Spain Spain was a country in southwestern Europe . It was bordered to the west by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean , to the north by France via the Pyrenees and to the south by Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea . History . 15th century . By the 15th century , it was against Spanish customs to engage in the slave trade . ( AUDIO : " Trouble in Paradise " ) 16th century . During the late 16th century , Spain fought a war with England . ( AUDIO : " The Flames of Cadiz " , AUDIO : " Voyage to the New World " ) In 1587 , Sir Francis Drake launched an attack on the Spanish Armada in the port of Cadiz . The destruction suffered by the Spanish fleet delayed them until 1588 . ( AUDIO : " The Flames of Cadiz " ) 17th century . In 1603 , shortly before her death , Queen Elizabeth I told the Seventh Doctor that the defeat of the Spanish Armada " saved [ her ] realm . " ( PROSE : " Birthright " ) In 1658 , Spain was at war with England . ( AUDIO : " The Waters of Amsterdam " ) 20th century . The Spanish Civil War took place in the 1930s . It saw two large political parties and their supporters fight for control of Spain . During this time , many previously small factions came into play . Anarchists , communists and fascists all took part in the war . The Eighth Doctor , Anji Kapoor and Fitz Kreiner visited Spain in 1937 . They stayed in the anarchist - held Barcelona while studying anomalies in history . ( PROSE : " History 101 " ) Spain remained neutral during World War II , making it a prime destination for Resistance fighters and other people seeking to escape Nazi - occupied France . ( AUDIO : " Resistance " ) In 1962 , Barbara Wright went on holiday to Toledo . ( AUDIO : " The Flames of Cadiz " ) In 1966 , the country was a destination of the villainous Chameleon Tours . ( TV : " The Faceless Ones " ) As a child , Ace holidayed in Spain on several occasions . ( AUDIO : " Fiesta of the Damned " ) In 1985 , a Sontaran - Androgum group landed in Seville , taking over a local villa . Shockeye , along with the Second Doctor ( who had been given genetic material that temporarily turned him into an Androgum ) , headed into town to try one of the local restaurants . ( TV : " The Two Doctors " ) 21st century . Elton Pope was fond of Spain , as he noted in his video diary . ( TV : " Love & Monsters " ) During the " Cyberman invasion " of 2007 , Donna Noble was scuba - diving in Spain and didn ' t witness them even though , as the Tenth Doctor noted , " They had Cybermen in Spain too " . ( TV : " The Runaway Bride " ) At 8 : 40AM GMT on a Wednesday in September 2009 , Spain was among the numerous places across Earth in which RTA s occurred as a result of the 456 compelling every human child to suddenly stop and proclaim their message : " we are coming . " ( TV : " " ) Shortly after Miracle Day in 2011 , Spain nearly went into bankruptcy . ( TV : " End of the Road " ) By 2059 , Spain was involved in space travel . When the Tenth Doctor arrived at Bowie Base One , it was theorised that he might be part of a Spanish Mars mission . ( TV : " The Waters of Mars " ) 22nd century . By 2108 , Malaga was an independent state . ( AUDIO : " The Two Irises " ) References . Clara Oswald had a travel guide to Spain in her collection . ( TV : " The Bells of Saint John " )