Fodor's Essential Spain 2024
For over 80 years, Fodor's Travel has been a trusted resource offering expert travel...
Spain—the name alone evokes images of feisty flamenco dancers, packed tapas bars, silver-green olive groves, and Mediterranean beaches. From Madrid to Sevilla to Barcelona to San Sebastian, the country appeals to travelers of all types: To architecture buffs, it’s the land of Calatrava, Churriguera, and Gaudí. To gastronomes, it’s the cradle of modernist cuisine (hola, Adrià brothers and Juan Mari Arzak) and ground zero for paella, saffron, Rioja wine, and acorn-fed ibérico ham. Even if you haven’t been to Spain, you’ve probably imagined it, whether through Goya’s paintings, Paco de Lucía’s guitar ballads, Almodóvar’s films, or Cervantes’s Don Quixote.
Yet while you can still find vestiges of la antigua España in Spain today, don’t be fooled by the age-old tropes: Spain is a moder...
Read MoreSpain—the name alone evokes images of feisty flamenco dancers, packed tapas bars, silver-green olive groves, and Mediterranean beaches. From Madrid to Sevilla to Barcelona to San Sebastian, the country appeals to travelers of all types: To architecture buffs, it’s the land of Calatrava, Churriguera, and Gaudí. To gastronomes, it’s the cradle of modernist cuisine (hola, Adrià brothers and Juan Mari Arzak) and ground zero for paella, saffron, Rioja wine, and acorn-fed ibérico ham. Even if you haven’t been to Spain, you’ve probably imagined it, whether through Goya’s paintings, Paco de Lucía’s guitar ballads, Almodóvar’s films, or Cervantes’s Don Quixote.
Yet while you can still find vestiges of la antigua España in Spain today, don’t be fooled by the age-old tropes: Spain is a modern, forward-thinking country with stunning hotels and agroturismos, cutting-edge galleries, bumping nightclubs, and a burgeoning restaurant scene that goes far beyond tapas and tabernas.
Madrid and Barcelona, rival cities with deep and sometimes conflicting histories, are non-negotiable stops on any tour of the Iberian Peninsula. The former boasts a bevy of world-class museums including the Prado—one of the best in the world with priceless Goyas, Velázquezes, and El Grecos amassed by royals through the ages—and the Reina Sofía, which houses Picasso’s Guernica and a stunning cocktail bar with UFO-shaped sofas and sheeny red ceilings. It’s also Spain’s cultural nerve center with a never-ending rotation of concerts, plays, sporting events, and art exhibitions, plus sundown-to-sunup nightlife to satisfy even the most debaucherous revelers.
Barcelona appeals to all the senses: There’s wine to be swirled and pristine seafood to be gobbled, passageways to be explored and paintings to be pondered. The ancient and avant-garde intermingle in the Catalan capital, where you can find Roman ruins, Moderniste apartments, and high-fashion boutiques in the span of a few blocks. Within arm’s reach are Girona, Figueres, and Cadaqués, charming beachside towns you can retreat to if Barcelona’s tourist hordes jangle your nerves.
Due southwest in Andalusia, Moorish citadels and gardens are a reminder of Spain’s rich Islamic past. Granada’s Alhambra fortress-palace complex, with its impossibly ornate arabesques, and Córdoba’s mosque-cathedral, with its millennium-old arches, are the region’s undisputed crown jewels, though it’s almost as famous for its sherry, flamenco, beaches, and palpable sense of alegría.
Every food lover should make at least one pilgrimage to the Basque Country, the autonomous region on the French border with more Michelin stars than it knows what to do with. But it’s not all tweezed-and-foamed fare here: The Basques are also famed for their pintxos, one-bite wonders similar to tapas but more elaborate, and down-home sagardotegiak (cider houses), which open their doors from January to May when the local cider is at its sour best.
West of the Basque Country lie Cantabria, Asturias, and Galicia, the misty, Celtic-influenced regions that are arguably the newest frontier in Spanish travel. Go for the Camino de Santiago or for the ski slopes atop the Picos de Europa; stay for the exceptional albariño wines and soul-satisfying cuisine (we’re looking at you, cachopo, Cabrales, and Galician-style octopus).
But Spain doesn’t stop at the Portuguese and French borders, it continues out to sea with scattered exclaves and islands. The Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera) draw partiers and back-to-nature types alike with their vibrant beach scene and secret calas (inlets), while the Canary Islands, flung off the Saharan coast, are a real-life paradise with moonlike landscapes and year-round temperatures hovering in the low 80s.
