Local-loved Spanish town is unknown by Brits – but has huge sandy beach and 35,000-year old caves

SPAIN is a popular holiday destination, so finding a quiet spot without other Brits can be a little tricky.

But there's one Spanish seaside town that's loved by locals and unknown to most British holidaymakers.

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Recent research from HomeToGo, a holiday rental marketplace, has revealed 15 destinations across Spain, Italy and France that are loved by locals.

HomeToGo cross-analysed search data from four of its websites to find the holiday spots that are "in-demand with the residents of each country, appearing high up in lists of the 100 most-searched locations amongst domestic travellers".

While the destinations are loved by the locals, they have yet to be discovered by the majority of British holidaymakers.

Ribadesella, a medieval town on the north coast of Spain, took the top spot.

The Spanish seaside town was the 14^th most popular destination among Spanish holidaymakers, but only the 705^th most popular spot among Brits.

Set in the northwestern region of Asturias, the Spanish town has a huge sandy beach and a prehistoric cave.

Ribadesella was founded by King Alfonso X in the 13th century, and it is split into two distinct parts.

The east of Ribadesella is the old part of the city, while the west side is home to a prehistoric cave.

Santa Marina Beach is the main beach in Ribadesella, and it is home to a big stretch of sand that runs alongside the town.

The beach is lined with a backdrop of pretty homes and villas, some of which are used as holiday rentals.  

Holidaymakers have praised the Spanish beach on TripAdvisor, with one person saying: "The beach consists of beautiful white sand that is kept spotlessly clean and tidy. The water shelves gently and there are usually lifeguards on duty."

Another person added: "This place is a must if you’re in Ribadesella. It’s only a short walk from the main town and is well worth it for the view."

There are other beaches in Ribadesella too, including  Vega Beach, which has been dubbed the "wildest beach" because of its waves.

The town's other main attraction is Tito Bustillo Cave, which is a prehistoric cave.

Tito Bustillo Cave was discovered in 1968, and it is home to more than 100 prehistoric paintings, including depictions of horses, reindeer and women.

The cave is open to visitors from the beginning of March until the end of October.

Entry tickets cost €4.14 for a full-paying adult and €2.12 for a reduced-price admission ticket.

There's also Ardines Cave, which used to be connected to the Tito Bustillo Cave.

The cave is known for its beautiful structure, which includes stalactitic and stalagmitic columns.

There are several other attractions in the town including Cueva de Tito Bustillo, a museum dedicated to rocks.

Ribadesella is an hour's drive away from Santander, and it can also be reached by train - although this takes two hours and 30 minutes.

Ryanair operates direct flights to Santander from London Stansted, with one-way fares starting from £13.

Jonas Upmann, Travel Expert and Head of Consumer Communications at HomeToGo, said: "We see that many holidaymakers from the UK are set in their travel preferences, with countries such as Spain, Italy, and France appearing consistently year-on-year as three of the most-searched terms via hometogo.co.uk.

"For Brits who are planning on returning to their favourite destination countries, but still keen to break out of go-to holiday habits, this list reveals where one can find adventure and authenticity."

Spain’s cheapest city break has also been revealed, and a bottle of wine costs under £4 and it’s warm in November

One British expat, who lives Cadiz, has revealed the three big mistakes tourists make while they're on holiday.

And, another travel expert, who visits Spain eight times a year, has shared the big mistakes tourists make that can cost holidaymakers money.

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