1027 Best Sights in Spain

Just beyond the ruins of a Roman theater on Calle Alcazabilla stands Málaga's greatest monument. This fortress was begun in the 8th century, when Málaga was the principal port of the Moorish kingdom, although most of the present structure dates to the 11th century. The inner palace was built between 1057 and 1063, when the Moorish emirs took up residence; Ferdinand and Isabella lived here for a while after conquering the city in 1487. The ruins are dappled with orange trees and bougainvillea and include a small museum; from the highest point you can see over the park and port.

Along the river sits the oldest fortress in the Iberian Peninsula. Built by the Moors in the 9th century, the fortress's walls are over 6 feet thick and 33 feet high, designed to protect the dwellings of Mérida's important officials. Climb up to the battlements for sweeping river views, or go underground to see the aljibe, or cistern. You can also visit a perfect conserved portion of a Roman road.

Once the residence of the caliph of Seville, the 12th-century alcázar and its small octagonal mosque and baths were built for the Moorish governor's private use. The baths have three sections: the sala fría (cold room), the larger sala templada (warm room), and the sala caliente (hot room) for steam baths. In the midst of it all is the 17th-century Palacio de Villavicencio, built on the site of the original Moorish palace. A camera obscura, a lens-and-mirrors device that projects the outdoors onto a large indoor screen, offers a 360-degree view of Jerez.

Not to be confused with the alcázar in Seville, this imposing structure is a Moorish fortification in Carmona that was built on Roman foundations. Maps are available at the tourist office, in the tower beside the gate. It's worth a short stop if you have time, but it's not a must-do.

Built by Alfonso XI in 1328, the alcázar in Córdoba is a Mudejar-style palace with splendid gardens. (The original Moorish alcázar stood beside the mezquita, on the site of the present Bishop's Palace.) This is where, in the 15th century, the Catholic Monarchs held court and launched their conquest of Granada. Boabdil was imprisoned here in 1483, and for nearly 300 years, this alcázar served as the Inquisition's base. The most important sights here are the Hall of the Mosaics and a Roman stone sarcophagus from the 2nd or 3rd century.

Originally a Moorish citadel (al-qasr is Classical Arabic for \"fortress\"), the Alcàzar de Toledo is on a hill just outside the walled city, dominating the horizon. The south facade—the building's most severe—is the work of Juan de Herrera, of Escorial fame, while the east facade incorporates a large section of battlements. The finest facade is the northern, one of many Toledan works by Miguel Covarrubias, who did more than any other architect to introduce the Renaissance style here. The building's architectural highlight is his Italianate courtyard, which, like most other parts of the building, was largely rebuilt after the Spanish Civil War, when the alcázar was besieged by the Republicans. Though the Nationalists' ranks were depleted, they held on to the building. Dictator Francisco Franco later turned the alcázar into a monument to Nationalist bravery. It now houses the Museo del Ejército (Military Museum), which was formerly in Madrid. Closed for renovation at time of writing.

This Moorish structure was built on Roman foundations and converted by King Pedro the Cruel into a Mudejar palace. Pedro's summer residence was destroyed by a 1504 earthquake, and all that remains are ruins that can be viewed but not visited. However, the parador within the complex has a breathtaking view, and the café and restaurant are lovely spots to have a refreshment or meal.

Portraits of archbishops (one by Goya), Flemish tapestries, Renaissance and medieval paintings, and the remains of the Romanesque door of Zaragoza's church of Santiago form parts of this museum's collection.

These world-famous caves, 3 km (2 miles) southwest of Santillana del Mar, have been called the Sistine Chapel of prehistoric art for the beauty of their drawings, believed to be some 18,000 years old. First uncovered in 1875, the caves are a testament to early mankind's admiration of beauty and surprising technical skill in representing it, especially in the use of rock forms to accentuate perspective. The reproduction of the caves in the museum is open to all. Only five visitors a week can visit the original caves, and entrance is determined by a lengthy waiting list and lottery.

Tarragona, the Emperor Augustus's favorite winter resort, had arguably the finest amphitheater in Roman Iberia, built in the 2nd century AD for gladiatorial and other contests. The remains have a spectacular view of the sea. You're free to wander through the access tunnels and along the tiers of seats. In the center of the theater are the remains of two superimposed churches, the earlier of which was a Visigothic basilica built to mark the bloody martyrdom of St. Fructuós and his deacons in AD 259.

Originally a home for knights of the Order of St. James, who patrolled the Camino de Santiago, this monastery was begun in 1513 by the head of the order, King Ferdinand. It is now a parador. The plateresque facade is a majestic swath of small, intricate sculptures (many depicting knights and lords) and ornamentation—one of the most impressive Renaissance works in Spain. Inside, a cloister full of medieval statues leads you to the bar, which still has the original defensive arrow slits as windows. Next door, the Anexo Monumental del Museo de León displays historic paintings and artifacts. Guided visits to the convent for nonguests are available Saturday morning. Call ahead to get on the list.

The largest water park in the Canary Islands has wave pools, slides, and just about everything else splash-related.

For a stroll through and under some 6,000 marine animals—ranging from tiger sharks to sea turtles, with one participative pool where kids are encouraged to touch and try to pick up fish—the aquarium is a great rainy-day activity. The illustrated history of Basque whaling and boatbuilding is also fascinating.

