Southwestern Europe Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
subregion of the European continent, includes the Iberian Peninsula and surrounding islands
About Southwestern Europe
Southwestern Europe owes much of its common identity to theRoman Empire. Today most of the region is part of theEuropean Union, and is well-integrated with free movement and the same currency. Homo Sapiensreached Europe from Africa through the Middle East roughly 40000 years ago, and displaced theHomo Neanderthalensis, which died out around 30000 years ago. Rome was originally a city-state; the Roman Republic seized the Italian peninsula during the 4th century BC. The Romans first invaded the Iberian peninsula (Hispania) in 218 BC; though it took them 200 years to capture it all. TheGauls, who resided in present-day France, were rivals of Rome, until Julius Caesar (who had yet to become Roman dictator) conquered them in a ten-year campaign, ending in 50 BC. These western provinces were qu
Southwestern Europe Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 15 sections including: