Spain has many different regions with different cultures, languages and history. There is a lot more to Spain than the tourist areas that most of us know about. Let’s take a look at the different regions and what they have to offer.

1. Galicia

Captal – Santiago de Compostelo

There are rivers and greenery all over the region, a very beautiful part of Spain with a lot of nature. It is one of the colder regions of Spain with a winter average of 5 c and in the summer around 20 c it has been named the Scotland of Spain. They speak Spanish and Gallego here, Gallego is similar to Portuguese and can sound a bit sing song like.

 

2. Asturias

Captial – Oviedo

Asturias is known to be one of the most beautiful regions in Spain. It is surrounded by mountains and has a beautiful coastline with colourful fishing villages. Austrians are known for their great cider which is served from a height to help the flavors.

 

3. Cantabria

Capital – Santander

Famous for its beaches and mountains, meaning the climate can be quite changeable in Catanbira. Again, being in the north there is a lot of greenery. It is a small region with just one province.

 

4. Pais Vasco

Capital – Vitoria-Gasteiz (but it is more famous for its coastal cities Bilbao and San Sebastian)

Pais Vasco, or The Basque Country as its known in English, is another beautiful region in the north of Spain famous for its beaches, history and specialty in food! Here they speak Euskera also known as Basque.

 

5. Navarra

Capital – Pampoloma

Navarra is famous for its running of bulls and there is a yearly festival Sanfermines in July. As it borders France it holds part of the Pyrenees mountain range. There’s a lot of inhabited space and a natural park, great landscape for walking and enjoying nature!

 

6. La Rioja

Capital – Longroño

This is one of the smallest communities in Spain and holds some beautiful vineyards. As you may notice in the name, La rioja, the same as the wine, because this is where it’s made. If you’re a city person, this may not be the place for you, but it’s a lovely, tranquil, peaceful area.

 

7. Castilla y leon

Capitals – Valladolid, Burgos, León

This region holds 9 provinces and borders 10 of the regions including Portugal! It also holds a number of important cities, it is so big due to Castille la Vieja and Leon regions merging together back in 1983. There are some big universities in Segovia and Salamanca so it’s a great place for young people and good nightlife.

 

8. Aragon

Capital – Zaragoza

Aragon also borders the Pyrenees and therefore holds some great mountains and landscapes. Animals can still be found here which have been extinct in other regions. Despite being often overlooked by tourists, the cities are very modern and its a great place to really immerse yourself into Spain.

 

9. Cataluña

Capital – Barcelona

Cataluña is the most separate region in Spain, they have been fighting for independence for a while. This region offers much more than just Barcelona so don’t turn a blind eye to the beauty of it. Again, bordering the Pyrenees there is a lot of nature and completely different climates in the north and the south. The Catalan language is spoken throughout the region and is an official language of Spain.

 

10. Communidad Valenciana

Capital – Valencia

With a fantastic climate and over 500km of coast, the Valencian Community is definitely a holiday region, Famous for its agriculture, oranges and paella, there are a lot of traditions here. Valencians speak Valencian which is almost the same as Catalan and still very common among families.

 

11. Murica

Capital – Murica

Another smaller region, famous for it’s port in Cartagena where the it became a roman colony, you can still see a lot of this when you visit. There are some beatiful beaches in Muricia such as La Manga and temperatures warm throughout the year.

 

12. Andalucia

Capital – Seville

With the best climate in all of Spain, summers can sometimes be unbareable for tourists in Analucia. Andalucians have a very thick accent which can be difficult to understand even for Spaniards. Andalucians are known to be more laid back or even ‘lazy’, probably due to their hot weather! This is the region of flamenco and bull fights and is popular among tourists.

 

13. Castilla la Mancha

Capital – Toledo

Home to some beautiful traditional cities such as Toledo and Cuenca. There is also a lot of empty land here with so many windmills, you could be in the Netherlands!

 

14. Extremadura

Capital – Merida

This region is not very common for tourists and very little have even heard of it, meaning it is very strong on traditions and typically Spanish. Located close to Andalucia, they also have a very strong accent. The landscape here is characterized by the mountain ranges with a good climate of around 30 degrees in the summer.

 

15. Madrid

Capital – Madrid (of course)

Because of its central location, the region has dry summers and cool winters. Another small region and mainly just holding the city of Madrid, the capital of Spain. You will never get bored in this city with great nightlife shopping and festivals.

 

16. Balearics

Captail – Palma

Heavily taken over by tourism, the islands sometimes loose their true Spanish feel, but if you take a car out of the city, you can discover many lovely little villages. They also speak Catalan here and have a heavy Catalan influnce.

 

17. Las Islas Canarias

Capital – Santa Cruz

These islands are situated far from mainland Spain, in the Atlantic, next to the Sahara, meaning the weather is great all year round! Another very popular tourist destination. The islands have a lot of history and the largest islands, Tenerife, holds a volcano which is still live.