Page 266 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

264  THE IBERIAN PENINSULA

The Iberian Peninsula at a Glance

A wonderful, warm climate and superb beaches have made
the Iberian Peninsula a popular package-tour destination,
drawing millions of visitors to well-known areas, such as the
Algarve in Portugal and the Costa del Sol in Spain. But there
are also tranquil fishing villages, first-class museums and
galleries, and a wealth of splendid architecture, from the grand 0 km 100
monuments left by the region’s Moorish rulers to ultramodern, 0 miles 100
21st-century designs. The Catholic faith has deep roots in
Portugal and Spain. As well as spectacular cathedrals, there
are many colorful religious festivals that take place all year
round, making a visit all the more enjoyable.

A Coruña Santander
Oviedo
Lugo Bilbao
Santiago de (Bilbo)
Compostela
León Pamplona
(Iruña)
Burgos
Braganca
Valladolid Zaragoza Lleida
Toledo (see pp286–8) has one of the Barcelona
largest cathedrals in Christendom, a Oporto
massive Gothic structure that soars
above the rooftops of the perfectly Salamanca
preserved medieval town.
Coimbra Madrid Teruel
Menorca
SPAIN
Toledo (see pp266–335) Mallorca
PORTUGAL
(see pp336–63) Valencia
Ibiza
Lisbon Merida Ciudad Real Albacete
Evora
Alicante
(Alacant)

Lisbon (see pp340–49) rises Córdoba
above the estuary of the Tagus
on a series of hills. Trams and Seville
lifts carry passengers to the
heights of the Alfama and Granada
Bairro Alto districts. Faro
Málaga
Seville (see pp318–21) is regarded
as the soul of Andalusia. The city’s
famous bullring is arguably the finest
in the whole of Spain, and a perfect
venue for a first experience of the
corrida, or bullfight.

The Alhambra complex in Granada, Andalusia, Spain

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