Things to Do in Spain

20 places across Barcelona, Madrid and 6 more cities — ranked by traveler ratings, with photos and where to find each one.

Sagrada Familia

Barcelona · Catalonia · church · ★ 4.8 · 330,508 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, or simply Sagrada Família, is a Catholic church that was under construction in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, it is the tallest church

Sagrada Familia
Canaan (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Parque del Buen Retiro

Madrid · Community of Madrid · park · ★ 4.8 · 214,904 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Retiro Park, also known as Buen Retiro Park or simply El Retiro, is one of the largest city parks in Madrid, Spain. The park belonged to the Spanish monarchy until 1868, when it became a public park following the Glorious Revolution.

Parque del Buen Retiro
pictures Jettcom (CC BY 3.0)

Plaza de España

Seville · Andalusia · plaza · ★ 4.8 · 187,554 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Plaza de España ("Spain Square", in English) is a plaza in Maria Luisa Park in Seville, Spain. It was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929.

Plaza de España
Carlos Delgado (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Casa Batlló

Barcelona · Catalonia · historical landmark · ★ 4.7 · 217,292 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Casa Batlló is a building in the center of Barcelona, Spain. It was designed by Antoni Gaudí, and is considered one of his masterpieces. A remodel of a previously built house, it was redesigned in 1904 by Gaudí (although the actual construction had not begun at this point) and has been refurbished several times since.

Casa Batlló
ChristianSchd (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Alhambra

Granada · Andalusia · ★ 4.8 · 158,987 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Alhambra is a palatine city and fortress complex located in Granada, Spain. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and the only well-preserved palace from the medieval Islamic world. Additionally, the palace contains notable examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture.

Alhambra
Jebulon (CC0)

Segovia Aqueduct

Toledo · Castile-La Mancha · historical landmark · ★ 4.9 · 118,271 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Plaza Mayor

Madrid · Community of Madrid · plaza · ★ 4.6 · 203,654 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Plaza Mayor is the principal public square in the heart of Madrid, the capital of Spain. It was once the centre of Old Madrid. It was first built (1580–1619) during the reign of Philip III. Only a few blocks away is another famous plaza, the Puerta del Sol.

Plaza Mayor
Sbharris (CC BY-SA 4.0

Museo del Prado

Madrid · Community of Madrid · art museum · ★ 4.7 · 156,331 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Museo del Prado, officially known as Museo Nacional del Prado, is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid.

Museo del Prado
Emilio J. Rodríguez Posada (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias

Valencia · Valencian Community · museum · ★ 4.7 · 154,856 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗
Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias
Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Royal Palace of Madrid

Madrid · Community of Madrid · castle · ★ 4.7 · 132,535 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Royal Palace of Madrid is the official residence of the Spanish royal family and is used primarily for state ceremonies.

Royal Palace of Madrid
Tim Adams (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Plaça de Catalunya

Barcelona · Catalonia · plaza · ★ 4.5 · 216,294 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Plaça de Catalunya is a large square in central Barcelona that is generally considered to be both its city centre and the place where the old city (see Barri Gòtic and Raval, in Ciutat Vella) and the 19th century-built Eixample meet.

Plaça de Catalunya
Didier Descouens (CC BY-SA 4.0)

La Boqueria Market

Barcelona · Catalonia · market · ★ 4.5 · 215,022 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, usually simply referred to as La Boqueria, is a large public market in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, and one of the city's foremost tourist landmarks, with an entrance from La Rambla, not far from the Liceu, Barcelona's opera house.

La Boqueria Market
Didier Descouens (CC BY-SA 4.0

Park Güell

Barcelona · Catalonia · park · ★ 4.4 · 240,565 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Park Güell is a complex of parks and gardens in Barcelona with architectural elements, located in the La Salut neighborhood of the Gràcia district in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the southern slope of the Turó del Carmel hill, part of the Collserola mountain range, overlooking the city.

Park Güell
essetefano (CC BY 3.0)

Mercado Central de Valencia

Valencia · Valencian Community · market · ★ 4.7 · 94,822 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Mercado Central or Mercat Central is a public market located across from the Llotja de la Seda and the Church of Santos Juanes in central Valencia, Spain. It is one of the main works of the Valencian Art Nouveau.

Mercado Central de Valencia
Felivet (Public domain

La Pedrera - Casa Milà

Barcelona · Catalonia · ★ 4.6 · 113,469 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

Casa Milà, popularly known as La Pedrera in reference to its unconventional rough-hewn appearance, is a Modernista building in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was the last private residence designed by architect Antoni Gaudí and was built between 1906 and 1912.

La Pedrera - Casa Milà
Thomas Ledl (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela · Galicia · church · ★ 4.7 · 85,976 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain. The cathedral is the reputed burial place of Saint James the Great, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ.

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
Fernando (CC BY-SA 4.0

L'Oceanogràfic

Valencia · Valencian Community · aquarium · ★ 4.6 · 109,176 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

L'Oceanogràfic is an oceanarium situated in the Garden of the Turia to the southeast of the city center of Valencia, Spain, where different marine habitats are represented. It was designed by the architect Félix Candela and the structural engineers Alberto Domingo and Carlos Lázaro.

L'Oceanogràfic
Diliff (CC BY-SA 3.0

Mirador de San Nicolás

Granada · Andalusia · scenic spot · ★ 4.7 · 80,514 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗
Mirador de San Nicolás
Jmdigne (CC BY-SA 3.0

Arc de Triomf

Barcelona · Catalonia · premise · ★ 4.6 · 98,279 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Arc de Triomf, translated: Arch of Victory, is a memorial arch in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was built by architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas as the main access gate for the 1888 Barcelona World Fair.

Arc de Triomf
Bajajvikram (CC BY-SA 3.0

La Concha Beach

San Sebastián · Basque Country · beach · ★ 4.7 · 23,671 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗

The Beach of La Concha is a crescent shaped urban seaboard of the city of San Sebastián located at the Bay of La Concha in the Basque Country, in northern Spain. Its name “Concha” is given upon its remarkably regular shape.

La Concha Beach
No machine-readable author provided. Josugoni assumed (based on copyright claims). (Public domain)

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under Creative Commons licenses. Individual credits shown on each photo where available.