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People dream of European bakeries, lining the city streets, emitting delicious smells day in and day out. However, the truth is, in Spain a good bakery can be hard to find. Gogoko Goxuak is the newest addition to San Sebastián‘s café scene. They boast a great location for people watching, as well as artisan baked goods.

Spain takes its food seriously. After all, it’s the country that gave birth to El Bulli and, as of 2015, has 169 Michelin-starred restaurants (11 in Madrid alone). So it comes as no surprise that a top hotel on a main boulevard in the capital should be home to one of these temples to gastronomy, the two-Michelin-starred Santceloni. But the Hotel Hesperia Madrid doesn’t content itself with just a world-class restaurant. No, this sleek retreat—decorated boldly by some of Spain’s top designers, including Pascua Ortega, Erico Navazo, and Mercedes Gonzalez López-de-Carrizosa—is devoted to the best of contemporary Spanish dining, with a total of three acclaimed restaurants and a sultry scotch bar attracting the most discerning palates in Madrileño society. In between decadent meals—and exploring the ritzy shopping and myriad sights just outside the hotel’s front door—work up an appetite at the open-air gym up on the rooftop, yet another of the Hesperia’s claims to fame.

The most beautiful square in Spain is the Plaza de Espana in Sevilla. Huge, filled with intricate mosaic work depicting the history of the different regions in Spain and waterfalls, lakes and imposing architecture, in summer, it is also filled with one of the most famous and intoxicating scents in Sevilla, Jasmine. Stand and breathe in the fragrance that inspired a thousand lovers on hot summer nights..

If you are looking for truly unique and beautiful gifts from Andalusia, Spain, look no farther than the Zoco Artisan Market in Cordoba. This shop is filled with jewelry, hand painted tiles, shawls, pottery and other local crafts. There are workshops and studios on site so you may even have a chance to see some artists at work. Even if you’re not in the market to shop, the beautiful inner courtyard is worth a peek for its hanging flowers and burbling water-feature.

A short walk from the city center lies the Ebro River and a wonderful walking trail showcasing the natural diversity of Spain’s landscape. The caves carved into the hills behind you leave you wondering who still lives there in this beautiful place. Make sure you pay attention to the placards with information on the foliage and critters you are sure to notice on your relaxing walk. Be like the locals and bring some freshly carved jamon, a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine to make a light picnic before enjoying the walk into town. Photo by Kris Arnold/Flickr.

Northern Spain isn’t nearly as popular as the south among foreign visitors (if you discount the El Camino de Santiago), but for my money the north provides a more pleasurable experience. The mountainous terrain is spectacular, the food in every town we visited is splendid, the beer scene is surprisingly bubbly, and the quaint fishing villages, like quiet Comillas, provide respite from the hustle and bustle of big centers like Barca and Madrid. Comillas, scene here from the hills surrounding gorgeous Pontificial University, features an excellent beach, dozens of neat cafes in an ancient town center, and El Capricho, a building designed by famed Antoni Gaudí.

There’s no shortage of architecturally-interesting museums and performance spaces in Spain but few come by their intrigue as honestly as Matadero Madrid (which was once the city’s abattoir). Built in a neo-Moorish style, the sprawling center hosts all kinds of creative endeavors today, from a Bicycle Film Festival to concerts to design exhibitions.

I took one bite and about fell off my chair. This was the creamiest, most flavorful onion dish I had ever tried. I found myself taking smaller and smaller bites so that I could somehow make it last longer. In a tiny little town barely found on the map in Costa Brava I had one of my best eating experiences in Spain. If Spain was a Russian stacking doll it would be Spain, Catalonia, Costa Brava, Vilademuls, Orfes as the tiny little doll stacked deep within. I looked at my piece of paper I had scribbled on – it read “La Barretina – ask for Albert”. I was staying this week at the nearby villa, Can Grau. Richard, who runs Charming Villas urged me to come to Restaurant La Barrentina in Orfes to try the hearty food this region is known for. After meeting the chef, Albert, I requested that he bring me his favorite dishes on the menu. Soon I had delicious plates of onion cake, duck with orange sauce, and a poached apple tart placed in front of me. The onion cake looked like a quiche to me. It was silky smooth in the middle (made from onion, egg, and cream) with two different types of caramelized onions on the side. All of the food was shockingly good, but the atmosphere of this small town restaurant and the kindness of Albert made it even better. The experience reminded me how important it is to visit the small villages and lesser known areas of a region. More Information: http://www.ottsworld.com/blogs/a-day-with-albert-costa-brava-restaurant/

“Aquí, Se Guisa” is the motto at Borda Berri, one of the Old Town’s best pintxo bars. The star of every pintxo is a braised critter: beef, octopus, rabbit, you name it. There’s no pintxos on the bar at this spot, but don’t let that keep you from entering.

The high end department chain, El Corte Ingles carries all essentials and is a one stop shop for any items forgotten at home. Everyone in Spain knows El Corte Ingles to be a bit pricy, but with good reason: the staff, selection and hours of operation give them quite the advantage. The flagship location Calle Raimundo Fernández Villaverde, 79 is known as the go-to store for having the most name brand shopping under one roof: Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Versace, Hugo Boss, Dolce and Gabbana are just a few you’ll find waiting.

A short drive from the picturesque fishing village of Cadaques and Dalí’s House Museum in Port Lligat, Cap de Creus is one of my favorite places in Spain when it comes to natural beauty. Sweeping views of the ocean from atop the cliffs are even better after a lunch of fresh seafood paella, the catch of the day-baked, grilled or fried, or the restaurant’s surprisingly tasty Indian eats. Burn off lunch with a hike down the steep incline to the waterline, or just cop a squat and settle in to write, sketch or meditate.

I realize that this is a highlight that may not even need words, since the image is so very convincing. If you find yourself exploring the Costa Brava (‘Rugged Coast’) of Spain, be sure not to miss the beach town of Calella and have lunch at the Hotel St. Roc to sample the local specialties and witness this view. Once you descend on foot from the Hotel St. Roc, you’ll start to see footpaths and stairs headed down to a few, beautifully quiet beaches. The water is clear, the swimming great, and siesta seems to never really end in that glorious sunshine.

Catalonians, particularly near the Pyrenees, love their mushrooms. So much so, hunting them in the forest where they grow wild, has become a beloved pastime. One of the best places to do so in the Pyrenees region is Montgrony. Arrive early in the morning so as not to find all the fungi already harvested. Bring a basket for gathering. Of particular note is the yellow mushrooms which look like coral. These, are a particular delicacy sought after by chefs all over Spain.

Lots of locals eat at Nostrum on a regular basis. It may not be exciting, but it’s simple traditional food, made fresh daily for very good prices and the chain has locations throughout Barcelona. Some dishes can cost as little as 1€ and the prices of most menu items are further discounted for members of the chain’s fan club (you sign up by downloading their app for your phone).

Aroa farm, a 10-minute walk from the middle of Getaria, is a farm unlike any other in the entire country of Spain. Jaime Burgaña and his team cultivate exotic vegetables, fruits, and herbs on this 12-acre farm. But their focus is on perfecting and rescuing produce typical to Basque Country, such as the guisante lágrima, or tear pea. This exquisite, labor-intensive vegetable can retail for as much as $350 a pound. Explore the farm, where they also have a tasting room and Jaime is almost always around to chat.