Top 15 Interesting Places to Visit in Spain
So you want to visit sunny Spain, huh? Let’s imagine you have your plane
ticket booked and your sun hat picked out but where would you visit? Spain is
full of surprises as well as intriguing locations, such as: Andalucia,
Ibiza, the Pyrenees, multiple churches, various museums and many exotic islands.
It's steeped in culture, rich with nightlife and occupies beautiful scenery.
Whether your trip is for business or pleasure, you’ll be able to find something
to your liking on the Iberian Peninsula. Buildings of all shapes and sizes that
were designed by famous architects as well as artists are abundant in Spain. Are
there places for music and dancing? Of course! Do you want to see something
bizarre, something beautiful or something passionate? You’re headed to the right
place then. Spain has the excellent distinction of being close to many other
European countries, like France and England, but it's no slouch when it comes to
tourism. Let’s explore Spain a little more specifically with these top 15
interesting places to visit while there.
15) The Royal Palace
in Madrid
The Palacio Real de Madrid or the Royal Palace of Madrid is 1,450,000 square
feet and has 3,418 rooms. No one actually lives there; it’s just used for state
ceremonies. It was built in the 18th century by the command of Phillip V and was
constructed from 1738 to 1764. The style of the palace can be considered either
Neo-Classical or Baroque. The Royal Palace of Madrid features a library, a
pharmacy, an armory and the Sabatini Gardens. The gardens were designed by
Zaragozan architect Fernando García Mercadal but they were named after Francesco
Sabatini, who designed the stables where the garden used to be; they were opened
to the public by King Juan Carlos I in 1978.
The interior is filled with art and many of the rooms are decorated
extravagantly. The exterior is adorned with numerous sculptures of famous
Spanish people, such as: Philip V, Maria Luisa of Savoy, Elisabeth
Farnese, Ferdinand VI and Barbara of Portugal. Tours can be reserved by the
public and are sometimes free on certain days of the week.
The Royal Palace in Madrid
Sabatini Gardens
By Richie Diesterheft, via
Wikimedia Commons
Staircase in the Royal Palace in Madrid
14) Real Jardín
Botánico de Madrid
The Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid, known as the Royal Botanical Garden of
Madrid in English, is located right next to the Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain.
The Botanical Garden in Madrid is a 20 acre botanical garden founded by Kind
Ferdinand VI and it is near the Manzanares River. It's separated into seven
sections and has five green houses. Many of the plants were collected by José
Quer y Martínez, a surgeon and botanist. Ten thousand more plants were brought
to The Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid by Alessandro Malaspina in 1794.
The Botanical garden has ornamental, medicinal, herbal and aromatic plants
and much more. There is a Classical Romantic themed part of the Garden that is
frequented by picnickers, there they can have a relaxing lunch by a pleasant
duck pond.
There are Chinese peonies, irises from South Afric, and rhododendrons that
originated in Korea as well as Japan. The garden has veggie patches, herbs,
exotic flowers, wild roses and fruit trees. Tons of color, texture and variety
are on display at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Madrid. These gardens should
definitely be on your list of places to visit if you are a flower aficionado.
Royal Botanical Garden entrance
Inside the Royal Botanical Garden
13) Museo del Prado
Each year over two million people visit the Museo del Prado, Prado Museaum, and
its amazing art collection. The art museum features the work of Hieronymus
Bosch, Diego Velazquez, Francisco de Goya, Titian, Peter Paul Rubens and El
Greco. The building is massive and currently houses 7,600 paintings, 1,000
sculptures, 4,800 prints and 8,200 drawings on three levels. There is a
collection of art from Flemish artists in addition to Spanish ones, like Aton
van Dyck. The Museo del Prado features historical documents too and is a
wonderful place to get a firm grasp on Spanish art, since it is known to have
the best collection of Spanish art in the world. Some of the paintings in
it's collections include: Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights; Goya’s
La Maja Vestida; La Maja Desnuda, the Young Lady Dressed and the Young Lady
Undressed,Velazquez’s Las Meninas.
Entrance to the Museo del Prado
Inside the Museo del Prado
By van Ort, via
Wikimedia Commons
Titian Room inside the Museo del Prado
By José-Manuel Benito, via
Wikimedia Commons
12) Segovia
Segovia is a bus ride away from the capital city of Madrid and you must visit
it's amazing 2,000 year old Roman aqueduct, or acueducto romano. It's
constructed completely without mortar from 20,000 granite blocks and covers
2,500 feet. It’s an engineering feat that was still in use until the middle of
the 19th century. The aqueduct is sometimes referred to as the Puente de Diablo,
or Devil’s Bridge, and the story claims it was build by the devil to win a
woman’s soul. He didn’t succeed because he lacked the last stone by morning and
apparently the holes in the stones at the Segovia Aqueduct are from the Devil’s
fingers. You be judge but he aqueduct is well preserved otherwise.
