What to see in Spain

What to see in Spain - Spain is a lucky land : it is blessed with a mild climate , it boasts beautiful beaches , it has mountains to discover and plains that offer extraordinary agricultural products.

What to see in Spain: the cities, the sea and the places not to be missed

Spain is a lucky land : it is blessed with a mild climate , it boasts beautiful beaches , it has mountains to discover and plains that offer extraordinary agricultural products. And everything is made even more special by a long and rich history that has bequeathed works of art and architectural masterpieces. That would already be a lot. But the story of what to see in Spain is then enriched with a list of cities that are unique for their beauty - and special for the quality of life - that are easy to fall in love with: and not just the big cities Barcelona , ​​Madrid , Seville or Bilbao .Because here  even small towns like Ronda or Zaragozza  have a unique charm. And the list goes on and on.

Sun, flamenco and sangria

Yes, because for many Spain can be summed up in the crafty formula " sun, sand and sangria " but this stereotype, which is actually more widespread among the inhabitants of northern Europe in search of unseasonal warmth, certainly does not serve to explain that in fact, Spain has one of the most beautiful coasts in Europe , but that its true character stems from its culture. Which lies behind the stones of the churches and palaces , in its rites and in its heartfelt traditions. In the flavors of its dishes and in the panorama of the narrow streets of the historic centers. We said city: so let's tell some of them.

What to see in Spain: the cities not to be missed

Barcelona for example, despite the recent tensions due to the autonomy anxieties of those who live in Catalonia , remains one of the most interesting cities, where it is easy to stay for days without ever having the desire to leave. Its pleasant atmosphere can be appreciated by unhurriedly experiencing the time along the streets and squares of theBarrio Goticoand not neglecting the many restaurants and bars where you can eat well. And it is no coincidence that the Adrià familyworks in these partsand theMichelin starsare wasted.

But the gorge is not enough: the city is also the canvas that Antoni Gaudì   has chosen to sketch his architectural masterpieces such as the unfinished Sagrada Familia or the Parc Güell even if, for many, the heart of the city is the Ramblas , where to dine before climbing the Tibidabo hill to see the whole city lie down at our feet.

Madrid , the capital, is a true concentrate of the best of the country, the summary of what to see in Spain. It houses thebest museums in the countrysuch as thePrado or the Reina Sofia, but also theRoyal Palaceand some squares that are icons such as the  Plaza Mayor. Then, a trip outside the city is enough to discover treasures such as theEscorialor the timeless charm of the old fortified city of Toledo , a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site.

Seville and Valencia

Let's not forget Seville , a city where the traces of the great Moorish culture in Spain remain but mixed with the traditions of Andalusia . And then to fascinate those who arrive are the alleys of the Barrio de Santa Cruz and the tapas bars and then face the magnificence of the Cathedral and above all of the Alcazar , the palace of the Moor kings which, however, also hosted Christopher Columbus who was preparing his journey to the Americas . Without forgetting the celebrations for Holy Week.

Valencia , on the other hand, overlooking the Mediterranean, has always been one of the most important cities in the country but slowly it had screwed into a crisis from which it emerged thanks tothe Americaand anarchitectural revolutionthat gave rise to buildings that have become a symbol, such as theCalatrava'sCity of Arts and Scienceswhich in turn have attracted throngs of tourists who now flock to the Barrio del Carmen, the oldest part of the city where the spectacularcathedral. A detail: legend has it that theHoly Grail. And we understand why it is so interesting.

Devotion and popular celebrations

We are trying to tell what to see in Spain: and can we perhaps overlook the paradise of bullfighting mania? We are talking about Pamplona , ​​the capital of the Navarre region , the famous place for hosting the most famous encierro , the running of the bulls that takes place during the Feast of San Fermín .

For those, however, who do not want to risk their life and are not like Hemingway   a bullfighting  enthusiast, perhaps the best advice is to avoid the city during the festival held every year  at the beginning of July . Pamplona in fact has a lot to offer visitors during the other 51 weeks of the year as it has a beautiful old town , old churches and a museum , that of Navarre, which is an attraction not to be missed. Housed in a 16th-century hospital, the museum boasts a large collection of works, from Roman mosaics to paintings by Spanish masters.

