The Provinces of Spain
VALLADOLID situated on the northwestern side of the Iberian Peninsula covers an approx. surface area of 8,000 sq.km. and is cut across from east to west by the Duero River. To the north are the boundaries of Montes de Torozos and Tierra de Campos, and to the south Tierra de Pinares and Ribera each with their own special scenery where cereals and vineyards are cultivated. Around the countryside are stone-pines and hillocks with historical fortresses such as Ureña, Fuensaldaña. Peñafiel, Portillo,Torrelobatón, Montealegre, Villalba de los Alcores, La Mota in Medina del Campo and Simancas in which the General Archive of the country can be found. Among the province's castles, cities and villas are the architechtural styles of Romanesque, Mudéjar, Gothic and Herreriano. The many sculptured pieces which can be found there are the works of Valladolid School of Polychrome.
Also of interest to the visitor are the Cistercian Monasteries of San Bernardo in Valbuena de Duero, Santa Espina in Villagarcia de Campos and the Monastery-cum- Palace of Santa Clara in Tordesillas. Valladolid is a modern city with wide avenues and modern buildings, beautiful gardens and monuments from the past including the Plaza Mayor. A popular tourist attraction is the Holy Week festivities with the Good Friday procession also the September Fairs, the Castile National Trade Fair and the International Film Week. The visitor should find particularly interesting the Sculpture Museum, Santa Cruz College, the Cathedral, Las Huelgas Convent and the churches of San Pablo and San Benito. The local cuisine in Castilian tradition offers roast suckling lamb and suckling pig, Castilian soup and such desserts as the cheeses of Villalón and butter cakes from Portillo. The white wines of Medina, the clarets from Pisuerga and the red wines from the banks of the Duero are all worth tasting.
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VIZCAYA is one of the smallest provinces in Spain having a surface area of only 2,240sq.km. although the density of the population is one of the highest in the country. Like the rest of the country Vizcaya has a mild climate, humid with temperate winters and warm summers, autumn and spring being frequently the rainy time. The landscape here has two zones, the coast and mountains, and along the coast where the mountain comes down to the sea the beaches are intermingled with the fishing villages of Bermeo, Lequeitio, Baquio, Elanchove and Ondárroa with multi-coloured boats and its churches. Inland the historical villas populate the mountain valleys with a green and cool landscape of plains and forests mixed with hamlets, the Basque house which is totally integrated with the landscape.
Of interest there is Elorrio, Durango, Guernica, Valmaseda and Marquina. The Basque language has been conserved in the rural areas and especially among the young in recent years. The countryside and folklore are extremely popular with the tourist and also the local cuisine such as baby eels, codfish, hake in sauce, stew and mushrooms which are very enjoyable. Bilbao the capital with its hills and estuary, the old quarter and port, industry and environment, international fairs and museums, is entirely different from the rest of Vizcaya, and with the good communications available is an ideal base for visting the region.
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ZAMORA the province on the Northern Plateau bordering on Portugal has a mountainous part which includes the districts of Sanabria, Aliste, Sayago and vast plains, Lands of Bread and Wine, with a clear sky for most part of the year.The landscapes are beautiful and vegetation offers unique species in the National Park of the Lake of Sanabria, 1,000m above sea level and is ideal for fishing and water sports. The cuisine offers roast pig,trout and cod fish accompanied by the wines of the area, also a good variety of desserts. The province has a large assortment of ceramics of Celtic origin and embroidery work, with an abundance of artistic places of interest including the Visigothic Church of San Pedro de la Nave situated 20km from the capital, towns like Toro 30km., Benavente and Fermoselle 60km., Puebla de Sanabria 111km., all containing works of art.
The capital on the banks of the Duero preserves the numerous Romanesque churches of the 12th century, the Cathedral with its magnificent Byzantine dome, Santa Maria la Nueva, La Magdalena, San Claudio de Olivares, San Cipriano, Santo Tomé and many others. The Holy Week is famous and the festivities which are held in June include an International Ceramics Fair. Zamora is a distance of 60km. from Salamanca, 90km from Valladolid and 250km from Madrid.
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ZARAGOZA has a varied landscape and a surface area of 17,000 sq.km. In the north the province consists of the five villages which contain fine historical architecture - Mudéjar in Tauste, Romanesque in Ejea de los Caballeros, Gothic and Roman ruins in Sábada and Sos del Rey Católico which maintains its medieval atmosphere, Uncastillo where Zaragoza Romanesque is seen at its best. The region continues farther north reaching the foothills of the Pyrenees where water sports take place in the Yesa reservoir. The area around Moncayo shows the beautiful landscape with its picturesque villages and the outstanding architecture of the Monastery of Veruela, also the capital of the region, the Mudejar town of Tarazona.
Southwest are the historical towns of Calatayud and Daroca, a Mudejar walled city which still has its medieval charm, the spa towns of Alhama de Aragón, Jaraba and Paracuellos de Jiloca, the Tranquera reservoir for water sports the Monasterio de Piedra where vegetation combines with a fast flowing river to form lakes, waterfalls and fountains which is very spectactular. The southeast around Caspa, the Mequinenza reservoir is ideal for international sailing, rowing and motorboat competitions. Zaragoza the capital still preserves the remains of many cultures and places of interest such as Roman Walls, the Arab Palace of the Aljaferia and numerous examples of Mudejar and Gothic architecture.
The city's airport lies midway between Madrid and Barcelona and between the Cantabrian and Mediterranean coasts, and is easy access either by road or rail. The local cuisine consists of style eggs, chicken in tomato, lamb and young roast beef and should be accompanied by the strong wine of Cariñena. Local crafts include the ceramics of Muel and the popular Aragonese song and dance are also a big attraction.
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