Editing Tourism in Spain

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[[File:Dawn Charles V Palace Alhambra Granada Andalusia Spain.jpg|thumb|277px|right|Full view of the Alhambra, Granada]]

'''Tourism in Spain''' is a major contributor to national economic life, with foreign and domestic tourism contributing to 12.3% of [[Spain]]'s [[GDP]] (in 2023).<ref name="ine">{{cite web |url=https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/en/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736169169&menu=ultiDatos&idp=1254735576863 |title=Tourism Satellite Account of Spain. Year 2023. |publisher=[[National Statistics Institute (Spain)]]|website=ine.es}}</ref> The international tourist expenditure in 2024 was around 126 billion euros.<ref name="tourists2024">{{cite web |url=https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Datos.htm?t=23994 |title=Touristic expenditure |publisher=[[National Statistics Institute (Spain)]] |date=3 February 2025 |access-date=3 February 2025}}</ref> Since 1959, the tourism industry has become one of the key sectors of the Spanish economy.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=García-Barrero |first=José Antonio |date=2024 |title=The formation of the tourism labour market in Spain, 1955–1973 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/revista-de-historia-economica-journal-of-iberian-and-latin-american-economic-history/article/formation-of-the-tourism-labour-market-in-spain-19551973/3F851E152A239A3BFC1F5055154DD7F4 |journal=Revista de Historia Economica - Journal of Iberian and Latin American Economic History |language=en |volume=42 |issue=2 |pages=269–299 |doi=10.1017/S0212610924000089 |issn=0212-6109}}</ref> The country has been a popular destination for summer holidays, especially with large numbers of tourists from the [[United Kingdom]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Italy]], the [[Benelux]], and the [[United States]], among others. Accordingly, Spain's foreign tourist industry has grown into the second-biggest in the world.<ref>[http://www.theglobalguru.com/article.php?id=60&offer=GURU001] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110106210622/http://www.theglobalguru.com/article.php?id=60&offer=GURU001|date=6 January 2011}}</ref> 

[[File:Monasterio de El Escorial en Madrid.jpg|thumb|277px|right|[[El Escorial|San Lorenzo de El Escorial]], construction started in 1559 – located {{convert|28|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=on}} northwest of Madrid.]]

In 2024, Spain was the second most visited country in the world, recording around 94 million international tourists, which marked the eighth consecutive year of record-breaking numbers.<ref name="spain2024">{{cite web |url=https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Datos.htm?t=23984 |title=Tourist Movement on Borders |publisher=[[National Statistics Institute (Spain)]] |date=3 February 2025 |access-date=3 February 2025}}</ref><ref name="apnews2024">{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/spain-tourism-record-housing-crisis-c9ef4af335ac6194dc4a71f73c4af4eb |title=Spain sets a new record with 94 million international tourists last year |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |date=15 January 2025 |access-date=27 January 2025}}</ref>
Due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, only 18.9 million tourists visited Spain. These dramatic figures were devastating for the tourism sector and were a reflection of what would become the worst year for this industry, in terms of income, ever recorded.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.larazon.es/economia/20210105/pfbw7a6wqfbmxhxzoenpumyzj4.html |title=España pierde 61 millones de visitantes hasta noviembre |date=5 January 2021 |access-date=31 January 2021}}</ref> However, by 2022 the industry had mostly recovered, with 71,659,281 international tourists and increasing.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://datosmacro.expansion.com/comercio/turismo-internacional/espana |title= España - Turismo internacional |access-date=14 April 2023}}</ref>

Spain ranks first among 140 countries in the biannual [[Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report|Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index]] published by the [[World Economic Forum]] in 2019,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-travel-tourism-competitiveness-report-2019 |title=Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2019 |access-date=4 September 2019}}</ref> matching the top position already achieved in 2017<ref>{{cite web |url=http://reports.weforum.org/travel-and-tourism-competitiveness-report-2017/ |title=Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 |access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref> and 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://reports.weforum.org/travel-and-tourism-competitiveness-report-2015/index-results-the-travel-tourism-competitiveness-index-ranking-2015/ |title=Index Results—The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index Ranking 2015 |access-date=7 May 2015}}</ref> The [[World Tourism Organization]] has its headquarters in [[Madrid]].

