plan your trip understand spain

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PLAN
YOUR TRIP
Welcome to Spain ..........
Map ..................................
Top Experiences .......
Need to now .................
First Time ........................
What’s New .....................
If You Like ........................
Month by Month .............
Itineraries ........................
Eat
rink
Like a Local ....................
Outdoor Activities ..........
Travel with Children .......
egions at a lance .......
YO
PLANNIN TOOL IT
Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions
to help you put together your perfect trip
e come to
ain
6
1
COUNTRY & CITY
The original
Comprehensive
Adventurous
An
8
6
1
en to
ic and
Spain’s diverse landscapes stir the soul.
The yrenees and the icos de Europa are
as beautiful as any mountain range on the
continent, while the snowcapped Sierra
evada rises up improbably from the sunbaked plains of Andalucía; these are hiking destinations of the highest order. The
wildly beautiful cli s of Spain’s Atlantic
northwest are the scene for some of EuLandrives,
a eeven as the
rope’s most spectacular
charming coves of theSpanish(castellano).
Mediterranean are
C rrency
ue
still the continent’sAlsoCatalan,Bas
summer destination
of choice; despite decades
of overdevel heeuro
T
and alician.
opment, numerous unspoiled corners remain. And everywhere you go, villages of
timeless beauty perch on hilltops, huddle
eed to
no
o
REGIONAL
Cultural
ay trips itineraries
In-depth
in valleys and cling to coastal outcrops as
tiny but resilient outposts of Old Spain.
Spend as long as you can in places like
these.
A
inary ea t
Food and wine are national obsessions in
Spain, and with good reason. es, there’s
paella, tapas, jamón and olive oil in abundance, but these are merely the bestknown ingredients of a national cuisine
that continues to take the world by storm.
The touchstones of Spanish cooking are
deceptively simple incalculable variety,
strong traditions of recipes handed down
through the generations, and an innate
willingness to experiment and see what
o r Dai y
d et
B d et ess t an
6
#
Santiago de Compostela
GO May-Sep
Barcelona
GO year-round
#
Madrid
GO Mar-May, Sep & Oct
#
#
o
ont
y
ont
7
an ary
z
ent
Semana Santa o y
usually March or April
T ree Kin s
The Día de los Reyes
Magos (Three Kings’ Day),
or simply Reyes, on 6 January, is the most important
day on a Spanish kid’s
calendar. The evening before, three local politicians
dress up as the three wise
men and lead a sweetdistributing frenzy of Cabalgata de Reyes through the
centre of most towns.
e r ary
T is is o ten t e co dest
mont in Spain, it
temperat res c ose to
ree in , especia y in t e
nort and in and re ions
s c as Madrid I yo re
eadin to Carnava , yo
ind accommodation at a
premi m in C di , Sit es
and Ci dad Rodri o
ee ,
#
Carnava , February or March
eria de A ri , April
Riotously fun Carnaval,
ending on the Tuesday 47
days before Easter Sunday,
involves fancy-dress parades
and festivities. It’s wildest in
Cádiz (p689), Sitges (p357)
and Ciudad Rodrigo (p151).
Other curious celebrations
are held at Vilanova i La
Geltrú and Solsona.
Ret rn to t e
z Midd
e A es
In one of Spain’s coldest
corners, Teruel’s inhabitants
don their medieval finery
and step back to the Middle
Ages with markets, food
stalls and a re-enactment of
a local lovers’ legend during
the Fiesta Medieval (p401).
z Contemporary
Art air
One of Europe’s biggest celebrations of contemporary
art, Madrid’s Feria Internacional de Arte Contemporánea (Arco; p102) draws
gallery reps and exhibitors
from all over the world. It’s
a thrilling counterpoint to
the old masters on display
year-round in galleries
across the capital.
UNDERSTAND
807 SPAIN
arc
it t e arriva o sprin ,
Spain e ins to s a e
o its inter
es s c
as t ey are , t e eat er
starts to arm p ever
so s i t y and Spaniards
start dreamin o a
s mmer y t e eac
z
oublesinhostales:
55to 65 morein
Madrid Barcelona
semuseumand
gallery freeadmission’
afternoons
Midran e
Dry climate
Warm to hot summers, cold winters
Mild to hot summers, cold winters
Cold climate
Biena de amenco,
September
ormbeds 17
to 22
Supermarketsand
lunchmenú del día
Valencia
GO year-round
Seville
GO Oct-Apr
Las a as, March
Li e s a
z Carnava
In an ary t e s i resorts
in t e Pyrenees in t e
nort east and t e Sierra
Nevada, c ose to ranada
in t e so t , are in
s in Sc oo o idays r n
nti aro nd
an ary so
oo a ead
i
Season
(Jun–Aug, public
holidays)
S o der
(Mar–May,
Sep & Oct)
ccommodation
A
booksoutandprices
increasebyupto
50 .
goodtimeto
A
travelwithmild,clear
weatherandfewer
crowds.
Lowseasonin
partsofinlandSpain.
Localfestivalscan
sendpricessoaring.
oominmidrange
hotel 65to 140
Lunchand/ordinner
inlocalrestaurant
Lo Season
(Nov–Feb)
Carhire from 25
perday
Coldincentral
Spain raininthe
northandnorthwest.
ildtemperatures
M
inAndaluc aandthe
Mediterraneancoast.
Thisishighseason
inskiresorts.
xpectwarm,dry
andsunnyweather morehumidin
coastalareas.