The more you get to know Spain and its patchwork quilt of cultures, cuisines, and traditions, the more you realize you don’t know it at all—and that’s what makes it so thrilling to visit again and again.
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Top Destinations
Top Destinations
Barcelona
Madrid
Andalusia
Canary Islands
Bilbao and the Basque Country
Ibiza and the Balearic Islands
Galicia and Asturias
Catalonia, Valencia, and the Costa Blanca
Castile–Leon and Castile–La Mancha
Costa del Sol and Costa de Almeria
The Pyrenees
Mallorca
Seville
Tenerife
Extremadura
Bilbao
Palma
Granada
Gran Canaria
Lanzarote
Menorca
Ibiza
San Sebastian
Cordoba
Valencia
Santiago de Compostela
Malaga
Toledo
Eivissa (Ibiza Town)
Las Palmas
The Costa Brava
Pamplona
Girona
Mahon (Mao)
Fuerteventura
Salamanca
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Maspalomas and the Southern Coast
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
The Murcia Coast
Caceres
Jerez de la Frontera
Marbella
Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas
Cadiz
Zaragoza
Costa Teguise
Ciutadella
Segovia
Puerto de la Cruz
A Coruña
Oviedo
Santander
Tarragona
Leon
Trujillo
Alicante
Úbeda
Cuenca
Gijon
Fuengirola
Soller
Puerto del Carmen
Jaca
Vigo
Arrecife
Burgos
Cartagena
Logroño
Baeza
Corralejo
Llanes
Getaria and Zumaia
Cambados
Almeria
Laguardia
Torremolinos
Sitges
Ronda
Merida
Ávila
Huesca
Vielha
Santa Eularia des Riu
Plasencia
Ainsa
Puigcerda
Jaen
Antequera
La Laguna
Denia
Pontevedra
Tossa de Mar
Playa Blanca
Estepona
Cadaques and Around
Siguenza
La Rioja Alta
Besalu
Camprodon
Nerja
Alquezar
Murcia
Arcos de la Frontera
Mundaka
Carmona
Cangas de Onis
Santillana del Mar
Haro
Begur and Around
Lugo
Costa Calma
Figueres
Jerte and El Valle del Jerte (Jerte Valley)
Mijas
Ribadesella
Benasque
La Vera and Monasterio de Yuste
Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera
La Seu d'Urgell
Formentera
Luarca
Tarifa
Deia
Pollença
Yaiza
Almuñecar
Astorga
Puerto de Santa Maria
Benalmadena
Almagro
Hondarribia
Mt. Teide
Calpe (Calp)
The Axarquia
Ribes de Freser and Vall de Nuria
Guadalupe
Sepulveda
Priego de Cordoba
Calella de Palafrugell and Around
Sant Feliu de Guixols
Taull
Doñana National Park
Estella
Llivia
Roncal Valley
Puerto del Rosario
Villafranca del Bierzo
The Cabo de Gata Nature Reserve
Potes
Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido
Roncesvalles (Orreaga)
Salardu
Casares
Cazorla
Altea
Aracena
Central Highlands
O Grove
Grazalema and the Sierra de Grazalema
Betanzos
Ourense and La Ribeira Sacra
Zuheros
Valldemossa
Montilla
Lorca
Betancuria
Alarcon
La Manga del Mar Menor
Huelva
Muxia
Baztan Valley
Beget
The Sierra Nevada
Fisterra
Olot
Ripoll
Parc Nacional d'Aiguestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici
Espot
Albufera Nature Park
Hecho and Anso Valleys
Garachico
Fornells
Ribadeo
Puente la Reina
Morro Jable
Sanlucar de Barrameda
Baena
Viveiro
Padron
Baiona
Elantxobe
Comillas
Villaviciosa
Tui
La Rabida
San Vicente de la Barquera
Alcala la Real
San Lorenzo de El Escorial
Santa Maria de Poblet
Axpe Atxondo
Ojen
Sort
Santes Creus
Mazagon
Pasajes de San Juan
Sant Joan de les Abadesses
S'Agaro
Alcudia
Fuente Vaqueros
El Toro
Cova des Coloms
Montserrat
Blanes
Lluc
Agua Amarga
Bellver de Cerdanya
