An expert’s honest opinion of every major city in Spain
Spain’s most popular cities need little introduction. You can be certain of splendid architecture, classy hotels and good food in the likes of Madrid, Barcelona and Seville. But what about its plethora of lesser-known lights? Which are hidden gems, and what is the Spanish equivalent of, say, Hull?
Below you will find a list of the 30 most populous cities in Spain (according to its National Institute of Statistics), ordered from smallest to biggest, along with my candid verdict on each – and a mark out of 10. Two of the cities score top marks, while two muster just 4/10. Scroll down to reveal all.
30. Santander (174,101)
This ferry port often gets written off as little more than a slow travel entry point to Spain, with relatively few British visitors choosing to linger.
They are usually deterred by the largely unlovely and modern city centre, but Spaniards from elsewhere in the country see it differently, thanks to Santander’s wide, sandy beaches, lively surfing scene and top-notch food. (The unfussy seafood restaurants in the Barrio Pesquero fishing district are almost worth the trip alone.) It has first-rate contemporary architecture too: the Renzo Piano-designed Centro Botin cultural centre looms over the waterfront like a giant 1960s alarm clock sawn in half.
My rating: 7/10
29. Castellón de la Plana (180,379)
Castellón de la what? This can certainly be considered one of the more obscure cities on the list – though you can fly there non-stop from Britain, courtesy of Ryanair. In fact, Castellón’s airport is a somewhat notorious white elephant – it was finished in 2011 at a cost of more than £100 million but didn’t welcome a single passenger until 2015, and still only sees a relatively piddling 280,000 passengers a year.
The city sits on the little-known Costa de Azahar, between Barcelona to the north and Valencia to the south, and is not without its charms. As well as grand, 19th-century squares, it’s got an impressive but unusual cathedral whose 17th century bell tower stands separately, a few yards away from the main structure, as if the builders forgot it was supposed to be part of the same project. There’s also a fine arts museum and a city beach. That said, you’d be advised to stick with Barcelona or Valencia.
My rating: 5/10
28. Almeria (188,810)
One of Spain’s warmest cities (even in January temperatures hover around 17C) has almost all of the crowd-pleasings aspects of its better-known rivals – year-round sunshine, a wide, sandy beach with a palm tree-lined promenade and an Old Town dishing up top tapas – but with far fewer tourists. It’s definitely worth considering.
The legacy of past grandeur abounds in the 10th-century Moorish fortress high above the city. If you prefer more recent history, there’s an unexpected statue of John Lennon, who visited when he was filming Richard Lester’s 1966 black comedy How I Won The War. What more could you want?
My rating: 7/10
27. San Sebastián (189,093)
The perfect Spanish city? This jewel in the Basque Country’s crown was a favourite holiday hotspot with Spain’s royalty at the beginning of the 20th century, due partly to its sweeping sandy beaches, cool(ish) sea breezes and Belle Epoque architecture, but mainly because it’s gorgeous.
During the First World War, Maurice Ravel, Leon Trotsky and Mata Hari visited; these days it is movie stars who flock there, particularly during its annual film festival. For food, it’s impossible to beat, with one of Spain’s highest concentrations of Michelin-starred restaurants and first-rate tapas bars galore. Don’t even think about visiting in the summer if you want to enjoy them in peace, however – San Sebastián gets very busy in peak season.
My rating: 10/10
26. Cartagena (202,675)
Named after the ancient city of Carthage, this Murcian namesake sits about an hour and a half’s drive south of Alicante, and later served as the inspiration for the arguably better known city in Colombia. It was a major port city during the Roman empire and still is, albeit a little down at heel. Cartagena is on its way back up, however, and as well as an excellently preserved Roman amphitheatre, the small town centre has ornate Art Nouveau facades and doorways and a Michelin-starred restaurant. One for the future.
My rating: 4/10
25. Pamplona (207,777)
Almost a century after Ernest Hemingway set his 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises in Pamplona, his legacy still looms large in street names, bars and tourist trinkets – not to mention the frankly insane annual San Fermín bull-running festival he famously described.
