Spain: our top 5

Spain is home to mighty cities, perfect hilltop villages and coastal hotspots. As well as huge variety on the mainland, Spain also has 7 Canary Islands and 4 Balearic Islands.  We’ve visited countless times and are always surprised. 

Here’s our all time top 5 places:

Barcelona:

Not only is Barcelona our favourite city in Spain, it’s one of our favourite cities in the world. Make sure you:

Wander around the Gothic quarter – explore the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia and its beautiful 14th century cloister; hang out in the Placa Reial with its lamp posts and palm trees and walk down Carrer del Bisbe under the neo-Gothic bridge. Tip – BCN is packed with cool cafes, but breakfast chocolate and churros at the historic artistic Els Quatre Gats is hard to beat. 

Indulge in Gaudi’s marvels – every time we visit we return to at least one or two Gaudi sites. Our favourite is Casa Batlló, but La Sagrada Familia (book ahead), Guell Parc and Casa Miro (La Pedrera) are all phenomenal. Tip – beware pickpockets in Guell Parc.

Max out on modern art – BCN is a big hitter if you are a fan of modern art. Choose from the Miro Foundation, the Picasso Museum  and MACBA – the Museum of Contemporary Art. Tip – if you can’t decide which to visit, go for the Miro Foundation as you also get the city wide view from Monjuic.  

Hit the beach – choose from 4.5 kilometres of coastline with clear sea. Our favourite area is Barceloneta as it’s walking distance from the city and has cool bars. 

Seville:

Seville exudes the exotic. It is a city of magical moorish architecture, ornate plazas and whitewashed streets. We love it. Don’t miss:
Plaza de Espana – this elaborate, tiled extravaganza of a public space is breathtaking. It was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition. Tiled bridges cross a semi-circular canal which follows the lines of the columned pavilion. Hiring a boat on the canal is a good way to appreciate the painted tiles close up.  Tip – take water, it gets extremely hot in the Summer. 
 
The Royal Alcazar Palace – this UNESCO listed marvel is an iconic Moorish palace with intricate courtyards and gardens. With golden ceilings, sculptured fountains and beautiful tiles, it was an easy choice of a location for Dorne in GOT. Tip – book e-tickets in advance as it gets very busy. 
 
Seville Cathedral – the gothic Cathedral of Saint Mary the See is the third largest in the world. It’s massive and the jaw dropping scale is even more apparent inside. Tip – make sure you climb the bell tower which dates back to the mosque that previously stood on the site.
 
Barrio Santa Cruz – wander through the  atmospheric, cobbled streets of this barrio and stop off for drinks or tapas at the many bars. It’s the most beautiful area of Seville with white washed streets with orange tree filled squares. 

 

Cordoba:

It’s worth visiting Cordoba for the Mezquita-Cathedral alone. This monumental site is spectacularly beautiful. It’s one of the world’s most important examples of Islamic architecture, despite the fact that a Cathedral was built on top of it in the 16th century.
 
 
The main attraction is the arched prayer hall with its 856 columns. It’s a remarkable space and never feels full despite the tourist crowds. The Mezquita also has an impressive bell tower and the tranquil Patio of the Oranges. 
 
Other attractions in Cordoba include:
 
The Roman Bridge – near the Mezquita is the low, 16 arched Roman Bridge across the Guadalquivir. It was a section of  the Via Augusta, from Cadiz to Girona.
 
The Juderia – the Jewish quarter is also in the same area as the Mezquita. We suggest wandering, or even getting lost, in the whitewashed streets and alleyways with floral patios. Don’t miss the medieval Synagogue which dates back to 1314. 
 
The AlcázarCordoba’s castle dates back to the 13th century and has been a fortress and a castle. It has a formal rectangular layout with carved courtyards, exotic flowers and cool, running water. Don’t miss the Baroque Chapel and the Hall of the Mosaics
 
Finally, leave time for exploring the city’s flower filled patios and well preserved city walls.
 
 Tip – if you’ve time, visit the spectacular Medina Azahara about 5 kilometres from the city.

 

Ronda:

The most famous of the Andalucian white towns may well be rammed with tourists, but we couldn’t leave it off our list. We once spent a week in Ronda and in the early morning and evening (after the day trip rush of tourists) it’s enchanting.

Ronda’s USP is its geography. The town is split in two by a 120 metre gorge forged by the Guadalevín River. The town towers over this chasm with the two sides connected by the extraordinary Ponte Nuevo – this “new” bridge is actually quite old dating back to 1759. 

There’s not much to do in the town itself. Ronda is the home of bull fighting and home to the famous Bullring. This historic building (1785) is an impressive structure if you can tolerate its purpose – we disagree with bull fighting. The Arab Baths are incredibly well preserved and worth a visit if you’re interested in Moorish architecture. 

However, the best thing to do in Ronda is explore the gorge, the town’s whitewashed streets and squares and take in all the views. 

Mundaka:

The small town of Mundaka in Spain’s Basque Country oozes low key magic. Dramatically positioned on a headland on the Oka River estuary, Mundaka is a fishing port with outstanding beaches and world class surfing. It’s 25 miles north east of Bilbao, but feels like a different world. The harbour is surrounded by traditional Basque architecture and ancient stone alleyways. It’s the main entry point for surfers accessing the left handed barrelling wave that Mundaka is famous for. If you don’t surf (we don’t) you can also swim in the harbour, or at the nearby golden beaches – Laidatxu is the best – or just nibble on pintxos in a bar or cafe and take in local life. 

Tip – check out the remote headland Hermitage of Santa Catalina. Also, just 30 minutes up the coast is the spectacular San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. The small island is connected to the mainland by a dramatic winding bridge. For GOT fans – it’s the location of Dragonstone. 

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