Over 100 years ago the Spanish government, in the early days of chasing the tourist dollar, embarked on setting up a network of luxury hotels that would take the visitor to oft unvisited parts of Spain that were a hidden gem to make a detour for. Typically housed in castles, monasteries, palaces and other historic buildings they become a great place to spend a night or two whilst travelling around Spain and making a diversion from your usual itinerary is well worth the trip.
We’ve only made small inroads into the network, but already we’re hooked to visit them all and hopefully this blog will give you a taste of some of the Paradores that we’ve visited. Prices can vary wildy depending on when you book (hundreds of euros difference), go in the off seasons and you’ll save a packet, and keep an eye out for promotions when you’ll pay just 70 euros per night, check the website and sign up for the newsletter. Confusingly there are a couple of official websites for Paradores – parador.es and paradoresofspain.com, we’ve found that the latter one tends to give better prices and deals. Also apply for the amigos card for special booking discounts.
A lot of the Paradores are situated outside the local town or city…usually high up on a hill as this is where castles and fortresses like to hang out…so a car is best when doing these stays, unless you find the city centre palaces or you like a good climb up a steep hill.
The food can sometimes be a bit hit or miss…but try to go a la carte to get the best options. Typically each Parador showcases local cuisine, and within Spain they are ‘famous’ for their food, but if you are based in a city centre then sometimes it’s best to head out to local restaurants for better quality and cheaper prices…although some Paradores just have to be visited for their food (another amigos benefit is the discount on meals and free welcome drinks).
Taking our Paradores in alphabetical order, you can jump to: Alarcon (Castile-La Mancha), Alcaniz (Aragon), Almagro (Castile-La Mancha), Arcos de la Frontera (Andalusia), Benicarlo (Valencia), Cáceres (Extremadura), Cardona (Catalonia), Cazorla (Andalusia), Chinchon (Madrid), Cuenca (Castile-La Mancha), El Saler (Valencia), Granada (Andalusia), Guadalupe (Extremadura), Jaén (Andalusia), Lleida (Catalonia), Lorca (Murcia), Malaga (Andalusia), Olite (Navarre), Pontevedra (Galicia), Santo Domingo de la Calzada (La Rioja), La Seu d’Urgell (Catalonia) , Sigüenza (Castile-La Mancha), Sos Del Rey Catolico (Aragon), Tortosa (Catalonia), Ubeda (Andalusia), Vic-Sac (Catalonia), Zafra (Extremadura)
Alarcon 🏠
If you are driving between Valencia and Madrid (or vice versa) then this is a good stop off point in between the two…Alarcon is one of those tiny Spanish places that is built around a medieval castle. Arriving at night in the middle of winter makes it like a shining little star in the darkness of the highway that passes by. Dining in its great hall will give you that ‘knights of the round table’ feel.
The Parador is the castle and is perched over the river Jucar to give wonderful views of the surrounding landscape. As well as its impressive river location where (when the weather is a bit warmer) you can enjoy a number of watersports Alarcon has a number of gothic sights to see, particularly the Church of Santa María del Campo and its imposing portal.
Alcaniz 🏠
If you like your Paradores to be big, sprawling castles, then Alcaniz, set in the heart of the Tereul province of Aragon is your target. Expect grand rooms, escher stairways, giant fireplaces, medieval chairs (with no arms!), fantastic views and tasty dinners (the veal and Aragonese ham in particular).
A fairytale castle is not the only reason to come to this part of Aragon, as you head south (east) then you’ll find a fantastic river canyon hike in the village of Beceite; prepare yourself with a gourmet lunch at Font del Pas and then hit the boards of the Ruta del Parrisal.
Further south towards Teruel you’ll come across pretty mountain villages, such as Valderrobles and its stone bridge; the hilltop Morella and it’s Roman aquaduct; the ghostly Mirambel (if you visit mid-week); the curves of mountain roads and fields of poppies (in May).
Almagro 🏠
The Parador is a 16th century monastery that is set around a number of tranquil courtyards, one of which where you can try the local specialties in the hotel restaurant, especially the flowery desert.
This Parador is another stop in a tiny town en-route from one place to another, for us this was a stop on our way to Extremadura having enjoyed the nature of the Ruidera lakes.
Arcos de la Frontera 🏠
Despite the frontier name you’ll find this Parador a little way inland on the eastern side of Andalusia. If driving then steel yourself for a bum clenching drive through the narrow streets of the village to the heart of the old town to where the Parador sits in the former home of a local magistrate on the Plaza del Cabildo (that doubles as the parking lot for the village).
