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Spain contains multitudes—seriously. Spanning 17 autonomous regions and two small enclaves in North Africa, the country is a cradle of diverse cultures, geography, traditions, even languages. And while there’s nothing wrong with a sun-and-sangria holiday, there are so many places to visit in Spain that defy the stereotypes: embark on a luxury train ride across the mountainous north, go on a wine and architecture pilgrimage in Rioja, discover the sleepy side of Ibiza, and travel back in time to Andalucía’s Moorish past. The landscapes are just as diverse—from Lanzarote’s lunar lava plains to the lush archipelago of Islas Cíes and the stunning rock formations in the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Nature Reserve (Europe’s only desert!).
First-timers typically make a beeline for Madrid and Barcelona, but even then, most people will only scratch the surface of these cities and their surroundings. Just an hour outside Madrid are art-filled medieval castles, mountain hiking trails, a “beach” for beating the heat, and even an under-the-radar Picasso museum. Plus, there’s so much to see in Catalonia beyond Barcelona, not least the picturesque coves and charming seaside towns of the Costa Brava. One trip isn’t enough—Spain is a place to discover again and again.
Having a hard time deciding where to go first? Here are 11 trip ideas to get you started.
Madrid
The Spanish capital is having a moment, with a flurry of hot new restaurants like La Capa and Nacha, the Royal Collections Gallery (which opened in 2023), and a crop of fabulous new and revamped hotels such as the city’s grand Palace Hotel, fresh off a €90 million revamp by celebrated designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán. There’s never been a better time to visit. Regardless of your travel plans, you’ll want to set aside time to stroll around the UNESCO-recognized El Retiro Park, which spans 308 acres of classical gardens, trickling fountains and lakes, and expansive green lawns perfect for beating the summer heat. The park itself is home to a clutch of stellar museums, but nothing compares to the nearby Museo Nacional Del Prado—one of the world’s most important institutions for European painting—or the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, which houses Picasso’s Guernica, among other masterpieces. And don’t sleep on the galleries, either: there has been a wave of recent openings, including the design showroom Casa Muñoz and a new outpost of the Mallorca-born Marc Bibiloni gallery.
Stay Here: Madrid’s bustling Gran Vía has no shortage of fabulous hotels, but the newly opened Brach Madrid is worth singling out, not least because it’s the former home of French writer Victor Hugo. With just 57 rooms, the mansion retains the intimacy of a private residence, layered with theatrical Philippe Starck–designed touches: woven leather ceilings, oversized mirrors in terracotta frames, and orange tassel cushions that nod to traditional bullfighting costumes. The subterranean spa is a standout, with a 20-meter marble pool and cutting-edge wellness gadgets, including the city’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Mallorca
In recent years, Mallorca has shed its reputation as a package holiday destination and emerged as one of Spain’s most sophisticated hotspots. Now, the Balearic island is synonymous with art and culture, hip hotels, and stellar boutique shopping. Get in step with the island’s rhythms in the capital of Palma, home to just-opened indie shops like Silk Space, Wunder Workshop, and the HQ of Mallorcan-born upcycled label J. Llambias; lively bars and restaurants including Brutus and CAV, and one magnificent 14th-century cathedral—the island’s most recognizable landmark. Learn about Mallorca’s rich craft traditions such as “llata” basket weaving and Ikat textile design by signing up for a workshop on the dada-days platform, or head to the mountain towns of Deià and Sóller to discover locally-made goods and artworks at creative businesses like Earth Core, Datura Studio Isla, the just-opened De Haan Gallery Studio, or the café-cum-ceramic-shop De Moniö.
Stay Here: The Spanish family behind Vestige Collection is on a mission to breathe life into the country’s crumbling landmarks and dilapidated palaces. One of their latest projects is the nine-bedroom Miramar, occupying an 18th-century, sea-facing mansion in Palma, just steps from the city’s iconic cathedral. Available exclusively for private use, the property has all the bells and whistles you’d expect from the island’s most exclusive villa: a grotto-like heated indoor pool, a wine cellar, a gym, even a movie theater. Still, it’s the sun-dappled terrace, with panoramic views of the marina and the Bay of Palma, that’s reason enough to check in.
