Population – 45 million, Area – 195,363 sq mi (505,988 sq km), Currency – Euro (EUR, symbol: €), Flight times – From London to Barcelona is 2 hours; to Madrid is 2 hours 20 minutes and to Málaga is 2 hours 45 minutes; from New York to Madrid is 8 hours 35 minutes, Cities – Madrid (capital), Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Málaga, Bilbao, Time Zone – Mainland Spain/Balearics: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October); Canary Islands: GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October), Weather – Varies from temperate in the north to dry and hot in the south; best months are from April to October, Languages – Castilian Spanish, Catalan, Galician, Basque, Religion – There is no official religion, but the majority of the population is Roman Catholic, Electricity - 220 or 225 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are in use.

The kingdom of Spain is located on the Iberian Peninsula to the southwest of Europe and borders Portugal, Gibraltar, Andorra and France. It is the 3rd largest country of Europe and the 5th in population with a strength exceeding 40 million. Most Spanish people are brought up as Roman Catholic, and family values are extremely important. It is a land of extremes; miles of endless sunny beaches along the coast and massive snow capped peaks inland. Madrid is the capital of Spain

The country has clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along the coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast. The land has sunshine all-year-round and the average annual temperature is approximately 20 degrees.

The official language is Spanish, also called Castilian, and is the first language of over 72% of the population apart from Galician, Catalan, Aragonese and Asturian, which are also spoken.

Spain has much more to offer than Flamenco music and dance, bull-fights, fantastic beaches and sunshine. It is, and has been one of the cultural centers of Europe for over a thousand years. It has beautiful cities and towns, offering really old monuments as well as futuristic architecture. Its various regions are all different one to each other, geographically, climatically and even in personality.

There are five big mountain ranges crossing the country, and a greater percentage of it is located at an elevated plain. Landscapes are extremely varied, some almost desert-like, others green and fertile, and of course there are the long coasts, in the east along Mediterranean Sea from Pyrenees to Gibraltar, and in the west along the Atlantic Ocean and Cantabrian Sea.

Over 15 million people live in Spain’s major cities. That’s over 38 % of the country’s whole population. Spain’s capital (Madrid) and Barcelona are the only two cities with populations of more than one million people. Valencia, Sevilla, Saragoza and Malaga have populations of over 500,000.

Medical tourism in Spain is popular in the fields like various surgery based treatments. There are cosmetic surgeries, eye surgeries, obesity surgeries, elective surgeries where there are further specializations. In Spain, treatments can be sought for dental problems, infertility problems. For those who requires special care too can go to Spain as the services are world class. Imaging of the body too is very advanced and the technology used is of international standards due to which there is a huge influx of medical tourists. The health industry has many interesting packages and value added services in order to attract more medical tourist. Medical tourism in Spain has received a huge boost as it has a huge reputation of post operative care that is very essential after any kind of surgery. The time taken by for the treatments depends on the kind of ailment and the kind of treatment opted for by the patient.

The clinics and hospitals have specialty wing where there are special privileges for medical tourist. Medical tourism not only involves curing of the ailment but also the total rejuvenation of health. The presence of world renowned doctors and specialists have created more scope of medical tourism in Spain. At times there are tourists who go to other countries in search of doctors or specialists. The patients have the choice to select the doctors who would treat them. A lot of hard earned money can be saved and at the same time get world class treatments in Spain. There are insurance covers too for those seeking treatments or especially surgeries.

Eye surgeries in Spain can be opted to treat cataract, myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, presbyopia and glaucoma. Infertility/IVF treatment in Spain includes treatments like IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation), PGD (Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis), embryo freezing, ovarian cortex freezing, ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) and assisted hatching. Breast reduction and augmentation, liposuction, face lift and rhinoplasty are all treatments under cosmetic surgery. There are experts for anyone who requires hip and knee replacement, spine surgery, obesity surgery and hernia repair.

All of these modern well equipped hospitals have an outstanding reputation and the best medical specialists of Spain who work here are well known for their advanced treatments.

All of these hospitals have been checked and assessed on criteria such as patient friendliness, hygiene, morbidity (number of complications), mortality, etc. Every hospital has documented emergency procedures, intensive care units and all relevant specialists in house in case they are required. This way the patient is guaranteed a safer treatment than he would have in the UK.

All hospitals have a translator at hand as although most doctors speak English, not all the nursing and care staff do. Health Care Facilities also provides a 24 hour interpreter service.

All hospitals are located conveniently close to airports with numerous connections to many UK cities via regular airlines as well as low cost ones and are within half an hours drive from airports Alicante, Barcelona, Malaga and Valencia.

Spain has produced some world famous painters over the years. The most well known are obviously Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. There are over 50 Museums spread across Spain. Spanish art has existed almost as long as the Iberian peninsula has been inhabited and you can look no further than the Altamira cave paintings (located in Cantabria but a reproduction can be seen in Madrid) as proof.

