Legends of Spain
“Legends of Spain” uncovers Spain as a rich, mysterious landscape of myth and storytelling. Through the lens of renowned photographer Matthieu Paley, National Geographic CreativeWorks explored how geography, history, and culture inspired some of the greatest Spanish legends—imploring curious travellers to come and discover a more legendary Spain.
Photograph by Matthieu Paley
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
The Brief
Spain has always been a popular holiday destination, with many coming to enjoy facets of Spanish culture that we have come to know and love.
But these elements—tapas, sunny weather, sandy beaches, city breaks—showcase only one side of Spain. There is so much more below the surface; a richness of culture to explore, and National Geographic CreativeWorks aimed to capture the imagination of adventure-loving travellers by driving awareness of Spain’s lesser-known places and tourism experiences.
But these elements—tapas, sunny weather, sandy beaches, city breaks—showcase only one side of Spain. There is so much more below the surface; a richness of culture to explore, and National Geographic CreativeWorks aimed to capture the imagination of adventure-loving travellers by driving awareness of Spain’s lesser-known places and tourism experiences.
Photograph by Matthieu Paley
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
Solution
Through a series of content, National Geographic photographer Matthieu Paley visited three regions—Asturias, Basque Country, and Central Spain—to investigate the origins of a specific myth endemic to each area. While there, Matthieu uncovered how landscapes and anthropological factors inspired legends like the cuelebré serpent, lamia mermaids, and giants.
This custom content (videos, articles, and galleries) was distributed through a dedicated content hub, which was also localized across our five local National Geographic sites, amplified across our global digital and social platforms—including an Instagram in-feed post on the @natgeotravel account, and dark Instagram Stories.
Bespoke content was also featured in the National Geographic digital Newsletter and print in both National Geographic Magazine UK edition and global.
This custom content (videos, articles, and galleries) was distributed through a dedicated content hub, which was also localized across our five local National Geographic sites, amplified across our global digital and social platforms—including an Instagram in-feed post on the @natgeotravel account, and dark Instagram Stories.
Bespoke content was also featured in the National Geographic digital Newsletter and print in both National Geographic Magazine UK edition and global.
Photograph by Matthieu Paley
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
Get in touch
Interested in pushing the boundaries of storytelling with National Geographic? Please reach out to Nadine Heggie at Nadine.Heggie@natgeo.com.
Photograph by Matthieu Paley