Diverse Cultures

Spain's regions, or autonomous communities, are so diverse that traveling there is almost like traveling to many different nations at once. This is one of the finest reasons to visit Spain. Some people not only speak Spanish but also their own native tongues. Although Catalan and Basque are the most widespread and distinctive dialects, several other languages, including Galician, Extremaduran, and Aragonese, are also commonly spoken in some regions.

Additionally, there are other active separatist movements, primarily in Catalonia and the Basque Country, led by organizations that do not even identify as Spanish. In Basque Country, you'll discover that the area has its own distinctive mythology, pelote, its own national sport, and pintxos, its own take on tapas. The culture of Catalonia is nonetheless distinct from the rest of Spain even though Catalans are not as adamantly separatist as the Basques. Many items unique to Catalonia cannot be found elsewhere in Spain, from the dishes of fideua, a Catalan variation of paella made with short noodles rather than rice, to the habit of building human castles called castells.