But there’s plenty else to see. Come and admire the Gothic cathedral, the Baroque town hall, 17th century noblemen’s houses, pavement cafés and pintxos bars, but visit out of season if you can and head out of town too. Like Barcelona, Pamplona has suffered from overtourism lately.
My rating: 7/10
24. Santa Cruz de Tenerife (211,359)
For many, the Canaries spell little more than a winter fly-and-flop, but the regional capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife has a buzzy, big-city vibe and the largest carnival in the world after Rio. It also has Spain’s sixth-highest skyline, grand parks, plazas and beaches, a show-stopping opera and a concert hall that looks like the Sydney Opera House encased in a crescent moon – plus an up-and-coming fine dining scene.
As above, try to get off the beaten track though. As one of Spain’s busiest cruise ship terminals, overtourism is an issue.
My rating: 7/10
23. Jerez de la Frontera (213,688)
If the siren call of Andalucía’s gypsy culture is luring you to Spain with its gutsy laments and dramatic dances, forget overcrowded Seville and head to Jerez. The city may be most famous as Spain’s sherry capital – and you can barely walk a block without stumbling upon wonderful sherry-producing bodegas, each one more impressive than the last – but Jerez is also the place for fabulously authentic flamenco and top-notch, classic Andalucían fried fish.
My rating: 9/10
22. Oviedo (220,543)
Another underrated gem. Charmed by Oviedo’s magnificent medieval plazas, Gothic cathedral and chi-chi confectioners selling beautifully packaged bonbons, Woody Allen famously featured the city in his 2008 feature Vicky Cristina Barcelona, starring Penelope Cruz and Rebecca Hall. The film showed anyone who didn’t know already just how delightful this small and walkable city – the capital of the Asturias region – is. The locals were so pleased, they put up a statue of Allen.
My rating: 8/10
21. Sabadell (222,177)
Nicknamed the “Catalan Manchester”, Sabadell was known for its wool mills in the 19th century. Just under an hour’s drive north of Barcelona, heading inland, these days it’s mainly a sleeper town for commuters to the Catalan capital – but it’s not without its own claims to fame. It’s still big on industry with modern, Salford-style, mirrored-glass high rises, but also art nouveau architecture, a textiles museum and the obligatory Gothic church.
My rating: 4/10
20. Terrassa (228,708)
Another commuter town for nearby Barcelona, slightly bigger than neighbouring Sabadell, Terrassa was the other main powerhouse of the Catalan textile industry at the turn of the 20th century. That’s not to say there’s nothing to see, however. Look out for the spattering of medieval and Romanesque churches, a reconstructed Gothic cathedral, another textile and fashion museum and an impressive, Gaudí-inspired tourist office. There’s an acclaimed jazz festival too.
My rating: 5/10
19. Granada (232,717)
Granada’s spectacular Alhambra is, understandably, one of Andalucía’s, and indeed Spain’s, most visited sights – and you’d be mad to go to the city without seeing it. But Granada isn’t just about history. Venture out into the area around the city’s acclaimed university and you can wander streets filled with hip boutiques selling second-hand clothes and vinyl records, as well as bars offering craft beers. The botanical gardens are also crying out to be explored.
My rating: 8/10
18. Elche (243,128)
Day-trippers from the Costa Blanca’s more popular beach resorts flock to Elcheust, half an hour’s drive inland from Alicante, to ogle its lush, Unesco-listed forest, which, slightly oddly, sits in the middle of the town, complete with more than 200,000 palm trees. They usually get straight back on the coach afterwards though, meaning you can stay longer and enjoy the city’s botanical gardens, Gothic Basilica and medieval fortress at your leisure.
