1027 Best Sights in Spain

The Collserola communications tower was designed by Norman Foster for the 1992 Olympics. An industrial spike on an otherwise pristine wooded skyline, it was not universally admired. A vertigo-inducing elevator ride takes you to the observation deck on the 10th floor. Take the FGC S1, S2, or S5 line to Peu del Funicular (note that the cars at the front of the train don't open at this station), then the funicular up to Vallvidrera; from the village of Vallvidrera it's a pleasant walk to the tower. Ongoing renovations have led to the tower being closed, so check the website before you go.

The exterior of this Carthusian monastery in northern Granada is sober and monolithic, but inside are twisted multicolor marble columns; a profusion of gold, silver, tortoiseshell, and ivory; intricate stucco; and the extravagant sacristy—it's easy to see why it has been called the Christian answer to the Alhambra. Among its wonders are the trompe l'oeil spikes, shadows and all, in the Sanchez Cotan cross over the Last Supper painting at the west end of the refectory. It was begun in 1506 and moved to its present site in 1516, though construction continued for the next 300 years. If you're lucky, you may see small birds attempting to land on these faux perches. You can reach it by bus No. N7. 

Once connected to the Palacio Real by an underground passageway, this cloistered Augustinian convent now houses fewer than a dozen nuns. It was founded in 1611 by Queen Margarita de Austria, the wife of Felipe III, and has several artistic treasures, including a reliquary where a vial with the dried blood of St. Pantaleón is said to liquefy every July 27. The ornate church has superb acoustics for medieval and Renaissance choral concerts. Tours are in Spanish only and take about 90 minutes.

This convent on the outskirts of town, founded in 1187 by King Alfonso VIII, is still run by Cistercian nuns. There's a small on-site textile museum, but the building's main attraction is its stained-glass panels, some of the oldest in Spain. Admission includes a guided tour (Spanish only), which is the only way to view the monastery.

The area's most important monument, the 9th-century retreat of Monasterio de San Pedro de Siresa presides over the village of Siresa, 2 km (1 mile) north of Hecho. Only the 11th-century church remains, but it is a marvelous example of Romanesque architecture. Cheso, a medieval Aragonese dialect descended from the Latin spoken by the Siresa monks, is thought to be the closest to Latin of all Romance languages and dialects. It has been kept alive in the Hecho Valley, especially in the works of local poet Veremundo Méndez Coarasa.

In the 12th-century Romanesque church of Sant Joan, the altarpiece—a 13th-century polychrome wood sculpture of the Descent from the Cross—is one of the most expressive and human of that epoch. Wilfred the Hairy gifted this church to his daughter Emma and did the same for his son Radulfo with the Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll. (See Sights in the Ripoll section.)

This 14th-century monastery was regularly visited by Christopher Columbus, who was also buried here for a few years. Part of the building houses the Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, which has an absorbing collection of contemporary art.

Decorated with a pageant of biblical figures, the 9th-century doorway to the church is one of Catalonia's great works of Romanesque art. It was crafted as a triumphal arch by stonemasons and sculptors of the Roussillon school, which was centered on French Catalonia and the Pyrenees. You can pick up a guide to the figures surrounding the portal in the nearby Centro de Interpretación del Monasterio, in Plaça de l'Abat Oliva. The center has an exhibition space that explains the historical, cultural, and religious relevance of this so-called cradle of Catalonia (audio guides available in English). It also provides information about guided tours.

Dating to the 10th century, this monastery was later converted by Cistercian monks to a pilgrims' hospital; next door, and now operated by the Bodegas Irache, is the famous brass faucet that supplies pilgrims with free-flowing holy wine. Call ahead to arrange a guided tour.

Founded in 1158 on the banks of the Gaià River, Santes Creus is one of Catalonia's largest and best-preserved Cistercian monasteries. Its otherwise austere church features glorious Cistercian and Gothic stained-glass windows, as well as the royal tombs of King Peter III and James II and his wife Blanche of Anjou of the Kingdom of Aragón. Other highlights include the ornate 14th-century Gothic cloisters.

On the road south from Deià to Valldemossa, this monastery was founded in 1276 by Ramón Llull, who established a school of Asian languages here. The archduke Luis Salvador bought it in 1872 and restored it as a mirador. Explore the garden and the tiny cloister, then walk through the olive groves to a spectacular lookout. Opening hours can be unpredictable.

The church of St. Peter, across the Galligants River, was finished in 1131, and is notable for its octagonal Romanesque belfry and the finely detailed capitals atop the columns in the cloister. It now houses the Museu Arqueològic (Museum of Archaeology), which documents the region's history since Paleolithic times and includes some artifacts from Roman times.

Set two kilometers (1 mile) from La Rábida's monastery, on the seashore, is a reproduction of a 15th-century port. The star exhibits here are the full-size models of Columbus's flotilla, the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María, built using the same techniques as in Columbus's day. You can go aboard each and learn more about the discovery of the New World in the adjoining museum.

To the east of Granada, the mighty Mulhacén, the highest peak in mainland Spain, soars to 11,427 feet. Legend has it that it came by its name when Boabdil, the last Moorish king of Granada, deposed his father, Abu'l-Hasan Ali, and had the body buried at the summit of the mountain so that it couldn't be desecrated. For more information on self-guided and guided trails to the two summits, check these sites:  sierranevada.guide, treksierranevada.com.

This beach is said to have the longest break in Europe and among the best in the world, making it a magnet for surfers. In summer and fall this beach is off-limits to families who just want to splash around. Amenities: lifeguards; water sports. Best for: surfing.

