Spain's most spectacular places

Spanish delights

Spain is the vacation destination that has it all. Here you can bask on sandy beaches, fill up on fresh seafood and dance until dawn. From lively cities to villages so sleepy you suspect they haven't risen since Easter, and from sweeping white beaches to towering green mountains, Spain is a place where exploration is always rewarded.

Read on to discover our pick of Spain's top places to visit...

Salamanca

Home to Spain’s oldest university (pictured), Salamanca offers a perfect blend of history, culture and vibrant nightlife. The winding streets and alleyways of its picturesque old town are lined with ornate sandstone buildings, while other unmissable landmarks include the majestic Plaza Mayor and two (yes, two) stunning cathedrals.

According to legend, anyone who can find the stone frog on the elaborately carved façade of the university will have good luck in the following year (especially in exams). To experience the city’s unbeatable range of bars, take an evening tapas tour along the Calle van Dyck. 

Salamanca

Located in the heart of Salamanca’s old town, directly opposite St Stephen’s Convent, the elegant Hotel Don Gregorio occupies a beautiful, restored 15th-century palace. The hotel has its own spa facilities, indoor and outdoor lounges, as well as a Michelin-starred restaurant serving mouthwatering Spanish, Mexican and Asian fusion cuisine.

Peñíscola, Castellón

Peñiscola’s sweep of sands reaches represents a golden half-moon with a castle atop a promontory. It’s a fairytale setting, but that’s not all – this is also the region said to have the best langoustines in Spain. Feast on these at Casa Jaime before taking a dip in waters so shallow you could wade for hundreds of feet before even getting your hips wet.

Peñíscola, Castellón

Baiona, Galicia

Baiona may be the jumping-off point for the idyllic white-sand beaches of the Cíes Islands, but there’s more to this small resort than its ferries. You’ll find a couple of glorious sandy beaches and, one street back from the seafront, an alley of local restaurants lined up to serve delicious tapas (Galicia is known for the quality of its seafood).

Baiona, Galicia

If you’re looking for a memorable place to stay, try the Parador de Baiona; you can’t miss it as it’s in the town’s fortress. The terrace has sea views and local wines, while rooms are traditional in style. As with most paradors, it’s not worth staying in for dinner – head out to those tapas bars instead.

Toledo

The jewel of Castilla-La Mancha, the ancient city of Toledo is set high on a hill overlooking the Tagus River. Known as the 'City of Three Cultures', its captivating blend of Christian, Moorish and Jewish influences have endowed it with a unique architectural and cultural heritage stretching back 2,000 years.

The Old Town is one of the most beautiful in Spain, with highlights including the Alcazar, an immense medieval fortress, as well as the Gothic splendor of the Cathedral of Santa Maria de Toledo. In the latter, visitors can see works by the painter El Greco, who once made the city his adopted home.

Toledo

Once the home of famous flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía, Entre dos Aguas Hotel Boutique offers a truly unique experience. Ideally located in the heart of old Toledo, this tiny hotel is arranged around a charming central courtyard and boasts an enchanting roof terrace along with a basement housing its former owner’s recording studio.

It even has its own restaurant, although it only seats six people so be sure to book well in advance.

Sitges, Catalunya

Sitges is where Barcelona – a mere 20 miles (32km) away – comes to let its hair down even further. You won’t find peace and quiet here – Sitges is all about posing on the beach and dancing until sunrise. Known as one of Spain’s most LGBTQ+-friendly resorts, it attracts a fun, cosmopolitan crowd and has an old town packed with bars and nightclubs.

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Sitges, Catalunya

For a chic accommodation option, try the Hotel MiM in the center of Sitges. Sitting a minute or two from the beach, it boasts stylish rooms, a serene spa and the rooftop Sky Bar.

Mallorca

The largest of the Balearic Islands is home to one of Spain’s top cities: Palma. After a day spent relaxing on the beach or looking out from the vast La Seu cathedral on a rooftop tour, hit the tapas trail or dine in style at Michelin-starred Marc Fosh.

There's an exceptional art scene and top-notch food too. The Tramuntana mountains lie just north. Take the charming wooden train through the olive, lemon and orange groves to Sóller for mountain scenery and fresh orange juice.

Mallorca

Book a room at Cap Rocat, an imposing old military fortress that is all chunky stone ramparts and you’ll benefit from roof terraces with awesome views across Palma Bay. Stay in for lunch at the Sea Club to dine on local fish alfresco and make time for a massage – the Ayurvedic treatments here are superb.

Tenerife

Don’t listen to anyone who tells you Tenerife isn’t classy. This sun-drenched Canary Island has gourmet restaurants, 5-star hotels, fabulous beaches and a volcano at its heart. Mount Teide is the highest mountain in Spain at almost 12,200 feet (3,718m) – it’s well worth rising before dawn to reach the summit for sunrise. You’ll have to walk from the refuge though – the cable car doesn’t start until 9am.

Tenerife

Feeling flush? The super-luxury Red Level at Gran Meliá Palacio Isora has huge rooms with sea views, an exclusive adults-only pool and hot tubs overlooking the Atlantic. It’s a short drive from here to the island’s best restaurant: the ultra-creative El Rincón de Juan Carlos.

Madrid

Spain’s capital is home to several of the country’s best art museums. If you only have time for one, make it the Prado (pictured), where European art from the 12th century onwards is on display.

The city’s real buzz though is found in its bars, which are said to number more per capita than any other city in the EU. Take a stroll around Chueca for some of the best. This is the city’s main LGBTQ+ neighborhood, and all are welcome in the lively bars and on the pavements between them.

