Best places to stay in Spain
Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid
Plaza de la Lealtad, 5, 28014 Madrid
Spain’s artistic capital city is known for its beautiful architecture. When you check in to the Mandarin Oriental Ritz, you’ll enter a world of fine Spanish design. Inside the five-star Belle Epoque palace building, golden leaves hang in the entrance hall – and you can watch the sun go down over the famous Golden Triangle of Art.
El Palace Hotel Barcelona
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 669, 08010 Barcelona
Beautiful Barcelona also has its fair share of opulent and stately retreats. At El Palace Hotel Barcelona, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time and into the upper echelons of Catalonian society. There are modern touches too, such as the luxury rooftop garden, where La Sagrada Familia crowns the horizon.
The Level at Melia Alicante
Paseo del Puerto Viejo, 3, 03002 Alicante
A four-star hotel set in the Costa Blanca city of Alicante, The Level at Melia Alicante could be a great option for Spanish beach holidays. From the terraces, you’ll benefit from stunning views of the Mediterranean – it’s adults-only, so perfect for romantic breaks.
Where to eat in Spain
Can Culleretes
Carrer d’en Quintana, 5, 08002 Barcelona
Spain’s autonomous regions give the country a patchwork quilt of cuisines – and in Barcelona, Can Culleretes is a great place to sample Catalonian flavours. This is the oldest restaurant in the city, where you can try fried squid, Iberian ham, mussels and traditional stews enriched with rice, vegetables or blood sausage.
Ganbara
San Jeronimo Kalea, 19, 20003 Donostia, Gipuzkoa
The Basque Country’s regional cuisine comes into its own in San Sebastian, and Ganbara serves some of the best pintxos around. Seafood lovers are particularly well catered for – you can try oysters, squid or cod in tapas-like light bites. Seasonal specialities bring together the produce of the region, including thistles, barnacles and fresh truffles.
Restaurant Jose Carlos Garcia
Puerto de Malaga, Plaza de la Capilla, 1, 29016 Malaga
The only Michelin-starred restaurant in the municipality of Malaga, this is one of the best places to dine on the Costa Del Sol. Head chef Jose Carlos Garcia sources ingredients from the Atarazanas market, but dishes take their influence from Andalusian and international sources. Red mullet, cuttlefish and game are tasting menu mainstays.
Best things to do in Spain
La Sagrada Familia
Carrer de Mallorca, 401, 08013 Barcelona
Gaudi’s architectural masterpiece is an icon of the Barcelona skyline. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has been under construction since 1882. More than four million visitors flock here each year to be awestruck by the triad of facades that represent passion, death and resurrection.
Alhambra
Calle Real de la Alhambra, 18009 Grenada
An Islamic-era palace built under the Moorish Nasrid dynasty, Alhambra is today a colossal reminder of Spain’s diverse roots. It’s a red fortress set amid luscious green forests. Book on to a guided tour for an insight into the significance of the various pools, fountains and waterfalls.
Museo Nacional del Prado
Calle de Ruiz de Alarcon, 23, 28014 Madrid
Madrid’s Prado Museum is Spain’s most important art museum. It houses the world’s fullest collection of Spanish art, plus Italian, French and Flemish masterpieces. Visit to see 12th-century anonymous frescoes through to photographs from the Spanish Civil War era.