The Highlands
Bermeo
Tahiche
Burguete (Auritz)
Italica
Vilalba
Noia
Muros
Covadonga
Monasterio de San Juan de la Peña
San Roque
Riotinto
Santa Fe
Martinet
Llessui
Salobreña
Écija
Pajara
Mondoñedo
Aragues del Puerto
Alta Ribagorça Oriental
Lesaka
Bielsa
Castro-Urdiales
Calahorra
Mollo
O Cebreiro
Pastrana
Moguer
Leboreiro
Guadix
Frigiliana
Laredo
Roncesvalles
Icod de los Vinos
Matalascañas
La Rioja Baja
Setcases
Lekeitio
San Jose
Aranjuez
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe
Ripoll
Barcelona
Madrid
Seville
Bilbao
Palma
Granada
San Sebastian
Cordoba
Valencia
Santiago de Compostela
Toledo
Malaga
Eivissa (Ibiza Town)
Las Palmas
Pamplona
Girona
Mahon (Mao)
Salamanca
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Caceres
Jerez de la Frontera
Marbella
Cadiz
Costa Teguise
Zaragoza
Ciutadella
Segovia
Puerto de la Cruz
A Coruña
Oviedo
Santander
Tarragona
Leon
Alicante
Trujillo
Úbeda
Cuenca
Gijon
Soller
Puerto del Carmen
Fuengirola
Vigo
Jaca
Arrecife
Baeza
Llanes
Cambados
Corralejo
Cartagena
Getaria and Zumaia
Logroño
Burgos
Ronda
Laguardia
Almeria
Merida
Sitges
Torremolinos
Ávila
Vielha
Huesca
Puigcerda
Ainsa
Plasencia
Santa Eularia des Riu
Antequera
Denia
La Laguna
Jaen
Pontevedra
Tossa de Mar
Siguenza
La Rioja Alta
Cadaques and Around
Playa Blanca
Estepona
Cangas de Onis
Carmona
Arcos de la Frontera
Lugo
Haro
Nerja
Besalu
Alquezar
Camprodon
Begur and Around
Murcia
Mundaka
Santillana del Mar
La Seu d'Urgell
Tarifa
Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera
Benasque
Pollença
Deia
Costa Calma
Luarca
Mijas
Ribadesella
La Vera and Monasterio de Yuste
Formentera
Figueres
Hondarribia
Sepulveda
Astorga
Almagro
Benalmadena
Yaiza
Calpe (Calp)
Mt. Teide
Almuñecar
Puerto de Santa Maria
Guadalupe
Ribes de Freser and Vall de Nuria
Villafranca del Bierzo
Llivia
Estella
Priego de Cordoba
Calella de Palafrugell and Around
Potes
The Cabo de Gata Nature Reserve
Sant Feliu de Guixols
Taull
Puerto del Rosario
Roncal Valley
Alarcon
Betancuria
Altea
Aracena
Zuheros
Casares
Montilla
Roncesvalles (Orreaga)
Ourense and La Ribeira Sacra
Salardu
Valldemossa
Lorca
La Manga del Mar Menor
Cazorla
Betanzos
O Grove
Viveiro
Beget
Fisterra
Garachico
Espot
El Paso
Morro Jable
Parc Nacional d'Aiguestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici
Ripoll
Puente la Reina
Sanlucar de Barrameda
Olot
Huelva
Muxia
Ribadeo
Albufera Nature Park
Fornells
Baena
Baztan Valley
Santa Maria de Poblet
Santes Creus
Padron
Axpe Atxondo
S'Agaro
Baiona
Comillas
Tui
La Rabida
Ojen
Mazagon
San Vicente de la Barquera
Alcudia
Alcala la Real
San Lorenzo de El Escorial
Tazacorte
Sort
Fuencaliente
Elantxobe
Pasajes de San Juan
Villaviciosa
Sant Joan de les Abadesses
Pasaia
Lluc
Montserrat
Italica
Vilalba
Tahiche
Noia
El Toro
Muros
Cova des Coloms
Blanes
Bellver de Cerdanya
Bermeo
Burguete (Auritz)
Fuente Vaqueros
Covadonga
Agua Amarga
Bielsa
Mondoñedo
Llessui
Ripoll
Matalascañas
San Jose
Guadix
Aranjuez
Lekeitio
Leboreiro
Castro-Urdiales
Martinet
Santa Cruz de La Palma
Écija
Lesaka
Riotinto
Pajara
La Rioja Baja
Mollo
Calahorra
Santa Fe
O Cebreiro
Frigiliana
Moguer
Roncesvalles
Icod de los Vinos
Salobreña
Pastrana
Setcases
Alta Ribagorça Oriental
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe
Aragues del Puerto
San Roque
