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Country guide
Spain covers 506,030 square kilometres and counts close to 50 million people, and it reads less as one country than as a set of regions that do not resemble each other. Madrid sits high and dry in the middle of the peninsula with the national collections in it; Barcelona is Mediterranean and Catalan-speaking. Andalusia in the south carries the Moorish architecture of Granada, Córdoba and Seville along with the heat that comes with it, while the green north coast from Bilbao to Galicia is wet Atlantic country most visitors never reach. The Canary Islands lie off Africa, and Ceuta and Melilla are on the African mainland itself.
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Dmitry Dzhus from London · CC BY 2.0
Photograph · dronepicr · CC BY 2.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
100 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
The Sagrada Família is a Catholic basilica in the Eixample district of Barcelona that has been under construction since 1882 and is still not finished.
Spotify Camp Nou is FC Barcelona's stadium, in the Les Corts district on the western side of the city. The club's own facilities page dates the official opening to 24 September 1957.
Park Güell is a twelve-hectare hillside park in the Gràcia district of Barcelona, and it began life as a property venture that failed.
Sant Pau Recinte Modernista is the hospital Barcelona built when its medieval one gave out, and it is now visited as architecture rather than used as a ward.
Casa Batlló is a remodelled apartment block at Passeig de Gràcia 43, and the remodelling is the reason to go. The building was put up in 1877 by Emili Sala Cortés, one of Gaudí's own architecture professors.
The Palau de la Música Catalana is a working concert hall in the Sant Pere quarter, a few streets east of Plaça de Catalunya, and it is the only Art Nouveau concert venue on the UNESCO World Heritage List, inscribed…
MACBA is the Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona, a major museum dedicated to contemporary art in the El Raval district. It occupies a striking white building designed by American architect Richard Meier, opened in 1995.
Poble Espanyol is an open-air architectural museum in Barcelona. Built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, it occupies a prominent position on Montjuïc hill. The complex contains 117 full-scale buildings representing architectural styles from across Spain's regions.
The Gaudi House Museum, locally known as Casa Museu Gaudí, stands within Park Güell in Barcelona. This building served as the residence of Antoni Gaudí, the celebrated Catalan architect, for nearly two decades.
Museu Picasso is an art museum in Barcelona dedicated to the work of Pablo Picasso. The museum opened in 1963 and houses one of the most extensive collections of artworks by the 20th-century Spanish artist.
The Maritime Museum of Barcelona occupies the historic Royal Shipyard building, a Gothic naval construction complex dating to the thirteenth century. This architectural monument originally served as a military shipyard for the Crown of Aragon, producing vessels for Mediterranean fleets.
The Museu d'Història de Barcelona is a municipal museum dedicated to the history of Barcelona. It is operated by the city council and preserves archaeological remains and historical collections.
El Retiro is the historic municipal garden that fills the ground east of the Paseo del Prado, and it is the only part of central Madrid large enough to lose an afternoon in.
Casa Milà is the apartment block Antoni Gaudí built on the chamfered corner of Passeig de Gràcia and Carrer de Provença between 1906 and 1912, and it was the last civil building he completed before he gave the rest of…
Palau de la Virreina is a historic palace on Barcelona's La Rambla. Built in the late 18th century as a private aristocratic residence, it now serves as a cultural center and exhibition space.
The Temple of Augustus, known locally as Temple d'August, constitutes the remnants of a Roman temple dedicated to the first Roman emperor.
The FC Barcelona Museum, marketed as the Camp Nou Experience, is a sports museum dedicated to the history of FC Barcelona football club. It forms part of the larger stadium complex in Barcelona, Spain.
The Forum Building, locally known as Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona, is a prominent structure in Barcelona. It serves as a natural sciences museum within the city's cultural infrastructure.
The Museu Tàpies is a museum in Barcelona dedicated to the life and work of Antoni Tàpies, a prominent Catalan painter and sculptor.
The Museu Frederic Marès is a museum in Barcelona dedicated to the collections of sculptor Frederic Marès. It occupies part of the medieval Royal Palace of the Counts of Barcelona in the Gothic Quarter.
The Museu de la Xocolata is a museum in Barcelona dedicated to chocolate. It explores the history and cultural significance of chocolate, particularly its connections to Europe and Catalonia.
The Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum in Barcelona is a specialized museum dedicated to the history and culture of cannabis, hemp, and their uses.
The Real Jardín Botánico is a working research institute of the CSIC, Spain's national research council, that happens to be open to the public.
The Museo Arqueológico Nacional is Spain's principal institution dedicated to archaeological collections. Located in Madrid, it houses extensive holdings spanning prehistoric times through the medieval period.
CosmoCaixa Barcelona is a science museum located in the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district of Barcelona. The institution occupies a distinctive modernist building originally constructed as an asylum for the blind, designed by architect Josep Domènech i Estapà.
The Museo Nacional de Antropología in Madrid is Spain's national museum dedicated to anthropology. It houses collections related to human cultures, societies, and physical anthropology.
