Artsy Traveler

Favorite Regions in Spain

You can’t “do” Spain in one trip, but you can see a fair bit of it in two or three weeks. I prefer to pick one or two regions so I can settle in and get to know the area.

The map below shows approximate locations of the main regions in Spain that I’ve explored and recommend. As you can see, there are several regions I haven’t visited yet but hope to soon!

Catalonia

Many Catalan people would prefer Catalonia not be a part of Spain. The last time I was in Catalonia staying for a week in Girona, a Catalan stronghold, Catalan flags bloomed from the windows of many buildings and people spoke Catalan more readily than Spanish.

But don’t worry, most people in the service industries will likely speak English to you or at least respond to your attempts at Spanish.

Memories of Barcelona

One of my most vivid memories of Catalonia was during a visit to Barcelona when I was 21. I had traveled for two weeks with friends along the Costa Brava and then returned to Barcelona to spend a day sightseeing before flying back to England where I was studying. This was in the mid-1970s when Franco was in power and Spain was not the hip, happenin’ and awesome place to travel that it is now.

I walked into the Plaça de Catalunya and sat on the edge of one of the fountains to watch the world go by. The sun shone, people strolled, all seemed peaceful.

Suddenly, a handful of young men entered the plaza from a side street. They carried two or three placards and were chanting. I stood up for a better look, fascinated by this evidence of Spanish protest in the midst of fascism. I started walking toward the protestors.

Bad move.

A phalanx of armed soldiers started marching directly towards me, sub-machine guns cocked and ready. I looked around. The people who had filled the plaza with noise and laughter moments before were gone. I was completely alone—just me and my orange backpack with its grubby Canadian flag.

I picked up my pack and retreated as smartly as I could. The soldiers veered away, presumably to arrest the protestors, and I boarded the first bus I found to take me to the airport—seven hours before my flight was scheduled to take off.

Barcelona Today

I returned to Barcelona in 2010 and again in 2015. What a difference!

Barcelona is fun to visit, although in recent years it’s become extremely crowded. Avoid it at the height of summer and plan your time to avoid the worst of the crowds.

Read my suggestions for enjoying a two-day visit to Barcelona in Two Packed & Fabulous Days in Trendy Barcelona.

Madrid & Central Spain

I include four destinations in this region. If you’re traveling to Portugal by car, you may stop off in Salamanca. If you’re coming into Spain through the Pyrenees from France and driving to Madrid, you’ll go through Zaragoza. And while in Madrid, you must spare a day to visit lovely little Toledo.

Below is a quick summary of these four cities. For more in-depth information along with sightseeing and accommodation suggestions, read Exploring the Heart of Spain.

Madrid

Visit Madrid for its fabulous art museums—the Prado and the Reina Sofia. Also, stroll through Retiro Park (El Parque del Buen Retiro or just El Retiro), then join the locals for a late dinner. Madrid is a big city and, to me, not as compelling as some of Europe’s other capitals, but definitely worth two nights so you can thoroughly enjoy seeing some of Europe’s greatest art “in the flesh”.

Read more in Artsy Sightseeing below.

Toledo

Toledo is truly delightful. Perched high on a hill famously depicted in the painting View over Toledo by El Greco, Toledo pulses with history.

Walk the narrow streets, buy some objects made from the world-famous Toledo steel and check out the stunning cathedral.

Zaragoza

You won’t find lovely Zaragoza on the tourist trail, which suits me just fine. We spent a night there on our way from France to Toledo and were enchanted by several noteworthy sites, a relaxed and visitor-friendly pace and wonderful tapas. Read more in Exploring the Heart of Spain.

Salamanca

We visited Salamanca on a driving trip that took us diagonally across northwest Spain from San Sebastian in the northeast (see One-Week Guide to Northern Spain) to Salamanca in the west, near the Portuguese border and on the same latitude as Porto in northern Portugal.

I highly recommend adding Salamanca to your itinerary. It’s a laid-back, inviting, and friendly Spanish city with a fabulous art nouveau museum.

Enjoy a glass of wine in the massive Plaza Mayor, one of Europe’s most spectacular living rooms, and listen to roving bands of guitarists dressed in medieval garb play vaguely Mexican-sounding music.

Apparently, many people who emigrated to Mexico came from Salamanca and some of the wealthier ones have returned to make Salamanca prosperous. It certainly is a beautifully maintained city.

Northern Spain and Basque Country

I’d love to spend more time in northern Spain—from Santiago de Compostela in the far west to the Basque country where signs are in the Basque language, to the foothills of the Pyrenees on the French border to the east.

The landscape in the north is mountainous and lusciously green—not the seared brown plain you expect to see in Spain. You could easily spend a week traveling from west to east (or the reverse). I provide a suggested itinerary in my post Exploring Northern Spain & Basque Country.

You can also walk the width of northern Spain on the Camino. I haven’t, but I know many people who have. Stay tuned for guest posts from some of them about their experiences.

Andalusia

I can think of few more romantic travel experiences than getting your mind blown by a flamenco concert in Seville, then emerging into the cozy warmth of a summer evening to stroll the medieval streets before settling into a lively café for a late dinner.

Truly wonderful!

You could easily spend a week in this region of Spain enjoying the historic cities of Cordoba, Seville, and Granada, before exploring the stunning White Towns – Los Pueblos Blancos—and Ronda with its gorgeous gorge.

Read my suggestions for A Circle Tour of Amazing Andalusia.