Spain

Ibiza

Statistical region

Ibiza [p] is an island in the Mediterranean Sea, 79 kilometres off the coast of the city of Valencia in eastern Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. Its largest cities are Ibiza Town, Santa Eulària des Riu, and Sant Antoni de Portmany. Its highest point, called Sa Talaiassa, is 475 metres above sea level. While it is one-sixth the size of nearby Majorca, Ibiza is over five times the size of Mykonos, or ten times the size of Manhattan Island. Ibiza has become famous for the association with nightlife and the electronic music that originated on the island. It is well known for its summer club scene which attracts very large numbers of tourists, though the island's government and the Spanish Tourist Office have controversially been working to promote more family-oriented tourism. Noted clubs include Space, Privilege, Amnesia, Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel, Pacha, DC10, Eden, and Es Paradis. Ibiza is the home of the noted "port" in Ibiza Town, a popular stop for many tourists and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ibiza and the nearby island of Formentera to its south are called the Pine Islands, or "Pityuses".

Gran Canaria

Statistical region

Gran Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago, with a population of 838,397 which constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago. Located in the Atlantic Ocean about 150 kilometers off the northwestern coast of Africa and about 1350 km from Europe. Gran Canaria was populated by the Canarii, who may have arrived as early as 500 BC. The Canarii called the island Tamarán or Land of the Brave. After over a century of European incursions and attempts at conquest, the island was conquered on April 29, 1483, after a campaign that lasted 5 years, by the Kingdom of Castile, with the support of Queen Isabella I, a conquest which turned out to be an important step towards the expansion of the unified Spain. The capital city of Las Palmas was founded on June 24, 1478, under the name "Real de Las Palmas", by Juan Rejón, head of the invading Castilian army. In 1492, Christopher Columbus anchored in the Port of Las Palmas on his first trip to the Americas. Las Palmas is, jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands.

Museo Nacional Del Prado

Art Gallery

The Museo del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It features one of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, and unquestionably the best single collection of Spanish art. Founded as a museum of paintings and sculpture, it also contains important collections of other types of works. A new, recently opened wing enlarged the display area by about 400 paintings, and it is currently used mainly for temporary expositions. El Prado is one of the most visited sites in the world, and it is considered to be among the greatest museums of art. The large numbers of works by Francisco de Goya, the artist most extensively represented in the collection, and by Diego Velázquez, Titian, Peter Paul Rubens and Hieronymus Bosch are among the highlights of the collection. The collection currently comprises around 7,600 paintings, 1,000 sculptures, 4,800 prints and 8,200 drawings, in addition to a large number of other works of art and historic documents. By 2012 the Museum will be displaying about 1300 works in the main buildings, while around 3,100 works are on temporary loan to various museums and official institutions. The remainder are in storage. The museum received 2.8 million visitors in 2012.

Camp Nou

Olympic venue

Camp Nou is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, which has been the home of Futbol Club Barcelona since 1957. The Camp Nou seats 99,786, reduced to 96,336 in matches organized by UEFA, making it the largest stadium in Europe and the 11th largest in the world in terms of capacity. It has hosted numerous international matches at a senior level, including two UEFA Champions League finals and the football competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Sagrada Família

Art Nouveau Structure

The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, Spain, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. Although incomplete, the church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in November 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated and proclaimed it a minor basilica, as distinct from a cathedral which must be the seat of a bishop. Though construction of Sagrada Família had commenced in 1882, Gaudí became involved in 1883, taking over the project and transforming it with his architectural and engineering style, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. Gaudí devoted his last years to the project, and at the time of his death at age 73 in 1926 less than a quarter of the project was complete. Sagrada Família's construction progressed slowly, as it relied on private donations and was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War, only to resume intermittent progress in the 1950s. Construction passed the midpoint in 2010 with some of the project's greatest challenges remaining and an anticipated completion date of 2026, the centenary of Gaudí's death. The basílica has a long history of dividing the citizens of Barcelona, over the initial possibility it might compete with Barcelona's cathedral, over Gaudí's design itself, over the possibility that work after Gaudí's death disregarded his design, and the recent proposal to build an underground tunnel of Spain's high-speed rail link to France could disturb its stability.

Alhambra

Islamic Structure

The Alhambra the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra, is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It was originally constructed as a small fortress in 889 and then largely ignored until its ruins were renovated and rebuilt in the mid 11th century by the Berber king Badis ben Habus of the Kingdom of Granada who built its current palace and walls, and later converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada. The Alhambra's Islamic palaces were built for the last Muslim emirs in Spain and its court of the Nasrid dynasty. After the Reconquista by the Reyes Católicos in 1492, some portions were used by Christian rulers. The Palace of Charles V, built by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1527, was inserted in the Alhambra within the Nasrid fortifications. After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the Alhambra was rediscovered in the 19th century by European scholars and travelers, with restorations commencing. It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country's most significant and well known Arab-Islamic architecture, together with 16th-century and later Christian building and garden interventions. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the inspiration for many songs and stories.

El Escorial

Tourist attraction

The Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is an historical residence of the King of Spain, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 45 kilometres northwest of the capital, Madrid, in Spain. It is one of the Spanish royal sites and functions as a monastery, royal palace, museum, and school. It is also known shorthand as El Escorial or the Escorial. The Escorial comprises two architectural complexes of great historical and cultural significance: the royal monastery itself and La Granjilla de La Fresneda, a royal hunting lodge and monastic retreat about five kilometres away. These sites have a dual nature; that is to say, during the 16th and 17th centuries, they were places in which the power of the Spanish monarchy and the ecclesiastical predominance of the Roman Catholic religion in Spain found a common architectural manifestation. El Escorial was, at once, a monastery and a Spanish royal palace. Originally a property of the Hieronymite monks, it is now a monastery of the Order of Saint Augustine. Philip II of Spain, reacting to the Protestant Reformation sweeping through Europe during the 16th century, devoted much of his lengthy reign and much of his seemingly inexhaustible supply of New World gold to stemming the Protestant tide. His protracted efforts were, in the long run, partly successful; however, the same counter-reformational impulse had a much more benign expression thirty years earlier in Philip's decision to build the complex at El Escorial.

Ebro

River

The Ebro or Ebre is one of the most important rivers on the Iberian Peninsula. It is the biggest river by discharge volume in Spain. It is the second longest river on the Iberian Peninsula after the Tagus. The Ebro flows through the following cities: Reinosa in Cantabria; Frías and Miranda de Ebro in Castile and León; Haro, Logroño, Calahorra, and Alfaro in La Rioja; Tudela in Navarre; Alagón, Utebo, Zaragoza, and Caspe in Aragon; and Flix, Móra d'Ebre, Benifallet, Tivenys, Xerta, Aldover, Tortosa, and Amposta in Catalonia.

PortAventura

Amusement Park

PortAventura is a theme park and a resort in Salou, Tarragona, Spain; on the Costa Daurada, approximately an hour drive south-west of Barcelona. It attracts around 4 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in Spain. PortAventura Park is also the 6th most visited theme park in Europe. The resort also includes Costa Caribe Aquatic Park and four hotels. It is the biggest resort in the south of Europe. It has two airports within 30 minutes of it, including Reus Airport. There is a train station for PortAventura which has connections to Barcelona and Salou. It was conceived and built as a joint effort by a Spanish Consortium and Anheuser-Busch. When some of the Spanish Partners left the consortium the Tussauds Group replaced them as investors, finished the development and became the first operators. In 1997, Universal bought up most shares in the park and the park was rebranded as 'Universal's Port Aventura'. In 2000, two hotels and a water park were constructed, and the resort was further rebranded as 'Universal Mediterranea'. In 2004, NBC Universal sold all interest in PortAventura. It is now owned and operated by La Caixa banking group's investment vehicle Criteria, but as of 2005 the Universal name has been dropped from the branding, and the resort was once again named 'PortAventura'.

