 Spain is a popular destination for vacation and a great tourist hub that attracts tourists from across the world. Tourism is one of the major sources of income for the people of Spain as tourism of Spain employs about 10% of the work force. Picturesque landscape with the sandy beaches, awe inspiring urban attractions and the golden sunshine all year round make Spain an ideal honeymoon destination for most of the couples.
When?
There is never really a bad season to visit Spain. Spring and autumn, however are one of the better times to travel. Spring is the season for festivals, hence preferred. Spain is extremely crowded in the summer months of July and August.
How to Reach
?
Direct flights are available from cities worldwide, including delhi , Atlanta, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and more.Moving walkways connect the airport's four terminals and a free transfer bus is available for passengers changing flights and terminals.
Visa
Tourists from EU require a valid passport or ID card while those from other countries require a tourist visa.
Currency
Spain's official currency is the Euro (EUR). One Euro is divided into 100 cents. Money can be exchanged at bureaux de change and major hotels, but banks give the best rates. All major credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted at most hotels, restaurants, and shops.
Things To Do in
Spain
Madrid
Madrid is the capital of and the largest city in Spain. It is located on the river Manzanares in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula.
Puerta del Sol
"Puerta" means gate and it got this name historically because in the 15th century it was the city's main, easternmost gate when under the Habsburg Kings,churches and monasteries surrounded it. It was rebuilt in its present form in 1854-62. Today it is the hub of the city's transport system and is Madrid’s most popular meeting point.
Plaza Mayor
More impressive on a monumental level is the great Plaza Mayor just a two-minute walk from Puerta del Sol. Initially it served as a small market square when it was first built in the 15th century. It was completely rebuilt after Phillip II made Madrid the capital of Spain and became the city's focal point as bullfights, carnivals and all the great festivals and ceremonies of imperial Madrid were held there. Large sections were rebuilt after a fire in 1790.
Prado Museum (Museo del Prado)
The Prado is one of the world’s greatest galleries and is Madrid's premier tourist attraction with a higher concentration of masterpieces than any other museum in the world. There are many works by Goya, El Greco and Velázquez, the great Spanish painters as well as celebrated works by Bosch, Botticelli and Rubens amongst others.
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
This collection has been installed in chronological order to allow the visitor to take a historical walking tour of European Painting from the 13th Century to modern times.
The most outstanding works are from the Italian and German Renaissance, the 17th Century Dutch School, 19th Century North American Painting, Impressionism, Expressionism and Cubism.
El Teleférico de Madrid
This is a cable car that runs from Rosales in the west of the city to a restaurant in the Casa de Campo Park. The 10-minute ride gives great views of Madrid's skyline.
Barcelona
Barcelona is a modern and cosmopolitan city. Located in a privileged position on the coast of the Iberian peninsula, it is the second largest city in Spain.
Sagrada Familia
The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia or simply Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece, is one of Barcelona's most popular tourist attractions. Construction on this church will continue at least until 2041, but it has already become Barcelona's most important landmark.
Casa Batllo
The colorful Casa Batlló, a remodeled 19th century building, is one of Gaudí's many masterpieces in Barcelona.
Parc Guell
The Guell park is one of the most intriguing parks in the world. The pavilions and main staircase designed by Antoni Gaudí look like they belong in some fairy tale.
Magic Fountain
The Magic fountain is a large fountain built in 1929. When the fountain is active, it constantly changes color and shape.
Arc de Triomf
The Arc de Triomf is a triumphal arch built with colorful brickwork in mudéjar style.
La Seu Cathedral
In the center of the Barri Gňtic (Gothic district), the heart of Barcelona, is the gothic cathedral, known as La Seu. The cathedral is officially named Cathedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulalia, after Barcelona's patron saint Eulalia.
Seville
There are so many wonderful attractions in Seville that there is sure to be something for everyone to see. Attractions in Seville include a wide variety of places to visits, so whether you are looking for thrills and excitement, history and heritage, or animals and the more exotic, you will not have to look far in Seville.
Cathedral
Seville's immense cathedral, one of the biggest in the world, was built on the site of Muslim Seville's main mosque between 1401 and 1507. One highlight of the cathedral's lavish interior is Christopher Columbus' supposed tomb inside the south door.
Torre de Oro
On the banks of the River Guadalquivir stands the Torre de Oro which today represents one of Seville's major landmarks. It was originally built by the Moors as a way to close access to the harbour by attaching a chain to it and to the opposite bank of the river.
Archivo de Indias
Since 1785, this building on the west side of Plaza del Triunfo has been the main archive of Spain's American empire. Its endless shelves hold more than 80 million pages of documents dating from 1492 through to the end of the empire in the 19th century.
Costa del Sol
The densely populated coast of Andalusia, stretching from Almeria to Tarifa, is Europe's all-year-round favoured holiday destination, known as the Costa del Sol.
