Stay at the Paradors in the Most Beautiful Villages in Spain: the perfect experience
Visiting the Most Beautiful Villages in Spain is always recommended, and staying in a Parador de Turismo makes for a unique experience. Paradors are usually historical buildings – such as palaces, castles and convents – that have been refurbished with all the comforts of modern life. They are places that are bound to make you feel special. Discover below some of the most beautiful towns in Spain that have Paradors.
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Almagro
Almagro, in Ciudad Real, is famous for its 17th century Corral de Comedias, where the works of renowned playwrights such as Lope de Vega premiered. In addition to a fascinating guided tour of the Corral, don't miss Almagro's Plaza Mayor square, with its traditional green-glass balconies, or the National Theatre Museum.If you decide to spend the night at its Parador, you will be sleeping in the former Convent of Santa Catalina, dating from the 17th century; which still has 14 interior patios and the original refectory and winery. Four centuries later, you can enjoy its refurbished facilities and the traditional cuisine of La Mancha in its restaurant, with its welcoming warm monastic atmosphere.In addition, the Parador organises sustainable experiences related to the rural world such as a visit to an olive grove with olive oil tasting included, an electric bike route through cereal fields or a visit to the nearby Ruidera Lagoons Natural Park.
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Artíes
Just imagine: you get out of bed, look out of the window and see a vista of the village's little houses and cobbled streets. You can then bathe in a heated outdoor spa and take in the snow-capped mountains of the Catalan Pyrenees. Inspiring, don't you think? You can get this at the Parador de Arties (Lleida), a typical construction of the area from the 14th and 15th centuries, located seven kilometres from the famous ski resort of Baqueira Beret.While visiting this area of the Val d'Arán is particularly recommended in winter, especially if you like skiing, it is an incredible place at any time of the year, as the Parador has a garden and swimming pool with impressive mountain views in summer.Among the activities organised by the Parador, you can choose a route that will take you to see typical Catalan Romanesque churches, a workshop and a concert to discover the local legend of the 'Women of Water' or an excursion to contemplate the night sky that has the Starlight rating.
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Carmona
Why not travel half an hour from Seville in Andalusia and let yourself be stunned by the splendor of Carmona's Andalusian heritage? A fine example of this is its Parador, built over the ruins of an impressive 14th-century Arab fortress that later became a Mudéjar palace. The Parador's halls and bedrooms are in the former Casa Real, and there is a restaurant with impressive views in the old refectory.The Parador can be a good starting point to later explore Carmona, which, with more than 5,000 years of history, is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Andalusia and has up to 500 archaeological sites in its surroundings. During your visit, you can visit iconic sites including the Puerta de Sevilla gate, the Necropolis and the Roman Amphitheater.
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Chinchón
This medieval town is well worth a visit and is less than an hour's drive from Madrid. As soon as you arrive, you will be captivated by its impressive Plaza Mayor square, which features more than 200 wooden balconies and has been used as a setting in numerous films.After spending the day in Chinchón and visiting its Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, which houses a painting by Goya, and its Wine Caves, how about dinner and a night at its Parador? This beautiful building is a former-monastery dating from the 15th century, which preserves its original cloister and staircase. The primitive church has been converted into a special suite, and the pool is in an ideal space that used to be the stables of the monastery.For dinner, why not choose their restaurant? It offers an outstanding representation of the most traditional and modernised Madrid cuisine.
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Ciudad Rodrigo
Next to the Águeda River and on an elevated point with the city at its feet, you will find the Parador de Ciudad Rodrigo (Salamanca). It is fascinating location from which you can take in the beauty of the town. If you decide to stay there, you will be sleeping in an iconic castle rebuilt by Enrique II of Castile, founder of the line of Queen Isabella.Strolling inside the castle will make you feel you are traveling back in time to the Middle Ages, with works of art such as a Flemish tapestry from the 17th-18th century and a copy of the painting “The Wedding at Cana”. And you can't miss the sunset from its gardens.In addition to visiting Ciudad Rodrigo and its beautiful palaces and cathedral, there are many activities in the area. You can explore the landscapes of the Las Batuecas-Sierra de Francia and Arribes del Duero Nature Reserves, follow the Camino de Hierro route along an old railway line, and admire the Siega Verde rock engravings.
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Guadalupe
Guadalupe in the Caceres region is famous for its stunning Royal Monastery, which has been declared a World Heritage site. The pool and most of the rooms with terraces at the Parador de Guadalupe offer exclusive panoramic views of the monastery.The Parador is one of the most beautiful locations in Guadeloupe. It is an imposing Mudéjar complex dating from the 15th-16th centuries, with the cloister and beautiful garden and its water features being particularly lovely.If you are looking for a unique experience, the Parador offers activities such as star gazing, visit the Costanaza phosphorite mine, 4x4 routes and “forest bathing” in the Villuercas Ibores Jara Geopark.
