1027 Best Sights in Spain

This 16th-century Cistercian convent houses the earliest of El Greco's Toledo paintings, as well as the crypt where the artist is believed to be buried. The friendly nuns at the convent—of whom seven remain—will show you around its odd little museum, which includes decaying bone relics of little-known saints and a life-size model of John the Baptist's decapitated head. Ask about their homemade sweets. 

This strikingly ornate building in the otherwise humble fishermen's quarter, the only Art Nouveau building in Barceloneta, housed the progressive workers' organization La Fraternitat, founded in 1879. Begun as a low-cost outlet to help supply workers and their families with basic necessities at cut-rate prices, the cooperative soon became a social and cultural center that included a public library. The present cooperative building was inaugurated in 1918 and is now, once again, Barceloneta's library.

This theater, remarkably unchanged since its construction in 1628, retains its wooden balconies on all four sides, with the stage at one end of the open courtyard. During Spain's golden age of theater—the time of playwrights Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Cervantes, and Lope de Vega—actors from across Europe traveled to Almagro, a once-thriving urban center driven by its mercury mines and lace industry. Few such theaters stand today. If you plan to attend a performance, forgo the tourist-oriented spectacles unless you're fluent in Spanish or a dedicated theater buff. The acoustics are poor, and the archaic Spanish scripts make it difficult to understand what's going on. Almagro hosts an international classical theater festival in July.

This building was used to store coal in the 19th century, but its history is much longer. Dating to the 14th century, it was used by Moorish merchants as a lodging house and then by Christians as a theater. It's one of the oldest Moorish buildings in the city and the only Arab structure of its kind in Spain.

Young scientific minds work overtime in this interactive science museum, just below Tibidabo. Among the many displays designed for children seven and up are the Geological Wall, a history of rocks and rock formations; the digital Planetarium; and the Underwater Forest, showcasing a slice of the Amazonian rain forest in a large greenhouse.

This massive cave is the most spectacular on Menorca, with eerie rock formations rising to a 77-foot-high ceiling. When planning your visit, remember it's a 30-minute walk from the nearest parking place.

The haute-couture maestro Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895–1972) was born in Getaria, and the impressive museum created in his honor is a must-see, regardless of your fashion sensibilities. The collection and interactive exhibits are distributed between two buildings, the mansion where Balenciaga was born and a starkly geometric monolith inaugurated in 2011. Feast your eyes on ever-rotating couture relics from the foundation's 1,200-item collection, from suits to gowns and accessories that represent his life’s work. “Balenciaga is a couturier in the truest sense of the word,” said Coco Chanel of her rival. “The others are simply fashion designers.”

The coastal road leads 35 km (22 miles) east of Luarca to this little fishing village, clustered around its tiny port. The emerald green of the surrounding hills, the bright blue of the water, and the pops of color among the white houses make this village one of the prettiest and most touristic in Asturias. Seafood and cider restaurants line the central street, which turns into a boat ramp at the bottom of town.

Home to Europe's most expansive permanent book fair since 1925, this pedestrian avenue has around 30 wooden stalls filled with new and secondhand books. In addition to being a pleasant street to stroll—it connects Paseo del Prado with El Retiro Park—this is also a good place to find collectible and first-edition books. The tourist information kiosk hands out free English-language maps and brochures.

At this site 20 km (12 miles) west of Ronda, a Spanish guide (who speaks some English) will hand you a paraffin lamp and lead you on a roughly 60-minute walk that reveals prehistoric wall paintings of bison, deer, and horses outlined in black, red, and ocher. One highlight is the Cámara del Pescado (Chamber of the Fish), whose drawing of a huge fish is thought to be 15,000 years old. Tours take place on the hour. To book, phone between 10 am and 1 pm only.

About 15 km (9 miles) inland from Dénia, this 400-yard-long cave was named for the 12 Moorish skulls found here when it was discovered in 1768. The cave of stalactites and stalagmites has a dome rising to more than 60 feet and leads to an underground lake.

Some 4 km (2½ miles) above Zuheros along a winding road, the Cueva de los Murciélagos runs for about 2 km (1 mile), although only about half of that expanse is open to the public. The cave is thought to have been inhabited as far back as tens of thousands of years ago, but what you can see today (by guided tour only) are the wall paintings that archeologists date to the Neolithic Age (6000–3000 BC) and Chalcolithic Age (3000–2000 BC). The cave also is interesting geologically. Visits must be booked in advance by phone or email ([email protected]).

A museum in town (Museo Histórico-Arqueológico Municipal) displays some of the items found in area caves.

Guided walks take you through this 1-km (½-mile) section of an underground lava tube, said to be the longest in the world. Deep in the volcanic area of Malpaís, it's one of the most stunning natural sights on the island. The entrance is just north of Costa Teguise, beyond Punta Mujeres.

Beneath the Castillo de San Miguel is this large, vaulted stone cellar of Roman origin, now Almuñécar's archaeological museum. The collection is small but interesting, with Phoenician, Roman, and Moorish artifacts.

One of only three known marine caves in the world, these are believed to date back to Jurassic times when this part of the Málaga coastline lay under the Mediterranean. The cave’s name refers to a legendary treasure trove hidden by Moorish kings in the 12^th century. Numerous archaeological remains from the Neolithic and Bronze ages have been found in the caves as well as rudimentary cave paintings. The visit takes you through seven caverns, bright with white limestone and turquoise lakes, and decorated with stalactites and stalagmites.

