There’s no place on Earth like Spain. You could spend your whole life exploring this magnificent country and still feel like you’d only uncovered the tip of the iceberg. However, you no doubt have a limited amount of time for sightseeing in Spain. So, to help you squeeze the most out of your trip, here are the five top vacation spots in Spain.
Granada
Spain’s number one must-see city is the legendary city of Granada. All the wonders and beauty of Spain come together in this city. Throughout most of the year you can enjoy the warm Mediterranean beaches. In winter, you can go skiing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the southernmost and warmest ski resort in Europe where you’ll also find the highest peaks in Europe outside the Alps. For college students studying Spanish overseas, Granada offers some of the best summer programs in Spain.
Seville
Seville in the spring is one of the most beautiful places in Spain. The enormous park called “Parque Maria Luisa” is a paradise of tiled fountains, bridges, pavilions, ponds, benches, palm trees, orange trees, Mediterranean pines, and stylized flower beds. Along the outskirts of the park you’ll find one of Seville’s most remarkable monuments, a huge courtyard and semicircular building called the Plaza of Spain. If you watch Star Wars Episode II, you’ll catch a glimpse of the Plaza of Spain in the scene where Padme and Anakin walk toward and around a palace on Naboo.
Madrid
The entire country of Spain centers around the city of Madrid. Madrid is the city with the largest population in Spain and is located virtually in the physical center of the country. Additionally, at the center of Madrid you’ll find Spain’s equivalent of New York’s Times Square known as Puerta del Sol. This area is the origin of the entire highway system of Spain whose roads branch out like the spokes of a wheel. Being the center of all transportation and communication in Spain makes Madrid the perfect “home base” from which to start your tour of the country. Madrid is also the center of Spain’s artistic culture with many of the most important art museums, opera houses and theaters in the country.
Barcelona
Barcelona is a city of avant garde art and architecture. The Catalan capital is home to many of Gaudi’s masterpieces including La Pedrera, Parc Guell, Casa Batllo and the monumental Sagrada Familia. Just outside of Barcelona is a town called Figueres which was home to Dali, one of the most well-known surrealist painters. In Figueres you can visit the Dali Theater and Museum which houses the single largest and most diverse collection of Dali’s works. Also from Barcelona was another of the great surrealists: Joan Miro. You’ll find one of Miro’s most complete collections on display at the Joan Miro Foundation in Barcelona.
San Sebastian
If you’re planning to spend the summer in Spain, a wonderful summer vacation spot is the city of San Sebastian. This small city offers a cooler climate than the rest of Spain thanks to being located on the northern coast of the country. While the average high temperature in San Sebastian in summer is 76 degrees, temperatures in the southern city of Seville, for example, can get up to a scorching 113 degrees.
Spain truly is an incredible place to visit. If you have the opportunity to spend a few days one of these top 5 destinations, you won’t be disappointed. But no matter what part of Spain you visit, you’re sure to be impressed by this country’s beauty and charm.
