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| The country of Spain is located in southwestern Europe. |
| Mainland Spain has a surface area of 493,486 square kilometers, while the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands cover 4,992 and 7,447 square kilometers, respectively. The Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla on the African continent account for an additional 32 square kilometers. |
| The World Tourism Organization rates Spain as the second most popular tourist destination worldwide, with 49.5 million visitors annually. | |
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| The Basque Country , in the north of Spain, is made up of three provinces: Alava, whose capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz , Guipuzcoa, whose capital is San Sebastián, and Vizcaya, with Bilbao as its capital. |
| Its impressive landscapes, unique history, rich cultural heritage, and renowned cuisine, coupled with the warm hospitality of its people make it one of the most popular travel destinations among Spaniards. |
| Vitoria Gasteiz, with a population of over 200,000, is the capital of the Alava province, in the north of the Basque Country. | |
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 Cathedral of Saint Mary. Gothic cathedral of great historic and artistic value, built over a defensive wall. |
| Church of Archangel Saint Michael. Houses the statute of the White Virgin, patron saint of the city, worshipped by people of the province. |
| Parish of Saint Vincent the Martyr. Architectural gem showing the transition from the Middle Ages to the Modern Era. |
| Historic Quarter of Vitoria Gasteiz. Here visitors can find elegant houses and renaissance palaces, such as Villa Suso, Casa del Cordón, Escoriaza Esquivel, Portalón and Montehermoso. |
| Fournier Museum of Playing Cards. Contains one of the most valuable collections of playing cards in the world. |
| Basque Museum of Art ARTIUM. Boasts a wide selection of works from major Spanish artists of the mid-20th century, as well as other noteworthy pieces from artistic movements of the first half of the century. |
| City Parks.La Florida, La Senda, El Prado, El Parque del Norte, Arriaga, Arambizcarra, Judimendi and San Martín are the city's main parks. |
| Anillo Verde (Green Ring)Made up of four spectacularly beautiful natural areas (Olarizu, Zabalgana, las Balsas de Salburua and Armentia). A must-see on visits to Vitoria! |
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| The diverse lands in Alava give rise to a cornucopia of products and dishes. |
| Some typical regional products include homemade chorizo sausages, blood sausage with rice, beans, "rosquitos", "perrechicos", and delicious wild mushrooms from the hills of Orduña. |
| In the lower plains, typical dishes are snails in sauce and "dulces vitorianos", while in the mountains popular meals include roasted lamb, cheeses, and milk-based desserts. |
| The Rioja wine region in Alava is known for its magnificent wines and lamb chops "al sarmiento" with potatoes "a la riojana." |
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| The most typical handcrafted products in the region are carved wooden articles, cast ironwork, wicker baskets, and traditional Basque ceramics. |
| In Vitoria, the capital, the busiest shopping area is in the center of town, where most of the shops have been open for years. There are three important shopping centers: Dendabara, Itaca and Edificio Pera. |
| Throughout the province you'll find open air markets, the most popular ones being in Vitoria (Thursdays), Laguardia (Tuesdays and Saturdays), Alegría Dulantzi (Fridays), and Amurrio (Fridays). |
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| Official Local Time: UTC +2 in Summer, +1 in Winter. |
| Currency: The Euro. |
| Official Language oficial: Spanish and Basque. |
| Population: Approximately 40 million inhabitants. |
| Electricity: 220 V. |
| Types of Payment: All major credit cards. |
| Banking hours: Banks are usually open from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.. |
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