1027 Best Sights in Spain

Built by Josep Puig i Cadafalch for the Martí family, this Art Nouveau house was the fountainhead of bohemianism in Barcelona. It was here in 1897 that four friends, notable dandies all—Ramon Casas, Pere Romeu, Santiago Rusiñol, and Miguel Utrillo—started a café called Els Quatre Gats (Four Cats), meaning to make it the place for artists and art lovers to gather. (One of their wisest decisions was to mount a show, in February 1900, for an up-and-coming young painter named Pablo Picasso.) The exterior was decorated with figures by sculptor Eusebi Arnau (1864–1934). The clientele may be somewhat tourist-heavy these days but the interior of Els Quatre Gats hasn't changed one iota: pride of place goes to the Casas self-portrait, smoking his pipe, comically teamed up on a tandem bicycle with Romeu. Drop in for a café con leche and you just might end up seated in Picasso's chair. Venture to the dining room in back, with its unusual gallery seating upstairs; this room where Miró used to produce puppet theater is charming, but the food is nothing to rave about. Quatre gats in Catalan is a euphemism for "hardly anybody," but the four founders were each definitely somebody.

The modern Valencian painter and sculptor José Benlliure (1858–1937) is known for his intimate portraits and massive historical and religious paintings, many of which hang in Valencia's Museo de Bellas Artes (Museum of Fine Arts). Here in his elegant house and studio are 50 of his works, including paintings, ceramics, sculptures, and drawings. Also on display are works by his son, Peppino, who painted in the small, flower-filled garden at the back of the house, and iconographic sculptures by Benlliure's brother, the well-known sculptor Mariano Benlliure.

A contemporary and adversary of Cervantes, Lope de Vega (1562–1635) wrote some 1,800 plays and enjoyed great success during his lifetime. His former home is now a museum with an intimate look into a bygone era: everything from the whale-oil lamps and candles to the well in the tiny garden and the pans used to warm the bedsheets brings you closer to the great dramatist. Thirty-five-minute guided tours in English are by reservation only (either by phone or email) and run through the playwright's professional and personal life—including his lurid love life—while touching on 17th-century traditions.

This charming museum occupies the former ayuntamiento. Its themed rooms, including an old-fashioned bakery and bodega, surround a patio, and regular art exhibitions are mounted in the upstairs gallery.

Gaudí disciple Joan Rubió i Bellver, creator of the Gran Via's Casa Golferichs, won the Barcelona architecture prize of 1913 with this extravagant interplay of decorative brick and white surfaces. The house is traditionally known as El Frare Blanc (The White Monk) for the masía (Catalan country house) that previously occupied the spot and served as home to a community of Dominican monks who wore white habits. Floodlit at night, the building resembles nothing so much as a fairy-tale Andalusian castle. It is not simply a sight to behold: It is also a restaurant, the Asador de Aranda—the venue in Barcelona for oven-roasted milk-fed baby lamb. It was built at the behest of Theodor Roviralta, who made his fortune in the Spanish colonies.

The composer Manuel de Falla (1876–1946) lived and worked for many years in this rustic house tucked into a charming hillside lane with lovely views of the Alpujarras. In 1986, Granada paid homage to him by naming its new concert hall (down the street from the Carmen de los Mártires) the Auditorio Manuel de Falla. From this institution, fittingly, you have a view of his little white house. Note the bust in the small garden: it's placed where the composer once sat to enjoy the sweeping vista.

Granada's most famous native son, the poet Federico García Lorca, gets his due here, in the middle of a park devoted to him on the southern fringe of the city. Lorca's onetime summer home, La Huerta de San Vicente, is now a museum (guided tours only)—run by his niece Laura García Lorca—with such artifacts as his beloved piano and changing exhibits on specific aspects of his life.

Padrón was the birthplace of one of Galicia's heroines, the 19th-century poet Rosalía de Castro. The lovely Casa-Museo Rosalía de Castro, where she lived with her husband, a historian, now displays family memorabilia.

There's a delightful garden in this fine 16th-century Morisco house (built by Moorish craftsmen under Christian rule). It houses the School of Arabic Studies.

Wander north on the pedestrian shopping street Calle de la Trapería and you soon reach the 19th-century casino, which retains the aura of a British gentleman's club. The facade is a mixture of classical and modern styles; the inside, inspired by the Alhambra in Granada, has a patio arabe (Moorish courtyard), some stunning chandeliers in the ballroom, and a large library with more than 20,000 volumes. Despite the name, this has never been a gambling center—locals come to read the newspaper and play billiards.

