25 Spain unique experiences

Many countries within the same country, perhaps that is how Spain can be defined. Within its borders, the variety of cultures, traditions, cities, towns, villages and nature, among other things, make it one of the most complete tourist destinations in the world. A country to experience and enjoy like no other.

Before discovering it on your own, I invite you to take a virtual journey through 25 experiences that define Spain very well. And to make the trip more complete, you can compare each place and experience with those of other countries in the world, as I will tell you below. Let's start the journey.

1. Visit the Alhambra in Granada

Alhambra of Granada| ©Joaquin Montaño-Midjourney

In terms of historical value, architecture and beauty, the Alhambra is one of the most important monuments in Spain. A monumental complex that includes palaces, gardens and fortresses, it is considered to be the best example of Andalusian architecture and has been declared a World Heritage Site.

The picture it forms with the Sierra Nevada in the background is one of the most famous Spanish postcards in the world. To give you an idea of its characteristics and importance, the Alhambra can be compared to the Taj Mahal in India. An obligatory stop for anyone who wants to get to know Spain.

Compra entradas para la Alhambra y los Palacios Nazaríes

2. Explorar la Sagrada Familia en Barcelona

Igual que París tiene Notre Dame, Barcelona tiene la Sagrada Familia. Otro icono nacional que se empezó a construir en 1882 y que aún a día de hoy sigue en construcción. Un dato que sirve para hacerte una idea de la magnitud de la obra magna del modernismo catalán y del famoso arquitecto Antoni Gaudí.

Recorrer las extravagantes y variadas formas de sus fachadas, deslumbrarte con su interior y subir a una de sus altas torres para contemplar Barcelona es algo obligado si viajas hasta la ciudad condal. Un edificio único en España y en el mundo.

Compra tus entradas para conocer la Sagrada Familia

3. Take the Madrid Art Route

Young people at the Prado| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney

Goya, Velázquez, Picasso... The list of Spanish painters who have gone down in history is very long. And to see their best works it is not necessary to travel all over the country. Fortunately, the greatest concentration of pictorial works is to be found in Madrid in what is known as the art triangle.

An extension of a few square kilometres where you can visit the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofía Museum and the Thyssen Museum. Can you imagine having the Louvre Museum next to the Moma? Well, that's what you can find in the Spanish capital. A real luxury.

Descubre el Museo del Prado, el Thyssen y el Reina Sofía

4. Hacer un tour gastronómico en San Sebastián

De pintxos en San Sebastián| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney

La gastronomía es una de las señas de identidad de España. En cualquiera de sus ciudades puedes comer como en ninguna otra parte del mundo. Pero es en la ciudad de San Sebastián donde mejor se come gracias a su cultura con los famosos pintxos. Estas son las tapas típicas del País Vasco y gracias a ellos puedes darte un auténtico festín con mucha variedad y a buen precio.

Hacer un tour gastronómico para probar los pintxos por los bares de San Sebastián es una experiencia comparable a recorrer los puestos de comida de Tokio o a degustar los platos típicos de la Toscana italiana. Muy pocas ciudades en el mundo conquistan a través del estómago, como lo hace San Sebastián.

Reserva un tour para probar los pintxos en San Sebastián

5. Climbing Mount Teide in Tenerife

Climbing Mount Teide| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney

We can consider Teide as the Mount Fuji of Spain. However, both peaks are the highest in their respective countries, both are dormant volcanoes, both have a similar height of around 3700 metres and the views on both are incredible. And just like Mount Japan, climbing to the top is one of the must-do experiences if you visit the country.

Teide is part of a national park that is also a World Heritage Site and its natural landscape is one of the most diverse in terms of flora and fauna in the world. But not only that, Teide is one of the best places for astronomical observation on the planet. Few places in Spain and the world are more complete and beautiful.

Sube a la cima del Teide

6. Disfrutar de la arquitectura modernista en Barcelona

|LaBarcelonamodernista©JoaquínMontaño-Midjourney

Si eres un amante de la arquitectura, ir a Barcelona es como un peregrinaje. Más allá de la Sagrada Familia, la ciudad condal tiene muchos ejemplos de arquitectura única en el mundo. La Casa Batlló, la Pedrera, el Palau de la Música, el Park Güell… La lista de joyas arquitectónicas es casi interminable.

La mayoría de ellas de estilo modernista y con la firma de uno de los arquitectos más importantes de España, Antoni Gaudí. Hacer un tour arquitectónico por Barcelona es como admirar las obras de Frank Lloyd Wright por Chicago. Un regalo para los entusiastas de la arquitectura.