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía

Museum

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is Spain's national museum of 20th century art. The museum was officially inaugurated on September 10, 1992 and is named for Queen Sofia of Spain. It is located in Madrid, near the Atocha train and metro stations, at the southern end of the so-called Golden Triangle of Art. The museum is mainly dedicated to Spanish art. Highlights of the museum include excellent collections of Spain's two greatest 20th century masters, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. Certainly the most famous masterpiece in the museum is Picasso's painting Guernica. The Reina Sofía collection has works by artists such as: Juan Gris, Joan Miró, Julio González, Eduardo Chillida, Antoni Tàpies, Pablo Gargallo, Pablo Serrano, Lucio Muñoz, Luis Gordillo, Jorge Oteiza and José Gutiérrez Solana. International artists are few in the collection, but there are works by Robert Delaunay, Yves Tanguy, Man Ray, Jacques Lipchitz, Lucio Fontana, Yves Klein, Max Ernst, Richard Serra, Bruce Nauman, Donald Judd, Damien Hirst, Julian Schnabel, Joseph Beuys, Nam June Paik, Wolf Vostell, Gabriel Orozco, Clyfford Still, cubist still lifes by Georges Braque and a large work by Francis Bacon.²²

Teide

Volcano

Mount Teide is a volcano on Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Its 3,718-metre summit is the highest point in Spain and the highest point above sea level in the islands of the Atlantic. At 7,500 m from its base on the ocean floor, it is the third highest volcano in the world, after Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Its elevation makes Tenerife the tenth highest island in the world. It remains active: its most recent eruption occurred in 1909 from the El Chinyero vent on the northwestern Santiago rift. The United Nations Committee for Disaster Mitigation designated Teide a Decade Volcano because of its history of destructive eruptions and its proximity to several large towns, of which the closest are Garachico, Icod de los Vinos and Puerto de la Cruz. Teide, Pico Viejo and Montaña Blanca form the Central Volcanic Complex of Tenerife. The volcano and its surroundings comprise Teide National Park, which has an area of 18,900 hectares and was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on June 29, 2007. It is one of the most visited National Parks in the world, with a total of 2.8 million visitors, according to the Instituto Canario de Estadística.

Royal Palace of Madrid

Baroque Structure

The Palacio Real de Madrid is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family at the city of Madrid, but is only used for state ceremonies. King Juan Carlos and the Royal Family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the more modest Palacio de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid. The palace is owned by the Spanish State and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional, a public agency of the Ministry of the Presidency. The palace is located on Calle de Bailén, in the Western part of downtown Madrid, East of the Manzanares River, and is accessible from the Ópera metro station. Several rooms in the palace are regularly open to the public, except during state functions. In Spanish, it is sometimes incorrectly called "Palacio de Oriente" by confusion with the "Plaza de Oriente", the square which lies to the East side of the palace. The palace is on the site of a 9th-century fortress, called mayrit, constructed as an outpost by Muhammad I of Córdoba and inherited after 1036 by the independent Moorish Taifa of Toledo. After Madrid fell to Alfonso VI of Castile in 1083, the edifice was only rarely used by the kings of Castile. In 1329, King Alfonso XI of Castile conveved the cortes of Madrid for the first time. Philip II moved his court to Madrid in 1561.

Park Güell

Tourist attraction

Park Güell is a garden complex with architectural elements situated on the hill of El Carmel in the Gràcia district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and built in the years 1900 to 1914. It has an extension of 17.18 ha, which makes it one of the largest architectural works in south Europe. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Works of Antoni Gaudí".

Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba

Moorish Structure

The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba, also called the Mezquita and the Great Mosque of Córdoba, is a medieval Islamic mosque that was converted into a Catholic Christian cathedral in the Spanish city of Córdoba, Andalusia. The Mosque is regarded as the one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture. Since the early 2000s, Spanish Muslims have lobbied the Roman Catholic Church to allow them to pray in the cathedral. The Muslim campaign has been rejected on multiple occasions, by both Spanish Catholic authorities, and the Vatican.

Casa Milà

Tourist attraction

Casa Milà, better known as La Pedrera, is a building designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and built during the years 1906–1912. It is located at 92, Passeig de Gràcia in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was a controversial design at the time for the bold forms of the undulating stone facade and wrought iron decoration of the balconies and windows, designed largely by Josep Maria Jujol, who also created some of the plaster ceilings. Architecturally it is considered an innovative work for its steel structure and curtain walls – the façade is self-supporting. Other innovative elements were the construction of underground car parking and separate lifts and stairs for the owners and their servants. In 1984, it was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. The building is made open to the public by the CatalunyaCaixa Foundation, which manages the various exhibitions and activities and visits to the interior and roof.

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

Art Gallery

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, or in Spanish Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, is an art museum in Madrid, Spain, located near the Prado Museum at one of city's main boulevards. It is known as part of the "Golden Triangle of Art", which also includes the Prado and the Reina Sofia national galleries. The Thyssen-Bornemisza fills the historical gaps in its counterparts' collections: in the Prado's case this includes Italian primitives and works from the English, Dutch and German schools, while in the case of the Reina Sofia it concerns Impressionists, Expressionists, and European and American paintings from the second half of the 20th century. With over 1,600 paintings the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection was once the second largest private collection in the world after the British Royal Collection. A competition was held to house the museum in 1986 after Baron Thyssen, having tried to enlarge his Museum in Villa Favorita, searched for a location in Europe.

Palau de la Música Catalana

Tourist attraction

The Palau de la Música Catalana is a concert hall in Barcelona. Designed in the Catalan modernista style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it was built between 1905 and 1908 for the Orfeó Català, a choral society founded in 1891 that was a leading force in the Catalan cultural movement that came to be known as the Renaixença. It was inaugurated February 9, 1908. The project was financed primarily by the society, but important financial contributions also were made by Barcelona's wealthy industrialists and bourgeoisie. The Palau won the architect an award from the Barcelona City Council in 1909, given to the best building built during the previous year. Between 1982 and 1989, the building underwent extensive restoration, remodeling, and extension under the direction of architects Oscar Tusquets and Carles Díaz. In 1997, the Palau de la Música Catalana was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Hospital de Sant Pau. Today, more than half a million people a year attend musical performances in the Palau that range from symphonic and chamber music to jazz and Cançó.

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

Gothic Structure

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral of the archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. The cathedral is the reputed burial-place of Saint James the Greater, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. It is the destination of the Way of St. James, a major historical pilgrimage route since the Early Middle Ages. The building is a Romanesque structure with later Gothic and Baroque additions.

La Rambla

Tourist attraction

La Rambla is a street in central Barcelona, popular with tourists and locals alike. A tree-lined pedestrian mall, it stretches for 1.2 kilometers between Barri Gòtic and El Raval, connecting Plaça de Catalunya in the centre with the Christopher Columbus Monument at Port Vell.

