Lleida, Spain

LLEIDA (Lérida), at the heart of a fertile plain near the Aragonese border, has a rich history. First a municipium under the Roman empire and later the centre of a small Arab kingdom, it was reconquered by the Catalans and became the seat of a bishopric in 1149. Little of those periods survives in today's city but there is one building of outstanding interest, the old cathedral or Seu Vella, which is sufficient justification in itself to find the time for a visit.

If you have to spend the night in Lleida – and you will if you're heading north to the Pyrenees by train or bus – there are a couple of museums and a steep set of old-town streets to occupy any remaining time. The central pedestrianized shopping streets are good for a browse, and you can wind up in Plaça de Sant Joan for a drink in one of the outdoor cafés. Rooms are easy to come by, and the students at the local university fill the streets and bars on weekend evenings in good-natured throngs.