There's more to life here than beaches
Many visitors to the Spanish east coast go no further than Barcelona. A few might find a cheap flight to Valencia. The rest head straight to a beach resort. But there is a lot more to Spain's east coast than these places.
You have the Dali Museum in Figueres, more paella than you could ever eat in Valencia, Roman ruins in Tarragona, modernist architecture and vermouth in Reus and the 24-hour party town of Benidorm.
Check out over the next few pages my top destinations in this part of Spain.
See also:
Practical Matters
Barcelona
I like to be controversial, but who could argue that Barcelona is not the best place to visit on the east coast of Spain?
Why Visit?
I have talked in length on this site about what makes Barcelona such an exciting place to visit.
It has Spain's best architecture, iconic barrios such as the Gothic Quarter, El Born and Gracia, some of the best bars in the country, beaches, some excellent food and fantastic day trips.
Where to Eat
For a tapas-style lunch, go to La Cova Fumada (Carrer del Baluart, 56). For paella, try El Rey de la Gamba on Passeig Joan Borbó, 53. For a sit-down three-course lunch, go to La Pubilla, in Gracia.
Where to Drink
For Spanish-style vermouth, check out one of the classic old vermuterias in Gracia, such as Vermuteria El Tano (Carrer Joan Blanques, 17).
Gracia is also where you'll find the best gin-and-tonic bar in Spain, Bobby Gin (Carrer de Francisco Giner, 47).
Plus, don't forget Barcelona's burgeoning craft beer scene. The biggest bar is called BierCAB (Muntaner, 55), but my favourite (and the only one that guarantees all its beers are Spanish) is Cat Bar (c / Boria 17). Read more about the Best Beer Bars in Barcelona.
When to Go
Hit up the city when there's one of the local festivals going on, such as theFesta de Gracia in August.
Where to Stay
As most of what I've mentioned on this page is in the Gracia part of town, of course I'm going to say you should book a hotel in the Gracia district.
There's a great apartment-hotel called ApartHotel Mariano Cubi or you could go classy and check in to the Casa Fuster Hotel.
Where to Next?
North to Figueres to visit the Dali Museum or south to Tarragona.
Tarragona
Why Visit?
Tarragona has some of the best Roman ruins in the whole of Spain, second only to Merida. It's also very convenient to reach from Reus.
See also: Guided Tour of Tarragona and Sitges from Barcelona
Where to Eat
Categorically not a paella restaurant, El Llagut (Carrer de Natzaret 10) is a rice restaurant serving some of the best 'sticky rice' dishes anywhere in the country. Check out their spicy octopus dish.
Where to Drink
Get a glass of local vermouth in Plaça de la Font.
When to Go
Go whenTarraco Viva, Tarragona's Roman Festival, is on. It usually takes place in May.
Where to Next?
Reus is a short bus ride away.
Where to Stay
Tarragona is not a big city, so anywhere within your budget will suit. A good choice is Hotel SB Ciutat de Tarragona, close to the bus station (so handy for getting to and from Reus).
Reus
Why Visit?
Reus, birthplace of Antoni Gaudi, has a selection of great modernist buildings throughout the city. It is also the home of Catalan vermouth.
Where to Eat
Vermuts Rofes (Sant Vicenç 21-23), in a former vermouth factory, has an excellent menu del dia.
Where to Drink
Reus has a museum dedicated to vermouth! The place is not that friendly to English speakers yet (the menu is only in Catalan), but the selection of vermouths available is unmatched (and you can point at the bottle you want in any language!).
When to Go
When nearby Tarragona has its Roman Festival (in May).
Where to Next?
Tarragona.
Where to Stay
Reus is small, so anywhere will be suitable, but I would recommend visiting as a day trip from Tarragona).
Valencia
Spain's third largest city is the birthplace of paella.
Why Visit?
For the paella! The Ciudad de Artes y Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences) is a popular draw, as are the beaches.
Where to Eat
There are restaurants throughout the city that serve excellent paella. The restaurants around the central market are a good place to try, as is Hotel Hospes Palau de la Mar (Avinguda de Navarro Reverter, 14) which came second in a recent international paella competition.
Where to Drink
There are some great craft beer bars that are opening up the city. Check out Olhöps on Calle Sueca.
When to Go
During the Fallas festival! Spain's biggest street festival takes place every March.
Where to Next?