==Arrivals==
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|+'''Yearly tourist arrivals in millions<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 17, 2024 |title=Spain: International tourist trips |url=https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/international-tourist-trips?tab=chart&country=~ESP |website=Our World In Data}}</ref><ref name="Barom May24">{{cite web |date=May 2024 |title=World Tourism Barometer |url=https://pre-webunwto.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2024-06/Barom_PPT_May_2024.pdf?VersionId=U7O62HatlG4eNAj.wcmuQG1PMCjK.Yss |access-date=24 June 2024 |publisher=[[World Tourism Organization]] |language=en |p=19}}</ref><ref name=":0" />'''
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Most visitors arriving to Spain on a short-term basis were from the following countries:<ref name=":0">[http://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Datos.htm?t=23984 Número de turistas según país de residencia]</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
|- style="color:white;"
!  style="width:5px; background:#00966E;"|Rank
!  style="width:130px; background:#00966E;"| Country
! style="width:50px; background:#00966E;" | 2024
! style="width:50px; background:#00966E;" | 2023
! style="width:50px; background:#00966E;" | 2022
! style="width:50px; background:#00966E;" | 2021
! style="width:50px; background:#00966E;" | 2020
! style="width:50px; background:#00966E;" | 2019
! style="width:50px; background:#00966E;" | 2018
! style="width:50px; background:#00966E;" | 2017
! style="width:50px; background:#00966E;" | 2016
|-
|1||{{flagcountry|United Kingdom}}
|18,403,216
|17,262,287
|15,121,910
|4,302,634
| 3,150,204|| 18,012,484|| 18,502,722 || 18,806,776 || 17,675,367 
|-
|2||{{flagcountry|France}}
|12,980,341
|11,768,264
|10,096,040
|5,822,671
| 3,887,750|| 11,147,397|| 11,343,649 || 11,267,269 || 11,258,540 
|-
|3||{{flagcountry|Germany}}
|11,937,236
|10,989,659
|9,768,600
|5,208,894
| 2,391,437|| 11,158,022|| 11,414,481 || 11,897,376 || 11,414,481 
|-
|4||{{flagcountry|Italy}}
|5,437,840
|4,849,748
|4,011,139
|1,703,423
| 947,406|| 4,534,515|| 4,382,503 || 4,222,865 || 3,969,322 
|-
|5||{{flagcountry|Netherlands}}
|4,780,863
|4,320,630
|3,923,089
|2,048,853
| 918,361|| 3,684,260|| 3,848,545 || 3,704,549 || 3,355,031 
|-
|6||{{flagcountry|United States}}
|4,263,842
|3,835,884
|2,801,476
|797,844
| 405,810|| 3,324,870|| 2,949,710 || 2,637,484 || 2,001,813 
|-
|7||{{flagcountry|Belgium}}
|3,063,431
|2,758,684
|2,513,389
|1,464,091
| 743,411|| 2,525,887|| 2,500,278 || 2,474,720 || 2,301,628 
|-
|8||{{flagcountry|Portugal}}
|2,986,601
|2,802,774
|2,415,936
|1,193,649
| 762,384|| 2,428,790|| 2,346,405 || 2,137,880 || 1,996,164 
|-
|9||{{flagcountry|Ireland}}
|2,773,264
|2,476,105
|2,089,464
|631,314
| 329,043|| 2,177,592|| 2,049,272 || 2,046,123 || 1,808,469 
|-
|10||{{flagcountry|Switzerland}}
|2,117,258
|2,002,197
|1,654,733
|945,710
| 397,074|| 1,811,865|| 1,884,783 || 2,059,201 || 1,703,481 
|-
|11||{{flagcountry|Mexico}}
|1,080,318
|984,259
|725,093
|249,732
| 129,785|| 597,777|| 499,803 || 450,822 ||  370,044 
|-
|12||{{flagcountry|Argentina}}
|668,874
|572,276
|495,351
|64,287
| 162,311|| 721,697|| 714,774 || 746,498 || 562,680 
|-
|13||{{flagcountry|China}}
|647,801
|388,515
|56,646
|29,131
| 134,612|| 700,748|| 649,032 || 514,777 ||  374,755 
|-
|14||{{flagcountry|Canada}}
|643,689
|653,628
|380,100
|139,449
| 115,130|| 450,663|| 446,719 || 488,217 ||  390,765 
|-
|15||{{flagcountry|Turkey}}
|604,676
|340,906
|280,151
|139,427
| 139,427|| 269,557|| 292,949 || 290,280 ||  297,625 
|-
|16||{{flagcountry|Brazil}}
|598,456
|565,823
|347,798
|139,937
| 167,215|| 564,854|| 558,674 || 467,508 ||  372,759 
|-
|17||{{flagcountry|Japan}}
|410,292
|310,532
|310,532
|29,368
| 112,916|| 677,659|| 550,681 || 444,518 ||  463,420 
|-
|18||{{flagcountry|South Korea}}
|388,399
|434,583
|180,290
|37,692
| 121,931|| 630,797|| 490,631 || 446,069 || 312,432 
|-
|19||{{flagcountry|Chile}}
|348,746
|300,372
|185,216
|59,313
| 63,011|| 213,656|| 213,656 || 140,336 ||  91,177 
|-
|20||{{flagcountry|Israel}}
|296,601
|396,941
|302,520
|79,908
| 54,500|| 341,773|| 317,696 || 269,264 ||  312,573 
|-
||||North Europe
|5,147,430
|4,795,675
|4,291,225
|1,839,655
| 1,175,330|| 5,530,112|| 5,783,558 || 5,826,548 || 5,129,025 
|-
||||Other Europe
|9,112,689
|7,895,219
|6,545,774
|2,991,449
| 1,692,075|| 6,441,423|| 5,980,237 || 5,543,011 || 5,026,962 
|-
||| Total international visitors 
|93,799,505
|85,169,050
|71,659,281
|31,180,802
| 18,933,103|| 83,509,153|| 82,773,156 || 81,868,522 || 75,315,008 
|}

== Transport ==
[[Image:Renfe clase 100.JPG|thumb|200px|AVE train in Córdoba.]]
{{Main|Transport in Spain}}

Spain's national airline is [[Iberia Airlines|Iberia]], but the country can be flown into on many international passenger airlines and [[charter airline]]s.

Tourists also arrive in Spain by road, rail and over the water. Spanish [[List of autopistas and autovías in Spain|freeways]] interconnecting the touristic cities are also linked with the French freeway network across the [[Pyrenees]]. The main train operator is [[Renfe]], including [[AVE]] (Spanish [[high speed train]]) or [[Talgo]] [[Inter-city rail|intercity]] services. Spain's high-speed rail link is the largest in Europe<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15465865 |title=Saudi railway to be built by Spanish-led consortium |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=26 October 2011 |access-date=20 November 2012}}</ref> and second largest in the world after China. There is also a number of high-end tourism oriented hotel-train services, such as [[Transcantábrico]].

== Summer resorts and beaches ==
{{See also|List of beaches in Spain}}
{{Location map many | Spain
| relief   = 
| width    = 300
| caption  = Summer resorts and beaches
| lat1_deg = 42.27
| lon1_deg = 3.01
| label1   = Costa Brava
| lat2_deg = 38.50
| lon2_deg = -0.26
| label2   = Costa Blanca
| lat3_deg = 37.58
| lon3_deg = -1.40
| label3   = Costa Calida
| lat4_deg = 36.89
| lon4_deg = -2.22
| label4   = Costa Almeria
| lat5_deg = 39.35
| lon5_deg = 2.73
| label5   = Balearic Islands
| lat6_deg=36.72
| lon6_deg=-4.42
| label6=Costa <br />del Sol
}}

[[File:Caldera de las Cañadas 02(js).jpg|thumb|200px|The [[Teide National Park]], on the island of [[Tenerife]] is the most visited national park in Spain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.webtenerife.com/PortalTenerife/Home/Disfruta+vacaciones+activas/Ocio/Durante+el+dia/Excursiones/EL+TEIDE.htm?Lang=es|title=Turismo Tenerife: Alojamiento, Carnaval, Actividades... – Tenerife|access-date=9 June 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116025912/http://www.webtenerife.com/PortalTenerife/Home/Disfruta%2Bvacaciones%2Bactivas/Ocio/Durante%2Bel%2Bdia/Excursiones/EL%2BTEIDE.htm?Lang=es|archive-date=16 January 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.webtenerifeuk.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/D21ACE4F-27FF-4E73-B7E5-912FABDAA8EF/5769/1DossierPNTeide.pdf|title=Tenerife|access-date=9 June 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223005458/http://www.webtenerifeuk.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/D21ACE4F-27FF-4E73-B7E5-912FABDAA8EF/5769/1DossierPNTeide.pdf|archive-date=23 February 2012}}</ref>]]
This type of tourism was the first to be developed in Spain, and today, generates the most income for the Spanish economy.
The mild climate during the whole year and the extensive sandy beaches of the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean as well as of its two archipelagoes (the [[Balearic Islands]] and the [[Canary Islands]] respectively) have been attracting tourists from Northern Europe for decades. The leading source markets of Spanish beach tourism are the UK (around 24% of the total arrivals in Spain in recent years), Germany and France (around 15-16% each), followed by Scandinavia and Italy (around 7% each) and the Netherlands (around 5%).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://atlas.marcasrenombradas.com/analisis/spain-as-an-international-tourist-destination/?lang=en|title=Spain as an international tourist destination|work=Atlas de marcas|access-date=9 June 2015}}</ref><ref>[http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/download/august2013-spainrecordshighestevervisitornumbers.pdf SPANISH TOURIST OFFICE NEWS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2012]</ref>

