spanish cities
Bored with Barcelona? Seen enough of Seville? Meh about Madrid? Laura Gelder looks at some alternative Spanish city breaks
Toledo: Once dubbed ‘the city of three cultures’, this dramatically-poised city curves around the steep sides of the Tagus River. It was, legend has it, a Middle Ages utopia where Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities peacefully coexisted. Explore Gothic churches, ornately carved synagogues, arched mosques and the Alcázar palace.
Murcia: On the banks of the Segura River, this unassuming university city is known for its excellent local produce, especially its vegetables. The plazas and courtyards of the old town are filled with orange and lemon trees and the city’s tapas is celebrated. Main tourist attractions include the Castle of Montegudo, an 11th century Arab Fortress.
Zaragoza: Ninety minutes from Madrid and three from Barcelona, lying in a desert valley beneath the Pyrenees, Zaragoza has stunning architecture (not least the onion-domed Pilar Basilica but also Roman ruins and a Moorish castle), oodles of art
(Francisco de Goya was born close by) and a great tapas scene.
Girona: Look north from Barcelona to this 14th century walled city, pleasantly slower-paced and conveniently compact. Instagrammers will love snapping the rainbow-coloured houses reflecting into the Onyar River and Game of Thrones fans can spot film locations including Girona Cathedral. A highlight is the Dalí Museum, with its wacky pink studded walls and egg-topped roof.
San Sebastian: This Atlantic seaside resort is the Basque Country’s culinary capital and boasts multiple Michelin stars amongst its huge selection of cheap and cheerful pintxos bars which patrons hop happily between, sampling the bite-size snacks. Elegant Belle Époque and Art Noveau architecture dominates the town, which is spread around two crescent smiles of golden sand backed by green hills. Surfers ply the waves while others just watch and sip the local cider.
Cadiz: This crumbling, salt-dashed Atlantic port city is the oldest in western Europe. Its ancient walls hug medieval churches, Arabic forts, watchtowers, palaces, bodegas and fish restaurants. With 300 days of sunshine a year on the Costa de la Luz, heat-hungry Brits won’t be disappointed. And with its palm-tree lined port and distressed waterfront castles it’s no wonder Cadiz stood in for Havana in the Bond film Die Another Day.
Leon: Crowned Gastronomic Capital of Spain 2018, León is one of those Spanish cities where many bars still offer a free tapa with your drink. The city serves a great variety of local dishes like suckling pig, roast lamb, Valderón cheese and botillo (meat-stuffed pork intestine). The picturesque old quarter, Barrio Húmedo, is alive with revelry at night.
Salamanca: Besieged by Hannibal then ruled by Rome, University city Salamanca is like the Oxford of Spain, but its own dreaming sandstone spires are bathed in the region’s ubiquitous warm sunlight by day and magical lamp light by night. The whole city is a UNESCO World Heritage site and its Plaza Major is often voted Spain’s most magnificent.
Palma: Tourists flock to Majorca for its sun-soaked rocky bays and its twisting inland roads, which are a favourite of cyclists, but the capital somehow flies under the radar. The huge Gothic cathedral stands out over this honey-hued city, which is packed with luxury boutique hotels, trendy bars and restaurants and art and craft galleries. The ancient passages of the old town lead to seafront promenades and one of the Med’s most flashy marinas.
Granada: Famous for its Moorish palace, the Alhambra, Grenada is often overshadowed by its more polished neighbour Seville. But visitors who linger longer in this gritty white-washed hillside city will find atmospheric streets, flamenco bars and surreal street art. The looming Sierra Nevada mountains tempt hikers in summer and skiiers in winter.