Go inland to Cuenca, a much-overlooked city with its famous hanging houses that dangle scarily over the sides of a cliff face!
Where to Stay
Though Valencia is one of the biggest cities in Spain, the area you'll want to spend time in is actually rather small. Somewhere between the train station and the cathedral, such as at Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace, would be good. Alternatively, go where the locals hang out, to the Eixample district: Hotel Dimar gets you away from some of the crowds but still in the heart of the action.
Figueres
Why Visit?
Figueres is the home of the Salvador Dali Museum, an eye-popping collection of the surrealist's best works - even the building (pictured) is an attraction in itself.
Practical Considerations: Eating, Drinking and Sleeping
There is very little accommodation in Figueres and restaurants are very average. Figueres is really a half-day trip from Barcelona or Girona.
Where to Next?
Visit the Salvador Dalí House in nearby Portlligat.
Cuenca
OK, Cuenca is two hours' drive from the sea, so it can't really be described as on the east coast of Spain, but as it takes less than an hour to get from Valencia to Cuenca by high-speed train, it surely counts as an essential stop on your itinerary.
Why Visit?
The famous casas colgadas (hanging houses) (pictured) dominate the skyline as you approach the city. Plus, the city has some excellent modern art museums and a fun science museum.
Where to Eat
Inland Spanish cuisine is dominated by meat, so go the whole hog (pun only slightly intended) and go for a roast at Asador de Antonio (Avenida Castilla-la Mancha, 3).
When to Go
During the Feria y Fiestas de San Julian, during the last week of August.
Where to Next?]
Cuenca is on the high-speed train line between Madrid and Valencia.
Where to Stay
Stay somewhere central, such as at the highly rated NH Ciudad de Cuenca.
Most travel writers prefer to ignore Benidorm. But to discredit its sun, sea, sand and sangria is nothing short of snobbery.
Why Visit?
I'm not going to pretend that Benidorm is a cultural experience that you simply must visit. But, as someone who wouldn't normally visit such a place if it wasn't for my job, I have to say I had an excellent time in Benidorm.
Benidorm does exactly what it sets out to do: offer cheap eating and drinking in virtually year-round good weather.
Contrary to popular belief, Benidorm is not completely dominated by British tourists. Estimates say that the Spanish and English roughly divide the town in half, with around 45% of visitors from each country, with the final 10% a mixture of German, Dutch and Scandinavian visitors.
With so many Spanish visitors, that means that it's not just pots of tea and English breakfasts in Benidorm: yes, you can get tapas, and it's not bad either!
Where to Eat
La Cava Aragonesa is an institution in Benidorm (Plaza de Constitución): they serve a vast array of tapas and their drink-and-food deals are some of the best in town.
Walk up along Calle Santo Domingo for more great tapas joints.
For cheaper (lighter) bites, head to Carrer del Rosari, where free tapas are given out with most drinks.
Where to Drink
Absolutely anywhere.
When to Go
For most, Benidorm is about the warm weather. Visit at any time between April and September for pretty much guaranteed sunbathing conditions.
For a more local experience, the second weekend of November (check local press for confirmation) is Benidorm's annual fiesta.
Where to Stay
Old town Benidorm is situated between the two beaches, with Playa Poniente, to the west nominally 'Spanish' and Playa Levante, to the east, more for the British tourists. Keep away from streets such as Avenida Mediterraneo and Calle Girona if you don't want the less pleasant side of the 'Brits abroad' party scene.
Girona
Why Visit? Walk along the city walls, visit the San Pere de Rodes Monastery or explore the old Jewish quarter.
Altea (pictured)
Why Visit? The white-washed houses in the old town, up on the hill overlooking the modern town center, along with the blue-domed church and the nearby beaches give tourists from nearby Benidorm an escape from that town's alcohol-fueled hedonism.
Alicante
Why Visit? The third-largest city on the Spanish east coast has a great tapas scene and a convenient airport.
Roses
Why Visit? The popular beach town is located close to Figueres, making a great beach-vacation-with-culture.
Many visitors to the Spanish east coast go no further than Barcelona. A few might find a cheap flight to Valencia. The rest head straight to a beach resort. But there is a lot more to Spain's east coast than these places.
You have the Dali Museum in Figueres, more paella than you could ever eat in Valencia, Roman ruins in Tarragona, modernist architecture and vermouth in Reus and the 24-hour party town of Benidorm.
