5 best small towns in Spain that you don't want to miss
By: Lee

1- Cadaqués

Cadaqués is a small town on the coast of Catalonia, very near Cap de Creus. It is a highly visited destination not just for the beach element, but also due to Salvador Dalí building a summer home in the town which is in and of itself a tourist destination. Prior to the explosive of beach tourism in Spain, Cadaqués was a sleepy fishing town, which some elements of exist to this day.

Cadaqués has a special place in art history. Commanding charcoals, by local artist Mei Fren, of the 19th century Cadaqués beleaguered by a winter Tramontane, can be seen at the Cadaqués museum. Fren was the first modern artist to live in Cadaqués and gave the town many of his works and a marble top table on which he sketched many of its turn of the century fishermen.

Salvador Dalí often visited Cadaqués in his childhood, and later kept a home in Port Lligat, a small village on a bay next to the town. A summer holiday here in 1916, spent with the family of Ramon Pichot is seen as especially important to Dalí's artistic career. Other notable artists, including Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Marcel Duchamp, Antoni Pitxot, Henri-François Rey, Melina Mercouri and Maurice Boitel also spent time here. Cadaqués is mentioned in the story Tramontana by Gabriel García Márquez.

The interesting submarine life of this sleepy fishing village was studied for several years by psychologist Françoise Ardré, long before Cadaqués was discovered and transformed into a tourism destination. On Mondays there is a travelling market in Cadaqués, located near the parking lot. This market has a wide variety of products.

Women of the village traditionally fetched water using a glazed earthenware jug called a "doll". The colour of the glazing was green. Similar earthenware can still be seen used as decorations. A number of photos exist showing women carrying these "dolls" on their heads (covered with a protective cloth).

Owing to Cadaqués's proximity to the French border and its isolation by land, the village had a tradition of running contraband. See the writings of Josep Pla.

2- Elche

Many archeological remains have been found in Elche, with the stone bust of the Lady of Elche (Dama de Elche/Dama d'Elx in Spanish and Valencian, respectively) being the most important. This may date from the Iberian period (4th century BC). The original is in the National Archaeological Museum of Spain.

Can't miss:

Elche Palm Grove (better known as Palmeral de Elche in Spanish, or as Palmerar d'Elx in Valencian). It is an orchard of over 200,000 palm trees that was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000.

Altamira Castle, also known as Alcázar de la Señoría, located next to the Municipal Park (which, in turn, is a part of the Elche Palm Grove) It was originally built in Almohad times (12th-13th centuries), and was later renovated with brick exterior in the 15th century. A former fortress, in 1913 it became a fabric plant, it has also been used as the town hall and as a prison during the Spanish Civil War, while today is home to the Elche Archaeology and History Museum (Museo Arqueológico y de Historia de Elche).

Baños Arabes (Arabic Baths), which re-uses old Roman baths.

Basilica of Santa Maria

Calahorra tower, of rectangular plan and Rabic origin, it represent the last relic of the old city walls.

Municipio

Convento de la Merced.

Huerto del Cura

Elche Palaeontological Museum (Museo paleontológico)

Elche Municipal Festa Museum (Museo de la Festa)

Palm Groves Museum (Museo del Palmeral)

The Mystery Play of Elx (better known as Misteri d'Elx, in Valencian) is a sacral-lyrical medieval drama, dated from the 15th century, which was declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2002. It is played every year in mid August, in the context of the local holidays dedicated to the Assumption of Virgin Mary. Also as a part of this celebration, on the 13th of August is the date of a celebration in Elche called Nit de l'Albà (Night of the Dawn) in which a city-wide night-long show of fireworks takes place.

3- Santillana del Mar

Santillana del Mar is a picturesque town in Cantabria, Spain, renowned for it's medieval architecture. The area around Santillana del Mar has been populated for thousands of years and there are traces of some of the earliest inhabitants at the Altamira Caves about two kilometres from the town.

The original kernel of the medieval village still survives in the centre, although the beauty of the winding streets and yellow sandstone buildings is rather marred by the abundance of shops selling tourist nick-nacks that have proliferated into almost every doorway. The highlight of the town is the Colegiata de Santa Juliana - a lovely medieval church with a walled cloister that can be found in the heart of the town.

More than 20 churches, museums and attractions that you can't miss, fantastic town!

4- Mijas

Mijas is a town and muncipality in the Costa del Sol in southern Spain. It consists of Mijas Pueblo a typically Andalusian white-washed village located at a mountain side 428 m above mean sea level. Everything outside Mijas Pueblo is called Mijas Costa, the main villages: The more industrial area Las Lagunas that's the most populated part of Mijas and it is totally integrated with Fuengirola. La Cala de Mijas is the main beach resort. Other smaller beach resorts are Riviera del Sol and Calahonda.

Don't MIss:

Mijas Pueblo - spectacular views of the African coastline, the Atlas mountains, Gibraltar and a good part of the Costa del Sol.

There is also the Mijas Traditional bull ring and the famous plaza in the center of the town where little donkey/horse trolleys can take you on a small trip around the village.

beaches - the 12 km coastline boasts nine, with those in La Cala the Mijas having the blue European quality flag. Mijas is located up in the sierra mountains but the beach can be accessed by driving down to town of Fuengirola which is right at the coastline. The trip down is around 15 km approx.

5- Nerja

An spectacular seaside resort on the Costa del Sol, in the region of Andalucia of Spain. It is the first resort going away from Malaga to not be dominated by large ugly concrete hotels and is situated in the attractive foothills of the Sierra Almijara mountains.

The Balcon De Europa is a promenade built out onto a natural headland and gives spectacular views of the coast and the mountains inland, where they rise to over 6000 feet. This is the natural focus of the evening walk for both locals and holiday makers and is often the venue for fiestas and events such as the Virgen Del Carmen in July and New Year's Eve.

The absence of high rise developments on the coast, the charm and beauty of the coast line and proximity to many of the white villages, historic cities and a wide choice of accommodation make it an attractive place for perhaps a short , or for some , a week or two.

Don't Miss:

The Balcón de Europa (Balcony of Europe) is a recently reconstructed promenade in the centre of town with good views along the coast. Originally was constructed around 1487 in the place of a former 9th Century Castle. The tourist information in Nerja makes a really big deal out of this although there's not much to do except look up and down the coast.

El Salvador Church. Near the Balcón de Europa, you will find this attractive 17th Century church constructed in baroque-mudejar style.

Nuestra Señora de las Angustias Hermitage, a 16th Century church with paintings by the Alonso Cano.

The Caves of Nerja.

Beaches. There are thirteen kilometers of beaches in Nerja, including the internationally famous Playa Burriana that has once again been awarded by the Blue Flag of the European Union. The sand of the Burriana beach is coarser than the other beaches, and some small areas are fenced off with recliners, where people pay to sit here. There are several smaller, more secluded coves and beaches at Playa Torrecilla. There are many benches on the promenades for those who do not want to sit on sand, and the inevitable eating places.

El puente de Aguila or the Eagle´s bridge, is a 19th century aqueduct, similar to the ones built by the Romans. It was designed to bring water to the nearby village of Maro, one of the oldest settlements around the area. Visible on the way to the caves.

The Rio Chillar Waterfall A beautiful waterfall located along the old river, near the Sunday Market.