50 Most Popular Villages in Spain
Friday, October 9, 2026
Rural tourism and everything that has to do with nature are consistently on the up. Many are often at a loss for places to visit and things to do so here is a list of the most popular villages in each of the 50 provinces of Spain.
The criteria for selecting the 50 villages were the following: all the towns/villages in the list had to have less than 20,000 inhabitants and then the options were ordered by data compiled from search results and trends in Google. If you are at a loss for things to do or want a different destination from time to time, these 50 towns are the ideal way to discover rural Spain:
Andalucía
Osuna (Seville): the ducal town has a very rich artistic heritage. The Monastery of the Incarnation, the Collegiate Church and the Quarries are just a small sample of its many charms.
Frigiliana (Málaga): located in the Natural Park of the Sierras de Almijara, Tejeda and Alhama, walking through the narrow and steep streets of its historic centre is like travelling back in time. Go to the viewpoint of Callejón del Peñón to enjoy a panoramic view of the entire town.
Setenil de las Bodegas (Cádiz): this town in the Sierra de Cádiz is part of the Route of the White Villages. One of its peculiarities is the location of its houses, many of which were built "sheltered" from the rocks.
Guadix (Granada): the 'European Capital of Caves' has more than 2000 inhabited cave houses.
Rute (Córdoba): one of the main attractions of Rute is the many gastronomic museums, in many, they continue to make anise, nougat or chocolate, among other products following traditional methods.
Mojácar (Almería): a few kilometres from the coast of Almería, we can find this white town full of places of interest, such as the Plaza del Parterre, the Church of Santa María or the Puerta de la Ciudad.
Cazorla (Jaén): Hidden between olive groves and with the mountains behind, Cazorla is the perfect option for those who want to enjoy nature and cultural visits at the same time.
Aracena (Huelva): one of the most popular places in this town, located in the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche Natural Park, is the Gruta de las Maravillas, a true paradise of stalactites and stalagmites.
Aragón
Tarazona (Zaragoza): amongst the great cultural offering of Tarazona, considered one of the most monumental cities in Aragon, the cathedral stands out, built in the French Gothic style, but with Mudejar and Renaissance elements.
Jaca (Huesca): at 820 meters above sea level, in addition to being a reference destination for winter sports lovers, Jaca has an important monumental legacy. Good proof of this is its citadel, a 16th-century fortress.
Albarracín (Teruel): this small medieval town of just over 1000 inhabitants is, without a doubt, one of the most picturesque in Spain. Located on a hill in the Universal Mountains and surrounded almost entirely by the Guadalaviar River, it has many places of interest, such as the Church of Santa María or the Episcopal Palace.
Asturias
Llanes: the historic centre of this fishing village, declared a Historic-Artistic Site, is one of the best-preserved in the Principality of Asturias. Two of its strong points are the palaces and emblazoned houses.
Canarias
Teror (Las Palmas): in this beautiful town on the island of Gran Canaria is the Basilica to the Virgen del Pino, patron saint of the Diocese of the Canary Islands. Also go to the historic centre to see the characteristic balconies of Canarian architecture, especially in Plaza del Pino and Calle Real.
Garachico (Santa Cruz de Tenerife): although the eruption of the Trevejo volcano in 1706 was a hard blow for Garachico, this Tenerife town knew how to rise from its ashes, and today its rich architectural heritage takes us back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
Cantabria
Comillas: also known as the 'Villa de Los Arzobispos', Comillas has some of the most important modernist monuments in Cantabria. The jewel in the crown is undoubtedly El Capricho, the work of the great Antonio Gaudí.
Castilla y León
Tordesillas (Valladolid): this town witnessed numerous historical events, such as the signing of the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494. Its historical and architectural legacy make it one of the most popular places in Castilla y León. Among its most outstanding monuments, it is worth mentioning the Houses of the Treaty, the Royal Monastery of Santa Clara, the Church of Santa María and the Plaza Mayor.
Astorga (León): the city where two of the main routes of the Camino de Santiago converge, the French Way and the Vía de la Plata, has an important legacy from Roman times. The cathedral and the Episcopal Palace are also two points of great cultural interest.
Lerma (Burgos): the town of Lerma, located on a hillock in the Arlanza region, has one of the most outstanding Herrerian-style architectural ensembles in Spain. The history of the town is intrinsically linked to the Duke of Lerma, one of the most visited places being the Ducal Palace.
Ciudad Rodrigo (Salamanca): Ciudad Rodrigo is synonymous with historical, cultural and natural heritage. In this walled city, whose historic centre was declared a Historic-Artistic Site, it is possible to visit innumerable architectural gems, such as the Castle of Enrique II de Trastamara or the Cathedral of Santa María.
Puebla de Sanabria (Zamora): located in the vicinity of the Lago de Sanabria natural park, its cobbled streets lead the visitor to discover places as magical as the Castle of the Counts of Benavente or the church of Santa María del Azogue.
Cervera de Pisuerga (Palencia): this small village in the Palentina mountain has a lot to offer. A good starting point to start discovering Cervera is the Plaza Mayor, whose arcades and stone columns are a clear example of Castilian architecture.
Arenas de San Pedro (Ávila): in the middle of the Sierra de Gredos and at a height of 510 meters, in Arenas de San Pedro there is no shortage of places to visit. One of the most visited is the Castillo del Condestable Dávalos, declared a Historic-Artistic Monument in 1931. Today, the Torre del Homenaje houses an interesting museum.
Pedraza (Segovia): declared a Historic Site in 1951, this medieval walled town is a magnet for tourists, due to its beauty and rich heritage.
Medinaceli (Soria): its most emblematic monument, the Arco de Medinaceli, dates from the 1st century and is a good example of the rich heritage of this town, in which the traces of the many civilizations that inhabited it can still be seen.
Castilla-La Mancha
Consuegra (Toledo): we cannot talk about Consuegra without mentioning its 12 windmills, which, together with the Castillo de la Muela, form the ideal setting to relive the best exploits of the ingenious gentleman Don Quixote de La Mancha.
Almagro (Ciudad Real): here is the only Corral de Comedias that has been preserved as it was in the seventeenth century, and best of all, it is still active! For that alone, Almagro is worth visiting!
Alcalá del Júcar (Albacete): the hermitage of San Lorenzo, the castle and the picturesque cave-houses are just some of the monuments that await you in Alcalá del Júcar, a town declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1982.
Sigüenza (Guadalajara): thanks to its wide cultural, natural and gastronomic offering, Sigüenza is one of the most popular destinations in Castilla-La Mancha. The town, which due to its strategic location was already populated during the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, has many places of interest, such as the castle, the Casa del Doncel or the church of San Vicente.
Belmonte (Cuenca): the castle of Belmonte, in the Gothic-Mudejar style, dominates the horizon of this beautiful town. Since its construction in 1456, the fortress had an important role in the different stages of history. In the 19th century, the castle was inherited by Eugenia de Montijo, future Empress of France.
Cataluña
Cardona (Barcelona): in addition to the picturesque historic centre, travellers who come to Cardona can visit the impregnable castle built in 886 by Wilfredo el Velloso. The fortress was the residence of the lords of Cardona, nicknamed the Crownless Kings, during the Middle Ages.
Miravet (Tarragona): on the banks of the Ebro river we find one of the most charming villas in Catalonia, Miravet. The 12th century Templar castle is one of its main attractions, and many curious people come here to see the walls and the different rooms of the fortress.