The most popular Spanish mainland coasts are on its Mediterranean side, and include, from north to south clockwise:

*The [[Costa Brava]], the [[Costa Daurada]] and the [[Costa del Maresme]], in the [[Autonomous Community]] of [[Catalonia]], very popular with visitors from France as well as inland Spain, with notable resorts like [[Salou]] and the city of [[Barcelona]].
*The [[Costa Blanca]], (one of the most developed coastal areas of Spain, extremely popular for tourists from the United Kingdom and Germany, with [[Benidorm]] as the leading summer city of Spain) and the [[Costa del Azahar]] are both in the [[Valencian Community]].
*The [[Costa Cálida]] in the [[Region of Murcia]] and the [[Mar Menor]], a [[lagoon#coastal lagoons|lagoon]] by the Mediterranean sea.
*The [[Costa de Almería]], the [[Costa Tropical]], the [[Costa del Sol]] and the [[Costa de la Luz]], all in the community of [[Andalusia]]. Some of the summer destinations here are renowned worldwide, such as [[Marbella]] in [[Málaga Province]] or [[Sotogrande]] in [[Cádiz province]], both destinations for tourists and summer residents with big purchasing power. The city of [[Málaga]] is a notable Costa del Sol destination and also one of the largest harbours in Spain and frequented by cruise ships.
[[File:Puerto Banús Marbella.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Puerto Banús]], [[Marbella]], [[Málaga Province|Málaga]], [[Costa del Sol]].]]

Spain's two archipelagoes, the [[Balearic Islands]] off the mainland coast in the Mediterranean and the volcanic [[Canary Islands]] in the Atlantic, are also both very popular destinations with Spaniards and Europeans.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Regions!! 2016 (Jan to Aug)<br /> millions of visitors<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hyland|first1=Pat|title=Foreign Tourists Coming to Spain in Greater Numbers {{!}} .TR |url=https://www.tourism-review.com/foreign-tourists-flood-spain-news5143 |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| Catalonia<br /> inc. Costa Brava, Costa Daurada || 12.58
|-
| Balearic Islands<br /> inc. Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza || 9.65
|-
| Canary Islands<br /> inc. Tenerife, Lanzarote || 8.62
|-
| Andalusia<br /> inc. Costa Almeria, Costa del Sol, Marbella, Malaga || 7.39
|-
| Valencia<br /> inc. Costa Blanca || 5.56
|}
In addition to the summer tourism, other modalities like cultural and monumental tourism congresses, sport or fun tourism have been developed in these areas, including such famous cities as [[Barcelona]] and [[Valencia]], the biggest harbours of the Spanish Mediterranean coast.

Many coastal or island places also have great ecological and natural importance. [[Theme Parks]] like [[Terra Mítica]], [[Tibidabo Amusement Park]], [[Tivoli World]] and the resort [[PortAventura World]] or diverse water-fun parks are also popular.

In 2014 Spain broke its own record of [[blue flag beach]]es, achieving 681 flags and becoming the leader in the [[Northern Hemisphere]].<ref name="sociedad.elpais.com">{{cite news|url=http://sociedad.elpais.com/sociedad/2014/05/14/actualidad/1400069099_279268.html|title=España logra 681 banderas azules en su costa, 23 más que el año pasado|author=Ediciones El País|work=EL PAÍS|access-date=9 June 2015|date=14 May 2014}}</ref> Spain is also the leader in blue flags for [[marina]]s.<ref name="sociedad.elpais.com"/>

== Cultural tourism, business tourism ==
{{See also|List of World Heritage Sites in Spain}}
[[Image:Guggenheim Bilbao 2008 1.jpg|thumb|177px|left|[[Guggenheim Museum Bilbao]].]]
[[File:Plaza Mayor de Madrid 06.jpg|thumb|220px|[[Plaza Mayor, Madrid|Plaza Mayor in Madrid]]]]
[[File:Cuenca - Catedral de Cuenca 01 2015-11-17.jpg|thumb|177px|The 12th century Cathedral in [[Cuenca, Spain|Cuenca]]]]

As a crossroads of several civilisations, Spain offers a number of historical cities and towns. Major destinations include Spain's two largest cities: [[Madrid]] and [[Barcelona]], which stand as two of the leading city destinations in Europe. Both offer a matchless number of attractions and their importance in commerce, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, sports and arts contribute to their status as two of the world's major global cities.
Fifteen Spanish cities have been declared [[World Heritage Site|World Heritage Cities]] by the [[UNESCO]]:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ciudadespatrimonio.org/presentaciondelgrupo/index.php|title=Ciudades Patrimonio de la Humanidad|access-date=9 June 2015}}</ref>
[[Alcalá de Henares]], [[Ávila, Spain|Ávila]], [[Baeza, Spain|Baeza]], [[Cáceres, Spain|Cáceres]], [[Córdoba, Spain|Córdoba]], [[Cuenca, Spain|Cuenca]], [[Ibiza (town)|Ibiza]], [[Mérida, Spain|Mérida]], [[Salamanca]], [[San Cristóbal de La Laguna]], [[Santiago de Compostela]], [[Segovia]], [[Tarragona]], [[Toledo, Spain|Toledo]] and [[Úbeda ]]. As of October 2016, Spain has 45 total sites inscribed on the list, third only to [[List of World Heritage Sites in Italy|Italy]] (51) and [[List of World Heritage Sites in China|China]] (50).<ref>[http://www.europapress.es/sociedad/noticia-cuales-son-bienes-espanoles-patrimonio-humanidad-20160820120932.html ¿Cuáles son los bienes españoles Patrimonio de la Humanidad?], [[Europa Press (news agency)|Europa Press]]</ref> Of these 45 sites, 40 are cultural, 3 are natural, and 2 are mixed (meeting both cultural and natural criteria), as determined by the organization's [[World Heritage Site#Selection criteria|selection criteria]].<ref name=spain>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/es/ |title=Spain – Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List |publisher=UNESCO |access-date=17 September 2010}}</ref>
Other first-class destinations are [[Seville]], [[Granada]], [[Santander, Spain|Santander]], [[Oviedo]], [[Gijón]], [[Bilbao]] and [[San Sebastián]]. All of them with historical landmarks and a lively cultural agenda.

[[File:Σαγράδα Φαμίλια 2941.jpg|thumb|177px|[[Sagrada Família]] in Barcelona.]]

