5 Spanish Cities You Need to Visit

......which aren't Madrid or Barcelona.

Sevilla

 Seville, or Sevilla is the capital of Andalucia and the home of all things Spainsh: Flamenco, bullfighting, even tapas claim their roots are centered in this blistering corner of Spain. The city is so hot, in fact, that it empties during July and August as the locals up and head to the beach en masse - so I would avoid visiting at these times. Sevilla is home to the Alcazar, the oldest royal palace in Europe still in use, a reason to visit in itself. Bullfighting is not my thing, but if it were, Sevilla would be the place to experience it, although the season is short, so check in advance.  

Something which is my thing however is flamenco, and Sevilla is its spiritual home. I expect you think Flamenco is a dance don't you? Incorrecto, as they say in Spain. Flamenco was originally a chant of passion with its roots in the Andalucian Roma community - Flamenco is the voice, and the music, not the dance. Anyway, I digress whether you love Flamenco or if you've never seen a performance before, Sevilla is the place to take one in - Flamenco's spiritual home. 

Granada

Staying in Andalucia, this time at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, this cultural melting pot where Arab and Spanish cultures have collided for decades is Spain's most colourful, vibrant and friendly city. Graada is, of course, home to the breathtaking Alhambra Palace, but that isn't the only reason to visit this wonderful city. Cervantes apart Federico Garcia Lorca is arguably Spain's greatest literary figure, and his childhood home in Granada has been converted into a lovely little museum of remembrance, which is well worth a visit if you're in the area. However, Granada has 2 real gems which you probably aren't aware of - Carmen de Los Martires and The Albaicin. More details of which can be found here. 

Valencia

I haven't always been Valencia's biggest fan, but I'm yet to visit on Las Fallas week, until March 2015 that is, and I cannot wait.. A days long, endless, citywide street party including fireworks nightly, bands at early hours to get you out of bed, and culminating in the burning of huge models of celebrities donated by each neighborhood of the city. For the full story of Las Fallas, it's origins, and how you're missing out on 10 meter high figures being burnt in the street please visit afoodieinEurope.

Valencia is also well renowned for it's gastronomic culture, Valencian Paella, often containing chicken instead of the usual varieties of seafood, is renowned throughout Spain and the world. 

Toledo

I could write forever about Toledo, the views, the character, and how this city has played such a prominent role in my life, but I can sum the whole city up in just one word - beautiful! As long as you're wearing sensible shoes (very hilly) then just walking around this wonderful city, drinking in the history and the culture, will be one of your most rewarding days as a traveler. The Alcazar, is as impressive visually as it is important historically - Franco's rebel troops we're holed up here for over 2 months, which is now aptly a military museum which is well worth a visit. The highlight of any visit to Toledo, for me, is to sit in a cafe (not the McDonald's which has inexplicably appeared) in the central square and just people watch. (Not as peaceful as it sounds if your girlfriend happens to have a bit of a phobia of birds.)

Huesca

Admit it, you weren't expecting to see Huesca on this list were you? Well, here's my 'left-field' selection. Chances are some of you haven't heard of the 'gateway to the Pyrenees', let alone added it to your itinerary when visiting Spain, but you're missing out. Despite being the provincial capital the population of Huesca is barely 50,000, about half of the capacity of the football stadiums of Barcelona or Real Madrid, but this just helps Huesca retain it's beautiful landscapes, and relaxed atmosphere. The most popular reason to visit Huesca is for the numerous different ski resorts or for other extreme sports, but I've never attached a ski to my foot in my life (I value the use of my limbs), and I adore this city. 

So, where have I missed? Except for Salamanca, obviously, but I wanted to add Huesca.