Paradores

Paradores de Turismo de España S.M.E. S.A., branded as Paradores, is a Spanish state-owned chain of luxury hotels that are usually located in historic buildings or in nature areas with a special appeal. Its first parador was inaugurated on 9 October 1928 in Navarredonda de Gredos (Ávila). As of 2026, it operates ninety-nine paradores in Spain and one in Portugal, with 6,051 rooms in total. Every parador has its own restaurant offering the regional gastronomy of its area. The company was created with the double objective of promoting tourism in areas that lacked adequate accommodations, and of putting unused large historic buildings to use, for the maintenance of the national heritage. Along its history, the establishments of its network have been branded as Parador, Parador Nacional, Parador de Turismo or Parador Nacional de Turismo in different times. A Portuguese equivalent, Pousadas de Portugal, were founded on 1 May 1941, following the Spanish model.