Beautifully situated with stunning views of the surrounding countryside and if facing the square you’ll get front row seats for the Basilica of Santa Maria (and a perfect alarm clock when the bells toll). The Parador has a moorish feel inside and one of the most impressive panorama bar windows you could ever wish to find. You will also have several options for dinner, and we snuck out to the Taberna Jovenes Flamencos for some tasy tapas, Sherry and bullfighting memorabilia.
Arcos is the eastern gateway to the route of the white villages of Andalusia, so give yourself time to explore it’s narrow alleys (on foot!), it’s surrounding views and make time for a bit of romance at the ‘Besame Arch’.
Continuing eastwards from Arcos will put you on track to visit many of the other white villages of the region. Some highlights for us include: Ubrique, that is the ‘secret’ home to the leather producers for all the great fashion houses, but gentlemen should not despair as whilst the ladies shop there is a nice hike up through the village for stunning views of this white village.
Zahara de la Sierra is a white village that contrasts spectacularly with its azure lake nearby; and Setenil de las Bodegas where the white houses are literally built into and underneath the rocks and cliffs of this canyon where it is situated.
Benicarlo 🏠
Along Spain’s coastline the Paradores will tend to be a bit more modern in style, so none of the history but still a great night’s stay. Benicarlo is one of those stops along Valencia’s Costa del Azahar that fronts onto the sea and has lovely gardens from which you can enjoy your drinks and dinner.
Benicarlo is also next door to the impressive Peñíscola, a peninsula fortress town that juts out into the sea that has a very Mediterranean feel to it with it’s white washed houses, cobbled streets and blue sea vistas. Oh and it’s a prime GoT filming location, so explore and re-enact!
Cáceres 🏠
A must-visit destination, Caceres is the provincial capital, set right in the heart of Extremadura, which itself is one of the remotest and least visited of Spain’s provinces that borders Portugal…and a hidden gem to visit and explore. The Parador is set in a Renaissance palace at the centre of the historic quarter, princely rooms, but don’t expect a view with all these ancient walls crowing in.
The city is a medieval wonderland, with a historic quarter that has the Unesco seal of approval, narrow cobbled alleyways and ancient architecture everywhere. As the Parador is set in the city, we opted to eat out, and just round the corner is the excellent La Cacharreria, a little tapas place in a palacial setting that serves some great bites in an intimate setting (not the normal boisterous tapas experience). Don’t leave Caceres without some of it tasty cheese – Torta del Casar – that is best served heated in the oven and scooping the cheese out with some bread and vegetables.
Cardona 🏠
A 9th century castle perched above this Catalan town makes for a stunning location steeped in centuries of history. With battlements, parapets, stone archways and a warren of steps and passageways this Parador makes for a stay full of gothic exploration and discovery.
Dinner in the vaulted stone restaurant is delicious, with the local specialty of Caracoles (snails), foie and anchovies.
Why, might you ask, is there such a grand castle seemingly in the middle of nowhere? Cardona is also the home of a huge Salt mine that was owned and managed by the local dukes, and it was this white gold that built your wonderful hotel. So make sure you plan a trip to the ‘Salt Mountain‘ for an excellent tour through its shining, Christmas like tunnels and caverns. It fills up fast, so book your tour on the website, tours are only in Catalan and Spanish but you’ll get a paper guide in English which is plenty to take in this natural marvel.
Cazorla 🏠
You have to take a bit of a detour into the wilderness to find this Parador. Set in the Segura y las Villas Nature Reserve it is an Andalusian country house that is a perfect getaway from it all. If you are travelling to and from Andalusia from the north east, passing by Ubeda and Jain then it is worth a bit of a diversion for a very pleasant lunch on the hotel’s balcony (which is what we did).
Walk off your lunch with a hike along the Rio Borosa and if its hot then maybe take a dip in the lovely fresh water.
Chinchon 🏠
If you find yourself in Madrid and you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city then just head 50km to the south and you’ll find the perfect antidote in a visit to the unique town of Chinchon. With rustic houses sprawling over the hills and centred around its unique Plaza Major that doubles as the local bull ring (sand and all)!
The Parador is set just off the Plaza in a former Augustinian monastery that has a lovely little courtyard, cosy rooms, coulourful restaurant, religious icons and at Christmas all wrapped up in tinsel and lights!
Cuenca 🏠
Over to Castille la Machna and to one of our favourite Spanish towns along with one of the nicest Paradors to stay at if you can get a good deal (which we did!). The Parador is first rate, a former monastery that is unquely placed facing the old town. Marble corridors and well renovated rooms.
