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Gateway to Bilbao, Getxo has a number of impressive beaches and fascinating buildings, including the UNESCO-listed Vizcaya Bridge. Bilbao itself is home to the famous Guggenheim Museum, a feat of construction, housing a magnificent display of modern art. This region is also renowned for the popular Rioja wine, which was awarded DOC status in 1991, and accompanies the local Pintxos savoury treats perfectly.

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Located between Gijon and Bilbao on Spain’s north coast, Santander is an elegant city with impressive buildings set against a natural backdrop of sea and mountains. The city combines its heritage with modernity perfectly, and is best seen via the popular funicular railway that creeps up to the upper section of Santander, offering superb views across the bay. Close by are prehistoric caves, which contain some of the most important cave paintings of Quaternary art.

Located on the Atlantic coastline of Spain, Gijon has a seafaring and maritime heritage that dates back to Roman times. Famous for its cider, or sidras, as it’s known nationally, the apples grown here have been used for centuries to produce the traditional drink of the Asturias region. The Picos de Europa National Park is so named from the impressive rock formations here, and is home to the brown bear and Iberian wolf.

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Located between Gijon and Bilbao on Spain’s north coast, Santander is an elegant city with impressive buildings set against a natural backdrop of sea and mountains. The city combines its heritage with modernity perfectly, and is best seen via the popular funicular railway that creeps up to the upper section of Santander, offering superb views across the bay. Close by are prehistoric caves, which contain some of the most important cave paintings of Quaternary art.

A short journey from Leixões takes you into the heart of Oporto, with its fortress-like Cathedral – offering stunning views across the city, and the Baroque Church of Clérigos. Head to the historic Ribeira District, where the narrow, cobbled lanes wind their way down to the Douro River, or visit one of the many wine cellars for a taste of the rich and smooth fortified wine named after the city, Port.

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An important maritime city for centuries, Vigo is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and has one of the best natural ports in the world. The port area was heavily influenced by the sea, and has many old fishing houses and markets selling locally caught seafood. A neoclassical Cathedral, the Collegiate Church of Santa Marta is built on the site of a gothic church that was burnt down by Francis Drake; and there is an impressive statue dedicated to literary author Jules Verne.

El Ferrol is located in the far north west of Spain, and has always been linked to the sea, thanks to its location deep within one of Europe's most strategic natural harbours. Its name derives from 'farol', due to a lighthouse at the harbour entrance. The city is seen as the gateway to Santiago de Compestela, where it is said that the relics of James the Apostle are buried, prompting thousands of pilgrims to have journeyed along the Camino de Santiago for centuries.

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The vibrant 9th-century port town of La Coruña, on the Iberian Peninsula, is a delicate combination of old and new architecture, with the shimmering glass of modern buildings prompting the local's to nickname it ‘The Crystal City’ juxtaposed against the deeply historical medieval district; rich in Galician culture, history, gastronomy and natural beauty. The centrepiece of this region is the Santiago de Compostela, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where it is said the Relics of James the Apostle are buried – an incentive for the pilgrims who make the journey along the Camino de Santiago each year. From climbing up the world’s oldest working lighthouse to exploring the small collection of immaculate bays, La Coruña’s many treasures make this a town worth discovering.