Mijas & Mijas Costa
One of the finest examples of the white villages, Mijas still has much of its charm with its little whitewashed houses perched on the hillside. The village has also managed to retain some of its quaint traditions, one of the most unusual being the donkey-taxis which line the central plaza.
La Carihuela neighborhood in Torremolinos
La Carihuela, in the eastern part of the municipality, was in years past a traditional fishing village inhabited by people who devoted themselves to the seafarer’s life. At the present time only a few picturesque nooks and crannies remain of the old quarter as reminders of the place’s former identity. For years now La Carihuela has been a cosmopolitan centre in which are concentrated innumerable hotel, leisure and gastronomic establishments.
Malaga Alcazaba castle
Malaga's cathedral at the plaza de la cathedral, is one of the most prominent buildings of the city. The construction of the limestone building had been started in 1528 by Pedro Lopez and Diego Siloe.
Ronda
Situated on a towering plateau in the mountains 30 miles (48km) inland from Marbella stands Ronda, one of the loveliest and most historic towns in the region. Ronda is a popular day-trip for holidaymakers on the Costa del Sol wanting to escape the beach and soak up some culture in one of the many cafés and restaurants
Picasso Museum in Malaga
One of the most famous sons of the city is Pablo Picasso. You still find his birth house at the Plaza de la Merced 15. The building is home to the Foundation Picasso. The larger and more famous Picasso museum can be found at the Palacio de Buenavista at Calle San Augustin. Certainly worth a visit for anybody interested in Malaga's most famous artist. A little bit further north in the Calle de la Victoria, you will find the lovely church nuestra senora de la victoria from the 15th century.
Valencia
Valencia is the capital and most popular city of the Autonomous Community of Valencia and the third largest city in Spain
and having numbers of tourist destinations, which are extremely
varied.
La Catedral, El Miguelete and Plaza de la Virgen
Each of the three gates of the Cathedral has a diferent style: Irons Gate (baroque), the Apostles Gate (gothic) and the Palace Gate (Romanesque). The bell tower El Miguelete where you can enjoy amazing views. And the Plaza de la Virgen sits on the site that once was the forum of Roman Valencia.
Plaza del Mercado
The Plaza del Mercado is home to 3 buildings of interest, the Silk Market, one of the best examples of gothic civil architecture in Europe which is Patrimony of the Humanity (UNESCO), the Santos Juanes Church in baroque style and the Central Market, a colourful market in a beautiful modernist building.
Museo de Bellas Artes San Pio V
Located in a Baroque building recently renovated, The Fine Arts Museum San Pio V is one of the most outstanding painting archives in Spain, renowned for its collections of primitive Valencian painters, although there are also works by El Greco, Velázquez, Murillo, Goya, and some archeological pieces.
La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias
The City of Arts and Sciences complex includes four buildings: L'Hemisferic is a Laserium, Planetarium and IMAX cinema, the Science Museum is one of those museums where it is forbidden not to touch, L' Oceanographic is a giant marine park or aquarium and the Palau de les Arts is an Opera House.
Torres de Serranos
The Serranos Towers are considered to be the largest Gothic city gateway in all of Europe, and were constructed at the end of the 14th century by Pere Balaguer as part of the city's fortification. They provisionaly housed prison cells and served as a triumphal arch on many festive occasions.
Granada
Spain Tourist Attractions in Granada is one of the pearls of Spain, highly visited by tourists from the entire world.
The Alhambra
The Alhambra, which name refers to the reddish ground of the hill it was build on, and to the reddish color of the Alcazaba walls, was build in several stages. It's main purpose was to be a fortress, that defended the city and palaces within from attacks. It belonged to the Arab sultans and kings that reigned Granada and the larger parts of Spain long ago. Later Christian kings have build their palace inside the walls too.
Granada Conference Centre
The Granada Conference Centre is a modern building, with state-of-the-art equipment and technology. Hosting many of the city's main events, the centre has a capacity of more than 2,000 people and offers coffee shops, a popular restaurant and an extensive calendar of exhibitions, concerts, theatrical performances, fashion shows and local celebrations.
El Sacromonte
The El Sacromonte district is located in the historic gypsy part of Granada and is a notable area, with many charming backstreets, local shops and friendly bars. Full of character, El Sacromonte regularly features Flamenco dancing and shows,aimed at the tourist market.
Historic Baths (El Banuelo)
The Historic Baths of Granada were built around 1,000 years ago and this ancient Moorish building is in surprisingly good shape, considering its ancient origins. Once a major venue for both bathing and socialising, today El Banuelo is the oldest and best-preserved Arab baths in the area and is believed to have Roman origins and influence.
Rail Travel
Spain has an excellent railway network linking all major towns and cities, and rail travel in Spain is comfortable, reliable and often cheaper than many other EU countries. Trains are modern and many are high-speed All long distance trains have a bar selling snacks and drinks. If you travel first-class (often cheaper than many second class trains in the UK) you will be served lunch or dinner or a snack, depending on the time of day.
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