Reviews of Spain

In UK, many of us associate Spain with Ibiza, or Madrid, or, may be Barcelona.

However, having lived there for three months as a student, I can tell you that the little towns have a charm and appeal all their own. Sometimes they offer sights not available anywhere else.

For example, there's Almagro. About 3 hours south of Madrid (an easy day trip by train), it looks like you're being dropped in a corn field when you get off the train. (It's in La Mancha, Spain's answer to Nebraska) However, this tiny little town is the only place in the world to have a theatre in its original form from the 16th century (roughly contemporary to the Globe). It is not a restoration, it is the real deal. It was built around over the centuries and people forgot it was there. Then in the mid-20th century, a rain storm caved the roof in and the theatre was rediscovered. Now every summer there is a classical theatre festival there (one of the reasons there is a parador --Spanish luxury hotel-- in Almagro). Just seeing the theatre itself, unique in the world, is worth the trip!

Then there is Merida, in Extremadura (near the Portugese border). Merida has some of the most remarkable Roman ruins on the Iberian peninsula. For example, its amphitheatre is in good enough condition to be still in use. The acoustics are good enough that a whisper onstage can be heard at the top row. Merida is definitely worth a weekend trip to see how influential the Romans were in this area of the world.

One of my favorite small towns in northern Spain is Tapia de Casariego, on the Asturian side of the border with Galicia. Tapia de Casariego, while not boasting any remarkable sights, is the perfect example of a quiet, whitewashed seaside town. I found it much more charming than some of its larger neighbors. You can fall into a little family run one star hotel here without a reservation and feel perfectly at home. When I was there, I asked for toast for breakfast and got the whole loaf.

There are countless other examples of small towns in Spain where much can be discovered if you take the time to look. If nothing else, use the excuse of stretching your legs to have a glance around and see what you can find! I didn't regret it, and neither will you!