Spain runs on its own clock. Lunch rarely starts before two, dinner rarely before nine, and planning around that makes a trip considerably more pleasant. The regions differ more than most visitors expect: Catalonia and the Basque Country have their own languages and separate culinary traditions, Andalusia carries eight centuries of Moorish history in its architecture, and Galicia in the north-west is green, Atlantic and nothing like the popular image of the country. High-speed AVE trains link Madrid to Barcelona, Seville, Valencia and Malaga quickly and reliably. Inland summers are severe - Seville and Cordoba routinely pass forty degrees - so the shoulder seasons are not merely cheaper but more comfortable.
europe
Spain
Late dinners, distinct regional languages, and a rail network that makes a multi-city trip genuinely easy.
Photograph: Colin + Meg / Unsplash
Where to go
Cities in Spain
Each city page covers when to go and what is worth your time.