Been to Barcelona? Now try Spain's lesser-known cities
With Spain receiving record-breaking numbers of international visitors in the past two years — up to 94 million last year — it pays to hunt out its quiet corners. And there are plenty of areas where travellers have yet to claim a stake. While major Spanish cities like Barcelona, Madrid and Seville justifiably receive millions of visitors a year, the country is packed with dozens of disarmingly beautiful and fascinating smaller centres that can get overlooked. Many of these have equally exciting gastronomy scenes, thriving arts cultures and curious historical treasures worth exploring — and you'll get to experience them with far fewer crowds. Swap Madrid for Salamanca
Best for: the food scene
If Madrid's fabled cocktail of architecture, gastronomy and nightlife appeals, Salamanca in the neighbouring Castilla y León region makes a tempting alternative. Easily reached by train from Madrid in just 1.5 hours, this long-established university city reportedly has one of the highest ratios of tapas bars to people in Spain. It's also home to one of the country's most spectacular squares, the baroque Plaza Mayor, which is lined with bar-terrace tables and buzzing in the evening. Explore Salamanca's 800-year-old university, with its elaborately carved facade, and the city's two adjoined cathedrals. The oldest, Catedral Vieja, is mostly Romanesque, while the other is a later mix of gothic and renaissance style. Then dive into the world of Castilian dishes and wines, perhaps at Tapas 3.0 or Cuzco Bodega. grupotapas.com cuzcobodega.es Swap Toledo for Cáceres
Best for: a UNESCO-listed old town
The capital of Spain until 1561, Toledo is a popular day-trip destination from Madrid. Cáceres, on the other hand, requires a little more effort to reach and receives far fewer visitors — but the reward is its Ciudad Monumental, a hauntingly beautiful walled old town that's been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. A three-hour train journey from Madrid into the Extremadura region immerses you in this stone-built maze whose roots date back to the Romans. Today it's best known for its noble gothic-renaissance buildings, but also retains lofty watchtowers and other relics from its time under medieval Islamic rule. This is a city with serious art credentials too: the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Helga de Alvear houses pieces by Francisco de Goya, Antoni Tàpies and Ai Weiwei. museohelgadealvear.com Swap San Sebastián for Vitoria-Gasteiz
Best for: Basque bar crawls
Quieter yet equally as interesting as its extrovert sibling San Sebastián, just over an hour's drive to the north, Vitoria-Gasteiz is the Basque Country's often-overlooked capital. Though it's off the coastal path, the city is home to superb food and architecture and receives far fewer tourists. The steep, narrow streets of Vitoria-Gasteiz's medieval Old Town are lined with prize-winning pintxos bars that compete to create the most tantalising, innovative culinary creations. Elsewhere you'll find gothic cathedrals and belle époque villas as well as grand, leafy boulevards and a clutch of museums. Vitoria-Gasteiz is also one of Spain's most sustainable cities, with pedestrianised streets, eco-friendly hotels and restaurants and a 'green ring' of leafy spaces circling the city. The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Helga de Alvear in Cáceres houses pieces by Francisco de Goya, Antoni Tàpies and Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Museo Helga de Alvear Swap Seville for Granada
Best for: Andalucian atmosphere
While Seville has risen to become one of Spain's most popular city breaks, its little brother Granada remains mostly known for its UNESCO-designated Alhambra palace and fortress. But there's far more to this intimate city, which echoes Seville's Moorish monuments, fiery flamenco and terrific tapas scene, yet has its own lively twist. Stay a few days to roam the sloping Albaicín district, where locals and visitors gather on broad terraces to catch views across terracotta rooftops to the Alhambra, backed by the spectacular Sierra Nevada mountains. Just behind the Catedral de Granada, the Mercado de San Agustín has counters overflowing with fresh produce, such as jamón from Trevélez in the Alpujarras hills. In neighbouring Realejo, the historical Jewish quarter, people spill out of busy bars and restaurants like Candela, Taberna La Tana or Cisco y Tierra. tabernalatana.com Swap Barcelona for Málaga
Best for: galleries & beach culture
Sunny Málaga has firmly put itself on Spain's flourishing art map in the last decade or so — and not just as the birthplace of Picasso. The pedestrianised historic centre rewards gallery-hopping itineraries taking in highlights such as the Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga, crammed with Spanish art from the 19th and 20th centuries. Stroll over to the revamped Soho district to catch street art by both Malagueño and international artists, or wander through the lush Parque de Málaga to the local offshoot of the Paris-born Centre Pompidou. Nearby, Malagueta beach has great swimming off its silver-tinged sandy strand and a string of chiringuitos (beach restaurants) cooking espetos (fish skewers, traditionally made with sardines) on open-air grills. Throw in a flourishing tapas culture, a wave of stylish rooftop bars and Mercado de Atarazanas — one of southern Spain's finest markets — for a genuine rival to crowded Barcelona. carmenthyssenmalaga.org centrepompidou-malaga.eu Swap Córdoba for Almería