Top end over
oomintop end
hotel 140andup
200inMadridand
Barcelona
DISCOVER
Best-of
Photo-packed
Inspirational
Finediningforlunch
anddinner
egularlystayin
paradores
Las a as
The extraordinary
festival of Las Fallas consists of several days of allnight dancing and drinking,
first-class fireworks and
processions from 15 to 19
March. Its principal stage is
Valencia City (see the boxed
text, p567) and the festivities culminate in the ritual
burning of effigies in the
streets.
A ri
Spain as a rea sprin in
its step it
i d o ers
in
oom, Easter
ce e rations and sc oo
o idays It re ires some
advance p annin ie oo
a ead , t it s a reat
time to e ere
PHRASEBOOK
POCKET
Pocket-si ed
Easy-to-use
ighlights
Looking for other travel resources?
ET MO E F OM YO
PAGE
T IP
Learn about the big picture, so you
can make sense of what you see
808
population per sq km
USA
SPAIN
1
ENGLAND
≈ 30 people
ain oday
8 8
conomic ri i
7
7
Arc itect re
nthe1920s,a
replicaofSeville’s
iralda utted
abovetheold
Moorish looking
MadisonS uare
ardenin ew
orkCity itwas
latertorndown.
Anotherreplica
faresbetter,
standingtall
above ansas
City,Missouri a
sistercityto
Seville.
GIRALDA
Spain Today ....................
istory .............................
Architecture ....................
Spain’s Master
Painters .........................
The Spanish Table ..........
Flamenco ........................
Bull ghting......................
Get the right guides for your trip
As you look up at the arches of the great Roman a ueduct in Segovia,
you can almost see centurions marching beneath it. ith the gentle bubbling of its cool fountains, the Alhambra con ures up Spain’s Islamic era
as if from a dream. On a grey winter’s day, along the echoing corridors
of the Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos’ Romanes ue cloisters, the
Middle Ages seem to return in all their mystical fervour. Towering, at
times half-ruined, castles dot the countryside from Catalonia to Castilla.
To gaze up, eyes turned to God, at the great Gothic cathedrals of urgos,
alma de Mallorca and Toledo, you can feel the awe they must have inspired when first raised. And who isn’t carried away by the whimsy of
Gaudí’s Modernista fantasies dotting the streets of arcelona
Spain’s architecture presents one of the broadest and richest testimonies in Europe to thousands of years of building ingenuity. The ourney
starts with the simple stone housing of the Celtiberian tribes, but Spain’s
long Islamic history is where the real story begins. The fusion of Middle Eastern and European aesthetics is uni ue in Europe the Moorish
heyday produced extravagant masterpieces, while after the Recon uista
architects reacted strongly against Islamic styles with austere Romanes ue structures. Meanwhile, others slyly integrated them, as in the case
of Mozarabic and Mud ar designs. The love of ornament carried on well
into the Renaissance, when Spanish designers developed the ornate plateres ue style, which in turn paved the way for the staggering confections
of the baro ue period. In the late 19th century, Modernista geniuses in
arcelona pushed walls and ceilings into all-new shapes, a process continued by Spain’s ground-breaking contemporary architects.
Ancient
ain
The tribes that first inhabited the Iberian eninsula were collectively
known as Celtiberians. In the northwest part of the country (and in ortugal), the so-called Castro culture of the ronze Age (9th century C) is
(walled hamlet made up of circular stone houses,
named for the a
culture and arclustered together like cupcakes in a bakery box). a
chitecture survived until at least the 2nd century AD. Among the better
preserved a
ruins are those at A Guarda (p541), on Galicia’s southern coast, and near Coa a (p493) in Asturias.
Later, the Greeks and Carthaginians remained primarily on the coast
and left little behind. The Romans, however, made more of an impact
architectural and otherwise across the peninsula after the 2nd century C. The 1st-century emperor Tra an, who expanded the empire to
its furthest limits, was born at Itálica, near modern-day Seville. In Extremadura, Augusta Emerita (now M rida) was one of the most influential
cities in the western Roman Empire, and continued to hold sway until it
was con uered by the Arabs in 713 AD. It has the longest Roman bridge
still standing, working reservoirs and a vast amphitheatre.
» Population 47.04million
2012
» P
1.537trillion
» Pper
capita 2011 S 30,600
» Annual
inflation
2011 3.1
» nemploy
ment 2012 24.4
» nternet
domain es
It can be hard to remember, but Spain was, not so long ago, the envy of
Europe. Its economy was booming and the whole country seemed brimful of optimism. Then things fell apart. In 2008, unemployment stood
at around 6 . Four years later, one out of every four Spaniards (over 5.5
million people) can’t find work. Old-timers you speak to can’t remember
a time this bad, with businesses closing their doors forever, including
many that weathered civil war and dictatorship down through the decades. A left-of-centre government that waited painfully long to recognise
that a crisis was looming was replaced in ovember 2011 with a rightof-centre one promoting a deep austerity drive that threatens the generous welfare state on which Spaniards have come to depend strangling
the life out of the economy, say some, or taking much-needed remedial
action to correct years of spending beyond our means, counter others.
hoever is correct, there is worrying talk of Spain becoming the next
Greece. here did it all go wrong Spain’s economy was heavily reliant
on construction and tourism, two industries that are exceptionally susceptible to economic downturns. Its property market also spiralled out
of control for far too long prices rose exponentially, prompting banks to
hand out money to those who simply couldn’t afford to pay it back. hat
began in 2008 shows no signs of abating, and it’s almost impossible these
days to have a conversation in Spain without reference to a
.
ain
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If Spain’s economic numbers make for depressing reading, those relating
to the country’s younger generation can seem catastrophic. Almost one
out of every two young Spaniards is out of work, and there is talk of an
entire generation being lost to the economic downturn. The disparity be-
o
oo
Ghosts of Spain ilesTremlett AnaccountofmodernSpainand
thehangoverfromitspast.
