SPAIN

By Juan Fernando Duran

 Spain is a storied country of stone castles, snowcapped mountains, vast monuments,
and sophisticated cities, all of which have made it a favoured travel destination. The
country is geographically and culturally diverse. Its heartland is the Meseta, a broad
central plateau half a mile above sea level.
 Spain’s countryside is quaint, speckled with castles, aqueducts, and ancient ruins, but
its cities are resoundingly modern. The Andalusian capital of Sevilla (Seville) is famed
for its musical culture and traditional folkways; the Catalonian capital of Barcelona for
its secular architecture and maritime industry; and the national capital of Madrid for its
winding streets, its museums and bookstores, and its around-the-clock lifestyle.
 The many and varied cultures that have gone into the making of Spain—those of the
Castilians, Catalonians, Lusitanians, Galicians, Basques, Romans, Arabs, Jews, and
Roma (Gypsies), among other peoples—are renowned for their varied cuisines,
customs, and prolific contributions to the world’s artistic heritage.
 The Pyrenees and the Cantabrian ranges play an important role in the Spanish
climate, holding the warm, dry subtropical airstream over Spain during the summer
months. In general, westerly winds from the North Atlantic are dominant most of the
year, while the warm, dry Saharan airstream blows less frequently.