The highly-anticipated ninth generation of Pokémon will arrive later in 2022 with the release of Scarlet & Violet. As per tradition, the games will feature a new region that draws inspiration from a real-world location, mainly the Iberian Peninsula, most specifically Spain.
The new region promises to be unlike anything fans have seen before, increasing the hype for the games. Spain is a culturally-rich country with plenty of history to exploit and numerous noteworthy and world-famous regions. Madrid will probably be in the game, but Spain has other locations that would be perfect within the Pokémon world.
Basque Country
Located in Northern Spain, the Basque Country includes three provinces: Álava, Biscay, and Gipuzkoa. Although it doesn’t have an official capital, the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz in Álava houses the Basque Parliament, thus serving as the de-facto capital. Bilbao is the Basque Country’s largest city and arguably its most famous, thanks to landmarks like the Guggenheim Museum and the Athletic Club, also known as the Athletic Bilbao.
The Basque Country would make for a perfect city in Scarlet & Violet. It might not house a Gym, but it could be a crucial location for the player to learn more about the box-art legendaries.
Extremadura
Located in the central-western part of the Iberian Peninsula, Extremadura is one of Spain’s most important locations for wildlife. The Monfragüe natural reserve is world-famous thanks to its variety of birds and the ruins of an old castle. The caves at Monfragüe also house several paintings that date back to Cooper, Bronze, and Iron Ages.
Pokémon has numerous cool regional birds, and most regions include an obligatory forest. Monfragüe could fulfill that role in Scarlet & Violet, housing the regional bird and numerous Grass-type Pokémon. Considering the games will be open-world, players could visit them at any point in their playthrough.
Cantabria
Widely considered a historic community, Cantabria belongs to “green Spain,” thanks to its lush vegetation and warm climate. Cantabria is home to several noteworthy prehistoric sites dating back to the Upper Paleolithic. The world-famous cave of Altamira — home to some of the most well-known cave paintings in the world — is also part of Cantabria.
Fossil Pokémon are a major part of the franchise, and a city or location based on Cantabria would be the perfect place to find them in Scarlet & Violet. A Fossil Pokémon based on the famous Magdalenian Bison cave painting would also be a perfect addition to the region.
The Canary Islands
Also known as the Canaries, the Canary Islands are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. They are the southernmost of the Spanish autonomous communities and include eight islands: Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, and La Graciosa.
Nearly every region in the Pokémon world has a beach city, and the Spain-based region could have multiple. The Canary Islands are a typical tourist destination, famous for their beauty and nightlife, so their presence in the upcoming Pokémon generation seems like a certainty.
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is also part of the “green Spain,” region, located in a mountainous zone that grants its trademark lush vegetation. Oviedo is the region’s most famous city and capital; other noteworthy settlements include Gijón, Asturias’ largest city, and Avilés.
Asturias has a wet climate, with rain happening throughout the year. Several Pokémon cities also have a constant string of rain, including Pastoria City in Sinnoh and Laverre City in Kalos. A city or town based on Asturias could fulfill that role in Scarlet & Violet. Asturias is also the setting for the Princess of Asturias Awards, another aspect of Spanish cultural life that the games could include.
Catalonia
Catalonia, or Cataluña in Spanish, houses one of the most famous cities in Spain: Barcelona. The region has a rich cultural history dating back to the middle ages and has played crucial roles in several conflicts, including the Napoleonic and Carlist Wars.
A major city based on Barcelona is a given, but the new Pokémon region could also draw inspiration from other locations in Catalonia. The Costa Daurada, for example, is a popular tourist destination thanks to its beautiful beaches and the ruins of the former Roman city of Tarraco.
Andalusia
Divided into eight provinces, Andalusia is the second-largest autonomous community in Spain. Among its most famous cities are Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Málaga, and Sevilla. The region is a mix of numerous influences, including Roman, Greek, Byzantine, Romani, and Islamic.
Pokémon normally steers away from religious motifs, but they have included several church-like buildings. The Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, the Alhambra of Granada, and the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See are among the most important religious monuments in Spain and are some of the landmarks fans would love to see in Scarlet & Violet.
The Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are home to the most famous beach in Spain and arguably one of the most well-known in the world: Ibiza. The islands of Mallorca, Menorca, and Formentera are also preferred tourist destinations, famous for their scenic views of hectic nightlife.
A town based on Ibiza would be a perfect addition to the ninth Pokémon generation; it could even house a Water-type Gym. Water-type Pokémon are among the best in the franchise, and any region based in a country with so many beaches should give them a prominent role.
Castilla Y León
Formed by nine provinces — Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia, Salamanca, Segovia, Soria, Valladolid, and Zamora –, Castilla y León has several noteworthy landmarks. Among these are the Walls of Ávila, and the cathedrals of Burgos and León.
Valladolid and Salamanca would be perfect for the upcoming Pokémon region to use as inspirations for a town or city, but the entire region has potential. León has a rich political history, and Scarlet & Violet could even feature the popular Cartularies of Valpuesta, two of the earliest documents written in Spanish, housed in the Monastery of Santa María de Valpuesta in Burgos.
Castilla-La Mancha
Castilla-La Mancha includes several well-known settlements, including its capital, Toledo. However, the region might be most famous as the setting for the seminal novel, The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of la Mancha, otherwise simply known as Don Quixote.
A Pokémon based on the beloved character is practically a given, so why not include an entire city based around the book? It is one of the most influential pieces of written work in literature, and its importance in modern Spanish culture cannot be denied.
