The Guardians of the Sun above the Puerta del Sol in Madrid

Read More about Spain on GoNOMAD


The Magic of Madrid: Salsa and Siesta in the Center of Spain

by Chance St. John


Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid… with so many deeply cultural and wildly fun cities beckoning you to experience Spain, the biggest travel difficulty becomes choosing your destination.

Truly though, while many areas in Spain boast sparkling beaches and undiscovered locales, Madrid is the undisputed center of the country in every sense, whether you are referring to geography, economy, or culture. Read more

Santiago de Compostela: A Pilgrimage to Galicia

By Paul Shoul

The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain caught me by surprise. I am not a religious person and I had expected to dutifully take a look around, smile, nod, try to look thoughtful and then get out as fast as I could back to the streets, food and the people of Spain that I had come to love during the past week's journey.

But now, standing under vaulting arches of golden filigree, in a cloud of incense and surrounded by the hum of a thousand pilgrims drawn to this place from all over the world, I am moved. Unconsciously, I find myself kneeling. It demands my respect and attention, and exudes spirituality beyond religion. It is history alive. Read more

Pilgrims at the cathedral of Saniago de Compostela

Spain's Balearic Islands: Exploring Mallorca's Most Picturesque Region

By Habeeb Salloum

“Today we are going to explore the most beautiful region on the island of Mallorca.  You will see why this spot has over the years lured world renowned men and women artists, historians, musicians, poets and writers.”  Nicole, our guide with a passion for the arts, laid out the agenda for our day’s exploration of a part of Mallorca considered to be a paradise for literary men and women. 

Her words put us in an upbeat mood for our meandering in north western Mallorca - the Balearic Islands’ largest island and one of Spain’s most appealing tourist havens. Read more

Eating Bilbao: A Celebration of Basque Cuisine

by Paul Shoul

Standing at the bar of Gatz, located at Santa Maria 10 in the old quarter of Bilbao Spain, I reverently picked up another "pincho," a small bite-sized appetizer, that was spread out on the many colorful plates before me. Like a box of fine chocolates, you know that whichever one you choose it's going to be great.

The festival known as Las Falls in Valencia

You are just looking for that special one to tickle your taste buds in a particular way before moving on to the next: Iberico ham covered a piece of soft Brie cheese on a bed of roasted red peppers and a  piece of crusty bread, fried to a crisp in olive oil. Washing it down with a sip of the house red, the combination was... glorious, perfect. I turned to the gentleman standing near me; after a slight raise of my hand he reached over to light the cigarette I had promised myself I wouldn't smoke. Read more

Valencia's Las Fallas: Firecrackers, Folklore and Fiesta

By Suzanne Geudeke

The spectacular fireworks that light up the sky reflect the character of the Mediterranean city: loud, colourful and not afraid to show off. That’s Valencia.

Valencia is the third largest city in Spain situated 350 kilometers (217 miles) down the coast from Barcelona. Valencia might be smaller and less well known than its siblings Madrid and Barcelona, but it has many faces and double the attitude. Read more

Read more GoNOMAD stories about Spain:

Tarragona, Spain

Tracing Gaudí around Barcelona

Tarragona, Spain: History and Heart on the Mediterranean

Touring Northern Spain

The Basque Way: A Culture Persists in Southwestern France and Spain

Basque Country Photo Gallery

Where the World Goes to Party: Clubbing it on Ibiza

Barcelona Destination Guide: "You've Just Got to See It!"

Habla Ingles? English Language Immersion in Spain

The Universal Forum of Cultures in Barcelona: Moving the World?

Teaching English in Valencia, Spain

Canary Islands Destination Guide