Spain

Take it from us, this impressive, progressive country's miles beyond iconic but stereotypical bullfights, flamenco, and mass beach tourism, with historic sights reaching back to the era of ancient Greece, wine regions, skiing, some of Europe's most cutting-edge culture; and a gorgeous tapestry of different cultures and languages. ¡Viva España!

Cover photo: Jim Gordon

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Flamenco: the soul of Spain?

Ask many people around the world what comes to mind when they think of Spain, and chances are flamenco will land near the top of the list. The sinuous moves; the rapid, hypnotic shoe tapping; the staccato hand-clapping; the mesmerising guitarwork; the plaintive singing - if you've never witnessed a performance in person, your first time in particular will stay with you forever.An art form and indeed a sensibility closely intertwined with the culture and traditions of Andalusia, flamenco grew…

Started by Iberia Airlines

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Spain's wonderful (and sometimes wild) west: Extremadura

Mariaplr Hugging Spain's upper border with Portugal, the autonomous community of Extremadura, composed of the provinces of Cáceres and Badajoz, is well known to other Spaniards as a proud land of strong traditions; rich history; distinguished cuisine; and fascinating historic, architectural, and natural riches. In fact, in particular this is considered one of the country's under-the-radar eco-paradises, with extensive and dramatic valleys, plains, and natural parks that attract nature-lovers…

Started by Iberia Airlines

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What not to miss in Barcelona

walkerssk/pixabay There's a good reason Spain's second largest city after Madrid is one of Europe's (indeed, the world's) most popular cities - famous and beloved for its art, architecture, culture, cuisine, and nightlife ever since hosting the 1992 Summer Olympic Games. It's also the capital of the region of Catalonia, one of Spain's nations along with Galicia and Euskadi (aka the Basque Country), with its own distinct language and culture. Well, there's a lot to unpack here, so let's…

Started by Tripatini

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Madrid as one of Europe´s most LGBTQ/gay-welcoming cities

Javitouh These days, Spain is one of the world's most socially progressive countries - for example, it was the third to legalise same-sex marriage, back in 2005 - and has legal safeguards in place for marriage equality, same-sex adoption rights, and anti-discrimination laws. And its capital, despite being ruled by the rightwing Partido Popular, is in turn is one of the its most progressive, and is home to a community of a vigorous LGBTQ community estimatated at around a half million. The…

Started by Tripatini

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Matthew Hirtes June 16, 2013 at 8:34pm

Sorry for costing you money, Leyla. But it'll be worth it. I love history and literature. So my current read, Wolf Hall, is a match made in heaven.
Leyla Giray Alyanak June 16, 2013 at 8:31pm

Thanks Matthew - I'm off to order both. You're tugging at my heartstrings because I have a background in political science and I'm a journalist... so history, commentary and politics are actually my idea of a good time! :-)
Matthew Hirtes June 16, 2013 at 8:30pm

Leyla, well worth you checking out Mark Kurslanksy's Basque History of the World. Plenty of recipes in there too. Also Dave Boling's Guernica is a literary commentary on what the Basque Country suffered thanks to Franco. I do not advocate terrorism, but if you read either or both books you can possibly understand the origins of ETA without in any way sympathising with their methods.
Leyla Giray Alyanak June 16, 2013 at 7:05pm

Thanks for your kind words, Donna! I grew up in Spain and as a child I remember the Basque country was a place we rarely mentioned, let alone visited. Even this time after all that history I admit I went with a bit of trepidation. Although most families were in some way affected, they're preferring to move on and were focused on the future, not the past.
Donna Esposito June 16, 2013 at 6:58pm

Good blog post, Leyla. I visited Bilbao a few years ago when the ETA was making trouble, and I'm glad you don't ignore that. But today, 2013, on to the food! I clicked on your link because of this photo of the pulpo and I found that all your photos are wonderful. Great memories!
Leyla Giray Alyanak June 16, 2013 at 6:24pm

Hm - how did I miss this group? Spain is one of the countries I visit most frequently (and love). Recently - I was Blown Away by Bilbao! And the food, oh the food... http://bit.ly/13RcGt2
Sofie Couwenbergh February 1, 2013 at 3:59pm

The Basque Country: visiting Vitoria-Gasteiz, the Salinas de Añana and Getxo
Sofie Couwenbergh January 29, 2013 at 2:01pm

The Basque Country: visiting Gernika-Lumo, the Forest of Oma, Bermeo and Plentzia
Sofie Couwenbergh January 28, 2013 at 5:05pm

The Basque Country: exploring Bilbao
Sofie Couwenbergh January 22, 2013 at 4:07pm

Visiting Gernika-Lumo, the forest of Oma, Bermeo and Plentzia