Spain

Spain is a land of cultural superlatives. It produced one of the West’s great writers in Cervantes, some of the great art pieces in the haunting images of Goya and the ingenious arrangements of Picasso; it also gave us the stirring classical voices of Carreras and Domingo. The ancient pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago, is where tourism as we know it began in the Middle Ages. Here, spiritual rejuvenation is the goal for so many visitors each year as they peacefully trek through the ethereal northern countryside and seek inspiration from the sweeping landscapes and architectural gems. Olive groves and medieval villages connect the great cities of Barcelona and Madrid where jaw-dropping architecture and some of the world’s best-loved art museums house landmark pieces. The naturally-inclined will also enjoy the plethora of migratory shorebirds and imposing raptors such as the hulking Spanish Imperial Eagle. Off the southeast coast lie the Balearic Islands – rich in water birds and the starting points of many a Mediterranean cruise.