A short trip outside Barcelona on the Costa del Maresme, Illa Fantasia Water Park is a favorite spot for locals and travelers alike to cool off from the summer heat. The park is set up for family-friendly fun, with more than 22 slides, three large pools, a kids’ area, and a picnic and barbecue space, plus attractions ranging from mild to wild, from kids-only to extreme.
Among the prettiest spots on Mallorca’s southeast coast, Cala Figuera hems a low-cliffed, turquoise-watered inlet bobbing with fishing boats. The absence of a beach has protected this small, working fishing town from overdevelopment, making it great for relaxing, enjoying the coastal scenery, taking boat trips, and savoring traditional Mallorcan life.
Framing a picture-postcard inlet in southeastern Mallorca, Cala Santanyi hits the sweet spot between a fully-fledged beach resort and a quiet Balearics village. Visitors spend their time lazing on the white sand beach, enjoying watersports, and savoring the unspoiled scenery, all while relishing the gently traditional vibe.
Rising from the Mediterranean Sea near the resort of Cala Santanyi in southeast Mallorca, Es Pontàs is a natural, free-standing limestone sea arch standing just offshore from the coast. At around 65 feet (20 meters) high, the arch lures sightseers who visit the nearby cliffs to admire and take photos, as well as experienced climbers and high divers.
Picking up where San Sebastian’s main La Concha Beach ends at a rocky outcrop called Pico del Loro, Ondarreta Beach (Playa de Ondarreta) is a shorter stretch of sand that’s nonetheless just as lovely. It offers the same postcard-perfect views of La Concha Bay, Santa Clara Island, and Monte Igueldo and Monte Urgull, the two hills that bookend the bay.
Set inside a 16th-century Moorish palace, these thermal baths are an atmospheric spot to relax and rejuvenate. The hushed, candle-lit main bathing area features thermal baths of varying temperatures, a steam room, a jet bath, and a salt pool, while a rooftop pool offers views of the historic Barrio Santa Cruz.
From the Catholic monarchs and Spanish Armada to the voyages of Columbus, Spanish naval history reverberates through the ages. You can learn about the country’s maritime legacy at the Madrid Naval Museum (Museo Naval de Madrid), located in the contemporary Spanish Navy’s headquarters in the center of Madrid.
Thousands of plant and animal specimens make the National Museum of Natural Sciences (Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales) one of Madrid’s most engaging destinations. Visitors of all ages appreciate this well-curated museum for how its vast collections of dinosaur casts, fossils, and stuffed animals help to tell the story of life on Earth.
Situated in the heart of Madrid, Las Tablas Flamenco is one of the city’s most important flamenco venues. Founded by Antonia Moya and Marisol Navarro, two former flamenco champions, the venue presents a varied repertoire of talented flamenco singers, dancers, and guitar players—both established and emerging—since 2003.
For a taste of the great Spanish painters, head to the Valencia Museum of Fine Arts, which boasts one of the most comprehensive collections of Spanish art in the country—including several local Valencian artists.
One of Bilbao’s largest and most impressive cultural centers, the Euskalduna Palace (Palacio Euskalduna) has been a city mainstay since it opened in 1999. Designed to resemble a ship, it houses an auditorium, theater, exhibition hall, and other gathering spaces. The ABAO Bilbao Opera and the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra regularly perform there.
The highest mountain in the Collserola range outside Barcelona, Mt. Tibidabo offers the city’s most magnificent viewpoints, and is home to Parc de Collserola, one of the world’s largest metropolitan natural parks. There are several places to take in the 360-degree vistas, including the modernist Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus church, Torre de Collserola TV tower, and the popular Tibidabo Amusement Park (Parc d'Atraccions Tibidabo).
For over a century, the tranquil Doña Casilda Park has been among Bilbao’s most important green spaces and its Romantic- and French-style gardens remain a focal point of the Indautxu neighborhood. Stroll the palm-lined pathways, enjoy views over the Nervión River, or stop by the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum which calls Doña Casilda Park home.
With more than 8,000 animals from 700 different species, Palma Aquarium emulates ocean ecosystems from around the globe. Here, you can admire one of the largest shark tanks, as well as one of the biggest live coral collections in Europe. The jellyfish and black-tip reef shark exhibits are both highlights.
Within the desert on the southern end of Spain’s Gran Canaria island lies a surprising replica of an American Wild Western town, complete with cowboys, robberies, and shoot-outs with the sheriff. Built as a film set in the 1970s, Sioux City is now a Wild Western theme park complete with a petting zoo for the kids and a saloon for adults.
