These small towns and villages—including one that’s said to have the best olive oil in the world—offer as much culture, history, and adventure as the bustling cities.
These small towns and villages—including one that’s said to have the best olive oil in the world—offer as much culture, history, and adventure as the bustling cities. One of several Spanish towns worth visiting, Priego de Cordoba has 73,212 acres of olive groves, 7,000 farms, 11 mills, and 20 brands that meet the region’s strict, traditional quality standards when it comes to producing the best olive oil in the world.
visitors. Unfortunately, most travelers never venture beyond the big cities or off the islands, which can burden citizens and undermine the authenticity of the very culture that draws people to the country. However, travelers can escape the big cities and visit the country’s lesser known towns. “Tourism in small towns is usually respectful,” says Dr. Carolina Del Valle, geography professor at the University of Seville, whose primary research focuses on the country’s campaign to revive small, disappearing towns. “Normally, it isn’t aggressive tourism because it isn’t massive.” In these small towns and villages, visitors will find a different kind of Spain—one that moves at a different pace—where folks are more connected to the land and to each other and are approachable and welcoming. Luckily, even in the most remote villages, rich arts and culture, ancient history, and a good meal are always within reach. Here are a few towns in Spain that you have likely never heard of, and should consider visiting.Off-the-grid is an understatement for a place that wasn’t accessible by car until the 1960s or didn’t have cell service until 2023. But this honey-hued village nestled in the 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, owner of, one of two restaurants in Beget. He recommends stopping by the 12th-century Iglesia de Sant Cristòfol before sitting down for a seasonally inspired meal. The 12th-century Church of Sant Cristòfol de Beget is in the medieval village of Beget, which sits in the heart of the Alta Garrotxa region of Catalonia, Spain., a trail through the ancient oak forests of the protected natural area of Alta Garrotxa, which follows a portion of the route taken by Spanish exiles fleeing to France during the Civil War .of the Pyrenees, west of its Catalonian counterpart, is home to the town of Aínsa, which sits just nine miles from the. “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, owner of the five-room boutiquein the neighboring village, Arcusa. Romero and her team organize exclusive treks through the park, and to abandoned villages, where visitors can immerse themselves in the region’s history and culture. Zona Zero is a major mountain biking destination in Aínsa, Spain, encompassing 155 miles of marked trails in the Aragonese Pyrenees.at the Eco Museo de la Fauna Pirenaica’s along the town’s fortress walls, or use the hotel’s on-site telescope from the glassed-in terrace to observe birds in their habitat. “Every year we accommodate more guests interested in ornithology,” says Romero.While this picturesque Galician fishing village is indeed a stop on the popular Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, Combarro is part of the less-traveled Spiritual Variant detour, meaning you’re less likely to share the streets with hordes of backpackers.dotting the shoreline. These unique raised structures , traditionally used for holding grain and foodstuffs, have become a symbol of Galician architecture and are best viewed from the shore at low tide.Priego de Córdoba checks all boxes 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 recognized this region in Andalusia for having the “organize tours through the 1,000-year-old groves, including visits to the press to observe extraction, tastings, and olive oil-centric meals in the countryside. García recommends visiting during the harvest months, from November to January, to see the presses in action. She also recommends hiking the trails in the mountainous, specifically the trek to the highest peak in the area, La Tiñosa. “You’ll see farmers harvesting their own olives by hand,” García adds., in the heart of the Sierra de Francia. Visitors are taken back centuries thanks in part to carefully preserved places, including the town’s medieval stone houses with rustic wood balconies, Roman paths and bridges, the second-oldest bullring in Spain, and a 15th-century castle watchtower that operates as the visitor center., a 5.7-mile art-meets-nature trek, with sculptures throughout the forest along the path. In warmer months, cool off with locals in the natural spring pool in the Parque Municipal . Located in the heart of Sierra de Francia, San Martín del Castañar has half-timbered houses built of stone, wood, lathe, and plaster, and a bullring which is located next to the Castillo San Martín del Castañar.Venture an hour east from Bilbao to Zumaia to take in one of the Basque Country’s most unsung geological wonders, the Flysch. These are coastal rock formations—formed by alternating deposits of soft and hard sediments—that jut out of the ocean floor like a “From Deba you can hike to Zumaia via the coastal Ruta del Flysch,” says Isabel Etxaniz, owner of the appropriately named family-run winery,Elkano , the restaurant located in Getaria serves a massive, buttery grilled turbot that tastes like the sweet waters of the Cantabrian Sea. Sunbathers and swimmers converge on Itzurun Beach and Flysch de Zumaia located in the Basque Coast Geopark, Zumaia, Spain.If you can get past the veneration of hometown hero conquistador Francisco Pizarro, Trujillo is located in the Extremadura region and is home to a display of history on par with—of which are equidistant from the town. The best way to explore Trujillo is with a guide like professional guide Guadalupe Parrón, who runs. The tour starts in the Plaza Mayor , with stops to marvel at Moorish architecture like the Aljibe and the 10th-century Alcazaba castle, a popularSan Martín Church and a statue of hometown hero and conquistador Francisco Pizarro are located in Trujillo’s Plaza Mayor.
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