Spain

• On the Ship where every one knows your name
• Paris is perfect, if you ditch the men! - France
• An appetite of Venice - Italy
• Party time in Tapas Central - Spain
• Croatia uncovered! - Croatia
• I'll have the state room please - Portugal
• Seeking Spain's hidden gems - Spain
• Let's tryst again - Sicily
• Dallying with Delia - Majorca
• Wax gets the works - Majorca
• B&B at the Palace - Italy
• The Golden Oldie - France
• Amazing Amalfi - Italy
• Follow the Stars - Europe
• Tuscany - Italy

The rugged coast

Tired of: The concrete and tarmac jungle of the Costa Brava’s Lloret de Mar?
Now try: Head further north to the bays that earned the stretch of coast its name. From Calella de Palafrugell northwards, you’ll find precipitous, pine-clad coves with no high rises, just horseshoe beaches dipping their sandy toes into aquamarine waters. As the resorts were developed in the 50s and 60s, the restaurants and hotels are low key and full of character.
What else? In Aiguablava, there is a hotel that has been a family institution for more years than they care to remember. It has a fiercely loyal group of guests who book every year. Offshore, there is a national marine park.
Where to stay: The 4-star Hotel Aigua Blava. One week’s half board is from £699.

Offbeat Balearics

Tired of: The British ghetto that Majorca’s northern resort of Pollenca has become?
Now try: A converted self-catering farmhouse based inland in the island’s rural south-east. Sure, the beaches are teeming on the east coast in summer, but if you explore due south you’ll discover much quieter sands around Cap Salines.
What else? Typical of the rural properties available is Ca’n Quadrat, close to the village of Cas Concos. This is where you get to see Majorca’s older, less visited, face.
Where to stay: Ca’n Quadrat at Cas Concos sleeps up to seven from £795 a week.

Alternative Almeria

Tired of: The windy Costa de la Luz?
Now try:The charming corner of Almeria known as the Cabo de Gata. It’s one stretch of Spanish coastline not ruined by development, and only a 20- minute drive from Almeria airport. Perfect as an all year holiday destination – with an annual rainfall of 200mm, it’s the driest place in Europe.
What else? Cabo de Gata, a protected park, is a walkers’ paradise of undulating red plains and hidden coves.
Where to stay: Cortijo El Sotillo, a white-walled Andaluz farmhouse, has hosted Willem Dafoe, Clint Eastwood and Geri Halliwell. Double rooms from £83 to £115 a night.

Wine lovers’ Malaga

Tired of: The bodegas of Rioja and Jerez?
Now try:The vineyards of the recently awarded appellation DO Sieras de Malaga around Ronda. German aristocrat Alfonso von Hohenlohe, who created the tourist phenomenon of Marbella and the Costa del Sol, was so disillusioned with what he had spawned that he moved inland to Ronda. He planted vines, ending up making one of Spain’s best wines.
What else? A large number of the Ronda vineyards, including Hohenlohe’s magical Cortijo de las Monjas, can now be visited. Wine buffs will enjoy the estate of F Shatz and the excellent bodega Pasos Lagos.
Where to stay: The ultra-stylish Fuente de la Hiquera has doubles from £97 per night, or £653 a week.

Guadarrama panorama

Tired of: Skiing in the Pyrenees and Sierra Nevada?
Now try: The Guadarrama range. The four resorts of the breathtaking Sierra de Guadarrama, an hour’s drive from Madrid, are worth a visit. This is the coldest part of Spain in winter and if it is snow you are after there is plenty of it, as well as romantic villages.
What else? The snow-capped peaks that make the views around Segovia and Avila so alluring from December to March are not going to be as sophisticated as the Alps or Pyrenees, but you’ll not meet a single tourist and it is possible to ski three resorts – Valdesqui, Valcotos and Navacerrada – in one day.
Where to stay: Stay at the cozy and hip Cason de la Pinilla near La Pinilla, with double rooms from £47 to £54 a night.

Escape to Cuenca

Tired of: Madrid, Segovia, Toledo and Avila?
Now try: Cuenca. An escape for stressed out Madrilenos and exiled artists, the ancient streets of this medieval site are tourist free. It’s a little more than an hour’s drive from Madrid, and sits on the edge of the Spanish meseta in a mountain range with strange rock formations.
What else?Ciudad Encantada is a must visit. The town is full of interesting buildings, including the Casas Colgadas (or hanging houses), which have perched precariously over the town’s gorge since the 15th century. Where to stay: Take a room with a view at the labyrinthine Posada San Jose, a charming 400-year-old convent overlooking the gorge. Double rooms from £43 to £86 per night.

Wild Axarquia

Tired of: The Alpujarras, the hilly region south of Granada?
Now try: Its little known neighbour, the Axarquia. Just 45 minutes from Malaga Airport, the region is as rugged and scenic, with better accommodation. The Axarquia (pronounced Ass-ar-kia) is a wonderful touring and hiking spot, particularly in winter, when it regularly hits 20°C in the daytime.
What else? Pick of the bunch: The sweet Pedro Ximenez grape, first planted by the Phoenicians in 2000BC, grows here. Most popular in Elizabethan times, when it was known as Malaga-sack, this sweet, toffee-like drink is great.
Where to stay: Hospederia Retamar, near Riogordo, sits in one of the wildest, most beautiful spots in Andalucia, double rooms from £48 to £57.

Cultural Valencia

Tired of: The Picasso Museum in Barcelona, and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao?
Now try:The new art and science park in Valencia. This collection of astounding buildings bring a modern beauty to this historic city, rising out of man-made lakes in a ribbon of futuristic concrete and glass structures. The award winning L’Hemisferic – which is like a huge shell – is a hands-on-science museum. The most recent attractions to open are an eye- shaped IMAX cinema and Europe’s largest aquarium, L’Oceanografic.
What else? Valencia is home of the Paella, so head to a restaurant called Riff for something experimental to go along with the science.
Where to stay: Ad Hoc Valencia has style and simplicity at reasonable prices. Double rooms from £57 a night.

Antequera

Tired of: The day trip to Andalucia’s Ronda and Mijas?
Now try: The Roman city of Antequera. Just half an hour inland on the main motorway to Granada, this small town sits on the lee side of the rugged Serrania de Ronda.
What else? With an ancient centre that tumbles down a hillside, Antequera is a pleasant place to stroll around and take a spot of lunch or afternoon tea.
Where to stay: Should you wish to stay a night, the recently opened Casa del Conde de Pinofiel, in a building built in 1762, is a charming bet. Double rooms from £65 a night.

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