Haz un tour de Gaudi por Barcelona

7. See a flamenco show in Andalusia

|Espectáculoflamenco©JoaquínMontaño-Midjourney

Spain is also a country of traditions and folklore. And of these, flamenco dance is one of the most internationally recognised. It is a dance that exudes energy and emotion. In the culture of the country, it is as important as the Fados in Portugal.

Andalusia is the birthplace of flamenco and in cities like Seville you will find the best shows. You cannot experience Spain without having seen an authentic flamenco performance live in one of the typical tablaos.

Baila al ritmo de flamenco en Sevilla

8. Visitar el Guggenheim en Bilbao

Hay edificios como la ópera de Sídney que por su arquitectura tan espectacular y única son admirados y conocidos por todo el mundo. Y España tiene uno de esos edificios que entran en ese exclusivo grupo, el museo Guggenheim de Bilbao. Frank Gehry fue el arquitecto de diseñar este icónico edificio que acoge un museo de arte contemporáneo.

Pasear por la ría de Bilbao después de comer unos pintxos, descubrir las formas de la fachada del Guggenheim y ver las esculturas que hay expuestas a su alrededor antes de entrar al museo es una de las experiencias más recomendables de Bilbao y de todo el país.

Haz una visita guiada al Guggenheim en Bilbao

9. Do the Camino de Santiago

|PeregrinosenSantiago©JoaquínMontaño–Midjourney

There are many ways to travel around Spain, but there is one that is more special than the rest, combining hiking along routes of extraordinary beauty with emotion and spirituality. We are talking about the Way of Saint James. A pilgrimage to the city of Santiago and its cathedral, where the remains of the apostle St. James rest.

The Way of St. James is actually made up of different routes through northern Spain, and those who have done it say that it is a unique experience that leaves its mark on you as a person. You can walk it for the beauty of its surroundings or for its spiritual component. The Spanish version of the Inca trail to the Machu Picchu ruins in Peru.

10. Exploring the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia

Valencia is home to one of the most amazing combinations of culture and architecture, the City of Arts and Sciences. A complex of modern buildings designed by the famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, it houses a science museum, a screening room, a large theatre, Europe's largest oceanographic aquarium and much more.

Few places offer so much cultural variety and do so in such a unique space. We can therefore consider the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia as the Spanish Pompidou Centre. Although it has nothing to envy it.

Visita el Oceanogràfic y el Museo de las Ciencias de Valencia

11. Visitar el Palacio Real de Madrid

|PalacioRealdeMadrid©JoaquínMontaño–Midjourney

París tiene Versalles, Londres el Palacio de Buckingham y Madrid el Palacio Real. Y es este último el que más destaca en cuanto a tamaño. Casi el doble de grande que los otros dos, el el Palacio Real de Madrid es el más grande de toda Europa occidental y uno de los más grandes del mundo. Y en cuanto a patrimonio histórico y artístico no se queda atrás.

Situado en pleno centro de Madrid, ya no residen los reyes como en el pasado, pero a cambio se puede visitar y disfrutar de su magnitud y de todo el patrimonio que protegen sus estancias. Un imprescindible en tu lista, sin duda.

Compra entradas para ver el Palacio Real de Madrid

12. Stroll through the Plaza de España in Seville and visit the ruins of Italica

|PlazadeEspaña©JoaquínMontaño–Midjourney

Seville is a city of cinema, literally. Its streets have been the backdrop for many famous films. Its beautiful Plaza de España, for example, has been the setting for legendary films such as Star Wars and Lawrence of Arabia. But beyond the cinematographic, strolling around the city and seeing monuments such as the Giralda or its cathedral is a real luxury.

From Seville itself you can go on some of the most memorable excursions. One of them is to the Roman city of Italica, whose ruins are considered the Spanish Pompeii. And they also have a history with the cinema, as several scenes from the legendary series Game of Thrones were filmed in these ruins.

Haz una excursión a la ciudad romana de Itálica desde Sevilla

13. Descubrir el casco antiguo de Córdoba y su Mezquita

Mezquita de Córdoba| © UNED Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia

¿Sabías que una ciudad española tiene el récord de ser la ciudad con más monumentos declarados como patrimonio de la humanidad? Pues se trata de Córdoba, que cuenta con su centro Histórico, la Ciudad Califal de Medina Azahara, la Fiesta de los Patios Cordobeses y, por supuesto, la Mezquita-catedral de Córdoba dentro de este reconocimiento.

No hay muchas cartas de presentación que sean mejor que está para ir a conocer una ciudad que aunque más pequeña, por patrimonio, es equiparable a ciudades como Estambul.

