Spain is a small continent in itself. Due to its location Spain is “touched” by the Atlantic ocean and the Mediterranean sea. For centuries different civilations have sheltered in its territory, shaping the landscape and the cities you will find today. In this section we will cover the best cities to visit in Spain. Depending on how many days you will be travel to Spain, and also on how much you may want to move you will have chances to visit 1, 2,3 or more cities. Motorway connections and rail connections are fantastic in Spain and they will ease your travel planning.
The diversity of cultures, climate and topography has an impact on the Spanish cities and their people. In this section we cover the best cities to visit in Spain. Enjoy while you discover them! You will find in each city ideas to plan your perfect trip, interactive maps, hotel, restaurants and attractions recommendations. You will be able to filter in our maps by your travel style to ease your trip planning to the cities of your choice.
All the cities in this list are great visits. Madrid and Barcelona offer the best airport connections, not just as arrrival or departure points, but also to connect with other cities within the country (by plain or railway)
We have selected 3 cities in Northern Spain (San Sebastian, Bilbao and Santiago de Compostela) each of them offers something unique. Gastronmy and La Concha beach in San Sebastian, the end of El Camino in Santiago (and amazing seafood!) and the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao.
In Andalusia we have selected the 3 Must-see cities of Granada, Seville and Cordoba. They are simply amazing and some of Spain´s top tourist attractions are to be found in them: The Alhambra in Granada, the Great Mosque in Cordoba and the Giralda in Seville. Each of these top attractions justify any trip. We have also added Málaga and Marbella. They are both very attractive cities and offer great day excursion opportunities to places like Ronda, white villages like Setenil de las Bodegas or Frigiliana.
Valencia completes this list of 10 best cities to visit in Spain. Valencia is home of paella and a true mediterranean city with fantastic attractions for family travellers. Nature lovers will also enjoy the Albufera natural park!
The city of Salamanca isn’t always on peoples radar when planning a trip to Spain, but it most definitely should: a beautiful city filled with history and held as one of UNESCO’S world heritage sites, one of the oldest universities on the planet and tons of delicious (and affordable) food and wine. What else could you want?
Marbella is known for its spectacular beaches and its amazing nightlife, but this city has much more to offer, discover it for yourself. White houses, squares, traditional restaurants, flowers on the walls…. A part of Marbella has survived to the touristic development and remains authentic.
Santiago de Compostela became famous as a result of the great medieval pilgrimages to the tomb of the apostle James the Great. Santiago de Compostela is today a vibrant university town, with lots of heritage, fantastic gastronomy and the end of El Camino. Located in the North-west, Santiago is for sure of one of Spain´s top cities
Bilbao city guide with recommended list of hotels, restaurants, places to visit, weather, prices, monuments, things to see and do, and much more. Bilbao is Spain´s 4 largest city. Its industrial history is being “shadowed” by architectural inspiration, art galleries, and a plethora of cultural and gastronomical activity.
San Sebastian city guide with recommened list of hotels, restaurants, places to visit, weather, prices, monuments, things to see and do and much more
Valencia, which is the capital of the province of the same name and the third largest city in Spain, is situated on the Río Turia in the middle of an extensive and fertile plain, the Huerta of Valencia. It is a university town and the seat of an archbishop. Various annual festivals are held in this cheerful, lively city. Of these, the Fallas deserves particular mention. Valencia is the homeland of paella, one of Spain´s top national dishes
Malaga city guide with recommened list of hotels, restaurants, places to visit, weather, prices, monuments, things to see and do and much more
Almost unrivalled for its beauty and architectural splendour, the entire city of Granada has been declared a national monument. It lies at the foot of Spain’s mightiest massif, the Sierra Nevada, On the right side of the city lies the Albaicin district, the city’s oldest quarter; on the left rises the imposing Alhambra, which makes of Granada a must visit city in Spain
A provincial capital with a very strong Moorish character, Cordoba is one of the most interesting cities not only in Andalusia but also in the whole of Spain. The lovely Great Mosque became a centre of Arab pilgrimage and Cordoba boosted a further 300 mosques, numerous palaces, schools, universities, libraries, hospitals and baths. Córdoba’s cultural life was so great that it became of European importance.
The variety and quality of the artistic heritage in the city of Seville, the mixture of styles, eras and civilizations, and the special color of this city makes it an unforgettable place. White streets and squares, flamenco dancing, the river Guadalquivir and the Cathedral and Giralda are just a few of the reasons why Seville should be in your list!
Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.3 million inhabitants but the entire metropolitan area gets to a population of approximately 6.5 million. It is a vibrant city, where art and fun co-exist. In this Madrid city guide you will find ideas to plan your trip and make the most out of it.
Barcelona is Spain´s second largest city and the capital of Catalonia. The city has something from everyone. Its Mediterranean character contrasts its gothic roots, which also contrast with its wide avenues and beautiful modern buildings.
Barcelona is a place where architecture and art melt together. The influence of Gaudi has been profound and exceeds his masterpieces.
Our team of local experts has put together a series of recommendations to enjoy the best of Spain´s main cities in 1 to 3 days. They are a fantastic way to get your trip framework ready in a few minutes and can be easily customised with other things to do in Spain based on your travel style.
A fantastic itinerary to enjoy the best of Cordoba in one day or two days. Cordoba and its Mosque are a Must visit in Spain. Cordoba can be visited in one day, but for anyone who prefers not to rush two days many things await too! Selection of recommended restaurants to fit the itinerary, hotel selection and best things to do
A 2 day short break to enjoy Seville in Andalusia, Southern Spain. Ideas, recommendations and itineraries to get the max out of your stay. Discover the fascinating mix of cultures that contributed to the current heritage of Seville. Flamenco, La Giralda, the Barrio Santa Cruz, Calle Sierpes, the “Las seats” modern architecture. Enjoy Seville with this fantastic 2 day plan!
Madrid in 2 days. A complete itinerary to enjoy your stay in Madrid with a plan that includes daily maps, budget and a list of hotels, restaurants and recommended things to do. Adapt the plan to your budget and your travel style and get the most out of 2 days in Spain´s Capital
Barcelona in 2 days. A complete itinerary to enjoy a short-break in Barcelona. Day to day activities, recommended hotels to fit the itinerary and restaurants to enjoy local gastronomy. Budget per person per day in Barcelona and daily activity plan maps and timing per day. You will also find ideas to adapt the itinerary to your budget and travel style
You will be able to enjoy some of Spain´s most important festival in these cities. Learn more about them. If you can make your trip coincide with one of these festivals you will for sure enjoy a great atmosphere. In any case, learning a bit about local traditions will help in making your trip experience more enjoyable. You can find also some general travel tips to Spain in this section.
After Easter vacation is over, halfway through spring, the city turns into the bride of the world, and for this, the streets tidy up with perfume and orange blossom flowers. It puts on a flamenco outfit, striped white, red and green, with frills to celebrate the Seville April fair.
The patron saint of Barcelona is the Virgen de la Mercé, and is celebrated every September 24TH since the nineteenth century to dismiss the summer solstice and prepare for the arrival of the colder months.
A Mediterranean feast that brings back all the inhabitants of the city to enjoy music, dance and street entertainment with Giants, Castellars and Sardanas that dance to traditional instruments such as the “chirimía” a kind of hornpipe.
The Málaga Fair dates back to the fifteenth century when Málaga joined the Crown of Castilla in the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, who entered the city the 19th of August after the reconquest. Since then the City Council set this date to commemorate the fact, and the Malaga fair is established as the big summer fair every August 15th.
Malaga Fair has a reputation for being a very open and participatory festival, both national and international tourists, given the position of the city as the capital of tourism on the Costa del Sol
Each 15th of May in Madrid is the festival of San Isidro, the patron of Madrid. For a period of five days, locals take to the streets to celebrate their pilgrimage in the Pradera of San Isidro and also to enjoy music, dancing and Madrid cuisine in the gardens of the Vistillas.
The day before the party, in the streets of downtown Madrid, you can hear the excitement from the Parade of Giants, announcing the arrival of the Proclamation that occurs on the afternoon of the 14th on Plaza de la Villa.
They say that the city´s bonfires originated from wanting to burn everything old: branches of the fields and all the bad things from the past year are burnt to start the spring strong with new strength and optimism for the new harvest. Fallas Valencia. These 2 words, like also paella, go togehter in the minds of Spanish people.
Particularly in Valencia, they say the carpenters cleaned their workshops to have them ready for the San Jose festivities and burned all the remains in big bonfires, that with time got decorated, resulting is the Valencia Fallas.
Semana Santa is the time of “La pasión” as locals refer to it. Seville Easter Festival or holy week is one of the busiest times of the year. Local sevillanos and Spaniards from other regions alike gather in the streets to encourage the different brotherhoods whilst they parade with heavy and beautiful art masterpieces through the narrow streets of Seville. Locals refer to this week as La Pasion!
