equipped with the latest technology, mini-Hollywood, where fascinating performances take place. Cadiz is a charming province in the south of Spain with a special original architecture, the Doñana Reserve, an abundance of wonderful bays and beaches. Seville is not only the country's largest transport hub, but also the birthplace of Figaro, Carmen, Don Juan, as well as a place where incendiary flamenco reigns. Granada is remembered by tourists for its Alhambra complex, Nazaries Palace, Generalife Gardens, Royal Chapel. Many people know Cordoba thanks to the town of Montilla, famous for its wines. Jaen - the pearl of Andalusia - impresses with endless olive groves and rich architectural monuments. Huelva, closely associated with ChristopherColumbus, is liked not only by connoisseurs of antiquity, but also by golf lovers. Well, Malaga is famous for its resorts and unique natural monuments.
Neighbors of Andalusia
This wonderful district borders Portugal and three Spanish regions. In the northwest it is Extremadura with its capital Merida. It is noteworthy that even at the dawn of our era, when the ancient Roman province of Louisitania was located on the site of the present Estramadura, the same Merida was its capital. In 1812, when Russia opposed Napoleon, bloody battles also took place on the territory of Estramadura. One of them ended with the fall of the city of Badajoz. Now it is the capital and at the same time the historical province of Spain, located in the southwest of Extremadura. The second province of this district is Cáceres. This is also the name of its capital, founded at the beginning of the 1st century and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In the northeast, Andalusia borders the district of Murcia, so named because of the mulberries that grew here in abundance and sound in Latin as Murtae. This district consists of only one province of the same name, the capital of which bears the same name - Murcia. It is almost 1,200 years old, so lovers of historical and architectural ensembles are always interested here. In addition to attractions, the city is famous for its festivals and fairs.
Andalusia's northern neighbor is the district of Castile-la-Mancha with the capital Toledo, which Spain is proud of. The provinces of the district are Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca, Guadalajara and all the same Toledo. Now in the famous capital of the district and province there is an archiepiscopal center, andwas once the residence of the Castilian kings. Toledo became famous for its high-quality swords, and there are so many unique historical and architectural monuments here that this city was included in the World Heritage List. The Cathedral, the Alcazar of Toledo, the Roman aqueduct, the Transito Synagogue, the San Servando Castle are just some of the gems of Spain that tourists seek to see. Toledo is also interesting because the famous El Greco, Blessed Mary of Jesus, Pedro Machuca lived here.
Madrid
Many Spanish provinces and their capitals have the same name. Madrid is also the capital of the entire state. In addition, the Autonomous Okrug bears the same name, one of the smallest in area and the largest in value. It became the capital in 1561, when King Philip II moved his residence here. The city is divided into 21 districts, each of which has its own flavor. Tourists are waiting for dozens of hotels of different levels, hundreds of first-class restaurants, nightclubs, many museums, the most famous of which is the Prado, art galleries, architectural monuments and, of course, bullfighting. The Royal Palace, the Encarnacion Monastery, the Retiro Park, the Cathedral and the delightful squares of Madrid also enjoy great attention.
Castile and Lyon
If Madrid is one of the smallest autonomous regions in terms of area, then Castile and León, on the contrary, occupy the largest territory. The area of the district, equal to almost 94,000 square meters. km,divided among themselves by 9 provinces - Leon, Avila, Palencia, Burgos, Salamanca, Segovia, Zamora, Soria and Valladolid, traditionally both a city and a province of Spain, as well as the capital of the entire autonomous region. The province of Avila and its eponymous capital city have a turbulent history. Alans, Vandals, Visigoths, Muslims, Christians ruled here… Each era left its unique monuments as a legacy. Avila is a very beautiful, cozy town, and its inhabitants are extremely welcoming and hospitable. Since in the old days beautiful Spain became the scene of military operations more than once, the provinces of this country were often formed where defensive fortresses were built. Burgos is one of them. Its capital is famous for the fact that here are the burial places of the most famous warrior of the country, Cid and his wife, Jimena. The province with a very melodious name Palencia has many interesting objects, but all of them are concentrated in just four blocks of its eponymous capital. The Cathedral, the Monastery of St. Paul, the Palace of Deputies and the Church of St. Francis deserve special attention.
Salamanca will not disappoint tourists either. After Hannibal conquered it, it began to turn from a modest settlement into a major trading and religious center, and now it is also a student center. And one of the most beautiful places in Castile and León, of course, is Segovia, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In general, each province and each city of the district boasts its own unique sights. I would especially like to highlight Leon, which is located near the Cantabrian mountains. Once it was the capital of the kingdom, which left a special imprint on its architecture. The most famous monument of León is the Cathedral, also called the "House of Light". It is impossible not to mention the capital of the district - the province and at the same time the city of Valladolid. It was here that the infamous Torquemada was born. In Valladolid there was also the residence of Anna of Austria, the heroine of the novels by A. Dumas about the musketeers.
Galicia
The westernmost autonomous region of the country is Galicia. In the west and south, its shores are washed by the Atlantic Ocean, and the central and eastern parts are decorated with mountain ranges. Spain is proud of the picturesque nature of Galicia. The provinces of the district, of which there are only 4, are A Coruña, Pontevedra, Lugo and Ourense. All of them have the same main cities, and the capital of the district is Santiago de Comppostela. Galicia was once called the end of the world. Now it is the largest tourist and resort center. Lugo was founded by the Romans about 2,000 years ago. For about 300 years they have been building a fortress wall, which has a unique appearance and dimensions, thanks to which it was included in the World Heritage List. Lugo is also famous for its natural monuments, including the Sierra de Courel, Sierra dos Ancares, parks, reserves, beaches. Ourense is famous for the Las Burgas thermal springs park, fountains, baths and wineries. Pontevedra is a port city, notable for the fact that you can admire a dozen of the most beautiful squares in it. Pontevedra was once the largest port in Spain. It was here that Christopher Columbus built his famous ship, the SantaMaria.
