La Tomatina, Bunol

Imagine seeing red. Imagine seeing so much red you feel the urge to hurl soft, fleshy, round projectiles in someone's direction and hear the satisfying splat in their face. This summer, dispel that pent-up aggression in the little Spanish town of Bunol, 38 km west of Valencia, by joining tens of thousands in what has cheekily been billed as the world's biggest food fight. Here, on the last Wednesday of every August, the only rule is to let loose and paint the town red, with more than 125 tonnes of overripe tomatoes as your ammunition.

While today it is the biggest tomato battle, La Tomatina had its petty origins in 1945, when a brawl erupted between youth and townspeople during a festival parade. Since then, sleepy Bunol has found renewed energy in gunning up for these messy, explosive fights, with coincide with festivals celebrating their patron, Luis Bertran, and the Virgin Mary. 

Santander

Do: Even if you are not a guest at this nautical-themed hotel, you can enjoy a cracking view over the ocean and the popular Sardinero beach from its cafe terrace. Then use it as a starting point from which to navigate the rugged coastline or explore the city's compact centre.

Valencia

From the airport
Train: metro lines 3 and 5 run straight to the city centre (Colon) from just outside Arrivals.

Shop
Take time out to rifle through the rails and rails of vintage dresses, second-hand denims and colourful heels at Vintage Police, a jam-packed makeshift warehouse in the Carmen district.


See
Formula one street circuit. Whether you are one of the lucky few with a ticket or not, it will be impossible to miss the race buzz surrounding the city's Formula One Grand Prix (August).

Plaza Xuquer is a lively neighbourhood where bustling bars and restaurants line the main square. Start with an aperitif in La Salamandra followed by dinner in Arabic restaurant Aljuzama then catch a film in the nearby Albatros cinema.

Part of the Old Town, Barrio del Carmen is built over the Roman city of Valencia, so named because of the valiant folk that once inhabited it.

Often overlooked in favour of the contemporary art museum IVAM (just up the road), Casa de la Beneficencia houses a wealth of colourful exhibitions not to be missed. Once inside this former refuge, admire the neo-Byzantine courtyard.

Once a small, sleepy fishing town, Alboraya (now on metro line 7) has still managed to retain it village charm.




Day trip
Elche. Do not miss the chance to see one of the largest palmtree plantations in Europe in the pretty town of Elche. With about 200000 trees, there is almost one per inhabitant.

Morella. A short bus ride from Castellon lies the medieval town of Morella. On a hilltop and graced with a magnificent castle, it is one of the country's oldest continuously inhabited towns. In the outlying region are a number of challenging caminos (pilgrim routes) which attract walkers.

Zaragoza

Shop: La rinconada del queso. This self-proclaimed paradise of the senses laughs in the face of size limitations by packing its small shop full of cheeses and fine bottles of vino. 

Cantabria

If there is one thing that defines the geography and appearance of Cantabria it is the variety of landscapes. This variety is due to the concentration oh high mountains, deep valleys and a sheer coastline in an area of little more than 5000 km2. 

So stunning is the landscape of this region that despite occupying only a small area in central norther Spain, it gives name to two geographical features that define the Iberian Peninsula on this flank: the Cordillera Cantabrica (mountain rauge) and the Cantabrian Sea.

It is a harsh, yet beautiful land, worked by the hand of man for hundreds of thousands of years; however still being a valuable habitat for local vegetation and wildlife. It is a land of mist and water, in which the brilliant light, filtered by infinite clouds, paints an incredible concert of green on the rocks and cliffs.

The Net of Natural Protected Spaces from Cantabria is integrated by 37 spaces. Of them, one is National Park (Picos de Europa) and six are Natural Parks (Liencres's dunes, Saja-Besaya, Oyambre, The Pena Cabarga Massif, The Ason Heights and Santona's Marshes, Victoria and Joyel). The curious, sensitive and knowledgeable traveller will find in Cantabria an infinite number of alternatives with which to turn the exploration of this land into an unforgettable personal experience.

One of the main Jacobean routes, the Northern Camino of Santiago along the Coast, crosses Cantabria from east to west. Apart from this, you can go for walks in the region, following routes marked with internationally recognised indications or the Green Routes and discover an ideal destination to practise adventure sports such as canoeing, rafting, paragliding, horse riding, water skiing or bungee-jumping. 

Up to 90 beaches of fine and white sand along the 220 kilometres coastline of Cantabria are one of the main tourist attractions in the Spanish region. Larges, small, urban or rural, peaceful and protected or open to the bay of Biscay, most of these beaches are located near towns that provide a wide-ranging offer of accommodation and other infrastructures.