8 brilliant Spanish cities you've (probably) not been to

Robin McKelvie

Remarkably, Spain looks set to soon nudge the 100 million visitors a year barrier. The big city breakers like Barcelona, Madrid and Seville are now, of course, well-trammelled by the tourist hordes.

The magnificent Roman theatre, Cartagena © A Medvedkov - Adobe Stock Image

But Spain is a country with serious strength in civic depth with a tapas trail of cities that are brilliant for a break. Whether you've visited any or none of the cities below, you're in for an engaging, eye-popping, senses-filling city break in glorious Spain that will get tongues wagging when you tell your friends.

They, and your own heart and soul, will be far more interested in these cities than any tale of walking Barcelona's La Rambla.

How to experience the best of Spain: find great value tours and day trips with Viator^*.

Albacete

I'm walking the walk with this one as I've recently been to Albacete for the first time, which a Spanish friend tipped me off about in my continuing quest for great unsung Spanish cities.

The largest city on the plains of Castilla-La Mancha is an underrated joy. It gets very hot in summer here so there are plenty of parks to relax in; Abelardo Sanchez Park was my favourite with its shady trees and cooling fountains.

The best street for a combination of historic architecture and great cafés and bars is Calle Tejares. At its northern end, the Pasaje de Lodares is a glorious covered shopping arcade dating back to 1925.

The most striking building in Albacete is undoubtedly the cathedral, which soars back to the 1500s and took a whopping four centuries to build.

As for where to stay, the Parador Albacete is an old-world oasis reclining just out of town with cooling pines in the grounds and a large swimming pool. Highly recommended.

Climate in Albacete

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	10	12	15	18	22	28	32	32	27	20	14	11
Hours of sunshine (daily)	5	6	7	7	9	10	11	10	8	7	5	5
Days with some rainfall	14	13	12	12	11	8	4	5	6	10	12	13

Cadiz

This is said to be Europe's oldest city and a place that fired my desire to travel. As a wee boy I always chose Cadiz^* as the home port for my ship playing the board game Buccaneer.

When I finally made it here I wasn't disappointed. It's a southern Spanish charmer infused with tinges of Africa that feels a million miles from Madrid. The old town is a raffish joy alive with churches, deeply historic architecture and narrow streets.

The streets of old Cadiz © Kavalenkava - Adobe Stock Image

Cadiz offers one of my favourite Spanish travel experiences catching a bus out to the beaches on a languorous, steamy summer weekend evening. Then walking back along the sands, stopping off for tapas and chilled beers as local people of all ages party on into the night.

Climate in Cadiz

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	16	17	19	20	23	26	29	29	28	24	19	16
Hours of sunshine (daily)	6	6	7	8	10	11	11	11	9	7	6	5
Days with some rainfall	14	13	11	10	7	4	1	2	4	9	12	14
Sea temperature °C	15	15	15	16	18	20	22	23	22	20	18	17

Cartagena

For years this gorgeous coastal bolthole, which boasts one of Spain's best-protected natural harbours and Roman heritage, was dominated by the Spanish military and their American naval friends.

Indeed, Cartagena^* is still a Spanish submarine base and a busy port, the fourth busiest in Spain. But in recent years the city has also turned its attention to tourism.

And it has swathes to offer with that dramatic natural harbour and the gorgeous 19th and 20th-century Modernist buildings that line its historic centre. In recent years they have been brought back to their best. Add the great beaches nearby and Cartagena is a great base for exploring the region too.

Climate in Cartagena

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	16	17	18	20	22	26	29	29	28	23	19	16
Hours of sunshine (daily)	5	6	6	7	9	9	10	9	7	6	6	5
Days with some rainfall	13	11	11	9	8	5	3	3	5	9	11	12
Sea temperature °C	15	14	15	16	18	21	24	26	24	22	19	16

Cuenca

This is the fairytale Spain you feared might not actually exist. I'm writing this article from its Parador, one of the most spectacular I've stayed in as it peers over a steep gorge into an old town that literally hangs over the cliffside.

A trio of buildings strikingly protrude out, dating from the days when Cuenca^* emerged as a key hub after the defeat of the Moors. Heading out over the old bridge that soars high above the gorge into the old town, it led into a sweep of stone buildings, ornate churches and dinky lanes.

The old core is resoundingly medieval, with the façade of the landmark cathedral gloriously Gothic. Think Spain's answer to Notre Dame.

Cuenca city is an unlikely hub for striking avant-garde art. The old city is alive with indy galleries, artist studios and cultural institutions. There are lashings of cafés and bountiful restaurants plus lots of opportunities for hiking in those river gorges. Just perfect.

