Our top rated Spanish spots from 86p beer to hidden beaches as Spain set to overtake France as the most visited country
FRANCE has long been the world’s most visited country, but Spain is rapidly closing in.
Spain is projected to welcome 110million annual visitors by 2040.
A joint study between Deloitte and Google revealed France‘s predicted figure is slightly lower, at 105million annual visitors by 2040.
With Spain becoming more popular, knowing the lesser-visited spots and hidden gems is a must – so here’s our top recommendations when visiting the country:
Barcelona
Hitting headlines for being overwhelmed with tourists, Barcelona gets a bad rep.
The city is popular, there is no doubt about it, but it is for good reason – but the good news is that you can be clever about when you go.
Read more on travel inspo
Travel outside of the peak season and the city will seem as busy as any other city.
Head to Las Ramblas first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds, and you’ll also get to see the magic of the street performers setting up.
While others are heading to the Sagrada Familia (which is stunning and a must visit, but do expect it to be busy) head around 30 minutes on the bus from the city centre, where you will find Parc Guell.
Also designed by Antoni Gaudi, the sprawling park features fairytale-like houses covered in mosaics, a grand hall with hundreds of pillars, and breathtaking views of the city.
For somewhere with a cheap drink, head to Nevermind Bar just off Las Ramblas.
This grunge dive bar is insanely cool with a skateboarding half- pipe inside and has €1 (86p) beers from 5pm to around 10pm. Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter.
Ibiza
While partygoers flock to the southern coastlines of Ibiza where mega- clubs boom until the early hours and lively bars spill onto the sands, the north remains untouched and void of tourists.
That’s what makes it so special.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for cocktails on a cabana at a bohemian beach resort, but I like to blend it with unadulterated relaxation – and that’s what this island does best.
Head north and you’ll find ultra exclusive hotels like the Six Senses and Hacienda Na Xamena.
But don’t stay there; instead, book a more-affordable boutique hotel near the charming cobbled streets of the Old Town and explore the other side of Ibiza by boat.
Trips can be booked from the Old Town harbour, Playa d’En Bossa or San Antonio (with companies like samboat.co.uk and leboat.com).
You’ll get to sail past quiet, rugged coves with the brightest of blue waters – on one visit, my friend and I had an entire patch of sand to ourselves, that is until a couple of locals pottered over to play a mid- afternoon game of chess, perched on the rocks.
The petite village of Sant Joan de Labritja hosts a hippy market every Sunday, selling gorgeous handmade jewellery, clothing and dream catchers. Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor
Tenerife
Tenerife might be one of the most popular Spanish islands to visit, but there is a hidden beach that you have to know about to find.
Tucked behind the towering pink Moorish resort Ritz-Carlton is Cueva de la Abama.
Private beaches are banned in Spain, but what makes this so hidden is that it is tucked down a winding road that weaves behind the resort.
The golden sands are overlooked by palm trees and a banana plantation, with a beach bar to keep you well hydrated all day.
If you want to arrive in style, stay at the resort – it offers a quaint green land train down to the beach that is exclusive to guests, as well as a funicular.
(It’s also one of the best hotels on the island, making it perfect for a treat-yourself holiday). Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
Seville
Seville has been named everything from the happiest Spanish city to one of the best places to visit in the world – but it is also insanely affordable if you know where to look.
There’s Taberna Perejil, where you can find wine for €1.20 (£1) or Spanish cheap chain 100 Montaditos, which is scattered throughout the city with small beers from €1 (86p).
You can even visit some of the top attractions for free, if you’re quick.
The Royal Alcázar of Seville has free tickets on Mondays between 4pm and 7pm (although they go fast) while Seville Cathedral has free Sunday visits between 2:30pm and 6pm. Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
Majorca
You can’t go wrong with a holiday to Majorca.
It’s got everything you want from an island, beautiful beaches, a pretty Old Town and plenty of activities to do.
The capital, Palma, is the perfect blend of city and beach with a busy Old Town full of winding streets with classic high street names and plenty of designer shops found on the ‘Golden Mile’.
It’s lined with brands like Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari and Hugo Boss but there are also little trinket shops selling shell-adorned jewellery and souvenirs too.
