CASTILLA Y LEÓN

Whether floodlit by night or bathed in the late afternoon sunlight, there's something truly magical about SALAMANCA. This is a city of rare architectural splendor, awash with golden sandstone overlaid with Latin inscriptions in ochre, and with an extraordinary virtuosity of plateresque (in the manner of a silversmith) and Renaissance styles. Monumental highlights are many, with the exceptional Plaza Mayor (illuminated to stunning effect at night) an unforgettable highlight. But this is also Castilla's liveliest city, home to a massive Spanish and international student population who throng the streets at night and provide the city with youth and vitality.

SEGOVIA is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed city and a stunning monument to Roman grandeur with a castle (Alcázar) said to have inspired Walt Disney - a city of warm terracotta and sandstone hues set amid the rolling hills of Castilla. Segovia's most recognizable symbol is El Acueducto (Roman Aqueduct), an 894m-long engineering wonder with 163 arches and, at its highest point in Plaza del Azoguejo, rises 28m high.

AVILA's old city, 1½ hours from Madrid by train or bus, and about halfway between Segovia and Salamanca, is one of Spain's best-preserved medieval bastions, surrounded by imposing walls with eight monumental gates, 82 semi-circular watchtowers, and more than 2500 turrets. Ávila is also famed as the home town of the 16th-century mystic and religious reformer, Santa Teresa de Ávila.

CASTILLA-LA MANCHA

Though one of Spain's smallest regional capitals, TOLEDO played a large part in the nation's history as a bastion of the Spanish church and stand as a symbol of a flourishing multicultural medieval society where tradition has it, Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities coexisted peacefully. The old town today is a trove of churches, museums, synagogues, and mosques set in a maze of narrow streets, plazas, and inner patios high above the Río Tajo. Toledo's other strong point is art, in particular the powerful canvases of El Greco, the impossible-to-classify painter with whom the city is synonymous. Crowded by day, Toledo changes dramatically after dark when the streets take on a moody, other-worldly air.

CATALONIA

BARCELONA is undoubtedly one of Europe's coolest cities. Despite its two millennia of history, it's a forward-thinking place, always at the cutting edge of art, design, and cuisine. Whether you explore its medieval palaces and plazas, admire the Modernista masterpieces of Antoni Gaudí and others, shop for designer fashions along its bustling boulevards, sample its exciting nightlife or just soak up the sun on the beaches, you'll find it hard not to fall in love with this vibrant city.

GIRONA is a tight huddle of ancient arcaded houses, grand churches, climbing cobbled streets, and medieval baths, all enclosed by defensive walls and a lazy river, some powerful reasons to visit northern Catalonia's largest city.

In the buoyant port city of TARRAGONA, Roman history collides with beaches, nightlife, and a food scene that perfumes the air with freshly grilled seafood. The biggest lure is the wealth of remains from one of Spain’s most important Roman cities, including mosaic-packed museums and a seaside amphitheater.

ARAGÓN, BASQUE COUNTRY & NAVARRA

Aragón is a beautiful and fascinating region to explore if you have a few extra days. In the south, the little-visited Teruel is home to some stunning Mudéjar architecture, and the nearby, Albarracín is one of Spain's prettiest villages. In the north, the Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido is the most spectacular stretch of the Spanish Pyrenees, with dramatic mountain scenery and superb hiking; the pretty village of Torla is the main gateway (though it gets overrun with visitors in July and August). En route to the mountains are several towns and villages with enchanting medieval quarters or fascinating medieval monuments, such as Aínsa, Jaca, and Huesca. In Aragón's northwest, Sos del Rey Católico is another gorgeous stone village draped along a ridge

ZARAGOZA (Saragossa), on the banks of the mighty Río Ebro, is a vibrant, elegant, and fascinating city. Its residents, who form over half of Aragón's population, enjoy a lifestyle that revolves around some splendid tapas bars, outstanding shopping, and a dynamic nightlife. But Zaragoza is much more than just a good-time city: its host of historical sights spans all the great civilizations that have left their mark on the Spanish soul. This is also a good place to get acquainted with the artistic genius of Francisco de Goya, who was born a short horse-ride away in 1746.

With an abundance of Michelin stars adorning its stylish restaurants, not to mention a tapas (pintxo) culture almost unmatched anywhere else in Spain, SAN SEBASTIAN frequently tops lists of the world's best places to eat. Charming and well-mannered by day, cool and happening by night, the city has an idyllic location on the shell-shaped Bahía de la Concha, with crystalline waters, a flawless beach, and green hills on all sides.

Apart from its label as the commercial hub of the Basque Country, BILBAO is best known for its magnificent Guggenheim Museum. An architectural masterpiece by Frank Gehry, this museum was the catalyst of a turnaround that saw Bilbao transformed from an industrial port city into a vibrant cultural center - without somehow losing its down-to-earth soul) After visiting this must-see temple to modern art, spend time and explore Bilbao's Casco Viejo (Old Quarter), a grid of elegant streets dotted with shops, cafes, pintxo (tapas) bars and several small but worthy museums.

The pre-Pyrenean city of PAMPLONA (Iruña) is home to the wild Sanfermines festival but is also an extremely walkable city that's managed to mix the charm of old plazas and buildings with modern shops and a lively nightlife. The Sanfermines festival is held from 6 to 14 July, when Pamplona is overrun with thrill-seekers, curious onlookers and, bulls. The Encierro (Running of the Bulls) begins at 8 am daily, when bulls are let loose from the Coralillos Santo Domingo. The 825m run through the streets to the bullring last just three minutes and many of those who run are full of bravado with little idea of what they’re doing. It's a dangerous game and more than a dozen people have died during the run.

