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Holidays in rural Spain
A pool and a garden in the south at a sunny Andalusian villa?
Or exploring the north, its green Celtic lands, Alpine peaks and sandy coves?
Spain's landscapes range from misty, forested mountains with green-swathed valleys to hot, sun-baked olive plantations and desert: you might like to find out more about what the options are.
We invite you to read our guides to the most attractive regions of rural Spain.
In each region, you can link to the self-catering holiday homes we have discovered and selected as Rustical Travel accommodation.
 Andalucia
Rural tourism is popular these days in everyone’s favourite part of Spain. Andalucia is famed the world over for its Moorish history, its folklore, flamenco and fiestas: and also for its sun and warmth. Covering a geographical extent larger than Holland or Switzerland, with mountainous terrain in over half the territory, it has 22 National Parks, semi-tropical river valleys, deserts where westerns were filmed, and the highest peaks in Spain. Granada, Cordoba and Seville offers cities to satisfy the cultural appetite of any visitor and Mediterranean beaches are never far away.
Read more about Andalucia in southern Spain and its very different rural areas:
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Andalucia guide
Ronda Mountains & Grazalema guide
Axarquia & Antequera guide
La Alpujarra guide
Sierra de Aracena guide
 Asturias
In this delightful enclave of “green Spain”, traditional farmhouses and country lodges dot the slopes and valleys descending the splendid, snowcapped Picos de Europa. A temperate land in the north, the Principality of Asturias offers magnificent scenery, wholesome fare and picturesque fishing villages to those willing to go off the beaten track.
Read the Asturias guide
 Catalonia
A sophisticated culture and a modern European outlook make this country by the sea a magnet for international tourists. Yet most visitors to the city of Barcelona and the Mediterranean coast fail to discover the extraordinary National Parks, volcanic landscapes and medieval villages not far inland. Here and in the north, where the magnificent Pyrenees rise up to join Catalonia with France, you can stay at charming rustic accommodation.
Read the Catalonia guide
 Cantabria
An oceanic climate makes for warm summers and mild winters in the region after which mountains and a sea are named. This small region is the most prolific site in the world for palaeolithic remains, exemplified by the Altamira cave paintings. It has spectacular mountains in the Picos de Europa and thick forests where Spain’s last remaining wolves and bears roam. Santander, set in a beautiful bay, has a superb new Maritime Museum with aquariums.
Read the Cantabria guide
 Galicia
A craggy coast broken by a succession of small, pretty bays forms the sea fringe to a green land whose Celtic traditions are evident in ancient monument, song and emblems. This is the “land of a thousand rivers” where pilgrims tread their way to Santiago de Compostela for the blessing of St James’ bones. Galician cooking is famed in Spain, fresh seafood garnered from the Atlantic being especially delicious.
Read the Galicia guide
 Madrid
Everyone loves the Spanishness of the capital, its tapas bars, its graceful architecture, its parks and its partying. But not everyone is familiar with Madrid’s sierras and their quick road and rail links. Hiking, skiing, mountain biking, birdwatching and rock climbing are some of the attractions in the Guadarrama elevations, the granite labyrinth of La Pedriza and the wild forests of the Madrid mountains.
Read the Madrid guide
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