Ian Lomas, brand manager Spain,Cresta
“My favourite Spanish city has to be Seville. It is such an historic, vibrant and cosmopolitan city. It is full of life day and night and boasts a perfect Mediterranean climate that lasts all year round.
“For me, living the Seville lifestyle makes the holiday – it is such a sociable city for get-togethers and is the capital of tapas. Dining late and enjoying ‘pinchos’ in a tapas bars is an essential and integral part of the holiday to me. I also love to take a walk before dinner through the Old Town with its maze of cobbled streets and white-washed houses, brightly flowered balconies and scented orange trees – an absolute must.
“Set on the banks of the River Guadaliquivir, the city really comes alive after dark and has many lively pavement bars and cafes in which to relax.
“During the day there is the cathedral, the Plaza Espana or the Moorish fortress to explore and La Isla Majica theme park built on the Expo ’92 site.
“Beyond the city, Spain’s superb coast and beaches are just an hour’s drive away and the beautiful white-washed hill town of Andalucia are on your doorstep. This year Seville is getting a lot of exposure thanks to the International Amateur Athletic Federation World Championship in Athletics and it is fast becoming one of the most fashionable cities of Spain. I don’ t doubt it will soon rival Madrid and Barcelona in popularity as a city-break destination.”
Sean Lowe, product manager, Magic of Portugal and Spain
“This may seem something of an odd choice because Bilbao is best known for its steel making and isn’t the prettiest place in the world but I lived there for some time and have visited often and it’s great.
“Situated in the heart of the Basque country, it has great food. The Basque region is renowned for its tapas but the nearby fishing villages of Bermbo and Mundaka ensure marvellous fresh fish is always available. The city has a rough, industrial edge to it and since the building of the Guggenheim Museum, it has been totally transformed. The museum is one of the most adventurous pieces of modern architecture in the world – built from 50-metre-wide sheets of twisted metal and steel. It dominates the landscape of the city and has given it a unique and quite marvellous focal point. I never could have believed one building could so dramatically change a city.
“I have always liked Bilbao and the museum now makes me recommend it even more. Britons have tended to just drive through Bilbao – off the P&O ferries and onwards – but it’s a great place for a city break or from which to explore the Basque region, the Cantabrian Mountains and the beautiful shell-like bay of San Sebastian.”
Jose-Antonio Arroyabe, managing director, Mundi Color
“Malaga is famous as the capital of the Costa del Sol and many people only know it for its airport but it really is a great city in itself and certainly one of my favourites.
“Malaga is set on a beautiful bay and is big enough to have all the amenities of a city yet small enough to be easy to get around. It has a lovely harbour and a three-mile seafront esplanade, a cathedral and Arab castle and, with the white-washed villages of the mountains behind and the beaches in front, it gives easy access to a lot of different aspects of the real country of Spain. Home of Picasso, Malaga is a year-round city – even in winter the weather is a balmy 14C or 15C. It is within a 2hr drive of Cordoba, Seville and Granada and unlike most other Spanish cities it has lovely beaches too.
“In August and at Easter it has even more appeal when the streets are filled with the activities of the Andalucian Fair and spectacular Easter processions. Malaga is largely overlooked by most tour operators so most people don’t know its attractions. As a result, it is not teeming with tourists and has a very Spanish feel to it. It is well worth a closer look.”