Southern Spain Winter Escapes

Walk in the shadows of Gaudi's architectural splendors and sip decadent Spanish red wines paired with savory tapas during an overnight stay near the heart of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter. Master the toasty, crackling craft of perfect socarrat as you cook up paella from regional ingredients at an exclusive cooking class hosted in a Malaga home. An inviting coastal city, Malaga enjoys the warmest winter weather in Europe, so it's likely that you'll sample regional wines and local delicacies like pescaíto frito--fried fish--comfortably seated at outdoor cafes. Wander Alcazaba Fortress's ancient halls and fortifications dating back to the 11th Century. Delightfully dawdle in roomy galleries adorned with a half century of Pablo Picasso's paintings, drawings, sculptures, and ceramics. Rise to the airy heights of the formidable British stronghold at Gibraltar, where you'll gaze out across one of the world's busiest channels to North Africa's distant mountains.