Between Almuñécar and Nerja, these caves are on a road surrounded by giant cliffs and dramatic seascapes. Signs point to the cave entrance above the village of Maro, 4 km (2½ miles) east of Nerja. Its spires and turrets, created by millennia of dripping water, are now floodlighted for better views. One suspended pendant, 200 feet long, is the world's largest known stalactite. The cave painting of seals discovered here may be the oldest example of art in existence—and the only one known to have been painted by Neanderthals. The awesome subterranean chambers create an evocative setting for concerts and ballets during the Nerja Festival of Music, held annually in July. There is also a bar--restaurant near the entrance with a spacious dining room that has superb views.

Visits are with self-guided audio tours (available in English). All ticket prices are cheaper online.

Hidden in the back of the upper Albayzín, this semisecret gem was built in the 15th century for the mother of Boabdil, last Nasrid ruler of Granada. After the 1492 conquest of Granada, Dar al-Horra (House of the Honest Woman) was ceded to royal secretary Don Hernando de Zafra. Isabella of Castile later founded the Convent of Santa Isabel la Real here, which operated until the 20th century. Typical of Nasrid art, the interior resembles that of the Alhambra. The north side is the most interesting, with two floors and a tower. The bottom floor has an exquisite flat wooden ceiling decorated with geometric figures.

Unlike El Retiro and Western Park, this secluded 158-acre park is mostly forested and unlandscaped, making it ideal for disconnecting in nature. Its location in the Ciudad Universitaria neighborhood makes it a popular meeting place for university students in warm-weather months. You won't run into any tourists here.

This walkway—half track, half suspended platform—takes you down into the Tajo ravine, just above the river to see the bridge and waterfall close up. It opened in late 2024 and currently runs 250 meters (820 feet), with an extensive of 500 meters (1,640 feet) planned for 2026. Bear in mind that the walk down and back up is steep, and it isn't suitable for those who have fear of heights. No children under 8.

The Ciutadella campus of Barcelona's private Universitat Pompeu Fabra contains a contemporary architectural gem worth seeking out. It's two blocks up from the Ciutadella–Vil·la Olímpica metro stop, just beyond where the tramline begins. Once the hydraulic cistern for the Ciutadella waterworks, built in 1880 by Josep Fontseré, the Dipòsit de les Aigües was converted to the school's Central Library in 1999 by the design team of Lluís Clotet and Ignacio Paricio. The massive, 3-foot-thick walls, perforated and crowned with tall brick arches, are striking; the trompe-l'oeil connecting corridor between the reading rooms is a brilliant touch. Even in humble Barceloneta, there are opportunities for really gifted architects to take a historical property in hand and work magic.

This award-winning, family-run winery offers an intimate tour followed by a tasting on the terrace overlooking the vineyards. 

Bilbao's main park, stretching east toward the river from the Museo de Bellas Artes, is a lush collection of tree-shaded paths, duck ponds, fountains, and wide lawns. It's a sanctuary from the hard-edged Ensanche, Bilbao's modern, post-1876 expansion. Doña Casilda de Iturrizar was a well-to-do 19th-century Bilbao matron who married a powerful banker and used his wealth to support various cultural and beneficent institutions in the city, including this grassy refuge.

The family behind this majestic winery with guest rooms on-site has been in the business for five generations. Surrounded by vineyards on all sides, Eguren Ugarte offers a variety of prebookable tours and tastings on foot, horseback, and Segway.

Two kilometers (1 mile) before Matalascañas, this is Doñana National Park's main interpretation center and the departure point for jeep tours.

These 11th-century Arab steam baths might be a little dark and dank now, but try to imagine them some 900 years ago, filled with Moorish beauties. Back then, the dull brick walls were backed by bright ceramic tiles, tapestries, and rugs. Light comes in through star-shaped vents in the ceiling, à la the bathhouse in the Alhambra.

Note that entry to el Bañuelo and three other Moorish monuments in the Albayzín (Casa Horno del Oro, Palacio Dar al-Horra and Maristán) is via a combined ticket (€7) for all four.

An excursion from Grazalema takes you through the heart of this protected reserve, home to a trout stream and information center. Follow the A344 west through dramatic mountain scenery, past Benamahoma.

This bizarre green lagoon, which looks like something out of a sci-fi thriller, is situated at the outer limits of Parque Nacional de Timanfaya, just uphill from El Golfo. It gets its radioactive hue from its sulfuric content and Ruppia maritima seagrass. It's forbidden to walk to the lake, as it's within the reserve, but there's a viewpoint that's clearly marked at the turnoff to El Golfo where you can snap some excellent photos, especially at sunset.  Wear grippy shoes and watch your step, as there are no guardrails around the viewpoint.

On Fuerteventura's northwestern tip, this fishing village has quaint and colorful houses and a sleepy, lost-in-time feel. Go at sunset, when the surrounding sands take on a red-orange glow, and peek into the Castillo de El Tostón (Tostón Tower), dating to 1700, which often holds temporary art exhibits.

Just a block away from Casa de los Tiros is the beautifully restored El Cuarto Real, a 13th-century Nasrid palace, which has decorations almost identical to the Alhambra. Only the fortified tower remains standing with its exquisite qubba (reception room) with stunning walls and ceiling motifs. The adjoining modern extension houses temporary art exhibitions, and the formal gardens make a peaceful place to rest.

Stretching more than 2 km (1 mile), this is the longest beach on the island and also one of the most distinctive, with the conical top of Montaña Roja (Red Mountain) crowning its southern tip. The golden sands and exemplary facilities earn it Spain's \"Blue Flag\" rating; the gentle waves make for safe swimming, while the strong winds are great for windsurfing. To get here, drive along the TF1 past Tenerife South Airport and take the TF64 south shortly afterward. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking; windsurfing.