Living in your home in Spain or enjoying Spanish holidays - where to go
Whether you are planning to live permanently in your new home in Spain or just enjoy it for regular Spanish holidays, you are sure to want to get out and about and to discover other parts of this diverse country. From the snow-capped mountains of northern Spain to the olive groves of the sultry south and from cosmopolitan cities to the eerie long-silent volcanoes of the islands, Spain has plenty to explore.
Madrid - a capital city bursting with energy
A typical souvenir of even the shortest holiday in Spain´s capital is sleep deprivation. This is a nocturnal city, where going out for the evening means you are likely to see the sunrise over the Puerta del Sol or the fabulous Plaza Major. Apart from its tempting nightlife which centres on tapas bars and restaurants, flamenco clubs and jazz bars, Madrid is an art lover´s paradise. It has three internationally famous art collections: the Reina Sofia, the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the 20 galleries of the Museo del Prado. It also offers all kinds of shopping experiences from the elegant designer fashion of the Salamanca district to the riotous Rastro flea market.
Head for northern Spain´s most remote region: Galicia
In the far western corner of northern Spain, Galicia is the country´s greenest region. Apart from its fabulous UNESCO classified heritage city, Santiago de Compostelo, it is largely overlooked by tourists on holidays in Spain, and its hilly interior is popular with walkers. It retains an almost medieval appearance with oxon and horses ploughing the small fields and its tiny granite-built villages sprinkled over the unspoilt countryside. Bordered on three sides by the Atlantic and with a beautiful coastline, Galicia is Spain´s main seafaring region. This is reflected in a superb cuisine based on seafood.
Barcelona: sophisticated capital of Catalonia
Madrid´s main rival is Barcelona. Thoroughly international and brimming over with artistic creativity, the city is the capital of Catalonia and one of the Mediterranean´s busiest ports. Among the great attractions for people taking holidays in Spain´s second city are the 24/7 avenue called Las Ramblas (with arguably the best seats in Spain for people-watching), both the Miro and Picasso museums, and the city´s outstanding and outlandish Modernist architecture. Another world-famous artist, Salvador Dali, is commemorated in a dedicated museum some 100km to the north.
The Balearics - always ready for a party
The four islands that make up the Balearics have made tourism a way of life. These are the party islands, crammed with people on package holidays in Spain´s brashest and noisiest resorts. Or at least, that is their reputation. In fact, many film stars find seclusion and escape by buying a home in Spain´s Balearic Islands. Green fields dotted with white farmhouses inhabit the tranquil interiors and the pace of life is actually quite slow away from the resorts. If you prefer your holidays in Spain spent in peace but within reach of some very lively nightlife, the Balearics are the place to be.
Something different - a home on Spain´s volcanic tips
The seven main islands that make up the Canaries are the tips of volcanoes that erupted from the seabed some 14 million years ago. Each offers something different, from the lunar landscapes of Lanzarote, to the forested hills of Gran Canaria and from the privacy of Fuertaventura´s sand dunes to Tenerife´s volcanic wilderness.
Cordoba, Granada and Sevilla - Andalusia´s glorious Moorish cities
Andalusia occupies the southern tip of the country and its coastal resorts have long been popular destinations for holidaymakers and foreigners buying a home in Spain. Inland, it has one of the most varied landscapes on the mainland and the three greatest monuments to Spain´s Moorish past: the cities of Cordoba, Granada and Sevilla. Here are the mighty Mezquita mosque, the Alhambra (the number one visitor attraction for sightseers on holidays in Spain), and the fortress of Alcazar, one of the finest examples of its kind. Each of these cities is a must-see for history buffs.
Bilbao -- the capital of the Basque country in northern Spain
The Guggenheim Museum, a bizarre creation of the late 20th century, is the best-known attraction not just of Bilbao but also northern Spain. It was built as the centrepiece of a new cultural revival in the Basque capital but has been responsible for putting the city well and truly on the tourist map. Holidays in Spain´s north have boomed in the last decade and the property market has prospered too. Drawn by the area´s unique culture, and to some extent by its distance from the Costas, many foreigners are now buying new homes in Spain´s Basque region, although Bilbao itself is very expensive. For visitors, however, the city offers great art collections, an interesting medieval quarter and the chance to experience a completely different view of northern Spain.
