If ever a building reinvented a city then the Museo Guggenheim is it. A northern industrial town of little note, Bilbao has become a major tourist attraction simply for its architecturally stunning arts museum, making it a hot city break destination.
The capital of the separatist Basque Country, Bilbao is however far from the only highlight of a small but fascinating area of Spain which manages to conjure up one of Europe’s great wine regions in La Rioja (a wine that dominates the shelves of Spain), a beautiful coastline, a green interior and a corner of the Pyrenees.
The region is also known for the crazy annual bull run festival in Pamplona while for those with a taste for the finer things in life, seaside town San Sebastián serves up the best regarded bar snack tapas in Spain and the much-lauded Basque nouvelle cuisine.
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Indeed San Sebastián boasts not only a stunning setting around a half-moon cove, with green hills as a backdrop, but also an old town teeming with bars and restaurants offering a vibrant nightlife.
Bilbao to its west has also rediscovered how to party after two decades decaying as an industrial relic. With the Guggenheim has come a new and dynamic attitude which makes this city one of Spain’s hippest places to visit or simply hang out.
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Further west is Cantabria, one of Spain’s smallest provinces and a continuation of the verdant Basque scenery, with beautiful coves, green rolling hills and tiny fishing villages. Indeed both landscape and climate are reminiscent of parts of the UK.
Port town Santander may not be a highlight of the region but is a setting down point for ferry routes from Plymouth, Poole and Portsmouth, which put it within 24 hours reach of England without the need to jump on a plane.
Neighbouring Asturias is a similar and small region, notable for the elegant city of Oviedo and the internationally renowned jagged fissures of the Picos de Europa mountain range, just 15km in from the coast. Small but perfectly formed, they offer great outdoor pursuits.
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Galicia, the most north westerly area of Spain, meets the Atlantic with force and the ocean brings with it rain at any time of year. The Celtic history remains evident and Galicians have revived their language in recent years, with many street signs given in both Galician and Castilian.
Although much of the interior has been affected by deforestation, the region still contains the religious and architectural landmark Santiago de Compostela. The cathedral is the town’s main attraction but its surrounding squares and plethora of monuments make this a must-visit destination.
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La Coruña to the north is Galicia’s busiest business centre and is an attractive if unspectacular port town with some nice beaches. It is home and headquarters to one of Spain’s most successful exports, fashion store group Zara.
The most easterly of Spain’s green belt provinces is Aragón, a region with borders to France, the Basque Country, Catalonia, the Castilian heartlands and the Mediterranean Valencia province.
What Aragón serves up is a rich tapestry of castles, mountains and stone villages and the province is home to some of the best of the Pyrenees, with walking and skiing in abundance.
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Further south and the central plains give way to sparsely populated countryside punctuated by fascinating villages and striking monasteries and castles. The major town of the area is Zaragoza, a likeable if unspectacular city whose population has been boosted by a gradual country to city drift. Improved rail links promise to boost the city’s economy.
Heading towards Valencia and Teruel is the south’s most striking stop off, a hilltop town full of some of Spain’s most ornate Mudéjar monuments. Property-wise the Costa Verde is easily the best value of the Spanish Costas although it comes without the guaranteed sunshine of the others. However, price rises are outstripping the rest of Spain, albeit from a lower base, and homes in Roman town Lugo in Galicia jumped an amazing 37.6% last year and was Spain’s top performer.
Need to know
Transport: Zaragoza is the only city linked to Madrid by high-speed train although all the large towns have train stations.
Accessibility: BA and Iberia fly to Bilbao, La Coruña, Oviedo (also EasyJet and Ryanair), Pamplona, Sanitiago (Ryanair), San Sebastián (Ryanair), Vigo and Zaragoza (Ryanair). Ryanair and Iberia also fly to Vitoria.
Accommodation: A wide mix, from coastal apartments to traditional stone country homes.
Property prices – For property the Costa Verde offers some of the best value apartments, starting at €140,000. Interior houses can cost less than €100,000. However, the region achieved double digit price increases last year, with Galicia topping the lot at 19.3%.
Regulations: Appoint a local agent to advise on taxes for buying and selling property and legal advice on issues such as inheritance tax, which differ sharply to the UK. Expect fees to add about 10% to the buying price.
Healthcare: British citizens with a free EHIC card get reciprocal healthcare.