Asturias
Northern Spain has long been overlooked by tourists, but the mountainous principality of Asturias is (finally) having its moment in the sun. A new high-speed train—20 years in the making—now links Madrid and Asturias, reducing the journey to just over 3 hours. And the capital city, Oviedo, is famed for its gastronomic delicacies (fabada stew, hundreds of regional cheese varieties) and fabulous restaurants like NM by Michelin-feted chef Nacho Manzano, who also runs the region’s legendary two-starred Michelin restaurant Casa Marcial. Beyond being a gastronomic paradise, Asturias is also a haven for outdoorsy types: a third of the region is environmentally protected, making it prime for adventures such as hut-to-hut trekking in the Picos de Europa mountain range (which also straddle Cantabria and Castilla y León). Don’t miss the tiny village of Covadonga—the gateway to the Picos de Europa—which is famed for its dramatic, cliff-hugging Basilica of Nuestra Señora de las Batallas.
Stay Here: The best new addition to the region’s hospitality scene is CoolRooms Palacio de Luces, a restored palace located just outside the charming fishing village of Lastres. Don’t be fooled by its aristocratic interiors—rates start at around $180 per night—and be sure to make reservations at the hotel’s excellent Asturian restaurant, whose dishes spotlight local ingredients like sea urchin caviar and smoked Los Caserinos cheese.
La Rioja
Rioja needs no introduction. Located an hour’s drive south of Bilbao, Spain’s premier wine region is home to more than 500 wineries and is known worldwide for its bold, oaky reds. It’s also a must for architecture lovers, with high-design bodegas dreamed up by Frank Gehry, Santiago Calatrava, and Zaha Hadid. You’ll see the best of the region on a custom tour with the husband-and-wife team behind Rioja Wine Trips. But be sure to discover the gems of the wider La Rioja province, too, including the small medieval hilltop town of Briones, which is home to the excellent Vivanco Museum of Wine Culture (don’t skip the museum’s Garden of Bacchus, where you will find 220 varieties of grapes from around the world). It’s also worth motoring out to the small town of Ezcaray to tour the workshop of century-old, family-run textile brand Mantas Ezcaray, which regularly collaborates with high-fashion brands including Loewe and Hermès.
Stay Here: Iñigo Aragón and Pablo López Navarro are the founders of Madrid’s coveted Casa Josephine interior design and architecture studio. They’re also the proprietors of a five-bedroom guest house in the 200-person village of Sorzano. The Riojan townhouse is straight out of the pages of a design magazine, with an impeccable mix of furniture spanning styles and periods. Ask the owners for their black book of restaurants and bodegas.
Ibiza
Most serenity-seekers decamp to the lesser-developed Balearic isles of Formentera and Menorca. But Ibiza also has a quiet side, with pristine secluded beaches, a pastoral countryside, and small inland villages with a bohemian soul that harks back to the island’s hippie past. One of its best-known natural areas is the UNESCO-listed Ses Salines Natural Park, a vast ecological sanctuary with salt flats and roughly 200 species of birds. The island is also known for its dense meadows of water-cleaning Posidonia seagrass, which are among the best preserved in the Mediterranean. The once-sleepy town of Santa Gertrudis is now one of the island’s hotspots, with trendy boutiques like Es Cucons, lively restaurants including an outpost of New York-born Il Buco, and an all-seasons Parra Romero gallery. Not far from that is the village of Sant Mateu d’Albarca, where you’ll find the farm-to-table restaurant Juntos, which serves vegetable-centric dishes with ingredients sourced from the 173-acre farm. (Don’t leave without perusing ceramics, botanical-dyed robes, and other goodies at the expertly edited on-site boutique). Even the island’s famous party scene has grown up; today, the hardest rope in town is arguably the gastronomic chiringuito Jondal, helmed by El Bulli alum Rafa Zafra.
Stay Here: The recently shuttered Cas Gasi was one of the island’s most beloved agroturismos, tucked amid olive groves and orange trees near Santa Gertrudis. This summer, it reopens as Soho Farmhouse Ibiza, with just 18 rooms and a deeper focus on wellness. Expect two swimming pools, an open-air yoga deck overlooking the nine-acre estate, onsen baths, and spa treatments powered by Mediterranean plants and botanicals. As a bonus, the beloved property will now be open year-round, giving travelers the opportunity to experience the island’s quieter, off-season side.
