Spanien

Spanning a broad swath of suburbs west of the old town, this neighbourhood has varied attractions. At the western end of the Turia riverbed, the Bioparc zoo presents African animals in innovative ways, while the history museum gives an overview of the city's past. Various park spaces across the area give the chance for a pleasant time out from urban life.

Madrids matscen blomstrar. Här är stadens bästa restauranger enligt spansksvenska kocken Birgit Martin Malmcrona.

The scent of orange blossom, the swish of a flamenco dress, the glimpse of a white village perched atop a crag: memories of Andalucía linger.

Han säger sig ha resandet och den ständiga jakten på nästa matupplevelse i sitt DNA. Han har ätit sig igenom fler än 70 länder. Streetfood eller Michelinkrogar – det spelar mindre roll. Enligt Zvonko Sokcic vet man aldrig var nästa gastronomiska lyckorus väntar.

The banks of the Río Duero are lined with poignant ruined castles amid pretty old towns such as El Burgo de Osma and Lerma. The river cuts through two dramatic networks of canyons, the Cañón del Río Lobos and the Hoz del Duratón. Add to this the Ribera del Duero wine-producing region, one of Spain's most respected, and you could easily spend the best part of a week exploring the area.

Toledo is truly one of Spain's most magnificent cities. Dramatically sited atop a gorge overlooking the Río Tajo, it was known as the ‘city of three cultures’ in the Middle Ages, a place where – legend has it – Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities peacefully coexisted. Unsurprisingly, rediscovering the vestiges of this unique cultural synthesis remains modern Toledo’s most compelling attraction. Horseshoe-arched mosques, Sephardic synagogues and one of Spain’s finest Gothic cathedrals cram into its dense historical core. But the layers go much deeper. Further sleuthing will reveal Visigothic and Roman roots. Toledo’s other forte is art, in particular the haunting canvases of El Greco, the influential, impossible-to-classify painter with whom the city is synonymous. Though it's justifiably popular with day trippers, try to stay overnight to really appreciate the city in all its haunting glory.

In few places do land and sea meet in such abrupt beauty. The untamed beaches, tower­ing cliffs and powerful waves of the Rías Altas (Galicia's north coast from A Coruña eastward) are certainly more dramatic than the landscapes of the Rías Baixas. They're also less touristed and less populated, making an ideal destination for travellers yearning to get off the heavily beaten path. Add in the allure of cultured, maritime A Coruña, medieval towns including Betanzos and Pontedeume, several lively little fishing ports and the backdrop of a green, farmhouse-studded countryside, and you're in for a travel treat.

The ethereal image of the multi-domed Basílica del Pilar reflected in the Río Ebro is a potent symbol of Zaragoza, one of Spain’s most underrated regional capitals. There's plenty more fine architecture here too, including a turreted castle with an interior like a mini-Alhambra, and some very creatively displayed underground Roman remains, but Zaragoza's appeal goes well beyond its monuments. Spain’s fifth-largest city (and home to more than half of Aragón's 1.3 million residents), it has one the best tapas and bar scenes in the country and is well stocked with the epoch-defining art of local lad Francisco de Goya, the genius painter who was born a short horse ride away in 1746.

Formentera är partyön Ibizas beskedliga granne. Här råder skötsamhet, lugn och ro. Dessutom bjuder ön på några av Medelhavets finaste stränder. Och välklädda italienare.

Valencia's town beaches are 3km from the centre. Playa de las Arenas runs north into Playa de la Malvarrosa and Playa de la Patacona, forming a wide strip of sand some 4km long. It's bordered by the Paseo Marítimo promenade and a string of restaurants and cafes. The marina and port area, refurbished for the 2007 Americas Cup, is south of here and backed by the intriguing and increasingly trendy fishing district of El Cabanyal, which makes for excellent exploration.