Spain: ten beautiful spots to discover during your next vacations

Travel | Marilou LeBel-Dupuis
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via email Share on Pinterest
Spain: ten beautiful spots to discover during your next vacations
Kookay | Pixabay
If you thought there was only one Spanish culture, you couldn't be more wrong!

Spain is a small country but it has so much to offer in terms of cultures, scenery and activities. Galician, Catalan, Basque, Spanish of Madrid, of Valencia, of Seville… all have their very own traditions and surroundings. Here are 10 places you definitely should go to in order to get a good glimpse of the land.

1 Galicia (northwest)

Advertisements

Think of Galicia as a mix between Ireland and Spain. Its Celtics descendants have maintained a vivid set of traditions in this beautiful, natural land. The region is an outdoor paradise. You simply can’t get enough of its green mountains, endless sky and ocean.

Galicia is also quite famous for being the end destination of the Way of Saint James, or Camino de Santiago. This pilgrimage leads to the Santiago de Compostela cathedral, where the remains of the saint are buried.

Advertisements

2 Picos de Europa (north)

Advertisements

Let’s say it loud and clear: Spain has some of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe. The Picos de Europa are no exceptions. Make sure you visit them if you are into hiking. Their valleys and raging rivers offer endless beauty.

Advertisements

3 San Sebastian (north)

Advertisements

San Sebastian is a must for food lovers and beach people. Located in the Basque Country, you’ll find there rich traditions, wonderful landscapes and good nightlife, although the city is calmer than other Spanish cities of the same size.

Advertisements

4 La Rioja (north)

Advertisements

Not too far away from San Sebastian is the province of La Rioja. We put it on this list because it is where you’ll find some of the best wine in Spain. A good idea would be to stay at Logroño, the capital of the region, and use it as a base to visit nearby vineyards and bodegas for local wine tastings.

Advertisements

5 Barcelona (northeast)

Advertisements

The city of Barcelona, located in the autonomous region of Catalonia, has everything you might be looking for. History, beautiful architecture, party, shopping, beaches, vibrant culture, cuisine, art… it’s all there!

Advertisements

6 Valencia (east)

Advertisements

Valencia is the perfect mix of modern and traditional architecture, and one of the largest cities in the country. It is quite a central point in Spain, at just a four-hour drive from Madrid. From there, you can easily go to Barcelona, to the south or to the Balearic Islands. It’s a great place when it comes to beaches, arts, science. Check out the city of Arts and Science, especially at night.

Advertisements

7 The Spanish Islands

Advertisements

Spain has a lot of islands in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Atlantic Ocean. By now you’ve probably heard of Ibiza, Menorca and Mallorca. The first one is a world-renown party destination, but all three are beautiful islands of the Balearic where nature prevails and offers wonderful beaches. Definitely your place if you want to suntan in the Mediterranean.

Advertisements

8 Granada (south)

Advertisements

Granada is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, it has the Alhambra, a stunning palace dating back to the times when the peninsula was ruled by the Moors. The place really looks like it’s from a fairy tale, check it out!

Advertisements

9 Seville (south)

Advertisements

If you expect to see flamenco dancers in Spain, this is where you have to go. In addition to a wonderful nightlife, Seville is beautiful too. It is, after all, one of the most romantic cities in Spain.

Advertisements

10 Madrid (center)

Advertisements

The Spanish capital has everything you can think of, and more. You could spend weeks there and still discover new things. Its inhabitants are quite friendly to tourists as well, which is a big plus. It’s a beautiful city to get lost and talk to people. Fun fact, here you can actually to tapas crawls instead of pub crawls. The more you know!

No matter where you travel in Spain, be sure to learn a few words from the local language to connect with locals, and enjoy yourself! Buen viaje!

Cover photo: Peñiscola (between Valencia and Barcelona), by Kookay on Pixabay

Advertisements
Advertisements
Advertisements