It’s hard to imagine a destination quite like Spain. If one were to describe the perfect year-round escape, a destination that has it all, it would most likely look like this beguiling European country. Think of Spain, and the mind instantly wanders to sun-baked summers, elegant cities like Barcelona – the beachy Catalonian metropolis intrinsically linked with Antoni Gaudí – and Madrid, the majestic seat of Spanish power and setting for heady late-night dinners in the warm evening breeze.
Elegant, passionate, beautiful and influential, few countries have left their mark on the world like Spain – dominating the Iberian Peninsula and spilling out onto both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, home of the Spanish Balearic and Canary Islands, the sun-bleached plains of Andalusia and fashion, art and design capitals. But beyond its most famous sights and outside of its peak summer months, Spain offers a year of eternal sunshine and enticing escapades.
In Spain’s luscious green north, a far cry from the whitewashed towns of the south, the wild Atlantic Ocean keeps charming coastal and hillside towns cool, and culinary gems like San Sebastián and Santander lure with boutique hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants. Go further north into the majestic Spanish Pyrenees, and the green pastures turn to white, with ski resorts open from December to April. Spain is a country that boasts 300 days of sunshine, and even in winter, the sun illuminates the ski runs – bringing with it an infectious zest for life.
Summer starts in the south as early as April, when the Balearic Islands of Mallorca (pictured in featured image), Ibiza, Formentera and Menorca, and the exciting southern coastline truly come alive. In these lands, travellers will find art hub Málaga, birthplace of Pablo Picasso, sleek resort city Marbella, pulsating Seville and Valencia – home of Flamenco – and ancient port towns like Cádiz. In Granada, the rose-tinted Alhambra Palace sprawls across the citadel, once the centre of the mighty Moorish empire and today a complex of centuries-old palaces, gardens and forts. Spain’s illustrious Arab legacy is palpable here, and can be seen across Andalusia in its orchards of lemons, oranges, apricots, peaches, pomegranates, and figs – planted by Arabs – its gastronomy – a marriage of Spanish and Middle Eastern – and grand mosques, now Christian cathedrals. North Africa is just an hour away by boat…
Of course, Spain’s beloved brightest stars are unmissable. There’s Barcelona, sitting on the Mediterranean and embracing an indescribable love for life – and capital Madrid, with its buzzing restaurants and manicured boulevards hiding some of the best shopping experiences in Europe – not to mention a host of new luxury openings from elite global restaurants and hotels brands. From Madrid, day trips include visits to Medieval settlements like Toledo and Segovia, home to fairytale castles and cobbled old towns that enchant visitors.
There’s also nowhere better for families, and Spain’s diverse destinations are home to tennis and padel camps, football clubs and myriad children’s activities to delight little ones. Spain’s appeal is growing in the GCC, and in 2023, the country experienced a record-breaking year for tourism, luring more Middle East travellers than ever before. With a more than 100 per cent increase in travellers, Saudi Arabia was particularly captivated, showcasing the regal nation’s ability to entice and delight all walks of life and offer a truly authentic yet luxurious and outstanding travel experience. With roadshows in KSA, UAE and Kuwait, more GCC travellers than ever are expected for 2024, creating a cosmopolitan and welcoming feel in the warm Ibernian nation – with world-leading hospitality a trait Spaniards pride themselves on.
Spain is a country that will stay with you long after your stay, luring you back year after year to explore something new – its mountains, ski resorts, summer camps, beaches, islands and historic Arab sites. In fact, with myriad direct flights to the country’s most beautiful, popular, and undiscovered, spots from the GCC, there’s no destination quite like Spain.
For more information, visit spain.info/es, @Spain