=== Student programs ===

Besides hosting some of the most renowned business schools in the world such as [[IE Business School]], [[ESADE]] or [[IESE Business School]], Spain is a popular destination for students from abroad. In particular, during the 2010–11 academic year Spain was the European country receiving the most [[Erasmus Programme]] students.<ref>[http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/11/28/inenglish/1354114165_335994.html Why Spain is Top for Erasmus students|In English|EL PAÍS]</ref>

=== Religion ===
{{See also|Holy Week in Spain}}
[[Image:Domingo de ramos astorga.jpg|thumb|220px|Holy Week in [[Astorga, Spain|Astorga]]]]
Spain is an important place for [[Catholicism]]. In fact, some of the holiest places for the Catholic Church are in Spain: city of [[Santiago de Compostela]] in [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]] (North-West Spain), the third holiest place after the [[Vatican City]] in Rome and [[Jerusalem]]. It is also the terminus of the [[Way of Saint James]]. [[Santo Toribio de Liébana]], [[Cantabria]] (also in North Spain) is the fourth, followed by [[Caravaca de la Cruz]] at the South-East, (fifth holiest place). These places attract pilgrims and tourists from all over the world.
Religion also has found its artistic expression through the popular [[Holy Week]] processions, which become important in almost every town, [[Seville]] arguably holds some of the most elaborate [[Holy Week in Seville|processions for Holy Week]].<ref>Webster, Susan Verdi (1998). ''Art and Ritual in Golden-Age Spain: Sevillian Confraternities and the Processional Sculpture of Holy Week''. Princeton University Press. {{ISBN|978-0691048192}}</ref>

=== Festivals ===
{{See also|Fiestas of International Tourist Interest of Spain}}
[[Image:Encierro cuesta de Santo domingo.jpg|thumb|210px|left|The [[running of the bulls]] in [[Pamplona]]]]

Most festivals turn around patron saints, legends, local customs and folklore. Among the most singular ones stand out the [[Seville Fair]] (Feria de Abril in Spanish), the [[Romería de El Rocío]] in [[Almonte, Spain|Almonte]], [[Province of Huelva|Huelva]], the world-famous [[Festival of San Fermin]] in [[Pamplona]], the [[Falles]] in Valencia, the [[Tomatina]] in [[Buñol]], [[Valencian Community|Valencia]] and the [[Fiestas del Pilar]] in [[Zaragoza]].

The [[Carnival]] is also popular all over Spain, but especially in the [[Canary Islands]] ([[Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife]]) and [[Cádiz]]. 
There are renowned movie festivals all over the country, the most recognizable being the famous [[San Sebastián International Film Festival]], the [[Málaga Film Festival]], the [[Seminci]] ([[Valladolid]] International Film Festival), the Mostra de Valencia and the [[Sitges Film Festival]], the world's foremost international festival specializing in fantasy and horror movies. Music festivals includes the [[Sónar]], the [[Festival Internacional de Benicàssim|FIB]], the [[Festimad]], the [[Primavera Sound]], the [[Bilbao BBK Live]], the Monegros Desert Festival and the SOS 4.8 Festival.

Several cities have hosted international events: the 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition, the [[1929 Barcelona International Exposition]], the [[1992 Summer Olympics]], all in Barcelona, the [[Seville Expo '92|Universal fair of 1992]] in Seville, the [[2007 America's Cup]] in Valencia, and the [[Expo 2008]] in [[Zaragoza]]. In addition, some Spanish cities have been or will be [[European Capital of Culture]]: Madrid in 1992; Santiago de Compostela in 2000, Salamanca in 2002, and San Sebastián in 2016.

== Nightlife ==
[[File:Plaza_de_Cibeles_(Madrid)_12.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Night view of Plaza de Cibeles (square) in Madrid (Spain), with Christmas lights.]]
[[File:Real Casa de Correos (Madrid) 03.jpg|thumb|[[Puerta del Sol]] in Madrid is a very popular place for nightlife.]]
[[File:Wikipedia space ibiza(03).jpg|thumb|The nightclubs of [[Ibiza]] are internationally renowned.<ref name="Levy">{{cite web|first =Dantelle  |last =Levy|url= https://edmmaniac.com/history-ibiza/|title=Crash Course: The History Of Ibiza, The Party Capital Of The World|date =15 June 2022|publisher=Edm Maniac}}</ref>]]
The nightlife in Spain is very attractive to both tourists and locals. Spain is known to have some of the best nightlife in the world. Big cities such as Madrid and Barcelona are favorites amongst the large and popular discothèques. For instance, Madrid is known as the number one party city for clubs such as Pacha and Kapital (seven floors), and Barcelona is famous for Opium and Sutton famous clubs. The discothèques in Spain are open until hours such as 7am. The Baleraric Islands, such as [[Ibiza]] and [[Mallorca]], are known to be major party destinations, as well as favored summer resort and in [[Andalusia]], [[Malaga]], specially the area of the [[Costa del Sol]]. Madrid is reputed to have a "vibrant [[nightlife]]".<ref name=cnn>{{Cite web |url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/madrid-after-dark/index.html |website=[[cnn.com]] |title=Madrid after dark: How to go out like the locals |first=Jessica |last=Benavides Canepa |date=13 July 2017 |access-date=4 February 2020 |archive-date=4 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204013703/https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/madrid-after-dark/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Ibiza is a relatively small island and its cities have become world-famous for their associations with [[tourism]], [[nightlife]], and the [[electronic music]] the island has originated. Ibiza has garnered the reputation as the "Party Capital of the world".<ref name="Levy"/><ref>{{cite web|first = Maya Kachroo|last =Levine|url=https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/island-vacations/ibiza-european-party-capital-history|title=How Ibiza Became the Most Sought-after Party Capital in the World|date =26 May 2021|publisher=Travel and Leisure}}</ref> It is well known for its summer club scene which attracts very large numbers of tourists, but the island's government and the Spanish Tourist Office have controversially been working to promote more family-oriented tourism. Noted clubs include [[Space (Ibiza nightclub)|Space]], [[Privilege Ibiza|Privilege]], [[Amnesia (nightclub)|Amnesia]], Ushuaïa, [[Pacha Group|Pacha]], [[DC10 (nightclub)|DC10]], Eden, and Es Paradis. Ibiza is also home to the legendary "port" in Ibiza Town, a popular stop for many tourists and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<ref name="unplugged">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2006/jul/01/balearicislands.filminspiredtravel.spain|title=Ibiza unplugged|newspaper=The Guardian|date=2006-07-01 | location=London | first=Stephen | last=Armstrong | access-date=4 May 2010}}</ref>

Majorca or Mallorca<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/your_say/article6651149.ece | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100606080457/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/your_say/article6651149.ece | url-status=dead | archive-date=6 June 2010 | location=London | work=The Times | first=Steve | last=Keenan | title=Mallorca v Majorca which is correct | date=6 July 2009}}</ref> is an island located in the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. It is the largest island in the [[Balearic Islands]] [[archipelago]], in [[Spain]].

The capital of the island, [[Palma, Majorca|Palma]], is also the capital of the [[autonomous communities of Spain|autonomous community]] of the Balearic Islands. The [[Cabrera Archipelago]] is administratively grouped with Majorca (in the municipality of Palma). The anthem of Majorca is ''[[La Balanguera]]''.

Like the other Balearic Islands of [[Menorca]], [[Ibiza]], and [[Formentera]], the island is an extremely popular holiday destination, particularly for tourists from [[Germany]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], [[Poland]], the [[Scandinavia|Scandinavian countries]], and the [[United Kingdom]]. The name derives from [[Latin]] ''insula maior'', "larger island"; later ''Maiorica'', "the larger one" in comparison to Menorca, "the smaller one".

==Winter tourism==
{{See also|List of ski areas and resorts in Europe#Spain|l1=List of ski resorts in Spain}}
[[File:Vista de montañas y Pradollano.jpg|[[Sierra Nevada Ski Station]]|thumb|150px|left]]
[[File:Baqueira 1800.jpg|thumb|right|225px|[[Baqueira-Beret]] ski resort.]]

Spain is a generally mountainous country, with well-known [[ski resorts]] located in several parts of the country, including the [[Pyrenees]], the [[Sistema Central]], the [[Sistema Ibérico]] and [[Sierra Nevada (Spain)|Sierra Nevada]].
For the most part, the main crest forms a massive divider between France and Spain, with the tiny country of [[Andorra]] sandwiched in between. The [[Crown of Aragon]] and the [[Kingdom of Navarre]] have historically extended on both sides of the mountain range, with small northern portions now in France and much larger southern parts now in Spain.<ref>Preamble of the [http://www.cg66.fr/culture/patrimoine_catalanite/catalanite/charte_catalan.pdf "Charter of the Catalan Language"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325232934/http://www.cg66.fr/culture/patrimoine_catalanite/catalanite/charte_catalan.pdf |date=25 March 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |year=1995|title=Collins Road Atlas of Europe|publisher= Harper Collins|location=London|pages= 28–29|isbn= 0-00-448148-8}}</ref>

Sierra Nevada in Spain is a popular [[tourism|tourist]] destination, as its high peaks make [[skiing]] possible in one of Europe's most southerly [[ski resort]]s, in an area along the [[Mediterranean Sea]] predominantly known for its warm temperatures and abundant sunshine. At its foothills is found the city of [[Granada]] and, a little further, [[Almería]] and [[Málaga]].

Parts of the range have been included in the [[Sierra Nevada National Park (Spain)|Sierra Nevada National Park]]. The range has also been declared a [[biosphere reserve]]. The [[Sierra Nevada Observatory]] is located on the northern slopes at an [[elevation]] of {{convert|2800|m|ft}}. The Sierra Nevada was formed during the [[Alpine Orogeny]], a mountain-building event that also formed the European [[Alps]] to the east and the [[Atlas Mountains]] of northern Africa across the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The Sierra as observed today formed during the [[Paleogene]] and [[Neogene]] Periods (66 to 1.8 million years ago) from the collision of the African and Eurasian [[continental plate]]s.

== Nature and rural tourism ==
{{See also|List of national parks of Spain}}
[[Image:Aracena - Paisaje 01.jpg|thumb|300px|The [[dehesa]] landscape typical to some inland parts of Spain]]
Spain is the second largest country in the European Union. Its latitude puts part of the country in direct contact with the typical southern end of the Atlantic [[jet stream#polar jet|polar jet]]. Hence, Spain's geographical position allows for Atlantic fronts typically affecting its western and northern part whereas a Mediterranean influenced climate is generally prevalent in its eastern and southern parts, with transition climates linking both main bioclimatic regions. Additionally the presence of several mountain ranges ultimately shape the [[climate of Spain|diverse landscape of Spain]]. Another remarkable feature of the country is its vast coast, as a result of being in a Peninsula; moreover, there is the coast of the two Spanish archipelagos: the [[Balearic Islands]] and the [[Canary Islands]].
[[Image:SotresPanorama.jpg|thumb|300px|left|The [[Picos de Europa National Park]] in the [[Green Spain]]]]

To date, Spain has a total of [[List of national parks of Spain|15 National Parks]], of which 10 are on the mainland, 1 in the Balearic Islands and 4 in the Canary Islands. Spain's most visited National Park is the [[Teide National Park]] in the Canary Islands, with 3,142,148 visitors in 2007 and crowned with the third largest [[Volcano]] in the world from its base, the [[Teide]], with 3,718 meters above the sea level (also the highest point in Spain). The Teide also has the distinction of being the most visited national park in Europe and second in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sanborondon.info/content/view/26362/1/ |language=es |title=El parque nacional del Teide es el primero más visitado de Europa y el segundo del mundo |url-status=dead |access-date=30 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924114109/http://www.sanborondon.info/content/view/26362/1/ |archive-date=24 September 2010 }}</ref>

On top of that, by 2016 Spain is home to 48 [[biosphere reserve]]s, covering 5.5 million hectares, almost 11% of the country, making Spain the world leader of such protected areas<ref>[http://www.expansion.com/directivos/2016/04/15/5710963722601df9628b4673.html España, la reserva de la biosfera|Diario Expansión {{in lang|es}}]</ref>

==Art and culture==
===Museums in Madrid===
{{See also|List of museums in Madrid}}
[[File:Museo del Prado 2016 (25185969599).jpg|thumb|[[Museo del Prado]]]]

Madrid is considered one of the top European destinations concerning art museums. Best known is the ''[[Golden Triangle of Art]]'', located along the [[Paseo del Prado]] and comprising three museums. The most famous one is the [[Museo del Prado]], known for such highlights as [[Diego Velázquez]]'s ''[[Las Meninas]]'' and [[Francisco de Goya]]'s ''[[La maja vestida]]'' and ''[[La maja desnuda]]''. The other two museums are the [[Thyssen Bornemisza Museum]], established from a mixed private collection, and the [[Reina Sofia Museum]], where [[Pablo Picasso]]'s ''[[Guernica (painting)|Guernica]]'' hangs, returning to Spain from New York after more than two decades.

The [[Museo del Prado]] is a museum and art gallery that features one of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former [[Spanish Royal Collection]]. The collection currently comprises around 7,600 paintings, 1,000 sculptures, 4,800 prints and 8,200 drawings, in addition to a large number of works of art and historic documents. El Prado is one of the most visited museums in the world, and it is considered to be among the greatest museums of art. It has the best collection of paintings by Goya, Velázquez, [[El Greco]], [[Patinir]], [[José de Ribera]], and other Spanish artists, as well as major collections of [[Rubens]], [[Titian]], [[Hieronymus Bosch]], [[Rogier van der Weyden]], [[Raphael Sanzio|Raphael]], [[Tintoretto]], [[Paolo Veronese|Veronese]], [[Caravaggio]], [[Van Dyck]], [[Albrecht Dürer]], [[Claude Lorrain]], [[Bartolomé Esteban Murillo|Murillo]] and [[Zurbarán]], among others.