Perched above the Jucar and Huecar gorges the town is dramatically located that makes for great exploration of its winding streets and many miradors. One of the highlights here are Cuenca’s famous hanging houses, precariously hanging over the gorges. The best view for the houses (and the Parador itself) is from the San Pablo bridge that is an adventure to cross in itself. We didn’t get the chance to experience the food here as the Michelin starred Trivio was calling to us with its homemade beer, escabiche polvoron and all other delicacies at a super reasonable price…it does require a walk down into the newer part of town though.
El Saler 🏠
Our local Parador is a modern one set on the wild coastline of this stretch of the Valencia province. Probably the most reclusive that we have ventured to, where you don’t just stroll up to have a ‘bit of a look’ but rather need to transit a gated security post along with a cash entry fee that you can redeem against food / drinks.
The Parador is set in the national park of El Saler and really has the feel of a remote, exclusive, retreat, although just 30 mins from the centre of Valencia. Here you can enjoy world class golf, hiking through the national park and even find turtles hatching along the beach that borders the Parador.
The restaurant is grand and spacious where you can enjoy all of the regional delicacies…but if you want to enjoy some Paella Valenciana then really you should head out down the road to the nearby town of El Palmar that is the true home of this iconic dish. Check out our blog on the Valencia province to see all the other great things you can do in our Spanish backyard: Valencia Province
Granada 🏠
The jewel in the Parador crown, this hotel actually forms part of the Alhambra palace complex and is a former convent that is right next to the palace gate and gives perfect views from its terrace to the Generalife Gardens and Summer palace. Needless to say you will almost never find this hotel at a discount below its usual 400 euro per night! A more reasonably priced visit is to have a wonderful lunch on its terrace and soak in the history and ambience of the hotel (and plentiful vitamin D).
Do make sure that you keep some room to have a a cheeky aperitif on the terrace of the Alhambra Palace just across the road where you will get an absolutely stunning view of the city, overlooked by the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
Granada is easily worth a whole blog in itself and so Matt will get writing on that…in the meantime, beyond a beautiful city to explore, flamenco, great food and hiking in the local nature then we suggest if you are here in the winter months then head up to Sierra Nevada, where you can experience Europe’s most southerly skiing…blue skies, empty slopes and busy apres ski…perfect!
Guadalupe 🏠
A pilgrimage town in Extremadura and a good stop off to visit this far flung region. The location of one of Spain’s 3 black Madonnas, the Virgin of Guadalupe…also inspiring the Philippine may-time festival of Bolibongkingking (drums and gongs!). Our visit to the Parador was fleeting, but enough to take in its pretty monastic courtyard where you can have a shaded lunch and a stop off for the panoramic mirador on our way out.
Jaén 🏠
The self proclaimed world capital of olive oil, you’ll find this city nestled amongst the numerous olive groves of the region that makes it a very tasty visit. The Parador is an out of town one and sits atop a hill as a modern day brutalist castle, giving great views and fine dining.
Lleida 🏠
Lleida is home to one of the most beautiful city Paradors that we have visited, a 17th Century convent, set around a stunning covered courtyard, beautifully refurbished with modern stylish rooms and a breathtaking dinning hall that is situated in the high domed chancel of the monastery. And the food!!! This Parador really gives a Michelin level of cuisine, with the local cod salad, slow cooked eggs and fried artichokes.
Lleida is very much a stop-off point along a route to the North or South of Spain, and truth be told it is not such a savory city…but beyond the Parador (which is worth a diversion for itself) Lleida does has one other shining star, which is the Seu Vella (Old Cathedral). Dominating the city, this 13th century complex, house the old cathedral and the templar castle that are just asking to be explored…particularly the gothic cloisters and the 178 steps to the top of the bell tower.
If you are heading south, then a must stop for lunch is the beautiful hilltop village of Horta Suan Juan; as well as wonderful views and quant cobbled streets you can enjoy the excellent Can Parrado that has a rustic feel mixed with excellent cuisine…and all for just 12 eur for a 3 course lunch with wine!
Lorca 🏠
Another modern castellated Parador high up above the city of Lorca. Ideal for when you journey south from Valencia into eastern Andalusia. The modern rooms are some of the most spacious we’ve found in a Parador and the restaurant also one of the best we’ve found in the chain…with an amazing restaurant terrace for a candlelit dinner overlooking the sparkling city below.
Malaga 🏠
A sunny, coastal Parador that is once again set high up above the city on Mount Gibralfaro to give superb coastal views that layout Malaga below. A colonial house style, located next to the castle and in pretty gardens the Parador also has a winding path down to the city that gives good access to visit what is going on down below but far enough away to give some relaxation. The restaurant has a lovely terrace for dinner at night and to enjoy the local specialties.
