The Iberian Peninsula is full of rich and diverse landscapes, from semi-arid southeastern deserts to the green coniferous forests. Iberia is home to numerous historic villages and towns, narrow streets, old churches and impressive castles. Visit the capital of Spain, Madrid, the coastal capital of Portugal, Lisboa, a wide amount of coastal cities like Málaga and Olhão, and many of the inland cities. Be an important part of the strong export economy and deliver cargo from Iberia through Europe.
Iberia is delightful, here's why
- Travel through the Tabernas Desert, often nicknamed 'mainland Europe's only desert'
- Connect Iberia to the rest of Europe with shipments from its busy ports
- Deliver car parts and whole cars to and from the various car factories to the shipping terminals
- Take a rest at truck stops and gas stations crafted to closely match their real-life counterparts
- See landmarks of all shapes and sizes, from medieval castles to statues of historical figures
- Enjoy the spectacular view of the coast and even the famous 'The Rock of Gibraltar' located on the other side of the bay from the coastal city of Algeciras
- Immerse yourself in new ambient sound, from the subtle sound of wind through the valleys to the tweeting of birds
- Explore mountainous areas with a wide range of colorful rocks
- Visit landmarks like the Guadiana International Bridge and get a bird's-eye view on it with the viewpoint feature
- Unlock Iberia-specific Steam achievements
Discover Iberian cities
Learn more about the Iberian Peninsula
Knowledge is power. You can learn all about Iberia's power sources, nature and economy below.
Eco-regions
From semi-arid southeastern deserts to the green coniferous forests, the Iberian Peninsula is home to a rich and very diverse ecosystem. With two dominant climate types, temperatures and weather can vary depending on where you are traveling. With Iberia being the second largest European peninsula by area, you can be sure to see a wide range of different eco-regions.
Deserts
Did you know many of western classics based in the wild west of America, featuring traditional cowboy shootouts and close-ups of squinting eyes (yee-haw!), were filmed in the hot and dusty deserts of Spain?
Located in the south-east of Iberia and often nicknamed 'mainland Europe's only desert', you will find the Tabernas Desert, a dry but beautiful part of the Spanish mainland. This part of Iberia is the first desert climate to ever feature in Euro Truck Simulator 2; and offers a very unique contrast to the lush and green forests that dominate the rest of the continent.
Whether you are just traveling through, or taking the scenic route, be sure to look out for the locations of famous movies, tumbleweed, and cowboys... because this town ain't big enough for the two of us, partner.
Ports of Iberia
With over 3,000 km of coastline, a majority of Iberia's largest cities and population are located near or next to the sea, and sea ports in the Iberian Peninsula play an incredibly important role within the economy. Shipping, fishing, and ocean tourism are some of the peninsula's largest industries. You will find many of these larger and smaller ports across the coastline of the peninsula.
The ever-increasing demand for more products and shipping means you'll find no shortage of jobs when you are near a port. With hundreds of shipments coming and going every day, you'll be a part of connecting Iberia to the world when it comes to logistics.
Car Industry
Thanks to the ports across Iberia with connections to Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Atlantic, shipping across the world makes Spain and Portugal an ideal location for automobile manufacturers. Some of these operations are so large that many ports have their own dedicated car shipping terminals which are solely dedicated to the transporting of automobiles overseas.
Play a vital role in delivering parts and cars to and from the various car factories throughout Europe to the shipping terminals. With millions of cars rolling off the production line each, you will have no shortage of logistic jobs in this industry.
Architecture and Villages
No matter where you are traveling across the peninsula, you'll be sure to see a wide array of different architecture. There are many common designs you can spot when you are driving in Iberia. Namely, the orange terracotta roofs are found on most villas, houses, and buildings; which have been created from the abundance of clay extracted from quarries in the local region. The most common type of design of buildings is designed with white walls, stone floors, and windows with shutters to help keep out the heat.
Howlever, not everything about Iberia is native. From Spanish Colonial (a combination of Native American and Moorish influences) to Neoclassical architecture, it is evident to see influences from around the world found in many of Spain and Portugal's buildings and landmarks.
Don't forget to slow down and take a moment to enjoy the history and beautiful architectural design that can be found across both Spain and Portugal.
Iberian Energy
Iberia is achieving high demand for electricity by using modern energy sources instead of using traditional ones such as coal to generate electricity. One of the more popular modern energy sources are solar panels, which uses the sun's energy (which Iberia has plenty of) as way of creating electricity. Solar panels are most effective when large amounts of them are used together on a solar farm. These areas covered by thousands of solar panels provide a sizeable chunk of Spain's and Portugal's electricity. Another source of energy typical for the Iberian Peninsula is from wind captured at turbine farms found on hilltops, in valleys, and even offshore.
Truck Stops and Gas Stations
Through mountains, cities, and forests, drivers often seek refuge from the sun and take the time to rest for the journey ahead at suitable rest areas and designated gas stations designed for truck drivers. With Iberia being one of the leading logistic capitals of Europe, truck stops have become commonplace across the countries of Spain and Portugal.
A large majority of gas stations have been handmade which allows a variety of designs to be crafted to match their real-life counterparts as closely as possible. These rest stops also will feature other AI drivers who will pull up for fuel and for a much-needed rest in the parking area. From small country gas stations to large highway truck stops, you can relax knowing the next stop isn't too far away.
Rocks and Vegetation
The majority of the Iberian Peninsula consists of a much drier climate than we are used to seeing across the rest of mainland Europe. You'll see new models of trees including cypresses, palms, pines, dry shrubs, olive trees, orange trees, and cork trees, which bring a variety of vegetation that exists across Spain and Portugal.
It may come as a surprise to you to find out that the peninsula is actually very rocky. You will also find that Iberia is very colourful! Much like you would see in various US states, Spain and Portugal feature different coloured soil and rocks. From red, yellow, and even sometimes grey, our team has done their best to capture the unique colours of each area across this enormous peninsula. After reading all this, we're sure you think that Iberia rocks.
