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The Provinces of Spain

In the north west of Spain lies the province of PONTEVEDRA belonging to the Autonomous Community of Galicia, bordered by the River Miño to the south which forms the frontier with Portugal. Being on the Atlantic the climate is moderate with sunny days in summer which can be enjoyed by the visitor and regular rainfalls during winter This is a land of vineyards which produce fine wines from Albariño, Rosal and Condado but also has an industrial area with fish canning and shipbuilding along the shores of the firths and mainly in Vigo, Spain's chief fishing port. Along the coast you will find the towns of Villagarcia de Arosa, separated from Pontevedra by El Grove peninsula with the islet of La Toja, Marin and Bueu on the firth of Pontevedra, Cangas and Moaña on the firth of Vigo.
Tourist centres to the south of the province are Bayona, La Guardia and Tuy and the tasty cuisine of the region includes shellfish prepared in the local way and vegetable stew. In the provincial capital you can visit some of the famous buildings, the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor, the Convents of San Francisco and Santa Clara, the Churches of San Bartolomé and La Peregrina, the Provincial Museum, the Archaeological Museum among the ruins of the Convent of Santo Domingo. Traditional festivities of Pontevedra are those of La Peregrine held on the second Sunday in August.

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LA RIOJA is a famous wine producing area with its capital Logroño, the province is divided into two different zones with Upper Rioja humid and mountains and Lower Rioja a flat plain with a dry summer climate of the Mediterranean.The capital is in the centre of the province at a point between Upper and Lower Rioja. The region has an interesting history as it was here the Castillian Language first developed and through its lands the European pilgrims' route the Way to the tomb of Saint James. Throughout the province is a plentiful supply of trout, shooting among the mountain areas and a ski resort in Valdezcaray, 14km. from Santo Domingo de la Calzada with easy access roads and modern ski-lifts.
The capital is well connected with the rest of the province and neighbouring provincial capitals, Soria,Zaragoza, Burgos, Vitoria, Pamplona, San Sebastian and Bilbao. Logroño holds its San Bernabé Fair on 11th June and the festivities of the Grape Harvest in the second half of September, and in Haro the visitor can take part in a typical San Felices picnic-cum- pilgrimage on 29th June with its famous Battle of Wine, also popular is the Stilt Dance held in Anguiano on 21st and 22nd July. The food and wine are also very popular which includes stuffed peppers, liver, or snails and tripe cooked Rioja style.

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Situated in the western part of the peninsula is the province of SALAMANCA on the border with Portugal and covers an area of 12,300sq.km. and reaching 829m above sea level. The climate here is especially nice in autumn, with clear skies during most of the year and summers warm and dry. The most important part of local agriculture is the growing of grain. The province is crossed by the River Tormes its source being to the south in the Gredos Mountain range in Avila. On both sides of the Sierra de Francia is Béjar famous for its textile industry and Ciudad Rodrigo set in medieval style where popular festivals are held during carnival time in August. Alberca has been declared a National monument for its extreme beauty, and Candelario another picturesque town situated more than 1,000m above sea level, and Alba de Tormes boasts the remains of Santa Teresa de Jesus.
Throughout the province hunting and fishing are plentiful, while mountain climbing and water sports can be found in Béjar Sierra. Sailing and other water sports can be enjoyed in the reservoirs of Almendra, Aldeadávila de la Ribera and Saucelle. On the banks of the Tormes River where the capital is located it is known by the name of Little Rome because of the beautiful surroundings, with the golden colour of the stone used in Salamanca buildings and is considered to be Spain's most artistic complex of buildings. Also to be found here is the University considered to be one of the oldest in Europe with its Aula Magna of Spanish culture during the last seven centuries. Easily reached by train and road, Salamanca is 210km from Madrid.

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There are four islands which make up the province of SANTA DE CRUZ TENERIFE, known as the Fortunate Islands, they are Tenerife, Las Palma, La Gomera and Hierro, and due to their geographical location they enjoy an exceptional climate ranging between a minimum of 17.8ºC in January to a maximum of 24.4ºC in August. The islands are all of volcanic origin with a considerable height in relation to their extension and with large volcanic cones. The coasts are high, rugged and beautiful such as Escarpments of the Giants or the Organs formed by huge columns of basalt, and a number of beaches offering either black volcanic sands or golden sands such as Médano, Los Cristianos, etc. Large pine forests, dragon trees and very old local species can be found inland.
You can also see a large variety of tropical fruit and the banana plantation makes up for the islands greatest agricultural wealth. An abundance of colour is created with the poinsettia, gladiolus, etc. decorating the borders of the local roads which makes it a beautiful sight. The waters surrounding the islands are full of a variety of fish which has set world records in sport fishing. The province of Santa Cruz is a large and clean city and is full of beautiful gardens and parks with a very active commercial district near the port, one of the busiest in Spain.
The International Tenerife Sur-Reina Sofia Airport adjoins the sea for the purpose of easy access for every type of aircraft which may land on spacious runways.Volcanic landscapes can be seen in La Caldera de Taburiente 770m deep on Las Palmas, the Bosque de Cedros on La Gomera, or the Mirador del Golfo over an abyss 800m high on the island of Hierro which also has an inter-island airport.

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The province of SEGOVIA is a must for the visitor with its beautiful scenery , good sailing and lots of Spanish history and culture. Some of the province's most interesting spots can be found in Pedraza, Cuéllar, Coca, Sepulveda, Turégano and La Granja de San Lldefonso where there are beautiful landscapes for the hunter. Game, hunted in Segovia is the basis for the local cuisine as well as suckling pig, lamb, frogs' legs, trout and river crab. The capital of the province is a beautiful city, and in the old quarter of the city you will find some very interesting places such as, numerous Romanesque Churches, Gothic Cathedral, the impressive Alcázar and the famous Roman aqueduct. Traditional fiestas, folk customs aand cultural acts can be found throughout the province, and special mention should be made of those in Cuéllar which has the oldest running of the bulls' fiesta in all of Spain, also the Festivities of the Mayoresses in Zamarramala. Also to be found are the beautiful mountains of the province with attractive summer resorts. Skiing resorts in Navacerrada, Valcotos and La Pinilla offer an ideal setting for the practice of winter sports.

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SEVILLE is famous for its Gothic Cathedral dating from the end of the 15th century, the Giralda famous bell tower of the Cathedral was once an Arab minaret, The Alcazar was built on the ruins of the Palace of King Almotamid and enlarged by different Castilian monarchs. All of these are well worth a visit by the tourist. Other interesting sights include the General Archive of the Indies, San Telmo Palace, the old Tobacco Factory which today is a University, the Golden Tower, the Town Hall. the Casa de Pilatos, the Caridad Hospital and many other churches and convents. At the Fine Arts Museum, the former convent and headquarters of the Merced

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