Spain lived through long decades of political and cultural isolation under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco (1939-1975), after centuries of economic and social backwardness compared with the rest of Western Europe. With the dictator's death and the democratic transition, culminating in the 1978 Constitution, the country changed so quickly that it surprised many of its European neighbours, including those who considered themselves more advanced. Joining the European Community in 1986, the Barcelona Olympics and the Seville Expo in 1992 were the symbols of this rebirth.
A country on the move, through crisis and recovery
Tourism has driven a society increasingly geared to services: Spanish cities are visited by millions of people every year and its islands are known all over the world. In 2025 Spain welcomed a record of almost 97 million foreign tourists, according to the INE, and it is now the world's second tourist destination after France.
The path has not been straight. The severe 2008 crisis, when the property bubble burst, pushed unemployment above 25% and led many young Spaniards to emigrate, while the flow of immigrants who had arrived during the boom years from Latin America, North Africa and Eastern Europe dried up. In recent years the economy has grown faster than the European average and the population has passed 49 million thanks to a new wave of immigration. Serious problems remain, however, such as still-high unemployment and the cost of housing (see Spain today).
The many Spains
There are many Spains beyond the stereotype of sun, bulls and crowded beaches. There is a mainland Spain and an island Spain, an arid Spain and a green one, deserts and snow-capped peaks. There are different languages, Castilian, Catalan, Galician and Basque, and very strong regional identities, recognised by the 17 autonomous communities (see administrative divisions). The religious Spain of the Holy Week processions lives alongside one of Europe's most secular and open societies, which in 2005 was among the first in the world to recognise same-sex marriage. And alongside pride in modernity survives an ancient Spain, attached in a heartfelt, never forced way to its traditions and festivals.
Spain and Italy
Italians see Spain sometimes as a cousin, sometimes as a sister, with all that implies. The ties are very old: for more than two centuries the Kingdom of Naples, Sicily, Sardinia and the Duchy of Milan were ruled by the Spanish crown, and the language, food and customs of southern Italy still bear many traces of that period (see the Spanish Empire). Today Spain is one of Italians' favourite destinations for holidays, for Erasmus and also for moving to live and work (see moving to Spain).
Where to start
To get to know the country, start with its history, geography and climate; for your trip, see the guides to cities and places, from Madrid to Barcelona, from Seville to the islands, and the section on getting ready to go.