Spain attractions

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.

In the heart of Barcelona is the Museum of Modernism (Museu del Modernisme), a gallery and exhibition space designed to showcase Catalan modernist art. This petite museum has a collection that far surpasses its small size, and includes sculptures, stained glass, and paintings. See works by Antoni Gaudí, Joan Busquets, and Ramon Casas, and enjoy learning about a movement that inspired many artistic developments across Europe in the early 20th century.

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.

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.

Madrid's Museum of the Americas (Museo de América) focuses on telling the story of the Americas, from prehistoric times to more recent eras. Here you can learn about how people lived during pre-Hispanic periods, through educational displays and artifacts.

Madrid is a city that loves its soccer, but you don’t need to be a Spaniard to know about the all-star local team, Real Madrid. To pick up merchandise that’s sure to make you popular at thetabernas, visit the Official Real Madrid Store at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Grab a jersey or team scarf, and take in a game while you’re there.

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.”

Located in the Toledo province, Consuegra Castle is one of Spain’s best-preserved castles. Despite being passed between Moorish and Christian rule throughout the years, little to no Moorish influence exists in the modern structure; however, you can still explore the medieval castle, enjoy views over the surrounds, and climb the windmills featured inDon Quixote.

Aqua Center Water Park is a prime destination for visitors in Menorca who want a place to cool off and careen down towering water slides. With pools, jacuzzis, and a bar area—plus a kid-friendly water castle and bouncy play zone—the Aqua Center offers lots of family-friendly fun.

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.

Nestled in the volcanic desert of Fuerteventura’s interior is Pájara, a traditional whitewashed town full of Canarian history, Aztec flourishes, and Spanish influence. This laid-black pueblo is famous for the gilded church of Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Regla, a donkey-powered water mill, cactus plantations, and slow-paced afternoon drinks in the sun. No, you’re not in Mexico—you’re in Pájara.

Situated in the converted 10th-century Arabian Baths of Santa María, Tablao Flamenco Arte y Sabores de Córdoba is one of the city’s most important artistic venues. At this intimate locale, you can dine on traditional Spanish dishes while enjoying a nightly performance of flamenco, Spain’s national dance.

One of Spain’s most important archaeological sites, the Santimamiñe Cave (Cueva de Santimamiñe) is renowned for its dozens of ancient cave paintings. Representing some 14,000 years of human history, the landmark was discovered by two young children in 1916, and underwent excavations from 1918 until 1962. Today, it is closed to visitors.

The Caves of the Eagle (Cuevas del Águila) site is a grotto complex of limestone stalactites and stalagmites hidden under an expansive oak forest on Romperropas Hill. In the company of a guide, visitors can explore the area and learn about both the history of the caves and their accidental discovery.

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.

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.

Spanning roughly 38 square miles (98 square kilometers), the Llobregat Delta (Delta del Llobregat) is one of Catalonia’s most important wetland zones and the region’s second-largest delta. Located just southwest of Barcelona, the delta is a designated conservation area known for its rich biodiversity. It’s a popular place for bird-watching and a habitat for rare plants, including more than 22 orchid species.

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.

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.

Puig de Galatzo Nature Reserve (La Reserva Puig de Galatzo) is a prime destination for visitors who want to experience Mallorca's natural beauty—and take part in a few thrilling outdoor activities. Enjoy hikes, a plethora of flora and fauna, and fantastic mountain views, as well as adventures like ziplining and rock climbing.

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.

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.

Oma Forest is a large modern work of art created by Basque painter and sculptor Agustin Ibarrola, located inside the UNESCO-listed Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve close to Kortezubi, Guernica, and Bilbao. Also known as “the animated forest, ” the land art features pine trees vividly painted with abstract geometric, anthropomorphic, and animal shapes.

Behind an understated Renaissance facade and triumphal arch entrance, Bilbao’s 16th-century San Vicente Mártir de Abando Church (Parroquia de San Vicente Mártir de Abando) hides a surprisingly ornate baroque altar. Other highlights of this Basque Gothic building include the whitewashed vaulted ceilings, gilded detailing, and carved statue of the crucifixion.

Tenerife’s unique landscapes—sculpted over centuries of volcanic activity—and anthropological history—inhabited by the Guanche people since the 6th century BC—are the focal points of the Museum of Nature and Archaeology (MUNA). Located in Santa Cruz, it’s a fascinating deep-dive into the history and cultural heritage of the Canary Islands.

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.

One of the greatest 20th-century Spanish sculptors, Victorio Macho fled Spain for Latin America during the Civil War but ended his life in Toledo atop the cliff he called his “Tarpeian Rock.” Today, his former home houses the Victorio Macho Museum and more than 100 works he donated to the city, dating from between 1903 and 1965.

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.

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.