City of Arts and Sciences

Building complex

The City of Arts and Sciences, is an entertainment-based cultural and architectural complex in the city of Valencia, Spain. It is the most important modern tourist destination in the city of Valencia. The City of Arts and Sciences is situated at the end of the former riverbed of the river Turia, which was drained and rerouted after a catastrophic flood in 1957. The old riverbed was turned into a picturesque sunken park. Designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela, the project underwent the first stages of construction in July 1996 and the finished "city" was inaugurated April 16, 1998 with the opening of L'Hemisfèric. The last great component of the City of Arts and Sciences, El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, was presented on October 9, 2005, Valencian Community Day.

Seville Cathedral

Gothic Structure

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, better known as Seville Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Seville. It is the largest Gothic cathedral and the third-largest church in the world. It was registered in 1987 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, along with the Alcázar palace complex and the General Archive of the Indies. After its completion in the early 16th century, the Seville Cathedral supplanted Hagia Sophia as the largest cathedral in the world, a title the Byzantine church had held for nearly a thousand years. The cathedral is also the burial site of Christopher Columbus. The Archbishop's Palace is located on the northeastern side of the cathedral.

Toledo Cathedral

Gothic Structure

The Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Toledo, Spain, see of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Toledo. The cathedral of Toledo is one of the three 13th-century High Gothic cathedrals in Spain and is considered, in the opinion of some authorities, to be the magnum opus of the Gothic style in Spain. It was begun in 1226 under the rule of Ferdinand III and the last Gothic contributions were made in the 15th century when, in 1493, the vaults of the central nave were finished during the time of the Catholic Monarchs. It was modeled after the Bourges Cathedral, although its five naves plan is a consequence of the constructors' intention to cover all of the sacred space of the former city mosque with the cathedral, and of the former sahn with the cloister. It also combines some characteristics of the Mudéjar style, mainly in the cloister, and with the presence of multifoiled arches in the triforium. The spectacular incorporation of light and the structural achievements of the ambulatory vaults are some of its more remarkable aspects. It is built with white limestone from the quarries of Olihuelas, near Toledo.

Parque Warner Madrid

Amusement Park

Parque Warner Madrid is a theme park located 25 km southeast of Madrid, Spain, in the municipality of San Martín de la Vega. The park opened on April 5, 2002, under the management of the Six Flags chain, with a 5% ownership share held by Time Warner. In November 2004, the management arrangement with Six Flags was terminated, with the park now managed by Time Warner and numerous Spanish investment groups. The name change to Parque Warner Madrid occurred at the start of 2006.

Tibidabo

Amusement Park

Tibidabo is a mountain overlooking Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. At 512 meters it is the tallest mountain in the Serra de Collserola. Rising sharply to the north-west, it affords spectacular views over the city and the surrounding coastline. There is an amusement park, a telecommunications tower, and a Catholic church, the Temple de Sagrat Cor, at the top, all of which are visible from most of the city. Designed by Enric Sagnier, the church took 60 years to construct and is topped by a sculpture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Josep Miret Llopart. The amusement park is the oldest in Barcelona and still has most of the original rides, some of which date to the turn of the 20th century. The park was featured in the Woody Allen film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Tibidabo can be reached by funicular railway, bus, bicycle, or car. The railway, built in 1901, was the first of its kind in Spain.

Alcázar of Seville

Tourist attraction

The Alcázar of Seville is a royal palace in Seville, Spain, originally a Moorish fort. It is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe, and it was registered in 1987 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, along with the Seville Cathedral and the General Archive of the Indies. The Almohades were the first to build a palace, which was called Al-Muwarak, on the site of the modern day Alcázar. The palace is one of the best remaining examples of mudéjar architecture. Subsequent monarchs have added their own additions to the Alcázar. The upper levels of the Alcázar are still used by the royal family as the official Seville residence and are administered by the Patrimonio Nacional.

Montserrat

Mountain

Montserrat is a multi-peaked mountain located near the city of Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain. It is part of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range. The main peaks are Sant Jeroni, Montgrós and Miranda de les Agulles. The mountain is the namesake for the Caribbean island of Montserrat. Montserrat is sometimes referred to as "tall", or la "cuchador" It is well known as the site of the Benedictine abbey, Santa Maria de Montserrat, which hosts the Virgin of Montserrat sanctuary and which is identified by some with the location of the Holy Grail in Arthurian myth. "Montserrat" literally means "saw mountain" in Catalan. It describes its peculiar aspect with multitude of rock formations which are visible from a great distance. The mountain is composed of strikingly pink conglomerate, a form of sedimentary rock. Montserrat is Spain's first National Park.

Terra Mítica

Amusement Park

Terra Mítica is a theme park located in Benidorm, Spain. The park is divided into 5 themed zones: Egypt, Greece, Rome, Iberia, and the Islands. The park opened in 2000. In 2004-2006 the park went through a bankruptcy process. In 2001, a year after park opening, Paramount Parks entered into an agreement to manage Terra Mitica, and the park was branded as a Paramount Park for the following season. In 2004 Paramount Parks filed for the Spanish equivalent of bankruptcy protection from its creditors. Since then the park has been operating independently. Terra Mítica emerged from temporary receivership in 2006, after restructuring its expenses, reducing labor costs, and canceling debt through the sale of excess park land. After generating, on average, a negative operating profit of 8 million € per year from its inception, Terra Mítica produced positive EBITDA in 2006. For the 2008 season, Terra Mítica added a new free access area including major branded food chains and shops as well as an outdoor adventure park. Plans for the 2009 season include the addition to shopping outlets adjacent to the Iberia section of the park. A hotel is also planned to be built by Ortiz Hijos in the area just behind the Egypt section of the park.

Museu Picasso

Art Gallery

The Museu Picasso, located in Barcelona, Spain, houses one of the most extensive collections of artworks by the 20th-century Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. With more than 3,500 works by the painter, the museum has the most complete collection of works. The museum is housed in five adjoining medieval palaces in Barcelona's La Ribera and is located on Montcada Street in the of Barcelona. It opened to the public on March 9 in 1963, becoming the first museum dedicated to Picasso's work and the only one created during the artist's life. It has since been declared a by the Government of Catalonia. Highlights of the collection include two of his first major works, The First Communion, and Science and Charity. In particular, the Museu Picasso reveals Picasso's relationship with the city of Barcelona, a relationship that was shaped in his youth and adolescence, and continued until his death.

Auditorio de Tenerife

Expressionism Structure

The Auditorio de Tenerife "Adán Martín", was designed by architect Santiago Calatrava Valls. It is located on the Avenue of the Constitution in the Canarian capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and next to the Atlantic Ocean in the southern part of Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Construction began in 1997 and was completed in 2003. The auditorium was inaugurated on 26 September of that year with the presence of Felipe de Borbón, Prince of Asturias, and was later visited by former U.S. President Bill Clinton. The building is framed within the tenets of late-modern architecture of the late 20th century. The majestic profile of the auditorium has become an architectural symbol of the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the island of Tenerife and the Canary Islands. It is also regarded as the finest modern building in the Canary Islands and one of the most emblematic buildings of Spanish architecture. In March 2008, it was included by the post office in a set of six stamps depicting the most emblematic works of Spanish architecture. In 2011, the image of the Tenerife Auditorium was included in a series of commemorative coins of 5 euros, which displayed the most emblematic symbols of several Spanish cities. It is one of the major attractions of Tenerife and home to the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife.

Puerto Banús

Tourist attraction

Puerto José Banús, more commonly known as Puerto Banús is a marina located in the area of Nueva Andalucía, to the southwest of Marbella, Spain on the Costa del Sol. It was built in May 1970 by José Banús, a local property developer, as a luxury marina and shopping complex. It has since become one of the largest entertainment centres in the Costa del Sol, with 5 million annual visitors, and is popular with international celebrities. Developed around a coastal village in the Mediterranean architectural style, Puerto Banús contains expensive shopping malls, restaurants and bars around the marina. It is also scene to many exotic car's that are owned by international celebrities and wealthy owners that also own large yachts. Cars like Ferrari's, Lamborghinis and Mercedes are a common sight in the summer months around Marbella.

