Barcelona and Madrid are the locations that often come to mind when planning a trip to Spain but there are many other fascinating Spanish locales to visit. My family enjoyed a great summer trip to Southern Spain and Mallorca.

Seville is a small, walkable city with lovely architecture that has a mixture of Moorish and European influences. The Alcazar is a highlight; a palace complex with numerous architectural styles, gorgeous gardens and fun animal encounters for children. Our kids loved feeding the peacocks and the very aggressive carp who were jumping out of the water to take the food from their fingers. Plaze de Espana is another must-see as it was a location in one of the Star Wars movies, Attack of the Clones. Our kids recognized it immediately. Besides sightseeing in Seville, we did a bike tour, a cooking class and saw a flamenco show.

Granada is a 3-hour drive or train ride from Seville and the primary reason to visit it is to see the hauntingly beautiful Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is a preserved 13th century Moorish palace and fortress complex. This iconic site is huge and full of history, gorgeous art (especially mosaics), perfectly planned gardens and gurgling fountains.

Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands east of Spain and is home to one of my favorite hotels in the world, Belmond La Residencia. The hotel is in a stunning setting surrounded by mountains and next to the fascinating artists’ town of Deia. Our favorite activity there was lounging by the beautiful pool, but we tore ourselves away to go to the nearby local beach (rocky but beautiful) and beach-side restaurant where we had a great lunch of local seafood and rosé. We took a painting class with the artist in residence at La Residencia, toured several artists’ studios in Deia, went on a picnic in the hills where the resident donkeys carried our provisions and rented Vespas to explore the area. Besides natural beauty and art, Deia is known for its cuisine. There are several Michelin starred restaurants within walking distance of La Residencia.

There are many other great destinations to explore in Spain: San Sebastian, Bilbao, Alicante, the list goes on. For another post!