Spain

When it comes to culture, Spain’s a cornucopia—or perhaps we should say an overflowing pot of paella, or a full-to-the-brim carafe of Tempranillo. While “passion” is maybe too easy a word to reach for when describing the Spanish character, it just fits so well. Delighting in the fruits of that culture-wide passion—and even participating in it—makes for the trip of a lifetime. And, hey, the scenery isn’t too shabby, either.

From Miguel de Cervantes to Ferran Adria, Spain’s germinated an impressive roster of creative talents who were destined to reshape how the rest of the world thinks. You could organize more than one grand Spanish tour based solely around the biographies and geographies of homegrown artists and writers. In Madrid, admire the brooding Convent of the Barefoot Trinitarians where Don Quixote’s mastermind was originally interred, and visit the statues in Plaza de Santa Ana dedicated to Garcia Lorca and de la Barca. Peer inside the outrageous mind of Salvador Dali at the Dali Theatre and Museum in Figueres. In Barcelona, survey the stylistic evolution of one of history’s greatest painters and sculptors at the Museu Picasso, then gape at the Sagrada Familia—the final, unfinished, head-spinning creation of Antoni Gaudi, the Catalonian architectural genius.

From flamenco to bullfighting, Spain’s cultural institutions tend toward the intense and the expressive. Eating here is a dream, with every region boasting its own specialties: Iberian ham, Valencian paella, Andalusian gazpacho. Align yourself with the Spanish daily routine, and you’ll see much of it revolves around food and drink: Surrender to a siesta after a big lunch, and then prepare for a night of tapas bar-hopping—with plenty of Spanish wine and beer to accompany it all.

Spain claims a massive share of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a reflection of how richly its epic past echoes on the landscape. Prehistoric cave paintings, Roman fortifications, Moorish castles, medieval churches—the historical legacy rivals any in Europe. Few sites are so overwhelming as the Alhambra in Granada: The mingled Islamic and Christian design elements of this mighty palace bring to life the Middle Ages saga of the Moorish takeover of the Iberian Peninsula and the Reconquista that ultimately returned it to the control of Christendom. And of course the residues of the darker chapters of Spain’s recent history, including World War II, the Spanish Civil War, and the stifling Franco dictatorship, are worth reflecting upon for a deeper insight into the country’s identity.

The Spanish landscape can be outright stunning. The jagged Pyrenees marking the French border and the lofty Sierra Nevada in the south rival the Alps in the beauty department. In the Balearic Islands, you’ve got clement Mediterranean beaches and the arresting Serra de Tramuntana of Mallorca. Ecotourists can seek out Spain’s wildest beasts in the most lonesome quarters of the country: Pyrenean and Cantabrian brown bears, Iberian wolves and lynx, cinereous vultures and imperial eagles. And off the coast of northwestern Africa, Spain has its very own volcanic North Atlantic archipelago, the evocatively scenic Canary Islands.

Eat, drink, dance, and hike your way around Spain—and maybe even run a little with the bulls. This is truly one of those life-changing destinations.