Strolling through the southern Spanish city of Sevilla on a sunny early spring day, the sweet smells of orange blossoms surround you as they waft through the air. These fragrant fruit trees flourish in the cobble-stoned streets and bring color to the beautiful Royal Alcázar of Seville.

Where can you wake up in the morning to the pitter-patter of raindrops falling onto the lush, green mountainside while the bagpipes play in the distance? Scotland seems the obvious answer, but if you trade the kilts and haggis for jamón (ham) and bulls, you might be surprised to find the same scene in Asturias, Spain.

When travelers dream of Spain, most think about wandering down cobblestone alleys, listening to the Spanish guitar, and drinking wine under the shadows of a towering medieval cathedral. However, it’s a mistake to think of Europe only in terms of its beautiful cities and centuries of human history. There is still some wild left.

An ever-evolving city full of history, culture, and a buzzing atmosphere, you can visit Barcelona countless time after time without having the same experience.

With the 600 years they spent occupying the region, called Hispania at the time, from 218 BC to AD 409, the Romans irreversibly changed Spain.