2 Best Sights in Galicia and Asturias, Spain

More than a decade in the making, Santiago's City of Culture is a controversial striated-stone-and-glass edifice on Monte Gaiás. It was meant to whisk Galician culture into the future but fell short: construction was stopped in 2013 due to delays and mismanagement. A pared-down version has since opened with a museum, an archive library, temporary art exhibits, and cultural attractions including concerts and talks. The design of the complex, by the American architect Peter Eisenman, takes inspiration from the shape of a scallop shell, the emblem of St. James. 

This hostel was built in 1499 by Ferdinand and Isabella to house the pilgrims who previously slept on Santiago's streets. It's the oldest refuge in the world and was converted from a hospital into a parador in 1954. The facade bears two Castilian coats of arms along with Adam, Eve, and various saints; inside, the four arcaded patios have gargoyle rainspouts said to be caricatures of 16th-century townsfolk. Behind the lobby is the building's focal point, a Renaissance chapel in the shape of a cross. Thanks to the Parador Museo initiative, even non-overnight guests can behold these architectural treasures on a guided tour.