Cadaqués (Gerona): the picturesque white houses scattered through the labyrinthine streets of the old town make Cadaqués one of the most charming coastal towns in all of Spain. In addition to sun and beach, the town has emblematic buildings such as the House of Don Octavio Serinyana, the Torre del Colom or the parish church of Santa María.
Solsona (Lérida): Baroque lovers cannot miss Solsona, as the city has an important architectural legacy in this style. Among its most outstanding monuments are the Episcopal Palace and the Portal del Puente.
Comunidad de Madrid
Chinchón: Its Plaza Mayor, full of wooden balconies and arcades dating from the 15th century, is the heart of Chinchón. In addition to the charm of the popular Castilian architecture of the square, this Madrid town has other places of interest, such as the Clock Tower or the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.
Valencian Community
Bocairent (Valencia): in this Valencian town, stone is art. Come to Les Covetes dels Moros and discover it for yourself. It is believed that this set of artificial caves with more than 50 "windows", located in the Barranc de la Fos cliff, served centuries ago as granaries or warehouses.
Guadalest (Alicante): Guadalest is a small town with a long history, evidence of its existence goes back to Muslim times. Declared a Site of Cultural Interest, the town has several monuments and places of interest, such as the San José Castle, the Alcozaiba castle and the Casa Orduña.
Peñíscola (Castellón): Peñíscola Castle, also known as Castillo del Papa Luna, is one of the main attractions of this town on the shores of the Mediterranean. Did you know that the old Templar castle became the residence of Pope Benedict XIII?
Extremadura
Zafra (Badajoz): go to the Plaza Chica, where weekly markets have been held since 1380, to see up close the "rod of Zafra" on one of the columns of the arcade. This rod was the system of measurement used by the merchants of the time. Other must-see places are the Alcázar de Los Duques de Feria, the Convent-Museum of Santa Clara and La Candelaria.
Trujillo (Cáceres): the city of Trujillo, structured around the Plaza Mayor, forms part of the Ruta de Los Conquistadores, a route that reviews the key places related to the Discovery of America since it is the hometown of Francisco de Pizarro. Among the many monuments, the castle stands out, whose construction dates back to the 9th century, during the golden years of the Caliphate of Córdoba.
Galicia
Betanzos (A Coruña): also known as the City of Knights, Betanzos became the capital of one of the provinces of the former Kingdom of Galicia. Today, its rich cultural heritage is a reflection of its long history. A good example of this is its old town, declared a historic-artistic complex in 1970.
Cambados (Pontevedra): the 'Capital of Albariño' has numerous places of interest, such as the Pazo de Fefiñáns, the Pazo de Ulloa or the Torre de San Saturniño. This beautiful fishing village is the perfect option for those who want to enjoy a good food-and-wine experience at the same time.
Ribadeo (Lugo): the emblazoned palaces of its historic centre and the "Indianos" mansions (of South American style) in the San Roque neighbourhood are a symbol of the architectural wealth of this beautiful town in Mariña Lucense. Also, the world-famous 'Cathedrals' beach is very close to the town.
Allariz (Ourense): thanks to the stupendous rehabilitation of its historic centre, this town located in the heart of the province was awarded the European Urban Planning Prize in 1994.
Islas Baleares
Valldemossa: on the island of Mallorca, between the Tramuntana mountain range and the Mediterranean Sea, we find Valldemossa, a beautiful town surrounded by vegetation just over 400 meters above sea level. If you could only visit one place, go to the Real Cartuja de Jesús de Nazareth, a former monastery of the Carthusian monks, through which Chopin, Unamuno or Jovellanos, among others, passed.
La Rioja
Haro: Haro, a favourite destination for lovers of wine tourism, also has an important architectural and cultural legacy. Its famous historic centre ("Herradura"), the church of Santo Tomás, the basilica of Santa María de la Vega or the stately palaces, whose construction dates back to the 16th and 18th centuries, are an essential visit.
Navarra
Olite: the city's castle is the most important medieval monument in Navarra and one of the most popular fortresses in all of Spain. Royal seat during the Middle Ages, in 1925 it was declared a national monument. In addition to the castle, in Olite there are numerous monuments and places of interest, such as the church of San Pedro, the church of Santa María la Real, the Roman walls or the Plaza de Carlos III.
País Vasco
Bermeo (Vizcaya): this fishing village located in the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve is an essential stop in the Basque Country. Although many come to this town to visit San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, the truth is that Bermeo has many other attractions, such as the Ercilla Tower, the Old Port, the Church of Santa Eufemia or the old town.
Hondarribia (Guipúzcoa): at the mouth of the Bidasoa River, Hondarribia welcomes its visitors with the colourful balconies of its typical houses. The current structure of the walled enclosure dates from the Renaissance, but efforts to fortify the city had already begun in the High Middle Ages. Behind its walls is an old town with cobbled streets where places of interest follow one after another.
Laguardia (Álava): in addition to the excellent preservation of the medieval layout, with jewels such as the Church of Santa María de Los Reyes or San Juan Bautista, the capital of Rioja Alavesa conquers hearts and palates thanks to its excellent food and wine offer.
Murcia
Moratalla: the castle-fortress and the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption of Moratalla dominate the horizon of this beautiful mountain town. Another of its great attractions is the ritual of the Tamboradas, declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco, a show that is worth seeing at least once in your life.
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How Six Years of Flowing Lava Created Modern Lanzarote
Friday, October 2, 2026
If you have ever caught a coach across the raw, rust-red expanse of Timanfaya National Park or sipped a chilled glass of crisp dry Malvasía wine on a vineyard terrace in La Geria, you know that Lanzarote looks like nowhere else on Earth. It is an alien landscape of jagged malpaís (badlands), jet-black volcanic lapilli, and silent volcanic craters.
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Yet, this lunar terrain is not ancient. Three centuries ago, southwest Lanzarote was the island's breadbasket—a lush patchwork of fertile cereal valleys, grazing pastures, and bustling hamlets.
All of that was wiped off the map starting on 1 September 1730, triggering a cataclysmic, relentless volcanic crisis where rivers of molten basalt ran continuously for six years, burying over twenty villages and permanently altering the geography, economy, and soul of the island.
Unlike prehistoric volcanic events reconstructed purely from rock strata, the Timanfaya cataclysm is documented in terrifying eyewitness detail. The parish priest of Yaiza, Father Andrés Lorenzo Curbelo, kept a meticulous diary recording the birth of the monster on that fateful late-summer evening:
"On the first day of September 1730, between nine and ten o'clock at night, the earth suddenly opened near Timanfaya, two leagues from Yaiza. An enormous mountain rose from the bosom of the earth, and from its apex flames escaped and continued to burn for nineteen days..."
The mountain that Curbelo watched burst out of flat farmland was the Volcán del Cuervo (Raven’s Volcano)—the initial fissure of an eruptive sequence that would defy all expectations.
Rather than a violent explosion followed by immediate calm, Timanfaya kept venting. As the weeks rolled on, fresh fissures tore open across the Santa Catalina plain. Curbelo recorded blinding ash storms that blotted out the midday sun, sulfurous clouds that dropped scalding rain, and toxic gases that suffocated livestock in their pens.
Whenever the terrified residents crept back to inspect their homes, a new crater opened, forcing wave after wave of desperate retreats.
Six Years of Chaos: The Timanfaya Timeline (1730–1736)
Between 1730 and 1736, more than thirty distinct volcanic vents roared to life along a 14-kilometre fracture line, spewing roughly three to five billion cubic metres of lava and tephra:
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September 1730 (The Awakening): The Cuervo volcano erupts, spewing fire for nearly three weeks and burying the settlements of Timanfaya, Maretas, and Santa Catalina.
