15 BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN SPAIN

Best Places to Visit in Spain

Spain is known to be a Roman Catholic nation. But it was once a Muslim-dominated country after their capture around 700 AD. The whole country is a mix of Christian and Moorish architecture and designs. Nevertheless, it is a unique combination and a Spain travel guide will tell you that these places are worthy to be visited. Here is a list of the best places to visit in Spain.

1. Sagrada Família – Barcelona

Spaniards are known to be devout Roman Catholics and of course, it is expected that their most visited tourist attraction is a church – Sagrada Família. Can you guess who the architect is for this magnificent church? Yes, it was Antoni Gaudi. He assumed position after Francisco Paula de Villar resigned from his post.

The basilica is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It can accept as many as 9,000 worshippers at any given time. Visitors can access some parts of the church including the museum, the crypt and the towers.

2. Alhambra – Granada

This is another one of the most visited palaces and fortresses in Spain. Alhambra was once described by Moorish writers as “a pearl set in Emeralds” because of the abundance of thick and green trees around the fortress and at times, the building exudes an illusion of colors – thus the term, Pearl. UNESCO recognized Alhambra as a World Heritage Site and is one of the most beautiful Moorish-style Spanish monuments in the country. As such, it was mentioned in several works of fiction like Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving and the best-selling novel in history, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho.

3. Casa Milà – Barcelona

Again, another masterpiece of Antoni Gaudi is the La Pedrera or the Casa Milà which is one of the must-see places to visit in Spain. This was the last known work of Gaudi and he finished it in six years from 1906 to 1912. Today, it is being managed by Catalunya-La Pedrera Foundation and it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The foundation coordinates all the activities and exhibits inside the casa. They also handle the tours and visits.

Some movies used this casa for their roof scenes like Vicky Cristina Barcelona by Woody Allen and The Passenger which starred Jack Nicholson.

4. Mosque of Córdoba – Cordoba

Mosque of Córdoba is also known as Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption. It is a bit confusing because its name says that it is a Muslim mosque and yet it is a cathedral. So, which is is it? The truth is that when the Muslims conquered Spain in 711 AD, the Moors had to find a place where they could pray. Muslims pray 5 times a day and to do that, they designed the Mosque of Córdoba as their house of prayer. Eventually, Christians gained control of Cordoba and now it is purely a Christian place of worship with Moorish details all over.

5. Museo Nacional Del Prado – Madrid

Tourists love the Museo Nacional Del Prado and they always give it a 4 to 5 star rating in online polls. But what is in this museum that impresses residents and visitors, alike? Well, for one, the museum is home of the best European art paintings. Works of Francisco de Goya and Diego Velázquez are on the walls of this museum. It holds at least 7,600 canvases from various artists, 1,000 sculpted figures, 4,800 print art and 8,200 sketches.

6. Royal Palace of Madrid

Palacio Real de Madrid or Royal Palace of Madrid is the official royal home of the Spanish Royal Family whenever they are in Madrid and one of the nicest places to visit in Spain. It is a very lavish palacio and King Felipe VI found the Palacio de la Zarzuela as more modest and fitting home for his royal family.

Today, the palacio is being used for state events. It was designed by architect Filippo Juvarra and began its construction in 1735. All in all, the palacio has 3,418 rooms and is the most massive palace in all of Europe, according to floor area.

7. Gothic Quarter – Barcelona

The Gothic Quarter or in Spanish, Barrio Gótico, is the city center of Barcelona. It has many landmarks and tourist destinations, all in one strip. There is the Cathedral of Santa Eulàlia, the Basilica of La Mercè, the Church of Santa Maria del Pi, the Church of Sant Miquel, the Barcelona City History Museum, the Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, the Portal de l’Àngel and the Temple of Augustus in Barcelona ruins, among many other establishments, churches, and buildings to see in the Barrio.

8. Casa Batlló – Barcelona

The architect for this monumental building is Antoni Gaudi and it is considered one of his masterpieces. People called it Casa dels ossos or House of Bones because from the outside, it looks like a skeleton building. It is Art Noveau inspired and it is full of mosaic designs, which is typical of Antoni Gaudi.

The Casa Batlló was opened for tourists and visitors in 2002. One of the most notable features of the casa is its loft. It has sixty arches which resembled a rib cage.

9. Camp Nou – Barcelona

Spain is one of the countries that love the sport of football. So naturally, one of their most visited establishments is Camp Nou – a stadium where football games transpire as it is the home of Spain’s football team called Futbol Club Barcelona. (FC Barcelona)

It is the biggest stadium in Spain for it can accommodate 99,354 people at one time. The ’82 FIFA World Cup happened here; UEFA Champions League twice and 1992 Summer Olympics for football, as well.

10. Alcázar of Seville – Sevilla

The Alcázar of Seville or the Royal Alcazars of Seville is a palacio which was created to house Muslim kings in the Middle Ages. Today, it is in the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO and they recorded it as Cathedral, Alcázar and General Archive of the Indies in Seville. It is the oldest palacio in all of Spain and the European continent that still exists and is being used to this day. It was also the birthplace of King Philip’s daughter, Maria Antonia Ferdinanda of Spain in 1773; which makes it one of the most historic places to visit in Spain.

11. Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum – Madrid

The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, as the Spanish calls it, is a museum of art located in the country’s capital, Madrid. The location of the museum is in one of the busy boulevards in the city – in Paseo del Prado. It is also one of the three most important museums in Spain to which they call the Golden Triangle of Art. It has at least 1,600 paintings from painters all around the world like Duccio, Jan Van Eyck, Antonello da Messina, Copley, Claude Monet and many other distinguished artists.

12. Park Güell – Barcelona

Park Güell was founded in 1914 by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi through the vision of Eusebi Güell, a wealthy Spanish businessman who married a noble – a daughter of the Marquis of Comillas. The whole park was recognized by UNESCO and is part of the World Heritage Site list. UNESCO found it necessary to acknowledge the skills and efforts of Antoni Gaudi for seven of his works including this park.

The park is on top of Carmen Hill and is intricately designed all around. The gardens and the architectural make of the park make it a frequented tourist spot in Spain.

13. La Rambla – Barcelona

One of the famous streets in Barcelona is La Rambla or as the Spanish people calls it Las Ramblas. Quoted from the Spanish writer Federico Garcia Lorca, he found Las Ramblas as: the only street in the world which I wish would never end. It is the center of the city and a long strip at 1.2 kilometers or .75 miles.

It has the Liceu Theatre, the La Boqueria market, the Palace of the Virreina and the Royal Square or the Plaça Reial. This plaza host private collectors of coins and stamps every weekend. It is the night hub in Barcelona and one of the most exciting places to visit in Spain.

14. Costa del Sol – Málaga

Costa del Sol means Sunny Coast. Together with its neighboring coasts, Costa de la Luz and Costa Tropical, these small communities used to be home of fishermen and their families. Today, Costa del Sol is a breathtaking tourist attraction and one of the most popular traveler’s destinations in Spain.

Aside from their world-class beaches, you can view their monuments, museums and other natural wonders. These places are recommended: Catedral de Málaga, Cueva de Nerja, and Alcazaba.

15. Palacio de Generalife – Granada

The Palacio de Generalife used to be one of the summer castles and country homes of the nobles and royals of Nasrid Kingdom of Granada. The palacio was established during the rule of Mohammad III in 1302 to 1309. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

People find the entrance to the palacio intriguing. The pathway and the surrounding fences and garden will give you the vibe that it is a country residence and not a palacio. But once you are inside, you will see how magnificent the interiors are and the rest of the castle looks “royal” all the way.