Founded in 25 BCE by the emperor Augustus, Mérida is home to the most important Roman settlement on the peninsula. The best way to discover the city is to wander through its olds streets and see spectacular monuments such as the Roman Amphitheatre, Circus and Theatre, which has been the backdrop for the International Festival of Classical Theatre since 1933. Other sights not to be missed include the National Museum of Roman Art and the city’s magnificent Arab heritage, such as the Alcazaba and the Archaeological Complex of the Morería.

 

Mérida is much more than the city, Nearby you can see prehistoric structures such as the Dolmen of Lácara and the burial sites of Huerta Montero, and visit the Roman reservoirs of Proserpina and Cornalvo, where you can relax in the bathing areas and bars. If you like nature, you’ll be amazed by the Natural Park of Cornalvo, while the tremendous biological wealth of the National Park of Monfragüe is just a little further away. And if golf is your game, you’ll find an excellent course just 8 kilometres away from the city.

A local song starts with the words “at the feet of one hundred mountains that rise all around”, and this is the case with the town of Cangas de Narcea, just two kilometres away from the Parador. The best way to discover it is to wander through its stone paved streets, full of mansion houses, palaces and churches, a reflection of the lineage of the first Asturian kings. The traditional beauty of the region combines beautiful typical buildings such as the Molino de Villajur and monuments such as the Sanctuary of the Virgen del Acebo, one of the Marian churches of Asturias.

 

More than anything, Cangas de Narcea is a natural paradise. The old stables of the Monastery of Corias are home to the Centre of the Natural Park of Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña e Ibias, where you’ll find a starting point for all kinds of hiking and adventure activities in the magical place. You shouldn’t miss the Natural Reserve of the Forest of Muniellos, the largest oak forest in Spain, where brown bears and grouse – emblems of the regional fauna – can be found. Cangas del Narcea is also the home of D.O. Cangas wine, with a wine museum, cellars and vineyards open to visitors.

The best way to discover Zafra is to start at its walls. One of the most beautiful entrances is the Puerta de Jerez. From there you can walk through its streets and discover its unique buildings and monuments, which have been declared a Historic-Artistic Site of National Interest. Highlights include the Dukes of Feria Fortress, which is now a Tourism Parador; the Collegiate Church of Santa María de Candelaria, the Monastery of Santa Clara, the Convent of Santa Catalina, the churches of Santa Marina (attached to the Fortress) and del Rosario, as well as its Plaza Grande and Plaza Chica, Plaza de España and Plaza del Alcázar.

The Tacita de Plata, as Cádiz is affectionately known, is well-suited for strolls. It’s one of the oldest cities in Europe, founded in 1100 BCE by the Phoenicians. The Romans used it as a naval base, and it subsequently passed into Muslim hands. The city’s golden age dawned during the trade with the Americas in the 18th century.