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Green Spain It is one of the least known areas, and one that is overflowing with gems that the slightly more adventurous traveler seeks - mountain peaks and national parks, the Caves of Altamira, the rias (fjords) of Galacia, and the fervor of the pilgrims of Santiago de Compostela. It is fishing villages, prehistoric caves, chic summer resorts and a new museum that has become world famous upon its opening. It is wild horses, forested foothills with bears and wolves, craggy, snow-capped alpine peaks, and fjords along a jagged coast. It is four regions, three languages, two coastlines, and one special itinerary that could cover 10-14 days for the right traveler. Green Spain extends from the point at which Spain meets France along the huge bay of the Atlantic Ocean called the Cantabrian Sea, to the farthest northwestern point of Spain, a point the ancient Romans called finis terrae (the end of the earth). Four autonomous regions make up this area: Pais Vasco or the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, and Galacia. Pais Vasco is divided into three provinces and Galacia into four, while Cantabria and Asturias are not further subdivided. Outside of the name "Basque", most North American's would not recognize many of the place-names here, yet they would readily identify with many of the features and sites in the area:
Green Spain is of course called such because of its deep green colors and the climate that makes it so. Most comparable to the north-western part of the United States and the southwestern tip of Canada, Green Spain rarely has very cold weather, although it does receive a lot of rain. The Cantabrian Mountains divide Green Spain from Inland Spain. In most places, the distance from coast to mountain divide is only 60 to 80 miles, sometimes less. The land rises from the sea to mountains that are over 8,000 feet high and that provide spectacular scenery in the summer and skiing in the winter. On a clear summer day, the beach resort towns match those found anywhere in the world. The coast of Galacia is punctuated by rias, long, deep inlets from the sea. They are sometimes no more than the mouths of rivers, and at other times are fjords that run inland for miles, with magnificent scenery. And these regions hold Spain's most famous cuisines! Basques and Galacians produce prize-winning chefs coveted throughout the country. From the humblest bean and meat stew of Asturias to every imaginable concoction of seafood, travelers who love to eat will have gastronomic adventures that match the unique sightseeing in this area. Strong cider rivals wine as the drink of choice in many areas. In Asturias the cider is always poured by raising the bottle as high as the arm will reach and filling (and occasionally spilling) a glass held down below with the other hand. Northern Spain, along with the northeastern part of the country, is Spain's most heavily industrialized area. Travelers will pass through mining areas, industrial plants and works, and busy ports. Around the next corner, though, is always a village almost untouched by commercial tourism and where life proceeds in many ways as it has for centuries. |
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