Madrid

504.782 km²
(12x the Netherlands)

UTC +1

Spanish

Mulhacén - 3,478 m

The flag of Spain consists of two red stripes and a yellow stripe containing the coat of arms. The current flag was adopted on December 19, 1981. The colors were selected in 1785 by King Charles III because they were clearly different from the color of the flags of other European states (mainly white).

The euro was introduced simultaneously in 12 European countries, as well as in Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City on 1 January 2002. This was the largest monetary exchange operation of all time. On the front of the note is a gate or window and a bridge on the back. These are all fictional. The euro replaces the peseta which was used between 1869 and 2002.

Canillas de Albaida is a village with about 800 inhabitants, an hour's drive to the northeast of Málaga. It lies on the edge of the Parque Natural Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama. The village, at an altitude of 576 meters, is a perfect base for hiking the area. The old center of Canillas de Albaida consists of narrow alleys with whitewashed houses. In Canillas de Albaida and the surrounding villages, mainly muscat grapes, avocados and olives are grown on the terraces.



El Caminito del Rey, the king's small walking path, is located in the El Chorro region. The trail has been closed for over 10 years due to trail decay. After four years of repairs and renovation, it opened again in 2015. Before then, it was known as the most dangerous path in the world. The original path was built for the workers of the hydroelectric power stations at the Chorro and Gaitanejo waterfalls. Construction started in 1901 which would last four years. In 1921, King Alfonso XIII walked across the path for the opening of the Conde del Guadalhorce dam, hence the current name. Parts of the path are at a height of 100 meters against the rock wall and the concrete path was 1 meter wide. Over time, decay set in causing parts to collapse and holes formed in the concrete. Parts of the old path are still visible. The path was closed after accidents in 1999 and 2000. In 2011, a new path was built over the old one. Total cost was 9 million euros over a three-year period. In 2015 it was reopened. The entrance to El Caminito is on the north side via a short tunnel and leads to a beautiful valley. A helmet is provided. Flip flops are forbidden. Last possibility for toilet. The distance to be covered is 5 kilometers. You walk through a gorge into a wide valley, Valle de Hoyo. The gorge in the south is even more spectacular. At the railway bridge a the exit, scenes for the movie Von Ryan's Express with Frank Sinatra were shot. You have to book tickets well in advance for a visit to El Caminito: www.caminitodelrey.info.

Albaicin in Granada is originally an Arab neighborhood with numerous alleys. It was founded in 1013 during the Zirid dynasty when it was surrounded with defensive walls. After the reconquista, the district lost its appeal. In 1994 it came on the UNESCO list.

Granada is the capital of the province of Granada, at an altitude of 738 meters at the foot of the Sierra Nevada. The oldest finds in Granada are from an Oppidum, a fortified place on a hill at the time of the Celts, called Ilturir. After the conquest by the Romans, it was called the Municipium Florentinum Iliberitanum. The Visigoths arrived in 416. In 711, the Arabs began to invade Spain. They conquered much of Spain. Al Andalus was founded. The Arab Granada's name was Garnata and became one of the most important Moorish cities. There lived Arabs, Jews, Christians and Berbers who had their own neighborhoods. In January 1492, the last Arab ruler, Emir Muhammad XII, surrendered to Fernando V and Isabella I. This marked the completion of the reconquista of Al-Andalus.

The Alhambra (Qalat Al-Hamra), literally 'the red one', was initially a small fortress that was built in 889 on the remains of Roman fortifications. In the middle of the 13th century the Nasrid emir Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar built the current castle and walls. In 1333, Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada, turned it into a royal palace. After the reconquista it became the seat of Ferdinand and Isabella and it was partly renovated in Renaissance style. Later it fell into disrepair, in 1812 the French removed some towers and in 1832 there was an earthquake. It was restored from 1828 onward. Get your entrance tickets to the Alhambra as soon as possible via the internet because they sell out quickly. You must indicate the day and time.

Catedral Metropolitana de la Encarnación de Granada, is a Roman Catholic church and the seat of the Archdiocese of Granada. In contrast to other churches construction did not begin until the 16th century. The first plans had Gothic architecture but most of the church was built during the Renaissance. Foundations were started from 1518 to 1523 on the site of the main mosque of the city. It took 181 years to complete. Two 81 meter towers were planned but the financial recourses ran out.

The site of the city of Málaga once housed a settlement of the Turdulen, a pre-Roman people who lived in the south of the Iberian Peninsula. The city was probably founded by Phoenicians around 1000 BC. In the 6th century BC the city was conquered by Carthaginians who in turn were defeated by the Romans in 218 BC. Remains of the Roman theater are located at the Alcazaba. The Romans brought prosperity to the city, making it an important center in the region. In 411 the Visigoths put an end to that. In 711 the Moors arrived and founded the Al-Andalus empire and named the city Malaqah. Al-Andalus was divided in 40 different empires which also fought each other. Conquest by the Christians, the reconquista, was difficult and the Spanish Queen Isabella I almost got killed. After a siege of 6 months, the Moors surrendered. There are various sights in Málaga such as the Alcazaba, the Roman theater from the 1st century BC and the Gibralfaro. The Alcazaba was built in the 11th century by the Moors and the Gibralfaro early 14th century on the remains of fortifications which were built by the Phoenicians. It was besieged for months by King Ferndinand and Queen Isabella. It was used as a military base until 1925. Málaga Cathedral was built between 1528 and 1782 in the reanaissance style. Entrance to the roof of the cathedral from four o'clock in the afternoon.