Spain attractions

Occupying one of Madrid’s most beautiful buildings, the 4-story Geomineral Museum (Museo Geominero) hosts a permanent exhibition of 18,000 geological specimens discovered in Spain and worldwide. Head here to admire samples of glittering quartz, gems, meteorites, and fossils in grandiose gallery halls.

If you’ve ever dreamed of lifting up a car with a single finger or being parted from your own shadow, you’ll likely be in your element at the Museum of Science and the Cosmos (Museo de las Ciencias y el Cosmos). The innovative museum is filled with fun interactive exhibitions and hands-on sciences experiments to challenge curious minds.

Set in the heart of Madrid just opposite the Reina Sofia Museum, IKONO Madrid is one of the most unique attractions in the capital city. Offering a mix of art and entertainment, this interactive museum is home to a dozen immersive installations created by contemporary artists across the globe. A welcome respite from sightseeing, this unusual sensory experience is fun for visitors of all ages.

Meet members of the animal kingdom in naturally formed habitats at Terra Natura Benidorm. This zoo is unique in that rather than housing animals in arenas or enclosures with walls and glass, each species has a naturalized habitat to live in, and for you to explore without artificial barriers. Here it’s called “zooimmersion.”

Housed in a 19th-century neoclassical building in central Madrid, the National Anthropology Museum (Museo Nacional de Antropología) traces the history of human society from prehistoric times. Visitors can study the heritages of the peoples of Africa, America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania; they can also attend temporary exhibitions and events to add context to these central themes.

With a collection of over 150,000 garments, Madrid's Museum of Costume (Museo del Traje) offers incredible insight into the history of fashion from the Middle Ages to the modern era. Items are arranged in chronological order, so that you can easily see how clothing evolved over the centuries.

Housed in a magnificent art deco building on Madrid’s Gran Vía, the Casino Gran Vía is one of the city’s classic entertainment spots. Built in 1924 as the headquarters of Madrid’s Trade and Industrial Circle, the casino has three floors of poker, roulette, and baccarat tables, along with slot machines, a restaurant, a bar, and a hotel, all in spectacular surroundings.

Step back in time at Madrid’s Royal Tapestry Factory (Real Fábrica de Tapices). Founded by Philip V more than 300 years ago, the factory continues to produce exquisitely crafted tapestries. Most of the designs are based on cartoons by Goya—who created them for the company in the late 18th century—while others are based on cartoons by Francisco Bayeu, Goya's brother-in-law.

Founded in 123 BC, the Roman City of Pollentia is a collection of three partially excavated archeological sites: La Portella, a residential area where you can see the remains of three homes of former nobility; the Forum, once the Capitolino Temple dedicated to Roman gods; and the Theatre, featuring the ruins of a stage and seating area.

Travel back in time at the Basque Museum (Museo Vasco de Bilbao), where photographic exhibits and cultural artefacts—from textiles to ceramics—bring Basque culture and history to life. Housed in an understated 17th-century convent at the heart of Bilbao’s Old Town, don’t miss the regularly rotated temporary exhibits and topographical map of Bilbao and beyond.

No need to go all the way to Santiago Bernabéu Stadium for Real Madrid merchandise. Pick up team gear in Central Madrid at the Official Real Madrid Store El Carmen. Whether you need a gift for the soccer fan in your life, or want to find local team apparel to fit in with the Madrid crowd, this is the place to shop.

Travelers looking for a way to cool off on Menorca without heading to the beach will enjoy Splash Waterpark (Splash Sur Menorca), an attraction-packed destination. This family-friendly park has slides for the kids and lounge areas and Jacuzzis for the adults, plus food, drinks, and sunbeds to guarantee a comfortable visit.

Guarding the picturesque mouth of Mahón Harbor is 19th-century Fortaleza de la Mola, whose beautifully preserved walls offer big views across the water. Also called the Fortaleza de Isabel II, the impressive fortress has galleries and tunnels that invite exploring, as well as hornworks where artillery once kept invaders at bay.

Overlooking Madrid’s Retiro Park, the National Museum of Decorative Arts (Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas) displays furniture, ceramics, and decorative works from Spain and worldwide, mainly from the 15th to 19th centuries. Wander the rooms to admire its Far Eastern art and rich baroque room settings, and choose to explore the temporary exhibitions or join one of its artistic workshops.

