All direct flights to Spain from the UK & Ireland

Destination summary

From each of its four distant corners, Spain simply bristles with variety and tantalizing options of every description.

In the north, San Sebastián provides glitz, glamour, pintxos bars and beautiful city beaches; hot on its heels in the Basque tourist stakes is Bilbao, thanks mainly to the remarkable Guggenheim museum.

Across the north and south of the country, the spectacular peaks of the Pyrenees, Picos de Europa and Sierra Nevada offer everything for the mountain enthusiast, while wine lovers will find plenty to appreciate in the regions of Rioja, the Douro and Priorat.

In the east, Barcelona provides an unparalleled showcase for imaginative design and daring architecture, while just down the coast, the outrageous nightlife of Sitges offers different, but equally compelling, reasons to visit Catalonia.

Further south, in Valencia, you'll find the home of paella, the Holy Grail and March's world-famous street party 'Las Fallas', as well as the riotous 'La Tomatina' – the world's biggest tomato fight. Valencia is also challenging Barcelona for the title of Spain's design capital.

The traditional flamenco-inspired image of Spain can also still be savoured, particularly in its southernmost region Andalusia, where the 'big three' cultural and historical centres of Seville, Granada and Córdoba and the secluded hills of Las Alpujarras are the pick of the attractions.

Offshore, the Balearic and Canary Islands offer year-round warmth, miles of beaches, family resorts and legendary party scenes.

And then there's Madrid – cultured, brash, noisy, serene – yet another cocktail of contradictions in a country already teeming with variety.