My rating: 6/10
17. A Coruña (249,261)
Jutting out into the Atlantic on Spain’s north-western corner, A Coruña is a bit like a salty old sea dog who’s had a much-needed bath. It’s a hit with gastronomes who come for the seafood (the local speciality, paprika-laced octopus, in particular), art lovers who come to wander the medieval lanes of the Old Town and see the house where Picasso spent several years as a child (now a museum), and surfers.
My rating: 7/10
16. Vitoria-Gasteiz (257,968)
Another contender for the title of Most Enticing Spanish City You’ve Probably Never Heard Of, Vitoria lies inland, in the shadow of its better-known Basque Country neighbours: San Sebastián to the north and Bilbao to the north-west. It may not boast beaches, but it makes up for it elsewhere, not least in a beautiful medieval Old Town lording it over the rest of the city from a hilltop. The pintxos bars are as good as any in San Sebastián, but with nowhere near as many tourists. It’s a real find.
My rating: 8/10
15. Gijón (268,561)
Like a Spanish version of Newcastle, the northern, industrial city of Gijón may not win any beauty contests, but its beaches are as wide and sandy as you could want. Not for nothing do many Spaniards, especially Andalucíans, flock there in the summer months, but you’ll seldom hear a word of English. It also has the obligatory web of cobbled streets in its Old Town, the area of Cimadevilla, 17th-century palacios, and its Asturian cider is almost worth the visit alone.
My rating: 6/10
14. Vigo (293,977)
Vigo is supposedly Spain’s rainiest city, but don’t hold that against it. What Galicia’s largest settlement doesn’t have in year-round sunshine, it more than makes up for in spectacular beaches (for the drier, warmer months, of course), Romanesque churches and plazas lined with pavement cafés. A major fishing port, the seafood is superb and you’ll get a warm welcome from Vigoans, who tend to be less buttoned up than some of their neighbours inland.
My rating: 7/10
13. Valladolid (300,618)
Unlike nearby Segovia and Salamanca, which both regularly top lists of Spain’s most glorious cities, Valladolid rarely gets much of a look in, despite being larger, arguably grander and only an hour by high-speed train from Madrid. It definitely deserves consideration for a city break. Although previously the capital of Spain – not once but twice in the 15th and 16th centuries – Valladolid wears its history relatively lightly, but it’s wonderfully elegant, with several fine Renaissance squares. The tapas is also reliably good.
My rating: 8/10
12. Córdoba (322,811)
If you just visit Córdoba for the day, you will be missing out. You don’t need me to tell you about the extraordinary, monumental Mezquita cathedral, nor the Jewish quarter, which is one of the best preserved in Europe. Where the coachloads don’t go, however, is to the courtyard-filled, old silversmiths neighbourhood of Azerquia. If you can, visit in May when there’s a kind of open house event for gardens and patios, so you can admire the bougainvillea and geraniums in all their fuchsia and crimson glory.
My rating: 8/10
11. Bilbao (348,089)
The titanium swirls of Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum on the banks of the river Nervión famously planted industrial Bilbao on the international tourist map, and the city has never looked back. It may have more grit and industry than nearby San Sebastián, further east along Spain’s Basque coast, but it offers almost as much fantastic food, especially in the Old Town, plus Goyas, El Grecos and Gauguins at the impressive Museum of Fine Arts.
My rating: 8/10
10. Alicante (358,720)
Alicante often gets a bad press, dismissed as little more than an airport drop-off to neighbouring resorts such as Benidorm. That is to do it a disservice. Holidaying Madrileños cottoned on long ago that Alicante is small and walkable and has a rather lovely Old Town complete with excellent food – not least the rice dishes that the region of Valencia is famous for. The 13th-century castle, Baroque church and plentiful beaches aren’t bad either.
My rating: 8/10
9. Las Palmas (380,436)
Like Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas tends to get ignored, overshadowed by the Canaries’ reputation as a fly-and-flop beach destination. Those who do decide to give it a chance discover an Old Town (the Vegueta neighbourhood) teeming with bars and restaurants that are fast garnering the city a reputation as a foodie hotspot, a 15th century cathedral, excellent museums and friendly locals.
