(Its no wonder it was used as a filming location inGame of Thrones.)
The city is known for its world-famous food culture (pintxos,por favor!
My go-to stay is the sublime newPalacio Arriluce Hotel, set in a clifftop palace overlooking theBayof Biscay.
La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.Credit:Christopher Larson/Travel + Leisure
The concierge can hook up VIP experiences such as a private sailing tour down the river to the Guggenheim.
If youre in the area, dont miss the stunning neo-Romanesque Basilica de Santa Maria la Real de Covadonga.
Fun fact: Nearly half of the bird species of Europe can be found here.
Plaza Mayor in Caceres, Spain.Leonid Andronov/Getty Images
To see it best, sign up for a 4x4 tour with a local operator likeDiscovering Donana.
Alhambra, Granada
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This 13th-century walled fortress towers over Granada.
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Silvio Meoni/Getty Images
Cityscape of Bilbao, Spain.Fran Torres/Getty Images
A walkway through Picos de Europa.JackF/Getty Images
Exterior of Hauser & Wirth Menorca.Daniel Schäfer/Hauser & Wirth
Horses in Doñana National Park.Felipe Rodriguez/Getty Images
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Exterior of Prado museum in Barcelona’s Golden Triangle.Rory Fuller/Travel + Leisure
A visitor photographing Lanzarote.Orietta Gaspari/Getty Images
Phoenician port in Tarifa, Spain.JuanamariGonzalez/Getty Images
Downtown area of Santiago de Compostela.Christopher Larson/Travel + Leisure
Aerial view of a beach along Costa Brava.Pol Albarrán/Getty Images
Rocky coastline of Islas Cies.LUNAMARINA/Getty Images
Courtyard inside Alhambra.Leopoldine Bauer/Travel + Leisure
People exploring Ciutat Vella in Barcelona.Christopher Larson/Travel + Leisure
Malaga’s skyline.Paula Galindo Valle/Travel + Leisure
City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain.myLoupe/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
A road through Timanfaya National Park.zodebala/Getty Images