Best for: Moorish architecture
The entrancing Mezquita of Córdoba deservedly bags a top spot on any Andalucia itinerary, but there are other Moorish legacies worthy of travellers' attentions. Now with a growing number of direct flights from the UK, coastal Almería has its own story to tell about this key chapter of Spain's past. Often overlooked by international visitors, the city was a major Islamic-era port, as still shown by the grand, sand-hued Alcazaba (fortress) looming above its whitewashed homes. The building dates to the 11th century and has palm-filled gardens with trickling fountains and pools reminiscent of Granada's Alhambra. Spend the rest of your time wandering through the medieval old town and squeezing into tapas bars for local specialities such asmigas (flour or breadcrumbs fried with garlic and perhaps anchovies or chorizo) or Alpujarras cheese. Also on Almería's doorstep are the peaceful, sun-toasted beaches of the Parque Natural Cabo de Gata-Níjar. Published in the June 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
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Fierce pride is at the core of the Chumash Museum, a worthwhile day trip from L.A.
For thousands of years, the Chumash people lived along California's Central Coast and on its Channel Islands. Then the newcomers arrived — Spanish explorers, Catholic missionaries, Mexican rancheros, California settlers — and the Chumash way of life was dismantled, their people enslaved and their traditions, culture and language forbidden. So it's hardly surprising that the main message at the new Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center is as poignant as it is defiant: 'We are the first people. And we are still here.' The museum, which opened in May, sits on Highway 246 and Edison Street in tiny Santa Ynez, just across the road from Chumash Casino Resort operated by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. 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From the large parking lot, the path to the entrance winds along a man-made recirculating stream lush with spiky, deep-green mounds of deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens), feathery sandbar willow (Salix exigua) and a variety of juncus such as basket rush (Juncus textilis), used for making the tribe's intricate baskets. The 3.5-acre grounds as well as the museum itself were designed by Jones & Jones Architects of Seattle, which also designed the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The main entrance is visually stunning, bringing visitors inside a larger-than-life 'ap' (pronounced ahp), a towering representation of the traditional Chumash dwellings made from willow branches and dried leaves of tule plants, such as hardstem bulrush (Schoenoplectus acutus), which also grows on the grounds. The museum's entry is like a giant dome with a big round skylight at the top. The large, sloping walls feature projections of birds taking flight and sparks rising from the faux firepit in the center of the room, along with detailed illustrations recognizing the region's Chumash bands. Inside, the exhibits are arranged in a meandering flow (just follow the blue line) that introduces visitors to a large and engaging range of interactive displays and stories, many of which were provided by elder Maria del Refugio Solares, Zavalla's 'fifth great-grandmother' and one of the last native speakers of the Chumash language Samala. Some tribal members are trying to resurrect Samala through classes and 'just getting together and speaking with each other,' said Zavalla. 'It's opened so many doors to understanding our culture, our medicinal plants and ceremonies.' Solares died in 1923 at 81, but left wax cylinder recordings of Chumash songs, stories and translations with linguist and Native American language ethnologist John Peabody Harrington. Incorporating Solares' songs and stories makes the exhibits come alive. For instance, near the beginning of the permanent exhibit there is a cave-like room explaining the Chumash understanding of the universe, which is divided into three levels. The upper world is inhabited by celestial Sky People, such as Sun and Sky Coyote, whose peón gambling games affected the seasons for everything from harvesting acorns to hunting game. The dark, eerie lower world is dominated by two giant rattlesnakes whose writhings cause the ground in the middle world — our world — to shake. The phases of the moon? Those are caused by the way Slo'w, the Sky Eagle, stretches his wings. Thunder? The result of two brothers in the Upper