[[File:MNCARS ampliación 10.jpg|thumb|left|[[Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía|Museo Reina Sofía]] (MNCARS).]]

The [[Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía]] (MNCARS) is the [[Spain]]'s national [[museum]] of 20th-century [[art]]. The museum is mainly dedicated to Spanish art. Highlights of the museum include excellent collections of Spain's greatest 20th-century masters, [[Pablo Picasso]], [[Salvador Dalí]], [[Joan Miró]], [[Juan Gris]] and [[Julio González (sculptor)|Julio González]]. Certainly the most famous masterpiece in the museum is Picasso's painting ''[[Guernica (painting)|Guernica]]''. The Reina Sofía also hosts a free-access library specializing in art, with a collection of over 100,000 books, over 3,500 sound recordings and almost 1,000 videos.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.museoreinasofia.es/index_en.html |title=Museo Reina Sofía (MNCARS), official English webpage |publisher=Museoreinasofia.es |access-date=3 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130101193754/http://www.museoreinasofia.es/index_en.html |archive-date=1 January 2013 }}</ref>

[[File:Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza (Madrid) 04.jpg|thumb|[[Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum]]]]

The [[Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum]] is an art museum that fills the historical gaps in its counterparts' collections: in the Prado's case this includes Early Italian painting and works from the [[English art|English]], [[Dutch School (painting)|Dutch]] and German schools, while in the case of the Reina Sofia the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection, once the second largest private collection in the world after the British [[Royal Collection]],<ref name="nyt-obit">Kandell, Jonathan (28 April 2002). [https://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/28/nyregion/baron-thyssen-bornemisza-industrialist-who-built-fabled-art-collection-dies-81.html?pagewanted=all "Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza, Industrialist Who Built Fabled Art Collection, Dies at 81"]. ''[[The New York Times]]''. Retrieved 7 August 2012.</ref> includes [[Impressionist]]s, [[Expressionist]]s, and European and American paintings from the second half of the 20th century, with over 1,600 paintings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.museothyssen.org/en/thyssen/home |title=Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, official English webpage}}</ref>

The [[Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando|Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando]] currently functions as a museum and gallery that houses a fine art collection of paintings from the 15th to 20th centuries: [[Giovanni Bellini]], [[Correggio]], [[Rubens]], [[Zurbarán]], [[Bartolomé Esteban Murillo|Murillo]], [[Francisco Goya|Goya]], [[Juan Gris]], [[Pablo Serrano]]. The academy is also the headquarters of the Madrid Academy of Art. [[Francisco Goya]] was once one of the academy's directors, and, its alumni include [[Pablo Picasso]], [[Salvador Dalí]], [[Antonio López García]], [[Juan Luna]], and [[Fernando Botero]].<ref name="The Real Academia de Bellas Artes">{{cite web |url=http://www.gomadrid.com/museums/bellas-artes.html |title=The Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando Museum, Madrid |publisher=Gomadrid.com |access-date=30 September 2013}}</ref><ref name="Fernando Botero: Artist and Art Historian">{{cite web |url=http://www.proquoabogados.com/botero-artist-and-art-historian-humanist-universalist/ |title= Fernando Botero: Artist and Art Historia}}</ref>
 
[[File:Madrid - Royal Palace of Madrid - 20171027163530.jpg|left|thumb|[[Royal Palace of Madrid#Royal Armory|Royal Armoury]], [[Royal Palace of Madrid]].]]
 	
The [[Royal Palace of Madrid]] is the official residence of [[Felipe VI of Spain]], but he uses it only for official acts. It is a baroque palace full of artworks and one of the largest European Royal Palaces, which is characterized by its luxurious rooms and its rich collections of armors and weapons, pharmaceutical, silverware, watches, paintings, tapestries and the most comprehensive collection of [[Antonio Stradivari|Stradivarius]] in the world<ref name=palacioreales>{{cite web|url=http://www.patrimonionacional.es/Home/Palacios-Reales/Palacio-Real-de-Madrid.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140515175414/http://www.patrimonionacional.es:80/Home/Palacios-reales/Palacio-real-de-madrid.aspx|archive-date=2014-05-15|title=Palacio Real de Madrid}}</ref>
[[File:Acceso al Museo Arqueológico.jpg|thumb|[[National Archaeological Museum of Spain]]]]
The [[National Archaeological Museum of Spain]] collection includes, among others, [[Prehistory|Pre-historic]], [[Celt]]ic, [[Iberians|Iberian]], [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] and [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] antiquities and [[Middle Ages|medieval]] ([[Visigoth]]ic, [[History of Islam|Muslim]] and Christian) objects. Highlights include a replica of the [[Altamira (cave)|Altamira]] cave (the first cave in which prehistoric cave paintings were discovered), [[Lady of Elche]] (an enigmatic polychrome stone bust), [[Lady of Baza]] (a famous example of Iberian sculpture), [[Biche of Balazote]] (an Iberian sculpture) and [[Treasure of Guarrazar]] (a treasure that represents the best surviving group of Early Medieval Christian votive offerings and the high point of Visigothic goldsmith's work).<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|author=Ignacio Sánchez Ramírez – info @ visionados. com |url=http://man.mcu.es/ |title=Museo Arqueológico Nacional &#124; Inicio |publisher=Man.mcu.es |access-date=1 June 2011}}</ref>
 	
The [[Museum of the Americas (Madrid)|Museum of the Americas]] is a national museum that holds artistic, archaeological and ethnographic collections from the whole [[Americas]], ranging from the [[Paleolithic]] period to the present day. The permanent exhibit is divided into five major thematical areas: an awareness of the Americas, the reality of the Americas, society, religion and communication.<ref name="museodeamerica1">{{cite web|url=http://museodeamerica.mcu.es |title=Museo de América |publisher=Museodeamerica.mcu.es |access-date=1 June 2011}}</ref>
 	
[[File:Palacio de las Artes e Industrias (Madrid) 01.jpg|thumb|[[Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales|National Museum of Natural Sciences]]]]
 
The [[Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales|National Museum of Natural Sciences]] is the [[National Museum]] of [[Natural history|Natural History]] of [[Spain]]. The research departments of the museum are: [[Biodiversity]] and [[Evolutionary Biology]], [[Evolutionary Ecology]], [[Paleobiology]], [[Vulcanology]] and [[Geology]].<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web|url=http://www.mncn.csic.es/ |title=Portada |publisher=MNCN |date= 27 May 2011 |access-date=2 June 2011}}</ref>
	
The [[Naval Museum of Madrid|Naval Museum]] is managed by the Ministry of Defence. The Museum's mission is to acquire, preserve, investigate, report and display for study, education and contemplation, parts, sets and collections of historical, artistic, scientific and technical related to naval activity in order to disseminate the story sea of Spain; to help illustrate, highlight and preserve their traditions and promote national maritime awareness.
 	