Everything but the Squeal
ohnBarlow Afunguideto
northernSpain’sfoodculture.
A Handbook for Travellers
ichardFord This1845classic
o
iswittyandinformative.
A Pilgrim in Spain Christopher
owse Amusingre ections
fromaveteranSpain watcher.
The New Spaniards ohn
ooper ighlyreadable ourney
throughthreedecades until
2006 ofdemocraticSpain.
ISBN 978-1-74220-051-4
9 781742 200514
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Flamenco 1995
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ON THE
ROAD
PAGE
62
Santiago
de Compostela
& Galicia
p507
YO
COMPLETE ESTINATION
I E
In-depth reviews, detailed listings
and insider tips
Cantabria & Asturias
p463
Basque
Country,
Navarra &
La Rioja
p406
Castilla
y León
p135
Catalonia
p306
# Barcelona
^
p235
Aragón
p369
Madrid
_ p64
#
CastillaLa Mancha
p203
Extremadura
p779
Mallorca, Menorca & Ibiza
p608
Valencia &
Murcia
p550
Seville &
Andalucía
p657
SURVIVAL
849 GUIDE
ITAL P ACTICAL INFO MATION TO
PAGE
irectory A- ..................
Transport ........................
Language ........................
Index ................................
Map Legend ....................
ELP YO
A E A SMOOT T IP
Weekends are high season
for boutique hotels and
rurales (rural homes), but low
season for business hotels
(which often offer generous
specials then) in Madrid and
Barcelona. Always check out
hotel websites for discounts.
6
7
Prices
Directory
A-Z
Accommodation
Spain’s accommodation is
generally of a high standard,
from small, family-run hostales to the old-world opulence of paradores.
Officially, places to stay
are classified into hoteles
(hotels; one to five stars),
hostales (one to three
pensiones (basically small private hostales,
often family businesses in
rambling apartments; one
know that you’ll be arriving
later.
Seasons
Prices throughout this
guidebook are high-season
maximums. You may be
pleasantly surprised if you
travel at other times. What
constitutes low or high
season depends on where
and when. Most of the year
is high season in Barcelona
or Madrid, especially during
trade fairs that you’re unlikely
to be aware of. August can
be dead in the cities, but high
season along the coast. Win-
At the lower end of the
budget category, there are
dorm beds (from €17 per
person) in youth hostels or
private rooms with shared
bathrooms in the corridor.
If you’re willing to pay a few
euros more, there are many
budget places, usually hostales, with good, comfortable
rooms and private bathrooms. In relatively untouristed or rural areas, the prices
of some boutique or other
hotels can sometimes drop
into the budget category,
especially during low season.
Spain’s midrange hotels
are generally excellent; you
should always have your own
private bathroom, and breakfast is sometimes included
in the room price. Boutique
hotels, including many that
occupy artfully converted
historical buildings, largely
fall into this category and
are almost always excellent
choices.
And a final word about
terminology. A
doble
THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY
S
B
B
S
,A
A
K
,R
H
,
S L
N
,A
,M
S
R
Every listing is recommended by our authors, and their
favourite places are listed first
Look out for these icons:
Ourauthor’stop
recommendation
MADRID . . . . . . . . . . . 64
A O
MA
. . . . . . 129
SanLoren ode
l scorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Alcal de enares . . . . . . 132
Sierrade uadarrama. . . 133
lPardo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Buitrago SierraPobre. . 134
CASTILLA Y LEÓN . . 135
T
SO T W ST . . . . . . .137
vila . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Sierrade redos . . . . . . . 142
Salamanca. . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Ciudad odrigo. . . . . . . . . 151
LaAlberca. . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
T C T ALPLAT A . .155
Segovia................155
Valladolid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
amora. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Palencia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
T O T W ST . . . . . . . 177
Le n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
T AST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Burgos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Soria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
CASTILLA-LA
MANCHA . . . . . . . . . 203
Toledo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
T W ST. . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Talaveradela eina. . . . . 215
T SO T . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Ciudad eal. . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Albacete. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Agreenor
sustainableoption
T O T AST. . . . . . . 224
Cuenca. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
uadala ara. . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Pastrana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230
Sig en a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
BARCELONA . . . . . . 235
CATALONIA . . . . . . . 306
COSTAB AVA. . . . . . . . . . 308
TossadeMar. . . . . . . . . . .308
Palafrugell Around. . . . 311
irona. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Cada u s Around. . . . . 323
Figueres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
T P
S . . . . . . . . .331
Vallde ria ibesdeFreser. . . . . . . . . 335
Parc acional
d’Aig estortesi
stanydeSantMaurici
Around. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Vald’Aran. . . . . . . . . . . . . .346
C T ALCATALO A. . .349
Vic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .349
Montserrat.............350
Lleida. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
COSTA A A A A O
.................355
Sitges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Pened sWineCountry. . 359
Tortosa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .366
eltadeL’ bre. . . . . . . . .366
ARAGÓN . . . . . . . . . 369
A A O A . . . . . . . . . . . . .371
reopayment
uired
SO T OF A A O A . . 378
W STOF A A O A. . . . 378
Tara ona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
T O T T P
S . . . . . . . 379
Sosdel eyCat lico. . . .380
Vallesde cho Ans . . . 381
aca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Par ue acionalde
OrdesayMonte
Perdido. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .386
A nsa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .389
Al u ar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .394
T SO T . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
aroca. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .398
Teruel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .399
Albarrac n . . . . . . . . . . . . .402
BASQUE COUNTRY,
NAVARRA & LA
RIOJA . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
BASQ CO T . . . . . 407
Bilbao. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .408
SanSebasti n. . . . . . . . . . 425
Vitoria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437
AVA A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441
Pamplona..............442
ThePyrenees . . . . . . . . . .448
LA O A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454
Logro o. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .454
Wine egion . . . . . . . . . . . 459
CANTABRIA &
ASTURIAS . . . . . . . . 463
CA TAB A. . . . . . . . . . . . 465
Seethe ndexforafulllistofdestinationscoveredinthisbook.
On the Road
Santander. . . . . . . . . . . . .465
AST AS. . . . . . . . . . . . . 477
Oviedo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
i n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .484
P COS
OPA. . . . . . 495
SANTIAGO DE
COMPOSTELA &
GALICIA . . . . . . . . . . 507
Santiagode
Compostela. . . . . . . . . . . .509
COSTA AMO T . . . . . . 520
Fisterra Around. . . . . . .520
ACO
A T ASALTAS. . . . . . . . 522
ACoru a. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523
asAltas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527
M C A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595
MurciaCity . . . . . . . . . . . . 595
CostaC lida. . . . . . . . . . .603
Lorca. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .604
Par ue aturalde
Sierra spu a. . . . . . . . . .606
MALLORCA,
MENORCA & IBIZA . .608
MALLO CA. . . . . . . . . . . . 610
PalmadeMallorca. . . . . . 610
orthwestCoast SerradeTramuntana. . . . 617
Badiad’Alc dia. . . . . . . . . 623
M O CA. . . . . . . . . . . . . 625
Ma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 625
Ciutadella . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631
B A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 640
bi aCity. . . . . . . . . . . . . .640
ASBA AS. . . . . . . . . . . .531
Pontevedra . . . . . . . . . . . . 534
llasC es . . . . . . . . . . . . . .540
FO M
T SO T W ST . . . . . . .541
A uarda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541
Tui. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542
SEVILLE &
ANDALUCÍA. . . . . . . 657
T
AST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542
ibeiraSacra Ca ndoSil. . . . . . . . . . . 545
Lugo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .548
VALENCIA &
MURCIA . . . . . . . . . . 550
VAL C A T COSTABLA CA. . . . 552
ValenciaCity. . . . . . . . . . . 552
CostadelA ahar . . . . . . . 571
lMaestra go. . . . . . . . . . 573
CostaBlanca. . . . . . . . . . . 578
T
A. . . . . . . . . . .651
Seville. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 659
LVAP OV C . . . . . 681
Par ue acionalde
o ana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .683
Aracena Around. . . . . .686
C
P OV C . . . . . . . 687
C di .................. 687
ere delaFrontera. . . . . 697
Par ue aturalSierrade
ra alema Around. . . . 703
Tarifa..................707
ibraltar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 711
M LA AP OV C . . . . .715
M laga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 715
CostadelSol. . . . . . . . . . . 723
onda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 726
C
OBAP OV C . . . 732
C rdoba. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 733
A A AP OV C . . . 740
ranada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 741
LasAlpu arras. . . . . . . . . . 758
A P OV C . . . . . . . 763
beda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 767
Par ue aturalde
Ca orla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770
ALM AP OV C . . . . 772
Almer a. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 772
Cabode ata . . . . . . . . . . 775
EXTREMADURA . . . 779
C
T AL
T MA
A. . . . . . . . 780
C ceres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780
Alc ntara. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 785
Tru illo................. 785
uadalupe. . . . . . . . . . . . . 789
O T
T MA
A. . . . . . . . 790
LaVera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 791
Valledel erte. . . . . . . . . . 794
ValledelAmbro . . . . . . . . 795
Par ue acionalde
Monfrag e. . . . . . . . . . . . . 797
SO T
T MA
A. . . . . . . . 798
M rida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 798
Bada o . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .803
afra. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .804
› Spain
Picos de Europa
Enjoy Spain’s most
dramatic peaks (p495)
ATLANTIC
Bay of Biscay
OCEAN
Co
s
43°N
ta
da
M
33 3
3
33
Ferrol
e
ort
#
]
Parque Natural
Fragas do Eume
^
#
A Coruña
^ Santiago
#
]
Lugo
de
Compostela
Pontevedra
]
Ourense
#
]
Parque
Natural
de Somiedo
^
#
Torrelavega ]
#
l
Miranda
de Ebro ]
#
León
Burgos
^
#
Palencia
#
\
#
]
Benavente
Valladolid
Zamora
^
#
#
\
Río
Du
Salamanca
#
\
#
\
d
Cor
i l le
PORTUGAL
#
\
Toledo
Search for the signs of
its multifaith past (p205)
Gu
#
]
Badajoz
Córdoba
Explore the perfection of
