Best Spanish Cities

There is so much information on the web about Spain it can often be difficult to find a simple guide to what there is to do in the country. The below cities are some of the most popular cities to visit in Spain – click on the link to get everything you need to know about each city in a single page: how long to spend there, what to do and which day trips to take from each city.

See more of the Best of Spain, including the best food, drinks and festivals to seek out in Spain.

If you're planning more than just a city break, you'll probably want to know the best way to get between these fine cities. If so, visit this page: How to Get from City to City in Spain

Best Spanish Cities

1. Barcelona

Barcelona is without a doubt the number one city to visit in Spain. With its Gaudi architecture, Las Ramblas and the vibrant city life, it is a holiday in itself!

• Essential Barcelona Guide
• Ten Free Things to Do in Barcelona
• Pictures of Barcelona

2. Madrid

Madrid gets mixed reactions from many visitors: some find the pace of life and diversity of the city incredibly exciting, while others are daunted by the size of the city and fail to get to grips with what Madrid can offer.

• Essential Madrid Guide
• Ten Free Things to Do in Madrid
• Pictures of Madrid

3. Granada

It is amazing the amount of cool things to do that you can fit in such a small city. With its Moorish Alhambra fortress, the free tapas and Moroccan tea houses, you won’t want to leave.

• Essential Granada Guide
• Buying Tickets to the Alhambra
• Pictures of Granada

4. Seville

One thing is for sure: Seville is hot! And in more ways than one. Not only do the Alcazar and Cathedral enchant all those that visit it, but the temperatures in the summer often reach 120ºF!

• Essential Seville Guide
• Pictures of Seville
• Bullfighting in Seville

5. Bilbao

Home to the Guggenheim Museum, one of Spain's most important museums, and a great place to sample excellent pintxos, the Basque country's version of tapas.

• Bilbao Guide
• Pictures of Bilbao

6. Valencia

Valencia is a lot smaller than you would expect from the third most populated city in Spain, but it still has enough charm to keep you busy for a couple of days. Don’t forget to try the Paella Valenciana! (Paella was invented in Valencia.)

• Essential Guide to Valencia
• Pictures of Valencia

7. Cordoba

The Mequita (mosque) in Cordoba is the city’s main attraction, but the area around it is equally appealing, in particular the Jewish quarter.

• Cordoba Guide
• Pictures of Cordoba

8. Santiago de Compostela

The destination of those on the Camino de Santiago, Santiago's cathedral is one of the oldest and most beautiful in Spain. The green countryside around Santiago is also well worth seeing.

• Santiago de Compostela Guide
• Day Trips from Santiago de Compostela

9. San Sebastian

One of the nicest beaches in Spain and even better pintxos.

• San Sebastian Guide
• Pictures of San Sebastian

10. Salamanca

Salamanca, two-and-a-half hours north-west of Madrid, is a beautiful university town with strikingly uniform sandstone architecture (uniform in a good way).

• Salamanca Guide
• Pictures of Salamanca

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