Holiday rentals in Spain

From its exuberant cities to its vibrant countryside, Spain is a country that bursts with colour, culture, and a lust for living. Stretching 1,127 kilometres from its cool Atlantic north coast to the Mediterranean in the south, the land ranges from baked central plains to lush valleys (Galicia), golden beaches (Andalucia) to wine country (the Levant), and everything in between. The Spanish countryside has become a hiking heaven, thanks to the Pyrenees and the Picos de Europa, some of Europe’s most beautiful mountain ranges.

Wherever you go in Spain, you’ll encounter quaint centuries-old villages, as well as a delight in local cooking and traditions. Towns and cities are loaded with cultural energy, and their extraordinarily diverse architecture reflects a long, complex history, from Roman occupation to Moorish rule, from diverse medieval kingdoms to the Golden Age of Spain’s own empire. More than anything, Spain is united in its appreciation of good living — a place where food, fun, and friendship are all celebrated regularly in the spirit of fiesta.

Spring and autumn are wonderful seasons to be in Spain. The summer is always popular with international visitors, particularly those who flock its coasts, which benefit from the sea breezes. But temperatures can be uncomfortably high inland, especially in the south, where towns may be deserted in the afternoon for extended siestas. Some towns empty out in August as the locals head for cooler climes. Spring and autumn offer warm weather as well as many local fiestas. Easter is a particularly festive time of year, when the country celebrates with a rich tapestry of ritual, processions, and parades. Winter remains mild in the south, while the temperatures can drop further inland in places like Madrid, as well as in the Atlantic north and the mountain regions.

Pyrenees

Spain’s mountain border with France is spread across three distinct regions: Aragon, Navarre, and Catalonia. Its landscape of snow-topped summits — more than 200 of its peaks exceed 3,000 metres — is breathtaking, surrounded by forests, lakes, and medieval villages, and crisscrossed with excellent hiking trails. The Pyrenees are also home to some of the country’s best winter skiing.

Madrid

Spain’s capital buzzes with urban energy, where busy days and long, warm evenings are enjoyed against a backdrop of world-class architecture, be it in the form of baroque churches, Renaissance palaces, or Madrid’s many modern marvels such as Edificio Mirador and Puerta de Europa. Art and food are of the highest order here, where galleries and tapas bars are of equal importance. You’ll also notice a sense of space and stateliness in Madrid’s parks and plazas, which make them some of the best in Europe.

Andalusia

The unique culture of Spain’s southernmost region encompasses Moorish architecture and Islamic art alongside Roman ruins, Gothic cathedrals, and Renaissance port towns — not to mention the beautiful pueblos blancos towns of its forest-covered hills. With two separate and contrasting coastlines, Andalusia is also the best place in the country for a beach holiday; its remote areas are some of the most unspoiled on the Spanish mainland.