Spain is well set up as a destination for city breaks of four to five days duration with easy travel connections to some of the main centres; from cosmopolitan Barcelona with its influence of Gaudi and Dali to Granada and its maze of winding streets and legacy of Moorish culture; from Seville, one of the richest cities in the world, to Cadiz and its fine Atlantic beaches. Small coach trips to some of the smaller outlying villages are a ‘must’ to capture the vestiges of an older Spain and traditions of yesteryear.
For walking or cycling groups our favoured regions are the Northern provinces of Cantabria and Asturias, where the Picos de Europa mountains offer excellent hiking opportunities and cycling through picturesque villages that dot the valley floor; and I the South, between Granada and the sea where the Sierra Nevada mountain range provides a spectacular backdrop for walks and soft pedal rides through a timeless landscape of white villages, olive trees and sherry vineyards.
The ideal months to visit are May, June and September (plus April and October in the South) avoiding both the extreme heat of July and August and the busy tourist season.
You’ll find nearly every Spanish village will have its own food or wine speciality, so enjoying time spent amongst locals in a tapas bar or at a fiesta event should be very much on the ‘agenda’.