As travel enthusiasts plan their journeys for 2024, Spain continues to be a captivating destination. In this pillar article, we delve into the top 5 most visited cities in Spain, offering a comprehensive guide to the cultural richness, historical landmarks, and unique experiences that await travelers. Whether you’re drawn to vibrant urban life or historical charm, these cities showcase the diverse beauty that Spain has to offer.

Spain’s Irresistible Allure

Spain, a country renowned for its diverse landscapes and cultural heritage, remains a top choice for global travelers. In 2024, certain cities stand out as the most sought-after destinations, each offering a unique blend of history, art, and modernity.

1. Barcelona: A Masterpiece by the Mediterranean

Barcelona, nestled on the northeastern coast of Spain, reigns supreme as a cultural and architectural gem. From the surreal creations of Antoni Gaudí, including the iconic Sagrada Familia, to the vibrant ambiance of La Rambla, Barcelona captivates visitors with its Mediterranean charm. The city’s beaches, historic neighborhoods like the Gothic Quarter, and world-class cuisine add to its allure.

2. Madrid: The Heartbeat of Spain

Madrid, the dynamic capital of Spain, takes center stage as a city that seamlessly blends tradition with modernity. From the historic Puerta del Sol to the grandeur of the Royal Palace, Madrid offers a rich tapestry of cultural experiences. Art lovers can explore the renowned Prado Museum, while food enthusiasts can indulge in tapas delights and Michelin-starred culinary experiences.

3. Seville: Andalusian Elegance and Flamenco Vibes

In the heart of Andalusia, Seville enchants visitors with its captivating blend of history and passion. The Alcazar, a stunning Moorish palace, and the iconic Giralda tower showcase the city’s architectural brilliance. Seville’s lively streets come alive with traditional flamenco performances, creating an unforgettable cultural experience.

4. Valencia: Modern Innovation and Architectural Marvels

Valencia, situated on the southeastern coast, emerges as a city where modernity meets innovation. The City of Arts and Sciences, designed by Santiago Calatrava, stands as a testament to Valencia’s commitment to cutting-edge architecture. The historic Silk Exchange (La Lonja de la Seda) and the Turia Gardens offer glimpses into Valencia’s rich history and natural beauty.

5. Granada: The Alhambra’s Timeless Beauty

In the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Granada beckons with the timeless beauty of the Alhambra. This historic fortress and palace complex, with its intricate Islamic architecture, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Albaicín district, with its narrow streets and Alcaicería market, adds a touch of Moorish charm to Granada’s allure.

In conclusion, these five cities represent the epitome of Spanish allure, each offering a distinct flavor of the country’s rich cultural and historical tapestry. Whether you seek the artistic marvels of Barcelona, the vibrant energy of Madrid, the passionate rhythms of Seville, the modern innovations of Valencia, or the timeless beauty of Granada, Spain invites you to explore a diverse range of experiences in the year 2024. As you plan your travels, immerse yourself in the beauty and charm that these cities have to offer.

Turin is a city which has been the capital of Italy for over 400 years. It is situated in the north-west of Italy and it borders France while its northern suburbs are following Piedmont’s border with Switzerland. Turin is generally known as “the Capital of Italian Industry” because it hosts many international companies such as Fiat, Lancia, Alcoa, Caffaro, Iveco and Ferrero Group. But Turin also offers visitors other attractions: churches to visit like San Giovanni Battista dei Fiorentini or Santa Maria di Castello; museums like Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum) or Museo Nazionale del Cinema (National Cinema Museum); theaters to attend like Teatro Regio (Royal Theatre) or Teatro Carignano.

What to see in Turin: places to visit

Turin has lots of interesting spots that might be worth visiting. For example, it hosts some major museums which have an international reputation among them Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum) and Mole Antonelliana , the symbol of the city built by architect Alessandro Antonelli as a synagogue but now is used for exhibitions. The building was chosen because its height corresponds exactly to 157 meters – one meter per each year passed since Jesus Christ’s death!

