TAP TO EXPLORE

Madrid has no shortage of things to do, but the area around the Spanish capital is full of places to explore, too.

The charming city of A Coruña, in Spain’s far northwest, is one of the major cities of Galicia, which existed as an independent kingdom with its own language and culture for nearly a thousand years. Although it has long since been incorporated into the Spanish nation, Galicia still maintains a distinct identity, which can be felt strongly here.

The city of Vigo is the gateway to exploring the Illas Cíes, the jewel of the national park comprising an archipelago of Atlantic islands off Galicia’s western coast. These pristine islands, reachable from the city by ferry, boast untouched nature as well as some of the best beaches in all of Spain.

As the endpoint of Europe’s most famous pilgrimage, Santiago de Compostela occupies a central role in the history of Christianity. Since the early 9th century, when a shepherd noticed a bright light shining over an abandoned Roman tomb in the forest and subsequently discovered the remains of the apostle Saint James the Great buried within, pilgrims have flocked to the city along the network of trails known as the Camino de Santiago (‘The Way of Saint James’) that stretch acro

Renowned as a destination for art and architecture, the Basque capital is also a paradise for food lovers, offering a wide array of options from classic tabernas to Michelin-starred experiences.

While its neighbors Mallorca and Ibiza suffer from the ill effects of overtourism, Menorca exists in relaxed juxtaposition, offering visitors a Mediterranean island experience with similar natural and cultural beauty but at a much more pleasant, calm pace.

Valencia, on Spain’s eastern coast, is an archetypal Mediterranean city, offering visitors a wonderful combination of history, climate, green space, beach, and cuisine.

The so-called Costa Blanca is famous for its high-rise beach resorts attracting tourists from northern Europe, but Spain’s southeastern Levante coast has much more to offer. Read on for a guide to some of the best towns to visit in the province of Alicante.

Malasaña is Madrid’s most bohemian neighborhood, and it has tons to offer by day or night, full of lively bars, casual restaurants, and vintage clothing stores.

Madrid is without a doubt one of Europe’s footballing capitals. The city’s name is synonymous with that of the world’s most successful club, Real Madrid, but it is also home to a variety of clubs both large and small with passionate support and noble histories of their own. Here, you will find a guide to the three first-division clubs within the city limits, each with a unique culture woven into the fabric of the city.

Vermouth is a way of life in Madrid, and you will often see locals having one or two with some tapas for dinner or getting started earlier on a sunny afternoon. Here is a guide to some of the best places in the city to indulge in some crisp, housemade vermouth on tap.

Calle de la Cava Baja, in the heart of the historic barrio La Latina, is one of the oldest streets in Madrid and is well known as an excellent place to tapear––that is, go out for tapas. This traditional way of eating is a must while in Madrid, and there is no better place in the city to hop between bars sampling different small plates than this street.

Sanlúcar was named the 2022 Gastronomic Capital of Spain, but, even more than the food scene, the star of the show here is sherry.

Madrid is an art lover’s paradise, with an impressive array of museums with works by a wide range of Spanish and other European artists.

Tourists flock to Barcelona for any number of reasons, but one that should not be overlooked is the city’s influential architectural style.

Leave behind the hordes of tourists in Barcelona and head northeast to the Costa Brava, the ‘wild’ and wonderful coast of northern Cataluña

Jerez is another city whose name is (literally) synonymous with sherry, jerez being the Spanish word for the fortified wine produced there.

Situated on a roughly pentagonal peninsula sticking out into the Atlantic, the province’s capital is the oldest continuously inhabited city.

Lanzarote, the easternmost of Spain’s Canary Islands, offers some of the most dramatic landscapes in the country.

Explore Vejer de la Frontera, Arcos de la Frontera, Medina-Sidonia, and Tarifa.