Vil·la Joana is a historic villa located in Barcelona, Spain. The building represents a notable example of residential architecture within the city's urban landscape.
The Museum of the History of Catalonia, locally known as Museu d'Història de Catalunya, is a cultural institution in Barcelona dedicated to preserving and presenting the historical narrative of Catalonia.
The Sorolla Museum is a museum in Madrid dedicated to the work of Joaquín Sorolla, a prominent Spanish painter known for his luminous beach scenes and portraits.
The Thyssen-Bornemisza is the private-collection third of Madrid's Paseo del Arte, standing on Paseo del Prado at number 8 in the Villahermosa palace, a few minutes' walk from the Prado and the Reina Sofia.
The Cerralbo Museum, or Museo Cerralbo, is a historic house museum in Madrid. It preserves the former residence of the 17th Marquis of Cerralbo, Enrique de Aguilera y Gamboa, a prominent aristocrat and collector.
The Museum of the Americas is a museum in Madrid dedicated to the art, archaeology, and ethnography of the Americas. It is located in the Ciudad Universitaria area, near the Moncloa district.
CaixaForum Barcelona is a cultural centre located in the Montjuïc area of Barcelona, Spain. The building was originally a modernist factory designed by architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, constructed in the early twentieth century.
Pis-Museu Casa Bloc is a museum apartment within the Casa Bloc complex in Barcelona. The building represents an important example of early modernist social housing architecture in the city.
The Madrid History Museum, known locally as Museo de Historia de Madrid, is a municipal museum dedicated to the history of Spain's capital city.
Liria Palace, known locally as Palacio de Liria, stands as a historic palace in Madrid. It serves as the principal residence of the House of Alba, one of Spain's most prominent noble families.
The Lázaro Galdiano Museum, known locally as Museo Lázaro Galdiano, is a museum in Madrid. It houses the art collection assembled by José Lázaro Galdiano, a Spanish financier, publisher and collector.
The Royal Tapestry Factory, known locally as Real Fábrica de Tapices, is a historic manufactory in Madrid. Founded by royal charter, it has produced hand-woven tapestries for centuries.
The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo is a contemporary art museum located in Madrid, Spain. As indicated by its name and classification, it serves as a venue for the exhibition and preservation of modern and contemporary artistic works.
CaixaForum Madrid is a cultural and social centre operated by the La Caixa Foundation. It occupies a distinctive building in central Madrid, notable for its brick industrial architecture with a prominent vertical garden on one exterior wall.
The National Museum of Decorative Arts, known locally as Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas, is a cultural institution in Madrid dedicated to decorative arts. It occupies a historic building in the city.
The National Museum of Natural Sciences, known locally as Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, is a prominent institution in Madrid. It operates under the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.
Museo del Traje is a museum in Madrid dedicated to the history of clothing and fashion. The institution forms part of Spain's network of state museums.
The Museum of Romanticism is a cultural institution in Madrid dedicated to the artistic and cultural movement of Romanticism.
The Madrid Wax Museum, known locally as Museo de Cera, is a waxwork museum situated in the city of Madrid, Spain.
The Railway Museum of Madrid, known locally as Museo del Ferrocarril de Madrid, is a museum dedicated to the history of rail transport in Spain.
La Casa Encendida is a cultural and social centre located in Madrid, Spain. The venue occupies a historic building and serves as a multidisciplinary space dedicated to contemporary art, education, and community engagement.
Zoo Aquarium de Madrid is a combined zoo and aquarium located in Madrid, Spain. The facility houses diverse animal species across terrestrial and aquatic environments.
Parque de Atracciones de Madrid is an amusement park located within the Casa de Campo, a large public park in Madrid, Spain. It is one of the city's major recreational destinations, offering rides and attractions for visitors.
The Planetario de Madrid is a planetarium located in Madrid, Spain. It is a facility dedicated to astronomical education and public outreach, serving as a cultural and scientific institution within the city.
Museo ABC is a museum located in Madrid, Spain. It is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and exhibition of works related to drawing and illustration.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
Ten to fourteen days allows three or four days in Madrid and four in Barcelona, plus selected rail day trips. Andalusia or either island group deserves a separate route instead of being compressed into the same mainland circuit.
Spain follows Schengen rules, but the traveller's nationality and route determine the required documents or visa. Confirm the current requirement through Spain's official consular information before departure.
High-speed rail makes Madrid-Barcelona and several mainland city pairs practical, while regional buses cover gaps. Island travel needs flights or ferries, and urban ticketing remains local to each city.
April to June and September to October are broad choices for Madrid and Barcelona. Andalusia, the Atlantic north, Balearics, and Canaries follow different heat and weather patterns, so a regional extension should control the final dates.
Spain uses the euro (EUR). Cards are common in cities, but a small euro reserve is useful for individual businesses; always check the billed currency and amount before approving a terminal transaction.
Spain's emergency contact is 112. Electrical outlets accept Type C and F plugs on a 230 V supply. Because this record contains no tap-water finding, use advice from the municipality serving each overnight stop.
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