Another where tourists can go is Palazzo Carignano . This is a Baroque style palace built in 1679 which has been used for many purposes throughout the time: from barracks, to theater and it’s also a nice museum nowadays.

The city itself is full of places that are worth seeing such as Piazza Castello where you can find Palazzo Madama , one of the most beautiful buildings not only in Turin but all Italy too! In front there is also Teatro Regio (Royal Theatre) with its gorgeous foyer called Salone d’Onore decorated by frescoes made by Gaetano Merchi between 1835-1837 depicting some important events from history of Piedmont and Savoy. Nearby we have other places that are definitely worth seeing such as Palazzo Madama, Via Po and Piazza Vittorio Veneto where you will find many cafés.

Last but not least, don’t forget to visit Parco del Valentino , a large park with lots of greenery which is great for relaxing or enjoying some sport activities like running or biking!

Where to eat: good restaurants in Turin

Turin has a lot of places where you can find great food. Here we list some of them: Osteria del Boccondivino , Trattoria Milano, Trattoria Papei . These are just three examples among many other wonderful places where you should go if you want to taste traditional Italian cuisine at its best! You won’t regret it!

Of course there are also bars or pubs that offer good food for lunch time too. For example – although maybe not the cheapest option- Pizza Margherita is an excellent choice because they serve delicious pizzas with San Marzano tomatoes (San Marzano tomatoes have a specific taste and are considered the best in the world) as well as good craft beers.

Also, if you happen to be there on a Sunday morning – you should definitely go for brunch at The Roulotte . This is an award-winning restaurant which also offers cooking classes (with macaron making included!).

Where to sleep: where to stay in Turin?

Turin has plenty of places where tourists can find accommodation according to their needs and budgets. From luxury hotels like Grand Hotel Royal or NH Lingotto , located right next to Palazzo Carignano; up to hostels like B&B della Posta Vecchia (which has free wi-fi connection), Il Melograno Pinerolese (breakfast included) or Hotel Milano , you will be able to find the perfect place for your stay.

If it’s a vacation on a budget that you are looking for, instead, there is B&B Suisse  located in Via Cagliari which offers single rooms starting at 27 Euros per person; as well as many other b & bs like The Mockingbird Rooms located near Piazza Carlo Felice where double rooms start at 45 Euros. There are also some good affordable hotels such as Alpi Resort and Hotel Richmond . Both of them have nice wellness areas with sauna and hot tub (available even free if booked via their websites). Affordable but still high quality!

Last but not least, if you are travelling with your family or friends, why not try a holiday home rental ? There are plenty of options available on different websites like Airbnb or TripAdvisor .

What about Turin’s cuisine?

What food can we taste in this city?

Turin has also its own traditional dishes besides Italian ones. The most famous one is Bagna Cauda – an anchovy dip made of garlic oil (although there are other variations too). It was created by chef Giovanni Battista Bordiga at the end of 19 century who was asked to create an unusual dish for king Vittorio Emanuele II and his wife Margherita di Savoia.

Another traditional recipe is Bicerin . This one is a typical drink made of coffee, chocolate and whole milk served in small cups! It’s the perfect way to start your day with something sweet but not too heavy…

There are also many places where you can try more conventional dishes such as risotto alla Milanese or bagna cauda (anchovy dip) which will definitely leave no space for dinner that evening. One of them is Antica Birreria Peroni – this restaurant/pub has been around since 1846 so it must be doing something right! Their specialties include a variety of dishes made with fresh ingredients, high quality meat and a great selection of local wines.

Last but not least, Turin offers many good restaurants to try out some exquisite food! One place where you can have a real Italian experience is Caffè Mulassano . It’s been there for over 120 years so it must be doing something right because nowadays people still come here from all around the world just to taste their delicious cappuccino or pastries carefully prepared by pastry chefs who know how to use only best products! If you are looking for something more traditional go for Trattoria Della Nonna ! This restaurant serves an amazing pasta tasting menu as well as other typical dishes such as duck breast cooked in various ways (I can recommend you the one with prunes!)