Islamic architecture (p733)
^
#
ad
Mérida
ia
#
]
na
Ciudad
Real
33
333
3333
333
333
333
333 3
33
3
33
333
3 33
33
3
#
\
Los Pedroches
Zafra
Sier
ra
Rí
Gu o
ada
lqu
ivi
r
Seville
#
Huelva^
^
#
Parque
Parque
Natural Sierra
de Andújar
M orena
Parque Natural
Sierra Norte
Seville
Immerse yourself in
Easter celebrations (p659)
37°N
Aranjuez
Toledo
o
Rí
38°N
#
]
_ MADRID
#
#
]
Río Tajo
#
_
ra
l
ra
nt
e
C Guadalajara
Sierra de
Gredos
Plasencia
#
\
LISBON
3
ero
Segovia
Ávila
Madrid
Linger in three of the world’s
finest art galleries (p64)
39°N
Aranda
de Duero
#
]
]
40°N
#
Bilbao ^
(Bilbo)
Parque Nacional de los
Picos de Europa
C
Cordillera antábrica
#
]
Salamanca
The high point of Renaissance
architecture (p143)
41°N
Santander
^
#
Avilés
#
Oviedo ^
i
R ío S
#
]
Rías
Santiago de Compostela
Vigo
Baixas
Walk softly through
this sacred city (p509)
Gijón
]
#
Granada Nacional
Marvel at the exquisite
de Doñan
Alhambra’s perfection (p741)
^
#
Córdoba
ética Parque
ra B
ille
Natural
d
r
Co Granada Sierra
^
# Nevada
Sierra
Nevada
Parque
^
#
Natural Los
Málaga
Alcornocales
Costa del
Costa de la
Sol
Luz
Algeciras \
#^
# Gibraltar
#
Cádiz ^
9°W
8°W
7°W
Strait of
Ceuta
Gibraltar
#
\
(Spain)
\
#
Tangier
MORO CC O
4°W
3°W
li
Al
Margeride
TopLa Experiences
›
Lot
er
^
#
Bordeaux
FR ANCE
San Sebastián
Eat in Spain’s culinary
capital (p425)
#
Nîmes ]
#
]
Aragonese Pyrenees
#
]
Hike the Pyrenean
high country (p379)
Biarritz
#
\
San
Sebastián
ANDORRA
LA VELLA
gr e
^
#
Se
Riu
^
# Zaragoza
#
]
Lleida
ro
r
Co
Az sta
ah d e
ar l
Valencia ^
#
a
c
Rí
o
3
33
33
33
33
3
33
3
3
oSegu ra
Rí
s
Co
Barcelona
a
r ad
au
aD
Golfo de Valencia
Barcelona
Admire the extraordinary
Sagrada Família (p235)
Ca b r i e l
le
Ba
Menorca
Palma de
Mallorca
^
#
la
( Is
ds
n
a
sl
ic I
Mallorca
Ibiza
^
# Albacete
Parque Natural
Sierras de Cazorla,
Segura y las Villas
#
R Girona ]
i u Ter
Valencia
Experience the finest
modern architecture (p552)
ia
Río J ú
Cuenca
r
Tú
Río
#
]
st
Co
Golfe du Lion
\
Figueras #
^
#
La Rioja
Meander through Spain’s Río E b
premier wine region (p454)
#
Teruel ]
#
]
#ANDO RR A
_
B rava
Logroño
Perpignan
Py ren ees
ta
(Iruña)
Montpellier
Costa Brava
Seek out Dalí along
a picturesque coast (p308)
^
#
^
# Pamplona
Rhô
Vé
An
ne
Côte d'A
g
er
M
on
Protestante
n t ts duGorges de l'Allier
al
Gorges de I'Allier
Georges de la Truyère
r
Do
Vezère Valley
Ca
Estuary
ar
Formentera
a
Alicante
nc
(Alicant) Bla
#
]
MEDITERRANEAN
a
st
Elche ]
#
Co
(Elx)
SEA
)
es
ar
e
al
sB
Menorca
Laze on the Mediterranean’s
best beaches (p625)
#
Murcia ^
Cartagena
#
]
s ta
Co
a
lid
Cá
0°
1°E
2°E
ELEVATION
2000m
1500m
1000m
Natural
Almería Parque
de Cabo de
^
#
Gata-Níjar
700m
500m
300m
200m
ALGER I A
Cabo de Gata
Discover the Mediterranean
as it once was (p775)
e
# 0
0
100m
0
100km
50 miles
Itiner
aries
Whether you’ve got six days or
60, these itineraries provide a
starting point for the trip of a
lifetime. Want more inspiration?
Head online to lonelyplanet.
com/thorntree to chat with other
travellers.
PORTUGAL
•
#
Barcelona
Segovia
É
É
•
#
É
Golfo de
Valencia
MADRID
É
#
_
É
É
É
Toledo•
#
•
#
Valencia
É
É
•
#
É
Seville
Córdoba
É
•
#
É
•
#Granada
MEDITERRANEAN
SEA
ALGERIA
MOROCCO
Two Weeks
The Grand Tour
So many Spanish trails begin in arcelona, Spain’s second-biggest city and one of
the coolest places on earth. Explore the architecture and sample the food, before
catching the train down the coast to Valencia for another dose of nightlife and the
21st-century wonders of the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. A fast train whisks
you inland to the capital, mighty adrid, for the irresistible street energy and one of the
richest concentrations of art museums on the planet. Allow time for a day trip to Toledo,
a medieval jewel, and/or Segovia with its fairytale castle, Roman aqueduct and gorgeous
setting. Yet another fast train takes you deep into Andalucía, with
rdo a, especially its
7th-century Mezquita, the essence of the country’s formerly Islamic south. The charms of
Seville, too, span the centuries with fabulous tapas, fine flamenco and a smattering of
Islamic-era monuments. But we’ve saved the best until last: Granada, the one-time capital
of Muslim Al-Andalus, boasts the extraordinary Alhambra, its soulful alter ego, the Albayzín,
and an eating and drinking scene that embraces Spanish culinary culture in all its variety.
