Barcelona

Barcelona has been an important Mediterranean city for over 2000 years. From the Roman legacy to Gaudí, Tibidabo to the sea, the labyrinthine Gothic Quarter to the Ramblas and wide avenues of the 19^th century city—art & architecture, quiet corners and crowded plazas, the Olympic Village and beautiful beaches, succulent seafood and the light, fruity wines of Penedès—a ramble in Barcelona is an ideal introduction to one of Europe's liveliest cities.

Madrid

Madrid, Spain's political capital, sits in the middle of the Castilian plateau, subject to winds from the Sierra de Guadarrama which create brilliant blue skies. Turn a corner, and you may come upon a building or plaza from Hapsburg, Bourbon, 17^th, or 18^th century Madrid; the old center of town still has a surprising number of 19^th century shops with curious window displays and atmospheric, historic restaurants and cafés. However, the city today impresses the visitor as modern—composed of 19^th and 20^th century architecture.

The art lover is richly rewarded in the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza, Queen Sofia Art Center, and other museums. A day trip to Toledo or Segovia, vital cities to the history of the nation, perfectly complements a stay in this most Spanish of cities.

Sevilla

Sevilla is the romantic's vision of Spain—white-washed courtyards planted with orange trees, jasmine and the strains of guitar music in the night air, Carmen, bullfighters, Don Juan. Once the wealthiest city in the western world, its Cathedral and Giralda, Alcázar and Council of the Indies, recall its Arab legacy and the wealth that poured in from the New World. It's also a modern, vibrant city, site of the 1992 World's Fair. A visit to Córdoba adds to the picture of Andalucia's rich past, when the Moors controlled all of southern Spain.