Last but not least, don’t forget to try out some of Turin’s sweet specialties such as chocolate or hazelnut gianduiotto which was invented in 1867 by chocolatier Pietro Ferrero. You will find it wrapped in paper at any pasticceria together with other similar products made from candied orange peels, marrons glaces and nuts!

Where do I sleep in Turin?

Where are good places to stay?

Turin has many hotels for all kinds of tourists’ tastes including big international groups like Marriott or Ibis that have recently opened new properties close to the city center. The most famous ones Alpi Resort Hotel & Conference Center and Hotel Majestic Barolo  are top luxury hotels in Turin that also offer special meetings rooms for business purposes.

If you are looking to spend the night with your family then I suggest you book a room at Holiday Inn Express Torino Lingotto Fiere . It’s only few minutes via subway from city center and it has great facilities such as swimming pool, gym and restaurant! Just be careful: holidays in Italy mean long queues so make sure to book your room well before arrival 🙂

The four-star hotel which is closest to Porta Nuova underground station is Mercure Torino Lingotto , just across Autobus Terminal where many bus lines stop – this means easy access by public transport matter if you come from far away! It’s also located very close to Lingotto metro and shopping mall so it can be a good option for people who come here in order to attend some trade show or just shop at these places.

What about Turin attractions?

What is there to see in this city?

Turin has many interesting sites that you must visit if you happen to pass by:  there are famous monuments such as Mole Antonelliana , Egyptian Museum, Royal Palace of Venaria Reale , Palazzo Carignano and others which will give you great insight into the history of Piedmont region where Torino lies today. If you want something more interactive don’t miss National Automobile Museum – they have over 100 cars from around the world including the first Fiat ever built! If you want to spend an afternoon walking around then go for Parco del Valentino , a great place that lies next to Po river and it’s perfect if you’re travelling with your kids because there are many playgrounds, green spaces where they can run free as well as some fountains.

What about my travel guide? What else should I know before visiting this city?

Don’t forget to pick up official map of Turin or download Turin City App which is available on both Android OS and iOS . It has all main attractions listed so you can plan ahead what sites you would like to visit depending on how much time do you have 🙂

The currency is Euro (EUR) and the local VAT is included in prices so foreigners won’t have to pay this extra charge.

How can I get there? How do I go around town?

Turin Loves You 🙂

What else should you know about Turin before visiting it for your holidays or business trips? Where are places where people usually hang out when they visit Torino? What are some restaurants, bars, clubs worth checking out while being here with friends on weekends? Check back soon!

Taking a holiday in Croatia can be a perfect way to find peace of mind, especially during this delicate period in history. Because of the health emergency, many people decide to rent a boat in order to explore as many places as possible.

Best attractions in Croatia

One of the first stops on the journey to Croatia is the Gulf of Kvarner, where you can observe schools of dolphins living in the Adriatic Sea and swimming among the boats in this beautiful land a few miles from Trieste. In this area it is very difficult to find luxurious palaces but it is easier to come across fishing villages that still live in a very old way, enjoying the beauty of nature.

You can visit churches, monasteries and lighthouses such as Santa Maria della Salute in Venice. It is very easy to come across vineyards stretching out towards the sea, and you can enjoy natural elements such as water and sky that create intense landscapes, characterised by the Bora and Griffon Vultures that lend an air of gracefulness to the sea.

The ancient villages of Lošinj and Unije

These two places are particularly suitable for visiting in the company of family or close friends, and thanks to the possibility of using boats that will be guided by the Mistral through the sea, it will be possible to visit the various islands, including that of Unije, which has a 19th century lighthouse, many olive groves and a small village made up only of pastel coloured houses. The next stop is the bay of Maracal on the east coast, which cannot be visited in correspondence with the Sirocco.

The oldest languages

There are signs of time in this dialect, as the presence of Venetians, Turks and Croats can be detected. It is possible to see a small chapel that from the top of the hill encompasses the entire landscape. A few miles away is Mali Lošinj, a much sought-after place thanks to its climate, cuisine and wellness centres.

