Spanish coast easier to access

Britons taking a ferry to Spain will be able to take advantage of a new high-speed rail connection between two of its most popular cities.

The new train service from Madrid to Barcelona will open up opportunities for people taking a break in northern Spain to access parts of the south.

As well as boosting the domestic tourism sector in Spain, the new high-speed rail link will make it easier for travellers to reach the coast, said James Dearsley from overseas property firm Atlas International.

"This rail link will increase that shift of people from the cities to the coast," he explained.

Walk-on ferry passengers will be able to use the service to take in more of Spain and get across the continent.

Alternatively, the rail link will allow holidaymakers on a European tour to catch a ferry to France and then travel straight to Madrid from Paris.