Spain has been a popular tourist destination for over thirty years now. This idea of mass tourism is mainly aimed at many northern European countries where people are anxious to get a bit of sun, sea and sangria at a good price during their summer holidays. However given the cheap cost of airfares these days, many Spanish destinations are also popular for weekends or short breaks.

So while most people may think of Spain as a place to recharge their batteries on a nice sunny beach, there is much more to the country than that.

Plenty To Do And Plenty To See

Moorish culture dominated Spain in the middle ages until Christian kings removed much of their influence. Two of the principal monuments that have survived are the Alhambra and the mosque in Cordoba. These are must see sites if you are interested in Moorish style and architecture (or even if you just like looking at old castles)

The Spanish capital, Madrid, is located in the center of Spain. It is a world famous destination with plenty to see and do. Two must do things are to visit the museum and art gallery that is the Prado. There are many galleries of painting that you have probably seen in books before. Many famous artists like Goya, El Greco, many impressionist painters and Bosch are found here. You can spend a whole day looking at the paintings. Or maybe spend a couple of days there. Another thing to do if you like to witness a great atmosphere is to visit the Bernabeu stadium and watch Real Madrid play football.

Toledo is another popular visit if you are based in Madrid. It's about 45 minutes on a train from Madrid. Toledo is a fortified city that features a large castle. It was famous in the middle ages for making swords and armor or knights. It is a popular day trip for tourists nowadays.

The second city in Spain has to be Barcelona. Barcelona is the principal city of the Catalan province. Barcelona is not far from the Pyrenees (3 hours) so if you like to ski or partake in winter sports then you can get have the sea and the snow in one package. Skiing lasts from around December through to March.

The city itself is famous for surrealist architecture such as the Sagrada Familia church and the park Guell that were created by Antoni Gaudi. This gives the city a unique look that you won't find anywhere else in Europe. Much of the action in Barcelona happens on La Rambla. This is a street that starts at the Placa Catalunya and ends at the harbor. It is a pedestrianized street that has all sorts of tourist shops and bars. Street entertainers and other shenanigans will grab your attention as you walk down the street.

Other places to check out include Andalusia, the biggest Spanish province and the coast of this part of the country that comprises places such as Cadiz and Malaga as well as Huelva and Almeria and even Granada are truly spectacular.

There are also many islands that are part of Spain. They are popular for beach and party holidays. The Balearic islands, particularly Ibiza, are world famous as a party destination. The Canary Islands are also part of Spain, even though they are some distance form the main land. Again they are popular for tourists hoping to get a bit of sun and beach. They feature some impressive rock formations and landscapes as they are the located on dormant volcanoes.

Learning a bit of Spanish can make your stay in Spain so much better.