Spain is often summarised as an idyllic stretch of sandy beaches lined with palm trees and pretty coves bathed by the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean. How right it is, but this is not all!
The sea resorts, form the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada to the Costa del Sol are indeed the perfect destination for a dazzling beach holiday, to relax on the warm sand, or participate in a good choice of water sports.
Spain, however, offers so much more than its beaches. Leave the coastal shores of the Mediterranean, and you will soon discover a wilder picture of Spain, with wide-open space and cities loaded with history.
And if you reach the Atlantic coast, you will find, nestling between the ocean and the mountainous region of the Picos de Europa, pretty beaches blending with jagged cliffs, whilst churches and chapels built for the pilgrims on the Compestella Route paint a beautiful open-air scene.
Some things for you to discover:
Dali Museum
This museum pays tribute to the universe of the Spanish painter.
Poblet Monastery
One of the largest Cistercian Abbeys in Spain.
Universal Studio Port Aventura
A popular theme park, based on the great films of Universal Studios.
Barcelona
A curious blend of architectural styles, ranging from Roman vestiges to the fantasies of Gaudi.
Salamanca
UNESCO has put the old city on its World Heritage list and its university, the oldest in Spain, is well worth a visit.
Grenada
Alhambra, heritage of an Arab-Andalousian past, its palaces and famous gardens.
Roman Ruins in Empurias
A Greco-Roman site dating back to the 6th century B.C.
"El Capricho" in Comillas
This "caprice" is a magnificent mansion commissioned by the marquis of Commillas and built by Gaudi.