Majorca is hot in the summer, it’s why so many of us Brits flock there, and when it’s time to cool off with an ice cream, Giovanni L. Gelato Deluxe is the place to go.
It’s Palma’s oldest ice cream parlour with around 80 flavours to choose from.
Although I would recommend pistachio, which has twice been awarded the title for the “World’s Best Pistachio Ice Cream”.
One of my favourite spots that was actually very quiet was Levita Café.
It’s a 30-minute drive from the capital, but a two-minute walk from my hotel.
I stopped by for a refreshing rosé sangria which set me back €6.50 (£5). Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter
Valencia
The sun-soaked city of Valencia is a tourist magnet with its stunning Old Town, gorgeous parks and attractions and vast swathe of golden sands.
But many visitors can miss out on one of the hidden, natural wonders of the region and the place where Valencia’s most famous culinary treat is grown.
The Albufera Natural Park is home to lagoons and rice paddies where the main ingredient for paella is grown and taking a boat trip along the lagoon in a traditional boat – called an albuferenc – offers a very different view of this buzzing coastal city.
Drifting peacefully along rivers fringed with reeds and bursting with varied bird life is a real treat – and at the end of the journey, you get to sample a traditional paella at a local restaurant like Nou Raco with its elevated terrace offering views across the lagoon. Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
Cadiz
If you’re tired of overcrowded tourist traps and want a slice of authentic Andalusian culture, check out Cadiz.
Sunny Cadiz in the south of Spain is where the locals like to holiday – where Vespas hum through sun-bleached alleys which spill out into busy market squares.
Cadiz’s old town is anchored by these bustling plazas, where you can pick up everything from nourishing acai bowls to tasty cones of jamon Iberico.
Plaza de la Catedral is overlooked by the massive 18th-century Catedral de Santa Cruz and its gold-tiled dome – this spot is the centrepiece of the Old Town.
In the evenings, a traditional merry-go-round and street musicians liven up the square, making it the perfect spot to sit with a local sherry and watch the world go by.
The cathedral itself is well worth a visit, with a £7 ticket granting you access inside, as well as the top of the tower, the crypts and exhibitions.
There are plenty of gorgeous beaches here, too.
Playa la Caleta is a small stretch of sand that sits between two castles (and makes an appearance in Bond film Die Another Day) whilst Playa Victoria has white sand and a lengthy promenade. Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter.
Alcudia
For beaches with powder-soft sands and waters so calm they feel like a giant paddling pool, take a trip to Alcudia in Majorca.
Growing up, we returned here year after year on family holidays – and now I understand why my parents picked this spot.
Alcudia is the ultimate Majorcan destination for families, with plenty of affordable hotels lining its beachfront with attractions like HidroPark Alcudia nearby (the only waterpark in the north of Majorca).
For history buffs, the Old Town is home to Roman ruins including an amphitheatre, plus you can walk along the top of the ring-shaped medieval fortification walls.
There’s some seriously affordable stays here, too.
We loved staying at TUI‘s Hotel BQ Delfin Azul, which offers week-long package holidays for under £500pp. Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter
Teguise, Lanzarote
While millions flock to Lanzarote’s stunning beaches and coastline every year, there’s delights to discover in the historic inland capital, Teguise.
Every Sunday morning, the cobblestone streets with their Lanzarote signature whitewashed low-rise houses are filled with more than 400 stalls for the island’s largest open-air market.
Running from 9am to 2pm, there’s a host of treasures to admire and buy including artisanal volcanic rock jewellery, handmade ceramics and 100 per cent organic cotton clothing.
Foodies can get their fill with artisan goat cheeses, cactus jams, and local Mojo sauces – get there early for the best pick of the local produce and fewer crowds and don’t just focus on the stalls.
Teguise’s own boutiques, art galleries, and courtyards inside historic 15th- century buildings open up on market day and often hold some hidden gems.
With traditional Canarian folk dancers and musicians often performing in front of the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Guadalupe, savvy travellers grab local wine and tapas as the stalls are being taken down at spots like Palacio Ico or El Patio Creperie. Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