World playing a rowdy stick game. Nearby, an alcove features a preserved California condor known as AC8, the last female in the wild who was taken into captivity in 1986 to become part of a breeding program to rebuild the critically endangered population of North America's largest land bird. In the exhibit, you must look up to see her, preserved as if in flight, her massive wings outstretched, while below is a miniature depiction of the local hills with a small gliding shadow of a condor in flight. Further on are hunting outfits made from deer and bear heads and skins, examples of traditional Chumash stick and gambling games, and stuffed animals for children that were — literally — dead, cuddly rabbits carefully preserved. There are exquisite medallions and hair ornaments made from iridescent abalone shells and strings of Chumash currency — tiny, doughnut-shaped beads created from carefully cut olivella shells. And of course, there are multiple examples of Chumash basket weaving, from the tightly woven vessels used to hold food and even water to the carriers designed to securely tote babies. The museum includes more recent history as well, such as the startling news that running water wasn't available on the reservation until 1969. Outside, in the 3.5-acre cultural park, you can follow a winding trail through the Ancestor's Grove — young coast live oak trees, each with a marker honoring a deceased tribal elder — to view the long redwood plank canoe known as a tomol, big enough to seat at least six adults and used annually to re-create the trips their ancestors made between the mainland and the Channel Islands. The park also features another recirculating stream and 100 species of native plants that would have provided food, shelter and habitat in the region before the explorers and colonists arrived. The landscape is constantly changing, said Megan Carey, the museum's collections and archives manager. 'One of my favorite things about the Culture Park is that you see something different, something blooming, every week.' The Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center is open Thursday-Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reserved-time tickets can be purchased online. Tickets are $15 for ages 18-64; $12 for ages 65 and older, teens 13-17, and military members with ID; $10 for ages 3-12; and free for toddlers 2 and younger. Tickets aren't sold past 4 p.m. Parking is free. The museum also has a well-stocked gift store near the parking lot, but for food, shopping and other excitement, you'll need to venture into the sometimes rustic, sometimes well-heeled town of Santa Ynez, where you'll find upscale clothing and furnishing stores that don't cater to tourists as much as the monied locals outfitting themselves and, perhaps, second or third homes. Here are other things to do in Santa Ynez but take note: Some restaurants are closed on Mondays. Dining: I had an excellent roast beef sandwich (chosen from many tempting options) at Panino Sandwich Shop, but there are many other dining options. Locals highly recommended the Baker's Table for bread, pastries, breakfast and lunch, and Brothers Restaurant at the Red Barn or Trattoria Grappolo for dinner. If you want a down-home atmosphere, try the Longhorn Coffee Shop for breakfast (it closes at 1 p.m. and the only coffee served is cowboy coffee, black); or for lunch, the nearby Maverick Saloon where the ceiling is papered by dangling dollar bills (children are welcome, they just can't sit at the bar). Pony Cocktails & Kitchen boasts 'all day cocktails and dining' starting at 8 a.m. (although it closes at 2:30 p.m. on Sundays and Mondays). Coffee: Try Queen Cup Coffee (adjacent to a very cute Lucky Hen Larder sandwich and cheese shop.) Shopping: Several tony options if you're in the market for luxury home furnishings (such as very cool denim placements at $35 each) and/or designer clothing (Santa Ynez General offers both along with candles, soaps and toothpaste — and is a nice non-snooty place to browse). Charlotte's Santa Ynez specializes in unique (and gorgeous) sterling silver and turquoise jewelry and belts, along with other Native American jewelry. And if your head is feeling naked, KJ Murphy's promises a 'premier custom hat experience' and choices that range from authentic cowboy hats to fedoras and trucker hats. Out of the ordinary: In the center of town, the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum and Parks-Janeway Carriage House promises 'the largest horse-drawn vehicle collection west of the Mississippi' including a stagecoach, farm wagon and fire engine in addition to examples of 'regional saddlery, period apparel, and vintage horse gear.' And just a few miles down the road is Rancho Olivos, an 8-acre olive oil farm that offers an assortment of delicious olive oils, produced from their own olives, along with several vinegars. The balsamic vinegar is outstanding, and the Spanish-style Arbequina oil has a delicious, buttery flavor. I wish I had bought a dozen bottles, but now I have another excellent reason to return.
