Sunny Sanctuary: Combing the Corners of Spain

Best times to travel: March-May, September-November

Costa del Sol, Costa Tropical, Costa de Almeira, Costa de la Luz. Thanks to 5,000 miles of coastline and 300 days of sunshine every year, life in Spain is unquestionably a beach – thousands of them, in fact.

Determining which quadrant of Spain is calling you the loudest is never an easy task, since there are 17 diverse regions to consider, all of them amazing. Besides the sunlit south of Andalucía, visitors spend quality time in the restaurants and museums of Basque Country and the city of Bilbao in the north, in the grand plazas of Santiago de Compostela in the northwest, and in the holiday hotspots of Costa Dorada and Costa Brava in Catalonia in the northeast.

The mountain ranges of Picos de Europa and Sierra Nevada are beyond stunning – the natural beauty of Spain is truly its most successful calling card. It’s no wonder adventurers flock here: The country is such a treasure trove for nature-lovers, you can spend almost your entire time outdoors.

Let’s not forget about the sultry Balearic Islands of Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca in the Mediterranean or the Canary Islands in the Atlantic, all part and parcel of a unique Spanish experience unlike any other in Europe.

You will begin your adventure discovering the cobblestone streets, bold architecture and fine flavours of Madrid or Barcelona, Valencia or Seville – cosmopolitan and culturally stimulating – places where you will find yourself saying, “I could live here.”