I declare an interest. I pay Spanish property tax! For what it's worth:
The Spaniards seem much more welcoming than the Italians, apart from tourist areas where they all hate visitors.
The sophistication is much more visible in Italy.
The striped shirt and Volvo Brits have ruined a lot of bits of Italy, the baseball hat and football shorts Brits (helped out by the Germans and Scandinavians) have ruined a lot of the mediterranean coast of Spain (where we live!)
Spanish food is generally good, as is Italian, French and even some British, though you have to look. If, though, you stick to the tourist favourites and don't experiment, then you'll get what you get.
My thought echos a previous correspondent. If you're travelling by car stay in Paradors, they're not cheap, but people rave about them.