Loro Parque

Zoo

Loro Parque is a 13.5-hectare zoo located on the outskirts of Puerto de la Cruz on Tenerife, Spain where it houses an extensive and diverse reserve of animal and plant species. The park was initially conceived as a paradise for parrots and has developed over the years into one of the biggest attractions of the Canary Islands, with over 40 million visitors so far.

Aqueduct of Segovia

Tourist attraction

The Aqueduct of Segovia is a Roman aqueduct and one of the most significant and best-preserved ancient monuments left on the Iberian Peninsula. It is located in Spain and is the foremost symbol of Segovia, as evidenced by its presence on the city's coat of arms.

Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art

Modern Art Museum

The Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art is situated in the Plaça dels Àngels, in El Raval, Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, Spain. The museum opened to the public on November 28, 1995. Its current director is Bartomeu Marí. Previous directors were Daniel Giralt-Miracle, Miguel Molins, Manuel J. Borja-Villel.

Gothic Quarter, Barcelona

Tourist attraction

The Gothic Quarter is the centre of the old city of Barcelona. It stretches from La Rambla to Via Laietana, and from the Mediterranean seafront to Ronda de Sant Pere. Despite several changes undergone in the 19th and early 20th century, many of the buildings date from Medieval times, some from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona. Remains of the squared Roman Wall can be seen around Tapineria and Sots-Tinent Navarro to the north, Avinguda de la Catedral and Plaça Nova to the west and Carrer de la Palla to the south. El Call, the medieval Jewish quarter, is located within this area too. The Barri Gòtic retains a labyrinthine street plan, with many small streets opening out into squares. Most of the quarter is closed to regular traffic although open to service vehicles and taxis.

Puerta del Sol

Tourist attraction

The Puerta del Sol is one of the best known and busiest places in Madrid. This is the centre of the radial network of Spanish roads. The square also contains the famous clock whose bells mark the traditional eating of the Twelve Grapes and the beginning of a new year. The New Year's celebration has been broadcast live on La 1 since December 31, 1962.

Giralda

Tourist attraction

The Giralda is a former minaret that was converted to a bell tower for the Cathedral of Seville in Seville, which was registered in 1987 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO along with the Alcazar and the General Archive of the Indies. The tower is 104.1 m in height and it was one of the most important symbols in the medieval city. The tower was begun under the architect Ahmad Ben Baso in 1184. After Ben Baso's death, other architects continued work on the tower. The mathematician and astronomer Jabir ibn Aflah is also often credited with the tower's design. The tower was completed March 10, 1198 with the installation of copper spheres on the tower's top. The Almohads built similar towers in what are now Spain and Morocco during this period. The tower of the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakesh served as a model for the Giralda and its sister, the Hassan Tower in Rabat. The tower's first two-thirds is a former minaret from the Almohad period of Seville, the upper third Spanish Renaissance architecture. After Seville was taken by the Christians in the Reconquista, the city's mosque was converted to a church. This structure was badly damaged in a 1356 earthquake, and by 1401 the city began building the current cathedral, one of the largest churches in the world and an outstanding example of the Gothic and Baroque architectural styles. The tower survived the earthquake, but the copper spheres that originally topped the tower fell during a 1365 earthquake, and the spheres were replaced with a cross and bell. The new cathedral incorporated the tower as a bell tower and eventually built it higher during the Renaissance under architect Hernán Ruiz the Younger, who was commissioned to work on the tower in 1568. This newer section of the tower contains a large inscription of Seville's motto, NO8DO, meaning "[Seville] has not abandoned me." Alfonso X of Castile gave the motto to the city when it continued to support his rule during an insurrection. Covering the top of the tower is the "Lily section" which surrounds the enclosure with the bell. The statue stands 4 m in height – 7 m with the pedestal – and sit on top of the tower from its installation in 1568.

The Madrid Zoo Aquarium

Zoo

The Madrid Zoo Aquarium is a 20-hectare zoo and aquarium located in the Casa de Campo in Madrid, Spain. The Zoo is owned by the city, but is managed by the international entertainment operator Parques Reunidos. Opened in 1770, it is one of the largest zoos in Spain and one of the few zoos in the world that houses Giant Pandas. The zoo is a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Fundació Joan Miró

Museum

The Fundació Joan Miró, Centre d'Estudis d'Art Contemporani is a museum of modern art honoring Joan Miró located on the hill called Montjuïc in Barcelona, Catalonia.

Plaza Mayor, Madrid

Tourist attraction

The Plaza Mayor was built during the Habsburg period and is a central plaza in the city of Madrid, Spain. It is located only a few Spanish blocks away from another famous plaza, the Puerta del Sol. The Plaza Mayor is rectangular in shape, measuring 129 m × 94 m, and is surrounded by three-story residential buildings having 237 breathtaking balconies facing the Plaza. It has a total of nine entranceways. The Casa de la Panadería, serving municipal and cultural functions, dominates the Plaza Mayor.

Isla Mágica

Amusement Park

Isla Mágica is a theme park in Seville, Spain. The park was constructed on the former grounds of the Expo '92 World's Fair in Seville and opened in 1997. It features a large lake and many other attractions including roller coasters and various other types of rides as well as both live and cinematic shows. The park's slogan is "Diversión sin límites" which translates as "Fun without Limits".

Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar

Tourist attraction

The Basilica–Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar is a Roman Catholic church in the city of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. The Basilica venerates Blessed Virgin Mary, under her title Our Lady of the Pillar praised as Mother of the Hispanic Peoples by Pope John Paul II. It is reputed to be the first church dedicated to Mary in history. Local traditions take the history of this basilica to the dawn of Christianity in Spain attributing to an apparition to Saint James the Great, the apostle who is believed by tradition to have brought Christianity to the country. This is the only reported apparition of Mary to have occurred before her supposed Assumption. Many of the kings of Spain, many other foreign rulers and saints have paid their devotion before this statue of Mary. Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and Blessed William Joseph Chaminade are among the most outstanding ones. The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar is one of two minor basilicas in the city of Zaragoza, and is co-cathedral of the city alongside the nearby La Seo Cathedral. The architecture is of Baroque style, and the present building was predominantly built between 1681 and 1872.

Anoeta Stadium

Sports Facility

Anoeta is a multi-purpose stadium in San Sebastián, Spain. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Real Sociedad. In recent years, it has also been used for occasional Heineken Cup rugby union fixtures by nearby French club Biarritz Olympique. Since the 2009–10 Top 14 season, both Biarritz Olympique and fellow Basque club Aviron Bayonnais took home matches to the Anoeta. The stadium, which holds 32,076, was inaugurated in 1993.

Gran Hotel Bali

Hotel

Gran Hotel Bali is a 4-star hotel located in Benidorm, province of Alicante, Spain. It is, at 186 metres high, the tallest hotel in Europe and one of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe. It was the tallest building in Spain surpassing Torre Picasso in 2001, until November 2006 when it was overtaken by Torre Espacio

Madrid Arena

Sports Facility

Madrid Arena is an indoor arena located in the city of Madrid, at the fairgrounds in the Casa de Campo, just minutes from downtown. Built from the old Rocódromo, the pavilion has been designed by Spanish architects Estudio Cano Lasso who designed this versatile building in 2001 to host sporting events, commercial, cultural and leisure activities. The pavilion was sponsored by the company Telefónica for what was also known by the name of Telefónica Arena.

