Spain without the sun, which turns out to be an excellent proposition. The Cantabrian coast runs wild and green along Asturias's northern edge, with surf beaches, fishing villages, and cliffs that have no interest in being picturesque about it. Inland, the Picos de Europa rise sharply enough to hold snow well into spring, and the villages in their shadow produce the cabrales blue cheese and the sidra that define the region's table. Oviedo is a small, handsome city that takes its pre-Romanesque churches seriously and its restaurants even more so. Asturias is the part of Spain that the rest of Spain goes to when it wants to eat well, walk hard, and be left alone.
Show us a rugged, beautiful landscape rife with black and white sand beaches, and we're sure to fall in love. That's certainly what happened the first time we went to the Canary Islands. Only a little over 100 kilometres off the coast of northwestern Africa, this stunning archipelago just might be our favourite place in Spain.
Though most people head straight for Barcelona when Catalonia is on the table, there is so much more to this incredible region. With a wealth of natural splendour, a strong culinary culture and pervasive regional pride, it's nothing like the rest of Spain.
The capital of Spain is bustling and energetic. Churning with energy, Madrid manages to balance both the modern and the ancient. The beauty it exudes will ignite passion in any traveller and the food, culture, and nightlife do not disappoint either.