Córdoba
•
#
É
É
•
# Seville
É
•
#
A
Cádiz
•
# Vejer
S
Costa de
la Luz
de la Frontera
•
#
•
#
Tarifa
Granada
Antequera
É
•
#
•
#
Málaga
•
#
É
•
#
É
É
T
Jerez
de la
Frontera •
#
Arcos Parque Natural
de la Sierra de
FronteraGrazalema
÷
#
•
#
•
# Ronda
Las
É
Alpujarras
#
Almería •
•
#
Cabo de
Gata
MEDITERRANEAN
SEA
MOROCCO
Three to Four Weeks
Andalucian Adventure
If you’re arriving by air, the natural starting point for any Andalucía trip is
laga, whose airport receives flights from almost every conceivable corner of Europe.
While in town, don’t miss the exceptional Museo Picasso. Head north to the stunning
Mudéjar architecture of Ante uera, then east to Granada, the first in Andalucía’s
triumvirate of Unesco World Heritage–listed cities (the other two are Seville and Córdoba).
In Granada, marvel at the peerless Alhambra, be overwhelmed by the gilded Capilla Real
and linger in the medieval Muslim quarter of Albayzín. A detour south and then east takes
you to the otherworldly valleys of Las Alpu arras with their fine mountain scenery and
North African–style villages; explore these on foot if you’ve the time and the energy. Away
to the southeast, Al er a is one of Spain’s most agreeable provincial towns, while a o
de Gata is one of the most dramatic sections of the country’s Mediterranean coast and an
antidote to its otherwise overdeveloped shoreline.
Returning into the Andalucian heartland, via Granada, make for
rdo a, home to the
magnificent Mezquita and an enchanted judería (Jewish quarter). Next stop, Seville, the
heartbeat of Andalucía with its glorious architecture (especially the Alcázar and cathedral),
fine food and soul-stirring live flamenco. There’s more flamenco, as well as fine Andalucian
horsemanship, at ere de la rontera, while
di is at once fun-loving and Europe’s
oldest settlement; if you’re in Cádiz during Carnaval in particular you’ll understand what
we mean. The region’s hill villages don’t come any more beautiful than cliff-top Arcos de
la rontera, which conforms wonderfully to the stereotype of Andalucía’s pueblos blancos
(white villages). After breaking up your journey here, meander along quiet country roads
east through the pretty whitewashed villages and mountain trails of Par ue Natural
Sierra de Gra ale a and on to spectacularly sited Ronda, where a night in its palatial
and precipitous parador is one of Spain’s great sleeping experiences. Ve er de la rontera
is another hill town par excellence, while the sandy Atlantic beaches of the osta de la Lu
are some of Spain’s best. End your journey in hip Tarifa, the southernmost tip of mainland
Spain, and a centre for summer whale-watching, windsurfing and, of course, much lazing
on the fine beach.
A T L A N T I C
Santillana
Arriondas Ribadesella del Mar
Castro
Playa
Santander
Urdiales
de Merón
Cudillero Gijón
•
#
É
É
A Coruña
•
#
•
#
•
#
•
#
•
#
Ù
#
•
#
#
•
#•
•
#
É
rte
Mo
É
•
#
•
#•
#
#
Oriñón •
San
Bilbao
RLlanes
Sebastián
Comillas
Picos de
Europa
C ami n o de Santia
#
Pontevedra •
FRANCE
go
•
#
A
Vigo
T
Luarca
Santiago de
Compostela
•
#
Oviedo
É
Co s ta da
•
#
É
Cabo
Ortegal
Bay of
Biscay
É
O C E A N
S
PORTUGAL
Three Weeks
Spain’s North est
Spain’s well-drenched northern coast, at times rugged and wildly beautiful, forms
a green band from the Basque Country to Galicia, backed by the Cordillera Cantábrica. This route takes you through what is arguably Spain’s most spectacular (and
certainly least developed) stretch of coastline, with gorgeous villages and fine food
thrown in for good measure.
There is no finer introduction to the country than San Se asti n, its two dramatic headlands giving way to a perfect crescent bay. Its old town is arguably Spain’s spiritual home of
tapas (or pintxos as they call them here) and spending an evening wandering from bar to
bar with their counters groaning under the weight of bite-sized morsels is close to gastronomic paradise. West of San Sebastián, il ao is best known as the home of the showpiece
Guggenheim Museum. Heading west, hug the coast of Cantabria and Asturias and drop by
the old centre of astro Urdiales, to surf at Ori n and to promenade along the waterfront at Santander. Following Cantabria’s eastern coast, explore the cobblestone medieval
marvel that is Santillana del ar and admire the Modernista architecture in o illas.
The eastern Asturias coast is best travelled by train, stopping off at Llanes and Ri adesella,
two of many achingly picturesque villages along Asturias’ coast. Arriondas, the next stop,
is one gateway to the majestic Picos de Europa with their vertiginous rock walls, outstanding scenery and fine hiking opportunities. Next make your way to Oviedo, Asturias’ capital,
for its pre-Romanesque architecture, and Gi n, a substantial port where cider, one of the
great Asturian passions, flows freely. West of Gijón, secluded beaches await between the
picturesque fishing harbours of udillero and Luarca. Galicia’s coastline is one of Spain’s
great natural wonders, punctuated with secluded fishing villages and stunning cliffs. As
you make your way around the coast, don’t miss a o Ortegal, dynamic A oru a and
the osta da orte. On the cusp of Portugal, Pontevedra and Vigo are worth continuing
down the coastline for, before doubling back to Santiago de o postela, a thoroughly
Galician city, a place of pilgrim footfalls, fine regional cuisine and a cathedral of rare power.
