Over the years Spain has become a country close to my heart, Majorca was the first ever place abroad I visited as a teen in the 1990s – and I’ve since been back there numerous times. The Majorcan city of Palma is a stunning place for a winter break, but there’s two lesser-known Spanish cities that I’ve also been to that really stood out.

All in all I’ve travelled to nine Spanish cities over several years, they’ve all been truly special in their own way and all extremely different. From inland Madrid to bustling Seville or the sea-fringed southern province of Cádiz, each place has been memorable and unique. I’ve been to Barcelona a couple of times, in fact I once spent several months there, and it’s a wonderful city, however it was two other Spanish cities that really stole my heart.

Now, the first city that captured my attention is described by Lonely Planet as being “truly one of Spain’s most magnificent cities” – and I completely agree, it’s an ancient place not far from Madrid called Toledo.

It was several years ago that I visited this ancient place alone, and out of the busy season, so there were hardly any tourists, but these days, as with many other places, Toledo can attract too many visitors at times.

This atmospheric place is an old walled city with a haunting vibe of past lives, you can just feel the layers of time that have played out in Toledo, the ancient place is set on a hill surrounded by the Tagus River (El Rio Tajo in Spanish).

When I arrived, by train from Madrid, seeing Toledo really took my breath away – and at first look I thought the river was a moat, however I have since discovered that it winds naturally around the hill that this city stands on.

Lonely Planet reported that Toledo “was known as the ‘city of three cultures’ in the Middle Ages” where “Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities peacefully coexisted”.

But even in modern times, it’s that feeling of varied culture that is compelling and somehow magical, like it’s been stored in the walls of the old buildings here, there’s mosques, synagogues and one of Spain’s “finest Gothic cathedrals” in this city.

Historically, it’s said that Toledo was named by the Romans, then later it became an Arabic fortress, the old town area is so full of history, including sights such as the “Puerta de Valmardon” – the oldest city gate within the walls.

The most ancient monument in Toledo still standing is said to be the Cristo de la Luz Mosque, built in the year 999, but throughout this sprawling city, you’ll spot so much of interest and from so many eras.

Now on to my next most memorable Spanish city, possibly even lesser known than Toledo – and actually you can take a train from Toledo to this stunning place, I’ve covered lots of Spain via rail journeys – and I’d definitely recommend it. You can see so much of the countryside this way too.

Córdoba, situated in the Andalusia province, located in the south of the country – and I visited this city a couple of years ago while travelling by train and coach.

Having spent two days in Seville, after landing in Malaga, Córdoba was less than an hour’s train ride from the city of Seville – and what a fascinating place.

Córdoba is set on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, the river runs from Seville to Cádiz – and is teeming with nature and wildlife.

The Sierra Morena Mountains frame Córdoba, it was October when I was there and it was still hot, with daytime temperatures of 40C. I would certainly recommend visiting at a cooler time of year, but the city was so atmospheric.

It’s known as the ‘city of flowers’ because of the multiple floral decorations placed in streets, on monuments and balconies, including one narrow street, the Calleja de las Flores, which was particularly colourful.

The Roman Bridge of Córdoba is one of the city’s main breathtaking features, it featured in Games of Thrones, series 5 as the “Long Bridge of Volantis”, from here there are exceptional views and peaceful riverside walks.

The city itself is bustling, in its midst sits the Mezquita Cathedral de Córdoba, a unique mosque-cathedral, it’s an incredible building which was once under Moorish rule centuries ago, before becoming a Catholic cathedral.

Córdoba has a fun vibe though it’s set in ancient surroundings, and there’s something interesting to see whenever you look, including the whitewashed or colourful homes on unspoilt cobbled streets.

It’s a really memorable place with a mix of culture and great food such as the Córdoban Salmorejo soup with garlic, tomato and olive oil, which is even served at breakfast.

My stop in this city was part of an adventure visiting Malaga, Seville, Córdoba along with the seaside city, Cádiz, which was also delightful and all of these places were so unique in their own way.

Cádiz is fringed by the Atlantic Ocean, so it’s no surprise that a fried selection of seafood is one its traditional food specialities – and it’s so fresh and tasty.

The city’s central market (Mercado Central) offers some of the best local fish as well as deliciously sweet churros, the atmosphere of this market is proper local, yes there are tourists, but not as many as in other seaside Spanish spots.

In this city, which stares out across the ocean towards Morocco and beyond, the bells ring daily and frequently from the Cádiz Cathedral which adds to the continental vibe.

Walking alongside the coast is beautiful here and the beaches are sandy, although the sea state was rough in October so I couldn’t swim, despite the sea temperature still being very warm then.

Exploring Andalusia city by city was a great way to see this part of Spain and definitely something I’d do again, it’s also rewarding in my opinion to see several different places in one exploring holiday.

And there’s one more city to mention at the opposite end of the country in north eastern Spain, which I visited at another time – and that’s Girona.

Girona is less than an hour away by train from Barcelona. I travelled there from the seaside resort of Lloret de Mar while on holiday – and it’s another interesting city that has an impressive old town.

I explored the Passeig de la Muralla while in Girona old town which has lots of steps leading to high points with amazing views of the surrounding province. This city is inland, but there are several beach areas a short drive or train journey away.

Girona is a mix of old structures and brightly-coloured new buildings, Spain’s official tourism website describes this city as being “of Roman origin with medieval, Romanesque, Gothic and modernist architecture”. And this city was another Spanish setting where Game of Thrones was filmed.