Perfect as an overnight base to visit the city and also for the daytrip to one of Spain’s best hikes – the Caminito del Rey, get more info on this spectacular trip here.
Olite 🏠
Olite is a must visit town to the south of Pamplona and the fact that it has a 15th Century castle Parador is just the icing on the cake. The hotel is in one of the wings of the palace-castle of the King’s of Navarre, made up of two parts – the old palace and the new palace, each dripping with medieval fantasy…tapestries, stained glass, ornate carvings and suits of armour.
Olite itself has some wonderful sights to see, primarily the Castle that is a kid’s (and big kid’s) dream of what a castle should be; a warren of steps, towers, battlements to keep you occupied for several hours of exploration…almost no part of this castle can not be explored and it is large enough to give all visitors the place to explore and enjoy the surrounding views.
The rest of the town comprises cobbled streets and pretty buildings, and of course excellent bars surrounding the Pl. Carlos III El Noble, where you can reward yourself after all the exploring with a nice fresh beer! If you don’t eat at the Parador then we recommend heading past the Plaza and down C. Rue Major where you’ll find throngs of locals enjoying tapas and the local wine…pick a place and enjoy, we ended up at the simple yet tasty Katixa.
A visit in August will also give you a chance to experience festivities in a Navarran way, mid August is the Medieval Festival and towards the end is the celebration of Virgen del Cólera. We were lucky to be here for the latter and were treated to local folk music, inflatable running of the bulls and the spectacular (and scary) Torico de Fuego…basically a person carrying a bull-like mannequin to which are strapped fireworks that are exploding whilst they run around the town square chasing people!
Pontevedra 🏠
All the way out of the Western Coast of Galicia you’ll find the charming city of Pontevedra…home of our next Parador of the same name that was once the residence of the counts of Maceda. It is a beautiful ‘little’ (not so small, but maybe after you are used to castles then relatively so) palace-like building with ornate stone stairways, long wooden paneled halls, a cosy bar and an even cosier car park (get here early to get a spot!).
Plan a good amount of time to visit the Casco Antiguo, the Plaza de Lena, the Chapel of the Pilgrim Virgin (as Pontevedra sits firmly on the Camino Portuguese), the namesake bridge and all the wonderful sidestreets to get lost in. Once you’ve done exploring then head to Rúa Figueroa for lunch where you will be spoilt for choice of eateries to enjoy.
Santo Domingo de la Calzada 🏠
Tracing back along the Camino Frances de Santiago (by car for us on this journey) you will pass straight through the beautiful town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Right at the heart of this city you’ll find the Parador, next to the cathedral and dating from the 12th Century as a hospital for those following ‘the Way’. A perfect location and a spot steeped in centuries of history.
A wander around the streets of this pilgrim town is very atmospheric, although the toll of the pandemic is starting to show in places with shops and restaurants starting to close down and the facades of the historic buildings hiding the decay behind…so help arrest this by visiting and enjoying this place. Surrounding Santo Domingo you also have a wealth of sights, from the capital of the region, Burgos (and the best Morcilla in Spain!), to another Santo Domingo (de Silos) for hot sleepy lunches in the square, plus the idiosyncratic ‘Sad Hill‘ that was a cemetery for the filming of the Good the Bad and the Ugly, made by the movie team but maintained as a homage by a local society!
La Seu d’Urgell 🏠
If you are going to be visit or passing through Andorra then this Parador is perfectly placed to spend a night either having come from or going to the tiny Principality. Set around an 18th century cloister, the Parador has a modern feel in an old building, with rooms that look out onto the Catalan Pyrenees, a huge atrium to enjoy your vino and as with all great Paradores a warren of rooms and corridors to wander and discover.
The town of La Seu d’Urgell is also well worth a visit in itself, with a very quaint historic centre that has a very pictoreque Cathedral, porticoed medieval streets with an arcade of wooden façade shops that will transport you to the days of old.
The town is also a bit of an outdoor centre, having hosted the canoe slalom of the 1992 Olympics, the course still remains and is open for rafting, canoeing and many other watersports .
Before you leave Seu, do make sure you have a tasty hot chocolate at the Xocolateria Jolonch that is just opposite the Parador!