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Late 1730 to 1731 (The Advance to the Ocean): Magma rivers plunge into the Atlantic, creating boiling steam geysers, blanketing the sea with thousands of dead fish, and creating new headlands that expanded the physical landmass of the island.
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1732 to 1735 (The Great Exodus): With roughly a quarter of Lanzarote's surface smothered under metres of black basalt, over twenty settlements—including Tingafa, Mancha Blanca, and Las Palmas—are erased forever. A majority of the island's population flees by boat to Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura to escape starvation.
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16 April 1736 (The Final Gasp): The eruption cycle finally grinds to a halt at Montaña Colorada after 2,055 consecutive days of volcanic activity. It remains the second-largest basaltic fissure eruption in recorded human history, surpassed only by Iceland’s devastating Laki eruption in 1783.
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A Cloud That Travelled to the Pyrenees
The environmental reach of the Timanfaya eruptions extended thousands of miles beyond the Canary archipelago.
In a landmark study published in the scientific journal Science of the Total Environment, researchers examining ancient, centuries-old coniferous trees high in the Pyrenees mountains discovered distinct chemical signatures in tree growth rings dating to the 1730s.
The colossal sulfur dioxide and particulate plumes injected into the upper atmosphere by Lanzarote's six-year furnace drifted across mainland Spain, altering regional microclimates and leaving an indelible geochemical fingerprint in high-altitude mountain forests over 2,000 kilometres away.
The Timanfaya Effect: What Happened to Lanzarote
The 1730–1736 Eruption Legacy:
├── 23% to 25% of the island permanently buried beneath solid lava (malpaís)
├── 26 towns, hamlets, and fertile agricultural estates wiped off the map
├── 2,000+ islanders forced into permanent overseas exile
└── The Birth of 'Enarenado': The accidental invention of Lanzarote's dry-farming wine revolution
From Tragedy to Triumph: The Invention of Volcanic Wine
While the disaster caused unmitigated misery for 18th-century islanders, human resilience turned black ash into gold.
Farmers who returned to the scorched earth discovered an astonishing agricultural phenomenon: the thick layer of black volcanic pebble-sized ash, known locally as picón or lapilli, was naturally hygroscopic. It acted as an insulating sponge, absorbing humidity from Atlantic trade-wind mists at night while completely shielding the underlying soil from the scorching daytime sun.
Unable to plant traditional cereals, farmers dug thousands of deep, conical hollows (hoyos) into the ash fields of La Geria, planting single vine shoots down into the ancient soil beneath and encircling each hollow with a crescent-shaped stone wall (zoco) to deflect ferocious desert winds.
The result? The world’s most dramatic vineyard landscape, producing prized, mineral-rich volcanic Malvasía wines that now carry international acclaim.
How to Experience It Today
For anyone visiting or living on Lanzarote, walking the volcanic trails offers an extraordinary perspective on the raw power of nature:
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Volcán del Cuervo Walking Trail: The very spot where Father Curbelo saw the earth rupture on 1 September 1730 is now one of the island's most accessible walks. A gentle circular path leads right through the broken rim of the caldera into the heart of the crater floor.
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Montañas del Fuego (Timanfaya National Park): At the visitor centre designed by legendary local artist César Manrique, the ground beneath your feet still burns. Just ten metres below the surface, temperatures reach up to 600°C. Guides regularly demonstrate this geothermal heat by throwing dry brushwood into pits where it instantly ignites, or pouring buckets of water into boreholes that erupt into boiling steam geysers.
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El Diablo Restaurant: Sample meats grilled solely by the convection heat rising from a natural volcanic chimney—a culinary reminder that the island's subterranean engine is merely resting, not dead.
Lanzarote's dramatic black beauty was bought at a devastating historical price. But next time you drive through Yaiza or raise a glass of chilled white wine in La Geria, spare a thought for Father Curbelo and the 18th-century islanders who watched their world vanish into fire—and ended up creating one of the most remarkable destinations on the planet.
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It used to be Europe's Largest Castle
Friday, September 18, 2026
It is believed that there are around 20,000 castles in Spain, although not all of them have been kept in a good state of conservation over time. If this weekend you feel like making a getaway to say goodbye to the summer, why not visit this medieval castle in Spain, which will surely not leave you indifferent?
It is the Castle of Gormaz, located in the town of Gormaz, in the province of Soria. It appears to be built on a previous fortress, but the previous structure was built by Caliph al-Hakam II during the Caliphate of Córdoba, in the 9th century. Some historians say that at that time it was the largest castle in Europe, with a walled perimeter of 1.2 kilometres and 28 towers.
The fortress has two distinct parts, separated by a moat. In the eastern area are the homage tower, the fortress, the caliphal chambers and the cistern. Meanwhile, in the western area, there is a large esplanade where the troops camped, and a pool to give the animals a drink.
One of the main characteristics of this medieval castle in Spain is its very elongated irregular shape, completely adapted to the platform of the hill on which it was built.
During your tour, you will find several information panels that make the visit very enjoyable. In addition, you can go up to the Paseo de Ronda and the battlements, from where there are impressive views of the natural environment.
Right next to the fortress is the hermitage of San Miguel, declared a Site of Cultural Interest. A small religious temple that houses remain of Romanesque frescoes from the 12th century.
To complete the getaway, a few kilometres from Gormaz is El Burgo de Osma, one of the most beautiful villages in the province of Soria. The Plaza Mayor preserves the traditional Castilian architecture, and there are several buildings of interest, such as the Town Hall and the Hospital of San Agustín.
The Church of Santa Clara has inside the relics of Santa Clara, hence its name. One of the most important monuments in El Burgo de Osma is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, a Romanesque church that houses the reproduction of the beatified codex.
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Pastrana Revisited
Saturday, September 5, 2026
Recently, I returned to a magnificent medieval Ducal town located between the Tajo and Tajuña Rivers in the Sierra of Guadalajara: Pastrana. It was first documented in manuscripts referring to the Visigothic town of Pastrana, mentioned by King Wamba (672-680) when he was drawing up boundaries for the Christian dioceses. However, its better-known history begins with Alfonso VII of Castile, who, in 1174, granted the town of Pastrana to the Order of Calatrava. The town belonged to this military order until 1541, when Charles I reclaimed it and granted it to Ana de la Cerda, widow of Diego de Mendoza, Count of Melito. In 1562, Philip II granted the title of Dukes of Pastrana to Ana de Mendoza, the legendary Princess of Eboli, who spent her final years imprisoned in the Ducal Palace of Pastrana.
 The years straddling the Renaissance and the Golden Age were ones of true splendour for Pastrana, thanks to the efforts of its noblemen, the visit by the mystic Teresa of Jesus, who founded convents in there, and the establishment of silk factories operated by Moors brought in from Andalusia who settled in an area today known as Albaicín.
Pastrana’s historic quarter, which maintains its medieval layout, contains a large number of buildings of undeniable artistic quality and historical value. These include the Ducal Palace, constructed in the mid-16th century with a rectangular floor plan, which has an outstanding Renaissance doorway. The crypt of the Collegiate Parish Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (16th-17th century), adjacent to the original Gothic church of the Knights Templar, contains the remains of the Dukes of Melito and Pastrana. The church also contains the Parish Tapestry Museum, which has a collection of religious art and renowned Flemish tapestries that give the museum its name.