National Archaeological Museum of Spain

Archaeological Museum

The National Archaeological Museum of Spain is a museum in Madrid, Spain, located beside the Plaza de Colón, sharing its building with the National Library. The museum was founded in 1867 by a Royal Decree of Isabella II, and its purpose was to be a depository for numismatic, archaeological, ethnographical and decorative art collections compiled by the Spanish monarchs. In 1895 all the collections were moved to the current venue, a neoclassical building projected by architect Francisco Jareño and built from 1866 to 1892. In 1968 were started renovation and extension works that considerably increased its area. In 2008,the museum closed for renovation with only the highlights from the collection being shown to the public. The projected completion date is 2013. It is reported that the remodelled museum will concentrate on a core role and will release items from the decorative arts collection. The current collection includes, among others, Pre-historic, Egyptian, Celtic, Iberian, Greek and Roman antiquities and medieval objects.

Almudena Cathedral

Neoclassical Structure

Santa María la Real de La Almudena is the Catholic cathedral in Madrid, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madrid. It was consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1993. When the capital of Spain was transferred from Toledo to Madrid in 1561, the seat of the Church in Spain remained in Toledo and the new capital had no cathedral. Plans to build a cathedral in Madrid dedicated to the Virgin of Almudena were discussed as early as the 16th century. Making the cathedral the largest that the world had ever seen was then a priority. Construction only began in 1879. The cathedral seems to have been built on the site of a medieval mosque that was destroyed in 1083 when Alfonso VI reconquered Madrid. Francisco de Cubas, the Marquis of Cubas, designed and directed the construction in a Gothic revival style. Construction ceased completely during the Spanish Civil War, and the project was abandoned until 1950, when Fernando Chueca Goitia adapted the plans of de Cubas to a baroque exterior to match the grey and white façade of the Palacio Real, which stands directly opposite. The cathedral was not completed until 1993, when it was consecrated by Pope John Paul II. On May 22, 2004, the marriage of Felipe, Prince of Asturias to Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano took place at the cathedral.

León Cathedral

Tourist attraction

Santa María de León Cathedral, also called The House of Light or the Pulchra Leonina is situated in the city of León in north-western Spain. It was built on the site of previous Roman baths of the 2nd century which, 800 years later, king Ordoño II converted into a palace.

Palma Cathedral

Tourist attraction

The Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma, more commonly referred to as La Seu, is a Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral located in Palma, Majorca, Spain, built on the site of a pre-existing Arab mosque. It is 121 metres long, 55 metres wide and its nave is 44 metres tall. Designed in the Catalan Gothic style but with Northern European influences, it was begun by King James I of Aragon in 1229 but finished only in 1601. It sits within the old city of Palma atop the former citadel of the Roman city, between the Royal Palace of La Almudaina and the episcopal palace. It also overlooks the Parc de la Mar and the Mediterranean Sea. In 1901, fifty years after a restoration of the cathedral had started, Antoni Gaudí was invited to take over the project. While some of his ideas were adopted – moving the choir stalls from the middle nave to be closer to the altar, as well as a large canopy – Gaudí abandoned his work in 1914 after an argument with the contractor. The planned changes were essentially cosmetic rather than structural, and the project was cancelled soon after.

Poble Espanyol

Tourist attraction

The Poble Espanyol is an open-air architectural museum, located on the mountain of Montjuïc, in the city of Barcelona, Spain. It was constructed in 1929, for the Barcelona International Exhibition, that was held in Barcelona that year. Josep Puig i Cadafalch had the idea for the museum: a town in which the architecture, style, and culture of various locations from around Spain were preserved in a single place. The aim was to produce an "ideal model" Spanish village, a synthesis of monumental Spain. The architects that designed the town were Francesc Folguera and Ramon Reventós. In total, the town was built in 13 months, and although it was only needed for 6, for the exhibition, it was not demolished and was kept open as a museum. The museum occupies a total area of 42,000 m² and contains 117 buildings, with streets and squares reproduced to scale.

Gran Vía

Tourist attraction

Gran Vía is an ornate and upscale shopping street located in central Madrid. Now, the street is known as the Spanish Broadway, and is one of the streets with more nightlife in Europe. It is known as the street that never sleeps. It leads from Calle de Alcalá, close to Plaza de Cibeles, to Plaza de España. The lively street is one of the city's most important shopping areas, with a large number of hotels and large movie theaters; it is also noted for the grand architecture prevalent among many of its buildings. Now, most of the theaters are being replaced by shopping malls. It is considered a showcase of early 20th-century architecture, with patterns ranging from Vienna Secession style, Plateresque, Neo-Mudéjar, Art Deco and others.

La Seo Cathedral

Gothic Structure

The Cathedral of the Savior is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Zaragoza, Spain. It is part of the World Heritage Site Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon. The cathedral is located on the Plaza de la Seo and is commonly known as La Seo to distinguish it from the nearby El Pilar, whose name is a reference to an apparition of Mary in Zaragoza. The two share co-cathedral status in metropolitan Zaragoza.

Alcázar of Toledo

Tourist attraction

The Alcázar of Toledo is a stone fortification located in the highest part of Toledo, Spain. Once used as a Roman palace in the 3rd century, it was restored under Charles I and Philip II of Spain in the 1540s. In 1521, Hernán Cortés was received by Charles I at the Alcázar, following Cortes' conquest of the Aztecs.

Pyramids of Güímar

Tourist attraction

The Pyramids of Güímar refer to six rectangular pyramid-shaped, terraced structures, built from lava stone without the use of mortar. They are located in the district of Chacona, part of the town of Güímar on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The structures have been dated to the 19th century and their original function may well be explained as a byproduct of contemporary agricultural techniques. Other pyramids employing the same methods and materials of construction can be found in various sites on Tenerife. In Güímar itself there were nine pyramids, only six of which survive.

Arc de Triomf

Moorish Revival Structure

The Arc de Triomf . It was built as the main access gate for the 1888 Barcelona World Fair by architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas. The arch is built in reddish brickwork in the Neo-Mudéjar style. The front frieze contains the stone sculpture Barcelona rep les nacions (Catalan for "Barcelona welcomes the nations") by Josep Reynés. The opposite frieze contains a stone carving entitled Recompensa (Recompense), a work from Josep Llimona's the earliest period, representing the granting of awards to the participants in the World Exposition. The friezes along the sides of the arch include allegories of Agriculture and Industry, works by Antoni Vilanova, and of Trade and Art by Torquat Tassó. The arch presides over Passeig de Lluís Companys, a wide promenade leading to the Ciutadella Park. It is located at the top of the promenade, where it meets Passeig de Sant Joan. Similar structures, though with other uses or aims, can be found in Paris (France), London (England), Brooklyn (New York, USA) and Bucharest (Romania), among many others.

Aljafería

Moorish Structure

The Aljafería Palace is a fortified medieval Islamic palace built during the second half of the 11th century in the Moorish taifa of Zaragoza of Al-Andalus, present day Zaragoza, Spain. It was the residence of the Banu Hud dynasty during the era of Abu Jaffar Al-Muqtadir after abolishing Banu Tujibi of Kindah dynasty. the palace reflects the splendor attained by the kingdom of the taifa of Zaragoza at the height of its grandeur. The palace currently contains the Cortes of the autonomous community of Aragon. The structure holds unique importance in that it is the only conserved testimony of a large building of Spanish Islamic architecture of the era of the Taifas.