Check out over the next few pages my top destinations in this part of Spain.
See also:
Practical Matters
- Getting to the East Coast By Air: There are airports in Barcelona, Girona, Reus (near Tarragona), Valencia and Alicante. Ryanair and easyJet have lots of flights to these airports from all around Europe. Compare Prices on Flights to Spain.
- Getting There By Train and Bus: There are high-speed trains from Madrid to Barcelona, Valencia, Tarragona and Alicante. Book train tickets here, bus tickets here or read my Guide to Bus and Train Travel in Spain.
- Where to Base Yourself: Barcelona is the obvious place to stay, with more than half the places in this article a day trip from Barcelona.
- How Long to Stay: You could stay months in Barcelona and not get bored. Everywhere else on this list could be enjoyed in a day. For more on how long to stay for, see my guide on How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Barcelona
Barcelona
I like to be controversial, but who could argue that Barcelona is not the best place to visit on the east coast of Spain?
Why Visit?
I have talked in length on this site about what makes Barcelona such an exciting place to visit.
It has Spain's best architecture, iconic barrios such as the Gothic Quarter, El Born and Gracia, some of the best bars in the country, beaches, some excellent food and fantastic day trips.
Where to Eat
For a tapas-style lunch, go to La Cova Fumada (Carrer del Baluart, 56). For paella, try El Rey de la Gamba on Passeig Joan Borbó, 53. For a sit-down three-course lunch, go to La Pubilla, in Gracia.
Where to Drink
For Spanish-style vermouth, check out one of the classic old vermuterias in Gracia, such as Vermuteria El Tano (Carrer Joan Blanques, 17).
Gracia is also where you'll find the best gin-and-tonic bar in Spain, Bobby Gin (Carrer de Francisco Giner, 47).
Plus, don't forget Barcelona's burgeoning craft beer scene. The biggest bar is called BierCAB (Muntaner, 55), but my favourite (and the only one that guarantees all its beers are Spanish) is Cat Bar (c / Boria 17). Read more about the Best Beer Bars in Barcelona.
When to Go
Hit up the city when there's one of the local festivals going on, such as theFesta de Gracia in August.
Where to Stay
As most of what I've mentioned on this page is in the Gracia part of town, of course I'm going to say you should book a hotel in the Gracia district.
There's a great apartment-hotel called ApartHotel Mariano Cubi or you could go classy and check in to the Casa Fuster Hotel.
Where to Next?
North to Figueres to visit the Dali Museum or south to Tarragona.
Tarragona
Why Visit?
Tarragona has some of the best Roman ruins in the whole of Spain, second only to Merida. It's also very convenient to reach from Reus.
See also: Guided Tour of Tarragona and Sitges from Barcelona
Where to Eat
Categorically not a paella restaurant, El Llagut (Carrer de Natzaret 10) is a rice restaurant serving some of the best 'sticky rice' dishes anywhere in the country. Check out their spicy octopus dish.
Where to Drink
Get a glass of local vermouth in Plaça de la Font.
When to Go
Go whenTarraco Viva, Tarragona's Roman Festival, is on. It usually takes place in May.
Where to Next?
Reus is a short bus ride away.
Where to Stay
Tarragona is not a big city, so anywhere within your budget will suit. A good choice is Hotel SB Ciutat de Tarragona, close to the bus station (so handy for getting to and from Reus).
Reus
Why Visit?
Reus, birthplace of Antoni Gaudi, has a selection of great modernist buildings throughout the city. It is also the home of Catalan vermouth.
Where to Eat
Vermuts Rofes (Sant Vicenç 21-23), in a former vermouth factory, has an excellent menu del dia.
Where to Drink
Reus has a museum dedicated to vermouth! The place is not that friendly to English speakers yet (the menu is only in Catalan), but the selection of vermouths available is unmatched (and you can point at the bottle you want in any language!).
When to Go
When nearby Tarragona has its Roman Festival (in May).
Where to Next?
Tarragona.
Where to Stay
Reus is small, so anywhere will be suitable, but I would recommend visiting as a day trip from Tarragona).
Valencia
Spain's third largest city is the birthplace of paella.
Why Visit?
For the paella! The Ciudad de Artes y Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences) is a popular draw, as are the beaches.