  
The Conceptionist Franciscan convent and the Convent of Carmel, founded by St. Teresa of Jesus, date to the 16th century. Curiously, the latter houses are the Museum of Natural History of the Philippines and the Teresian Museum (or Carmelite and Religious Art Museum), dedicated to the founding saint and to another great saint and mystic, St. John of the Cross, who visited the town. Other buildings of interest are the College of St. Bonaventure built in the 17th century, with its Baroque facade and patio, the remains of the old castle and walls built by the Knights Templar; the old quarter of the Albaicín, with its unusual layout, and several emblazoned palaces and manor houses from the 16th and17th centuries.
Alonso de Covarrubias designed the Ducal Palace of Pastrana and its doorway has a  recognisable design feature, which is a reproduction of the one on the Alcázar fortress in Toledo. It stands beside the walls of Pastrana and has a parade ground at the front. The eastern tower, known as "the Chamber of the Golden Grille", was the site where the Princess of Eboli, Ana de Mendoza y de la Cerda, was held between 1581 and 1592 by order of Philip II. She was bricked in and imprisoned in her quarters along with her maid until she died, only being allowed to go outside for 1 hour per day. Going outside meant going onto a caged balcony in her room. The rest of the time she had to stay out of sight and in her quarters. Thanks to the Princess of Éboli, Pastrana is still a well-visited town today.
Doña Ana de Mendoza, the Princess of Éboli, was a woman full of historical intrigue and mystery. The fascination with her is fueled not only by her legendary beauty, courtly manipulations, and murderous plots, but also by the mystery surrounding an alleged fencing accident and her eye patch. She has captivated attention for centuries, been immortalised in opera by Verdi, portrayed in Hollywood by Olivia de Havilland, and is the subject of numerous books and video productions. So who is Doña Ana de Mendoza and why did she wear an eye patch?
Born in 1540 into the powerful house of Mendoza, Doña Ana was the daughter of Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Catherine de Silva. Doña Ana endured what appears to be a dysfunctional home life as a child, including the embarrassment of her father’s infamous philandering, something not accepted in 16th-century Spain. Little is known of Doña Ana’s childhood, but she was described as passionate, intelligent, religious, and rebellious in her youth. It is alleged that during her early adolescence, and prior to the development of safety equipment, she lost her right eye in a fencing duel with a page. In part, it appears the juxtaposition of her renowned beauty and her eye patch has fueled a mystique that has captivated admirers for centuries.
An early arranged marriage to Rui Gomez gave Doña Ana a place at the court of King Philip II of Spain. Her husband’s wealth and influence provided financial security and titles after the acquisition of estates in Eboli, on Italy’s southeast coast. Her husband’s death and her subsequent relationship with Antonio Perez proved to be a fateful turning point for Doña Ana. Like her husband, Perez was a powerful insider in Philip II’s court. Perez brewed a plot of manipulation between the King and his half-brother involving a rebellion in Flanders and perhaps a move toward taking power in Portugal.  When a whiff of the plot was sensed, Perez orchestrated a murder to squelch its further discovery. Doña Ana, said to have been involved in the plot, was imprisoned by the King and subsequently stripped of parental rights and property. Some claim she was treated very harshly by the King, in part due to his sexual jealousy and sense of betrayal, but as with her eye patch, there is a dearth of supporting evidence for such claims. She would die sick, lonely, and imprisoned.
Numerous and widespread explanations for Doña Ana’s eye patch abound. They typically assert in a matter-of-fact fashion that Doña Ana lost her eye in a fencing accident, perhaps around the age of twelve. However, absolutely no evidence has come to light to support such claims. They appear to be the speculations of historians attempting to explain her portrait — assertions that have much more intrigue than the lesser-known speculations surrounding a horse accident while hunting around the age of fourteen.
Under the advisement of King Philip II, she was betrothed at age twelve to a Portuguese nobleman, Rui Gomez da Silva, the King’s personal secretary and lifelong courtier, who was 24 years her senior. A few years later, Rui and Doña Ana’s marriage was consummated, and she went on to bear Rui their first of ten children. Like her husband, Doña Ana became well established in the court of King Philip II, where she enjoyed a close relationship with Queen Elizabeth of Valois, the king’s third wife. It is during this time that some allege Doña Ana became the King’s mistress, but several scholars deny this. Whether fictional or otherwise, these allegations have fueled dramatic (and largely fictional) storylines on stage and screen, furthering Doña Ana’s mystique. At about this time, Doña Ana’s parents became further estranged, and her father left with another mistress.
Doña Ana’s husband, Rui Gomez, worked to secure their children’s future by purchasing the town of Eboli in Naples, as well as several villas. Philip II granted Rui the title Duke of Pastrana and Grandee of Spain in 1572. This established Doña Ana as the Princess of Eboli and the first Duchess of Pastrana. Her husband died the following year. Thus began a series of problematic and dramatic chapters in Doña Ana’s existence. In grief, Doña Ana and her mother moved to the convent in Pastrana.
A few years later, Doña Ana and her mother returned to Madrid against the King's wishes. Not long after, her mother died, followed shortly thereafter by her father. However, her father, having married another in an attempt to secure a male heir, had left his second wife pregnant, threatening Doña Ana’s inheritance.
Doña Ana’s husband was succeeded by his protegé, Antonio Perez, as secretary to Philip II. Antonio Perez, only slightly older than Doña Ana, was married. Doña Ana established a close relationship with Perez, and again, adulterous allegations abound, but some claim their relationship was purely political. Their relationship was apparently hidden from the King. Historians are divided as to why that was the case, with some claiming it was due to impropriety, while others claim it was due to Doña Ana’s renewed liaisons with the King. Regardless of truth, Doña Ana’s relationship with Perez deepens her intrigue in Spanish legend and serves as a turning point in her life and in Spain’s history.
Perez, a trusted secretary to Philip II, became caught up in a revolt that developed in Flanders. The Duke of Alba and Don Juan of Austria (Philip II's half-brother) were intertwined with Perez in this revolt. Perez offered to serve as a mediator in the conflict; however, he was playing both sides. He altered state communiqués between the King and Don Juan and sold state secrets. Doña Ana was apparently aware of Perez’s treachery vis-à-vis their close relationship, evidenced by their visitations and exchange of opulent gifts. Don Juan’s personal secretary, Juan de Escobedo, previously allied with Perez as his spy against Don Juan, turned against Perez and also discovered the relationship between Perez and Doña Ana. At this point, it is alleged that Perez  and Doña Ana conspire to assassinate Escobedo. Some historians assert that Doña Ana was not an active participant in the plot but was merely complicit. Though several more machinations in this operatic saga occur, Philip II (pictured) discovered the treachery of Perez and Doña Ana. Perez held off trial for several years, having somewhat assuaged Philip II with accusations of Don Juan’s pernicious intentions towards Philip’s throne.
However, Doña Ana was placed under house arrest in 1581. The King stripped Doña Ana of her parental rights and property in 1582. This relatively harsh treatment of Doña Ana helps fuel allegations of the King’s sexual jealousy and romantic relations with Doña Ana. In 1589, ten years after the discovery, Perez was finally charged with the murder of Escobedo. This led to riots and unrest by Perez’s supporters. In 1590, Perez escaped to Aragon. Perez, in exile, published scathing, defamatory accounts of King Philip II’s court, assertions that went unchallenged, contributing to the Spanish Black Legend. Doña Ana, imprisoned for a decade, eventually died depressed and ill in 1592.
