THE BEST BEACH HOLIDAYS IN SPAIN

Canary Islands
Despite being synonymous with package-holidaymakers, there is a cerebral side to the Canary Islands if you know where to look. Start on Tenerife, swapping garish resorts on Playa de las Américas for a pastel-coloured hacienda in La Laguna. The best natural beaches on this island are only a short drive away in El Médano, on the windswept south-east. Equally serene is the north coast of Lanzarote with its warm waters and golden beaches. Famara beach is the most picturesque, combining velvety sand with big swells popular with surfers. On subtropical Gran Canaria, the sun shines even brighter and wild sand dunes dominate the south. An unforgettable beach holiday could simply be spent wandering through Maspalomas – the undulating dunes of this beach resemble the Sahara Desert while the distant turquoise of the sea twinkles like a hopeful mirage.