If you're feeling romantic and you want to impress your partner with a surprise trip abroad, the country where you just can't go wrong is Spain. As soon as you untie the blindfold, your partner will be smitten (with you, hopefully, as well as the place). Everything about Spain, from the quality of light and benign climate to the natural and man-made beauty, seems designed for pleasure-seekers.

Many visitors get their kicks at one of two obvious places: Barcelona, that magnificent Mediterranean city where everything from sightseeing to shopping is fantastic; or Bilbao, the hardworking capital of Basque Spain, which is now blessed with the amazing Guggenheim museum. Yet there's a bunch of other cities that are less celebrated, but which offer an equally rewarding experience. Here's our guide to six of the best Spanish short break destinations.

Madrid
The Spanish capital is full of hilarious contradictions. It's as far as you can get from the sea (indeed, it was chosen as Spain's top city because it is so central), yet it's the best place in the country to find great fresh seafood. The sense of style among the Madrilenos is awesome, but just a few hundred metres from the main square you'll find the biggest flea market you have ever seen selling all manner of junk. Madrid is home to several world class art galleries to fill the days, but you'll need to conserve all your energy for a tapas crawl lasting the whole evening, dinner at midnight and dancing till dawn.

Palma
Every winter around six million holidaymakers touch down on Europe's favourite vacation island, yet only a fraction of them take the opportunity to visit this marvellous city. If you've been to Barcelona, you'll recognise touches like the superb modernist architecture, great modern art and the broad pedestrian avenue known as the Ramblas. There's also the most dramatic Gothic cathedral in Christendom, some remnants of the Islamic era and some superb bars and restaurants. And just a bus ride away you'll find some of the Med's finest beaches.

Valencia
Spain's third city may be smaller than Barcelona and Madrid, but it packs an extraordinary range of experiences into a compact space. Within its shady streets you'll find what is arguably the best range of food in Spain, at spectacularly low prices; some brilliant markets, where you can see a real slice of Spanish life; marvellous architecture, ancient and modern; a river bed that has been turned into a theme park; and, best of all, a beachside at the end of a tram ride.

Jerez
You smell the sherry capital of the world several kilometres before you see it. The 'angel's share' of the drink evaporates from ancient oak barrels and spreads itself generously through the atmosphere. You must tour (at least) one of the sherry bodegas, to find out how the humble grape is transformed into a heavenly drink, with the traditional tasting at the end. But don't overlook the other attractions: an Old Quarter that's as atmospheric as anywhere in Spain, and the Andalucian Flamenco Centre where you can find out more about the most sensual dance in the world.

Toledo
Spain's 'Imperial City' has a dramatic setting, perched on a hill above the River Tagus, which writhes around the city. The Plaza de Zocodover is where everything happens, and the place to pose or just pause for a coffee. But soon you'll be drawn into the warren of tiny lanes that make a tangled web of the heart of the city. The most fascinating quarter of all is the Jewish area, where the community lived until their cruel expulsion from Spain in 1492 (a busy year, that one). Layer upon layer of history pervades Toledo, but the city is best at dusk when all the day-trippers have gone home and a serenity descends.

Malaga
You're going the wrong way if you arrive at mainland Spain's biggest charter airport and turn right, south-west down the coast towards Torremolinos and Marbella. Just a few kilometres in the opposite direction, north-east, leads you into a grand, rambling city, whose classy citizens can be found in all manner of traditional bars and cafes, while visitors wise enough to forsake the Costa del Sol can spend happy days exploring the Picasso connection - the artist was born here - plus the Moorish embellishments and Roman remains. If you can stay longer, this is a great place to learn Spanish - in brilliant surroundings.