Torre del Oro

Tourist attraction

The Torre del Oro is a dodecagonal military watchtower in Seville, southern Spain, built by the Almohad dynasty in order to control access to Seville via the Guadalquivir river. Constructed in the first third of the 13th century, the tower served as a prison during the Middle Ages. Its name comes from the golden shine it projected on the river, due to its building materials. The tower is divided into three levels, with the third and uppermost being circular in shape and added in 1769. The Torre de la Plata, an octagonal tower, is nearby and is believed to be built in the same era.

Timanfaya National Park

Protected Site

Timanfaya National Park is a Spanish national park covering the municipalities of southern portion of Tinajo and the northern portion of Yaiza in the southwestern part of the island of Lanzarote. The area is 51.07 square kilometres. The parkland is entirely made up of volcanic soil. The statue "El Diablo" by César Manrique is its symbol.

Casa Vicens

Moorish Revival Structure

Casa Vicens is a family residence in Barcelona, designed by Antoni Gaudí and built for industrialist Manuel Vicens. It was Gaudí's first important work. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Works of Antoni Gaudí" in 2005. It was built in the period 1883-1889 and is located at Carrer de les Carolines 24, in the Gràcia district of Barcelona. The site was small compared to similar homes in the area. Nevertheless, the house is sizeable, measuring some 1,160 m² on four levels. This early work exhibits several influences, most notably the Moorish influence, particularly evident at the top. The house is constructed of undressed stone, rough red bricks, and colored ceramic tiles in checkerboard and floral patterns. The owner, Manuel Vicens, was the owner of a brick and tile factory, so the ceramic tiles pay tribute to his business. The yellow, zinnia-flowered tile, designed by Gaudí, was manufactured by Vicens. The plan is asymmetrical with protruding gables and buttresses. Galleries project even farther at the top. Rooftop towers are reminiscent of Moorish architecture. Because the house is a private residence, its interior cannot be visited. Nevertheless, the house is generally open to "neighbours and citizens" on Saint Rita's Day, May 22.

Kursaal Congress Centre and Auditorium

Tourist attraction

The Kursaal Congress Centre and Auditorium is a complex comprising several spaces: a great auditorium, many-use halls and exhibition halls. It was designed by Spanish architect Rafael Moneo, and is located in Donostia-San Sebastián. It opened in 1999. It consists of several spaces, including the 1,800-seat concert hall, the Palacio de Congresos-Auditorio Kursaal, and is the home of the biggest film festival in Spain, the San Sebastian International Film Festival, in existence since 1953.

Plaza de España

Tourist attraction

The Plaza de España is a plaza located in the Parque de María Luisa, in Seville, Spain built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. It is a landmark example of the Renaissance Revival style in Spanish architecture.

Mar Menor

Body Of Water

Mar Menor is a salty lagoon, in the south-east of the autonomous community of Murcia, in Spain, separated from the Mediterranean sea by La Manga, a sandbar 22km in length and with a width ranging from 100 to 1200 m. It belongs to four municipalities: Cartagena, Los Alcázares, San Javier and San Pedro del Pinatar. With a surface area of nearly 170km², a coastal length of 70km, and warm and clear water no more than 7 m in depth, it is "the largest swimming pool in the world", in the opinion of famous swimmer and Hollywood actress Esther Williams. Its relatively high salinity, which aids flotation, and remarkable sporting infrastructures make this one of the most popular places in Europe for a wide variety of water sports. First the Phoenicians and then the Moorish kings, chose this "small sea" as the site of their summer residences. Today, this area attracts all those who seek a quiet place to rest and relax, with ideal weather conditions all year round.

Bellver Castle

Tourist attraction

Bellver Castle is a Gothic style castle on a hill 3 km northwest of Palma on the Island of Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. It was built in the 14th century for King James II of Majorca, and is one of the few circular castles in Europe. Long used as a military prison throughout the 18th to mid-20th century, it is now under civilian control, being one of the main tourist attractions of the island, as well as the seat for the city's History Museum.

Santa Bárbara Castle

Tourist attraction

Santa Bárbara Castle is a fortification in the centre of Alicante, Spain. It stands on Mount Benacantil.

Plaza de Cibeles

Tourist attraction

The Plaza de Cibeles is a square with a neo-classical complex of marble sculptures with fountains that has become an iconic symbol for the city of Madrid. It sits at the intersection of Calle de Alcalá, Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado. Plaza de Cibeles was originally named Plaza de Madrid, but in 1900, the City Council named it Plaza de Castelar, which was eventually replaced by its current name. It is currently delimited by four prominent buildings: The Bank of Spain, the Palacio de Buenavista, the Palacio de Linares and the Palacio de Cibeles. These constructions are located in four different neighbourhoods from three different adjacent districts: Centro, Retiro and Salamanca. In the years Cibeles Palace and her fountain have become symbolic monuments of the city.

Alcazaba of Málaga

Tourist attraction

The Alcazaba is a palatial fortification in Málaga, Spain. It was built by the Hammudid dynasty in the early 11th century. This is the best-preserved alcazaba in Spain. Adjacent to the entrance of the Alcazaba are ruins of a Roman theatre dating to the 1st century BC, which are undergoing restoration. Some of the Roman era materials were reused in the Moorish construction of the Alcazaba. Ferdinand and Isabella captured Mālaqa from the Moors after the Siege of Málaga, one of the longest sieges in the Reconquista, and raised their standard at the "Torre del Homenaje" in the inner citadel. According to architect restorer, Leopoldo Torres Balbás, the Alcazaba of Málaga is the prototype of military architecture in the Taifa period, with its double walled and many fortifications. Its only parallel is the castle of Krak des Chevaliers in Syria.

Sant Pere de Rodes

Tourist attraction

Sant Pere de Rodes is a former Benedictine monastery in the comarca of Alt Empordà, in the North East of Catalonia, Spain.

Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos

Tourist attraction

The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, also known as the Alcázar of Córdoba, is a medieval Alcázar located in Córdoba, Spain next to the Guadalquivir River and near the Grand Mosque. The Alcázar takes its name from the Arabic word القصر. The fortress served as one of the primary residences of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon.

Basilica of San Isidoro

Tourist attraction

The Basilica of San Isidoro is a church in León, Spain, located on the site of an ancient Roman temple. Its Christian roots can be traced back to the early 10th century when a monastery for Saint John the Baptist was erected on the grounds. In 1063 the basilica was rededicated to Saint Isidore of Seville. Isidore was archbishop of Seville, and the most celebrated academic and theologian of Visigothic Spain in the period preceding the Arab invasions. With the agreement of Abbad II al-Mu'tadid, the Muslim ruler of Seville, Isidore's relics were brought to Leon where they could be interred on Christian soil. The tomb of the saint still draws many visitors today. An equestrian statue of Santiago Matamoros is visible, along with many other sculptures, high on the facade.

Campos de Sport de El Sardinero

Sports Facility

Campos de Sport de El Sardinero, is a multi-purpose stadium in Santander, Spain. It is currently used mostly for football matches, holding 22,222 people. Built in 1988, it is the home ground for La Liga club Racing de Santander. It replaced the old Estadio El Sardinero.

Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona

Museum

The Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona is one of the most visited exhibition and arts centres in the city of Barcelona, Spain. Situated in the Raval district, the Centre’s core theme is the city and urban culture. Its success is based on quality, its rather eclectic approach, attention to a broad cross section of publics and the unique way it addresses issues with the aim of linking the academic world with creative processes and citizens in general. The CCCB organizes and produces exhibitions, debates, festivals and concerts; programmes film cycles, courses and lectures; encourages creation using new technologies and languages, explores and promotes the ongoing fusion of languages and different genres, and takes in-house productions to other national and international arts centres, museums and institutions. The underlying aim of these activities is to generate debate, thinking and reflection on the theme of the city and public space, and other issues that define current affairs. The CCCB is also an open space for creators, associations and freelance programmers with whom it has forged links over the years. The CCCB offers the public access to part of its holdings, a manifestation of its activities in the form of a multimedia archive comprising materials created by the Centre during its years of activity. A wide variety of materials on key themes of contemporary culture and society are available for consultation in the CCCB ARCHIVE, which is constantly updated. Also available for public consultation is the Centre’s XCÈNTRIC ARCHIVE, a digital archive of experimental and documentary film, comprising over 700 titles related to its programme “Xcèntric. The CCCB’s Cinema”.

Museu de la Xocolata

Museum

Museu de la Xocolata is a private museum in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, owned by the Gremi de Pastisseria de Barcelona. The museum opened in 2000, at Carrer Comerç 36, in El Born, Ciutat Vella, on the ground level of an old barracks. Many of the displays are chocolate sculptures, including various well-known Barcelona buildings, and illustrations from various stories.

Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León

Museum

The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León, better known as the MUSAC, is a contemporary art museum in the city of León, Spain. Inaugurated in April 2005 by Felipe, Prince of Asturias, this cultural institution aims to be a "Museum of the Present", in the words of its curator Agustín Pérez Rubio, and thus only collects artworks from the latest generation of artists, between 1992 and 2012. The museum has won international prestige for its 21st-century collection and innovative programming, being labelled, for example, as "one of the most astonishingly bold museums to hit the Spanish cultural landscape in years" by The New York Times. The MUSAC building is celebrated for its avant-garde architecture, and it has been awarded a number of prizes, such as the 2007 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture. Designed by the architectural studio of Luis M. Mansilla and Emilio Tuñón, the multicolored panels that adorn the exterior of the museum resemble the stained-glass windows of a cathedral. Indeed, the architects drew their inspiration for this work from the main rose window at the local 13th century Gothic cathedral, Santa María de León.

Málaga Cathedral

Tourist attraction

The Cathedral of Málaga is a Renaissance church in the city of Málaga in Andalusia in southern Spain. It is located within the limits defined by a now missing portion of the medieval Moorish walls, the remains of which surround the nearby Alcazaba and the Castle of Gibralfaro. It was constructed between 1528 and 1782, following the plans drawn by Diego de Siloe; its interior is also in Renaissance style.

Cueva de los Verdes

Tourist attraction

Cueva de los Verdes is a lava tube and tourist attraction of the Haria municipality on the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. The cave lies within the Monumento Natural del Malpaís de La Corona, a protected area of the Canary Islands. The cave was created around 3,000 years ago by lava flows erupted from the nearby volcano Monte Corona, flowing across the Malpaís de la Corona toward the sea. The lava streams cooled on top, developing a solid crust, before the lava drained away leaving the top part as the roof of a cave. In about 20 spots, the roof of the cave collapsed, forming a cavern known locally as a jameo. The caves extend for 6 kilometres above sea level and for another 1.5 kilometres below the sea. One jameo forms the entrance to the Cueva de los Verdes. Two kilometres of the cave system were developed for tourists in the 1960s, with the cave walls illuminated by colorful lights. The cave is also famous for its concert hall which is located near the entrance and exit of the cave. The concert hall has about 15 to 20 rows with 26 seats in each row, allowing up to 500 people in the concert hall at once.

Palmitos Park

Tourist attraction

Palmitos Park is a 20-hectare botanical garden and aviary on the island of Gran Canaria, one of the Canary islands, which are a part of Spain. The subtropical park is situated in the south of the island, about 10 kilometres north of the tourist beaches and dunes of Maspalomas, but towards the interior. The park lies in a countryside setting, in the midst of mountains. Because of this park visitors have the opportunity in many places of beautiful views and vistas when walking through the park. There is a small terrace near a fountain, along a path that leads up to the amphitheater where flying birds of prey perform in shows. Next to the amphitheater there is a snack bar, and a small cafeteria can be found elsewhere in the park. A striking feature of the park is the great wealth of cacti and succulents—the succulents being in excellent condition. There are over 160 different cactus types and 1000 palm trees of 42 different types. Parrot-like birds are well represented in the park, but other types of birds are also to be found, including a variety of swans and ducks. In all there are over 1,500 exotic birds of 230 different species. Many of these fly freely in the park. Crazy Delores, an insane parrot, is the most famous resident.

Cathedral of Murcia

Tourist attraction

The Cathedral Church of Saint Mary in Murcia, commonly called the Cathedral of Murcia, is a church in the city of Murcia, Spain. It is the only cathedral in use in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cartagena in Spain.

Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, Toledo

Tourist attraction

The Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes is a historic monastery in Toledo, Spain, built by the Catholic Monarchs.

Lake of Banyoles

Lake

Lake of Banyoles is a natural lake located in the comarca "Pla de l'Estany", Province of Girona, in northeastern Catalonia, Spain. It is named after the nearby town of Banyoles, to which it belongs entirely. On the western shore it borders with the town of Porqueres. The lake is approximately 2,100 m by 750 m with an average depth of 15 m that in several points gets down to 46.4 metres. It is located in a natural tectonic depression. Presently Lake Banyoles is the largest natural lake in Catalonia. Lake Sils, located 33 kn further south, was formerly the largest lake in the area until it was drained in 1851.

Santa María la Blanca

Judaism

Santa María la Blanca is a museum and former synagogue in Toledo, Spain. Erected in 1180, it is disputably considered the oldest synagogue building in Europe still standing. It is now owned and preserved by the Catholic Church. Its stylistic and cultural classification is unique as it was constructed under the Christian Kingdom of Castile by Islamic architects for Jewish use. It is considered a symbol of the cooperation that existed among the three cultures that populated the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages.

Beach of La Concha

Tourist attraction

The Beach of La Concha is a beach in the Bay of La Concha in San Sebastián. It is one of the most famous urban beaches in Europe. It is a sandy beach and shallow substrate, in which the tide fluctuation affects greatly the area available for use. It can be considered an urban beach in widespread use.

Aquarium Finisterrae

Zoo

Aquarium Finisterrae is an aquarium located in A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. It is an interactive centre of the sciences of marine biology, oceanography and the sea in general. It tries to promote learning about the ocean and to teach people to be more caring toward marine life. Created by the City of A Coruña, it was inaugurated June 5, 1999. It is directed, like the other museums in A Coruña by Ramón Núñez Centella, and its objective is to educate people about the sea, paying special special attention to the ecosystems of the Galician coast. Its technical director is Francisco Franco del Amo. It is located on the coast of A Coruña, in the Maritime Pass, between the Casa del Hombre and the Tower of Hercules. Its exterior pools are connected to the Atlantic Ocean and are designed to show the tides. Besides its pools and aquariums, it has elements of a museum and allows experiences like touching star fish and turbots and learning where king prawn live.

Montjuïc Cemetery

Cemetery

Montjuïc Cemetery, known in Catalan as Cementiri del Sud-oest or Cementiri de Montjuïc, is located on one of the rocky slopes of Montjuïc hill in Barcelona.

