Hotels with

La Torre del Visco, Aragon

This 15th century former farmhouse is set in 100 hectares of olive and almond trees. It was bought by a British cou ple - Jemma Markham and Piers Dutton - in 1995 and turned into a stunning luxury retreat. Fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld, right, once no minated it as one of the three most romantic hotels in Spain, and fell under the spell of its wonderful breakfasts of breads, hams, cheeses and homemade quince

Parador de Jaen, Jaen

This spectacular restored castle hotel was built as a 12th-century Moorish fortress, connected to the city by hidden tunnels. During Arab rule the castle kept the city at peace, until it was captured by Ferdinand III in 1246. He extended the castle, which held out against the repeated attacks by the Moors over the next two hundred years, until all the Moors were expelled from Spain. Soaring vaulted ceilings, wooden beams and tiled floors add to the majestic splendour but the decadent comforts of its 45 bedrooms are far from medieval.

The 17-room dwelling has a big library stocked with 3,000 books and a gleaming Bechstein piano. Guests, who include the former king and queen, above, of Spain, also have the option of arriving by helicopter.