[[File:Goya le sabbat des sorcières.jpg|thumb|upright|left|''[[Witches' Sabbath (Goya, 1798)|El Aquelarre]]'', Francisco de Goya. [[Museum of Lázaro Galdiano|Lázaro Galdiano Museum]].]]
 	
The [[Monastery of Las Descalzas Reales]] resides in the former palace of King [[Charles I of Spain]] and [[Isabel of Portugal]]. Their daughter, [[Joanna of Austria, Princess of Portugal|Joan of Austria]], founded this convent of nuns of the [[Poor Clare]] order in 1559. Throughout the remainder of the 16th century and into the 17th century, the convent attracted young widowed or spinster noblewomen. Each woman brought with her a dowry. The riches quickly piled up, and the convent became one of the richest convents in all of Europe. It has many works of Renaissance and Baroque art, including a recumbent Christ by Gaspar Becerra, a staircase whose paintings were painted by unknown author (perhaps Velázquez) and they are considered of the masterpieces of Spanish illusionist painting, and [[Brussels tapestry|Brussels tapestries]] inspired by paintings of Rubens.<ref name="patrimonionacional1">{{cite web |url=http://www.patrimonionacional.es/Home/Monasterios-y-Conventos/Monasterio-de-las-Descalzas-Reales.aspx |title=Patrimonio Nacional – Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales |publisher=Patrimonionacional.es |access-date=14 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110414211231/http://www.patrimonionacional.es/Home/Monasterios-y-Conventos/Monasterio-de-las-Descalzas-Reales.aspx |archive-date=14 April 2011 }}</ref>
 	
The [[Museum of Lázaro Galdiano]] houses an encyclopedic collection specializing in decorative arts.
 	
Apart from paintings and sculptures it displays 10th-century Byzantine enamel; Arab and Byzantine ivory chests; Hellenistic, Roman, medieval, renaissance, baroque and romantic jewelry; [[Pisanello]] and [[Pompeo Leoni]] medals; Spanish and Italian ceramics; Italian and Arab clothes and a collection of weapons including the sword of Pope [[Innocent VIII]].<ref name="autogenerated3">{{cite web|url=http://www.flg.es/museo/museo.htm |title=Fundación Lázaro Galdiano museum website |publisher=Flg.es |access-date=14 April 2011}}</ref>
	
The [[Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas]] (National Museum of Decorative Arts) is one of the oldest museums in the city. It illustrates the evolution of the called "minor arts" (furniture, ceramics and glass, textile, etc.). Its 60 rooms expones 15,000 objects, of the approximate 40,000 which it has.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mnartesdecorativas.mcu.es |title=Museo de Artes Decorativas |publisher=Mnartesdecorativas.mcu.es |access-date=1 June 2011}}</ref>
 	
The Museo Nacional del Romanticismo (National Museum of Romanticism) contains a large collection of artefacts and art, focusing on daily life and customs of the 19th century, with special attention to the aesthetics about Romanticism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://museoromanticismo.mcu.es |title=Museo del Romanticismo |publisher=Museoromanticismo.mcu.es |access-date=1 June 2011}}</ref>
 	
The Museo Cerralbo houses a private collection of ancient works of art, artifacts and other antiquities collected by Enrique de Aguilera y Gamboa, XVII Cerralbo Marquis.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://museocerralbo.mcu.es |title=Museo Cerralbo |publisher=Museo Cerralbo |access-date=1 June 2011}}</ref>
 	
The [[Museo Nacional de Antropología (Madrid)|National Museum of Anthropology]] provides an overview of the different cultures in the world, with objects and human remains from around the world, highlighting a [[Guanches|Guanche]] mummy of the island of Tenerife.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mnantropologia.mcu.es/ |title=Museo Nacional de Antropología |publisher=Mnantropologia.mcu.es |access-date=1 June 2011}}</ref>

[[File:Caixa forum (4518844736).jpg|thumb|[[Caixa Forum]] Madrid.]]
	
The Museo Sorolla is located in the building in which the Valencian Impressionist painter had his home and workshop. The collection includes, in addition to numerous works of [[Joaquín Sorolla]], a large number of objects that possessed the artist, including sculptures by [[Auguste Rodin]].<ref name="museosorolla1">{{cite web|url=http://museosorolla.mcu.es/ |title=Museo Sorolla |publisher=Museo Sorolla |access-date=1 June 2011}}</ref>
 	
[[CaixaForum Madrid]] is a post-modern art gallery in the centre of Madrid. It is sponsored by the Catalan-Balearic bank la Caixa and located next to the Salón del Prado. Although the CaixaForum is a modern building, it also exhibits retrospectives of artists from earlier time periods and has evolved into one of the most visited museums in Madrid. It was constructed by the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron from 2001 to 2007, which combined an old unused industrial building and hollowed it out at the base and inside and placed on top further floors which are encased with rusted steel. Next to it is an art installation of green plants growing on the wall of the neighbouring house by French botanist Patrick Blanc. The red of the top floors with the green of the wall next to it form a contrast. The green is in reflection of the neighbouring Royal Botanical Gardens.

Other art galleries and museums in Madrid include:
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Royal Palace of Madrid]]<ref name=palacioreales/>
* [[Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando|Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando]]<ref name="The Real Academia de Bellas Artes"/><ref name="karaart1">{{Cite web | url=http://www.proquoabogados.com/botero-artist-and-art-historian-humanist-universalist/ |title = Pro Quo Abogados: Servicios Jurídicos y Asesoría Empresarial}}</ref>
* [[National Archaeological Museum of Spain]]<ref name="autogenerated1"/>
* [[Museum of the Americas (Madrid)|Museum of the Americas]]<ref name="museodeamerica1"/>
* [[Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales|National Museum of Natural Sciences]]<ref name="autogenerated2"/>
* [[Liria Palace]]
* [[Museo Naval de Madrid|Naval Museum]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.armada.mde.es/ArmadaPortal/page/Portal/ArmadaEspannola/ciencia_museo/prefLang_es/ |title=INICIO MUSEO NAVAL MADRID – Museo Naval – Armada Española – Ministerio de Defensa – Gobierno de España |language=es |publisher=Armada.mde.es |access-date=3 January 2013}}</ref>
* [[Museo del Aire (Madrid)|Spanish Air Force Museum]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.museodelaire.com/ |title=de Madrid |language=es |publisher=Museo del Aire |access-date=3 January 2013}}</ref>
* [[Monastery of Las Descalzas Reales]]<ref name="patrimonionacional1"/>
* [[Museum of Lázaro Galdiano]]<ref name="autogenerated3"/>
* [[Royal Palace of El Pardo]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.patrimonionacional.es/Home/Palacios-Reales/Palacio-Real-de-El-Pardo.aspx |title=Patrimonio Nacional – Real Sitio de El Pardo |publisher=Patrimonionacional.es |access-date=3 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130114021422/http://www.patrimonionacional.es/Home/Palacios-Reales/Palacio-Real-de-El-Pardo.aspx |archive-date=14 January 2013 }}</ref>
* Railway Museum<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.museodelferrocarril.org/ |title=Museo del Ferrocarril de Madrid Delicias – Fundación de los Ferrrocarriles Españoles |publisher=Museodelferrocarril.org |access-date=3 January 2013}}</ref>
* Museum Sorolla<ref name="museosorolla1"/>
* [[CaixaForum Madrid]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://obrasocial.lacaixa.es/nuestroscentros/caixaforummadrid/caixaforummadrid_es.html |title=Caixaforum Madrid &#124; Nuestros centros &#124; Obra Social "la Caixa" |publisher=Obrasocial.lacaixa.es |date=1974-01-15 |access-date=3 January 2013}}</ref>
{{div col end}}

