Spain

The biggest country in Western Europe after France, Spain occupies 80% of the Iberian Peninsula. More than half of the country is made up of vast elevated tablelands – the mesetas – and five major mountain ranges stretch across the country. With an average altitude of 600 m, it’s the highest European country after Switzerland.

Landscapes range from the deserts of Andalucia to the green wetlands of Galicia; from the sunburnt plains of Castilla-La Mancha to the rugged, snowcapped Picos de Europa and Pyrenees, and not forgetting over 3,900 km of golden coastlines. Spain’s rich cultural heritage includes a variety of different architectural and artistic interests, from the traditional to the modern, a wide gastronomical variety reflecting the different regions, and a passion for music and life. Although Spain lies in the temperate zone, its rugged relief gives rise to a great diversity of climates.