What to do in Spain

Spain occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula and includes two archipelagos — the Canary Islands in the Atlantic and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean — plus the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla on the North African coast. Spanning 505,990 km2 with over 8,000 km of coastline, the country packs geographic diversity hard to match anywhere in Europe: from the Picos de Europa (2,650 m) and the Pyrenees (Aneto, 3,404 m) to the volcanic beaches of Lanzarote, the central plateau, the olive groves of Jaen and the marshlands of Donana. The outdoor activity catalogue mirrors that variety. In the north, canyoning in Sierra de Guara, surfing in Mundaka and sea-kayaking along the Galician rias. Inland, via ferratas in Cuenca highlands, horseback riding across the Extremaduran dehesa and rock climbing in Riglos. Along the Mediterranean coast, scuba diving in the Medes Islands, sailing off the Costa Brava and paddle boarding on the Mar Menor. In the south, caving in Cueva de Nerja, kiteboarding in Tarifa and whale watching in the Strait of Gibraltar. Layered onto that geography are 50 biosphere reserves, 16 national parks and over 1,800 protected natural areas covering 27% of the territory. The network of certified trails (GR, PR, SL) exceeds 60,000 km and connects villages, valleys and summits across every autonomous community. Beyond nature, the cultural heritage — 49 UNESCO World Heritage Sites — and regional gastronomy add a layer of local experience that rounds out every getaway.