A Stunningly Beautiful Trip to Spain: What I Want to Show You Is Not Just Madrid and Barcelona!

📍 Barcelona · 👁 8632 reads · ❤️ 32 likes

What kind of country is Spain, really?

Late, lazy, procrastinating, inefficient, and having bizarre schedules—these are the labels of Spaniards.

It’s also the spiritual homeland of overworked corporate drones; working overtime is illegal here. And they love festivals and vacations—it feels like they celebrate almost every week, if not every month.

Of course, it’s also a fantastic country for travel. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, it boasts countless breathtaking landscapes.

Romantic flower-filled cities, artistic colorful towns, splendid palaces, and vibrant festival vibes… you’ll always encounter little surprises here.

The ancient city of Toledo, less than an hour’s drive from the capital Madrid, is filled with medieval simplicity and tranquility.

The old city is quite large, with a unified orange-yellow brick architecture. Inside, there are towering bell towers, square castles, and dense residential buildings, all looking ancient and magnificent under the sunlight.

The streets are narrow winding paths, stone roads rising and falling. Along the streets, there are occasionally lively markets, vintage jazz music from restaurants, and the fragrant smell of wheat from bakeries.

Toledo Cathedral is a church that still retains its medieval appearance, as intricate and magnificent as Notre-Dame de Paris!

You can take a sightseeing train to tour the entire old city of Toledo. The train stops at many attractions, and visitors can get on and off as they wish.

This city in Andalusia boasts blue skies, eclectic-style cathedrals, and courtyards decorated with flowers, so romantic that pink bubbles seem to fill the air.

Wandering through the old town, you’ll be amazed by the private courtyards, each with its own style. You might accidentally be dazzled by the rows of blooming flowers in blue pots on some street.

If you love flowers and beauty, don’t miss Calleja de las Flores (Flower Street), one of the most typical streets in Córdoba.

As its name suggests, on every balcony and the white walls along the alley, fresh seasonal flowers are always decorating, and the city is filled with a faint floral scent.

Dining prices in Córdoba are also reasonable—€10–20 per person is enough for a full meal.

Granada in Andalusia is ancient and alternative, with a mix of European, African, and Arab influences.

Once ruled by the Moors, a strong Arab atmosphere permeates the streets and alleys, embracing diverse religious architecture and cultural features.

The Alhambra is a Nasrid palace built by the Moors in medieval times. The entire palace is in Islamic style and is one of the most beautiful buildings in the Islamic world.

The Albaicín district is the oldest neighborhood in Granada. Although the houses are intricate and uneven in height, from a distance it looks like a mysterious small town.

Narrow alleys are always adorned with flowers in front of each house, full of charm and poetry. Whether in early morning or dusk, it’s always as beautiful as a painting.

Ronda, a “sky city” built on a cliff, has been given countless names: a white town on a cliff, the best place in the world to elope, one of the six most beautiful small towns in the world…

It’s the birthplace of Spanish bullfighting and the hometown of bullfighters, a pilgrimage site for bullfighting fans!

El Tajo Gorge divides the city in half. From afar, Ronda’s scattered white houses look like clouds resting on the grass, exquisitely charming.

The New Bridge spanning the gorge is one of Spain’s most photographed structures, offering panoramic views of the beautiful Ronda mountains.

Worth mentioning, romantic Ronda is a city with an extremely high chance of romantic encounters.

Mijas is a white town in Andalusia, with red-tiled white houses spreading along gentle hillsides overlooking the Mediterranean.

White walls, red barrel tiles, undulating terrain, against the blue sea and sky, exude a strong sense of leisure and elegance.

Every terrace and courtyard in the town is tastefully decorated with flowers and ceramics by the loving homeowners, full of charm.

On both sides of the streets, many shops sell souvenirs. Colorful handicrafts hang on white walls, adding much beauty to the town.

Occasionally, horse-drawn carriages pass through the streets, evoking nostalgia. The most famous here are donkey carts, and there are even donkey taxis you can ride, costing about €20.

Barcelona

Barcelona is the city of Gaudí. Thanks to Gaudí’s magnificent and fantastical architecture, this city is colorful and full of fun, making you want to immerse yourself in it for a lifetime.

Among Gaudí’s works, the most famous is the miracle of human procrastination: the Sagrada Família, a “unfinished building” under construction for 135 years and still incomplete, yet already a World Heritage site.

Exiting the Sagrada Família and heading west along Avinguda Diagonal, you’ll quickly see Gaudí’s last private residential design: Casa Milà.

Not far from Casa Milà is Gaudí’s masterpiece from his prime: Casa Batlló.

Besides Gaudí’s works, Barcelona also has sunshine, the Mediterranean Sea, handsome men and beautiful women accompanied by fine food and wine, a pleasant climate, and beautiful scenery.

Schengen countries: When traveling to Schengen countries, you can apply for a visa from any one of them; apply to the embassy of the main destination country in China. If the main destination is uncertain or stay times in each destination are equal, apply to the embassy of the first destination.

Spain’s cost of living is average compared to other European countries. Food is quite cheap—even in tourist cities, a fast meal costs at most €6, and a proper meal €10–12. Accommodation is around €50 per night.

Madrid – Toledo – Córdoba – Granada – Ronda – Mijas – Barcelona

Direct flights are available from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Chengdu, etc. Summer special round-trip tickets start from over 6,000 RMB.

★ Internet Access

If planning a multi-country road trip in Europe, I recommend a portable WiFi device like “Man Chao Superman”. No need to change SIM cards—just activate a local data plan or a European multi-country plan. It’s cheaper than international roaming data packages and has Google Maps navigation.

Travelogue Index:

1. Toledo

2. Córdoba

3. Granada

4. Ronda

5. Mijas

6. Travel Tips

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