Built in 1640 by rebels against Felipe IV, the castle has had a dark history as a symbol of Barcelona's military domination by foreign powers, usually the Spanish army. The fortress was stormed several times, most famously in 1705 by Lord Peterborough for Archduke Carlos of Austria. In 1808, during the Peninsular War (War of Spanish Independence), it was occupied by Napoléon's troops. During an 1842 civil disturbance, Barcelona was bombed from its heights by a Spanish artillery battery. After the 1936–39 civil war, the castle was used as a dungeon for political prisoners. Lluís Companys, president of the Catalan government during the civil war, was executed by firing squad here on October 15, 1940. In 2007, the fortress was formally ceded back to Barcelona.

An excellent visitor center highlights the history of the castle throughout the ages; other spaces are given over to temporary exhibits. The various terraces offer fantastic panoramic views over the city and out to sea, while the gardens inside the moat host the popular summer Sala Montjuic Open Air Cinema ( www.salamontjuic.org), screening original versions of classic films with live music before the showings.

Just a minute's drive northwest of Figueres is this imposing 18th-century fortified castle, one of the largest in Europe—only when you start exploring can you appreciate how immense it is. The parade grounds extend for acres, and the arcaded stables can hold more than 500 horses; the perimeter is roughly 4 km (2½ miles around). This castle was the site of the last official meeting of the Republican parliament (on February 1, 1939) before it surrendered to Franco's forces. Ironically, it was here that Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero was imprisoned after his failed 1981 coup d'état in Madrid. Call ahead and arrange for the two-hour Catedral de l'Aiguas guided tour in English (€15), which includes a trip through the castle's subterranean water system by Zodiac pontoon boat.

The third point of the Dalí triangle (along with the Teatre-Museu Dalí and Casa Salvador Dalí–Portlligat, his summer house) is the medieval castle of Púbol, where the artist's wife and his perennial model, Gala, is buried in the crypt. During the 1970s this was Gala's residence, though Dalí also lived here in the early 1980s. It contains paintings and drawings, Gala's haute-couture dresses, and other objects chosen by the couple. It's also a chance to wander through another Daliesque landscape, with lush gardens, fountains decorated with masks of Richard Wagner (the couple's favorite composer), and distinctive elephants with giraffe's legs and claw feet. Púbol, a small village roughly between Girona and Figueres, is near the C66. If you are traveling by train, get off at the Flaçà station on the Barcelona–Portbou line; take a taxi 4 km (2½ miles) to Púbol. 

The citadel and castle, originally built by the Moors in the 11th century, was conquered by the Christians and reconstructed in the 16th century. Take a walk along the ramparts for the best views of the town and surrounding landscape.

Perhaps the most famous medieval sight near Segovia—worth the 52-km (32-mile) detour northwest of the city en route to Ávila or Valladolid—is the Castillo de Coca. Built in the 15th century for Archbishop Alonso de Fonseca I, the castle is a turreted Mudejar structure of plaster and red brick surrounded by a deep moat. Highly Instagrammable, it looks like a stage set for a fairy tale, and indeed, it was intended not as a fortress but as a place for the notorious voluptuary to hold riotous bacchanals. The interior, now occupied by a forestry school, has been modernized, with only fragments of the original decoration preserved.

Dénia's most interesting architectural attraction is the castle overlooking the town, and the Palau del Governador (Governor's Palace) inside. On the site of an 11th-century Moorish fortress, the Renaissance-era palace was built in the 17th century and was later demolished. The fortress has an interesting archaeological museum as well as the remains of a Renaissance bastion and a Moorish portal with a lovely horseshoe arch.

Most of what can be seen of the castle today was built by Enrique III in the 14th century, using the remains of nearby Roman ruins. The views from here are astounding, reaching out over the town, harbor, and the Mediterranean. A panoramic lift (€2) on Calle Gisbert (excavated in 1878 to join the center of the city to the sea) rises nearly 150 feet to a gangway that leads to the Concepción Castle. Besides saving a strenuous walk, the gangway also offers great views on the way up.

This massively walled 11th-century structure surrounded by rocky outcroppings is perhaps the best-preserved Romanesque castle in Europe. Inside the walls are a church, tower, dungeon, and even a medieval toilet. The strategic vantage point commands views of the almond and olive groves in the Ebro basin.

At the northeastern tip of the old town is St. Anthony's Castle, a 16th-century fort that houses A Coruña's Museum of Archaeology. The collection includes remnants of the prehistoric Celtic culture that once thrived in these parts, including silver artifacts as well as ruins from castros, the Celts' stone forts. 

This double-wall fortress was once used to keep pirates at bay. You can walk out to the fortress over Puente de las Bolas, with lovely views of the port and city, and then explore the small (Spanish-only) history museum inside. There's sometimes an English-speaking attendant available to provide basic info.

This castle was built in the 13th century on the site of a mosque. Created by Alfonso X, it was later home to the Duke of Medinaceli. Among the guests were Christopher Columbus, who tried unsuccessfully to persuade the duke to finance his voyage west, and Juan de la Cosa, who, within these walls, drew up the first map ever to include the Americas. The red lettering on the walls is a 19th-century addition. Visits are by tour only (in English at 11:30), which must be booked by phone or email; Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday visits include the next-door bodega.

