OVERVIEW

Hot-blooded Spain has produced some of the world's greatest painters, sculptors and architects. Blessed with immense natural beauty, the beaches, islands, sierras, mountains and fjord-like rias, offer nature enthusiasts as much as the festivals, tapas bars, museums, medieval castles and discos offer the hedonist. Witness a fiery Flamenco, get splattered at the tomato festival, luxuriate in a languid siesta, sip sangria by the beach, go bargain-hunting at a flea market or party the night away at a disco. To get under Spanish skin, read Hemingway's 'For Whom the Bell Tolls', watch movies by director Pedro Almodovar and listen to the sounds of Paco de Lucia's guitar.

With dazzling coastlines and breath-taking cities, rolling hills covered in vineyards and delectable gastronomic delights, Spain and her accompanying collection of popular sun kissed islands offer every traveller an experience they will never forget.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

• Spain’s climate is diverse but mostly warm, dry and sunny, especially from April to October, with up to 12 hours of sunshine a day throughout the height of summer. Occasionally, sea breezes may prevent very hot days and the south is the warmest. The Canary Islands are typically warmer in winter than the mainland and Mediterranean.

Holiday Highlights

• Visit Madrid
• Visit Barcelona
• Visit Tenerife – The more frequented of the Canary Islands, Tenerife enjoys over 217 miles of volcanic coast, tropical forests, designer shopping and an array of vibrant bars and restaurants
• Visit Mallorca-Mallorca is the largest of the Balearics so it should come as no surprise that are there are plenty of resorts, all with their own ambience, to choose from. Just a couple of our favourites include picturesque Puerto de Sóller, which combines old-world traditional charm with modern cafés and restaurants, and the ancient bohemian village of Deia, a haunt for artists, musicians and writers
• Visit Ibiza – Ibiza Town, known locally as Eivissa, is the cultural heart of the island, with plush yachts moored at the Marina, the incredible walled fortress of Dalt Vila, beautiful beaches, fashionable nightlife and unique shops. Fifteen minutes away is tranquil Talamanca, with its long curved beach and shallow waters.
• Visit Costa del Sol - for the glamorous and the jet set, Marbella combines plush Puerto Banús’ glitzy harbour, designer boutiques and chic bars with a cobblestoned Old Town, spectacular golf courses, luxury hotels and gorgeous beaches, including fashionable Mistral and lively La Fontanilla.