Situated next to the Torre de Hércules, this aquarium features interactive exhibits, an underwater hall, and a seal colony. A fitting tribute to Galicia's relationship with the sea, it focuses on the ecosystems of the Atlantic and Galician coast.

The remains of the Moorish military outpost that became the city of Madrid are visible on Calle Cuesta de la Vega. The sections of wall here protected a fortress built in the 9th century by Emir Muhammad I. In addition to being an excellent defensive position, the site had plentiful water and was called Mayrit, Arabic for "source of life" (this is the likely origin of the city's name). All that remains of the medina—the old Arab city within the walls of the fortress—is the neighborhood's chaotic web of streets and plazas, which probably follow the same layout they did more than 1,100 years ago.

This redbrick arch was built by Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas as the grand entrance for the 1888 Universal Exhibition. Similar in size and sense to the traditional triumphal arches of ancient Rome, this one refers to no specific military triumph anyone can recall. In fact, Catalonia's last military triumph of note may have been Jaume I el Conqueridor's 1229 conquest of the Moors in Mallorca—as suggested by the bats (always part of Jaume I's coat of arms) on either side of the arch itself. The Josep Reynés sculptures adorning the structure represent Barcelona hosting visitors to the exhibition on the western side (front), while the Josep Llimona sculptures on the eastern side depict the prizes being given to its outstanding contributors.

About 8 km (5 miles) from Antequera's Lovers' Rock, the village of Archidona winds its way up a steep mountain slope beneath the ruins of a Moorish castle. This unspoiled village is worth a detour for its Plaza Ochavada, a magnificent 17th-century octagon resplendent with contrasting red and ocher stone.

Opened in 1785 in the former Lonja (Merchants' Exchange), this dignified Renaissance building stores a valuable archive of more than 40,000 documents, including drawings, trade documents, plans of South American towns, and even the autographs of Columbus, Magellan, and Cortés. Temporary exhibitions showcase different archives.

This Rafael Moneo–designed monolith of glass and stone, ingeniously contained within a Romanesque palace, is Pamplona's architectural pièce de résistance. With papers and parchments dating to the 9th century, the archive holds more than 75,000 linear feet of documents and has room for more than 55,500 feet more. The library and reading rooms are lined with cherrywood and crowned with a gilded ceiling, and there's a 12th-century crypt that you can visit for free.

Across the Plaza del Rey San Fernando from the cathedral, this is the city's main gate, rebuilt in the 16th century by King Carlos V. Walk through toward the river and look above the arch at the 16th-century statues of the first Castilian judges, El Cid, King Carlos I, and Spain's patron saint, James.

Two kilometers (1 mile) south of Ochagavía, at Escároz, a small secondary roadway winds 22 km (14 miles) over the Abaurrea heights to Aribe, a tiny town—population 36—known for its triple-arch medieval bridge, ancient hórreo (granary), Zamariain viewpoint, and Zubi Esekia suspension bridge.

The main tourist office closes at 2 pm on weekdays and 1 pm on Saturdays.

From the road leading to the Parador de Cruz de Tejeda, follow signs west to the village of Artenara (about 13 km [8 miles]) for views of the rocky valley and its chimneylike formations. You can see both Roque Nublo and Roque Bentayga, sitting like temples on a long ridge in the valley.

A magnificent avant-garde auditorium designed by Santiago Calatrava dominates the west end of the city. To keep its pearly white trencadís (broken-tile mosaic) exterior clear of pooping pigeons, a falconer visits regularly with his raptors. The auditorium has a year-round program of concerts and opera, though you can sometimes catch impromptu music acts rehearsing or performing in the adjacent square overlooking the sea. Guided tours are given in English and Spanish; book ahead by phone or email ( [email protected]).

A block from the House of Fortune, the Augusteum remains were once two important public Roman buildings dating from the 1st century BC. It's thought that they were used as a place where the priests of the cult of the emperor Augustus met to spread the imperial ideology during his reign.

Pamplona's most remarkable civic building is the ornate town hall on the Plaza Consistorial, with its rich ocher facade setting off brightly gilded balconies. The interior is a lavish wood-and-marble display of wealth, reinforcing Navarra's historic status as a rich kingdom in its own right. The present building was erected between 1753 and 1759. You can appreciate it from the outside, but the building is not open to visitors.

This Diego de Riaño original, built between 1527 and 1564, is in the heart of Seville's commercial center. A 19th-century plateresque facade overlooks the Plaza Nueva. The other side, on the Plaza de San Francisco, is Riaño's work. Visitors can only view the interior patio during exhibitions. 

The door to Jaca's town hall has a notable Renaissance design.

Constructed between 1696 and 1780, the town hall is a beautiful example of baroque civic architecture. Inside, a gold sculpture by Salvador Dalí of San Juan Bautista holding the famous cross and shell rises to the second floor in the stairwell. Ask gate officials for permission to explore the ornate halls and rococo chapel on the first floor. Look for the plaque on the first step of the staircase that indicates the exact sea level, used to define the rest of Spain's altitudes "above sea level." 

Baeza's town hall was designed by cathedral master Andrés de Vandelvira. The facade is ornately decorated with a mix of religious and pagan imagery. Look between the balconies for the coats of arms of Felipe II, the city of Baeza, and the magistrate Juan de Borja. Ask at the tourist office about visits to the salón de plenos, a meeting hall with painted carved woodwork.