Catalonia
There are a lot of reasons to love Barcelona right now: hip gastro wine bars like Tiberi and Masa Vins, edgy new galleries like Prats Nogueras Blanchard, Fuga, and Único, and new independent boutique hotels such as Casa Llimona. But there’s just as much to discover outside Catalonia’s capital. In the seaside city of Tarragona, a short train ride away, you can tour a second-century Roman amphitheater and one of the largest and best-preserved circus complexes in the Roman Empire. Closer to Barcelona, the charming town of Sitges has a seafront promenade lined with grand mansions and atmospheric terrazas and is a great jumping-off point for hikes in Garraf Natural Park. Wine lovers should consider a day trip to the Penedès, about 30 miles west of Barcelona, which is the heart of Spain’s cava production. Meanwhile, those wanting to escape to the heart of the Catalan countryside should plan a getaway to Empordà, the inland region of Costa Brava, which is just as known for its pastoral landscapes and honey-toned hamlets as its rich creative legacy (everyone from Salvador Dali and Gabriel García Márquez to Tiffany Co. designer Elsa Peretti has called the region home). Today, that artistic spirit lives on at the region’s many galleries, such as Studio Tramuntana and Secret Mill.
Stay Here: A favorite escape of Barcelona’s elite, Mas de Torrent is an 18th-century farmhouse set amid the Empordá’s undulating landscapes and hilltop towns. Paintings by Spanish muralist Josep Maria Sert fill the common rooms, and visitors from far and wide come to try the Ampurdán tasting menu at the hotel’s El Mas restaurant, where large windows offer panoramic vistas of the storybook-pretty village of Pals. By day, guests can bike along countryside trails linking the region’s most enchanting villages, stretch out by the outdoor pool, or cruise the Costa Brava aboard the hotel’s glamorous Italian speedboat. Come evening, the multi-story spa serves as the perfect place to wind-down.
Andalucía
Andalucía is a mille-feuille of civilizations and cultures; however, its top attractions are the towering fortresses, monumental mosques, and awe-inspiring palaces constructed during the Moors’ 800-year rule. There are few sites as impressive or as well preserved as Granada’s formidable Alhambra fortress, which contains a series of 13th to 15th-century Moorish palaces and gardens, backed by the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Still, you don’t need to endure long ticket lines to step back in history. In Códoba, chef Paco Morale’s two-starred Michelin-starred Noor (“light” in Arabic) borrows inspiration from Andalucía’s layered, overlapping history: currently on offer are a trio of menus inspired by the “Golden Age” of the 16th and 17th centuries, with dishes incorporating prized ingredients such as saffron and orange blossom water. In Malaga, the popular El Pimpi restaurant—which streams across an 18th-century townhouse across from the Roman theater—feels like a time capsule with its wine barrel decoration, bull head taxidermy, and old black-and-white photographs. And it goes without saying that Seville tiene un color especial (or so the song goes…)—just strolling its atmospheric streets is like traveling back in time, but be sure to set aside time to tour the Casa de Pilatos palace, which features some of the most impressive Mudejar-style tile work we’ve ever seen.
Stay Here: This June, the Spanish impresaria behind Menorca’s beloved Cristine Bedfor hotel brings her maximalist, Mediterranean-meets-English vision to Málaga with the opening of a 27-room guesthouse designed by Madrid-based interior designer Marta de la Rica. The burgeoning hospitality group is also set to debut a third property in Seville later this year. In the meantime, bed down at Seville’s new Hotel Casa del Limonero, a design-forward boutique stay where 17th-century Venetian mirrors and Nasrid maiolica tiles mingle with whimsical works by Joana Vasconcelos and Malick Sidibé.
Basque Country
It’s impossible to talk about the Basque Country without mentioning the food. The region is known for its boisterous pintxo bars, cider houses, and more Michelin stars per square meter than almost anywhere else in the world. You could spend days eating your way through San Sebastián and Bilbao (where the first direct flights from the U.S. are launching this year), but don’t leave out the many culinary institutions outside the city like the family-run Casa Cámara restaurant in the fishing village of Pasai Donibane, just north of San Sebastián, which uses a pulley to lift shellfish out of the water and into the middle of the dining room. In recent decades, the País Basco has also established a reputation as one of Spain’s most vibrant arts hubs, home to heavy-hitting institutions like the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and contemporary galleries including Galeria Espacio Marzana and Villa Magdalena. Be sure not to miss the Chillida Leku sculpture park dedicated to the Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida.
