Madrid
Backing onto Plaza de Oriente, Madrid’s signature opera house took on its present neoclassical form in 1997 although, viewed from Plaza de Isabel II,
Must-see attractions in Spain
L'Eixample
The 1901 Palau Macaya is one of Barcelona's great yet least-known Catalan Modernisme gems. It was designed by architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, who was…
L'Eixample
Hotel magnate Jordi Clos has spent much of his life collecting ancient Egyptian artefacts, brought together in this private museum divided into thematic…
Madrid
Due north of Plaza Mayor, San Ginés is one of Madrid’s oldest churches: it has been here in one form or another since at least the 14th century. What you…
Necròpolis del Puig des Molins
Ibiza Town
Today it looks like little more than rocky scrubland, but this vast ancient burial ground was a key part of Ibiza Town's 1999 World Heritage recognition…
Lanzarote
Carved into the rock face, with fanciful chimneys, cupolas, lookouts and twisting staircases, this gallery, restaurant and bar with a New Mexico–meets…
Monasterio San Juan de los Reyes
Toledo
This imposing 15th-century Franciscan monastery and church was provocatively founded in the heart of the Jewish quarter by the Catholic monarchs Isabel…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
Flanking the Plaça del Rei, this 1550s palace was built as the residence of the Spanish lloctinent (viceroy) of Catalonia and later converted into a…
Barcelona
Set in an 18th-century former textile factory surrounded by greenery, this contemporary gallery is a showcase for Catalan painting from the 1960s onwards…
Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya
Barcelona
Occupying the 1929 World Exhibition's Graphic Arts Palace, this intriguing archaeology museum covers both Catalonia and cultures from across Spain. There…
Valencia
In a city full of impressive bridges, Puente de las Flores is one of Valenicia's most spectacular – and undoubtedly its sweetest smelling. Designed by…
Barcelona
Originally created for the 1929 World Exposition, this huge colour-lit fountain has again been a magnet since the 1992 Olympics, shimmering on the long…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
The 16th-century Casa de l’Ardiaca has housed the city’s archives since the 1920s. Stroll around the supremely serene courtyard, cooled by a fountain and…
Basílica del Sagrat Cor de Jesús
Barcelona
At the very top of 512m-tall Tibidabo hill, overlooking the Parc d'Atraccions, this landmark basilica is meant to be Barcelona’s answer to Paris’ Sacré…
Jerez de la Frontera
Echoes of Seville colour Jerez' dramatic cathedral, a surprisingly harmonious mix of baroque, neoclassical and Gothic styles. Standout features are its…
Barcelona
For magnificent 360-degree Barcelona views, head to the El Carmel neighbourhood (under a kilometre east of Park Güell) and up the Turó de la Rovira hill…
Barcelona
Barcelonins needing an easy escape from the city seek out this protected pine-scented 80-sq-km park. It's a great place to hike, run and bike, and has a…
San Sebastián
The views from the summit of Monte Igueldo (181m), just west of town, will make you feel like a circling hawk staring down over the vast panorama of the…
Museu Nacional Arqueològic de Tarragona
Tarragona
This excellent museum does justice to the cultural and material wealth of Roman Tarraco. The mosaic collection traces changing trends from simple black…
Chueca
This intriguing museum is devoted to the Romantic period of the 19th century. It houses a minor treasure trove of mostly 19th-century paintings, furniture…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
The courtyard of the Gothic former Palau Reial Major, this picturesque, almost entirely walled-in square is where the Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs)…
L'Eixample
Puig i Cadafalch redesigned this 1882 residential building in exuberant Gothic-inspired style, with two distinct facades, between 1902 and 1906. The main…
Monestir de Sant Pere de Galligants
Girona
This beautiful 11th- and 12th-century Romanesque Benedectine monastery has a sublime bell tower and a splendid cloister featuring otherworldly animals and…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
At Plaça de la Boqueria, where four side streets meet just north of Liceu metro station, you can walk all over a colourful 1976 pavement mosaic, with one…
Tarragona
Near the beach is Tarragona's well-preserved amphitheatre, dating from the 2nd century CE, where gladiators hacked away at each other or wild animals. In…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
A block east of the top end of La Rambla is a sunken garden where a series of Roman tombs from the 1st to 3rd century AD were uncovered in the 1940s,…
Cádiz
Hugging the western side of the Barrio de la Viña, this small, popular golden city beach catches the eye with its mock-Moorish balneario (bathhouse). It's…
Convento de las Descalzas Reales
Madrid
The grim plateresque walls of the Convento de las Descalzas Reales offer no hint that behind the facade lies a sumptuous stronghold of the faith. The…
Gran Canaria
The greenish-grey stone cross from which this spot takes its name marks the centre of Gran Canaria and its historic caminos reales (king’s highways),…
Ciutadella
Ciutadella’s main square is a gracious affair, framed by handsome 19th-century buildings like the neoclassical Palau Torre-Saura and fortress-like…
Andalucía
This Renaissance palace houses one of the most intriguing collections of historical, archaeological and artistic exhibits found under one roof in…
Sociedad General de Autores y Editores
Chueca
This swirling, melting wedding cake of a building is as close as Madrid comes to the work of Antoni Gaudí, which so illuminates Barcelona. It’s a joyously…
Barcelona
High above the swirl of traffic navigating the roundabout at the southern end of La Rambla, Christopher Columbus keeps permanent watch, pointing vaguely…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
In the 2000 or so years since the Romans settled here, the area around this often-remodelled square, which started life as the forum, has been the focus…
Andalucía
Salobreña’s historic centre (west of the modern town) comprises the barrios that once huddled inside its medieval walls. Slender cobbled lanes meander up…
Madrid
One of the world’s most horizontal cable cars (it never hangs more than 40m above the ground), the Teleférico putters out from the slopes of Parque del…
Barcelona
Just beyond the western edge of El Raval, this glorious iron-and-brick market was originally completed in 1882, but reopened in 2018 with 250 stalls…
Barcelona
The reason most barcelonins travel up to Tibidabo's summit is for some thrills at this old-school funfair. Here you'll find whirling high-speed rides and…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
One of the most photogenic squares in Barcelona, and certainly its liveliest. Numerous restaurants, bars and nightspots lie beneath the arcades of 19th…
Parc Natural dels Aiguamolls de l’Empordà
Costa Brava
The remnants of the mighty marshes that once covered the whole coastal plain here are preserved in this 47-sq-km natural park, complete with scenic…
