Castille/León/Aragon

Mostly arid or semi-arid, Spain's center and cultural heartland is a pleateau crammed with iconic destinations: walled Ávila, home of St. Theresa; Burgos, a university city with medieval architecture including one of Europe's largest cathedrals; Cuenca with its "hanging houses"; desolate La Mancha with its famous windmills; La Rioja, a region known worldwide for its vineyards; León, another fun, atmospheric university city; Salamanca, yet another university city known for its plateresque Renaissance architecture; Segovia with its Roman aqueduct; breaktaking medieval, hilltop Toledo with its mix of Christian, Jewish, and Islamic; historic Valladolid, a former capital of Spain; and happening, historic Zaragoza. More info: www.AsomateAValladolid.com, www.Avila.com, www.CastillaLaMancha.es, www.Cuenca.com, www.DonQuijote.org (Salamanca), www.Go-Toledo.com, www.LaRiojaTurismo.com, www.RedAragon.com, www.RiojaTrek.com, www.SegoviaTurismo.es, www.Toledo-TravelGuide.com, www.TurismoCastillaYLeon.com, www.VisitBurgos.com, www.WhatSalamanca.com, www.Zaragoza.es.

Spain