Segovia is home to a Renaissance cathedral and the Segovian castle Alcazar.
Alcazar of Segovia actually inspired Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle. The
interior of the castle includes a throne room, an armory room and numerous works
of art. It's suffered damage and has been partially restored.
Arial view of Segovia
By McPolu, via
Wikimedia Commons
Roman Aqueduct of Segovia
Alcazar
11) Plaza Mayor in
the Capital
Sit down at an outdoor table at one of the restaurants, relax, shop, take a
stroll on the cobblestoned street, have a traditional churro and hot chocolate
or people watch. These are just some of the things to do in the Plaza Mayor
located in the Spain’s capital, Madrid. A bronzed statue of King Phillips III
stands at the center of the square; it was created by two Italian sculptors,
Giovanni de Bologna and his apprentice named Pietro Tacca.
In the past, bullfights, royal weddings, births, burnings at the stake,
executions and hangings during the Spanish Inquisition were held in the Plaza
Mayor. In 1673, this plaza was the central place for food vendors and throughout
the years, fires have destroyed the buildings surrounding the square of the
plaza three times. The Plaza Mayor buildings caught fire once in 1631, once
again in 1672 and lastly in 1790. Juan de Villanueva oversaw the construction of
the buildings you see there today and The Plaza Mayor is less hectic these days,
often serving as a place to meet friends or spend a lazy summer afternoon at a
cafe.
The Plaza Mayor in Madrid
By Sebastian Dubiel, via
Wikimedia Commons
King Philip III statue
Cafe Novelty in The Plaza Mayor
By Pravdaverita, via
Wikimedia Commons
10) Bullfights in
Andalucia: Major Culture, Major Costumes
Bullfights are dangerous and exciting events that you can see in person in
Andalucia, a part of southern Spain that has about 70 different bullrings.
Bullfights are a ritual and form of art both in Spanish culture and the region
of Andalucia but they are also a major spectator sport. It’s debatable whether
bullfighting is a blood sport or fine art but sport might be a misnomer because
bullfighting does not involve competition exactly. The ritual is about
immortality where man, the matador, versus death, represented as the bull. The small red cape
we’re all familiar with is called a muleta and the red color is just for show
because bulls are colorblind. Little known fact or the sport is that some of the
outrageous costumes can cost more than 3,000 euros, that is around 4,130.00 US
Dollars.
There’s an official calendar of when bullfights are happening in certain
bullrings in Andalucia and tickets are always available. An event like this is
definitely something you won’t forget and is a major spectacle that is integral
to Spanish culture. If a real bullfight seems too extreme then you can always
visit one of the museums to view costumes, memorabilia and photographs plus
learn more about the history of bullfighting. One of the major bullfighting
museums is in the Plaza de la Maestranza in Seville.
Plaza de Toros bullfighting arena in Andalucia, Spain
By Manfred Werner, via
Wikimedia Commons
Plaza de la Maestranza in Seville
By Vincenzo venditti, via
Wikimedia Commons
Matador fighting a bull
By Michelangelo-36, via
Wikimedia Commons
9) Ibiza: the Party
Island
There’s a reason why pop and dance songs talk
about going to Ibiza; it's all about the nightlife. Ibiza is a Mediterranean island about 49 miles off the
coast of eastern Spain with many different clubs to choose from, some of the
famous ones are: Ammesia, Pacha, Underground, Space and Privilege. Much of the
music featured in the clubs are house, trance, techno and
electronic dance. The schedule and waking hours for most visitors is different
from anywhere else. Waking at noon then napping in the evening are necessary to
be alert for partying until sunrise and “Sunrise discos” are part of the routine in
Ibiza.
Even though Ibiza is considered the clubbing capital of the world, that’s not
all there is to this island. There’s parasailing, beach festivals and local
“Hippy” markets that sell local produce as well as specialty goods like handmade
soaps. There’s a secret cove that is mysteriously called Atlantis and the
location
can only be found by asking a local. Ibiza can be reached by boat but there is
also a local airport. The vibe could be crazy or could be relaxed depending on
the time of day and the season but Ibiza is sure to be a fun time
with many things to do.
Ibiza
Privilege in Ibiza
Beach at Portinatx, Ibiza
8) Bodegas Ysios
Bodegas Ysios is architecturally stunning and it’s located in Laguardia near the
Sierra de Cantabria mountain range in the Rioja region of Spain. It’s not only a
beautiful building to look at but it’s also a winery. A masterpiece
surrounded by vineyards, it consists of an aluminum roof and a copper treated
cedar facade. You’ve never seen anything quite like it, especially right in the
middle of nature. The structure was designed by Calatrava and opened in 2001.
