Once away from the holiday costas, you could only be in Spain. In the cities, narrow twisting old streets suddenly open out to views of daring modern architecture, while spit-and-sawdust bars serving wine from the barrel rub shoulders with vibrant nightlife.
Travel is easy, the climate benign, the people relaxed, the beaches long and sandy, the food and drink easy to come by and full of regional variety. Cultural influences in Spain are equally diverse - Greeks and Romans, Arabs (Moors), Gypsies, Jews, Basques and Celts have all left an indelible imprint on the art, architecture, music and gastronomy of Spain.
Whether you have only enough time to visit the easily accessed cities of Barcelona and Madrid or you take advantage of an opportunity to go off the beaten track to visit the smaller towns, Spain will not disappoint.
For many travellers, the paradors of Spain rank among the finest and most characterful places to stay in the world. This unique concept, of luxury hotels within castles, palaces, fortresses, convents, monasteries and other buildings of historic interest, offers visitors the most romantic short breaks or self-drive tours from property to property, discovering the best of Spain as you go.