Laredo
Andalusia
Canary Islands
Bilbao and the Basque Country
Ibiza and the Balearic Islands
Galicia and Asturias
Catalonia, Valencia, and the Costa Blanca
Castile–Leon and Castile–La Mancha
Costa del Sol and Costa de Almeria
The Pyrenees
Extremadura
The Costa Brava
Maspalomas and the Southern Coast
The Murcia Coast
Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas
Jerte and El Valle del Jerte (Jerte Valley)
The Axarquia
Around Ronda: Caves, Romans, and Pueblos Blancos
Grazalema and the Sierra de Grazalema
Central Highlands
The Sierra Nevada
Hecho and Anso Valleys
Barlovento and the Northeast
Puntagorda and the Northwest
The Alpujarras
The Highlands
The Guadalhorce Valley
Vall d'Aran and Environs
Vallferrera and Cardos Valleys
Around Ronda: Caves, Romans, and Pueblos Blancos
All Destinations
Expand All Collapse All
Andalusia
- Alcala la Real
- Aracena
- Arcos de la Frontera
- Around Ronda: Caves, Romans, and Pueblos Blancos
- Baena
- Baeza
- Cadiz
- Carmona
- Cazorla
- Cordoba
- Doñana National Park
- Écija
- Fuente Vaqueros
- Granada
- Grazalema and the Sierra de Grazalema
- Guadix
- Huelva
- Italica
- Jaen
- Jerez de la Frontera
- La Rabida
- Matalascañas
- Mazagon
- Moguer
- Montilla
- Priego de Cordoba
- Puerto de Santa Maria
- Riotinto
- Ronda
- Sanlucar de Barrameda
- Santa Fe
- Seville
- The Alpujarras
- The Sierra Nevada
- Úbeda
- Zuheros
The Pyrenees
- Ainsa
- Alquezar
- Alta Ribagorça Oriental
- Aragues del Puerto
- Baztan Valley
- Beget
- Bellver de Cerdanya
- Benasque
- Bielsa
- Burguete (Auritz)
- Camprodon
- Espot
- Hecho and Anso Valleys
- Huesca
- Jaca
- La Seu d'Urgell
- Lesaka
- Llessui
- Llivia
- Martinet
- Mollo
- Monasterio de San Juan de la Peña
- Parc Nacional d'Aiguestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici
- Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido
- Puigcerda
- Ribes de Freser and Vall de Nuria
- Ripoll
- Roncal Valley
- Roncesvalles
- Roncesvalles (Orreaga)
- Salardu
- Sant Joan de les Abadesses
- Setcases
- Sort
- Taull
- Vall d'Aran and Environs
- Vallferrera and Cardos Valleys
- Vielha
- Zaragoza
Galicia and Asturias
- A Coruña
- Baiona
- Betanzos
- Cambados
- Cangas de Onis
- Castro-Urdiales
- Comillas
- Covadonga
- Fisterra
- Gijon
- Laredo
- Leboreiro
- Llanes
- Luarca
- Lugo
- Mondoñedo
- Muros
- Muxia
- Noia
- O Cebreiro
- O Grove
- Ourense and La Ribeira Sacra
- Oviedo
- Padron
- Pontevedra
- Potes
- Ribadeo
- Ribadesella
- Santander
- Santiago de Compostela
- Santillana del Mar
- San Vicente de la Barquera
- Tui
- Vigo
- Vilalba
- Villaviciosa
- Viveiro
Top Experiences
Top Experiences
Recent Forum Posts
Recent Forum Posts
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Live...from spain!!! Cordoba, costa de da luz (vejer de la frontera area, madrid
Ekscrunchy started Mar 3, 2024 |Last reply 35 mins. ago 448 replies 23596 views -
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12 days in Spain with 5 Teen Boys -- Need Itinerary Help!
Evexler started Apr 23, 2024 |Last reply 5 hrs ago 9 replies 330 views -
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2 week Spain and French Basque Country
Nflores started Apr 18, 2024 |Last reply Yesterday 7 replies 587 views
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