Madrid Royal Palace

This is the Spanish capital world-renowned for fast fun and historical extravagance. A passionate place where friendships are spontaneous and where visitors easily fall under the charm of this seductive city. Madrid is attractive and appealing with its expansive boulevards, majestic architecture and stunning plazas. A splendid display of Spain's proud heritage is contained in the Museo del Prado. Madrid's Parque del Retiro comprises 120 hectares (297 acres) of manicured landscaped gardens, wild forest, fountains, statues, monuments and even a small lake for rowing boats. Madrid's neighbourhoods are brimming with character where every turn reveals an exciting city full of life and surprises.

Barcelona La Cathedal

Situated on the coast of northeast Spain, Barcelona is the dynamic stylish city where summer is one long fiesta of fun. Constant crowds assure a lively buzz set among some of the most extraordinary architecture of the 20th century. Food, fashion and music are high on the list of featured attractions. Barcelona also offers a plethora of museums for the more serious minded visitors. The Rambla is a paved thoroughfare extending from the harbour to the Plaza de Catalu?a, the focal point of the city. Other points of interest include the Church of San Pablo del Campo (914), the Gothic Cathedral of Santa Eulalia, and the Gaudi inspired Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia, or Church of the Sacred Family.

Granada lies at the foot of the Sierra Nevada in southern Spain. The city is distinguished as the focal point of the Moorish civilization in Europe. The most important vestige of this era is the remnants of the Alhambra Palace, a fortress surrounded by cypress and elms overlooking the city of Granada. Other important buildings include the university, chartered in 1531 by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, and the cathedral dating from the early 1500s. The Royal Chapel adjoining the cathedral contains the tombs of Ferdinand V and Isabella I, joint sovereigns of the region of Castilla in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

Bilbao is the capital of Provincia de Vizcaya (Basque region) in northern Spain, near the Bay of Biscay. The old city looks across the Rio Nervion to the modern section dating from the late 19th century. Bilbao hosts the annual Semana Grande, a major bullfighting event that entertains visitors and residents alike. The city is also an important seaport handling regional commodities such as iron ore, grain and wine. Among the city's architectural treasures are several churches including the Church of Santiago, dating back to the 14th century. Ambitious urban-renewal projects such as the marvellous Museo Guggenheim de Arte Contemporaneo, are revitalizing look of this 700 year-old city.

This celebrated resort destination is also the capital of Provincia de Malaga. It sits on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea along the Costa del Sol in the Andalusia region of southern Spain. Malaga was founded by Phoenicians in the 12th century BC and was at various times a Carthaginian, Roman, or Moorish colony. Its historic buildings include a 16th century cathedral and the ruins of a Moorish fortress. Nearby are the cozy beach resort communities of Marbella and Torremolinos.

Mallorca fortress

The city of Palma de Mallorca serves as capital of the Balearics, a small group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea off the east coast of Spain. Mallorca is the largest island and although tourism is a major contributor to the island's economy, farming, fishing, and mining are the main occupations. Each summer a massive invasion of fun-in-sun seekers descend on the islands noted for their fine beaches, good food, and wild nightlife. Palma de Mallorca has a Gothic cathedral, begun in 1230 and completed in the early 17th century, with a chancel canopy by architect Antoni Gaudi. Other points of interest are a castle that was once a Moorish palace; a former Spanish royal palace located above the Bah?a de Palma; and the 13th-century San Francisco Church.

Tenerife

The island of Tenerife lies in the Atlantic Ocean about 90 kilometres (about 56 miles) off the northwest coast of Africa. It is part of the Spanish Canary Islands. Tenerife is the largest of the islands and covers an area of about 1,929 square kilometres (745 square miles). The island is dominated by Pico de Teide, a volcanic peak that occupies the most of the island and reaches an elevation of 3,718 meters (12,198 feet). Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital of the province, is the largest city and principal seaport of Tenerife.

Seville Plaza Espana

Sevilla or Seville is the capital of Andaluc?a Region and is situated on the banks the R?o Guadalquivir, a river accessible to ocean-going ships. Many landmarks in the city date from the Middle Ages, such as the Alcazar, a royal palace built by the Moors in 1181. A great Gothic cathedral, begun in 1402 and completed in 1519, stands on the site of a 12th-century Muslim mosque. The cathedral's bell tower, standing more than 91 meters (more than 300 feet) high, originally served as the minaret, or calling tower, for the mosque. These, along with many other buildings and areas around Seville, are World Heritage Sites.

Alicante is the capital of Provincia de Alicante, situated in a fertile agricultural region especially noted for wines. Olives, almonds, oranges, dates, rice, and barley make up some of the other important products. Fishing is also a leading industry. Alicante is a Mediterranean seaport serving as export outlet for the province. It is also blessed with great weather attracting many tourists to the region.