Those with more time could make the final approach on foot along the Camino Portugues
route of the a ino de Santiago pilgrim route. Alternatively, discover the area with the
Transcantábrico scenic train.
FRANCE
Parque Nacional de Ordesa
y Monte Perdido
Parc Nacional d'Aigüestortes
÷
#
de Sant Maurici
•
#
•
#
÷ i Estany
#
ANDORRA
•
#
Valle
Sos del Rey
•
# Cadaqués
Aínsa
de
Católico
Castell de Puból •
#
Ansó
•
#Tamariu
#
Girona •
•
#
Calella de Palafrugell
•
#
É
É
É
Barcelona
•
#
Tarragona
Tossa
de Mar
•
#
MEDITERRANEAN
É
Golfo de
Valencia
T
É
SEA
É
A
•
#
•
#
Menorca
É
É
S
#
Valencia •
Serra de Fornalutx
•
#
Tramuntana •
#
#
Palma de Mallorca •
#
Ibiza •
Three to Four Weeks
alearics to the Pyrenees
You could spend weeks exploring the Balearic Islands, depending, of course, on how
long you need passing long, lazy days on its wonderful beaches. Begin, like so many
holidaymakers, in pretty Pal a de allorca, lingering in particular over its astonishing cathedral. Before leaving the island, set aside time to leave the crowds behind
by trekking into the Serra de Tra untana and exploring the villages of Mallorca’s northwestern coast, such as ornalut , and the fine coastal scenery at Cap de Formentor. Take
a ferry to I i a and dive into its world-famous nightlife, before island-hopping again, this
time to enorca and its wonderful south-coast beaches.
Catch one last ferry from Menorca to Valencia and dine on paella by the sea, admire the
breathtaking Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias and stay out late in the Barrio del Carmen.
Follow the Mediterranean northeast to Tarragona, one of the most significant Roman sites
in the country. Follow the Costa Brava, acquaint yourself with arcelona, then head inland
to Girona and Salvador Dalí’s fantasy castle astell de Pu l. Returning to the coast, dip
into pretty villages such as Tossa de ar, alella de Palafrugell and Ta ariu en route
to ada u s, Dalí’s beautiful one-time home.
Leave the Mediterranean behind and climb up into the Pyrenees, passing through the increasingly spectacular northwestern valleys to the Parc Nacional d’Aig estortes i Estany
de Sant aurici, before crossing the provincial frontier into Aragón. Medieval, stone-built
A nsa is the prettiest among many Aragonese villages in the Pyrenean foothills; linger here
for a couple of days before drawing near to the Par ue Nacional de Ordesa y onte Per
dido, perhaps the most shapely mountains of all on the Spanish side of the frontier. Apart
from being staggeringly beautiful, this is one of Europe’s premier hiking destinations and its
restrictions on the number of visitors make this a top-notch wilderness destination. As you
head west in the shadow of the snow-capped peaks, detour up the Valle de Ans and then
end your journey in the idyllic hill village of Sos del Rey at lico.
5
Ù
#
Puebla de
Sanabria
FRANCE
León
•
#
É
•
#
É
Castile & Aragón
Extreme West
•
#
•
# Zamora
É
É
•
#
•
# Salamanca
Medinaceli
Ávila
•
#Daroca
É
•
#
É
É
•
# Zaragoza
É
É
Sierra
de Francia/
La Alberca
•
#
#
Ciudad Rodrigo •
ANDORRA
Burgos
•
# Covarrubias
Albarracín
_
#
•
# •
#
Parque
Teruel
Nacional
de
MADRID
#
Plasencia •
÷ Monfragüe
#
É
•
#
T
#
Cáceres •
•
# Guadalupe
Trujillo
•
#
Mérida
É
PORTUGAL
COS TA
DEL
AZAHAR
A
•
# Zafra
S
Jerez
#
de los •
Caballeros
É
MEDITERRANEAN
SEA
•
# Seville
Three to Four Weeks
Two Weeks
From
adrid, head west to some
of the loveliest towns of the Spanish heartland: walled vila, sleepy
iudad Rodrigo and vibrant Sala
anca. In the latter, wander with wonder at
night through the pulsating streets, amid its
splendid plateresque public buildings, luminous and floodlit. Salamanca is also a gateway to some of Spain’s least-visited backcountry villages, especially in the timeworn
Sierra de rancia. The pick of a very fine
bunch is probably La Al erca. Meander
north to provincial a ora, a little-visited
Romanesque gem, and on to the medieval
village of Pue la de Sana ria. The cathedral towns of Le n and urgos take you
into the Castilian heartland, while eastern
Castilian villages such as ovarru ias and
edinaceli are beautiful places to rest.
Cross the border into Aragón and make for
arago a, one of Spain’s most vibrant cities with a wealth of monuments and great
tapas. Heading south, Daroca is a picturesque place to break up the journey, while
Teruel has a compact old quarter studded
with Mudéjar gems. Finish your journey
in nearby Al arrac n, one of Spain’s most
spectacular villages.