The idea was to make a “temple” for wine and the design of the building was
meant to exist in harmony with the nature surrounding it. The shiny metal roof
rolls along the top of the building in a very natural and nature
inspired way. The region is supposed to be ideal for growing grapes and Bodegas Ysios takes advantage of that. Bodegas Ysios produces wines on
site, offers
wine tastings, tours and classes that can give you a chance to view amazing
architecture as well as drink fine wine at the same time.
Bodegas Ysios
By Roberto Lumbreras, via
Wikimedia Commons
Inside Bodegas Ysios
Winery Facilities in Bodegas Ysios
By Roberto Lumbreras from Madrid, España,
via Wikimedia Commons
7) The Pyrenees: the
Great Outdoors in Spain
The Pyrenees is the place to be in Spain if you’re outdoorsy and the name comes
from Greek mythology, the story of the princess Pyrene. The Pyrenees is a huge
mountain range in northern Spain and it happens to be the natural border between
Spain as well as France plus there is a teeny country named
Andorra squeezed into the middle. This mountain range is chock full with
breathtaking views of pure nature and hiking is the major focus with tons of
short as well as long trails to be found. The most
famous one is referred to as the Pyrenean Trail that covers the whole mountain from
one end to the other. If hiking’s not your thing, daredevils can try
hang gliding or paragliding around the Pyrenees. Maybe white water rafting in Noguera Pallaresa or canoeing in the Bidasoa
River is more your style. The mountain range can be explored by bike and
horseback riding is also available; the Pyrenees is a major part of the
Tour de France in July. In the winter, the mountains are dusted with snow and
alpine skiing as well as mountaineering are the
sports featured; there’s even a dog mushing competition. Beautiful landscapes
and tons of sporting activities make the Pyrenees a must for adventurers.
The Pyrenees
Noguera Pallaresa
By Gustau Erill i Pinyot, via
Wikimedia Commons
Bidasoa River
By Pablo Moratinos, via
Wikimedia Commons
6) Santiago de
Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of Galicia in Spain and is home to the City of Culture of Galicia, a series of cultural
buildings designed by architects led by Peter Eisenman. The buildings are
specifically located in the Coruna and resemble low rolling hills. The
community of Santiago de Compostela is home to the Monasterio de San Martín
Pinario, a 16th century former Benedictine monastery.
Another attraction is the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, a striking
Gothic and Baroque Roman church in Galicia, Spain. The Cathedral of
Santiago de Compostela is supposedly where Saint James the Greater, an apostle of Jesus
Christ, is buried. The church has been added onto in the 16th, 17th and 18th
centuries. The front facade, the Facade of the Obradoiro, was designed by
Fernando de Casas Novoa; it's Romanesque, featuring glazed windows. The
structure also includes multiple bell and clock towers.
Santiago de Compostela
By amaianos, via
Wikimedia Commons
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
Inside the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
By Lancastermerrin88, via
Wikimedia Commons
5) Tapas in Madrid
Madrid and Spain in general are known around the world for their tapas, which are
small meals or appetizers that you can make a dinner out of. Tapas can be served
cold or hot, depending on the dish. Some tapas involve cheese and olives, while
others will feature meat or seafood. Sometimes classic Spanish dishes
will be featured like chorizo, empanadillas or patatas bravas.
The origin of the tapas, meaning "to cover" in Spanish, is that bread
would be used to put on top of a sweet drink, such as the customary sherry, to
prevent fruit flies from taking an unwanted dive; the snack accompanying the
drink became known as tapas in time. Tapas in northern Spain are sometimes referred to
as pinchos, or toothpicks, because they commonly involve a few foods held
together with a toothpick. The toothpick also helps keep track of the number of
foods a customer has eaten.
Going to different tapas bars can be like a pub crawl, bars and nightlife
being another thing Madrid is known for. Tapas bars can easily be found around
Plaza Mayor and throughout the rest of the city. A couple major tapas
restaurants in Madrid include: Mercado de San Miguel, Casa Revuelta and Juanalaloca.
Tapas bar in Madrid, Spain
By Brian Snelson, via
Wikimedia Commons
Empanadillas
4) The Dali Theatre
and Museum
If you want to know more about the surrealist artist Salvador Dali then look no
further; the Dali Theatre and Museum is located in Figueres, Catalonia, Spain.
The museum is in Salvador Dali's home town and was opened to the public in
September 28, 1974. It holds the biggest collection of artwork by Salvador Dali
in the world but includes works by additional artists too; Dali himself is interred in a
mausoleum in the basement.
Various bizarre as well as imaginative things can be seen in the Dali Theatre and
Museum; this includes: mechanical devices, collages and custom furniture. The entire
place is considered “the world’s largest Surrealist object” and you can easily
see why by looking at the building itself, which is a combination of different
styles, objects and sculptures. Some interesting works include Autoretrat tou
amb bacon fregit (1941); L'espectre del sex-appeal (1932); Poesia d'Amèrica-Els
atletes còsmics (1943); the room called Mae West, which
features furniture that creates an image of Mae West from only a certain angle.