Tucked down a narrow lane in Malaga, the MIMMA Interactive Museum of Music (Museo Interactivo de la Música) presents one of Europe’s largest collections of musical instruments in an immersive and interactive way. You can view the instruments, discover their origins, and can even play select items to experience their tactile beauty and sounds first-hand.
The Malaga Museum of Wine (Museo del Vino) celebrates one of Spain’s most important wine regions, famous for its muscatel. Housed in the 18th-century Palacio de Biedmas, the museum traces the province’s winemaking history through a collection of wine labels, posters, and artifacts, and visitors can sample local wines in the shop.
Málaga’s Contemporary Art Museum—or CAC Málaga (Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga)—is housed in a 65,000-square-foot (6,000-square-meter) multi-use space, with about a third of its size dedicated to art exhibits and the remaining two-thirds to conferences and cultural events. The museum has a permanent collection of about 400 works, many of which are on loan to the museum from private collectors.
Between France and Spain lie the Pyrenees Mountains, a range that stretches from the Atlantic Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean coast, spanning around 270 miles (430 kilometers). Dividing the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of Europe, these snow-dusted mountains have long been a playground for outdoor adventure, but hilltop castles and alpine villages beckon as well.
Ses Salines Natural Park is made up largely of water (a whopping 75 percent of the area) and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's known for its beaches and biodiversity, as the home to 178 plant species and some 210 species of birds, including flamingos, Audouin’s gull, and Balearic shearwater.
Situated at the highest point in Toledo, the Toledo Alcázar (Alcázar de Toledo is a monumental fortress. Since its ancient origins, the Alcázar has served as a royal residence with periods of renovation, most recently after a siege in the Spanish Civil War. Today, the fortress is home to an army museum, infantry academy, and library.
Ride the rapids, relax in the Jacuzzi, or race down the soft slides at Aquapark Costa Teguise, the biggest water park in Lanzarote. Situated on Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands, the park offers thrilling water slides, the island’s only indoor paintball arena, on-site snack bars, and an immersive 10D cinema.
The Sorolla Museum (Museo Sorolla)—where artist Joaquín Sorolla lived and worked until his death—offers arts enthusiasts a personal experience of the Impressionist's work. The museum not only features his vibrant paintings, but also memorializes his life. Find personal effects, correspondence, and a studio preserved down to his easels and brushes.
Barcelona’s Museum of Illusions is packed with 3D paintings and optical illusions, affording plenty of fun, humorous, and fantastical photo opportunities. Here, you can “step inside” a Dali or Picasso artwork, celebrate with Barcelona’s famous football (soccer) stars, or pose for a hilarious restroom encounter with Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
Do more than just see Spain’s highest volcano from afar—float to the top on the Teide Cable Car (Teleférico del Teide). This smooth-moving ride transports you to the summit of Mount Tiede, a jumping-off point for hikes among the otherworldly landscapes of UNESCO-listed Teide National Park or stargazing from Teide Observatory.
Just south of the Timanfaya National Park, Playa del Janubio is one of Lanzarote’s most unique beaches. Sculpted from volcano rock, the black sand beach stretches across the mouth of the Janubio Lagoon, affording spectacular views across the Janubio Salt Flats and the Atlantic Ocean.
The design of Lanzarote’s Aqualava water park pays tribute to the island’s volcanic landscape with its geothermal-heated pools. The saltwater wave pool (the only on the island) gives the feel of the beach, while the smaller kids' areas are perfectly themed for play. There's a winding lazy river, as well as five waterslides.
Beach bars abound in Barcelona, but Icebarcelona in the Port Olímpic neighborhood on the waterfront features a unique bar where everything is made of ice—including the walls, bar, seats, and decor. The temperature is kept chilly at 20ºF (-5ºC), but there are parkas and gloves to don. The lively dance scene keeps revelers warm in the freezing temperatures.
Cardona Castle (Castell de Cardona) sits proudly on a hilltop opposite the mines of Salt Mountain. The stone fortress was built in Gothic and Romanesque styles in the ninth century, and is perhaps the most iconic medieval structure in Catalonia. Inside this symbol of Catalonian identity stands the medieval St. Vicenç Church, which is hailed as a Romanesque architectural masterpiece.
The Andalusian city of Jerez de la Frontera is a hotbed of southern Spanish culture. Internationally known for flamenco, horsemanship, and sherry, Jerez is not as popular or touristy as its better known neighbors, Seville and Cordoba, but the city is steeped in rich traditions and offers a variety of sights.
