Madrid and Barcelona are amazing cities, but neither of these vibrant metropolises can compare to the rejuvenating powers of nature or those places that don’t appear on bucket lists. Spain has so much to see off the beaten track so why not take the road less travelled?
Las Alpujarras, Southern Spain
These crevassed ravines of the lower Sierra Nevada were the last stronghold of the Moors after the Christian reconquest of Spain in the 15th century.
Built astride a huge gash in the mountains carved out by the Río Guadalevín, Ronda is a brawny town with a dramatic history littered with outlaws, bandits, guerrilla warriors and rebels.
Merida, capital of Extremadura and two hours from Madrid, was once also capital of the Roman province of Lusitania (founded 25 BC) and is still home to the most impressive and extensive Roman ruins in all Spain.
Forget Barcelona, stretching north from the city to the Spanish–French border, the Costa Brava (‘rugged coast’) is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful.
A short drive north east of Granada to a hidden corner of Andalucia, dominated by a vast canyon over 200 meters deep and 20km long, with a remarkable human history that dates back more than 5,000 years.