Spain

Ancient yet always living in the moment, traditional and rebellious, cultured but wild. Spain is a country of immense contrasts and contradictions that’s hard not to fall for.

In its great cities, trace the history of civilizations from the Romans to Al-Andalus and the Spanish Empire, interspersed with surreal modernist and gleaming contemporary architecture, where life buzzes in bars and restaurants spilling out onto the streets. In laid back villages sprinkled amid oak forests, rolling vineyards and olive groves, things continue much as they always have.

Spain’s landscape, encompassing snowcapped mountains, sunbaked plains, beautiful islands and rugged coasts, is home to some surprising wildlife too. To the north, beneath great peaks looking out to the Atlantic, Cantabrian bears and resurgent packs of wolves roam, while to the south the enigmatic Iberian lynx prowls protected areas that are the last European stop for birds migrating to and from Africa.

For the active explorer, epic trails can be hiked and ridden on horseback or bike, canyons kayaked, and the rock climbing is world-renowned. Those looking to do a little less can unwind at a rural finca or by the sea. For foodies, the Iberian Peninsula needs little introduction.