Where to Eat
There are restaurants throughout the city that serve excellent paella. The restaurants around the central market are a good place to try, as is Hotel Hospes Palau de la Mar (Avinguda de Navarro Reverter, 14) which came second in a recent international paella competition.
Where to Drink
There are some great craft beer bars that are opening up the city. Check out Olhöps on Calle Sueca.
When to Go
During the Fallas festival! Spain's biggest street festival takes place every March.
Where to Next?
Go inland to Cuenca, a much-overlooked city with its famous hanging houses that dangle scarily over the sides of a cliff face!
Where to Stay
Though Valencia is one of the biggest cities in Spain, the area you'll want to spend time in is actually rather small. Somewhere between the train station and the cathedral, such as at Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace, would be good. Alternatively, go where the locals hang out, to the Eixample district: Hotel Dimar gets you away from some of the crowds but still in the heart of the action.
Figueres
Why Visit?
Figueres is the home of the Salvador Dali Museum, an eye-popping collection of the surrealist's best works - even the building (pictured) is an attraction in itself.
Practical Considerations: Eating, Drinking and Sleeping
There is very little accommodation in Figueres and restaurants are very average. Figueres is really a half-day trip from Barcelona or Girona.
Where to Next?
Visit the Salvador Dalí House in nearby Portlligat.
Cuenca
OK, Cuenca is two hours' drive from the sea, so it can't really be described as on the east coast of Spain, but as it takes less than an hour to get from Valencia to Cuenca by high-speed train, it surely counts as an essential stop on your itinerary.
Why Visit?
The famous casas colgadas (hanging houses) (pictured) dominate the skyline as you approach the city. Plus, the city has some excellent modern art museums and a fun science museum.
Where to Eat
Inland Spanish cuisine is dominated by meat, so go the whole hog (pun only slightly intended) and go for a roast at Asador de Antonio (Avenida Castilla-la Mancha, 3).
When to Go
During the Feria y Fiestas de San Julian, during the last week of August.
Where to Next?]
Cuenca is on the high-speed train line between Madrid and Valencia.
Where to Stay
Stay somewhere central, such as at the highly rated NH Ciudad de Cuenca.
Most travel writers prefer to ignore Benidorm. But to discredit its sun, sea, sand and sangria is nothing short of snobbery.
Why Visit?
I'm not going to pretend that Benidorm is a cultural experience that you simply must visit. But, as someone who wouldn't normally visit such a place if it wasn't for my job, I have to say I had an excellent time in Benidorm.
Benidorm does exactly what it sets out to do: offer cheap eating and drinking in virtually year-round good weather.
Contrary to popular belief, Benidorm is not completely dominated by British tourists. Estimates say that the Spanish and English roughly divide the town in half, with around 45% of visitors from each country, with the final 10% a mixture of German, Dutch and Scandinavian visitors.
With so many Spanish visitors, that means that it's not just pots of tea and English breakfasts in Benidorm: yes, you can get tapas, and it's not bad either!
Where to Eat
La Cava Aragonesa is an institution in Benidorm (Plaza de Constitución): they serve a vast array of tapas and their drink-and-food deals are some of the best in town.
Walk up along Calle Santo Domingo for more great tapas joints.
For cheaper (lighter) bites, head to Carrer del Rosari, where free tapas are given out with most drinks.
Where to Drink
Absolutely anywhere.
When to Go
For most, Benidorm is about the warm weather. Visit at any time between April and September for pretty much guaranteed sunbathing conditions.
For a more local experience, the second weekend of November (check local press for confirmation) is Benidorm's annual fiesta.
Where to Stay
Old town Benidorm is situated between the two beaches, with Playa Poniente, to the west nominally 'Spanish' and Playa Levante, to the east, more for the British tourists. Keep away from streets such as Avenida Mediterraneo and Calle Girona if you don't want the less pleasant side of the 'Brits abroad' party scene.
Girona
Why Visit? Walk along the city walls, visit the San Pere de Rodes Monastery or explore the old Jewish quarter.
Altea (pictured)
Why Visit? The white-washed houses in the old town, up on the hill overlooking the modern town center, along with the blue-domed church and the nearby beaches give tourists from nearby Benidorm an escape from that town's alcohol-fueled hedonism.
Alicante
Why Visit? The third-largest city on the Spanish east coast has a great tapas scene and a convenient airport.
Roses
Why Visit? The popular beach town is located close to Figueres, making a great beach-vacation-with-culture.
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