Spain

Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.  Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, and two autonomous cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, that border Morocco. Furthermore, the town of Llívia is a Spanish exclave situated inside French territory. Spain is the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union after France, and the fourth largest country in Europe after Russia, Ukraine and France.

Because of its location, the territory of Spain was subject to many external influences since prehistoric times and through to its dawn as a country. Spain emerged as a unified country in the 15th century, following the marriage of the Catholic Monarchs and the completion of the reconquest, or Reconquista, of the Iberian peninsula in 1492. Conversely, it has been an important source of influence to other regions, chiefly during the modern era, when it became a global empire that has left a legacy of over 500 million Spanish speakers today, making it the world's second most spoken first language.

Spain is a democracy organized in the form of a parliamentary government under a constitutional monarchy. It is a developed country with the twelfth largest economy in the world by nominal GDP, and very high living standards (20th highest Human Development Index), including the tenth-highest quality of life index rating in the world, as of 2005. It is a member of the United Nations, European Union, NATO, OECD, and WTO.

Barcelona

Barcelona is the capital and the most populous city of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, after Madrid, with a population of 1,621,537, being the sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, London, Ruhr area, Madrid and Milan.  About five million people live in the Barcelona metropolitan area.  About 62% of the inhabitants were born in Catalonia, with a 24% coming from the rest of Spain.  Of the 14% from other countries, a proportion which has more than tripled since 2001 when it was 4%, the majority come from (in order) Ecuador, Peru, Morocco, Colombia, Argentina, Pakistan and China.

Founded as a Roman city, Barcelona became the capital of the Counts of Barcelona.  After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon, it became one of the most important cities of the Crown of Aragon.  Besieged several times during its history, Barcelona is today one of the world's leading tourist, economic and cultural centres, and its influences in commerce, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities.  One of Europe's principal Mediterranean ports can be found here.  It is, indeed, a major economic centre and a growing financial centre.

Barcelona is located on the Mediterranean coast 160 km (100 mi) south of the Pyrenees and the Catalonian border with France.  It has a Mediterranean climate, and is generally a sunny city.  Barcelona was the 12th-most-visited city in the world and 4th most visited in Europe after Paris, London, and Rome.  It is in addition the most popular tourist destination in Spain (receiving over 5 million tourists every year).  Particularly renowned are architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner that have been designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.  The city is well known in recent times for the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Barcelona is the 16th most "livable city" in the world according to lifestyle magazine Monocle.  Similarly, according to Innovation Analysts 2thinknow, Barcelona occupies 13th place in the world on Innovation Cities™ Global 256 Index.  It is the 4th richest city by GDP in the European Union and 35th in the world.

San Sebastián

The Basque Country is the name given to the region in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast.  The region is considered the home of the Basque people, their language, culture and traditions.  Nevertheless the area is neither linguistically nor culturally homogeneous; there are seven traditional regions.  The Basque Country has a population of about 3,000,000 as of early 2006.  Currently, the predominant languages in the Spanish Basque Country and French Basque Country are, respectively, Spanish and French.

San Sebastián is the capital city of the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country.  Locals call themselves donostiarras both in Spanish and Basque.  Its population is 183,090 (2007 estimate), and the population of its metropolitan area is 405,098.  The city is in the north of the Basque Country, on the southern coast of the Bay of Biscay.  San Sebastián's picturesque coastline makes it a popular beach resort.  Adding to the seaside environment, it benefits from hilly surroundings.

San Sebastián shows a dynamic cultural scene.  The city bids to become European Capital of Culture in 2016 with a basic motto, "Waves of people's energy", summarizing a clear message:  people and movements of citizens are the real driving force behind transformations and changes in the world.  Events ranging from traditional city festivals to music, theatre or cinema take place all year round, while they specially thrive in summer.  In the last week of July, San Sebastián's Jazz Festival, the longest, continuously running jazz festival in Europe is held.

San Sebastián is renowned for its Basque cuisine.  San Sebastián and its surrounding area is home to a high concentration of restaurants boasting Michelin stars, namely Arzak (in San Sebastián), Berasategi (in Lasarte), Akelarre (in district Igeldo) or Mugaritz (in Errenteria) to mention but a few.   Adding to these cooking highlights, the city features tasty snacks similar to tapas called pintxos, which may be found at the bars of the Old Quarter.