A colourscape of pink, orange and red houses proliferate this
mountain town. Plotted on a bend on the Guadalaviar River, this
Moorish city’s towering medieval walls up the drama among otherwise
laidback landscape. On arrival, ramble up to the castle ruins or,
for something more strenuous (and provided you have the time), hike
the Pinares de Rodeno – which rewards with resplendent views.

Andalusia‘s “pueblos blancos” (“white towns” named for the
uniform colour of houses) are rehashed repeatedly on travel lists
as a “must visit”. Not ones to kowtow to popular opinion, we’re
making an exception for Ronda. It’s location – set high in the
mountains with views of the valley below – is enough to convince
even the most intrepid of travellers of its worthiness.

There are charming villages galore in Catalonia but few can
equal Besalú. While more “important” in the middle ages, the town’s
cobbled streets and 12th-centrury relics hold their own today. A
great day trip option from Barcelona or Girona, medieval history
lovers, in particular, will get a real kick out of this storied
spot.

Unlike the single-hue towns that dot Spain’s countryside (no
disrespect to Ronda), Cudillero is rainbow swept. The fishing
village on the Bay of Biscay can be ID’d by its pastel-coloured,
half-timbered houses – making the return home after a day trip to a
neighbouring beach all the easier.

If Hans Christian Andersen did fishing villages… Lekeitio’s
fairy-tale surrounds, proximity to the beach and rugged coastline
make it hard to match on the looks front. A miniature version of
San Sebastián, Lekeitio has a modest but dynamic food offering,
with most visitors gravitating to popular pintxo bars.

Surrounded by the tallest peaks in the Pyrenees, Benasque deals
in lavish mountain-side mansions and wood-panelled restaurants.
Slurp on mugs of hot chocolate before setting out to test the
slopes. Don’t ski? Hiking among glaciers and waterfalls isn’t a bad
consolation prize.