Spain has been a hugely influential country for hundreds of years, and is located between France and Portugal. Though the vast majority of the population is Spanish, there are other cultural backgrounds within, notably Catalan. Spanish culture is known for strong literary contributions, influential art movements, intellectual cinematic presentations and tasty cuisine. Miguel de Cervantes is perhaps the most notable literary author famous for writing Don Quixote. Artistically, Spain has produced great artists such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Francisco Goya. Spain is also known for its architecture, which is a mix of Arab and Roman influences. Recently, in the 20th century an influential style known as modernisme produced a number of vividly unique structures, notably by Gaudí in Barcelona.
Spanish cinema has achieved broad international appeal with works such as Pan’s Labyrinth and Volver. Spain is known for regional cuisine including paella and cold soups in the Mediterranean region, and thick hot soups, Spanish ham and manchego cheese in inner Spain. You may recognize churros, traditionally eaten alongside thick hot chocolate, and horchata, which both originate in Spain. A Spanish au pair can introduce you to a well developed modern culture and cook delicious regional dishes.