Set in and around Malaga Airport’s original first passenger terminal, the Malaga Aeronautical Museum (Museo Aeronautico de Malaga) whisks you back to the golden age of mid-20th-century air travel in Spain. Marvel at a 1940s control tower, view an original check-in counter, enter the cockpit of restored airplanes, and see displays that recapture the days when flying was a rare luxury.

One of Benidorm’s most popular theme parks, MundoMar is a fun and educational animal park designed to entertain visitors of all ages. Located just next door to the Aqualandia water park, MundoMar is home to dozens of animal species—from dolphins to lemurs—and offers hands-on learning activities.

Home to Madrid's Rayo de Vallecano de Madrid soccer team, the Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas stadium is a hub for local sports fans. Though the tiny stadium is dwarfed by Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu and Wanda Metropolitano stadiums, its 14,000 seats serve a cadre of die-hard fans. Expect intimate, and perhaps intimidating, football (soccer games.

The history of Spanish aviation is honored at the Museo del Aire, located at the Cuatro Vientos Air Base, the country's first military airfield. Here you'll find all sorts of planes and related objects spread across seven hangars.

In the heart of Ávila is the Plaza Mayor, the historic meeting place of the city’s markets and the home of Ávila City Hall. Originally built in the medieval era, the imposing building that now has pride of place in the Plaza Mayor was constructed in the 1800s and is a grand example of Isabelline architecture—a mix of Flanders and Castilian styles.

The Andén Cero is the ideal spot for fans of history and transport. Situated in the heart of Madrid, the Metro station preserved as a transport museum has been stuck in time since it closed in 1966. The original features remain in place, such as the ticket booth and advertisement posters, creating a window into the past.

One of only two surviving gates in the historic Old Town of Alcúdia, Porta del Moll is a striking sight with its crenelated towers and the distinctive palm trees that sit before it. It serves as the poster child for this town in northern Mallorca, hailed as one of the island’s most beautiful places.

Burrowed into the rocky edge of Maó Harbor, Fort Marlborough is an 18th-century relic of Menorca’s military heritage. Dramatic views from the gun placements afford excellent views across the pretty Cala de Sant Esteve cove, while interior tours of the fort offer a chance to learn about a tumultuous side of the island’s history.

Poking up above the center of Vigo, the Parque Monte del Castro is an elegant hilltop park within the walls and remains of Castro’s Fortress. Garden beds, sculptures, and ponds decorate the park terraces, while the fortress ramparts offer sweeping views across the city of Vigo and the wider area’s coastal scenery.

Museum Jorge Rando (Museo Jorge Rando) is housed in the former cloister of the Monastery of the Mercedarians. The first and only Expressionist museum in Spain, its permanent collection features the bold, fluid works of Málaga-born painter Jorge Rando. The gallery also functions as a studio for local artists, a cultural center, and a research facility.

Nestled among the pine trees of northern Mallorca’s rugged coast, Museo Sa Bassa Blanca integrates art and culture with nature. Exhibits are artfully scattered across indoor galleries and outdoor gardens, and feature pieces ranging from 16th-century portraits to contemporary artworks and a “Zoological Park” sculpture garden featuring huge animals in the style of archeological excavations.

A traditional flamenco venue in the heart of Madrid, La Taberna de Mister Pinkleton is the perfect destination for soaking up Spanish culture. Secure seats to a coveted show, where you can marvel at the flamenco dancers (bailaores) and vocal accompaniment, and sip a cocktail or glass of wine.

See a diverse collection of wildlife at the Menorca Zoo (Lloc De Menorca), a park that is home to a variety of rescue animals, from goats to macaque monkeys. Highlights include the kid-friendly displays and an area where you can interact with lemurs, plus the on-site Bronze Age monument.

Grab the gang and enjoy the fun of Hidropark, north Mallorca’s only water park. Sitting on the edges of Port d’Alcudia, this popular park offers slides and pools for all ages–although its attractions are perhaps better suited to young kids than daredevil teens. Add game arcades, restaurants, and sun terraces, and visitors can look forward to bucketfuls of fun.

The last trace of Lanzarote’s once-booming salt industry, the Janubio Salt Pans are still the largest in the Canary Islands. The patchwork of salt pools makes for a mesmerizing sight, stretching along the banks of the Janubio Lagoon, and summer visitors can witness the salt being harvested by hand.

A small gem of a museum in Bilbao’s Old Town, the Bizkaia Museum of Archaeology chronicles the region’s past, from murky prehistory to the modern day. Housed in a former train station, the museum’s collection consists of thousands of ancient artifacts, ranging from household items to the 15th-century Urbieta wreck.