Which Province is better to Visit in Spain?

Question

My husband and I are planning to visit Spain for the 1st time....we have no clue where in Spain to visit. We are looking for a more Historic place with cathederals and castles, less partying more sight-seeing.

Any suggestions for 1st time travelers to Spain?

Answer 1

Granada:
http://www.andalucia.com/province/granada/home.htm
It´s in the south of Spain and there are lots of historical places to visit; no castles in the city, but we have the Alhambra, which is being voted as one of the next Seven Wonders, what other thing I can say about such historical, beautiful palace and gardens?.
http://www.alhambrapatronato.es/ingles/inforgenrl/informain.htm

http://www.andalucia.com/cities/granada.htm

There are many villages nearby the city where you will be able to enjoy castles: La Calahorra, just to give you an example:
http://www.castles.org/castles/Europe/Western_Europe/Spain/Calahorra-Granada/index.htm

Near Granada there are a number of villages which are known as Las Alpujarras; you won´t regret a visit to some of them:
http://www.alpujarras.co.uk/channels/spain/andalucia/granada/lasalpujarras/lasalpujarrasimages.html

The Cathedral (http://www.granadamap.com/cathedral.htm) and the Royal Chapel (http://www.granadamap.com/capillareal.htm) are worth a visit; in the Royal Chapel, the Catholic King and Queen, Isabel and Fernando, are buried and the whole place is just beautiful. La Cartuja Monastery; el Albaicín, the old moorish quarter; the Science Museum, the most visited museum in Andalucia..... well, the list is sooo long!!! There´s an extra in Granada which other cities do not have: here when you order your drink in a bar, you´ll get a snack (hot or cold) free with your drink!!! These are called "tapas" and if you go to 2 or 3 places to have some beer, you can have so much food that you won´t need to have more eating!! Bars have a wide variety of "tapas" and in some of them you can even choose from a long list.
Granada is very near Málaga, another province in Andalucia; it´s only a little more than an hour driving from here:
http://www.guiri.net/malaga/information_en.htm
Jaén is an hour drive and has a wonderful castle and cathedral and there are a number of villages filled with history in the way from Granada to Jaén!!
http://www.alicante-spain.com/costa-del-sol/jaen.html

If you read some of these sites have also information about Córdoba, where you can spen a day, and Sevilla, which is also worth a visit.

Well, enjoy wherever you go!!

Answer 2

* The Basque Countries - Basauri / Santurtzi / Axpre-Atxondo / Elorrio / Durango / Gernika / Mundaka / Sollube / Mungia / Bakio/ Amorebieta / Getaria / Urliola / Orduña / Bilbao / Vitoria-Gazteiz/ San Sebastian Casa de Juntas (Gernika) - The Assembly House in Gernika is the meeting point of the people of Biscay. If you want to have an overview of "Basque" then this is the right place to learn and understand it. There is also an interactive PC available to further explain its history and its unique existence. Not all Spaniards can understand Basque, they use EUSKERA, it's a completely different language and art form. It's existence and survival to this day is what makes it so beautiful. Puente Colgante - Discover the oldest Transporter Bridge in the world and be amazed of this work of art in engineering with more than a 100 years of history. I would recommend you to take the suspended foothpath than crossing over the estuary on the "gondola" which I think is the best spot to see the incredible panoramic views of the Port of Bilbao and the Abra Bay in the distance. By the way, there's a lift that will take you up. So, no sweat! :) San Juan de Gaztelugatxe - This place is what I fondly call "the Calvary". A 200+ steps challenge -- walking your way up to see the church on top! It looks like an islet. Great experience and the view of the sea and the surrounding rock mountainsis fantastic! In Vitoria-Gasteiz, there's a Gothic Church called Cathedral de Santa María which would be very interesting for Architects and Historians but not for the religious as this site is being preserved and is undergoing re-construction. If you fancy seeing crypts and bones of past bishops protruding underneath boulders of ancient stones, grand arch-ways and pillars, gothic art and the evolution of times in Vitoria then it's worth a peek! But, be prepared to take some useful Spanish words with you since there's only a few who can understand...much less speak English, esp. in these parts of Spain. * Castilla y León - Zamora / Salamanca / Segovia / León. Zamora - known as the City of the Romanesque because of its strong medieval imprint. Long stretch of stone walls, ancient Castle, Vaults and Gothic arches and several cathedrals surrounding the city -- simply outstanding! Salamanca - Go around the town and discover Baroque and Gothic establishments. Expressionistic art and monuments are very impressive. Segovia -- The entrance gate to the historic quarter of Segovia is the famous Roman Aqueduct. Built under the Roman empire (1st Century). Inside the city you can find important medieval and renaissance buildings, castles, cathedrals and the Alcázar de Segovia (Segovia Fortress). León -- The grandest Gothic Cathedral in all of Spain is the Catedral de León. The Cathedral in the capital Madrid can not compare to it. Ofcourse, your adventure should include Food Tripping! Enjoy PIntxos (like canapés) and Tapas at the old pubs around the Ayuntamiento (Municipal Square). And, try a exotic gourmet of "morcilla", it's like a roasted pig's blood on a pan (bread) and serve like a pintxo. Jamon, Chorizos and cheeses are a must!

