Spaniards keep crazy hours, take siestas, and stay up late. Sign me up, Spain! Is there anything better than grazing on tapas and sipping on cañas throughout the night? If you enjoy sampling a variety of snacks and sights while on the move, consider visiting Spain’s cultural treasures.
Adventures | Must Sees: Madrid | Must Sees: Barcelona | Must Sees: Granada | Must Sees: Seville | Must Sees: Toledo | Must Sees: Cuenca | Food
MUST SEES: MADRID
Plaza Mayor
Madrid’s main cobblestone square has four sides walled off by tall elegant buildings. During the Spanish Inquisition, this square witnessed public autos-de-fé where heretics and other undesirables were burned.
Puerto del Sol
The Puerta del Sol was a gate on the city wall in the 15th century. As it faced east, it greeted the rising sun. The Statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree is on the coat of arms, which depicts a bear trying to eat the fruits of a tall tree.
Parque el Retiro
El Retiro Park is a magnificent park with lakes, fountains, and the Palacio de Crystal. The lake has a grand monument to a king and plenty of paddle boats. The Fallen Angel statue depicts Lucifer’s fall from grace above a fountain of gargoyles spitting water.
Mercado de San Miguel
The Mercado de San Miguel is a giant food market with a wrought-iron exterior. You can find stands offering all forms of culinary gems as well as cañas.
Plaza de España
The Plaza de España has a monument to Cervantes who is seated beside the column. Below Cervantes, Don Quixote rides his steed, Rocinante, while Sancho Panza is on his ass named Dapple. The pair is ready to tilt at windmills.
Royal Palace
This is the official residence of the Spanish royal family, but they don’t actually live there. The palace is on the site of a former 9th-century Moorish Alcázar. The palace is on a large hill, announcing its power and wealth.
Lavapies
Lavapies is a diverse barrio within Madrid. La Tabacalera is a former tobacco factory, which is now the street art capital of Madrid with blocks of cutting-edge art and edgy graffiti.
Paseo de Prado
The Paseo de Prado a large boulevard next to the green strip housing the Prado, which contains the finest collection of Spanish paintings. Gran Via is a giant boulevard with upscale shops.
Viva Madrid
This is the definition of mixology with bold and bright flavors that defy expectations and combine to form liquid alchemy. There’s extreme visual appeal and audio honey for your ears.
MUST SEES: BARCELONA
La Rambla
La Rambla is a pedestrian street with Plaça de Catalunya at one end and the Cristóbal Colón column by the sea. It is full of shops, restaurants, bars, and people. La Boqueria is a buzzing market with a great selection of bites and sips.
Sagrada Família
Antoni Gaudí designed this immense and unfinished basilica. He had a grand vision way ahead of his time using his unique ideas inspired by nature. The interior has columns that look like trees with shocking rainbows colors from the modern stained windows.
Casa Milà
Gaudí designed Casa Milà for Pere Milà and Roser Segimon. The façade looks like stacked rows of melted stone. Visit the rooftop, La Pedrera. The chimneys take on whimsical shapes. They look like chess pieces from a parallel universe.
Casa Batlló
Gaudí designed Casa Batlló for Josep Batlló in the middle of Passeig de Gràcia. The house looks like it is made of bones and scales. The rooftop is the best part. It looks like the back of a sleeping dragon.
Parc Güell
Something Suessian is happening here. Giant gingerbread houses frame the entrance. At the center of the grand staircase, Gaudí covered a salamander with broken mosaic tiles. From the colorful undulating bench, there are stunning views of the city.
Barri Gòtic
Barri Gòtic is the historic core of Barcelona that runs parallel to La Rambla. Its narrow stone streets follow a labyrinthine medieval plan and the remains of Roman and medieval walls.
Montjuïc
Montjuïc’s hilltop was the site of the 1992 Olympics. Curving staircases lead you past the Magic Fountain. At the top of the hill, Montjuïc Castle overlooks the city. There are two ways to reach the castle, by cable car or bus.
Parc de la Ciutadella
There is an excellent fountain with spitting griffins, a waterfall below Venus emerging from a clamshell, and two grand staircases on each side leading to a triumphal arch crowned with golden Aurora leading a team of four horses.
Caribbean Club
You need to get to here early because there are only seven seats at the bar. It has a seafaring nautical theme and gives off a tropical island vibe. If you like, you can tell the bartender your preferences, and you will be served a drink that matches your personality.
MUST SEES: GRANADA
Alhambra
The first Nasrid Emir started building the Alhambra on the Sabika Hill of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. At the end of the Reconquista, it became the royal court of Isabella and Ferdinand and where Columbus received approval for his expedition. When cracked open like a geode, it really is a paradise on Earth.
Alcazaba
The Alcazaba is a fortress built on the edge of the plateau above Granada. It is the oldest part of the Alhambra and is constructed of high stone ramparts and imposing watch towers. The citadel is the only portion viewable from the city below.
Generalife
Generalife was the summer palace of the Nasrid rulers. It is east of the Alhambra. The gardens are long with hedges and fountains. The Granadian-style walkway is paved with a mosaic of pebbles: white ones from the River Darro and black ones from the River Genil.
MUST SEES: SEVILLE
Real Alcázar
The Real Alcázar was built on top of a Muslim alcázar in the 11th century above a Visigoth Christian basilica. The palaces are a blend of Islamic, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Romantic elements. It has been used as a set for Dorne in Game of Thrones.
