Top 10 Spanish Sights
Almost 60 million tourists visit Spain every year attracted by the beaches, mountains, islands, historical and architectural sights. It is hard to make a Top 10 Spanish sights list, it should be at least Top 50. But there are some places that are a must.
Alhambra
Situated on a hill overlooking the city of Granada and the Sierra Nevada mountain range Alhambra is more than a castle. It’s a state of art in the form of buildings, gardens and fountains. It was originally constructed as a fortress in 889 and now is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Alhambra is an example of the Arab-Islamic architecture and the fine Muslim art in Europe. But it is not just the Alhambra castle, Granada is a great city to visit and it is close to Costa del Sol – one of the best destinations in Europe for cheap holidays abroad.
Toledo
The city is another UNESCO World Heritage Site and is situated in Central Spain. It seems that all the people settling or just passing through Spain over the centuries left their mark in Toledo. The city is known for its world famous steel swards, fine wines and cuisine. Once Toledo was the capital of Spain and the walls of the ancient buildings still whisper the secrets of the past.
The Cathedral of Seville
Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was the largest cathedral in the world for almost a thousand years. That was until an earthquake struck Seville and the city decided to build a new cathedral that will stun the world. The construction ended during the 16th century but it is still one of the biggest Gothic Cathedrals in the world. It is also the burial site of Christopher Columbus.
La Mezquita
Once an Islamic mosque La Mezquita in Cordoba is now a Catholic Cathedral. It is one of the most brilliant examples of the breathtaking Moorish architecture. Its hypostyle hall was described by Muhammad Iqbal as having “countless pillars like rows of palm trees in the oases of Syria”. And indeed there are almost 900 columns of jasper, granite, onyx and marble.
Las Ramblas
Barcelona is such a unique place that deserves its own list of top 10 sights to visit. And still if there is only one place that truly captures the spirit of the city, it’s the streets connecting Plaça de Catalunya with Christopher Columbus Monument at Port Vell harbor. In other words: Las Ramblas. Barcelona is often called The Liveliest city in Europe and this 1.2 km long boulevard is the liveliest place there.
Camino de Santiago
Camino de Santiago also known as Way of St James is a pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Campostela in Galicia. More than 272 000 pilgrims made the trip in 2010 but you don’t have to be a pilgrim to enjoy the beautiful nature of Northwestern Spain.
The Guggenheim Museum
Museo Guggenheim is the symbol of Bilbao. It was built in 1997 alongside the Nervion River. The futurist design with the famous titanium roof belongs to the Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry. There are modern and contemporary art collections that attracts visitors from all over the world in Bilbao.
Cuenca
Cuenca is a typical medieval town build on the hills between Madrid and Valncia. Cuenca is not a place for those afraid of heights since almost all the houses there are hanging on the cliff edges. It is a real treasure hidden in the autonomous community Castile-La Mancha.
El Escorial
El Escorial is close to Madrid in the town of San Lorenzo de Escorial nestled in the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama Mountain. It is a historical residence of the King of Spain. The grand edifice was built as a commemoration of the Spanish victory over France in 1557 and now hosts a monastery, school, museum and palace.
Palacio Real
Palacio Real de Madrid is the official residence of the Spanish King. The Palace has more than 3000 rooms and is the second largest in Europe after the Louvre in Paris. Inside there are paintings of Goya, Velázquez and Caravaggio.