Stay Here: In Bilbao’s bourgeois enclave of Neguri, Palacio Arriluce is a palace-turned-49-room hotel where Queen Anne and neo-Gothic flourishes evoke the charm of a grand English manor — complete with a croquet lawn overlooking the Biscayan coast. Celebrated Basque chef Beñat Ormaetxea helms the hotel’s three restaurants, while the concierge can arrange VIP experiences, like a private sailing tour down the river straight to the Guggenheim.
Lanzarote
No man is an island, but we have the visionary artist César Manrique to thank for the Canarian jewel that is Lanzarote. When others disparaged the island as being the ugliest in the entire archipelago—“nothing but camels and stones”—Manrique marveled at its elemental beauty and rustic simplicity. During the last two decades of his life, he devoted himself to creating gardens, lookouts, and cultural centers while protecting its coastline from the mass development you see on some of the other Canary Isles. His influence is everywhere, from the Timanfaya National Park (where he designed the tourist facilities) to the island’s Museum of Modern Art, the popular Jameos del Agua lava caves, and his former house turned museum. Once you’ve immersed yourself in the world of all things Manrique, discover Lanzarote’s other allures such as its otherworldly vineyards, planted in volcanic ash soil and encircled by low-lying rock walls—the designs are so artful, you might think Manrique had something to do with it.
Stay Here: Set inside the former home of César Manrique’s father, the 20-room César Lanzarote is a singular place to stay. It also has a prized location within La Geria Natural Park, surrounded by the estate’s original vineyards. Still, the most show-stopping feature might be designer Virginia Nieto’s island-inspired interiors—all white and green tones, stone and wood surfaces, and linen fabrics.
Galicia
You don’t need to hike the Camino de Santiago to discover the wonders of Galicia. The new Costa Verde Express luxury train whisks travelers across Spain’s verdant north, with stops in picturesque Galician towns like Viveiro and Ribadeo and the magnificent capital of Santiago de Compostela, where travelers will have the chance to tour the cathedral and dine at the city’s famed parador, one of the oldest hotels in Spain. Increasingly, travelers are using the waterfront city of Vigo as the jumping-off point for their Galician adventures, whether it’s exploring the villages along the Vigo estuary, hiking to the archaeological remains of Monte do Facho, or exploring the postcard-perfect beaches of Islas Cíes, a 45-minute ferry ride away. And if you find yourself in the fishing village of Corrubedo, be sure to check out David Chipperfield’s Bar do Porto, which serves Galician wines and fresh Atlantic seafood.
Stay Here: A revamped 18th-century paper factory is the unlikely setting of Galicia’s most sumptuous hotel: the family-run A Quinta da Auga country manor, located a 10-minute drive from Santiago de Compostela. The property’s tranquil riverside setting is complemented by its refined yet homey interiors, sublime spa, and verdant gardens.
Extremadura
Located in the sparsely populated Extremadura region, about a 2.5-hour drive west from Madrid near the Portuguese border, Extremadura is one of the country’s lesser-visited jewels. Here, must-see contemporary art museums, UNESCO-protected monuments, and ancient pilgrim routes (see: Vía de la Plata, a lesser-known alternative to the Camino de Santiago) lure a diverse mix of travelers, many of whom use the walled city of Cáceres as their base. With its 16th-century palaces and skyline dominated by turrets and gargoyles, the ancient town is equally characterized by its modern marvels, such as the three-Michelin-starred Atrio restaurant and the stellar Helga de Alvear Museum of Contemporary Art. Beyond Cáceres, don’t miss Roman ruins in the World Heritage City of Merida, the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe, and the art-filled villages that make up the lush La Vera area.
Stay Here: Launched by the duo behind Cáceres’ three-Michelin-starred Atrio restaurant, this 14-room hotel is a treat-yourself-style stay ideal for immersing yourself in the Atrio culinary universe—which also includes the more casual Torre de Sande bistro. Rooms are minimally decorated yet outfitted with luxe touches like deep-soaking tubs, 500-thread-count sheets, and pieces from the couple’s private art collection, which includes works by Andy Warhol, Antoni Tàpies, and Georg Baselitz.