CANTABRIA, ASTURIAS & GALICIA

The 'Green Spain' offers fantastic walks and scenery in mountainous national and regional parks, seafood feasts in sophisticated towns and quaint fishing villages, and boasts a spectacular coastline dotted with beautiful beaches washed by the chilly waters of the North Atlantic.

Thirty kilometers west of the Cantabrian capital, Santander, SANTILLANA DEL MAR is a bijou medieval village and the de-facto overnight base for visiting nearby Altamira. Spain's finest prehistoric art, in the Cueva de Altamira, 2.5km southwest of Santillana, was discovered in 1879. It took more than 20 years, after further discoveries of cave art in France, before scientists accepted that these wonderful paintings of bison, horses, and other animals really were the handiwork of primitive people many thousands of years ago. Although the exact age is uncertain the paintings are between 13,000 and 35,000 years old.

The hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who walk to SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA every year along the Camino de Santiago are often struck mute with wonder upon entering the unique cathedral city's medieval center. Reaching the (supposed) burial place of St. James (Santiago) has been a goal of pilgrims for well over a thousand years.

The 671-sq-km PARQUE NACIONAL DE LOS PICOS DE EUROPA is Spain's second-biggest national park and the jagged mountains it covers offer some of the best hiking in Spain - with the highest peak rising to 2648m! The main centers for accommodation are in Cangas de Onís (Asturias) and Potes (Cantabria) - it would help to have your own transport.

VALENCIA

Spain’s third-largest city is a wonderful place - a liveable city with thriving cultural, eating, and nightlife scenes. The star attraction is the strikingly futuristic buildings of the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. Valencia also has a handful of fabulous Modernista architecture, fantastic museums, and a large, characterful old quarter. Surrounded by fertile fruit-and-veg farmland, the city is famous as the home of rice dishes like paella, but its buzzy dining scene offers plenty more besides.

BALEARIC ISLANDS

The Balearic Islands (Illes Balears in Catalan) grace the glittering Mediterranean waters off Spain's eastern coastline. Beach tourism destinations par excellence, each of the islands has a quite distinct identity and they have managed to retain much of their individual character and beauty. All boast beaches second to none in the Med, but each offers reasons for exploring inland too.

MALLORCA (Majorca), the largest island, is known for its beaches, scenic coastline, and the Serra de Tramuntana mountains to the north. Palma, the capital city, is known for its Gothic cathedral with an altar canopy by modern architect Antoni Gaudí, and Almudaina, a Moorish royal palace. Getting beyond the beach developments and out to some of the more secluded bays, and into the mountains and pretty inland towns is the key to enjoying the island if you have time to venture beyond Palma. Most of Mallorca's best beaches are on the north and east coasts, and although many have been swallowed up by tourist developments, you can still find the occasional deserted cove.

IBIZA (Eivissa in Catalan) is an island of extremes. It's well known for the lively nightlife in Ibiza Town and Sant Antoni, where major European nightclubs have summer outposts. It’s also home to quiet villages, yoga retreats, and beaches, from Platja d'en Bossa, lined with hotels, bars, and shops, to quieter sandy coves backed by pine-clad hills found all around the coast. Peaceful country drives, hilly green territory, a sprinkling of mostly laid-back beaches and coves, and some wonderful inland accommodation and eateries are light-years from the throbbing all-night dance parties that dominate the west.

ANDALUCÍA

Many of the most powerful images of Spain emanate from Andalucía and it can be difficult not to feel a sense of déjà vu - the flashing fire of a flamenco dancer, the scent of orange blossom, a festive summer fair, magical nights in the shadow of the Alhambra. In the bright light of day, the picture is no less magical.

SEVILLE will soften any stony heart with its stylish but ancient, proud yet fun-loving vibe – home to two of Spain's most colourful festivals, fascinating and distinctive barrios such as the flower-decked Santa Cruz, historic monuments, and a population that lives life to the fullest. Being out among the celebratory, happy crowds in the tapas bars and streets on a warm spring night in Seville is an unforgettable experience. But whatever you do, try to avoid July and August, when gets incredibly hot and most locals flee to the coast.

CORDOBA was once the capital of Islamic Spain and Western Europe's biggest, most cultured city, where Muslims, Jews, and Christians coexisted peaceably. Its past glories place it among Andalucía's top location today. The centrepiece of Cordoba is the mesmerizing, multi-arched Mezquita - arguably one of the world's greatest works of Islamic architecture. Surrounding it is an intricate web of winding streets, geranium-sprouting flower boxes, and cool intimate patios that are at their most beguiling in late spring.

GRENADA'S eight centuries as a Muslim city are symbolized in its keynote emblem, the remarkable Alhambra, one of the most graceful achievements of Islamic architecture. Part palace, part fort, part lesson in medieval architecture, the Alhambra has long enchanted a never-ending line of expectant visitors. Granada is stocked with history, art, and life, with tapas bars filled to bursting and flamenco dives resounding to the southern song.

MALAGA is a world apart from the adjoining, overdeveloped Costa del Sol: a cheerful, historic port city that has emerged as a city of culture - its so-called 'mile of art' being compared to Madrid, and its dynamism and fine dining to Barcelona. Málaga's tastefully restored historic centre is a real delight, with a Gothic cathedral surrounded by narrow pedestrian streets flanked by traditional and modern bars, and shops that range from idiosyncratic and family-owned to urban-chic and contemporary.