5 of Spain’s hidden gems

Spain’s major attractions are hardly secret but these largely tourist-free gems are.

Published: Friday, September 21, 2018

Barcelona’s magnificent La Sagrada Família, the orange-tree-lined streets of Seville, and the beaches of Ibiza are major hot spots for most visitors to the country. However, there’s far more to Spain than these well-known locations – you just have to dig a little deeper to find these hidden gems. Words: Ben Groundwater

1. Girona, Catalonia

You may not be able to afford to eat at Spain’s El Celler de Can Roca, one of the world’s best restaurants based in the city of Girona (pictured above). But you can call into Rocambolesc. This gelateria is run by El Celler’s dessert wizard Jordi Roca, who churns out 6 delicious flavours of ice-cream a day. Guava jam, caramelised apple and even shortbread – it’ll be hard to pick from the 34 toppings, but the best bet is to let the expert staff choose a combination for you.

2. Logroño, La Rioja

The Basque city of San Sebastián has earnt its reputation as a culinary hot spot; however, the nearby town of Logroño, in the Rioja wine region, also has a host of amazing tapas bars with a fraction of the crowds. The culinary speciality here is called pintxos, the Basque version of tapas, and served in the myriad of bars spread throughout Logroño’s medieval old town.

Logroño has amazing tapas bars with a fraction of the crowds.
Logroño has amazing tapas bars with a fraction of the crowds.

3. Picos de Europa, Cantabria

When you tire of Spain’s food (if that’s even possible!), beaches and architecture, there’s still more to discover. Namely, its mountains. Straddling the provinces of Cantabria, Asturias and Castilla y León in the north of Spain, is the truly spectacular Picos de Europa, a mountain range extending for about 20km which provides some of Europe’s best hiking and climbing. The rugged alpine scenery is also every photographer’s dream.

4. Mérida, Extremadura

Spain’s history has featured some of the world’s great empires, not least of which is the rule of the Romans, whose influence can still be felt, particularly in cities such as Mérida in the central western province of Extremadura. This was an important hub in Roman times, and you’ll still find plenty of well-preserved ruins, most notably a 6000-seat Roman theatre built in 15 BC.

A Roman theatre in Mérida.
A Roman theatre in Mérida.

5. Rías de Galicia

Most people know of Spain’s Mediterranean beaches, from the Costa del Sol to the Balearic Islands. Some of the country’s most spectacular coastline, however, can be found in the far north-west, in the province of Galicia. Here the rías – rugged estuaries that line the Atlantic coast – create bay after bay, beach after beach, of stunning and often deserted natural beauty, just waiting to be explored.

Spanish secrets

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