Asturias
Asturias adjoins Galicia - a small autonomous region and at the same time a province in northern Spain. Its capital is the city of Oviedo. The natural landscapes of Asturias are about the same as in Galicia. Thanks to the impregnable ridges of the Cantabrian mountains, this province was never conquered by the Muslims. The first people lived here in the Neolithic era, they left us unique rock paintings. Asturias has been a center of education since the 18th century. Of great interest to tourists are the Museum of Photography, the Museum of Fine Arts. Beach lovers will be delighted by the Atlantic coast, while extreme sports lovers will love the ski slopes and mountain hiking trails.
Cantabria, Navarre, Basque Country and Rioja
These small autonomous regions are located in the northern part of Spain. The Basque Country, or Basque Country, includes three provinces - Alava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa. Alava, which does not have access to the coast, but is proud of its main city and at the same time the capital of the district of Vitoria, is the famous historical province of Spain. Baskonia was inhabited by the oldest ethnic groups - the Basques, who for a long time retained their independence and, as a result, their original ethnicity and culture. The province of Biscay has chosen as its capital the city of Bilbao, an interesting avant-garde museum. And the capital of Gipuzkoa, San Sebastian, is famous for its delightful seaside resorts and film festivals, which have been held here since 1953.
Navarre and Cantabria are autonomous districts and provinces at the same time. Cantabria is famous for the Peak of Europe national park, the largest in the country, as well as unique caves, where many prehistoric rock paintings have been preserved. Navarre has a mountainous terrain. It was once called Pamplona and was a strong kingdom, divided between Spain and France in the 16th century. Although most of Navarra is mountainous, it is here that the famous “Way of Santiago”, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, runs from Europe to the tomb of the Apostle Santiago.
Rioja is a small autonomous district and province of Spain, lying south of Navarre and the Basque Country. Its capital is the city of Logroño. Rioja is located far from the coast, so there are no seaside resorts here, but there are no less sights than in neighboring provinces. The monasteries of Yuso and Suso are especially interesting, and the wine festival held in the town of Aro always attracts thousands of tourists.
Aragon
Navarre adjoins the district of Aragon, the provinces of which are Zaragoza, Huesca and Teruel with the capitals of the same name. Once Aragon was a separate kingdom, which included Catalonia, Mallorca and Valencia. Today it is the most isolated district of Spain. Its capital Zaragoza is familiar to us from a feature film about a manuscript found in this city. Aragon boasts dozens of attractions. There are more than two hundred palaces in Zaragoza alone. And in Teruel, the architecture is a wonderful combination of gothic and oriental motifs. This city is also famous for the fact that its temple, rebuilt from the tower of San Pedro, becamelast home for the Spanish Romeo and Juliet.
Catalonia
The easternmost autonomous region of Spain is Catalonia with its famous capital Barcelona, which is also the capital of the province of Barcelona. This is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, which is famous not only for its sporting achievements and the Olympic Village. It is divided into old and new parts, each of which is interesting in its own way. There are about two hundred attractions in Barcelona.
One of them - the Sagrada Familia Basilica - is shown in the photo. The provinces of Spain in Catalonia, in addition to Barcelona, are the following: Tarragona, Girona and Lleida. Their capitals are named accordingly. Tarragona is considered the center of world tourism. The best Spanish resorts are located here, eccentric festivals, carnivals are held, and numerous historical and architectural sites are included in the UNESCO list. Girona also boasts festivals held here almost every week. In addition, this wonderful city is famous for its unusual architecture. What are only his colorful houses on the river Onyar! But Lleida is located away from the coast. It is surrounded by fertile plains planted with vineyards and olive groves. Here tourists will find unique masterpieces of culinary and winemaking, as well as a calm measured rest.
Valencia
This is one of the most famous districts in Spain. Valencia, located in the east of the country, consists of three provinces - this is Valencia proper with the capital of the same name, Alicante and Castellón. The province of Alicante is very popular with tourists. Spain is proud of the capital of this region, which bears the same name and has existed for almost three thousand years. The main attraction of the city is the fortress of Santa Barbara, which has seen Phoenicians, Romans, Moors, Arabs in its lifetime.
The province of Castellón and its capital, Castellón de la Plana, are located on the Mediterranean Sea. Wonderful beaches here stretch for more than 100 km. Compared to Alicante, the capital of Castellón is quite young, not even 900 years old. It attracts tourists mainly with its resorts, cuisine, enchanting festivals.
Valencia is called by many the treasury of Spain. The beauty of this city, its parks, streets, squares, gardens and fountains will take your breath away. In addition, this city is famous for its beaches, amazing food and exciting shopping.
Islands
No matter how delightful the province of Valencia is, Spain is also famous for its island resorts. One of them is the Canary Islands, which is also an administrative district. There are two provinces here - Santa Cruz de Tenerife with the capital of the same name and Las Palmas. Its main city is called Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Although these places are considered the birthplace of singing canaries, the name Canara does not mean birds, but dogs. Once the islands were called Dog Islands and only then the feathered singers were called canaries.
The second island district of Spain - the Balearic Islands. There is only one province here. Its capital is the city of Palma, located onthe island of Mallorca. For tourists from all over the world, Palma de Mallorca is one of the best resorts, famous not only for beaches and restaurants, but also for unique sights.
