Zaragoza, verdict by verdict

Zaragoza is Spain's most under-visited major city: the towering Basilica del Pilar on the Ebro, the Aljaferia's Mudejar palace where Aragon's kings lived, a Roman forum quarter under the modern centre, Goya's hometown museums, and the tapas lanes of El Tubo, all at half the tourist density of Madrid or Barcelona.

The real caveats: the city sits between Spain's big draws rather than on them, the airport is tiny with only a few routes, so most visitors arrive by AVE from Madrid or Barcelona in under ninety minutes, and the old town is compact enough to cover in a day. It is a one-to-two-day city, not a week of sights.

In exchange you get the Moorish-Roman-Basilica trifecta with almost no queues: Pilar, La Seo and El Tubo on day one, the Aljaferia, the Goya collection and the Expo riverfront on day two. March to June and September to November are the months, October's Fiestas del Pilar is the big week, and summers run hot and windy. It suits travelers who want Mudejar architecture, basilica scale, Aragonese tapas culture and a Spanish city that has not been processed for tourism.