Spain attractions

One of Barcelona’s most dazzling attractions, the Magic Fountain (Font Màgica) was built in 1929 for the city’s World Exhibition. Today, you can watch the fountain’s spectacular illumination displays, which feature music and a kaleidoscope of shimmering lights, all set against the majestic backdrop of Montjuic Castle (Castell de Montjuïc)—a 17th-century fortress perched atop a mountain overlooking the Catalan capital.

One of the largest urban parks in Spain, the Turia Riverbed Gardens (Jardí del Túria) stretches 6 miles (9 kilometers) across central Valencia. Built on the former Túria riverbed, diverted to prevent flooding, this green lung now boasts miles of cycling and walking trails, lush gardens, fountains, and other scenic features.

Located just moments from the bustle of Las Ramblas, Güell Palace—also known as Palau Güell—is one of Antoni Gaudí’s earliest masterpieces. Designed as a private residence for wealthy industrialist Eusebi Güell, it showcases a darker, more experimental take on Gaudí’s signature style. Inside, visitors can discover surreal chimneys, stained glass, and ingenious plays of light and space. It’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must-see for architecture lovers.

Commonly referred to as the Triana Bridge, the Puente de Isabel II—completed under Queen Isabel II’s reign—crosses the Guadalquivir River, connecting Seville and its old quarter to Triana, which is wedged between two branches of the river. The area is notable for its historically eclectic residents, from sailors and bullfighters to potters and flamenco dancers.

Cobblestoned and tree-shaded Placa de Sant Felip Neri is a glimpse into the history of Barcelona’s atmospheric Gothic Quarter. The baroque church of Sant Felip Neri keeps watch from one side of the square—look for scars from a 1938 bombing raid of the city, and a small plaque commemorating it. Alongside the church are buildings that once housed the guilds of coppersmiths and cobblers.

Soccer fans won’t want to miss a visit to the magnificent Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (Estadio Santiago Bernabéu), home to the legendary Real Madrid football team. Boasting a capacity of more than 80,000 spectators, the Bernabéu is a spectacular place to enjoy the roar of the crowd during a match or go behind the scenes on a stadium tour. The on-site museum showcases trophies and other sporting memorabilia.

Barcelona’s Passeig De Gràcia is home to some of the city’s most impressive feats of architecture, but none are as emblematic of Catalan modernism as the Casa Amatller. Built by Josep Puig i Cadafalch for renowned chocolatier Antoni Amatller, the 19th-century structure blends Flemish and Catalan styles to impressive effect. Now a period museum, it’s filled with original furnishings, photographs, and architectural drawings.

The biggest draw of Granada’s Albaycin quarter (the old Moorish quarter) is the hilltop Mirador de San Nicolás, a small plaza that lies in front of San Nicolás Church. This lookout point offers panoramic views spanning the city center, the distant Sierra Nevada Mountains, Rio Darro canyon and, most famously, the grand Alhambra palace.

The Royal Tobacco Factory (Real Fábrica de Tabacos) offers a glimpse into Seville’s once booming tobacco industry—although what was once the largest industrial building in Europe is now a university building. Many visit in homage to Bizet’s operaCarmen; it’s in this former factory that the namesake heroine rolls cigars on her thighs.

One of Toledo’s most popular landmarks, the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes is an ornate church and cloisters commissioned by the Catholic Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand in 1476. It has a distinctive architectural style, and spans two levels and gardens. The monastery is an excellent example of medieval Hispanic-Flemish Gothic style.

Occupying a sweeping space close to the summit of the city, historic Toledo’s main square, Zocodover Square (Plaza de Zocodover), is actually a triangle. The Arco de la Sangre, a towering horseshoe arch, was once a gateway within the old city walls: today, it’s framed by grandiose government buildings.

Housed in the former Municipal Theatre of Figueres, the Dalí Theatre-Museum (Teatro-Museo Dalí) was converted by Salvador Dalí himself into a museum to display his works—the building itself is considered his final great work. Of the major Dalí sites in northeastern Spain, including his former homes in Portlligat and Púbol, this is the best place to explore Dalí’s art and see some of his most famed pieces. Even the polka-dotted exterior is pure Dalí, and his final resting place is here in a crypt beneath its stage.

Once considered an important commercial city and port in Europe, Seville built this Renaissance-style building—now called the General Archive of the Indies (Archivo General de Indias)—to serve as a merchant exchange. The space now houses documents related to Spain’s overseas possessions between the 15th and 19th centuries—which comprises more than 6 miles (10 kilometers) of shelving with over 43,000 volumes and 80 million pages.

The Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) is a major feat of 18th-century engineering uniting Ronda’s old and new towns over El Tajo Gorge, the sheer limestone ravine that descends 390 feet (120 meters) to the craggy bed of the Guadalevín River. Spanish architect José Martín de Aldehuela designed the bridge, constructed between 1759 and 1793.

Spanning 20 square miles (51 square km) of southern Lanzarote, Timanfaya National Park (Parque Nacional de Timanfaya) is a unique and eerie landscape of dormant volcanoes and lava fields. Visitors flock to the park from nearby beach towns to explore the otherworldly terrain that looks more like the moon than the Canary Islands.

