(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.

Famous cathedral La Sagrada Familia

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.

Bujaco Tower on Plaza Mayor in Caceres, Spain

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

Leopoldine Bauer/Travel + Leisure

This 13th-century walled fortress towers over Granada.

Basilica in Mallorca

Christopher Larson/Travel + Leisure

rocky coastline of Patja de ses illetes

Silvio Meoni/Getty Images

Ria de Bilbao, Spain

Cityscape of Bilbao, Spain.Fran Torres/Getty Images

Scenic summer mountain landscape of Picos de Europa with green hillsides, valleys and highland pastures, Spain

A walkway through Picos de Europa.JackF/Getty Images

Entrance to a museum

Exterior of Hauser & Wirth Menorca.Daniel Schäfer/Hauser & Wirth

Horses grazing freely on Doñana marshland, Andalusia, Spain

Horses in Doñana National Park.Felipe Rodriguez/Getty Images

The village of Briones and fields. Rioja Alta, Spain

Sima_ha/Getty Images

People entering a large museum

Exterior of Prado museum in Barcelona’s Golden Triangle.Rory Fuller/Travel + Leisure

A person standing on a cliff taking a photo of a coastline.

A visitor photographing Lanzarote.Orietta Gaspari/Getty Images

Waves hitting a rock wall in the ocean.

Phoenician port in Tarifa, Spain.JuanamariGonzalez/Getty Images

A man walking along a city street with tall architecture.

Downtown area of Santiago de Compostela.Christopher Larson/Travel + Leisure

Costa Brava beach with stunning sea colors. Platja Gran on Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain.

Aerial view of a beach along Costa Brava.Pol Albarrán/Getty Images

Islas Cies islands aerial in Vigo of Galicia at Spain

Rocky coastline of Islas Cies.LUNAMARINA/Getty Images

Interior courtyard with a fountain

Courtyard inside Alhambra.Leopoldine Bauer/Travel + Leisure

People walking around a city

People exploring Ciutat Vella in Barcelona.Christopher Larson/Travel + Leisure

Large city skyline with a mountain in the background.

Malaga’s skyline.Paula Galindo Valle/Travel + Leisure

L`Hemisferic, by S. Calatrava. City of Arts and Sciences. Comunidad Valenciana. Valencia. Spain

City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain.myLoupe/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Road through Timanfaya National Park national park in Lanzarote

A road through Timanfaya National Park.zodebala/Getty Images