Language · 11 published
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.
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
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.
20 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia
The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia is the Gothic cathedral of Barcelona, seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona. Dedicated to the city's co-patron saint Eulalia, a young martyr, it stands in the historic Barri Gòtic district.
Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar
The Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar stands in Barcelona's Ribera district as a Catalan Gothic church built between 1329 and 1383. Constructed by the local maritime community, it represents pure Catalan Gothic style without later decorative additions.
Gran Teatre del Liceu is Barcelona's principal opera house, located on La Rambla in the Ciutat Vella district. Founded in 1847, it has served as a major cultural institution for opera and performing arts in Catalonia and Spain.
Casa de les Punxes is a landmark of Catalan Modernism on Avinguda Diagonal in Barcelona. Josep Puig i Cadafalch designed the building, constructed between 1905 and 1910 for the Terradas family.
Casa Amatller is a modernist building in Barcelona, designed by architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch. It stands on Passeig de Gràcia, adjacent to Casa Batlló.
Casa Calvet is an early modernist building by Antoni Gaudí on Carrer de Casp in Barcelona’s Eixample. Built between 1898 and 1900 for the Calvet family, textile manufacturers, the property combined homes with commercial activity.
Dona i Ocell, or Woman and Bird, is a monumental Joan Miró sculpture in Barcelona’s Parc de Joan Miró. Created as a vivid public artwork, it combines a female form with a bird shape in Miró’s distinctive surrealist language.
Cementiri de Montjuïc
Montjuïc Cemetery, known locally as Cementiri de Montjuïc, is a historic burial ground located on Montjuïc hill in Barcelona, Spain. The cemetery occupies a prominent position overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the city below.
Font de Canaletes is a historic fountain located on La Rambla in Barcelona, Spain. It stands as one of the city's most recognizable landmarks and serves as a traditional meeting point for both locals and visitors.
Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor
The National Expiatory Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, known locally as Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor, stands on the summit of Tibidabo mountain overlooking Barcelona.
L’Auditori is Barcelona’s major contemporary concert complex near Glòries. Designed by Rafael Moneo, it opened in 1999 and houses the Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra.
Parròquia Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi
The Parròquia Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi is a parish basilica in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter. Its Catalan name references a pine tree that once stood nearby.
Teatre Nacional de Catalunya is one of Barcelona’s principal theatrical institutions and a major performing arts venue. It stands at Plaça de les Arts, where its contemporary Catalan architecture forms part of the city’s cultural landscape.
La Cara de Barcelona
The Face of Barcelona, also known as La Cara de Barcelona, is a public landmark in Barcelona’s urban landscape. Its identity is tied to the city’s street-level art and architecture rather than to an indoor collection or scheduled attraction.
Reial Monestir de Santa Maria de Pedralbes
The Reial Monestir de Santa Maria de Pedralbes is a Gothic monastery founded in 1326 by Queen Elisenda de Montcada.
Basílica de la Mercè
The Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy is a Baroque church in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, close to the port and the historic centre. Dedicated to the Virgin of Mercy, patroness of Barcelona, it remains an active place of worship.
Cementiri del Poblenou
Poblenou Cemetery, known locally as Cementiri del Poblenou, is a historic burial ground in Barcelona. Established in the 18th century, it represents one of the city's oldest cemeteries and serves as a significant cultural landmark.
Teatre Principal is a historic theatre in Barcelona and an important part of the city’s performing-arts tradition. It suits travellers who want to connect the city’s cultural life with its older urban fabric.
Catedral de la Almudena
Almudena Cathedral is Madrid’s principal Roman Catholic cathedral, facing the Royal Palace across Plaza de la Armería. Construction began in the late nineteenth century and Pope John Paul II consecrated the cathedral in 1993.
Real Basílica de San Francisco el Grande
Basílica de San Francisco el Grande is a prominent Roman Catholic basilica in Madrid, Spain. The local name matches its formal identity.
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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