A public square situated in the center of Málaga, Plaza de la Merced has been a functional part of the city since the Roman Empire. It is best known as being one of the largest plazas in Málaga as well as being located steps away from famed artist Pablo Picasso’s childhood home.

Designed by architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Casa Lleó i Morera is one of three buildings on the Illa de la Discordia (Block of Discord) on Barcelona’s Passeig de Gràcia that exemplify three greats of modernist architecture: It stands beside Antoni Gaudí’s Casa Batlló and Josep Puig i Cadafalch’s Casa Amatller. Along with a distinctive ornamental façade, Casa Lleó i Morera has exquisite stained-glass windows and sculptures by Eusebi Arnau.

Home to thousands of works by the incomparable Pablo Picasso, the Picasso Museum (Museu Picasso) sheds light on the Spanish artist’s creative evolution. Housed in five adjoining Gothic palaces in the El Born district, the collection traces Picasso’s career from his early childhood sketches to works from his Blue Period and Las Meninas series. It also sheds light on Picasso’s ties to Barcelona, where he spent many of his formative years.

Situated on the southern tip of Gran Canaria, the golden sandy beaches, calm waters, and luxurious resorts of Playa del Inglés are hugely popular with tourists. Aside from sunbathing, windsurfing, and volleyball at the beach, the Playa del Inglés area offers lots of shopping and nightlife, as well as family-friendly attractions such as mini-golf, waterparks, and camel rides.

Within Montjuic Park (Parc de Montjuïc), the Joan Miró Museum (Fundació Joan Miró) showcases paintings, drawings, sculptures, and stage designs by one of Barcelona's most famous 20th-century artists. It boasts more than 10,000 works of art by the revered creator, and the gallery itself is a piece of modern art—terraces and interior courtyards are designed to direct the flow of visitors and give the space an open-air feel.

One of Barcelona’s key athletic venues, the Olympic Stadium was constructed in 1929 for the Barcelona International Exposition. However, it is best known for its starring role in the 1992 Summer Olympics, which helped to transform the city into the thriving metropolis it is today. Today, the stadium hosts concerts and European soccer matches; if you’re a football fan, hearing the roar of the crowd in this historic venue is a must.

Stroll cobblestone streets, stop for tapas, and marvel at centuries-old architecture in Seville's Historic Center (Centro Historico de Sevilla). This destination may be best known for its trio of UNESCO World Heritage Sites—the Cathedral, Alcázar, and the Archivo de Indias—making it a prime destination to uncover Spanish history.

The soft sand, crescent-shaped La Concha Beach (Playa de la Concha sits tucked between the hills of Monte Urgull to the east and Monte Igueldo to the west. The beach ranks among the most lovely city beaches in all of Europe and is a big reason why San Sebastian became a seaside resort favored by Spanish royalty in the nineteenth century.

The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (Catedral de Santiago de Compostela) is one of the most important shrines in Christendom, believed to be the final resting place of St. James the Greater, one of the Twelve Apostles. The Romanesque, Gothic, and baroque structure is the terminus of the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) pilgrimage routes through northern Spain and southern France.

Sprawled across a mountain slope some 1,475 feet (450 meters) above the Mediterranean Sea, the whitewashed village of Mijas Pueblo still looks much the same as it would have centuries ago. While the historic center retains its old-fashioned air, the Mijas Costa coastal area is dotted with golf courses and modern hotels.

Opened to the public as a museum for the first time in 2017, Casa Vicens is Antoni Gaudi’s original modernist masterpiece and the first house he ever designed. Built in Barcelona in the 1880s for Manuel Vicens i Montaner, this UNESCO World Heritage Site sets the tone for the rest of Gaudi’s distinctive architecture, featuring characteristic vibrant flourishes and naturalistic ornamentation.

Connected to the Basque coast by a narrow stone bridge and winding staircase, the small islet of Gaztelugatxe resembles a castle rising out of the sea. The rocky outcrop is home to a small hermitage with a modest monastery and chapel at its peak. Ringing the hermitage bell three times is believed to bring good luck and chase away evil.

Built as an indoor market in 1876, this iron-and-glass structure was a marketplace for almost a century before renovations in 2001 uncovered archaeological remains that had been buried after the 1714 siege. The site reopened in 2013 as El Born Center for Culture and Memory (El Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria) to preserve and showcase the archaeological site, and also hosts exhibitions and workshops.

The oldest monument in Málaga, the Roman Theatre (Teatro Romano de Málaga) was built in the first Roman emperor Augustus’ reign. The amphitheater was unearthed as part of a civic building project in the 1950s and has since been excavated and restored.

San Sebastian’s medieval Old Town is a maze of bar-packed alleys serving the city’s world-famous pintxos and wine. The neighborhood is also home to the wonderfully chaotic Pescadería (fish market), the San Telmo Municipal Museum, Church of San Vicente, and the Basilica of Saint Mary of Coro.