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Home to the First Europeans - Burgos
Friday, August 21, 2026
The province of Burgos, with its present borders, dates back to the mid-19th century, and its capital, the City of Burgos, to the year 884 when it was founded by Count Diego Rodríguez Porcelos due to the population migrating down from the mountains in the north to the plains of the northern Meseta (central plateau). But the history of this area, and especially its pre-history, extends much further back…
Human activity has left a deep and indelible mark on the province of Burgos. The most outstanding page from the past of Burgos must be sought in the hominid sites of Sierra de Atapuerca, where remains from over one million years ago have appeared of what has been considered as the first European. The excavations at Sierra de Atapuerca have permitted the modern world to rewrite the history of Europe and to know how we have evolved for millions of years. So far, they have found five different species: Homo Sp. (still to be determined, 1,200,000 years), Homo Ancestors (850,000 years), Homo Heidelbergensis (500,000 years), Homo Neanderthalenis (50,000 years,) and, of course, Homo Sapiens (us). The sanctuaries of cave paintings of Ojo Guareña; the dolmen group of Las Loras; the copious forts and necropolis of the Iron Age; the Roman town of Clunia and a considerable series of high-mediaeval necropolis and hermitages in La Demanda and Las Merindades are also of great importance to the province.
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Burgos is a territory where the historical origins of Castile were gestated and where the Castilian language was born, it is a province sown with incomparable and extremely beautiful samples of the cultural and artistic heritage. Its varied regions and towns are studded with churches, hermitages, monasteries, palaces, towers and castles from all times and styles. All of these remains are the unmistakable testimony of a dense and almost incomparable history. Few territories can boast such variety, quantity and quality of monuments.
The landscape of the province of Burgos radically breaks with the cliché that identifies Castile with an enormous and arid plateau. Mountains and plains form a relief where the strong contrast of its elements stand out. An enormous mosaic of ecosystems and natural landscapes, the ideal place to forget about the stress of busy town life and escape from the southern sweltering heat in summer and let yourself be carried away by the murmur of the water and wind.
The Province of Burgos is the centrepiece of the path traced by the Road to Santiago on the Iberian Peninsula. The strategic geographic placement of the Province of Burgos made it a necessary zone of transit for the millions of European pilgrims who made their way towards the Tomb of Santiago the Apostle from their home countries.
Over the course of the nearly 114 kilometres that cross its territory can be found an impressive collection of cultural landmarks. Its principal points of interest include Redecilla del Camino, Belorado, Villafranca Montes de Oca, San Juan de Ortega, the city of Burgos, San Antón and Castrogeriz.
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, known as “El Cid” Campeador, is Burgos' most universal figure. When examining the life of El Cid, a distinction must be drawn between two figures: the historic figure, about which there is a fair amount of information, and the literary figure created by the Poema de Mío Cid and by the Romancero. The historic El Cid was born around 1048. According to tradition, he was born in the nearby town of Vivar del Cid, though there is no reliable testimony. In his youth, he developed a friendship with the future king Sancho II, of whom he was a faithful vassal from 1065 to 1072. Upon the king's death, he immediately entered the service of Alfonso VI, and carried out different missions under the orders of the monarch. His good relationship with the king ended in 1081 when he attacked the Muslim lands of Toledo with his private army and without the consent of the King. The incident sent him into exile, which forced him to live off his military skills in foreign lands, first under the Muslim king of the taifa of Zaragoza, and following his reconciliation with Alfonso VI in 1087 and after several months of direct service to his king in Castile, in Levante where he spent the last twelve years of his life, first as the delegate of the Castilian king, and after being taken prisoner in 1088, in a second exile, as an independent warrior and prince of the Muslim kingdom of Valencia, in whose capital he died in 1099. A memorial statue of El Cid can be found in the centre of The City of Burgos.
 
One of the City of Burgos’ most important monuments is the Cathedral of Santa Maria. Built on the location of the original Romanesque cathedral, the first stone was laid in 1221 by King Ferdinand III and Bishop Don Mauricio. The main façade has the Royal Gate, also known as the Gate of Pardon, which was refurbished in the 18th century, and a large rose window and gallery with 8 statues of the monarchs of Castile beneath the statue of the Virgin Mary and the inscription “Pulcra es et Decora”. On both sides are the 84-metre towers crowned with slender spires from the 15th century, by Juan de Colonia. The tympanum of the Sarmental Gate, from the 13th century, shows Christ the healer with the four evangelists and, on a ledge below, the twelve apostles, with monarchs and musicians.
The mullion shows Bishop Don Mauricio with prophets and apostles to the sides. Above it, a beautiful rose window. The Coronería Gate, also known as that of the Apostles, is Gothic and shows Christ the Judge between Our Lady and St. John and, to the sides, a complex and majestic apostolate. The Pellejería Gate was built in 1516 by Francisco de Colonia. Above the transept is the dome, which was built in the 16th century and involved work by the masters Felipe de Vigarny and Juan de Vallejo. The chapel of El Condestable was built at the upper end by Simón de Colonia in the 15th century. It boasts a magnificent decoration of coats of arms and slender spires that form, together with those of the transept and those of the towers, an inimitable forest of stone with a wealth of statues and filigree work.
 
But Burgos isn’t just about monuments; with so much history it is hardly surprising that it is also a centre for gastronomy. Several of the dishes and preparations of the Burgos cuisine have gone beyond the provincial limits and have become the stars of the national culinary art. Suckling lamb roasted in a wood oven, rice black pudding and the fresh cheese from Burgos are the most well-known.
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But it doesn’t stop there, it also happens to be one of the most respected wine regions in Spain as if falls at the banks of the River Duero and accounts for a large part of the denomination Ribera del Duero. The Ribera del Duero does not extend all the way along the banks of the River Duero (as its name suggests). The wines come from a specific area where nature is unique and the land is very special.
The lands included in the Ribera del Duero Designation are located on Spain`s northern plateau. Four of the provinces of the Autonomous Community of Castile & León come together in the Ribera del Duero: Burgos, Segovia, Soria and Valladolid.
The River Duero is the axis uniting more than 100 villages spread out over a wine growing belt which is some 115 Km long by 35 Km wide, of which 60 villages fall into the province of Burgos.
Spain’s most notable winery, Vega Sicilia is from this region and was established in 1864, but it wasn’t until the 1970’s that the region really took off internationally when the bodega Pesquera was founded and started to make red wines from Tempranillo in a more concentrated, full-bodied and fruit-driven style than most Rioja wines of the day, which were then virtually the only Spanish red wines found on export markets. Other prestigious bodegas are Emilio Moro, Protos, Arzuaga amongst others.
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Burgos is a land to enjoy with all the senses. The popular heritage treasured for centuries by the inhabitants of the province and of which its rich traditions and legends are a good example, its almost never-ending songs and its festivities and pilgrimages have left an incomparable trace, which confers upon the people of Burgos a unique and singular character and seasonal climate, a perfect synthesis between the European mildness and the Mediterranean luminosity.
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BEST TIME TO VISIT:
Any time of year, but in winter it does get very cold and frequently snows, so for em the best time of year is Spring or Summer.
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What are the most relevant tourist attractions in each Spanish province?
Friday, August 7, 2026
Holidays at last! "Where are we going this year?" This is the question that thousands of tourists ask themselves before looking for a destination. Many aspects influence this search. Spain is a country where you can find endless tourist attractions to visit in each city. These are often closer to home than expected and can be enjoyed on a simple day trip.