Extremadura is one of Spain’s leastknown corners, which is all the more
reason to visit. Begin in Extremadura’s north, in Plasencia, which is
jammed with notable buildings, churches
and convents; for centuries it was the region’s principal city, and makes a good base
for excursions up the northeast valleys.
From Plasencia, a circuit takes you first to
the birders’ paradise that is the Par ue
Nacional de onfrag e and then on to
the charming hill town and pilgrims’ destination of Guadalupe, lorded over by the
monastery complex dedicated to Our Lady
of Guadalupe. Country roads then lead westwards to the medieval town of Tru illo, a
warren of cobbled lanes, churches and the
newer Renaissance-era additions that were
the fruit of conquistador gold. A short drive
further west lies the medieval splendour of
ceres. To the south stand some of Spain’s
most impressive Roman ruins in
rida.
Further south again across the dry plains
lies the white town of afra, a precursor
to Andalucía in both spirit and geography.
Rather than continue straight into Andalucía, make a westwards detour to the hilly
town of ere de los a alleros before finally heading south for magical Seville.
astilla
Arag n
E tre e
est
M
R
alencia Murcia; Mallorca, Menorca Ibi a Miles and his wife, Ingrid, have
lived for over
years in a shoebox-si ed apartment in the Barrio del Carmen,
alencia’s oldest and most vital quarter. e’s the author or coauthor of more
than
Lonely Planet guidebooks, including Valencia & the Costa Blanca,
Valencia Encounter, Walking in Spain, Canary Islands and seven editions of the
book you’re holding. e loves Fallas about twice a decade, and gets the hell out
of town in intervening years.
B
S
Andaluc a An expat Brit, now living near ancouver, Canada, Brendan once
worked in Andaluc a as a guide leading cultural and hiking trips in the hills of
ra alema. e fell unashamedly for the region’s romantic charms when he met
his future wife in a small white village near onda in
. e’s been back numerous times since, and has developed a special passion for flamenco guitar and the
city of ranada. Brendan also writes for Lonely Planet on Cuba, Italy and Mexico.
R
S L
Barcelona egis first fell in love with Catalunya on a grand journey across Iberia
in the late 1
s. Subsequent trips cemented his relationship with Barcelona,
one of his favourite cities on the planet. Memorable outings from his most recent
trip include morning runs in Barceloneta, evening concerts in the Ciutat ella
and feasting on perhaps the last calçots of the season. egis is also the author
of Barcelona, and he has contributed to do ens of other Lonely Planet titles. e
lives in Brooklyn, New York.
ead more about egis at:
lonelyplanet.com/members/regisstlouis
A
S
Castilla-La Mancha; Extremadura Andy hails from Australia but has been living
in Spain for over a decade, where, to shatter a couple of stereotypes of the
country, he can frequently be found huddled in sub- ero temperatures watching
the tragically poor local football team. e has authored and coauthored many
Lonely Planet guidebooks and other publications on Spain and elsewhere; in
his spare time he walks in the mountains, embarks on epic tapas trails, and cobosses a rock bar.
OUR STORY
A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of
adventure. In 1 7 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed
for the trip of a lifetime across Europe and Asia overland to
Australia. It took several months, and at the end broke but
inspired they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling
together their rst travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap.
Within a week they’d sold 1
copies. Lonely Planet was born.
Today, Lonely Planet has o ces in Melbourne, London and
Oakland, with more than 6
sta and writers. We share Tony’s belief that a great guidebook
should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.
OUR
RITERS
A
H
Coordinating Author; Madrid; Castilla y Le n; Arag n In
1 Anthony fell in
love with Madrid on his first visit to the city. Less than a year later, he arrived on
a one-way ticket, with not a word of Spanish and not knowing a single person.
aving recently passed the 1 -year mark in Madrid, he still adores his adopted
city as much as the first day he arrived. When he’s not writing for Lonely Planet,
Anthony writes about and photographs Spain, Africa and the Middle East for
newspapers and maga ines around the world.
S
B
Basque Country, Navarra La ioja; alencia Murcia; Mallorca, Menorca
Ibi a Stuart’s first childhood encounters with Spain, in Parque Nacional de
o ana and on family holidays along the north coast, left lasting impressions.
When he was older he spent every summer on the Basque beaches, until one
day he found himself unable to tear himself away he has been there ever since.
is travels for Lonely Planet, and various surf maga ines, have taken him beyond
Spain to the shores of the Arctic, the deserts of Asia and the forests of Africa. is website is stuart
butlerjournalist.com.
ead more about Stuart at:
lonelyplanet.com/members/stuartbutler
A
K
Catalonia Anna’s love affair with Spain began in
1 during a summer Spanish
course in Santander and continued, unabated, in spite of a nasty bout of salmonella. Over the last decade she has found herself returning every year, both
for research and pleasure be it to hike in the Pyrenees, kitesurf in Tarifa, or go
tapas bar hopping in San Sebasti n, ranada and Madrid. Memorable moments
from her most recent trip include almost running out of petrol on a lonely mountain road and visiting the former home of the late, great al . Anna currently calls Barcelona home.
diverse Spain is.
N
Cantabria Asturias; Santiago de Compostela
alicia John, originally from
England’s ibble alley, has lived in an Andalucian mountain village since 1
.
In that time he has travelled lengthily all over Spain and helped write every edition of Lonely Planet’s Spain and Andalucía guides. e loves returning to faraway parts of the country like alicia and the north coast, with their completely
different landscapes, climate, people and culture, and being reminded just how
OVER MO E
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