024 TRAVEL


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E


urope’s fourth largest country helped stake claim to the phrase “package holiday”. And if you grew up in the 60s and 70s there’s a fair


chance names such as Benidorm and Lloret de Mar will be imprinted on the memory with images of strange foods, glamorous beaches, bull fi ghts and homeward-bound planes full of young globetrotters wearing sombreros and clutching stuffed donkeys. Autumn in Spain represents a time of year when seasonal colours dominate, the humble chestnut gets its own festival, the wine harvest arrives, wild mushrooms are picked, the weather has shaken off the oppressive excesses of high summer and, hurrah, there are fewer tourists. It’s the country’s cities though that


provide plenty with which to pack out a short autumn break. All hotel rates featured are based on a


three-night stay for two people on a bed and breakfast basis at the end of October. They were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change and availability.


SANTANDER


WHY’S IT ON OUR LIST?


Santander may not have the instant appeal of some of its counterparts but, if you’re a fan of Spain and have ticked some of the more usual suspects, then it’s certainly worth your consideration. Aside from trademark attractions such as the obligatory tapas, grand buildings and sprawling plazas, the capital of Cantabria is noted for its excellent seafood, eclectic live music scene and some fi ne beaches. CHECKING-IN Eurostars Hotel Real (www.eurostarshotels.co.uk) from £1,005; Hotel Silken Coliseum (www.hoteles-silken.com) from £320. …AND THERE’S MORE


Use Santander as a base for exploring the fi ne walking country of limestone peaks, medieval villages, dramatic river gorges – and the famed queso de cabrales blue cheese traditionally matured in local caves.


VALENCIA


WHY’S IT ON OUR LIST?


Blending a charming Mediterranean vibe with a great gastro scene, interesting boutiques and a cool nightlife, the country’s third largest city boasts elegant Art Nouveau buildings alongside Gothic and Renaissance structures, miles of beaches, the futuristic-looking structure of the City of Arts and Sciences, the manicured gardens of Turia and the National Ceramic Museum which, even if you don’t venture inside, is worth passing just to marvel at its opulent, higgledy-piggledy facade.


CHECKING-IN Hotel Las Arenas (www.hotelvalencialasarenas.com) from £595; Hotel Zenit Valencia (www.zenithoteles.com) from £245. …AND THERE’S MORE A modern-day reincarnation of a zoo, Bioparc (www. bioparcvalencia.es) introduces visitors to the world’s eco- systems while offering opportunities to see leopard, lion, rhino, hippo, silverback gorilla and meerkat.


Palacio de la Magdalena


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