Therefore, if you are looking for a town or city, it is important to look at what you can visit. Natural parks or cathedrals? Monuments or squares? City or rural areas? The website Musement released an interesting study...
The website dedicated to booking activities and experiences has analysed the number of Google reviews of more than 4,500 places of interest in Spain and thus produced a report of the 52 most important points in the country according to the province.
What are the most popular?
The colours of the map allow you to clearly identify which elements make up these points of interest. From cathedrals like the one in León to theme parks like Portaventura in Tarragona, each province has very different places that help to choose the perfect destination for each traveller.
According to the study data, the most reviewed monument in the country is the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, which has more than 155,000 evaluations. It is closely followed by the Retiro Park in Madrid with 130,000 reviews and in third place the Plaza de España in Seville with 98,227. After the Top 3, the other two distinctive elements that stand out are the Ciudad de Los Arts y Los Ciencias of València, and the Alhambra in Granada with 86,985 and 80,644 reviews respectively. After the selection of the most reviewed, these are the tourist attractions that stand out the most by province according to the number of reviews:
Andalucía
1º Plaza de España (Sevilla), 98.227 reviews.
2º La Alhambra (Granada), 80.644 reviews
3º Puente Nuevo de Ronda - Ronda Bridge (Málaga), 23.750 reviews
4º Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (Córdoba), 22.403 reviews
5º Cathedral of Cádiz (Cádiz), 16.574 reviews
6º National Park of Sierra Nevada (Almería), 14.721 reviews
7º National Park of Doñana (Huelva), 10.016 reviews
8º Nature Park of las Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y las Villas (Jaén), 9.580 reviews
Aragón
1º Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar (Zaragoza), 27.630 reviews
2º Plaza del Torico (Teruel), 10.211 reviews
3º National Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido (Huesca), 8.811 reviews
Asturias
1º Sanctuary of Covadonga, 19.318 reviews
Balearic Islands
1º Cathedral of Palma de Mallorca, 33462 reviews
Canary Islands
1º Parrot Park (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), 51.920 reviews
2º Jameos del Agua (Las Palmas), 22.617 reviews
Cantabria
1º El Capricho de Gaudí, in Comillas, 18.725 reviews
Castilla & León
1º Aquaduct of Segovia (Segovia), 62.407 reviews
2º Plaza Mayor (Salamanca), 46.415 reviews
3º Cathedral of León (León), 22.762 reviews
4º Cathedral of Burgos (Burgos), 20.421 reviews
5º Park Campo Grande (Valladolid), 9.265 reviews
6º City wall of Ávila (Ávila), 7.498 reviews
7º Nature Park of "Lago de Sanabria" and "Sierras Segundera and Porto" (Zamora), 7.470 reviews
8º Alameda de Cervantes (Soria), también conocida como La Dehesa, 5.516 reviews
9º Natural Park Montaña Palentina (Palencia), 2.128 reviews
Castilla - La Mancha
1º Cathedral Primada (Toledo), 19.890 reviews
2º Hanging Houses (Cuenca), 7.209 reviews
3º Nature Park Los Calares del Mundo y de la Sima (Albacete), 4.828 reviews
4º Castle of Peñarroya (Ciudad Real), 4.002 reviews
5º Zoo of Guadalajara (Guadalajara), 3.600 reviews
Catalunya
1º Sagrada Familia (Barcelona), 155.098 reviews
2º PortAventura World Theme Park (Tarragona), 69.841 reviews
3º Theatre- Museum Dalí (Gerona), 26.951 reviews
4º La Seu Vella (Lérida), 5.309 reviews
Madrid
1º Parque del Retiro, 130.592 reviews
Valencian Community
1º Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (Valencia), 86.985 reviews
2º Castle of Peñíscola (Castellón), 38.850 reviews
3º Castle of Santa Bárbara (Alicante), 23.873 reviews
Extremadura
1º Roman Theatre of Mérida (Badajoz), 22.133 reviews
2º Plaza Mayor de Trujillo (Cáceres), 8.908 reviews
Galicia
1º Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (La Coruña), 42.573 reviews
2º Hórreos de Combarro (Pontevedra), 8.782 reviews
3º Roman City walls of Lugo (Lugo), 7.696 reviews
4º Cañón del Sil (Orense), 6.649 reviews
La Rioja
1º Cocathedral of Santa María de la Redonda, 4.164 reviews
Navarra
1º Royal Palace of Olite, 12.402 reviews
País Vasco
1º Museum Guggenheim (Vizcaya), 48.713 reviews
2º Beach of la Concha (Guipúzcoa), 19.870 reviews
3º La Florida Park (Álava), 4.914 review
Murcia
1º Roman theatre of Cartagena, 11.646 reviews.
Ceuta
1º Casa de los Dragones, 1.320 reviews
Melilla
1º Hernández Park, 994 reviews
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Cursed: Inside Spain’s Only Officially Excommunicated Town!
Saturday, July 25, 2026
If you drive up into the rugged, wind-swept foothills of the Moncayo mountain range in Zaragoza, you will eventually stumble upon a moody, picturesque settlement guarded by the stone ruins of a medieval castle. With a permanent population hovering around just 90 residents, Trasmoz looks like any number of sleepy, forgotten rural villages scattered across northern Spain.
Except for one minor detail: Trasmoz is the only town in Spain—and indeed one of the very few places on earth—to be officially excommunicated and cursed by the Catholic Church. And to this day, neither the Vatican nor local ecclesiastical authorities have ever lifted the punishment.
A Medieval Dispute Over Firewood
To understand how a peaceful mountain village wound up barred from the kingdom of heaven for all eternity, we have to travel back to 1255.
In an era when wood was the absolute lifeblood of any community—used for heating homes, forging metal tools, and cooking daily meals—the villagers of Trasmoz found themselves in a bitter dispute. They insisted on harvesting their firewood from the nearby Monte de la Mata, cutting across the territorial claims of the powerful Cistercian Monastery of Veruela located just five kilometres down the road.
The abbot of Veruela, wielding immense feudal and religious power, demanded total submission and tax compliance from Trasmoz. When the proud locals flatly refused to bow to monastic rule, the abbot took the ultimate nuclear option of the Middle Ages: he initiated proceedings to officially excommunicate the entire town, casting its citizens outside the church and cutting them off from the sacraments.
The Second Curse and the Black Veil
The feud did not end in the 13th century. Three hundred years later, tensions flared up once again between the monastery and the secular lord of Trasmoz, Pedro Manuel Ximénez de Urrea, over water rights and local taxation.
Historical Legend: According to local lore, the enraged abbot decided to settle the score in the dead of night. He draped a heavy black veil over the altar cross inside the village church, took a breath, and began loudly reciting Psalm 108—a biblical passage calling down divine wrath and destruction upon adversaries. Every single verse was punctuated by a tolling bell, sealing a permanent curse upon the town and its lords that supposedly endures to this day.
Because of this dark reputation, coupled with the remote isolation of the Moncayo mountains, Trasmoz quickly became a magnet for terrifying local folklore. For centuries, neighbours whispered about clandestine covens, necromancy, and witchcraft meeting in the shadows of the castle ruins—fables later immortalised by the famous 19th-century romantic poet Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, who sought recovery from tuberculosis in the surrounding countryside and wrote extensively about the village's haunted aura.
