Things to See in Spain
Places of Interest
The art lovers would love Madrid as the city has 3 art museums - The Prado, The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia (host to Picasso's famous Guernica), and The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza and plenty of other spots especially attractive to the artistic community.
The 18th Century Madrid Royal Palace will give you a glimpse into the city's glorious history with 20 rooms open to public. The area around Puerta del Sol and Madrids most historic square, the Plaza Mayor (completed in 1617 during the reign of Philip III) are two other places worth a visit in Madrid.
At a small distance of 30 kms from Madrid, is situated the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Alcala de Henares, the birthplace of writer Miguel de Cervantes and the English queen Catherine of Aragon. The site constitutes the oldest surviving public theatre in Europe and a 16th Century university, founded by Cardinal Cisneros.
Exploration of the history of Spain is never complete without a visit to the ancient Spanish capital of Toledo. The highlights of the place include, a magnificent cathedral, an Alcazar (the palace-fortress of the Arab kings and a finest specimen of Moorish Architecture), The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, which is preserved in the Santo Tome Church, and a magnificent Renaissance building with a Plateresque facade, Hospital y Museo de Santa Cruz, which hosts paintings by El Grecos and works by Goya and other artists.
Seville is another magnificent destination, which is famously known as The City of Carmen and Don Juan. The city also plays host to the largest Gothic building in the world. Another feather in the city's cap is the burial site of the Discoverer of America, Christopher Columbus. Some of the other magnificent features of the city include, the bell tower (known as the Giralda from its crowning weather vane), and Alcazar.
The 13th Century Alhambra palace-fortress has to be on top of your itinerary during a visit to Spain. It is located in Granada and was built by the Nasrid rulers. Some of the highlights of Alhambra include, the carefully decorate Palacios Nazaries, the 11th Century hilltop fortress of the Alcazaba, and the gardens of the summer palace, the Generalife.
Sticking to the historical sites, we have Avila, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated on a plain overlooked by the Sierra de Gredos, and famous for its perfectly preserved 11th-century walls, and also for being the birthplace of the 16th-century mystic, St Teresa.
Any visit to Spain is incomplete without having the ancient university town of Salamanca (European City of Culture in 2002) on the itinerary. The highlights include some magnificent Renaissance buildings and the Museo Art Nouveau y Art Deco hosting some of the unique collections from the 20th Century.
Barcelona, Spains second-largest city, is a major commercial and industrial centre with city's architecture as the major attraction. The famous architect, Antoni Gaudi has left his indelible imprints on the city, including the still incomplete church of the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family). The 14th and 15th Century buildings in Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter) will definitely give you a peep into the skills of ancient sculptors and architects.
This place has some marvellous attractions, like the Seu (Old Cathedral), the Palau de la Generalitat, the Episcopal Palace, and the Placa del Rei. Besides, the art lovers will rejoice in Barcelona's historic museums, like Museo Picasso, the Zoological Museum, the Maritime Museum, and the Museum of Catalan Art. A funicular railway to Tibidabo, the highest Barcelona hill is a thrilling experience, and so is a cable car drive to the southern suburb of Montjuic.
The major city of Basque, Bilbao, is famous for architectural marvel in the form of Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum. Besides, Bilbao's Old Town is a treasure trove for art lovers with a Gothic Cathedral and a Town Hall that speak volumes about the architectural brilliance of the artists of this region.
Santiago Calatrava's City of Arts and Science Park is the latest tourist attraction in the city of Valencia. The salient features include The Hemispheric, which is a unique glass structure that houses a planetarium, IMAX dome, and Laserium, and The Palace of Arts, which has the largest Oceanarium in Europe. Valencia's Cathedral is also a not-to-be-missed destination that is believed to possess the Holy Grail. Don't forget to time your visit in Valencia to coincide with the festival of The Fallas (Mar 15-19) featuring the burning of papier-mache effigies satirising famous Spanish personalities and a spellbinding fireworks display.
For other attractions in Spain visit our specific page Attractions in Spain
Tourist Information
Spanish National Tourist Office in the UK,
PO Box 4009,
London, W1A 6NB,
UK
Tel: (020) 7486 8077 or (0845) 940 0180 (24-hour brochure request line; calls cost 60p per minute)
Website: www.spain.info
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0915-1615.
Spanish Tourist Office in the USA,
666 Fifth Avenue,
Btwn 52nd and 53rd Street, 35th Floor,
New York, NY 10103,
USA
Tel: (212) 265 8822
Website: www.okspain.org
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