In the mid-19th century this place boasted more than a hundred sailing ships and four shipyards to build them. There is a splendid bronze sculpture of Apoxyomenos, which was found after underwater fishing in 1996.

Croatian Islands

The lighthouse at Cape Kurila marks the entrance to the Adriatic harbour, where we can see everything from 19th century mansions to more natural elements such as orange and lemon palms. All this is punctuated by golden beaches, blue skies, light winds and a maritime scent. Heading south, you can beat a path to the islands of Velez Srakane and Male Srakane, where you may encounter a few local boats offering seafood, and then pass through the vineyards of Susak, where you can observe beaches dotted with seashells.

The island of Premuda, on the other hand, is continually exposed to the Bora, but retains typical features of the past that make it extremely charming. A few miles further on, the island of Pag has an indented coastline like the Amalfi Coast and is teeming with vineyards, hills and natural features. The island of Cres is a summary of the Mediterranean, where you can listen to the endless chirping of the cicadas and walk along an expansive beach of white pebbles that rise up from the cliffs.

Finally, we reach the island of Rab, through which we can access an old town with walls dating back to the 13th century, where it is possible to observe stone villages and watch impromptu concerts around bonfires.

Malta is an island, or rather it is classified as an archipelago as it really consists of more than one island. A land of conquest for many peoples, from the Romans to the Moors, then the French and the British, its origins are Phoenician. It has a population of just over 460,000, spread over several cities, most of which are located in its capital, Valletta.

What Malta is like

Between the southern coasts of Sicily and North Africa lies Malta, a small state with a remarkable history and several archaeological sites that bear witness to an ancient past, with megalithic temples that predate the construction of the Egyptian pyramids by tens of centuries, and the site of Stonehenge itself. At least 4000 years before Christ, this island was already inhabited by the Phoenicians, who established the first settlements. Then came other peoples who each brought their own traditions and culture.

The main city is “Valletta”, which we will deal with in more detail, but also other cities are very important and absolutely worth visiting, so for a thorough visit of Malta we recommend you to spend several days.

Visit Valletta

Valletta, along with two other places in Malta, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Malta you’ll find plenty of Baroque-style churches with red and silver domes, but Valletta is also known for its remarkable fortifications and Medieval Citadel.

The capital city of Malta was Capital of Culture 2018, a title shared with the Dutch city of Leeuwarden. In fact, this title in Malta was also shared with the rest of the small state, extending the calendar of events to other places. Valletta was founded by Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette with the reconstruction of the entire island after the terrible siege by the Turks in 1565.

St John’s Co-Cathedral

St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta is certainly one of the most beautiful churches on the island and also one of the most beautiful Baroque churches in the world. The walls were painted by Mattia Preti, but there are also two works by Caravaggio depicting Saint John the Baptist and Saint Jerome.

The beauty does not end there: the Flemish tapestries are spectacular and the mosaic floor is simply stunning. The entire interior of the church, from the floors and walls to the dome, is awe-inspiring and deserves to be enjoyed in religious silence and respect for the place you are in.

St. George Square and Grand Master’s Palace

After visiting St. John’s Co-Cathedral, walk down Republic Street to St. George Square, a beautiful square overlooked by the Main Guard Palace and the old Cancellery, dating from 1603. These two buildings are directly opposite the Grand Master’s Palace, which is certainly one of Malta’s historical and architectural landmarks.

Inside you’ll find fantastic tapestries and works of art such as the frescoes by Mattia Perez d’Aleccio. In addition to the paintings, you can also admire the parade armour of the famous Knights of Malta, including that of the city’s founder, and an admirable collection of Ottoman weapons dating back to the Turkish siege.

The Sacred Infirmary

The Knights Hospitallers were renowned for their skills in the medical arts and their dedication to the sick and wounded. The Sacra Infermeria, built in the 16th century by order of the Knights of Malta, was a state-of-the-art medical centre for its time.

It could accommodate 600 patients and also housed a school of anatomy and surgery. Today this structure is a Congress Centre and houses the permanent exhibition “I Cavalieri Ospitalieri”, which is not to be missed.