Embracing the Curse: Tourism and Tradition
Today, rather than shying away from their rebellious, unholy past, the resilient people of Trasmoz have leaned into it with brilliant Spanish wit. They proudly embrace the title of "cursed-blessed" (malditos-benditos).
| Festival / Attraction |
What to Expect |
| Feria de Brujería (Witch Fair) |
Held every June, this massive annual celebration draws thousands of visitors. The town crowns a local resident as the Bruja del Año (Witch of the Year) and celebrates local history with medieval markets and theatrical shows. |
| Castillo de Trasmoz |
The iconic 13th-century fortress ruins, now partially restored and housing a fascinating museum dedicated to the region's turbulent history and witchcraft legends. |
| Luz de las Ánimas |
Celebrated at the end of October, this atmospheric festival honours the dead with traditional pumpkin-carving workshops and a haunting evening procession from the church to the local cemetery. |
If you are planning an autumn road trip through Aragon, visiting Trasmoz around late October offers an unmatched eerie atmosphere. While you are there, stop by the single village bar to chat with locals—they love recounting how modern popes still haven't gotten around to signing the paperwork to lift the 800-year-old excommunication!
From medieval property disputes to eternal spiritual bans, Spain's rural interior is packed with eccentric local history that you simply won't find in standard guidebooks.
Have you ever explored the hidden mountain villages of Aragon or tracked down Spain’s darker historical legends? Would you dare to spend a night in the only officially excommunicated village in the country? Drop your thoughts and travel tales in the comments below!
This virtual 4K walking tour provides an immersive look at the medieval streets, castle ruins, and haunting atmosphere of Trasmoz.
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When travelling this summer why not take in some stars?
Saturday, July 11, 2026
When travelling to or around Spain this summer “Star Tourism” is maybe something you want to keep in mind. If you have never considered this type of tourism and like the idea of gazing and interpreting the firmament, a great place to do so is Spain. Spain has some of the best vantage points in the world to marvel at the sky at night, so why not combine your passion for astronomy with an unforgettable trip to the Spanish countryside.
Spain's clear skies have preserved their natural darkness owing to the lack of light pollution. Indeed, at present, the Canary Islands, along with Hawaii and Chile are the homes of the observatories where the telescopes of the future are to be installed. The good climate offers endless nights with clear skies. Additionally, many of the areas from which the stars can be observed from are protected natural areas, such as nature reserves, that are sure to impress visitors.
There are country house lodges and small hotels in Spain that specialise in stargazing. These normally have planispheres or star charts, educational material and a telescope. There are also companies and associations that specialise in organising events for important moments such as eclipses and meteor showers. Indeed, Tenerife even hosts the Starmus Festival, which is aimed at astronomy, science and music enthusiasts and which has counted with people of the stature of Stephen Hawking as speakers.
There are several types of Starlight certifications (Starlight Reserves, Starlight Tourist Destinations, Stellar Parks, Starlight Hotels, etc.) that are granted to places that include sky watching as part of their natural heritage, thus ensuring a quality tourist experience. You can get more information at the website of the Starlight Foundation, created by the Canary Island Institute of Astrophysics (IAC).
Here is a selection of the Starlight areas in Spain :
Sierra Sur District. (The Sierra Sur mountains in Jaén Andalusia, southern Spain). This is a landscape abounding in mountains and canyons where the air is clean and transparent. Different astronomy associations and the Andalusia Astronomy Observatory normally organise guided observation activities. There are even companies that provide private astronomy guide services at those country house lodges that have professional telescopes.
Andalusia Sierra Morena Mountains. There you will find a marvellous network of star gazing vantage points and accommodation. They also offer package holidays that include specialist guides, observation material, day and night activities, accommodation, 4x4 travel, etc.
El Montsec. This is a Starlight Tourist Destination located in the foothills of the Pyrenees in Lleida (Catalonia). You could do no better in this area than pay a visit to its large astronomy park made up of the Universe Observation Centre (COU) and an Astronomy Observatory. Did you know that the well known “Montsec Eye” is to be found there, the 12-m dome which opens out to bring you “face to face” with the Montsec sky?
Tenerife. Both the Teide National Park along with other mountain peaks on Tenerife and the town of Granadilla de Abona hold Starlight certification. If star gazing is exciting in itself, watching them from a volcano at over 2,000 m above sea level is an incomparable experience. What better place to gaze at the moon than from a lunar-like landscape? The geographical situation of the Canary Islands offers visitors a chance to observe both the northern and southern hemispheres. You can sign up for a guided visit to see inside one of the most modern telescopes in the world or to take a photograph of the night sky.
La Palma. Known as the “beautiful island”, this is the most rugged of the Canary Islands and the one with the clearest skies. It is definitely an understatement to say that this is one of the best places on earth to observe the stars. All the towns on the island have astronomy vantage points. Its famous Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory, standing some 2,400 m above sea level is one of the most complex telescopes, and indeed one of the most complete, in the world. You can visit it, but only by prior arrangement. La Palma has several hotels and country house lodges with observation instruments. There you will find sundials and even restaurants that offer “galaxies” and “constellations” among their dishes.
Gredos Norte. This is in the south of the province of Ávila (in Castile-León, inland Spain). It has a network of star watching vantage points that are equipped with information panels, car parks, etc. The Astronomy and Astrophotography Congress is held there every year.
Biosphere Reserve of the Valleys of Leza, Jubera, Cidacos and Alhama. We are talking about the beautiful countryside of La Rioja (northern part of inland Spain). Several activities have been organised there in recent years such as talks about the sounds of nature, tours to spot nocturnal birds, explanations on the link between the Celtiberian culture and the stars, bathing under the stars in thermal springs, learning about the constellations, etc. La Rioja also has two star parks: the Laguna one in Cameros and other in Cervera del río Alhama.
One of the most popular times of the year to stargaze in Spain is during what is known as the “Tears of Saint Lawrence”. They refer to the Perseids meteor shower of shooting stars that usually takes place between the 11 and 13 August every year. Not every night is suitable for sky watching on account of moonlight and wind factors however the best nights are those just before and after a new moon.
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Why the Vote for Spain’s ‘Most Beautiful’ Region Ended in a Dead Heat
Friday, July 3, 2026
Ask any British expat why they chose their corner of Spain, and you will usually get a fierce, unwavering defence of their local barrio, beach, or mountain valley. So when España Fascinante recently polled thousands of seasoned travellers to name Spain's single most beautiful autonomous community, it should come as no surprise that the vote ended in a dramatic tie. The co-winners? Asturias and Andalusia—two regions so geographically, culturally, and climatically opposite that they perfectly capture the dual soul of Spain.
For property owners and long-term residents, this split vote underscores a reality we know well: there is no single "Spain." There is the sun-drenched, Moorish south, and there is the dramatic, emerald-green north.
1st (Tie): Asturias – Spain's emerald Queen of the North. Source: Pablo Sebastian Intelisano / Getty Images
1st (Tie): Andalusia – Moorish grandeur and year-round sunshine. Source: ViliamM / Getty Images
2nd Place: Galicia – Celtic heritage and rugged Atlantic estuaries. Source: Luis Dafos / Getty Images
3rd Place: Valencian Community – Mediterranean beaches meet modern design. Source: Ventura Carmona / Getty Images
4th Place: Aragón – High Pyrenees and enchanting medieval villages. Source: Jorgefontestad / Getty Images
A Tale of Two Spains: Why Asturias and Andalusia Co-Reign
It is fascinating to see voters split straight down the middle between the Principality of Asturias and Andalusia. It proves that expats and travellers are increasingly moving beyond the standard holiday brochure image of Spain to appreciate its wilder frontiers.