Fundació Antoni Tàpies

Museum

The Fundació Antoni Tàpies is a cultural center and museum, located in Carrer d'Aragó, in Barcelona, Catalonia, dedicated mainly to the life and works of the painter Antoni Tàpies. The Fundació was created in 1984 by the artist Antoni Tàpies to promote the study and knowledge of modern and contemporary art. It combines the organisation of temporary exhibitions, symposia, lectures and film seasons with a range of publications to go with the activities and periodic shows of Antoni Tàpies’ work. The Fundació owns one of the most complete collections of Tàpies’ work, mostly made up of donations by Antoni and Teresa Tàpies.

Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe

Museum

Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe is an important visitor attraction in Valencia in Spain. It forms part of the City of Arts and Sciences. Its director is Spanish science writer and television personality, Manuel Toharia. The building was designed by Santiago Calatrava and was built by a joint venture of Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas and Necso. It opened on 13 November 2000. The building is over 40,000 square meters in area and resembles the skeleton of a whale. Everything in the museum is graphically displayed: recent exhibitions have included subjects as diverse as spy science, climate change, the human body and biometrics.

Santuari de Lluc

Tourist attraction

The Santuari de Lluc is a monastery and pilgrimage site located in the municipality of Escorca in north-west Majorca. It is located in a basin on a height of 525 metres and is surrounded by a number of high mountains such as the Puig de Massanella. The sanctuary was founded in the 13th century after a Moorish shepherd found a statue of the Virgin Mary on the site where the monastery was later erected. Lluc is considered to be the most important pilgrimage site on Majorca. It is also known for its boys' choir, Els Blauets, which was founded in 1531; the choir holds regular concerts and has gained international fame. A boarding school and numerous tourist-orientated facilities are to be found in the town. Today, the cells of former monks are leased to visitors. As it is located centrally in the Serra de Tramuntana the monastery is often used as a starting point for walking-tours. Each year, on the first weekend in August, there is a night walk from Palma to the sanctuary. The walk commences at 23:00 hours, leaving from the capital's Plaça Güell. Behind the monastery buildings is a botanical garden trail, containing a small exposition on preserving the environment of the Majorcan mountain region.

Mosque of Cristo de la Luz

Tourist attraction

The Mosque of Cristo de la Luz is a former mosque in Toledo, Spain, the only one of the ten once existing in the city which remains largely as it was in the Moorish period. It was then known as Mezquita Bab-al-Mardum, deriving its name from the city gate Bab al-Mardum. It is located near the Puerta del Sol, in an area of the city once called Medina where wealthy Muslims used to live.

Archaeological Museum of Alicante

Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum of Alicante is an archaeological museum in Alicante, Spain. The museum won the European Museum of the Year Award in 2004, a few years after significant expansion and reallocation to renovated buildings of the antique hospital of San Juan de Dios. The museum houses eight galleries that use multimedia to allow visitors to interact with the lives of past residents of the region.

Casa de los Botines

Tourist attraction

The Casa de los Botines is a Modernist building in León, Spain designed by Antoni Gaudí. It was adapted to serve as the headquarters of Caja España, a local savings bank.

Sea Life Benalmádena

Zoo

Sea Life Benalmádena is an aquarium located in Benalmádena in Andalusia, Spain. It is one of the Sea Life Centres in Europe, which are owned by Merlin Entertainments.

Museum of Toys and Automata

Museum

The Museum of Toys and Automata is a toy & automata museum located in Verdú, Lleida, 100 km west of Barcelona. It sets forth a collection of more than a thousand objects in a building with impressive architecture. It is one of the more distinguished museums of its kind.

Port of Alicante

Tourist attraction

The Port of Alicante is a seaport in Alicante, Spain on the Mediterranean Sea used for commercial and passenger traffic. The port is administered by the Port Authority of Alicante.

Puig de Randa

Mountain

Puig de Randa is a mountain in the island of Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. It is included in the municipal territory of Algaida, and, on its top, is home to the Sanctuary of Cura. The Puig de Randa is the place where Ramon Llull went to do penance after his conversion.

Dalí Theatre and Museum

Tourist attraction

Archaeological Museum of Asturias

Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum of Asturias is housed in the 16th century Benedictine monastery of Saint Vicente in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain. Its findings include collections of the Asturian Neolithic, Megalithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Astur hill fort culture, Roman period, and of the Gothic, Pre-Romanesque and Romanesque periods of the Kingdom of Asturias. The museum also includes sections of Asturian Ethnography, Heraldry, Medieval and Modern Epigraphy, Spanish Numismatics, a European Medal Section, and Armor. The facilities are slated to be enlarged soon by the construction of an annex. The museum falls under the Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture but is managed by the Council of Culture of the Government of the Principality of Asturias.

Adarra

Mountain

Adarra is a mountain south of the city of San Sebastian in the Basque Country much appreciated and popular with the donostiarras and other neighbouring inhabitants. It is flanked on the north by the minor mount Oindi or Onddi and Onddo on the south, all of them located at the top of a long mountain range of modest height establishing the division between the Urumea and Leitzaran valleys, which extends south right to the vicinity of the Navarrese town of Leitza.

Orotava Valley

Tourist attraction

The greenish and fruitful Orotava Valley is a beautiful valley filled with gullies, cliffs and huge ravines located in the northern part of the Canary islands of Tenerife, in Spain. The valley is 10km by 11 km. The valley stretches from the sea up to the mountains at 200,000 cm which begins near Las Cañadas up to Pico del Teide at 3,718 m is Spain's tallest mountain. The valley includes the municipalities of Los Realejos, Puerto de la Cruz and La Orotava. The valley is also a park area. The valley in the era of the Guanches was known as Taoro until the final conquest July 28, 1496. The mencey of Taoro agreed to the release of the hostilities by Alonso Fernández de Lugo. The valley is situated in between two volcanic craters and forms a connection between the main volcanic edifices of Teide and Anaga. The superhighway cuts through the valley and has several interchanges as well.

Puente de San Martín

Tourist attraction

The Puente de San Martín is a medieval bridge across the river Tagus in Toledo, Spain.

Roman Theatre

Tourist attraction

The Roman theatre of Cadiz is an ancient structure in Cadiz, Andalusia, in southern Spain. The remains were discovered in 1980. The theatre, which was likely built during the 1st century BC and was one of the largest ever built in the Roman empire, was abandoned in the 4th century and, in the 13th century, a fortress was built on its ruins by order of King Alfonso X of Castile. The theatre featured a cavea with a diameter of more than 120 meters, and could house some 20,000 spectators. The theatre was one of the few Roman structures of ancient Hispania mentioned by classical authors, including Cicero and Strabo. Excavations in the site have also found remains of a quarter dating to the taifa period, Almohad houses and 17th century pits.

Concatedral de San Nicolás, Alicante

Tourist attraction

The Co-cathedral of Saint Nicholas of Bari is a Roman Catholic co-cathedral located in Alacant, in the Valencian Community of Spain. The church, part of the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante is dedicated to Saint Nicholas and was elevated to the title of cathedral on 9 March 1959 by Pope John XXIII.

Valencian Museum of Ethnology

Museum

The Valencian Museum of Ethnology was created in 1982. The museum exists to both stimulate research and engage in public education in the fields of ethnology and anthropology; it more specifically intends to make people aware on the cultural diversity of the Region of Valencia, focussing on traditional Valencian culture and its development towards an industrialised society; it shows this as an aspect of the overall field of culture derived from the Mediterranean. This centre is run by the Diputació de València and has its site in la Beneficència Cultural Centre in the town of València.