My rating: 7/10
8. Palma de Mallorca (431,521)
If you fancy a quieter, smaller version of Barcelona, Palma is just the ticket. It’s got a monumental Gothic cathedral complete with Gaudí-designed stained glass windows, a leafy Rambla boulevard, hip hotels, fabulous fine dining and excellent art museums. Yes, they did hold anti-tourism demonstrations last year, and the summer months are best swerved, but unless you’re stepping off a cruise ship and clogging up the city centre without spending a euro, you’ll be very welcome.
My rating: 8/10
7. Murcia (474,617)
Like many of Spain’s great cities, Murcia wears its history on its sleeve, with 13th-century Moorish courtyards, a 14th-century cathedral and Baroque churches around almost every corner. Unlike better-known Granada or Seville, though, tourists are fewer and farther between. And in case you think its historical centre could leave it feeling fusty, you would be wrong. Murcia is a university town, so its excellent bars, restaurants and pavement cafés are filled with students rather than tourists.
My rating: 6/10
6. Málaga (591,637)
For years, Málaga languished in the reputational doldrums, considered little more than an airport gateway to the Costa del Sol. Over the past few years, however, it has been reincarnated as a cultural getaway par excellence. The Picasso Museum celebrates the city’s most famous son, while its second-most famous, actor Antonio Banderas, now owns several restaurants and bars. There is exceptionally good food elsewhere, plus a Roman amphitheatre and a beach.
My rating: 8/10
5. Zaragoza (686,986)
While Spain’s greatest-hits cities hog the limelight, Zaragoza often gets overlooked. It may not have a beach nor the show-stopping grandeur of San Sebastián, but it has got a stonking cathedral – perhaps the country’s finest – with frescoes by Goya. The star of the show, though, is the Old Town (AKA “El Tubo”), where bars vie with each other to see who can create the most innovative, tantalising pintxos.
My rating: 7/10
4. Seville (687,488)
My late mother-in-law was from Seville and never tired of telling anyone who would listen that it was the most beautiful city in the world. Many would agree, and not just the Sevillanos. Most tourists, when they aren’t feasting in some of the country’s best tapas bars, flock to Seville’s orange-tree-laden patios, Giralda tower and glorious Alcázar Palace, but wander beyond the centre into areas such as the Alameda and Macarena and you will discover the real buzz of Andalucían life.
My rating: 9/10
3. Valencia (825,948)
Despite 2024’s catastrophic floods, Valencia is once again very much open for business and, indeed, tourism. A few years ago it was Santiago Calatrava’s space-age City of Arts and Sciences that put Valencia on the tourist map, now it’s the city’s commitment to sustainability, with green routes, cycle lanes and other initiatives at every turn. It has always had exceptional food, and if you fancy a major sporting event or concert, it will be unveiling a new 20,000-seater stadium venue later this year.
My rating: 8/10
2. Barcelona (1,702,547)
Don’t be put off by last year’s anti-tourism protests. You can enjoy almost everything Barcelona does best without setting foot in the busiest tourist hotspots. Walk five minutes north-west of leafy Passeig de Gracia, away from the epic queues outside Gaudí’s masterpieces, and you will find tree-lined boulevards teeming with ravishing art nouveau architecture and superb bars and restaurants. All with nary a tourist in sight. See our expert guide for more tips.
My rating: 10/10
1. Madrid (3,416,771)
Madrid is the relatively new kid on the block when it comes to regal cities, at least compared with the grand southern giants of Seville, Córdoba and Granada. Named as Spain’s capital only in the relatively recent 16th century thanks to its location bang in the middle of Spain, the Madrileños have made up for lost time with magnificent Hapsburgian palaces, grand plazas and one of the world’s greatest art collections in the Prado. I could go on to mention the food, and I gather their football teams aren’t bad either, but need I say more? Probably not. See our expert guide to Madrid for more advice.
My rating: 8/10