In Asturias, you are dealing with "Green Spain" (España Verde). Here, dramatic limestone peaks in the Picos de Europa plunge almost directly into the Cantabrian Sea. It is a land of cider houses (sidrerías), Celtic bagpipes, deep-dish bean stews (fabada), and cool summer breezes. It is the antithesis of the crowded Costas, drawing Brits who want hiking boots rather than flip-flops, and who do not mind occasional rainfall if it means lush pastures and deserted, dramatic coves.
Andalusia, on the other hand, is the romantic heartbeat of the peninsula. It is the Spain of flamenco, white-washed hill towns (pueblos blancos), olive groves that stretch to the horizon, and world-class architectural marvels like Granada’s Alhambra and Seville’s Plaza de España. For many expats, Andalusia’s intoxicating blend of Moorish history, vibrant street life, and reliable winter sunshine makes it unbeatable.
The Complete Reader Ranking: Who Made the Top Five?
While Asturias and Andalusia shared the crown, the remaining spots in the top five highlight regions that have seen a massive surge in interest from British second-home buyers and digital nomads over the last decade:
2nd Place: Galicia – The Silver Medalist
Sitting proudly in second place is Galicia. Much like its neighbour Asturias, Galicia won over voters with its untamed Atlantic coastline, world-famous seafood, and the labyrinthine stone streets of Santiago de Compostela and A Coruña. The deeply indented estuaries (rías) offer some of the cleanest boating and sailing waters in Europe.
3rd Place: The Valencian Community – The Expat Favourite
Claiming third is the Valencian Community—home to the Costa Blanca, Valencia city, and Alicante. While famous for its endless golden beaches and being the birthplace of authentic paella, voters specifically nodded to its enticing hinterland. Move just 30 minutes inland from the bustling coast, and you find tranquil valleys filled with almond blossoms, medieval castles, and limestone climbing crags.
4th Place: Aragón – The Mountain Playground
Aragón secured fourth place thanks to the raw majesty of the Aragonese Pyrenees, the stately elegance of its capital, Zaragoza, and fairy-tale settlements like Albarracín (widely considered one of the most preserved medieval villages in Europe). It is a haven for skiers, cyclists, and those seeking absolute tranquillity away from tourist crowds.
5th Place: The Balearic Islands – Island Magic
Rounding out the top five are the Balearics. Despite intense summer overtourism, Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera remain undeniably gorgeous. Voters highlighted the sea breezes, dramatic limestone cliffs of the Tramuntana mountain range, and hidden turquoise coves (calas) that still offer slice-of-paradise living off-season.
Over to You: Where Does Your Loyalty Lie?
Did the voters get it right by splitting the crown between the green north and the sunny south, or was your home region robbed of the top spot?
Which autonomous community won you over when you decided to buy or move to Spain? Are you a die-hard Andalusian sun-worshipper, a Costa Blanca veteran, or have you discovered the tranquil magic of the northern coastline? Drop into the comments below and tell us why your corner of Spain beats them all!
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Cracking the Code of Spain’s Menú del Día
Friday, June 26, 2026
For foreign property buyers, long-stay renters, and travelers trying to transition from tourists to locals, navigating a Spanish restaurant can sometimes lead to a bit of linguistic confusion. You sit down at a sun-drenched terrace, confidently ask the waiter for "el menú," and expect to receive a multi-page binder of everything the kitchen offers. Instead, the waiter starts rattling off a verbal list of three or four home-cooked stews, meats, and desserts.
In Spain, there is a fundamental difference between la carta (the full, à la carte menu with fixed individual prices) and el menú del día (the menu of the day).
As we move through 2026, the menú del día remains the absolute cornerstone of Spanish culinary life. It is an incredibly filling, multi-course midday feast offered at a fixed, budget-friendly price that lets you eat like royalty for the cost of a basic sandwich back home. Here is why this dining tradition is one of the country's best-kept secrets, and how to master it like a local.
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The Unlikely History of the Lunch Break Deal
The menú del día is so deeply ingrained in modern Spanish society that many assume it has existed forever. In reality, its roots stem from a highly practical piece of 1960s state planning.
During the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain experienced a massive international tourism boom alongside rapid industrialisation. To ensure that hard-working labourers who couldn't make it home for lunch could still afford a hot, nutritious, and balanced meal, the government passed a strict national law in 1965 introducing the menú turístico.
Every restaurant in the country was legally obligated to offer a fixed-price, multi-course daily meal featuring regional Mediterranean cuisine. While the strict legal mandate was eventually phased out decades later, the tradition had already become a permanent social fixture. Today, it is a daily necessity for over 50% of Spanish workers who eat out.
What Do You Actually Get?
The beauty of the menú del día is its immense value. Depending on whether you are in a rural village tavern or a neighbourhood spot in a major city, a standard daily menu in 2026 typically costs anywhere between €10 and €16.
For that single flat fee, you don't just get a main dish; you receive a fully integrated feast. The meal follows a strict, scannable structure:
| Course |
What to Expect |
Popular Examples |
| Primer Plato (First Course) |
Typically lighter, vegetable, starch, or soup-based dishes designed to kick off the meal. |
Ensalada mixta (tuna and olive salad), Lentejas (lentil stew), Gazpacho, or a vegetable Paella. |
| Segundo Plato (Second Course) |
The heartier, protein-focused core of the meal is usually served with fries or a light garnish. |
Filete de cerdo (pork loin), Merluza a la plancha (grilled hake), or Albondigas (meatballs in sauce). |
| Pan y bebida (Bread & Drink) |
Crusty white bread is automatically placed on the table, alongside a full drink of your choice. |
A beer, soft drink, water, or a full porrón (pitcher) of house red or white wine to share. |
| Postre o Café (Dessert or Coffee) |
A sweet finish to the meal. Many restaurants let you choose between a dessert or a coffee. |
Flan (caramel custard), Arroz con leche (rice pudding), fresh seasonal fruit, or a café solo. |
Rules for Ordering Like a Native
Because the menú del día operates on razor-thin profit margins and high volume, the service is fast, loud, and delightfully no-nonsense. To blend in seamlessly with the locals, keep these structural tips in mind:
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Look for the Chalkboard: The best daily menus are rarely printed on fancy glossy paper. Look for the hand-written wooden blackboards (pizarras) propped up on the pavement outside the bar or taped inside the window. If there's no board and it's between 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM, simply ask the waiter: ¿Tenéis menú del día?
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Order Everything at Once: When the waiter approaches your table, they will expect you to state your entire order in one swift breath. You must choose your primero, your segundo, your postre, and your bebida right at the start so the kitchen can coordinate the rapid flow of plates.
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Follow the Crowds: The ultimate indicator of a spectacular menú isn't the decor or a fancy logo—it's density. If a tavern is packed to the rafters with local construction workers, police officers, and bank staff at 2:00 PM, walk straight in. They know exactly where the freshest, highest-quality ingredients are being served that day.
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No Sharing Allowed: Given the exceptionally low price point, a menú del día is strictly a per-person arrangement. You cannot order one menu and split the two main plates between two people. However, many establishments offer a medio menú (half menu) for a slightly reduced price if you only have the appetite for a single course.
The menú del día is far more than just a cheap way to fuel your afternoon. It is an immersive cultural gateway into the very heart of Spanish community life. It represents a society that refuses to compromise on the importance of sitting down, taking a breath, and enjoying a real, home-cooked meal in the middle of the working day
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