Visita la Mezquita, al Alcázar y a la Sinagoga de Córdoba

14. Explore Sierra Nevada

|NiñosenSierraNevada©JoaquínMontaño–Midjourney

Nature and mountain plans are also one of the most highly recommended experiences in Spain. Spain is one of the highest countries in Europe and has many mountain ranges. Sierra Nevada in Andalusia is one of the most important. After the Alps, it is the highest mountain massif in Western Europe and is home to the Mulhacén peak , the highest on the Iberian Peninsula.

In Sierra Nevada you have a thousand routes to follow, ski resorts and an incredible biodiversity. A perfect place to enjoy nature in the heart of Andalusia and very easy to reach from the city of Granada.

Haz una excursión a Sierra Nevada

15. Visitar las Bodegas de La Rioja

|DesgustacióndevinosdeRioja©JoaquínMontaño–Midjourney

El vino es uno de los grandes tesoros gastronómicos de España y las bodegas nacionales son aclamadas en todo el mundo. Es en La Rioja donde más cantidad se produce y de mejor calidad y, por tanto, donde más bodegas de prestigio se pueden visitar.

Si quieres conocer España a través de su gastronomía, hacer paradas en las bodegas de La Rioja para hacer una degustación es algo obligatorio.

16. Disfrutar de las playas y calas de Ibiza

España tiene cientos de kilómetros de playas y algunas de ellas consideradas entre las mejores del mundo. De todas ellas, las más espectaculares y únicas quizá sean las de Ibiza. Una isla mundialmente conocida por su ambiente y sus playas, en sus costas también hay escondidas calas de ensueño.

Para que te hagas una idea, por el ambiente y belleza de sus playas, se compara con lugares como Mykonos o Bali. Hay mucho que ver en Ibiza ¿A qué esperas para visitarla?

Haz una excursión a las mejores calas de Ibiza

17. Visit the old town of Toledo

|PaseoporToledo©JoaquínMontaño–Midjourney

There are cities that bring history to life when you walk through their streets, and in Spain Toledo is one of them. Over the centuries, Toledo has been inhabited by several different cultures. From the Romans to the Muslims, Jews and Christians. This great historical variety is reflected in its buildings and artistic heritage.

Its rich architecture is reminiscent of the medieval city of Fez in Morocco. If you are a lover of history, art and culture, few destinations are more complete than beautiful Toledo.

<div class="post-button"" markdown="1"><a href="link|text= Get to know Toledo with a tour |element=pa-2383">Get to know Toledo with a tour</a></div><h2 data-number="18. ">Watch a La Liga football match</h2><figure><figure><caption href="image|size=medium|url=https://res.cloudinary.com/hello-tickets/image/upload/v1709051153/post_images/SC%20Espa%C3%B1a/Real_madrid_v_Bar%C3%A7a_second_half_1_Cropped_1.jpg|caption=Real Madrid vs Barcelona | ©LauraHale">Real Madrid vs Barcelona</figcaption></figure>Spain's national sport par excellence is football. Madrid and Barça are two of the most prestigious clubs in the world of football, accompanied by other great teams and some of the best stadiums in the world. All this puts Spanish football at the top of the game.So if your passion is football, few destinations compare to Spain. Visiting any of its stadiums and attending a <a href="link|text=La Liga|url=https://www.laliga.com/">La Liga</a> match is the best way to indulge your passion. <h2 data-number="19. ">Sailing along the Costa del Sol in Malaga</h2><figure><figcaption href="image|size=medium|url=https://res.cloudinary.com/hello-tickets/image/upload/v1709051311/post_images/SC%20Espa%C3%B1a/Costa_del_Sol_definitiva.png|caption= |Youth in Malaga ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney"></figcaption></figure>One of the best summer destinations you can find in Spain is <a href="link|text=la costa del Sol|url=https://www.andalucia.org/es/playas/costa-del-sol">la costa del Sol</a>. Hundreds of kilometres of beaches that run along the southwest of Spain and offer visitors a wide range of tourist options. Sun, gastronomy, good beaches, charming towns and cities... An experience similar to visiting the Amalfi Coast in ItalyThe city of Malaga is known as the capital of the Costa del Sol and is a perfect destination to stay and from there start touring the Costa del Sol. There are few better plans if you want to enjoy a summer on the beach. <div class="post-button"" markdown="1">

Visit Marbella and Mijas from Malaga

20. Attend the San Fermín festival in Pamplona

Running of the bulls of San Fermín| ©VaqueroFrancis

Popular fiestas are a fundamental part of Spain's culture. There are many in different regions that are worthy of highlighting in this list, but for their particular character and international prestige, the San Fermin festival in Pamplona has a special place.

