Hidden places in Spain

3 uncrowded places in Spain, away from Madrid: quiet towns, geological oddities and free-to-enter ruins.

All (3) Hidden towns (1) Geological oddities (1) Forgotten ruins (1)

Hidden towns Spain · Huesca Province

Alquézar

A medieval village on a limestone spur above the Vero canyon, with walkways bolted to the gorge walls and Palaeolithic rock art in the caves.

Coordinates: 42°10′21″N 0°01′15″W
Crowds: Some visitors
Landscape: Gorge & canyon
Best season: Best in Spring

Geological oddities Spain · Málaga Province

El Torcal de Antequera

A limestone plateau eroded into a stone city of stacked discs and mushroom pillars, an hour from the Costa del Sol and seen by almost none of its visitors.

Coordinates: 36°57′15″N 4°32′40″W
Crowds: Some visitors
Landscape: Karst & cave
Best season: Best in Spring

Forgotten ruins Spain · Guadalajara Province

Castillo de Zafra

A 12th-century castle grown out of a sandstone outcrop on the Molina plateau, better known as the Tower of Joy than by its own name.

Coordinates: 40°50′05″N 1°42′23″W
Crowds: Quiet
Landscape: Plateau & highland
Best season: Best in Shoulder