Sigüenza 🏠
This Parador is one of the most impressive and romantic that we’ve been to…its formal title being the Castle of the Bishops of Sigüenza it is perched high up above the town and brings together Roman, Arab and Medieval periods to give a great stay (you may even run into to some Crusader ghosts!). The views are stunning and having dinner in the huge courtyard on a warm summer’s evening is just perfect. Try to get an upgraded room that has a balcony overlooking the courtyard.
Even though you may feel in a remote fortress, venture outside it’s gates to see the upper town of Sigüenza that is a warren of cobbled alleys and hidden bars and restaurants to discover.
Sos del Rey Catolico 🏠
A poetically named Medieval walled town, originally just Sos, but once it became the birthplace of Ferdinand II of Aragon then it inherited ‘of the Catholic Monarch’ to it’s name. A lovely place to visit, perched highup and yet still having plenty more up to discover along its cobbled streets – a castle, palaces, Jewish quarter and unique church with crypt like passages are ripe for the explorer.
The Parador itself does not give too much away about its history…merely that it is stately and Aragonese, but nonetheless a solid, large feel with lots of corridors to explore and a wonderful balcony to enjoy a pre-dinner drink. For dinner we opted to explore the winding streets above us and a lovely gourmet meal at La Cocina de Principal.
A night in Sos leaves you perfectly placed for a day trip to the wonderful city of Pamplona, known for its summertime running of the Bulls. Coming in early May as we did you’ll find the Bulls are replaced by perigrinos running to get their place at the local auberge, as Pamplona is also on the Camino de Santiago…a mere 600km to go from here…buen camino!
Teruel 🏠
Teruel, the capital of its province in Aragon is a Mudéjar crossroads that we have passed through many times on our journeys through northern and western Spain. Each time we pass by we find something new to see and visit that can easily fill a blog on its own. For this visit we overnighted in the Parador of Teruel, a country mansion on the edge of the city. It certainly does have that country feel with lots of wood and light…but it’s rather remote (not really walking distance from the city) and so not one of our preferred Pardores.
Nonetheless there is plenty to see in the city and its surrounds, with the Mudéjar gate towers that surround the city, La Escalinata steps and the little toro. Further out you’ll come to the such as the mountaintop walls of Albarracin town, the vivid red Cañon Rojo Teruel, and to the east the twin villages of Mora de Rubielos and Rubielos de Mora that are hilltop villages hidden away in deep valleys! Stop in RdM (coted as one of Spain’s most beautiful villages) for that Alsatian village experience and enjoy hot pork scratchings and a fresh Turia at Casa Vicente.
Tortosa 🏠
Our first introduction to Paradores, a stop off on the way from Valencia to Barcelona. High up in the Zuda Castle, so once again you’ll have a great views to enjoy from up here. This Parador is more of an overnight stop type of place with monastic cell-like rooms, but still a nice experience and a medieval dining setting. If you take a night-time wander down to the town below, expect a rather curious place that is half deserted and boarded up as if waiting for a mass renovation, a little bit creepy.
Ubeda 🏠
Back to northern Andalusia and the Unesco approved city of Ubeda. Another ancient city that makes for a great visit. The Parador is situated in the heart of the history in a 16th century palace on the ornate Vázquez de Molina Square. With suitably palacial rooms, thick walls and small windows. Being in the centre of town it is perfectly placed to visit the local sites, and to pick up some more of that delicious Jaen region olive oil!
Vic-Sac 🏠
Tucked away in the woods of the Guillerías mountains, about an hour west of Girona is this beautiful Catalan house style Parador. Set above the Sau reservoir this makes for picture perfect views by night and day. Keep your appetite ready as the restaurant, which has a bit of a Soviet style cafeteria feel, serves one of the best Parador meals with a succulent (and huge) beef rib.
A trip here means hiking and remote villages, and a must visit in the area is the picturesque village of Rupit, with its swinging bridge, steep cobbled alleyways, strange local traditions and al fresco lunches with the most perfect views.
And then onto medieval town of Besalu and it’s impressive bridge entrance, followed by the magical Girona.
Zafra 🏠
Head south through Extremadura and you’ll have a natural stop off point at Zafra and its 15th Century palace that looks more like an imposing Norman castle. Inside you’ll find grand stone staircases and a covered courtyard that looks especially festive during the Christmas holidays. Old style rooms with heavy wooden furniture that probably also came from the 15th century, provide for a very atmospheric (ghostly!) stay!
Zafra itself is a sleepy cobbled town that comes to life in the evening along its moorish squares – the Plaza Grande and the Plaza Chica where you’ll find all the bars and restaurants, plus, if you visit over Christmas some nice lights for such a small sized place. A trendy dinner at Meraki makes for a great alternative to the brooding Parador restaurant.
