Toledo was known in Roman times, under the name of Toletum, but the forging of weapons in the area is even older, from around 500 BCE. Hannibal used swords from Toledo during the Punic Wars, and the Romans soon discovered the quality and wanted to acquire these weapons themselves.
The making of bladed weapons still plays a big role in Toledo, with many shops having them on sale for tourists to buy.
2. Basque region; Guggenheim Museum
Answer: Bilbao
Bilbao is located in northern Spain, close to the Bay of Biscay. It is the capital city of the Basque region, which has been agitating, sometimes, violently, for independence from Spain for many years. The Guggenheim Museum was designed by Frank Gehry and opened in 1997.
3. Navarre; bulls
Answer: Pamplona
Thanks to Hemingway's novel, 'The Sun Also Rises' from 1926, Pamplona and its 'running of the bulls' are better known than they might otherwise have been. Pamplona is located in Navarre, in the northern part of Spain and bordering France's Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
4. Costa del Sol; Picasso
Answer: Malaga
Malaga is situated on Spain's southern coast, on the Mediterranean Sea. Because of its location, it is a popular tourist resort. It is known as one of Europe's oldest cities, with records going back nearly 3000 years. Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga in 1881 and the actor Antonio Banderas is also from Malaga, being born there in 1960.
5. River Manzanares; Placido Domingo
Answer: Madrid
Madrid, is found in the central area of Spain and has been its capital city since 1606. Among its famous museums are the Prado and the Reina Sofia. Placido Domingo, one of the 'three tenors' with fellow Spaniard Jose Carreras and the Italian Luciano Pavarotti, was born in Madrid in 1941.
6. Las Ramblas; Gaudi
Answer: Barcelona
Barcelona is the capital city of Catalonia, and borders the Mediterranean Sea in north eastern Spain. Las Ramblas is a well-known thoroughfare in the city, comprising a series of shorter streets stretching over three-quarters of a mile. Barcelona is also known for many of the works of Antoni Gaudi, with the most famous undoubtedly being the church of the Sagrada Familia.
7. Andalucia; Alhambra
Answer: Granada
Granada is in southern Spain, a little inland from the Mediterranean Sea, in the region of Andalucia. Its most famous landmark, the Alhambra, is a large palace which dates from the middle of the thirteenth century. The site is rather older, but the buildings originally there had fallen into ruins.
The building has been a Royal Palace for both the Muslim and Christian leaders of the region, and is a major tourist attraction. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
8. Catalonia; 'Game of Thrones' scenes
Answer: Girona
Girona is in north eastern Spain, around 60 Miles (99 kilometres) from Barcelona. The city dates from 79 BCE, and was occupied by the Romans under the name of Gerunda. Girona's cathedral is approached by a long set of steps, numbering 86. The steps have provided a useful backdrop for film directors, and were featured in series six of the television show 'Game of Thrones'.
Other parts of Girona stood in for Kings Landing in the show.
9. Southwest of Spain; Rossini
Answer: Seville
Seville is a city in Andalucia, near the southern coast of Spain and was founded, according to myth, by Hercules. Its history does date back some way, to the eight century BCE, and it has been occupied by the Visigoths, Moors and Christians during its long existence. Rossini's opera of 1816, called 'The Barber of Seville', was based on an earlier play by Frenchman Pierre Beaumarchais and called 'Le Barbier de Seville' (1775).
10. Eastern coast; paella
Answer: Valencia
Valencia is Spain's third largest city, with only Madrid and Barcelona being bigger. The Romans founded it in 138 BCE under the name of Valentia Edetanorum. Paella is one of Spain's best known foods, and Valencia is the undisputed home of the dish. It is named for the dish in which it is cooked, and traditionally contains rice and seafood.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor spanishliz before going online.
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This task sent players to one of three duel categories of the day, with a time penalty for choosing an easy one and a bonus for the hardest (narrowest) choice.