Girona

Poor Girona^*. Like Alicante and Malaga, the majority of holidaymakers jetting in head straight off to the nearby tourist hubs. In Girona's case, it just cannot compete with the draw of Barcelona.

But take a lofty walk around the city's walls, appreciating the chocolate box pretty old town and the surrounding panorama of mountains, and you'll soon be a convert to Girona.

Often-overlooked Girona © Sergii Figurnyi - Adobe Stock Image

Swirl in the riverside buildings, a swathe of churches and keen prices that would turn a La Rambla café dweller green with envy, and Girona seriously stacks up.

Climate in Girona

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	13	13	15	17	20	25	28	28	25	21	16	13
Hours of sunshine (daily)	5	5	5	6	7	8	9	8	6	6	5	4
Days with some rainfall	12	11	12	12	12	9	6	9	9	10	11	12

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Ok, so many of you reading this will have been to Tenerife. But have you ventured north to the island capital of Santa Cruz de Tenerife^*? If not then you really must. The fact it is home to the world's biggest carnival after Rio is reason enough to visit.

The rest of the time it's no slouch either. There is Santiago Calatrava's epic Auditorio de Tenerife, an architectural breaking wave across the Atlantic, a Canarian Sydney Opera House.

La Noria historic district demands attention too, as does the TEA contemporary art gallery and Teresitas, the white sand beach that sparkles just north of the centre.

Climate in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	18	19	20	20	21	23	26	27	26	24	21	19
Hours of sunshine (daily)	6	7	7	8	9	10	10	10	8	7	6	6
Days with some rainfall	6	6	6	5	3	2	1	1	3	5	7	7
Sea temperature °C	19	19	19	19	20	21	22	23	24	23	22	21

Toledo

Hold the Batman and Robin gags: the locals have heard them all before. Not that they would really be that bothered as they get to enjoy a glorious historic city, the capital of Castilla-La Mancha, which is alive with Jewish, Moorish and Christian monuments, all tucked within the spectacular walled city of Toledo^*.

Toldeo’s unmissable Alcazar © Pillerss - Adobe Stock Image

The oldest part of town peers dramatically over the Tagus River, framing a postcard-perfect scene. The city offers two glorious culinary treats: marzipan and manchego.

The local nuns, of course, conjure up the most famous of the sweet former, while this region is the home of Spain's most famous cheese and a great place to try it. Some locals reckon marzipan was invented in Toledo. Take that Batman - pow!

Climate in Toledo

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	11	13	16	18	23	28	33	32	28	21	14	10
Hours of sunshine (daily)	5	6	6	8	9	10	12	11	8	7	5	4
Days with some rainfall	14	13	12	11	10	8	4	4	6	10	12	13

Vigo

If somewhere looking a bit like Scotland is a good thing for you, you will love Galicia, the Celtic-tinged emerald swathe of northwestern Spain.

Norway has fjords and Scotland its sea lochs; here, they have their Rias Baixas, which Vigo^* is set on. The region also has great wine in the form of Albarino.

Jules Verne statue, Vigo marina © Trevor Benbrook - Adobe Stock Image

Vigo is sometimes just dismissed as an industrial hub, perhaps why it's the largest city in Spain that isn't a provincial capital. It is, but it's got an earthy, winning charm, and a football team that occasionally bothers the big boys of La Liga.

Whether it's to do with its Celtic heritage and vibe or not, the nightlife fair bangs along here; the local seafood is superb too. And then there is the spectacular coast to explore all around with a necklace of white sand beaches.

Climate in Vigo

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	12	13	15	17	19	22	25	25	23	20	15	13
Hours of sunshine (daily)	4	4	5	6	7	9	10	9	7	5	4	3
Days with some rainfall	20	19	18	17	16	11	8	8	12	16	18	19
Sea temperature °C	13	13	13	14	15	16	17	17	17	16	15	14

Find out more about conditions across the country in our guide to the climate in Spain.

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Robin McKelvie

Robin McKelvie is a Scottish travel writer, author and broadcaster. He has visited over 100 countries and regularly writes about Scotland and the Canary Islands. As well as frequently contributing to Weather2Travel.com, Robin writes for publications including The Telegraph, The Independent, The Guardian, The Times and Wanderlust, and has authored more than 30 guidebooks.

Posted on Friday 7th February 2025 in: City Europe Excursions

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Spain - quick facts
Flight time^✝	2 to 10 hours
Time difference	UK +0 to +1 hours
Language(s)	Spanish
Currency	Euro
Electricity	C plug (230V)
Driving side	Right
Why visit?	Beaches Culture Nature Nightlife
Tourist info	Spanish Tourism Institute

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