Madrid

Choose the VP Plaza España Design for an unbeatable location on the Plaza de España, right in the heart of the action. There’s an outdoor swimming pool, a nightclub and the 12th-floor Ginkgo Sky Bar, which offers 360° views over the city, including the Royal Palace.

Arcos de la Frontera, Andalucía

Andalucía is awash with ‘pueblos blancos’, the picturesque white towns this southern region is famous for.

Arcos de la Frontera, though, is extra special, balanced on a limestone ridge facing straight down a sheer cliff into the Guadalete river. Its web of streets leads up to an imposing castle, where there are eye-popping views across the plains.

Arcos de la Frontera, Andalucía

The bijou Casa Campana is a delightful accommodation option. Rooms in the 500-year-old building are stylishly decorated and have rustic features such as earthenware floors and wooden beams. There’s also a charming Andalusian central courtyard and a terrace with views to die for over the old town.

Granada

Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Granada is dominated by the Alhambra, one of the world’s most famous examples of Islamic architecture. But this unforgettable city, with its distinctive blend of Moorish and European influences, has much to offer besides, from its majestic cathedral to the tranquil gardens of the Generalife.

The Albaicín neighborhood is a must-see, with its maze of narrow streets, small squares and picturesque carmens (houses surrounded by walled gardens), while in Sacromonte, the old Gypsy quarter, you can catch a flamenco show in a hillside cave.

Granada

Hidden away in the winding medieval streets of Albaicín, the Hotel Mirador del Jazmin is situated in a gorgeous 16th-century building with a leafy central courtyard and many original architectural features, making it an ideal base for exploring this historic city. Several of its spacious, tastefully decorated rooms have private balconies offering spectacular views over the Alhambra and Granada Cathedral. 

Valderrobres, Aragon

Matarraña is a largely unknown but utterly spellbinding region of hills, vultures and medieval villages. Valderrobres is the most beguiling of all, its 14th-century castle presiding over one of the country’s finest collections of Gothic buildings.

Cross the raised stone bridge into town to check out the 16th-century church of Santa María la Mayor before taking a wild swim in the Matarraña River.

Valderrobres, Aragon

Just six miles (10km) outside the town is the wonderful Torre del Visco. You can learn to slice jamón here, as well as tuck into suckling pig and local fish. Rooms are luxurious and there’s stargazing on the terrace after dark.

Seville

The capital of Andalusia, Seville is one of Spain's most magical places. Infused with the scent of the bitter orange trees which line its ancient streets, the city is famed for its imposing monuments, especially the Royal Alcazar (pictured) and the immense Gothic cathedral with its iconic Moorish bell tower, La Giralda.

It's also one the best places to enjoy an authentic flamenco show, buy traditional ceramics, experience a procession during Holy Week, or sample a range of delicious tapas in its lively bars and cafés.

Seville

Across the river from the Old Town, in Seville’s Triana neighborhood, the Hotel Boutique Triana House offers bespoke bed and breakfast accommodation in seven exquisitely decorated rooms, all arranged around a beautiful central courtyard. Moorish influences abound, with ornate tiled walls, bold colors and sumptuous beds and sofas.

Santillana del Mar, Cantabria

Medieval defense towers and Renaissance palaces make Santillana del Mar stand out, but it’s the town’s romantic atmosphere that really gets under your skin. Flowers bloom from balconies, winding streets run from museums to tapas bars, and everything is warm stone and terracotta.

Just outside town are the world-famous Altamira Caves, UNESCO-listed for their striking cave paintings.

Santillana del Mar, Cantabria

For a suitably historic hotel option, try the Hotel Altamira, which is housed in a 17th-century building in the heart of town and has a café terrace on the main square. Rooms have stone walls, wooden floors and antique furniture.

Barcelona

Gaudí made Barcelona gorgeous. From the mesmerizing tilework at Parc Güell (pictured) to the soaring masterpiece that is the Sagrada Família, this Catalan architect is rightly celebrated across the city.

As is the food, with Barcelona home to one of Europe’s best produce markets: La Boqueria. There are creative tapas to be had at Bar Pinotxo, while fantastic seafood can be found down on the beach at Barceloneta. The city is also football mad and FC Barcelona fans will get a kick out of the Camp Nou stadium (due to renovation work, it's not currently possible to walk on the pitch as part of a tour).

Barcelona

The luxurious Hotel Arts by Ritz-Carlton is located in one of the city’s tallest buildings, and many rooms have fantastic views of both the city and the Med. There’s also an outdoor pool right beneath Frank Gehry’s El Peix, a giant golden fish sculpture. It’s not only Gaudí who’s made an impression on this city.

Saint Sebastián

In the heart of Spain’s mountainous Basque country, San Sebastián is famous for its stunning location, world-renowned restaurants and annual film festival – one of the most important in the world. The beautiful Playa de La Concha is renowned as one of the best beaches in Europe, while nearby Mount Igueldo offers glorious views over La Concha Bay and Santa Clara Island.

And, of course, no visit is complete without an evening spent touring the cobblestoned streets of the city’s Old Town, with its dizzying array of pintxo bars, which pair local wines with mouthwatering tapas.

Saint Sebastián

Just a short walk from the iconic Playa de la Concha, Hotel Arbaso occupies an imposing 19th-century apartment block in the city’s Centro district, its beautifully refurbished rooms blending minimalist style with natural materials. At Narru, the hotel's restaurant, chef Inigo Pena serves up a modern take on traditional Basque cuisine using the best seasonal produce.

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