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Clicking on the map on that part of Spain you are interested in, will take you to a more detailed map of that region
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Hola, welcome to Spain. Click on the map to get more information on that part of Spain
Because we are based there, information is being given starts with the Costa Blanca, and works south along the coast from Valencia. The site is up and running early in order to get search engine indexing
Short history of Spain
The Iberian peninsula, that is Spain & Portugal, has been populated since prehistoric times. The Atapuerca Cave site in northern Spain shows that humans existed here nearly a million years ago. The Iberians from north Africa arrived around 4000 BC, followed by the Celts who came from the north and settled in the northern part of the peninsula.
Around 1100 BC, Phoenician founded a number of colonies, the most important of which was Gadir (today's Cadiz). Also Greeks settled in southern Spain and along the Mediterranean coast. When Phoenicia fell, the Iberian peninsula came under the rule of Carthage, and then was conquered by the Romans, when they overcame Carthaget. The Romans then ruled the area for the next six centuries, leaving four powerful social elements: the Latin language, Roman law, the municipality and the Christian religion.
The Roman empire fell in the fifth century AD, there was a period of mayhem with various mauraudering tribes on the loose, until the Visigoths, a Germanic people from central Europe, established control.
In 711, the Muslims of northern Africa launched an invasion across the Strait of Gibraltar, quickly occupying most of the peninsula. The Christian kingdoms to the north gradually fought back, driving the Moors southwards. The last Moorish kingdom, Granada was eventually conquered in 1492.
1492 was also the year Columbus discovered the New World, and with it came the Spanish colonies in America. Treasure from this vast overseas empire created a very wealthy Spain.
The defeat of the Spanish Armada by England 1n 1588 saw the start of a slow decline in Spanish power. With the accession of the Bourbons to the Spanish throne in 1713, Spain came under French influence for the next 100 years, until the defeat of Napoleon's army during the Peninsular War.
During the 19th century, Spain was divided between conservatives and liberals. In 1931 King Alfonso XIII was forced to abdicate, and Spain was declared a republic. Conservative reaction by both the church and army sparked the Spanish Civil War, which raged from 1936 to 1939. General Franco took over as Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. For the next forty years Spain was a dictatorship, all the political parties with the exception of the National Movement.
Franco died in 1975, opening the way to the restoration of the monarchy under King of Spain, Juan Carlos I de Borbon y Borbon.
1986 Spain joins European Community and in 1999 Spain becomes part of the Euro system
Christopher Columbus, Spains greatest explorer?
The Flag of Spain the history of the Spanish Flag
Newspapers in Spain a guide to the Spanish and English Language Newspapers available in Spain
Moraira in Spain a charmig village on the Costa Blanca
Guadalest one of Spains major tourist attractions
Portet The old port of Moraira
Via Plata Cycling the Via de la Plata
We live in Moraira, Costa Blanca,