The latest news from Paradores

San Sebastian's world famous marathon, Maraton Donosti, will see thousands of fantastically fit marathon runners pouring down its stunning streets, during this year's event.

Imagine 2,099 square metres of untouched natural paradise, like the Garden of Eden, only tangible. Spain's largest protected nature park, Parque Natural de Cazorla, is also the second largest nature reserve in Europe.

With vast swathes of pine forests filled with herds of Fallow deer, Red deer, wild boar, wild sheep, wolves and vultures, this is truly nature at its finest: undamaged, wild and abundant.

Not all of Spain's natural beauty lies above ground. The caves in the area surrounding Limpias, a beautiful town in Cantabria in the north of Spain, are a favourite of seasoned potholers who are looking for more than seaside and sunshine during their holiday in Spain.

Málaga, the largest city on the Costa del Sol in Spain's Andalusia, is not all sun and surf. This historic city, home to architectural sites, art museums, delicious cuisine and, of course, the Parador Málaga Gibralfaro, is the birthplace of the great Spanish painter Pablo Picasso.

One of the finest foods to be found in Spanish cuisine is cheese. There are endless varieties of cheese produced throughout Spain, from mild and tangy to aromatic and sweet, from dry and crumbly to soft and creamy.

If you fancy yourself a cheese connoisseur, or you simply enjoy a bite of Spanish cheese with your wine, now is the best time for you to visit one of Paradores many luxury hotels in Spain. Why? September is Cheese Month at Paradores.

One of the most famous types of Spanish wine, Rioja, comes from grapes grown in the regions of La Rioja, Navarre and Alava in the north of the country. The Paradores hotel chain organizes three day wine tours around the region, where you can visit bodegas (wine cellars), taste exquisite wines, stay in luxury hotels and explore charming towns along the way.

The sparsely populated province of Cáceres in the region of Extremadura is an area of Spain less known to foreigners, but one that is worthy of much fame. Charming towns and historic Roman ruins are surrounded by stunning scenery, perfect for country walks and hiking while in Spain.

True wine connoisseurs know that there is a big world of Spanish wine beyond the borders of the well known La Rioja region. In fact, Navarre, a region to the northeast of La Rioja, produces rich rosés, reds and whites that are just as delicious as its neighbour's.

As the weather cools and summer gives way to autumn, mushrooms are beginning to sprout in Spain's Sierra de Gredos, a mountain range that stretches out over 110 kilometres of the centre of the country. The fleshy fungi will soon cover the ground, waiting to be plucked, cooked and eaten.

Autumn is the season for chestnuts in many parts of Spain. Particularly in the north, many regions host versions of the castañada festival to celebrate the harvest of these humble nuts.

Many of us like to enjoy a relaxing glass or two of Spanish wine after a long day at the office. Far from relaxing, however, is the process of making the wine in your glass. In fact, it's a lot of hard work!

As the temperatures fall and the days get shorter, we have to forget about relaxing seaside holidays in Spain until next year.

But do we really? Although the autumn and winter months are usually too cold for swimming and sunbathing, there are still many spectacular beaches in Spain full of natural beauty worthy of a visit, even if you must wear a hat and scarf to do so.