Spain

One of the largest countries in Europe, Spain is made up of many diverse regions, each with its own unique history and culture.

Its rich, tumultuous, and sometimes controversial history stretches back centuries. Spain has been settled by the Phoenicians and Romans, conquered by Muslim caliphs, and ruled as a huge empire by kings and queens; it has suffered civil war and the rise of fascism and struggled with high unemployment, to name just a few defining eras that make Spain the dynamic and modern country it is today. Spain has produced some of the world’s most famous artists, authors, and poets. It’s home to nearly 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites (the third-most in the world) and many world-class museums.

It’s no surprise that with such a complex history, every corner of Spain is characterized by long-standing traditions, styles of music, festivals, and beliefs. From Valladolid in north-central Spain: a former capital where locals say the purest “Castellano” Spanish is spoken, all the way to Barcelona: a vibrant, international hub of a city is fiercely independent Catalonia, Spain has much to offer and much to teach us. Choose one of our sites to get started.

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Information about Valladolid

Spanish literature and poetry:

The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Don Quixote – Miguel de Cervantes

The Selected Poems of Federico Garcia Lorca – Federico Garcia Lorca

Life & Works of José Zorrilla

History and politics of Spain:

The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain – Maria Rosa Menocal

Homage to Catalonia – George Orwell: a gripping account of his experiences in the Spanish Civil War fighting Franco’s fascists.

Helen Graham, The Spanish Civil War: A Very Short Introduction

News Source – El Pais

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