Spain

Spain is the country where you can eat dinner at ten at night, see a thousand-year-old Islamic palace in the morning, and be on a surf beach or a ski slope by the afternoon. Each region feels like its own place: Andalusia with its flamenco and whitewashed hill towns, Catalonia with Gaudi and the Mediterranean, the Basque Country with its food, green Galicia at the end of the pilgrim road. Add world-class museums in Madrid, island escapes from Mallorca to the Canaries, and a street life that rolls on long after dark. Come hungry and stay late.

Talking points

• Spain has more than forty UNESCO World Heritage Sites, from the Alhambra to Roman aqueducts and pilgrim routes.
• Meals run late: lunch is often after two and dinner after nine, so plan your day around it.
• The country speaks several languages: Spanish, plus Catalan, Basque and Galician in their own regions.
• Tapas and pintxos culture means you can graze your way through a city, one small plate and one bar at a time.
• High-speed trains link Madrid with Barcelona, Seville, Valencia and Malaga, making a multi-city trip easy.