Where to see lavender fields in Spain

Brihuega's mayor Luis Viejo has had to ask visitors to stay away at weekends and only visit during the week instead, an example of how mass tourism doesn't just affect cities and coastal areas in Spain.

"Managing such a large influx of people in such a short time is difficult. We work hard, we have a committee, but it's still a large turnout," he said.

READ MORE: 'Please visit mid-week': Spanish village overwhelmed by lavender tourists

Luckily, Spain has several other excellent lavender destinations that are just as spectacular that you can visit instead.

July and August are prime lavender bloom viewing months in Spain, so now is the perfect time to see them at their best and most fragrant too. Visit these places for sweet-scented plum coloured fields, including activities such as guided tours and creating essential oils.

El Romeral, Castilla-La Mancha

After visiting Provence in France, two friends, Manuel Escudero and Teo Rojo decided to plant lavender fields back home in the small village of El Romeral not far from Toledo. Like Brihuega, they can be visited in just over one hour from Madrid, making them an easy day trip destination. Since that time, three generations have come together to carry on the lavender tradition here. Today the Lavanda en Flor plantation offers guided tours that include a visit to a mill and the chance to taste lavender honey made on the estate. There are also stargazing activities available at night, where you can watch the twinkling skies from the fragrant meadows themselves.

San Felices, Castilla y León In the small village of San Felices right on the border between Castilla y León and La Rioja, not far from Soria is another lavender hot spot. The fields can be found located on the road from Castilruiz to San Felices, where rows of purple glow in the morning and evening light. Book a night at Hotel Rural Las Abadías, which offer guided tours of the fields where they explain how lavender is grown and what it can be used for.

Tiedra, Castilla y León

The small village of Tiedra is located in Castilla y León, not far from the city of Valladolid. The area contrasts starkly here with its bright gold wheat fields next to deep lilac ones. Here you’ll not only find the fields themselves, but also the Lavender Interpretation Centre, where you can learn all about the cultivation of this much-loved plant, its origins and different varieties. They also offer activities such as 4x4 tours through the fields, both guided and unguided visits and demonstrations of how lavender products are made from soaps and oils to fragrances.

Moratalla, Murcia

Unlike the other places on our list which are mostly located in northern and central Spain, Moratalla is located in the south, in Murcia. Here, the lavender fields stretch into Campo de San Juan and Béjar and mix with plantations of sage, oregano to create not only a treat for the eyes but also the nose – with fragrant breezes all around. Here you can see how lavender essence is distilled firsthand, creating essential oils which bring peace and relaxation. Mortalla is another place where lavender and stargazing combine, offering excellent opportunities to glimpse the Milky Way.

El Pobo, Aragón

When summer arrives the El Pobo mountain range, close to the southern Aragónese city of Teruel turns a light violet colour – almost completely carpeted in lavender flowers. Here at 1,400 metres above sea level, the colour of the flowers is more intense too against the beige and bottle green fields surrounding them. Other than lavender blooms, El Pobo's main attraction is a Jurassic safari through the Turolian savannah, part of the Dino Experience, where you can spot replicas of now extinct animals.