Spain also has produced some world class composers and opera singers. World famous Spanish composers include Enrique Granados, Isaac Albéniz, Manuel de Falla and Joaquín Rodrigo.

Both the nuclear and the extended family concept are prevalent in Spain, which sometimes provides both a social and a financial support. The structure and the size of the family vary and networks have become less tight. The greatest changes have occurred inside families, between men and woman, and the parents and children because the values that inspire these relations have changed.

The guitar was invented in Andalusia in the 1790s when a sixth string was added to the Moorish lute. It gained its modern shape in the 1870s.

Religion in Spain

The majority of Spaniards are formally Roman Catholic, although different religious beliefs are accepted. During the history of Spain, there have been long periods of where different religious groups have coexisted, including Muslims, Jews and Christians. Still some traditions manifest more like a cultural event than a religious one. During Holy Week, many participants of the processions wear peaked, black hats as the sign of a penitent and walk barefoot, carrying a burden of some kind. Religious history is apparent in every small town, where the most grandiose building is typically the church. In the large cities the Cathedrals are almost museums

Barcelona, also known as the "the jewel of the Mediterranean", is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It's also Spain's most modern, individualistic and cosmopolitan city. It's located in the northeast of Spain, on the Mediterranean coast, near the French border. The two official languages spoken in Barcelona are Catalan, and Castilian Spanish.

Barcelona is a city of intense cultural, recreational and commercial interest. There are millions of things to do and see here. The city is internationally renowned for having the greatest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe. There are some beautiful parks here, most with modern rather than traditional design. The nightlife is excellent and there are plenty of top class restaurants.

The city of Barcelona has some of the best Modernist Architecture in Europe. Home to the world famous Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia, Europe's most unconventional church, Gaudi's greatest work, inspired by nature and full of symbolism. It became his life work. He spent 16 living on site as a recluse trying to finish it. To this day, the church still isn't fully finished. It's a massive, overwhelming building that completes dominates the Barcelona skyline.

Madrid has some fascinating historic monuments. Among its highlights are the Medieval Centre, which dates as far back as the Habsburg Empire and the Prado Museum which was built in 1785.

Philip II made Madrid the capital of Spain in 1562. Nowadays it's one of Europe's finest capital cities. It's located right in the centre of Spain, in the geographic centre of the Iberian Peninsula. Because of its central location and high altitude, the climate of Madrid is characterized by warm dry summers and cold winters.

Apart from being a cultural destination, It is also a vibrant, youthful metropolis full of bars, restaurants, pubs, cafes, cinemas, parks, discos and nightclubs. A lot of people consider Madrid to be the "nightlife capital of Europe".

Valencia is home to the world famous Spanish Paella; a rice dish normally made with mussels, lobster, shrimp, chicken, pork, pepperoni, rice, saffron, and wine, amongst other ingredients. You’ll definitely find the best Paella in Spain here.

Valencia is located in eastern Spain, on the shores of the Mediterranean. It’s close to the mouth of the Turia River. Not only is it one of the most dynamic and liveliest cities in Spain, it’s also a first class tourist destination. Valencia has some amazing beaches, beside the city itself and stretching north and south of the capital. During the summer, the city and beaches become packed with tourists. The nature of its inhabitants are incredibly warm and inviting

Seville is the capital of Andalucía. It's also the fourth largest city in Spain. It has over 3,000 years of history and is one of the most visited cities by foreign tourists. The city itself is truly beautiful; it's packed with fantastic churches, convents, monuments and all kinds of Moorish buildings.

Madrid Barajas International Airport is Spain's busiest airport, is located 13 kilometres (eight miles) north-east of central Madrid. Road links to all terminals have recently been revamped; the Madrid Metro is easy to access from Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and reasonably easy from Terminal 4; buses provide an effective service; taxis are always available, with a journey time to the centre of Madrid in under 30 minutes, depending on traffic.

Places of Interest:

The Cathedral

This is definitely the most impressive building in the city. It dates as far back as 1401 and houses over 500 works of art. Some of these are the most important in the world.

La Giralda

Standing at an astonishing 319 feet high, La Giralda (the Moorish Tower) is the tallest tower in Spain. It’s attached to the cathedral and was erected 1184.

La Calle Feria (Feria Street)

This is one of the longest streets in Seville. It’s renowned for its historical importance and charm. It starts at Resolana Street and runs all the way to San Juan de Palma square. The street itself is lined with all kinds of shops and workshops. On Thursdays, there’s a street market selling everything from paintings to furniture. They also have a public market here. It’s a good starting point for touring around the city.

Plaza de España

This an absolute must see. A massive plaza surrounded by an artificial river with a beautiful fountain in the centre. A vast semi-circular monument surrounds the plaza. The monument itself is 200 metres in diameter with a spectacular tower at the each end.