There is so much to see and do in Spain, we could never cover it all. Stunning outdoor beauty awaits you. With nearly 4000 miles of coastline, Spain is world reknown for its beaches. Perhaps it's the warm sand that entices so many visitors to Spain, making it the second most visited country in Europe behind France. There's much more to Spain that just its beaches, however. If you are looking for mountain sports, like hiking, biking, climbing, and camping, Spain has many major moutain ranges to choose from. The most notable are the mighty Pyrenees which Spain shares with France and Andorra and the Picos de Europa which are also located in the north of Spain. In fact, Spain is the most third most mountainous country in Europe behind Switzerland and Austria, and only Switzerland is higher in altitude.

Madrid is the capital of Spain and is just about geographically in the dead center of the country. It's also the home of the Spanish Monarchy with the Palacio Real open to the touring public. Rey Juan Carlos and Reina Sofia are the reigning king and queen, but they do not live in the Royal Palace. It is reserved for State functions and business. Besides the Royal Palace and Gardens, you'll find one of the most famous art museums in the entire world in Madrid. The Prado is said to rank second only to the Louve in Paris in terms of its important works of art. Many more musuems call Madrid home, the Thyssen-Bornemisza which consists of the the collection of a German Baron and his wife, a former Miss Spain, as well as the Reina Sofia, which contains the famous Spanish Civil War painting, Guernica, by Pablo Picasso. Another great museum is the Sorolla Museum, which is actually the former house and studio of Spain's most famous impressionist, Jaoquin Sorolla, whose painted the well known "Boys on the Beach."

Like any other major European city, Madrid has its share of royalty and art, but there is so much more, like its love of wine, tapas, bull fights, flamenco and staying up late. Most restaurants here don't open for dinner until 9pm. You'll wish you'd slept during siesta instead of lingering over a cafe con leche after you two hour lunch.

There are many great day trips to be taken from Madrid. So many wonderful cities,castles, cathedrals, wineries, olive groves, and pottery villages are less than a 90 minute car ride from Madrid. Places like Segovia, Toledo, and Avila are easy to visit and well worth the trip.

Asturias (officially The Principality of Asturias) is a verdant, lush and mountainous region on the north coast of Spain. It's known as a Paraiso Natural (Natural Paradise) and it's quite popular amongst the spaniards looking for quiet and "gourmet" holidays. The geography of the region is varied, from the coastal cliffs on the north to the mountain ranges of Picos de Europa on the south. There are three main cities: Oviedo, Gijón and Avilés.

Oviedo is the capital of the region. It's an elegant and distinguished city with a beautiful old quarter, a gothic cathedral and several interesting pre-romanesque buildings (Santa María del Naranco, San Miguel de Lillo...). Oviedo is host of the prestigious Prince of Asturias Awards, which are held in the Campoamor Theater.

Gijón is the biggest city in the Principality. A modern and vibrant city with an interesting past. You can find lots of roman and celtic sites in the city center or in the surroundings (Roman baths by the beach, The Roman villa in Veranes, the celtic village of Campa de Torres...). In Gijón there is a great cultural life, with lots of museums, concerts, exhibitions... There is a great botanical garden and, right in front of it, you can find the Universidad Laboral (the biggest building in Spain, built as an orphanage during Franco's dictatorship and now reconverted into a "cultural city", with museums, theaters...) Gijón is also known for being one of the spanish cities with more gastronomical events throughout the year. The old quarter is a former fishermen's town over a hill called Cimadevilla, with colorful little houses and cobblestoned, narrow streets. There are also several beaches, three of which are in the city centre.

Avilés is the third biggest city in Asturias, an industrial city which is currently under a big development due to the new Oscar Niemeyer Internacional Cultural Centre, an important cultural hub where you can enjoy many different activities and that counts among it's collaborators with people such as Woody Allen, Kevin Spacey or Brad Pitt. Apart from that, the city has an interesting old quarter with colonnaded streets.

Some historical facts about Asturias:
The region has been occupied since the prehistoric era, there are remains of homo erectus and neanderthals (some of them, like the ones in El Sidrón under investigation and very important). The region was an important Celtic settlement, as all the northern regions of Spain. After that, with the Roman invasion, the Celtic domain came to an end. During the Moorish invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, the Kingdom of Asturias (under the ruling of King Pelayo) was the only part which remained unconquered, and where the Reconquest started. That's why some asturians say as a joke: "Asturias is Spain and the rest is reconquered land". After the reunification of the different kingdoms into the Kingdom of Spain, the region took an important role in the colonization of the Americas. During the Enlightenment, Asturias was an important place and there are many thinkers and politicians such as Jovellanos where born there. The Industrial Revolution was very important in the area and it developed an important coal and metal industry. In certain periods there was an big migration from the region to Southern America. Those who migrated and became rich were called Indianos and you can see their print in the magnificent villas they built when they went back to their homeland. Since the 14th century, the heir of the Crown of Spain receives the title of Prince of Asturias. Most recently, during the Civil War and the Dictatorship of Franco, the region was known for it's rebellious opposition to the dictator.

What to do in Asturias:
Visit the Picos de Europa mountain range. There are lots of things to do there like visiting Covadonga (where the Reconquest is said to have started) and the lakes of Covadonga (two gorgeous lakes in the middle of the mountains) You can also go hiking. There are lots of beautiful trails suitable for everybody, like El Cares (a stunning trail with amazing views of the Gorge of River Cares) You can visit some of the little villages in the mountains like the hamlet of Bulnes, a village that doesn't have road access and, since a few years ago, people could only arrive there by foot (now there is a rack railway).
Visit little charming fishermen's villages like Lastres, Tazones or Cudillero, with all the flavor of the old times. Eat seafood there.
Enjoy the beautiful beaches. Some of the best are around the city of Llanes.
Walk around the old quarter of Oviedo and visit the market of El Fontán. Buy some Carbayones there, they are very typical!
Visit the roman and celtic sites of Gijón, enjoy the cultural life of the city and go to the Universidad Laboral (don't forget to go to the top of the tower to enjoy de view). Enjoy the promenade and the coastal trails. Visit Cimadevilla and have a lunch in one of the sidrerías in there.
Visit the Oscar Niemeyer Center in Avilés.
If you want to go shopping you will find great shops in both Oviedo and Gijón, from the best brands to alternative and funny things or vintage clothing.
Try to see some folkloric dancing and bagpipe music. It's very typical and part of the Celtic heritage.
Go to the Museum of Cider in Nava to learn everything about cider making and drinking.
Go to the Museum of Mining in San Martín del Rey Aurelio to see how does a miner feel by entering a replica of a coal mine.
Eat a lot, drink a lot and enjoy the hospitality and warmth of the people. (Info about Asturias provided by Victor whose blog, "Nada que contar" can be reached by following this link: http://uvepece.wordpress.com/)