Spain

Sometimes overshadowed by the charms of France and Italy, and weighed down by a persistent package holiday image problem, Spain remains an all time Original Travel favourite for its scintillating cities, complex cultural history and island hangouts.

Add in some extraordinary festivals (in particular Las Fallas in Valencia and the Carnival in Santa Cruz in Tenerife) and some of the best food in the world – most true in the Basque Country – and there should be something for everyone here.

Several of the Original Travel team were brought up or live in Spain, so we feel confident we know the most secret haunts and family-run haciendas to make a stay suitably memorable.