Get your bearings
Almost entirely surrounded by sea,
Spain is Western Europe’s sultry heart. The mountainous north draws escapists to
Galicia’s green hills, hikers to
Asturias and skiers to the
Pyrenees’ snowy peaks on the French border. Vast plateaux and valleys lead to the dynamic capital
Madrid in the country’s centre. Edging east brings you to arty
Barcelona and the
Costa Brava’s coves. Gold sands washed smooth by the Mediterranean lure sun-worshippers south to the
Costa del Sol. Find life beyond the beach in Moorish-influenced cities like
Granada and
Seville.
Urban scene
Culture buffs on breaks in Spain make for east coast
Barcelona to contemplate Gaudí’s fantastical architecture and the Gothic cathedral’s riot of filigree spires. Spain’s vibrant capital
Madrid has designer shopping, world-class galleries and a live-to-party attitude. Art-lovers head to forward-thinking
Bilbao for a Pop Art feast at Frank Gehry’s striking titanium Guggenheim. Some of Spain’s hottest cities are in Andalusia – lose yourself in
Seville’s flamenco rhythms, and the Moorish splendour of
Granada’s
ornate
Alhambra Palace and
Córdoba’s 1000-pillar Mezquita.
Coast
Whether you’re seeking sheltered coves or party-mad beaches, there’s a Costa with your name on it in Spain. Sunseekers leave Barcelona behind for the palm-fringed bays of lively
Sitges and the rugged Costa Brava where
Lloret de Mar pulsates with discos and theme parks. Sun yourself on the Costa Blanca’s golden sands, home to high-rise
Benidorm and castle-topped
Alicante. Continue south to the Costa del Sol for dazzling white villages, Mediterranean beach life in
Benalmádena, and golf and glamour in
Marbella. Escapists find secluded coves and quaint fishing villages on the northern Costa Verde.
Mountains
Spain is Europe’s second most mountainous country. Strap on skis or boots in the jagged
Pyrenees bordering France, where the
Ordesa National Park beckons with thundering waterfalls, glacial lakes and canyons. Straddling Asturias, Cantabria and Castile-Leon, the
Picos de Europa’s limestone peaks hide hilltop monasteries and a nature reserve where brown bears, chamois and lynx roam.
Galicia and the
Basque Country recall Ireland with green, rolling countryside and Celtic heritage. Go south to spend a morning swimming in the Mediterranean Sea before an afternoon skiing the slopes of
Sierra Nevada.
Regional flavours
Eat like a local on holidays in Spain with long, siesta-inducing lunches. Galicia serves Atlantic-fresh
seafood - from
gambas a la plancha (grilled prawns) to paprika-spiced octopus. Try rich
bean and chorizo soup,
fabada, washed back with
cider in neighbouring Asturias. Rioja’s full-bodied
red wines pair well with Castile-Leon’s
meaty dishes like suckling pig and La Mancha’s flavoursome
manchego cheese. Sample
fried fish,
smoked ham and garlicky
gazpacho (cold vegetable soup) in Andalusia, or Spain’s best
paella in Valencia. Throughout Spain, locals begin the day sweetly with
churros (doughnuts) and hot chocolate, and end it with
tapas in upbeat bars.
