Spanien

You can traverse this green-clad region next to Asturias from north to south in an hour. But don’t. For modern travellers, Cantabria offers a bit of everything. The coastline is a sequence of soft cliffs, beautiful beaches and colourful fishing ports; summer seaside days are perfectly possible (unreliable weather permitting). The inland mountains – sliced up by deep, multibranched valleys connected only by steep passes – are sprinkled with sleepy villages and prove a feast for the eyes, whether you drive the country roads or walk the trails.

Hoppa på tåget i Spanien och upptäck landet från lyxiga kupéer eller på en dagstur från Madrid – åk mellan pittoreska byar, längs med hav och berg.

No matter where you’ve just come from, be it the hot, southern plains of Spain or gentle and pristine France, the Basque Country is different. Known to Basques as Euskadi or Euskal Herria (‘the land of Basque Speakers’) and called El Pais Vasco in Spanish, this is where mountain peaks reach for the sky and sublime rocky coves are battered by mighty Atlantic swells. It’s a place that demands exploration beyond the delightful and cosmopolitan main cities of Bilbao, Vitoria and San Sebastián. You travel through the Basque Country always curious, and frequently rewarded.

De är några av världens mest älskade och fascinerande turistmål. Men nu har bägaren börjat rinna över. På vissa håll börjar lokalbefolkningens tålamod ta slut. På andra är det platsens känsliga ekosystem som riskerar att ta skada från allt för många människor.

Probably Spain's most underrated region, Aragón offers riches wherever you travel, from the crusader-like castles and Romanesque churches of the north to the outstanding Mudéjar architecture of Teruel in the south. The regional capital, Zaragoza, is a major Spanish city of ebullient nightlife and absorbing culture (not least the work of local artistic genius Francisco de Goya), while dozens of picturesque medieval villages dot the serrated landscape, from pink-hued Albarracín to stone-clothed Sos del Rey Católico. But above all, what sets Aragón apart is the majesty of the central Pyrenees along its northern fringe. This is the highest and, for many, most beautiful section of the mighty mountain range – a rare delight for the eyes and a massive natural adventure playground with not only Spain's finest hiking and climbing but also much of its best skiing, canyoning, rafting and paragliding.

The heart and soul of the island, Ibiza Town (Eivissa) is a vivacious, stylish and elegant capital with a magical, fortified World Heritage–listed old quarter topped by a castle and cathedral, set against a spectacular natural harbour. It's also a shopaholic's dream, a hedonist's paradise and a world-famous party destination. Ibiza Town's leafy squares, harbour-front promenade and warren of whitewashed lanes are crammed with boutiques, restaurants, cafes and bars, attracting a unique blend of characters. In summer, the city becomes one of the globe's greatest catwalks, with fashionistas, clubbers, beach addicts and everyone in between strutting around its compact centre. Also here are some of the world's glitziest megaclubs and, perhaps less prominently, a clutch of fascinating museums.

Mérida, capital of Extremadura, was once also capital of the Roman province of Lusitania (as Emerita Augusta, founded 25 BC) and is still home to the most impressive and extensive Roman ruins in all Spain. The ruins lie sprinkled around town, often appearing in the most unlikely corners, and one can only wonder what still lies buried beneath the lively, modern city.

There’s a reason tourists arrive in Eastern Mallorca in their hundreds of thousands on their annual sun pilgrimage: this is one of the prettiest coasts on an island of many. Yes, there are sections that seem to combine all that’s abhorrent about Mediterranean coastal tourism, but Mallorca’s rocky eastern walls also conceal perfectly formed caves, coves and inlets, some of which are accessible only on foot, and can never really be developed. Many of these are honestly sublime, with turquoise waters and nary a hotel in sight. And even some of the resorts might be called rather handsome: Porto Cristo, Portocolom, Portopetro and Canyamel, we're looking at you. Lastly, to the north, you'll find wild stretches of natural park, plus stunning medieval towns, such as Artà and Capdepera.

Barcelona är en av världens bästa städer när det kommer till småätande. Här är våra favoriter bland stadens tapasställen!

Ett nytt snabbtåg med premiär 2019 ska ta passagerare mellan de båda städerna på tre timmar. Priset blir cirka 25 procent lägre än kostnaden för motsvarande tågbiljetter idag, skriver Lonely Planet.