Catedral y Giralda
This is the fourth largest cathedral in the world and largest Gothic church. The cathedral was built on the site of the Great Mosque and portions still remain. La Giralda was converted from the mosque’s minaret by adding a belfry on top.
Plaza de España
The Plaza de España is a grand plaza in the Parque de Maria Luisa. There’s usually live music and displays of flamenco dancing. There are tiled alcoves around the circular plaza, each representing a different province of Spain with some historical scene.
Torre del Oro
The Torre del Oro is a 12-sided military watchtower along the Guadalquivir River. The Almohad Caliphate constructed the tower in the 13th century to control access to Seville. The tower would have served as an anchor for a large chain to block the river.
Setas de Sevilla
Why do I care about this place? What’s cool here?s the ball with his chest and shoots the ball as it falls in mid-air to his foot.
MUST SEES: TOLEDO
Alcázar de Toledo
The city is on a hill above a bend in the Tagus River. The L-shaped sally port slowed down invaders storming the bastion with arrows and boiling water. There is a steep staircase to the side of the fortress that climbs to the medieval city.
Medieval Streets
The narrow cobblestone streets always seem to be twisting or climbing. There is no grid, the streets always seem to curve away at random. Christians, Muslims, and Jews coexisted in the city in separate neighborhoods for a time.
Toledo Cathedral
Toledo Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral with vaulted arches and a rose window with stained glass. It is on the former site of the old mosque.
MUST SEES: CUENCA
Hanging Houses
Cuenca is within a gorge between the Júcar and Huécar rivers. The Moors built it in 714 for its strategic location and its sheer fortified cliffs. Casas colgadas are hanging houses overhanging the cliffs above the Huécar River.
Cuenca Cathedral
Cuenca Cathedral casts an imposing position atop the triangular and narrow Plaza Mayor. It was the first Gothic cathedral in Spain due to the king’s wife, Eleanor, who introduced the Anglo-Norman style also found at Notre Dame.
Renfe High Speed Train
The high-speed trains are modern marvels. They are aerodynamic and resemble jets. Once the train gets moving, it is smooth and quiet. At some points, the max speed shows an eye-popping 168 mph! The trip is only 50 minutes from Madrid to Cuenca.
FOOD
Churros
The churros at Granja M. Viader in Barcelona are crispy and just the right amount for breakfast. Remember to order a cup of hot and thick dark chocolate and a plate of whipped cream.
Jamon
Enjoy jamón Ibérico in a slender bocadillo with a crusty baguette. It’s a perfect delivery system for delicious jamón. The marbling delivers a rich flavor alternating between butter and nuttiness. The texture is smooth and luxurious.
Paella
The paella pan is large. The rice has absorbed the tasty seafood broth. The clams, mussels, shrimp, and langoustines are all so fresh, sweet, and tender.
Tortilla Española
Thinly sliced potatoes and whisked eggs are cooked in a pan to form a round frittata. The tortilla is served like a slice of pie. The potatoes, olive oil, and eggs are light and fluffy on both sides.
Calçots
At Can Cortada in Barcelona, each plate has 20 calçots (giant, grilled green onions). The core is juicy, soft, and creamy with a mild subtle onion flavor. The romesco sauce contains tomatoes, red bell peppers, almonds, hazelnuts, and garlic.
Patatas Bravas
Patatas bravas are golden brown cubes of potatoes. They are coated with a spicy aioli sauce. The patatas bravas are super crispy, soft inside, with an incredible orange aioli dusted with smoked paprika.
Tapas
The Matrimonio could be the most perfect tapas bite. It’s the perfect marriage of boquerones en vinaigre (fresh anchovy fillets marinated in vinegar and olive oil) with anchoa (salted anchovy) on a piece of bread. It is tangy, sweet, and salty, all at the same time.
Espinacas con Garbanzos
This is a thick stew consisting of super soft spinach and garbanzo beans. It has an Arab-influenced spice mix. The crispy bread is great for dipping into the stew.
Porras
Porras are big airy donuts that are extra crispy but have more surface area to soak up chocolate. Chocolatería San Gines is located between Puerto del Sol and Plaza Mayor in Madrid.
Fideuà
In Catalunya, dry lengths of pasta strands are browned in a pan in olive oil, and simmered in a rich seafood broth. The fresh squid, clams, mussels, and shrimp really seal the deal for this dish.
Gambas al Ajillo
The shrimps are slick with olive oil and garlic. They are sweet, tender, and juicy. Shrimp should always be this tender.
Calamares
The squid has a light and crispy chickpea flour batter and fried in olive oil. The baguette is crusty and soft in the middle. This really well executed sandwich goes great with a caña of Mahou. Get one at Bar El Brillante by the Atocha train station.
Caracoles
The chef scoops the snails out of a large bubbling pot. They’re in a tasty broth with paprika, garlic, and sausage. Use toothpicks to pluck the mollusk from the shell and slurp up the broth. It gets messy, so use lots of napkins and toss them below the counter.
O Corruncho
O Corruncho has a rustic seafaring vibe with funny comic strips on the wall. Everything on the menu is extraordinary and changes depending on the day’s catch. There was a colossal pan with hake, manta rays, monkfish, and mussels in a garlic, olive oil, and lemon broth.
Vermouth
In a frosted glass, an aged vermouth has a beautiful peachy color with aromatic and fruity notes. It seeks an ideal balance between sweet, bitter, and acidic notes.
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