In Spanish «sino» is also correct to say 'except', right?

Question

Could someone please tell me why I was told it's wrong here in this quiz?

Kqiziq (B1): El año pasado visité todas las ciudades de Cataluña ___________ Tarragona (Last year I visited all the cities in Catalonia except for Tarragona).

The options given: menos/sino/pero/aunque/incluso.

I chose «sino», and I was marked wrong. The correct answer was «menos». I, of course, accept «menos», but why is «sino» wrong here??

Accepted Answer

Hola Shoji
Here "sino" wouldn't be an option for "except". Perhaps you're getting confused with when we use "sino" meaning "but" but not to express an "exception". Have a look at this lesson for "pero/sino".
I hope it clarifies it.
Saludos cordiales

Answer

Thanks Inma. However, I have seen this example in my Spanish dictionary: «Nadie lo sabe sino el director» (Nobody knows that except the director).

Is this ‘sino’ in this example also wrong and it has to be ‘menos’ ??

Answer

Hola Shoji
Yes, you're right. Apologies. I hadn't thought about that option. 
In that other sentence: 
Nadie lo sabe sino el director.
this "sino" means "except for" (="apart from")
I'm not sure what the pattern is for this "sino" to be used as "except". Here's what RAE says about this specific use (see 2.3) - it just says it is used like that sometimes. 
Bear in mind though that in the very first sentence from the quiz, "sino" is not an option, as said before. 
Saludos