Spanish life

Spain - General information

Area: 504782 sq. km.
Population: 44.708.964
Capital: Madrid

Language: There are four official languages:
Spanish
Catalan
Euskera (the Basque language)
Galego (spoken in Galicia in the north-west)

Regime: Constitutional Monarchy
Currency: Euro

Spain is a member of the European Union

Barcelona

Barcelona is the Capital of the Autonomous Catalan Community, and the second largest city in Spain.
Situated in the north-east of Spain, on the Mediterranean coast with an area of 104 sq. km., and a population of 1.6 million, it is the metropolitan center for three million people.

The official languages are Catalan and Spanish.
Barcelona is the second largest industrial city in Spain, a city of commerce and the administrative center: The Catalan Government with its accompanying civil institutions are all in Barcelona. In addition Barcelona is a cultural center and a tourist magnet (17% of the working body are employed in a tourist oriented capacity). The port of Barcelona is one of the busiest in Europe.
In 1992 Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games, a fact that contributed significantly to the urban and economic development of the city.
Barcelona was founded in the year 15 B.C. as a Carthaginian colony. Over the centuries the city has come under many different rules, and the traces of these cultures - Roman, Visigoth, Islamic and others, can be seen in various quarters.
In addition, Barcelona is an important cultural and artistic center, and artists of many different disciplines have worked and are still working there. Among the better known are giants such as Gaudi, Dali, Miro and Picasso.
Barcelona is also famous for its architectural style, known as Moderniste, and the many buildings by Gaudi as well as by other architects are well worth visiting.

The Pyrenees

The Pyrenees mountains are a range which separates the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of Europe. The range is 430 km long and the highest peak is the Auto which rises to 3404 meters above sea level. The Pyrenees form the border between Spain to the south and France to the north, with the tiny Principality of Andorra in the middle. The population is made up of several ethnic groups, each with its own language and National identity such as for instance as the Basques, the Catalans and the inhabitants of the Arnc Valley.
In the past, the mainstay of the economy was agriculture, but nowadays the main source of income is from tourism, particularly winter tourism. The ski sites (resorts?), nature reserves and national parks attract large numbers of visitors.
Some of the earliest relics of prehistoric man in Europe are to be found in the Pyrenees. There are many caves - particularly on the French side - where remarkably well preserved wall paintings as well as other items left by these ancients can be seen.

Dining and Lodging

At Kokopeli Adventure we are well aware that many factors combine to make a successful tour, and wining, dining and lodging are among the more important ones. All the senses come into play when getting acquainted with a place, and no sense can enhance this better than the sense of taste!
One of the measures of any culture is the local cuisine, the typical dishes, the manner of presentation and the eating and drinking habits.
We believe that lodging is also of primary importance. There can be no doubt that spending the night in a country guest house in a pampering and inviting atmosphere, waking to a new day with the sight of wild mountains and cliffs, while all around is peace and quiet, and wonderful fresh air - all these in themselves make for a great experience.

The guest houses and restaurants form an integral part of our tours, and meticulous care is taken over their choice. Quality, excellent service and friendly personal attention are the name of the game, though we do not necessarily look for luxury. We prefer unique, authentic places - a guest house built on a lonely cliff in the heart of the Pyrenees, a small family hotel in a tiny hamlet, or sometimes a castle from the ninth century which used to house dukes and duchesses, restaurants hidden in the mountains or in the midst of fields, inns and home wineries are some of our choices. Our aim is to give our clients a direct and genuine experience and to bring them to places off the beaten track, far from the places most tourists frequent. We like our clients to leave with a feeling of really having gotten to know the places they visited with us.