Photo Credit: Kristoffer Trolle

Spain is much more than sun, sand and sangria, although these three favorite things to do are the most popular activities in the coastal regions. Boating is another beloved pastime, with yachts and speedboats easily rented. All the usual watersports are found in the resorts, along with aerial delights such as paragliding and paramotoring.

For the brave or foolhardy, sol buggy and mountain motorbiking in the mountains is the thrill a a lifetime and, for the ultimate adrenaline rush, an aerobatic flight with an experienced pilot is offered in Marbella. For horseback riders with a little experience, guided trips through the remote countryside once used by smugglers and bandits can be exhilarating, while canyoning in the dramatic Sierra de Guara National Park is as exciting as it sounds.

Alicante is one of Spain’s most popular beach resorts, offering just about every watersport from sailing, fishing, windsurfing, water skiing, surfing, kite surfing and scuba diving. There are plenty of places to learn, with Costa Blanca Diving giving expert instruction to beginners and organizing trips to great dive sites. If you want to learn to sail, Costa Blanca Sailing can give you the know-how.

For getting up close and personal with the wilder side of Spain’s rugged slopes, Trailbike Spain offers long-distance trailbiking tours around the country’s most spectacular scenery. The deserts, mountains and forests of the Aragon and Catalan regions are your playground, with endless off-roading routes from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean coasts. Sol Buggy and 4x4 half or full-day safaris in Marbella’s Andalusian back country and national parks are offered by Adventure Spain.

Seeing the natural beauty of Spain is an unforgettable experience, whether you’re horseback riding in Catalonia, Andalusia or on the island of Mallorca. Unicorn Trails offers guided rides along the Andalusian beaches, through the forests and over the region’s vast moorlands, while Catalonian trails include more pristine beaches and desert routes. Along the way you’ll visit remote, traditional villages and experience the real Spain far from the tourist crowds.

The relatively new sport of canyoning has become immensely popular in recent years for its combination of rock-climbing, abseiling and getting very, very wet. Sierra de Guara National Park is the perfect backdrop for its deep canyons, waterfalls and rushing rivers, with Experience Box Spain based in nearby Marbella, offering packages that include guides, wetsuits, gear, transportation, and a DVD of your experience.

For the ultimate thrill, Experience Box Spain offers half-hour aerobatic flights with a qualified pilot at the helm. Loops, rolls, spins and other seemingly impossible maneuvers will give you the adrenaline rush of a lifetime. If that’s not enough, there’s the option to upgrade where you actually fly the plane! Other aerial delights include gyrocopter sightseeing, bird-watching trips and a half-hour flight in a bright orange WWI German biplane.

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