===Museums in Barcelona===
{{See also|List of museums in Barcelona}}
[[File:Macba.jpg|thumb|177px|right|[[Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona|Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA)]].]]
[[File:(Barcelona) Palau Nacional - National Museum of Art of Catalunya.jpg|thumb|177px|right|[[Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya|Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC)]].]]
[[File:Fundaci Antoni T pies (270390437).jpg|thumb|177px|right|[[Fundació Antoni Tàpies]].]]
[[File:CCCB 20070408.jpg|thumb|right|177px|[[Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona|Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB)]].]]
[[File:CaixaForum9.jpg|thumb|right|177px|[[CaixaForum Barcelona]].]]

This is a list of museums in [[Barcelona]] ([[Catalonia]]) and in its surrounding metropolitan area.
*[[Archaeology Museum of Barcelona|Archaeology Museum of Barcelona (MAC)]]
*[[Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art|Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA)]]
*[[Museu del Modernisme Català]] MMCAT
*[[CaixaForum Barcelona]]
*[[Casa Àsia]]
*[[Centre d'Art Santa Mònica|Centre d'Art Santa Mònica (CASM)]]
*[[Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona|Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB)]]
*[[Cosmocaixa Barcelona]] (former ''Museu de la Ciència de Barcelona'')
*[[Espai Gaudí (La Pedrera)]]
*[[Fundació Antoni Tàpies]]
*[[Olympic and Sports Museum Joan Antoni Samaranch]]
*[[Fundació Joan Miró]]
*[[Fundació Suñol]]
*[[FC Barcelona Museum]]
*[[Gracia Arts Project]]
*[[Royal Palace of Pedralbes]]
**[[Museu de les Arts Aplicades - Museu de Ceràmica|Museu de Ceràmica]]
**[[Museu de les Arts Aplicades - Museu de les Arts Decoratives|Museu de les Arts Decoratives]]
**[[Museu de les Arts Aplicades - Museu Tèxtil i d'Indumentària|Museu Tèxtil i d'Indumentària]]
*[[Moco Museum|Moco Museum Barcelona]]
*[[Museu d'Autòmates]]
*[[Museu Barbier-Mueller d'Art Precolombí]]
*[[Museu del Calçat]]
*[[Museu de Cera de Barcelona]]
*[[Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona]]
**Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona (the main exhibition site, at the [[Forum Building]])
**{{ill|Martorell Museum|lt=Martorell Museum|ca|Museu Martorell}} (the historical site where the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona was founded in 1882, but contained the Geology Museum from 1924 to 2010)
**{{ill|Laboratori de Natura (Barcelona)|lt=Laboratori de Natura|ca|Laboratori de Natura}}, at the [[Castle of the Three Dragons]] (from 1920 to 2010: Zoology Museum)
**[[Jardí Botànic de Barcelona|Botanical garden of Barcelona]]
**{{ill|Historical Botanical Garden of Barcelona|lt=Historical Botanical Garden of Barcelona|ca|Jardí Botànic Històric}}
*[[Museu del Clavegueram]]
*[[Museu del Còmic i la Il·lustració]]
*[[Egyptian Museum of Barcelona]]
*[[Museu de l'Eròtica de Barcelona]]
*[[Museu Etnològic de Barcelona]]
*[[Museu Frederic Marès]]
*[[Museu Gaudí]]
*[[Museu d'Història de Catalunya]]
*[[Museu d'Història de la Ciutat]]
**[[Museu d'Història de la Ciutat - Centre d'Interpretació del Park Güell|Centre d'Interpretació del Park Güell]]
*[[Museu Marítim]]
*[[Museu Militar de Barcelona]] (closed May 2009)
*[[Museu de la Música de Barcelona]]
*[[Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya|National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC)]]
*[[Museu del Perfum - Fundació Planas Giralt]]
*[[Museu Picasso]]
*[[Museu Taurí]]
*[[Museu de la Xocolata]]
*[[Palau de la Virreina]]
*[[Palau Robert]]
*[[Sala Ciutat]]
*[[Sagrada Familia]]

===Other major museums in Spain===
[[File:Tossa_de_Mar_playa.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Tossa de Mar]] beach.]]
<!-- ONLY ADD HERE MUSEUMS QUOTED IN MAJOR RANKINGS OF MUSEUMS IN SPAIN, use alphabetical order !-->
*[[Bilbao Fine Arts Museum]]<ref>[https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g187427-c70342/Spain:The.Best.Art.Museums.In.Spain.html Spain: The Best Art Museums in Spain – Tripadvisor]</ref>
*[[Carmen Thyssen Museum]] in [[Málaga]]
*[[City of Arts and Sciences]] in [[Valencia (Spain)|Valencia]]
*[[Dalí Theatre and Museum]] in [[Figueres]]
*[[Guggenheim Museum Bilbao]]
*[[IVAM]] (Valencia)
*[[Museo Picasso Málaga]]
*[[Centro Pompidou Málaga]]
*[[Museu de Belles Arts de València]]
*[[Museo Nacional de Escultura, Valladolid|National Museum of Sculpture]] in [[Valladolid]]
*[[Museum of Fine Arts of Seville]]

== Impact of COVID-19 ==
In early 2020, the country halted its tourism industry following the spread of [[COVID-19]]. Spain reopened to fully vaccinated travellers from around the world on 7 June 2021; however, due to the relatively late announcement of the reopening, the initial increase in visitors was gradual.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/failure-launch-spains-grand-reopening-falls-flat-2021-06-07/|title=Failure to launch: Spain's grand reopening falls flat|access-date=1 Sep 2022|website=Reuters|date=1 Sep 2022}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Paradores]]
*[[Spanish cuisine]]
*[[12 Treasures of Spain]]

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==
{{Wikivoyage|Spain}}
* [http://www.spain.info/en/ Spanish Tourism Official Website in English]
* [https://www.turismoencatalunya.es/en/index.html Tourism in Catalonia]
* {{Commons category-inline}}

{{Spain topics}}
{{Tourism in Europe}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Tourism in Spain| ]]
[[Category:Tourism in Europe by country|Spain]]