This mind bending place can be experienced by anyone, all you need to do is buy
a ticket.
The Dali Theatre
By Olivier2000,
from Wikimedia Commons
The Dali Museum
By CC-BY-SA-2.5., via
Wikimedia Commons
3) Flamenco in
Seville
Seville is famous for the energetic and dramatic flamenco. Seville is home to
several tablaos, which are major venues for choreographed flamenco dancing. Flamenco
performances can range in price from expensive shows at exclusive venues to
impromptu performances for just the price of a drink if you happen to catch a
nightly performance in a local bar. The types of performances can range from
traditional and highly authentic, to modern or more tourist oriented. If you
want a reliable artistic and true form of flamenco then try to catch a
show at one of the peñas in Seville. Peñas are small clubs specifically for
flamenco and are known for maintaining the highest standards. Performances
aren’t regularly scheduled, so looking for posters locally
or just listening for flamenco music on the streets of Seville are some of the
methods you might have to use to find these types of events. It could be worth
it if you’re fiercely dedicated to seeing a night of the “real” flamenco; this
site of Spain is one that a casual tourist can easily miss.
Flamenco Club in Seville
By Mongol, via
Wikimedia Commons
Choreographed flamenco show in Seville
2) Museo Guggenheim
Bilbao: the Matter of Time in Bilbao
In Bilbao, Basque Country in Spain, stands the Museo Guggenheim or the
Guggenheim Museum and it’s one of several museums that belong to the Solomon R.
Guggenheim foundation. The architecture of the
building was designed by Frank Gehry and it is striking. It is an enormous work
of glass, titanium and limestone on a 32,500 square meter site that has been
described by architect Phillip Johnson as “the greatest building of our time”.
It’s a sight to see, especially when viewed from the nearby Nervión River and
that’s just the outside! The Guggenheim Bilbao is home to nineteen exhibitions
and some of the installations in the building, as well as outside, are huge. One
of the huge exhibitions is The Matter of Time by Richard Serra and it's a long
curved structure constructed out of steel. This 14 feet high artistic piece weighs 1,034 tons and
is housed in the 430 foot Arcelor Gallery. The Matter of Time is also the only
permanent exhibition in the museum, which is not surprising when you imagine
having to transport a 1,034 ton steel structure. The Guggenheim Bilbao is
impressive in almost every way and has to be seen to be believed.
The Museo Guggenheim Bilbao
By MykReeve, via
Wikimedia Commons
The Matter of Time
1) Gaudi in
Barcelona: Sagrada Familia, or Sacred Family
The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, also known as Sagrada Familia or Sacred Family, is a Roman Catholic church designed by Antoni
Gaudí. If you only check out one place in Spain then make it this. 2.8
million people a year come to visit this gorgeous church that is incredibly unique, unfinished
and the most popular monument in Spain. Gaudí died in 1926 before the church
could be completed and architects have been working on finishing the church ever
since. Construction on the church is estimated to be completed in 2026, the
centennial of Gaudí's death. The church is also home to the Museu Gaudí, where
you can learn more about his interesting life and work. Guided tours and audio
tours are available, which will help you understand more about the complex
nature of the building as well as its history. Make sure to take your time to view the
stained glass and mosaics that set this church apart with Gaudí's signature
style.
There are three facades on the exterior of the Sagrada Familia: the Nativity
Facade, the Passion Facade and the Glory Facade. The facades feature intricate
sculptures that depict scenes of Catholicism, religious figures, nature and
animals. The Nativity Facade in particular was the first facade to be finished
and is dedicated to the birth of Jesus. The Nativity Facade also includes tall
and narrow spiral staircases that can be climbed.
Sacred Family Passion Facade
By Wjh31, via
Wikimedia Commons
Sacred Family Nativity Facade
Smackfu,
from Wikimedia Commons
Sacred Family Glory Facade
By Jordiferrer, via
Wikimedia Commons
Finals Thoughts
The country of Spain is full of artistic and natural wonders. Major places to
visit are:
the Guggenheim, Gaudi’s beautiful and interesting architecture; the historic
Plaza Mayor of Madrid and even the party towns. The types of places that you
could visit in Spain are incredibly diverse with more things to do than you
could imagine. You could hang glide, dance to electronic music, see flamenco
dancers and attend bullfights when traveling though the mountains of the Pyrenees and across major
cities. You can see strange paintings and buildings
that are extremely modern or view more classic art as well as architecture that
is Roman,
Gothic, Baroque or Renaissance in style. See gardens, islands, coves and snow
covered mountains. Bike, hike, swim and hunt; it’s all possible in Spain. The
hardest part will be figuring out just what you can manage to fit into your
vacation schedule with the time you have there.
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