Spain pairs Moorish Andalucía and the food of San Sebastián with Mallorca coves, all within three hours of London.
Most British travellers know Spain as a beach, and miss much of the rest. Andalucía has the Alhambra, the cathedral and royal palace of Seville and the Mezquita in Córdoba. The Basque Country takes its food very seriously, and Mallorca has mountain villages and coves that feel nothing like the resort towns.
We plan Spain around cities and countryside in pairs: Seville with a finca in the hills near Ronda, San Sebastián with a Rioja wine estate, Barcelona with the Empordà coast. High-speed trains between Madrid, Seville, Córdoba and Barcelona keep the transfers short.
The honest caveat is inland summer heat. Seville and Córdoba are often close to 40°C in July and August, and the south of Spain sensibly slows down in the afternoons. Spring and autumn are far better for cities; save high summer for the north coast and the islands.
The experiences we plan most often, with the months they are at their best.
The Alhambra is a hilltop palace complex of carved stucco, courtyards and water, with the Sierra Nevada behind. Timed tickets for the Nasrid Palaces sell out, so we book them well ahead with a private guide. Stay in the Albaicín, the old Moorish quarter opposite, and watch the walls turn red at sunset from the Mirador de San Nicolás.
Seville smells of orange blossom in March and April. Walk the Barrio de Santa Cruz, spend a morning in the Real Alcázar gardens, and climb the Giralda for the view. Evenings are for tapas bars in Triana and flamenco in a small tablao. Holy Week and the April Fair are worth seeing but make the city very busy, so plan around them or embrace them.
San Sebastián wraps around the curve of La Concha beach, and its old town is packed with pintxos bars. A local guide shows you which bar does the best grilled foie, anchovies or txuleta steak. Spend a day in the fishing town of Getaria for grilled turbot and txakoli, the local white, and the Guggenheim in Bilbao is an hour away.
The Serra de Tramuntana on Mallorca's northwest coast is a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of terraced olive groves and stone villages. Stay near Deià or Sóller, take the old wooden train from Palma to Sóller, and swim in the cove at Cala Deià. Walking is best in spring and autumn, and the sea is warm from June.
Ronda sits on either side of a deep gorge, joined by an eighteenth-century bridge. Around it, the white villages of Grazalema and Zahara de la Sierra cling to the hillsides. Stay in a country finca, walk in the Sierra de Grazalema natural park and taste the local wines. It is an easy drive from Seville or Málaga.
Rioja is a short drive south of the Basque coast. The medieval hill town of Laguardia sits above cellars cut into the rock, and modern wineries by Frank Gehry and Santiago Calatrava sit among the vines. Private tastings give time with the winemaker, and lunch is roast lamb cooked over vine cuttings. Harvest is in September and October.
In cities, stay in the old quarter so you can walk to dinner, which in Spain starts late. In the countryside, a restored finca or cortijo with a pool gives you space and quiet. On Mallorca, the Tramuntana villages suit walkers and couples, while the coves of the east coast suit families.
We match each trip in Spain to hotels, lodges and villas chosen for the way you travel. Tell us what matters and a specialist will suggest two or three that fit.
Ask for hotel suggestionsSpain has two climates that shape the plan. The south and the interior are hot and dry in summer and mild in winter, so Andalucía is at its best from March to June and again in October and November.
The Basque Country, Galicia and the Pyrenees are greener and cooler, with rain possible at any time, which makes them the right choice for July and August. The Balearics run from May to October, with the warmest sea in September.
An Andalucía week in three stops: Seville for the city, a finca near Ronda for the countryside and Granada for the Alhambra, flying home from Málaga. 7 nights.
Fly into Seville and stay in the Barrio de Santa Cruz. The Real Alcázar and cathedral with a guide, tapas in Triana and an evening of flamenco.
Drive to a country finca near Ronda. A walk in the Sierra de Grazalema, the white villages and a winery lunch.
Drive on to Granada and stay in the Albaicín. The Alhambra at opening with a private guide, and sunset from San Nicolás.
A private transfer of about an hour and a half to Málaga airport for a direct flight home to London.
Practical notes checked against their sources. For entry and safety, the FCDO advice for Spain (opens in a new tab) is always the authority.
Madrid is about two and a half hours direct from Heathrow, and most regional cities and the islands have direct London flights too. High-speed trains link Madrid with Seville, Córdoba and Barcelona.
UK passport holders can visit Spain without a visa for short stays, and new Schengen border checks are being introduced. Read the FCDO entry requirements for Spain (opens in a new tab) before you book and again before you travel.
Read the FCDO entry requirements for Spain (opens in a new tab)
See the TravelHealthPro page for Spain (opens in a new tab) and the FCDO health page. In summer, the heat inland is the main risk: plan sightseeing for early morning and evening and rest in the afternoon.
Spain uses the euro. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, though some small places set a minimum spend for cards, so keep a little cash for tapas bars and markets.
Surcharge-free roaming in the EU is no longer guaranteed for UK customers, so check your provider's charges before you go. Hotels and most cafés have Wi-Fi.
Tipping is not obligatory because service is included, but it is common in bars, restaurants, hotels and taxis. Between five and ten per cent is usual for good service.
For sightseeing, usually yes. Seville and Córdoba are among the hottest cities in Europe in July and August. If summer is your only window, stay in the hills near Ronda or on the coast, and visit the cities early in the morning. October is a far better month.
As early as you can, especially from March to October. Timed entry to the Nasrid Palaces is limited and sells out, and a private guide needs a ticket too. We book as soon as your dates are confirmed and build the rest of the Granada stay around the slot.
Very much so. San Sebastián and the Basque coast for pintxos and grilled fish, Rioja for wine, Madrid for its old taverns and Andalucía for jamón, sherry in Jerez and fried fish in Cádiz. Remember the timing: lunch after two and dinner rarely before nine.
Spain has bigger cities, more famous monuments and more variety of region. Portugal is smaller and gentler, with short distances between Lisbon, the Douro and the Algarve. Many travellers combine Seville with the Algarve, which is an easy drive across the border.
Tell us a little and a specialist will reply with ideas, dates that work and a price. Best months: April, May and October.
Portugal fits a lot into short distances: Lisbon, the Douro terraces, the quiet Alentejo coast and the Algarve cliffs.
The Canary Islands are Europe's nearest dependable winter sun: volcanic landscapes, dark skies and no time difference.
Italy rewards choosing one region well: lemon terraces at Amalfi, Tuscan hill towns, lake villas and the lagoon light of Venice.
France is close enough for a long weekend and big enough to keep coming back: Paris, Provence, the Riviera and the wine regions.