A Roman fortress once stood here, later enlarged by the Moors, but the castle's present aspect, crowning the city, owes more to 16th-century additions. The building was bombed during the Peninsular War in the 19th century, and what was left was used as a cemetery until the 1990s. You can wander the ramparts and peer into the dungeon; the skeleton at the bottom is a reproduction of human remains discovered on the spot.

For views of Lanzarote's craggy coast and parched volcanic landscape, climb to the top of this 16th-century fortress that houses the Museo de la Piratería (Museum of Piracy). The castillo warded off pirates for centuries from its perch on the Guanapay volcano.

This enchanting castle overlooking wild hilly countryside from above Sigüenza is now a parador; nonguests can visit the dining room and common areas. The structure was founded by the Romans and rebuilt at various later periods. Most of the current building was erected in the 14th century, when it became a residence for the queen of Castile, Doña Blanca de Borbón, who was banished here by her husband, Pedro the Cruel. During the Spanish Civil War the castle was the scene of fierce battles, and much of the structure was destroyed. The lobby has an exhibit on the subsequent restoration with photographs of the bomb damage. If you have a half hour to spare, there is a lovely walking path around the hilltop castle with a 360-degree view of the city and countryside below.

On the hill at the far west of town is the impressive Castillo de Sohail, built as a fortress against pirate attacks in the 10th century and named for the Moorish term for Fuengirola. Don't miss the views of the valley, sea, and coast from the battlements. The Marenostrum festival featuring Spanish and international artists is held here during the summer months ( marenostrumfuengirola.com).

Tarifa's 10th-century castle is famous for the siege of 1292, when the defender Guzmán el Bueno refused to surrender even though the attacking Moors threatened to kill his captive son. In defiance, he flung his own dagger down to them, shouting, \"Here, use this\"; they did indeed kill his son. The Spanish military turned the castle over to the town in the mid-1990s, and it now has a museum about Guzmán and the sacrifice of his son. There are impressive views of the African coast from the battlements and towers.

Built between the 12th and 14th centuries on the site of a Roman temple and a mosque, this cathedral shows the transition from Romanesque to Gothic style. The initial rounded placidity of the Romanesque apse gave way to the spiky restlessness of the Gothic—the result is somewhat confusing.

The main attraction here is the 15th-century Gothic alabaster altarpiece of Sant Tecla by Pere Joan, a richly detailed depiction of the life of Tarragona's patron saint. Converted by Sant Paul and subsequently persecuted by local pagans, Sant Tecla was repeatedly saved from demise through divine intervention.

Originally begun by Fernando III on the site of a former mosque, the cathedral was largely rebuilt by Andrés de Vandelvira, architect of Jaén's cathedral, between 1570 and 1593, though the west front has architectural influences from an earlier period. A fine 14th-century rose window crowns the 13th-century Puerta de la Luna (Moon Door). Don't miss the baroque silver monstrance (a vessel in which the consecrated Host is exposed for the adoration of the faithful), which is carried in Baeza's Corpus Christi processions—the piece is kept in a concealed niche behind a painting, but you can see it in all its splendor by putting a coin in a slot to reveal the hiding place. Next to the monstrance is the entrance to the clock tower, where a small donation and a narrow spiral staircase take you to one of the best views of Baeza. The remains of the original mosque are in the cathedral's Gothic cloisters.

Five blocks southeast of the Torre Tavira are the gold dome and baroque facade of Cádiz's cathedral, which offers views from atop the Torre del Reloj (Clock Tower) that make the climb to the top worth it. The construction of the building was begun in 1722, when the city was at the height of its power. Cádiz-born composer Manuel de Falla, who died in 1946, is buried in the crypt. The museum, on Calle Arquitecto Acero, displays gold, silver, and jewels from the New World, as well as Enrique de Arfe's processional cross, which is carried in the annual Corpus Christi parades. The cathedral is known as the \"New Cathedral\" because it supplanted the original neighboring 13th-century structure, which was destroyed by the British in 1592, rebuilt, then rechristened the Iglesia de la Santa Cruz (Church of the Holy Cross).

It took four centuries to complete St. Anne's Cathedral, so the neoclassical Roman columns of the 19th-century exterior contrast sharply with the Gothic ceiling vaulting of the interior. Baroque statues are displayed in the cathedral's Museo de Arte Sacro (Museum of Religious Art), arranged around a peaceful cloister. Ask the curator to open the sala capitular (chapter house) to see the 16th-century Valencian tile floor presided over by an 18th-century polychrome wooden sculpture of the crucifixion of Jesus by the Canaries' most famous sculptor, José Miguel Luján Pérez. On your way out, notice the black-bronze Canarian dog sculptures beside the main entrance that gave the Canary Islands their name.