What to see in Spain: ancient capitals and Moorish suggestions

The list of cities that deserve to be visited then continues with Burgos which was the capital of the Spanish region of Castile for almost 500 years . History was made here and this is proved by the fact that this is the burial place of El Cid , the medieval Spanish hero, even if more recently the turning point came from the fact that Burgos was named “European City of Culture “. An award that also allowed the splendid cathedral to be restored and to give new life to the Antiguo barrio , the heart of the old city, surrounded by the splendid green spaces on the banks of the Arlanzón river .

Bilbao and its museum

We were talking about a relaunch and the most striking example, at least in northern Spain, is that of Bilbao , a large port that for a long time was thought to have very little to offer the visitor. Then came the  Guggenheim Bilbao Museum , one of architect Frank Gehry 's most spectacular successes , and everything changed. The curvilinear titanium-clad building has become a symbol as well as the futuristic Zubizuri footbridge and people have started to arrive, bringing new life to the historic center where, among other things, the gastronomic richness of the Basque Country is discovered .

A guide who tells you what to see in Spain must necessarily go from new to old: what happens when you arrive in Granada , the city nestled at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains , in the heart of Andalusia . Here you cannot miss the visit to the citadel and the Alhambra palace where you can breathe the atmosphere of the times when this city was the center of Moorish civilization, a domination ended in 1492 when the Christian kings  Ferdinand and Isabella  entered the city through the Puerta de Elvira . But the whole city conquers with its languid charm and it is not to be missed in the evening to go up to the mirador de San Nicolás  to see the Alhambra glow red under the sunset light.

Spiagge, surf and tapas

We are just getting started: our guide that tries to summarize what to see in Spain now pushes us to  Cordoba with its pretty squares, whitewashed houses and the surprise of the Mezquita cathedral . In these places, during the Easter period , the extraordinary rites of the Semana Santa have been repeated for centuries , with the processions of the hooded people immersed in the clouds of candle smoke, while in the summer months those looking for sun, sea and fun flock to the beaches of Andalusia and the coast around Malaga or choose the island of Mallorca where the wild life of some beaches fills nights and days. But behind the Cathedral of Palma ,  in the hot hours of the afternoon, your footsteps will echo in the silence.

In short, it is not easy to draw up a list also because this country boasts 43 World Heritage sites (but Italy beats it) offering even in the smallest cities an unexpected gem that will remain etched forever. Do we want to continue the list? Santiago de Compostela is the goal of those who, and so for centuries, set out on the Camino between Faith and the desire to test themselves while San Sebastian 's offer is much less spiritual : here, on the Bay of Biscay , people come to brown themselves in the sun of the beach called La Concha and to look for the best place to taste pinxtos , the local version of tapas. And after a taste he goes back to surfing.

But these are, after all, foregone advice. It is less easy to imagine leaving to go to Cáceres in Extremadura , the least known of all the Spanish provinces. This happens because it is an area that does not climb into the mountains and does not overlook the sea but this does not mean that it is not worth our visit.

The city is home to some of the best restaurants in all of southern Spain as well as a must-see museum such as the Centro de Arte Visuales Fundación Helga de Alvear . In addition, Cáceres is surrounded by medieval walls and is full of towers which give the idea that the city itself is a kind of castle.

And all this without forgetting the thousands of kilometers of beaches that have made what were once fishing villages into entertainment capitals: and their names are Ibiza and Formentera ,  Costa Blanca , Alicante , Costa Brava and Costa del Sol or climbing and descents. on skis on the peaks of the Pyrenees or hiking along the paths of Las Medulas and   among the gold mines of the province of Leon , in Duraton , where the water has carved the rock.

Finally, it is not possible to draw up a guide of what to see in Spain without mentioning the other traditions that are culture: and we are talking about the flamenco that fills the alleys of Seville or the great popular festivals, such as the bonfires of Las Fallas that for Saint Joseph fill the Valencia night or the Feria de Avril that drives Seville life crazy . And to know what it means to party seriously, it is in those days that you have to come. But we repeated it: the reasons for leaving for Spain are almost endless.

Everywhere there is a village or a glimpse, a square or a panorama that you do not expect. And after a sweat on the dunes of the Tabernas desert , near Almeria - where Sergio Leone filmed his westerns -   or a dip in the icy waters of the last limit of Europe, in   Cabo Finisterre , there will always be a pinch of strength to get back on track. voyage. And, after a tapas , leave to see what there is still to see.

To reed also the: 15 curiosities about Spain that will surprise you