Ahead of the Holiday World Show on 18th- 20th January, Turespaña (The Spanish Tourist Board) carried out a survey to find out what Northern Ireland’s most popular Spanish holiday destination is.

Clearly Spain is close to the hearts of NI holiday makers, because almost 900 people voted in the survey to wave the flag for their favourite Spanish spot.

And the winner? Here’s a clue… It’s one of the world’s major cities in terms of culture, arts, fashion and commerce, an incredibly vibrant city that offers a feast for the senses and one which overflows with iconic architecture and is a true shopper’s paradise… it could only be Barcelona!

Here are the top 10 Spanish holiday destinations as voted by the NI public;

1 Barcelona 2 Lanzarote 3 Costa Del Sol 4 Majorca 5 Tenerife 6 Salou 7 Madrid 8 Malaga 9 Seville

1. Alicante

With 300 days of sun per year, long sandy Atlantic beaches and beautiful Mediterranean coves, it’s really not hard to understand why Spain is top of the list for so many NI holidaymakers.

But if you think it’s all sun and sangria, you can think again! Lots of places may say it, but Spain really does have something for just about everyone.

A land of extreme contrasts and diversity, Spain is a rich tapestry of world-famous cuisine, breathtaking coastlines, adrenaline-soaked adventure, renowned art and stunning architecture; not to mention home to some of the best festivals and fiestas that can be found anywhere on the globe!

The good news for holidaymakers is that flights to Spain are short and affordable. There are six airlines (Aer Lingus, Ryanair, Jet2, Thomas Cook, TUI and Easyjet) flying to 14 different Spanish destinations, direct from either Belfast International Airport or Belfast City Airport.

Take your pick from destinations such as Malaga, Lanzarote, Alicante, Girona, Tenerife Sur, Reus, Fuerteventura, Ibiza, Almeria, Gran Canaria, Menorca, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona and Valencia.

For more information or ideas on planning a trip to Spain, visit Turespaña at the Holiday World Show at the Titanic Exhibition Centre between 18th and 20th January. You can also visit www.spain.info