Introducing Spain
Stretching sun-drenched and untamed to the south of the wild and majestic Pyrenees, this passionate nation works a mysterious magic on more than 50 million visitors a year, making it the world's second most popular destination after neighbouring France.
Some clichés hold true. Spain is littered with hundreds of glittering beaches and beach lovers soak up pitchers of sangria over steaming paella (at its tasty best in Valencia). Flamenco bailaors (dancers) stamp and swirl in flounces of colour, while toreros flaunt their courage in the bullrings. Scratch this surface and a vast, unexpected panorama unfolds before you. It is extraordinary what splendours remain off the beaten track: the green hills and ocean coves of the north; proud, solitary castles and medieval towns across the interior; the white villages of Andalucía; and mountain ranges such as the Gredos and Sierra Nevada (Europe's southernmost ski resort).
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Tomato fight during La Tomatina festival.
- Simon Greenwood
- Lonely Planet photographer
