Spain is very well known throughout the world for its landscapes, its gastronomy, the character of its people, its diversity, its history and, in general, the wide range of touristic options it offers. Additionally, there are record-breaking places in Spain that make it stand out in a global level. Small records that have been unintentionally broken, either by the very nature of things or by historical events. Let ‘s take a look at them.
Top 8 record-breaking places in Spain
The oldest Roman lighthouse in the world
Tower of Hercules, A Coruña. | Shutterstock
The Tower of Hercules, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2009, boasts of being the oldest functioning Roman lighthouse in the world. The origin of this beautiful tower is not exactly known but, according to the information obtained from the ceramics found, it is estimated that it was built between 40 and 80 A.D. It was built keeping in mind the role that it still plays today: to serve as a guide for sailors. It was abandoned for a while, but in the eighteenth century it regained the title of a lighthouse and has never ceased to be so. It is surrounded by an interesting sculptural park and the longest seaside promenade in Europe, which leads to the city of A Coruña.
The only black sand beach of non-volcanic origin
In the province of A Coruña you can find yet another destination of importance on the world map: the only documented non-volcanic black sand beach in the world. It is the Teixidelo beach, located in Cedeira, in the Sierra de Capelada. When visiting, one should learn about it and also enjoy the surroundings: very few places in Galicia look as green as this place, because the contrast with the color of the sea and the sand of the beach makes a spectacular postcard image.
The smallest beach in the world
Gulpiyuri Beach, Asturias. | Shutterstock
From one beach to the next. What is considered the smallest beach in the world is situated in the municipality of Llanes, next to the town of Naves. It is named Gulpiyuri, a word of Asturian origin meaning “circle of water”. It is 40 meters long and has no direct access to the sea: the Cantabrian Sea is right behind the rocks that separate them. When the tide is low, the water escapes between the stone wall and the sand is exposed, virtually covering the entire surface. It is beautiful, overwhelming and very fascinating, and it is one of those destinations that place Spain on the world map.
The oldest restaurant in the world
Casa Botín, Madrid. | Shutterstock
In 1987, the Guinness World Records certified that the restaurant Botín, known as Casa Botín, which has been operational for three centuries, is the oldest restaurant in the world. Perhaps its main achievement has been that since its opening, back in 1725, it has not stopped operating, not a single day, not even during the Spanish Civil War. Even today you can find it in the street of Cuchilleros, number 17, very close to the Plaza Mayor in Madrid. Regarding its cuisine, it has not changed much over time either: it gladly continues to serve the traditional and family inherited recipes.
The longest underwater volcanic tube in the world
Jameos del Agua, another outcome of the intense volcanic activity of Lanzarote. | Shutterstock
On the island of Lanzarote we can find the so-called Atlantis Tunnel, the largest underwater volcanic tube in the world. Centuries ago, Lanzarote was covered by a sea of lava from the Corona volcano. Numerous traces of that eruption remain today, including this cave whose roof, floor and walls are made up of solidified lava. Its exploration began in 1972, although it was not until 1987 when its length of 1,618 meters was covered entirely, and the work could not be repeated until another three decades later. This says a lot about the magnificent place it is located in.
The only desert in Europe
The Tabernas Desert. | Shutterstock
The European continent is home to especially arid areas, often called deserts, but the truth is that the only real desert in Europe is located in Spain. In Almería, to be more precise. This is the Tabernas desert, a landscape that at first does not seem to match our geography, but it says a lot of the enormous diversity that we have in the country. With its span of 280 square kilometers, between the mountains of Filabres and Alhamilla, the characteristics of the Tabernas desert have made it a unique location. Not because there are not any other deserts in the world, but because if one wants to visit a desert in Europe, this is the only true option.
The smallest border in the world
Throughout history, numerous remarkable events have taken place between Spain and Morocco. Thanks to this ancient relationship between the two, we can talk about the smallest border in the world: Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, a rock of about 250 meters in length that has been Spanish territory since 1564. Interestingly, until just a century ago, this formation was an island. In 1930, a large-scale earthquake shook the Moroccan coast, moving both the African Plate and the Iberian Sub-Plate, causing the sand to settle between the island and the mainland. Thus, this rock was formed along with the 85 meters of border, the smallest in the world today.
The world’s smallest international bridge
The smallest international bridge in the world is 3.2 meters long and 1.45 meters wide. It is so small that cars cannot pass through it: they just do not fit there. It is a tiny structure that connects two countries: Spain and Portugal. On one side of the bridge, you will find Arronches, a Portuguese village of 2,000 inhabitants. And on the other, El Marco, which in addition to being a district of the municipality of La Codosera, in Badajoz, has given the name to this smallest international bridge in the world. This is another record-breaking place in Spain, which has more destinations highlighted on the world map than you might think at first.
