GO SI IT
The walled Spanish city you should visit in 2024 – with Roman ruins, award-winning attractions and famous cheese
And it's surrounded by wine makers who offer tours and tasting
A LESSER visited city in Spain has been named as one of the best city break destinations for this year.
People frequently head to places like Barcelona, Madrid and Seville for weekends away, but there are many more cities that tourists might want to consider for a quick trip.
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One place is Toledo - an ancient walled city filled with award-winning attractions and sights near to several wine makers.
It was included on Lonely Planet's list of top places to visit in Spain in 2024.
They recommended visiting its cobbled streets, filled with historic buildings and taking in the stunning views from just outside the city walls.
They wrote: "This 2000-year-old walled city occupies a significant place in Spain's history.
"Walk along its narrow cobblestone streets to glimpse the vestiges of this unique cultural melange — ancient Roman structures, Moorish architectural styles, the Catedral de Toledo, the El Tránsito Synagogue and the Cristo de la Luz Mosque.
"Head over to the Mirador del Valle for spectacular panoramic views and a picture-perfect photo of this historic city by the Tagus River."
Among the buildings tourists often visit are the Catedral Primada - described as a "superb example of Gothic architecture" online, and the Roman circus, the well-preserved remains of a Roman stadium.
There's also the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes and the Alcantara Bridge. All three attractions received TripAdvisor travellers' choice awards last year.
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Those awards are only handed out to attractions with a high number of positive reviews left by members of the public on the website.
Other sightseeing highlights to have received the awards include the old town, or Casco Historico de Toledo, the El Tránsito Synagogue and the Manchego cheese museum, or MQM as it's known locally.
It offers visitors plenty of cheese tasting experiences, as well as the chance to learn about the production of the region's best-loved cheese.
One visitor wrote: "We got a wonderful intro to Manchego and a series of different aged cheeses paired with a glass a wine for €7."
Everything you need to know about visiting Spain
- Brits must have at least three months left on their passport from the day you plan to leave the country.
- Tourists do not need a visa if visiting for up to 90 days in an 180-day period.
- Make sure your passport is stamped on entry and exit.
- Travellers may be asked to show hotel booking confirmations and that they have enough money for their stay at the border.
- Spain is one hour ahead of the UK.
- The country uses the euro with with around €10 working out to £8.55.
- Flights to Spain from the UK take between 2-4 hours depending on the destination.
Another added: "We loved this so much! The museum is free and it's great to learn all about the region, the sheep, and how this cheese has been produced for centuries."
The cheese museum isn't the only place people can enjoy the city's local food and wine production.
Wine makers surrounding the city can be toured and explored, including Pagos De Familia Vega Tolosa and others.
Wine tourism also pointed out some of the sweeter treats the region is known for.
They said: "Visit the Castilla-La-Mancha wine region and enjoy rural products, such as honey from La Alcarria and marzipan from Toledo, as well as the wide range of wines including Valdepeñas."
The nearest airport to Toledo is Madrid, with return flights available from the UK from around £36.
A night for two in the city can be booked from £32.
Other lesser known places in Spain have been gaining attention from travellers looking for unique holiday destinations.
Setenil de las Bodegas
Located in Andalusia, Setenil de las Bodegas has been labelled as "the most unique of all the white villages" in the region, with its houses and restaurants, all painted gleaming white, built into a rocky crag.
Guests can stroll around the narrow streets between rocky walls and beneath boulders as they experience life in the one-of-a-kind town.
Javea
In the heart of the Costa Blanca is a small seaside town that a lot of people outside of Spain haven’t heard of.
Javea is known as one of the most beautiful spots on Alicante’s Mediterranean coastline, with white-sand beaches and idyllic 'pirate bays'.
Read more on the Irish Sun
Cudillero
Cudillero in the Asturias region of northern Spain is described online as "ridiculously eye catching".
It has colourful houses built on a hillside around a harbour with clear blue waters.
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