A Quinta da Auga

The old stone exterior of A Quinta da Auga is cool to the touch, as is the air coming off the nearby River Sar. Wide swaths of sunshine softly cut through old oak trees, warming your shoulders as you stroll through the manicured grounds of this Galician artifact.

Here in Santiago de Compostella, it's easy to get wrapped up in small, quiet moments of beauty. Once abandoned and left to ruin, the hotel has enjoyed a complete restoration and renovation at the hands of the Garcia family. Today, 45 rooms and suites elegantly preserve the building's history, while artfully introducing touches of modernity by way of rich fabric, WiFi, LCD TVs, and marble bathrooms.

Breakfast and casual fare are best enjoyed at qcafébar, while finer Galician cuisine can be found at the dramatic filigrana.

Perhaps you'll opt to end your day with a trip to the spa, where hydrotherapy reigns supreme in the form of a jet pool, swimming pool, sauna, Turkish bath, essential oils shower, contrast shower, and Jacuzzi.