Spain is not only one of the largest countries in Europe it is one of the most diverse. As well as mountains and beaches to attract visitors, there are orange groves, meadows and even desert.

Culturally as well there is something for everyone. Magnificent architecture such as the Alhambra palace or the Mezquita, remnants of Spain's moorish past.

Fabulous buildings of  Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and  Baroque styles and on to Modern architecture such as the Casa Mila by Gaudi. Spain is also the birthplace of such renowned artists as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro and Salvador Dali.

On top of that add the wonderful Spanish cuisine and the very colourful festivals that take place throughout the year and it is difficult to resist a visit to Spain.

Andalusia, or Andalucia in Spanish, is the Southernmost part of Spain and is the land of flamenco, bullfights, sherry, tapas,  castles and some fabulous Moorish architecture. The Alhambra in Granada, the Mezquita in Cordoba and the Alcazar in Seville are all not to be missed.

The arid landscapes in the interiour of Andalucia contrasts with the mountains of the Sierra Nevada, Spains highest range of mountains,  and the coast has long been known to British tourists who pour into the Costa del Sol. However aswell as the crowded and not very nice beaches around Malaga there are some beautiful alternatives on the Atlantic coast.

Aragon is a quiet and very unspoilt region of Spain. Surrounded by mountains with the Pyrenees in the north, and notably the Ordesa National Park, and the Montes Universales and the Sierra de Guidar and El Maestrazgo to the south. Aragon is made up of three regions; Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza.

Aragon was once a powerful kingdom with territories stretching far and wide across the Mediterranean. It was later conquered by the Muslims. After the victory of Spaniards over the Muslims with the Reconquest this area remained tolerant to the muslims who remained and this tolerance has led to a legacy of architecture in the beautiful Mudejar style. The capital of Aragon Zaragoza is home to the spectacular Aljeferia Palace. Teruel, Tarazona and Calatayud also have beautiful Mudejar buildings.

The region of Asturias and Cantabria is a long narrow strip along the north coast of Spain. Along the sea front are lots of beaches, little coastal towns and the lively university city of Santander.

Lying behind this coastal strip is the magnificent backdrop of the Picos de Europe, a lovely verdant and very peaceful stretch of mountains which is lovely walking country.

The Balearic Islands of Ibiza, Formetera, Mallorca (Majorca) and Menorca have something to offer everyone. Ibiza is well-known to clubbers everywhere and its combination of sun, sand and trendy nightspots keeps it popular with the young throughout Europe.

Mallorca, or Majorca as it is known in the UK has many beautiful beaches and a strong cultural heritage. It is a beautiful island with an incredible variety of scenery. Whilst mass tourism exists, largely on the east coast it can be avoided.

The Canary Islands are quite a way from mainland Spain, off the coast of Morocco - hence their superb all year long warm temperatures. They are one of the main tourist destinations in the world. The reason is lots of winter sunshine, lots of beaches and scenery ranging from desert to thick forest. The old colonial towns are also full of charm.

Castile and Leon are united to form Spain's biggest region. This region (known in Spain as Castilla y Leon) was the driving force of the Reconquest and its leaders brought great wealth to the region. If you are looking for monuments, art treasures and historic sights this is the region to choose.

Salamanca and Leon are the highlights and rank amongst the most beautiful cities of Spain. Burgos and Ciudad Rodrigo are also not to be missed as well as many smaller towns.

Castilla-La Mancha is largely covered by the great plains of Spain but there are non-the-less areas of great beauty here; head for the two national parks - The Tablas de Baimiel and Cabaneros.

Around the edges of the plains are the mountains of the Sierra de Alcaraz and of Cuenca. Also very attractive are the hills covered in olive trees in Alcarrria.

Catalonia, also known as Catalunya (or Cataluna in Castilian Spanish) is at the north-eastern tip of Spain. Its capital, Barcelona is a vibrant city with superb museums and art galeries, many examples of the architecture of Antoni Gaudi, attractive shopping boulevards and a lively night life.

However whilst Barcelona is a must, the region as a whole is diverse and beautiful. With a beautiful coastline, mountains, plains and forests there is something for everyone.

Galicia is green and heavily wooded, the coastline is made up of lots of tiny inlets and the area is renowned for its seafood. Because of archaic inheritance laws the land is divided into plots so small that machinery cannot by used on some of the land and oxen can be seen instead.

Grain is stored in traditional granaries called horreos and the buildings are often built of the local granite. The highlight of the region is the fabulous regional capital Santiago de Compostela, the end point of the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrim route which has been popular since medieval times and is still very popular today.

A beautiful area with mountains, forests and sea. The beautiful and chic town of San Sebastian on the coast draws large numbers as does the fabulous Guggenheim museum in Bilbao.

The medieval towns of Olite and Estella are well worth the trip as is the elegant Vitoria and Pamplona is known worldwide for its bull-running festival in July.

Valencia and Murcia lie on the Eastern coast of Spain. Each year millions of tourists come to the beaches in this part of Spain. Part of the attraction is the climate. With 3000 hours of sunshine per year along the coast and an average winter temperature of 18°C this is a tempting destination even in the winter.

Along the coast tourists can visit the beautiful ancient towns of Valencia, and Alicante. Modern holiday resorts such as Benidorm and Torrevieja cater to large numbers of English tourists though as with Southern Spain, these areas are trying hard to shake off their lager lout images and attract families.

Extremadura is a remote part of Spain which has changed little with modern times and as a consequence is a fascinating step back in time. This region was very important to the Romans and the Roman city of Merida is its capital. It has one of the best collections of Roman ruins and artefacts in Europe. The city of Caceres has a marvellous medieval centre.

Trujillo and Zafra are lovely towns which are also steeped in history and the Monastery of Guadelupe is a magnificent Mudejar-style monastery.

Madrid, the capital city of Spain is situated more or less in the centre of Spain. It is very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer due to its distance from the sea. Spring and autumn are the perfect times to visit Madrid to avoid these extremes of temperature.

Madrid's old town is attractive though not on a par with Granada, Salamanca and some of Spain's other historic cities but it does have fantastic art museums. Madrid is home to the Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen-Bornemisza galleries. Wander round the old city and there are lots of monuments to see and plenty of lovely squares where you can stop and soak up the atmosphere of this very cultural city.

The Canary Islands are one of the main tourist destinations in the world and most visitors head for the Eastern Isles with their long sandy beaches and large resorts.

There is also a magnificent range of scenery from Sahara-like desert to thick forest. The old colonial towns are also full of charm.

The Canary Islands with their winter sunshine, beautiful beaches and scenery ranging from desert to lush green forests are one of the main tourist destinations in the world.

The Canary Islands are made up of seven islands. Each one is the tip of hundreds of volcanoes which erupted from the sea millions of years ago and created the dramatic scenery that these islands are famous for.

A map of Spain showing the most interesting and attractive places and highlights:

The Costa Brava is the beautiful coastal region in the province of Girona in Spain's Catalonia region. The Costa Brava extends from the French-Spanish border to Blanes, 60km north of Barcelona. Its name means the wild coast and its lovely rocky coastline inset with tiny coves and large sandy beaches is beautiful.