Across from the tourist office on the San José hill, the Punic Wall dates from 227 BC. The walls enclosed and helped defend the Punic city that became the capital of the Carthaginians on the Iberian Peninsula.

It's worth detouring to this museum for its facade alone, a modern technicolor masterpiece by famed Spanish architects Mansilla + Tuñón. The endless rainbow of rectangles that encloses the building is an homage to the colorful stained glass of the cathedral. Inside, wander through rooms bearing the latest art and multimedia projects by locally and nationally acclaimed artists. Films and concerts are also presented throughout the year.

In the heart of the old quarter, this museum is built around a 16th-century mansion and has finds from Córdoba's varied cultural past. You enter via the second floor, which is devoted to prehistoric, Roman, and Moorish exhibits. Highlights include a 1st-century head of Drusus (the son of Emperor Tiberius) and a marble statue of Aphrodite. The first floor shows finds from Roman and Moorish life in Córdoba including a stunning 2nd-century sculpture of Mithras killing a bull. Down in the basement you can see the ruins of a Roman theater built in the 1st century AD. The alleys and steps along Altos de Santa Ana make for great wandering.

A little distance outside the Old Town, and built over the 4th-century Roman necropolis of San Antón, the Museo Arqueológico is the headquarters for all archaeological study in this area. Exhibits present Cartagena's history from prehistoric times (there's a large display of fossils) to the Romans whose architecture, weapons, amphoras, and coins dominate the museum.

Diving into the maze of streets that form the scruffy San Mateo neighborhood east of the town center, you come to one of Andalusia's best archaeological museums. The collection is strongest on the pre-Roman period, and the star item, found near Jerez, is a Greek helmet dating from the 7th century BC.

Housed in the Casa de Castril with one of the finest Renaissance exteriors in the city, this small archaeological museum contains some real gems and has a stunning patio and views of the Alhambra from the second floor. The three rooms take you from prehistoric times with highlights such as raffia sandals dating from 5500 BC, through to the Iberian world whose treasures include a Greek breastplate armor (400 BC) and a white marble bull (600 BC), before reaching the Romans and Al-Andalus where you shouldn't miss the statues, ceramics, and a 15th-century astrolabe.

Inside the old hospital of San Juan de Dios, the MARQ has a collection of artifacts from the Alicante region dating from the Paleolithic era to modern times, with a particular emphasis on Iberian art.

Housed in the splendid Monastery of San Vicente (behind the cathedral), this museum contains fragments of pre-Romanesque buildings. Descriptions are in Spanish only, but pamphlets are available in English. 

This museum boasts three large floors filled with Spanish relics, artifacts, and treasures ranging from ancient history to the 19th century. Among the highlights are La Dama de Elche, the bust of a wealthy 5th-century-BC Iberian woman (notice that her headgear vaguely resembles the mantillas and hair combs still associated with traditional Spanish dress); the ancient Visigothic votive crowns discovered in 1859 near Toledo, believed to date back to the 7th century; and the medieval ivory crucifix of Ferdinand and Sancha. There is also a replica of the early cave paintings in Altamira (access to the real thing, in Cantabria Province, is highly restricted). On Saturdays there are free guided 90-minute tours in English (12:30 pm) and Spanish (10:30 am); they're capped at 20 people, so arrive early.

Like Madrid, Málaga has its own branch of this museum, with more than 200 works from Baroness Thyssen's private collection. Shown in a renovated 16th-century palace, the collection features mainly Spanish paintings from the 19th century but also has work from two great 20th-century artists, Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida and Romero de Torres. The museum also hosts regular exhibitions, concerts, talks, and art workshops. If you're looking for art-based souvenirs and books, the museum shop provides great inspiration, and the adjoining café has a range of quick bites.

Málaga's most famous native son, Pablo Picasso, was born here in 1881. The building has been painted and furnished in the style of the era and houses a permanent exhibition of the artist's early sketches and sculptures, as well as memorabilia, including his christening robe and family photos.

Born in the village of Fuentevaqueros on June 5, 1898, the poet lived here until age six. His childhood home opened as a museum in 1986, when Spain commemorated the 50th anniversary of his assassination (he was shot without trial by Nationalists at the start of the civil war in August 1936) and celebrated his reinstatement as a national figure after 40 years of nonrecognition during the Francisco Franco regime. The house has been restored with original furnishings, and the former granary, barn, and stables have been converted into exhibition spaces, with temporary art shows and a permanent display of photographs, clippings, and other memorabilia. A two-minute video shows the only existing footage of Lorca. Visits are by guided tour only.

One of Madrid's most captivatingly opulent museums is also one of its least known. This former palace, built in 1893 by the marquis of the same name, preserves the nobleman's art collection including works by El Greco, Tintoretto, Van Dyck, and Zurbarán. These hang in gilded and frescoed halls appointed with ornate period furniture.

This ethnographical museum shows how people lived in this area, and the rest of this interesting complex looks at Granada's flora and fauna. During the summer months, there are live flamenco concerts. Tours available in English.  It's a steep walk to reach the center, even if you take Bus No. C2 (from Plaza Nueva) to shorten the distance.

North of Acibechería (follow Ruela de Xerusalén) is the Museo das Peregrinacións containing Camino de Santiago iconography: sculptures, carvings, azabache (compact black coal, or jet) items, and more. For an overview of the history of St. James, the cathedral, and the pilgrimage, as well as the Camino's role in the development of the city itself, this is a key visit.