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Trujillo
About an hour's drive from Guadalupe you will find Trujillo, a beautiful town that also belongs to Cáceres and is famous for being the birthplace of conquistadors such as Francisco Pizarro.Its Parador is a 16th-century Franciscan convent that maintains all the splendor of its original architecture. It has an outdoor pool from which you can admire the majesty of the castle that stands over Trujillo. If you choose to use the restaurant, you can try typical dishes such as lamb stew or torta del Casar. You will find this Parador in the historic centre of the town, so during your stay you will be surrounded every day by buildings of enormous beauty and you will be just a few meters from its incredible Plaza Mayor.What's more, from here you can organise excursions to the nearby city of Cáceres or to Monfragüe National Park.
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Lerma
Do you fancy staying at a Ducal Palace where Napoleon once slept? You can at the Parador de Lerma in Burgos, which stands at the top of the town. It is in Lerma's Plaza Mayor square, which is one of the largest in Spain, covering almost 7,000 square metres. You can visit its cloister and its interior patio, and eat traditional roast meats in the palatial atmosphere of its restaurant.The Parador is a magnificent starting point for exploring Lerma, which has a major collection of convents and monasteries, as it was used as a retreat by kings and nobles. Other interesting places to visit include Covarrubias and the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos, which are just a few kilometres away.
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Mojácar
Looking for somewhere to enjoy beaches, sun and peace and quiet? Mojácar in Almería is the place for you. In addition to beaches, the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Nature Reserve is nearby, The 50 kilometres of best-preserved cliff coastline in the European Mediterranean. The beauty of its coves will leave you speechless.The Parador de Mojácar is a modern building with rooms and a restaurant with sea views, offering a wellness and sauna area. You will love strolling through the narrow, labyrinthine streets of Mojácar and photographing its traditional white houses adorned with flowers.
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Puebla de Sanabria
Enjoy nature in a medieval town. This is what this town in the Zamora region, with its impressive 15th-century castle, offers you. You can climb the keep and stroll quietly through the cobblestone streets of the town and then stay in its Parador: a stone building from the mid-20th century with a swimming pool, kid's playpark and paddle tennis court.One of the best outings in the area is to the Lago de Sanabria Nature Reserve and Segundera and Porto mountain ranges, where visitors can discover the largest lake of glacial origin in the Iberian Peninsula. This is an ideal place for sailing on a wind-solar catamaran, hiking and mountain biking.
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Santillana del Mar
This town is sometimes known as “the town of the three lies”, as it is not a saint (“San”), flat (“llana”), or by the sea. This curiosity aside, it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in Cantabria. You will love strolling through its medieval streets, stumbling across mansions and palaces, until you reach its beautiful 12th-century Collegiata de Santa Juliana church.Another attraction of Santillana del Mar is the range of activities on offer: you can visit the replica of the famous Altamira Caves, get to know the village of Comillas and explore the Cabarceno Nature Park.To stay, you can choose between two Paradores: the Parador de Santillana del Mar, a Cantabrian-style manor house or the Parador de Santillana Gil-Blas, a manor house from the 17th century.
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Sos del Rey Católico
The Parador de Sos del Rey Cátolico in the province of Zaragoza is within the walled enclosures of the town. It is a traditional manor house with large windows with mountain views.This is the perfect base for getting to know the town and discovering the Sada Palace, where King Fernando el Católico was born, the Town Hall, the castle, the 12th-century Hermitage of Santa Lucía and its Jewish quarter.Sos del Rey Católico is part of what is known as “Cinco Villas”, located on the border that marked the ancient kingdoms of Aragon and Navarra. Why not take the opportunity to get to know some of these other towns, such as Uncastillo and Ejea de los Caballeros?And on your return, the Parador's restaurant is waiting to offer you a delicious dinner celebrating local produce and Aragon lamb.
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Tejeda
How about sleeping above the clouds? This dream come true is exactly what you can expect when staying at the Parador de Cruz de Tejeda, as this building is located at more than 1,500 metres above sea level, meaning you can observe the curious phenomenon that is a sea of clouds for which the Canary Islands is known. You can also take in the cultural landscape of Risco Caído and the sacred mountains of Gran Canaria, which was awarded the World Heritage designation by UNESCO in 2019 - from its terraces.During your stay, you cannot miss a visit to the town that sits on the slopes of a crater. You will love walking through its streets to admire its typical houses with white facades and wooden balconies.If you fancy an original experience, the Parador itself organises activities such as cycling routes and excursions to one of the oldest rum cellars in Europe or to a huge banana plantation.
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