At dawn, the Spanish sun tints the sky red, during the day it rides bright and yellow in the sky and in the evening it is a red ball slowly disappearing over the horizon.
Think of Spain, and you think of sun. And whoever thinks of the sun is often also thinking about sea and sand. Spain has an abundance of all three. From north to south and east to west there could hardly be greater contrasts.
In the north you will find the fascinating, rugged Atlantic coast with the beautiful towns of Bilbao or San Sebastian. In the west, slightly inland, you will find the famous pilgrimage centre of Santiago de Compostela, which marks the end of the Way of St James. Then in the south you will find the smooth beaches of Andalusia. This area embodies many people's idea of Spain, with its flamenco, white villages and sherry.
Or maybe it's the Mediterranean isles of Ibiza and Mallorca? Or La Mancha in the country's heartland, where Don Quixote and Sancho Panza jousted with windmills? Spain is so diverse and multi-faceted. This is largely due to its turbulent history. The country has always been a melting pot of many different cultures. For centuries it has been the meeting point of East and West. The Romans ruled the land for over 700 years, and for many years the Moors, invaders from Arabia and North Africa, dictated the destiny of the Iberian Peninsula. Many amazing buildings still bear witness to this age.
The most well-known of these is the Alhambra, the world-famous Moorish palace and fortress complex which was constructed during the mid 14th century in Granada in southern Spain. The famous Mezquita, Cordoba's old mosque, also enchants visitors with its play of light and shade and countless pillars.