7 lesser recognized cities in Spain that need you to go to—and are wealthy in historical past and nature

As the second-most-visited country on the earth, Spain isn’t any stranger to overtourism. The nation set a tourism report in 2025, welcoming 96.8 million guests. Unfortunately, most vacationers by no means enterprise past the massive cities or off the islands, which might burden residents and undermine the authenticity of the very tradition that pulls individuals to the nation. However, vacationers can escape the massive cities and go to the nation’s lesser recognized cities. 

“Tourism in small towns is usually respectful,” says Dr. Carolina Del Valle, geography professor on the University of Seville, whose main analysis focuses on the nation’s marketing campaign to revive small, disappearing cities. “Normally, it isn’t aggressive tourism because it isn’t massive.” 

In these small cities and villages, guests will discover a totally different form of Spain—one which strikes at a special tempo—the place of us are extra linked to the land and to one another and are approachable and welcoming. Luckily, even in probably the most distant villages, wealthy arts and tradition, historical historical past, and an excellent meal are at all times inside attain. Here are just a few cities in Spain that you just (and even the typical Spaniard) have possible by no means heard of, and may think about visiting.  

(Spain’s most decadent foodie city isn’t the place you suppose it’s.)

1. Beget

Go for: Remote mountain delicacies and historic hikes
Off-the-grid is an understatement for a spot that wasn’t accessible by automobile till the Sixties or didn’t have cell service till 2023. But this honey-hued village nestled within the coronary heart of the Catalonian Pyrenees “is like the Paseo de Gracia for Catalan culture: a treasure with cobblestone streets, stone bridges, and an impressive natural setting,” says Xavier Pladeveya, proprietor of Can Jeroni, one in every of two eating places in Beget. He recommends stopping by the Twelfth-century Iglesia de Sant Cristòfol (Church of Saint Cristòfol de Beget) earlier than sitting down for a seasonally impressed meal.

Hikers also can use Beget as a place to begin for the Camí de Nord (Northern Way), a path by means of the traditional oak forests of the protected pure space of Alta Garrotxa, which follows a portion of the route taken by Spanish exiles fleeing to France in the course of the Civil War (1936-1939). 

2. Aínsa

Go for: Epic trails and chook watching
The Aragonese part of the Pyrenees, west of its Catalonian counterpart, is house to the city of Aínsa, which sits simply 9 miles from the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park. “Aínsa, as well as being a gorgeous medieval town, has the privilege of being in a strategic location to discover the Pyrenees,” says Marta Romero, proprietor of the five-room boutique Hotel Tierra Buxo within the neighboring village, Arcusa. Romero and her workforce set up unique treks by means of the park, and to deserted villages, the place guests can immerse themselves within the area’s historical past and tradition. 

(Why it’s best to go to Spain’s lesser-known Costa de la Luz.)

Romero and her workforce additionally work with Aínsa’s birding conservation initiatives; so, guests can discover the birds of prey refuge on the Eco Museo de la Fauna Pirenaica’s (Pyrenees Bird Center) alongside the city’s fortress partitions, or use the resort’s on-site telescope from the glassed-in terrace to watch birds of their habitat. “Every year we accommodate more guests interested in ornithology,” says Romero. 

3. Combarro

Go for: Quintessential coastal structure
While this picturesque Galician fishing village is certainly a cease on the favored Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, Combarro is a part of the less-traveled Spiritual Variant detour, which means you’re much less more likely to share the streets with hordes of backpackers. 

The quiet inlet exterior town of Pontevedra is thought for the stone hórreos dotting the shoreline. These distinctive raised buildings (roughly 60), historically used for holding grain and foodstuffs, have change into a logo of Galician structure and are finest seen from the shore at low tide. 

To keep away from crowds, María Traveso of the Galicia Slow Tourism initiative recommends visiting exterior the summer time months, regardless that guests might even see extra rain. 

4. Priego de Córdoba

Go for: The world’s finest olive oil
Priego de Córdoba checks all containers of a southern Spanish village: white-washed facades, cascading magenta flora, and sweeping hilltop views. But Priego’s shining jewel is its extra-virgin olive oil; the World’s Best Olive Oils have acknowledged this area in Andalusia for having the “best olive oil in the world” for 14 consecutive years, in response to Francisca García, supervisor of Priego de Córdoba’s regional olive oil certification.

Mills like Aceites Vizcántar set up excursions by means of the 1,000-year-old groves, together with visits to the press to watch extraction, tastings, and olive oil-centric meals within the countryside. García recommends visiting in the course of the harvest months, from November to January, to see the presses in motion. She additionally recommends climbing the paths within the mountainous Sierras Subética Natural Park, particularly the trek to the best peak within the space, La Tiñosa. “You’ll see farmers harvesting their own olives by hand,” García provides.

(How to plan a weekend in Murcia, one in every of Spain’s most underrated areas.)

5. San Martín del Castañar

Go for: Historic websites and landmarks
San Martín del Castañar is situated about 45 miles south of Salamanca, within the coronary heart of the Sierra de Francia. Visitors are taken again centuries thanks partially to fastidiously preserved locations, together with the city’s medieval stone homes with rustic wooden balconies, Roman paths and bridges, the second-oldest bullring in Spain, and a Fifteenth-century fort watchtower that operates because the customer middle.

Chestnut timber, illustrating the city’s namesake (castaña interprets to chestnut), line climbing trails from city. One of them is the Camino de Espejos, a 5.7-mile art-meets-nature trek, with sculptures all through the forest alongside the trail. In hotter months, cool off with locals within the pure spring pool within the Parque Municipal (central metropolis park).

6. Zumaia

Go for: Geological wonders and txakoli
Venture an hour east from Bilbao to Zumaia to absorb one of many Basque Country’s most unsung geological wonders, the Flysch. These are coastal rock formations—fashioned by alternating deposits of soppy and laborious sediments—that jut out of the ocean ground like amille feuille pastry, or because the Geopark’s official website notes, “an old book revealing over 15 million years of history.”

“From Deba you can hike to Zumaia via the coastal Ruta del Flysch,” says Isabel Etxaniz, proprietor of the appropriately named family-run vineyard, Flysch. At low tide, stroll alongside the rocks and dip your toes into the pure swimming pools. To style their txakoli, an effervescent white wine, head to any restaurant on the town. 

Art fiends ought to make the 30-minute drive to close by Chillida Leku, a tranquil out of doors sculpture sanctuary by famed artist Eduardo Chillida. And for these trying to dine at Michelin-star Elkano, the restaurant situated in Getaria (4 miles from Zumaia) serves a large, buttery grilled turbot that tastes just like the candy waters of the Cantabrian Sea.

(Take this Salvador Dalí-inspired highway journey by means of Spain.)

7. Trujillo

Go for: Ancient historical past and regional artwork
If you will get previous the veneration of hometown hero conquistador Francisco Pizarro, Trujillo is situated within the Extremadura area and is house to a show of historical past on par with Lisbon and Madrid—of that are equidistant from the city. The finest technique to discover Trujillo is with a information like skilled information Guadalupe Parrón, who runs Guía Turismo Trujillo. The tour begins within the Plaza Mayor (the place Pizarro’s statue stands), with stops to marvel at Moorish structure just like the Aljibe (an underground cistern) and the Tenth-century Alcazaba fort, a preferred Game of Thrones filming location.

For regional artwork, native muralists (simply half-hour away in Romangordo) create colourful scenes that pay homage to previous professions and day by day life on constructing facades and doorways utilizing the transpantojo approach, which makes 2D surfaces seem 3D.