Spanish Countryside

Spain has large plateaus and mountain ranges that stretch across the entire country, as well as regional features: fertile river valleys, arid plains, rolling hills, rocky coastlines and sandy beaches. The climate in the interior is continental, while temperate ocean air dominates in the north and Mediterranean winds warm the Costas

Through the centuries, vastly different cultures have left their mark on Spain. The Etruscans arrived in the east, from across the Mediterranean. The north-west was colonized by Celts, who introduced the gaita (bagpipes). The Moors came from the south and settled throughout the Iberian Peninsula. The resulting differences in the local folklore traditions and cuisine can be observed during villas festivals along the year.

Spain is excellent for walking and cycling holidays. It has many walking trails designated either as GR (Grandes Rutas, long-distance trails) or PR (Pequeñas Rutas, local trails). There are also paths alongside, or no, abandoned railways. Walkers may also take the Vías Pecuarias –a network of ancient local and regional shepherding routes with a total length of 125,000 km. The longest of these routes are the Cañadas Reales, which were used to herd sheep from arid southern Spain to the green north and back again each year.