Answer 3

For your first visit In would definely say Andalucia -- Seville, Corboba, Granada. The first time I went to Spain I flew in to Madrid spent Saturday and Sunday there, then took the high speed train to Seville, spent two days there, then rented a car and drove to Ronda, Granada and Cordoba then drove up to Toledo (about 20 miles ouside of Madrid) and returned the car at Madrid airport. I think I was there ten days.

Andalucia is what most people who have never been there would find the most "Spanish" -- although Spain really has a lot of variety.

An alternative is to start out in Madrid and visit Toledo, La Mancha (windmills and castles) , Avila, Segovia, that would involve less travel/driving than my first suggestion.

Catalonia is great, but less typically "Spanish" -- it's almost a different country.

IF you want more info email me.

Answer 4

The Catalan Capital - Barcelona. Most visitors stay in or near the Ramblas or in the Gothic Quarter just to the east. This is a good base from where you can explore the city's sights by day including Gaudi's masterpiece, the unfinished Sagrada Família Cathedral, and Parc Güell in the north. For more details see http://www.spain4uk.co.uk/places/barcelona.htm

Answer 5

I think you can find sites that meet your criteria throughout Spain, they aren't all clustered in any one province.
For instance, near Madrid, you can visit Toledo, the former capital.
You can definitely see cathedrals and lots of history in and around Barcelona.
Same goes for Sevilla, Granada, and Cordoba in Andalucia in the south.
Though I've never been, I hear the north coast stretching from Galicia in the west to the Basque Country is quite beautiful. There's a famous cathedral in Compostela, Galicia.

Answer 6

I would recommend you Andalusia (southern Spain): Cordoba, Granada, Seville,...etc. You'll have both Christian and Muslim architecture and history, good weather, nice food,...and the beach is not far away.

My second recommendation would be the north (cantabric shore), concretely Galicia (Santiago is a must) and Asturias.

My third: Madrid.

Answer 7

I have been to Spain two times for holiday, once in Andalusia, including Córdoba, Gibraltar, Granada and Málaga, second time on the East coast, including Barcelona, Costa Dorada and Costa Blanca. We enjoyed both very much. The former was a kind of cultural and historical trip, the latter was more entertaining for the kids. Both offer memorable moments, great beaches, wonderful landscapes and hot weather in summer.



My No.1. recommendation is Andalusia including Granada, Córdoba and Málaga, they are undoubtedly among the cities one shouldn’t miss.

Andalusia offers you beautiful landscapes, olive orchards, the renowned Costa del Sol, the mountain range of Sierra Nevada, the beautiful examples of moorish architecture, not to mention that the area is one of the sunniest and warmest places in Europe. Costa del Sol is one of the most famous seashores in Europe. More than 320 days of sunshine a year!

Undoubtedly, the most famous sights in Andalusia are the complex of Alhambra in Granada and the Mezquita, the impressive mosque in Córdoba. Both are included on the World Heritage List.

Ronda offers breathtaking views of the steep El Tajo Gorge and of the buildings on the cliffside. Nerja Caves is the home of the world’s largest stalagmite.

Have a look at my 4-minute video on Youtube and get some tips!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRaUC2wl4tY

Answer 8

VALENCIA, of course!!
A big city but not very noisy where you have everything you want: Good food, good and very funny people, beaches, history, theatres, sports, night life, nice weather, stores, concerts...
This is the most active city in Spain at the moment, I recommend it to you!!!

http://www.comunitatvalenciana.com/
http://www.turisvalencia.es/
http://www.cac.es/
http://www.upv.es/cv/indexupv.html

Good Luckkkk!!!

Answer 9

definetly catolinia

Answer 10

my vote is Catalonia