A festival in honour of San Fermín de Amiens that is celebrated every year from the 6th of July until the 15th of July and which consists, among other things, of the running of the bulls in which the participants run in front of 6 bulls along a route of about 850 metres. A festival so unique and representative of Spanish culture that it is unlike any other in the world.

21. Explore the Picasso Museum in Malaga

Pablo Picasso is one of the most important figures in the history of art and one of the most recognised Spaniards in the world. The founder of Cubism was born in the city of Malaga and it is here that you will find one of the two art galleries where the painter's works are exhibited in Spain. The well-known Picasso Museum in Malaga

The museum's collection, with some 285 works, includes many of the artist's works donated by his descendants, giving a complete overview of Picasso's life and work. More than 750,000 people visit the museum every year. Together with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, it is one of the most important museums dedicated to a single artist in the world.

<div class="post-button"" markdown="1"><a href="link|text=Buy your tickets for the Picasso Museum Málaga |element=pa-2198">Buy your tickets for the Picasso Museum Málaga</a></div><h2 data-number="22. ">Sailing around the Cíes Islands</h2><figure><figcaption href="image|size=medium|url=https://res.cloudinary.com/hello-tickets/image/upload/v1709051962/post_images/SC%20Espa%C3%B1a/Islas_Cies_definitiva.png|caption= |Islas Cies ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney"></figcaption></figure>Can you imagine sailing around the Seychelles but without leaving the Spanish coast? Well, it is possible in Galicia. More specifically in the Vigo estuary, where <a href="link|text=llas islas Cíes|url=https://lasislascies.com/">the Cíes Islands</a> are located. An archipelago formed by three islands, whose beaches and unspoilt nature give it the status of national park and one of the most important and beautiful natural sites in Spain. Sailing in its waters and visiting them is possible, but always under the protection and care that such a valuable space with so much flora, fauna and underwater life requires. A Spanish Seychelles that you have to visit if you are a nature lover. <h2 data-number="23. ">Walking in Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park</h2><figure><figcaption href="image|size=medium|url=https://res.cloudinary.com/hello-tickets/image/upload/v1709052043/post_images/SC%20Espa%C3%B1a/Ordesa_definitiva.png|caption= |Hiking in Ordena ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney"></figcaption></figure> By way of summary I will tell you that <a href="link|text=el Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido|url=https://www.turismodearagon.com/ficha/ordesa-y-monte-perdido/">the Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido</a> is considered to be the Spanish Yellowstone. This is due to the similarity of some of its mountains and the park's biodiversity. A natural paradise for mountain lovers.Located in northern Spain, in the province of Huesca and in the heart of the Pyrenees, add it to your list of must-visit places if mountains and nature are your passion. <h2 data-number="24. ">Visit the Altamira Cave in Cantabria</h2><figure><figcaption href="image|size=medium|url=https://res.cloudinary.com/hello-tickets/image/upload/v1709052187/post_images/SC%20Espa%C3%B1a/12_Vista_general_del_techo_de_pol%C3%ADcromos_Cropped.jpg|caption=Techo de Altamira | ©Museo de Altamira y D. Rodríguez">Techo de Altamira</figcaption></figure>Through Spain's heritage you can take a journey through almost the entire history of mankind. And what better way to start than with prehistory in <a href="link|text=la cueva de Altamira|url=https://www.santillana-del-mar.com/es/informacion/cueva-de-altamira/8">la cueva de Altamira</a>. Located in the region of Cantabria, the cave houses one of the best preserved examples of cave paintings and engravings in the world. The cave was declared a World Heritage Site and is currently not open to visitors in order to preserve its value. But that's not a problem, as a museum has been built next to the original cave and a faithful replica of the cave has been made so that no one can miss the wonderful prehistoric art. <div class="post-button"" markdown="1">

Take a trip to the Altamira Cave and Santillana del Mar

25. Walk along the walled city of Avila and its historic quarter

|MurallasdeAvila©JoaquínMontaño–Midjourney

Continuing along the long list of World Heritage Sites in Spain, we come to Ávila. A city whose symbol and icon is the wall that surrounds its historic quarter. The wall of Ávila, along with the old quarter and several churches, form part of what UNESCO has recognised as a World Heritage Site.

This is because the complex is one of the best preserved of its kind, and visiting it is almost like travelling back to the Middle Ages. In addition, Ávila is a city located very close to Madrid, so if you visit the capital, it is always advisable to visit it.

<div class="post-button"" markdown="1"><a href="link|text= Get to know Ávila with a trip from Madrid |element=pa-7388">Get to know Ávila with a trip from Madrid</a></div></a>.