Spain is one of Europe’s most exotic countries; from deliciously scrumptious food to the soulful Spanish flamenco, and exquisite architecture, Spain is a blend of some curiously unusual conventions, cultural adaptations, a stirring drive to live in the moment and an inexorably adventurous spirit.
It is a diverse country that shares its Iberian Peninsula with the western end of the Mediterranean Sea, meeting with Portugal. The country has the largest number of World Heritage Cities and the second largest World Heritage sites by UNESCO. With years of cultural history, a beautiful climate, famous coastlines, exotic mountain ranges and vast landscapes, Spain is an exotic travel destination for many; especially newlyweds for their honeymoon.
Here are the top 27 iconic locations to be visited when in Spain. Have a look!
1. Alcázar of Seville
The Alcázar of Seville is an exotic royal palace in Seville, Spain, originally designed by Moorish Muslim kings. The palace is renowned as one of the most beautiful in Spain, being regarded as the most outstanding mudéjar architecture examples located on the Iberian Peninsula.
2. Casa Batlló
Casa Batlló is a famous building at the center of Barcelona. It is one of the masterpieces of Antoni Gaudí’s. It was restructured in 1904 by Gaudí. It has been refurbished may times after that.
3. Costa Del Sol
The Costa del Sol is an area in the south of Spain, in the community of Andalusia. It consists of coastal towns and communities along Province of Málaga coastline. Costa del Sol is all about fabulous beaches, beautiful landscapes and scrumptuous food.
4. El Patio de la Acequia, El Generalife (Court of the Water Channel or Water-Garden Courtyard)
This was the summer palace and a country estate of the Nasrid Emirs- the Kings of the Emirate of Granada in Al-Andalus. It is situated beside the Granada in the community of Andalusia, Spain. has a pool framed by fountains, flowerbeds and colonnades.
5. Gothic Quarter, Barcelona
The Gothic Quarter is the centre of Barcelona stretching from La Rambla to Via Laietana, and from the Mediterranean seafront to Ronda de Sant Pere. The Barri Gòtic has a labyrinthine street, with several small streets opening out into squares. The quarter is mostly closed to traffic although it is open to service vehicles and taxis.
6. Ibiza
Ibiza is one of the Balearic islands in the Mediterranean Sea popular for the energetic and lively nightlife in Ibiza Town where key European nightclubs possess summer outposts. The island also has quiet villages, beaches and yoga retreats from Platja d’en Bossa that is also lined with bars, hotels and shops, to sandy coves.
7. Alhambra in Granada, Spain
The Alhambra fortress complex and a palace in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It was constructed as a small fortress in 889 and then widely ignored for a long period of time.It was rebuilt in the mid-13th century by the Moorish emir Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar of the Emirate of Granada.
8. Mosque of Córdoba
The Cathedral of Córdoba also called the Great Mosque of Córdoba, is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Córdoba. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary; it is located in the Andalusia. The architecture is considered to be the most accomplished buildings of the Moorish architecture.
9. Montjuic, Barcelona
Barcelona’s Montjuïc is a wide hill having a flat top that overlooks the harbour, to the southwest of the city centre. It is situated in Sants and is much popular for its Parc i.e. the museums that surround it.
10. Montserrat, Spain
Montserrat is a mountain with multiple peaks near Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain. Montserrat is part of Catalan Pre-Coastal Range. The major peaks being Sant Jeroni, Montgrós, and Miranda de les Agulles.
11. Museo del Prado
The Museo del Prado is the Spanish national art museum, in central Madrid. It features one of the world’s greatest array of European art, based on the previous Spanish Royal Collection, dating from the 12th century to the early 19th century. The collection comprises around 7,600 paintings, 1,000 sculptures, 4,800 prints and 8,200 drawings.
12. Palma Cathedral
The Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma mostly referred to as La Seu, is a Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral in Palma, Majorca, Spain. It is built on the site of an Arab mosque. It is 121 metres long, 55 metres wide while its nave is 44 metres tall.
13. Park Güell
The Park Güell is a public park system consisting of architectonic elements and gardens located on Carmel Hill, in Barcelona. Carmel Hill belongs to the mountain range of Collserola — the Parc del Carmel is located on the northern side.
14. Plaza de España
The Plaza de España is a beautiful plaza in the Parque de María Luisa, in Seville, Spain that was built in 1928; it was constructed for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929.
15. Plaza Mayor Madrid
The Plaza Mayor (English Main Square) was designed during Philip III’s reign (1598–1621). It is a major plaza in the city of Madrid, Spain. The Plaza Mayor is rectangular in shape and measures 129 m × 94 m (423 ft × 308 ft); it is surrounded by three-story residential monuments with 237 balconies facing the Plaza. The Plaza Mayor has nine entranceways.
16. Buen Retiro Park
The Buen Retiro Park is one of the biggest parks of the city of Madrid, Spain. The park was the property of the Spanish Monarchy until the late 19th century after which it became a public park.
17. Royal Palace of Madrid
The official residence of the Spanish Royal Family is The Palacio Real de Madrid at the city of Madrid, it is however, is only used for state ceremonies.
18. Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Família is a huge Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, Spain. The Catholic church has been designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. It is an exotic building that has stood tall through time, exuding class and grace.
19. Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater stadium of football in Madrid, Spain. It was started on 14th December 1947 and is owned by the Real Madrid C.F. Currently, the stadium holds the capacity of 85,454 spectators.
20. Santiago de Compostela, Cathedral
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is a cathedral of the archdiocese.It is one of the mentioned iconic locations in the World Heritage Site of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in Spain.
21. Segovia Aqueduct
The Aqueduct of Segovia is a Roman aqueduct and one of the most significant and best-preserved ancient monuments left on the Iberian Peninsula.
22. Seville’s Bullfight
The famous bullfighting festival is held at Seville, Spain as Seville is one of the most famous cities for bullfighting in Spain; the bullfights, however, last only for a few weeks of the year in the city. If you do plan to go to a Spanish bullfight in Seville, you must first look at the official bullfighting schedule. The place includes all the corridas that will be held during the season along with the novilladas. Seville’s bullring holds bullfights from March/April until October.
23. Seville Cathedral
The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, also known as Seville Cathedral, is one of the few Roman Catholic cathedral in the region, Seville. Seville Cathedral is the biggest Gothic cathedral in Spain while it is the third-largest church in the world.
24. Temple of Debod
The Temple of Debod is an old Egyptian temple which was destroyed and reconstructed in Madrid, Spain. The Temple of Debod was built in southern Egypt, very much near to the Nile and to the religious center of the goddess Isis, in Philae. The original sanctuary of Amun, the offering table room and a sanctuary with many stairsto the roof and side-rooms lay behind it.
25. Toledo Cathedral
The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Toledo, Spain. It is the seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Toledo. It surely is an iconic monument to visit, if you are a fan of historic cultural sites and architecture.
26. Tomatina Festival (Tomato Festival)
The very popular La Tomatina festival, held in the town of Buñol, located in the East of Spain is a festival where participants throw tomatoes at each other just for fun! It is a just-for-fun tomato fight purely for entertainment purposes. It is held on the last Wednesday of August, since 1945, between the week of festivities hel d in Buñol.
27. Monastery of San Lorenzo
The Monestry of San Lorenzo is a historical residence of the King of Spain, in the town of San Lorenzo located near Madrid, in Spain is a vast complex of royal architectural monuments housing lavish apartments and a library. It is one of the greatest Spanish royal sites and operates as a royal palace, a monastery, a museum, and a school.
Submit visa applications in person, at least four weeks prior to intended date of travel.
Passports should be valid at least six months at the time of visa application. Please bring previous passports, if any, and attach with application copies, on A4 size paper, of used pages, copies of Schengen, US, UK, Canada, Australia visas.
Photocopy of your national ID card.
Police report if previous passports lost.
Visa Application Form, Security questionnaire and 2 recent photos (35mmX45cm / white background)
Original signed letter of the applicant’s company/employer stating name, position, salary, duration of employment, address and contact numbers of the employer, purpose, and duration of visit to the Schengen state(s).
Supporting documents of personal income:
– Original bank statements of the last six months stamped by the bank, bank maintenance letter
– National Tax Number Certificate (NTM) for the previous two years
– Proof of income tax payment (FBR)
– Last three salary slips for salaried individuals
A copy of flight booking.
If you have been refused a visa by an Embassy or High Commission, written explanation about the reason for trip and refusal letter.
Original and photocopy of Family Registration Certificate issued by NADRA (in English or with a certified translation if in Urdu)
Original and copy of a travel medical insurance policy of not less than 30,000 Euros. The policy must cover medical and hospitalization expenses for the entire period of valid stay on Schengen territory as well as repatriation costs. Consult the valid list of authorized insurance companies in Pakistan as agreed by Schengen partners in Islamabad.
The applicants are requested to submit certificates proving that concerned person has received Oral Polio Vaccine.
Accommodation / hotel reservation for your period of stay.
Covering letter requesting the Visa officer for issuance of visa.
When to Visit and Purchase Air Ticket
Try visiting in the off season. Up to 30% off during off season
Air tickets are the biggest expense. Plan ahead and Book early.
Look for periodic off-season discounts run by many airlines to get a good deal on airlines
September-October (Off season, weather is neither cold nor hot)
Budget (7 days/nights vacation to Barcelona)
Air tickets: Rs 79,000 per person
Visa Rs 8,000 per person
Travel insurance Rs 2500 per person
Accommodation (3star) Rs 22,000 per person (twin sharing)(15 min walk from City Center)
Transportation Rs 12,000 per person (using bus, and Metro)
Food/ Entertainment Rs 41,500 per person ( Fast food, local street food, tours)
Expenses Rs 10,000 per person
Total Rs 175,000 per person
The calculation has been done based on the following:
Cheapest air ticket from Karachi- Barcelona (Ticket price comparison website prices)
Accommodation prices from world’s top hotel booking engine
Transport Euro 100 (Metro from Airport to City Centre, use metro where necessary)
Food and Accommodation @ Euro 50 per person per day. (Euro 7 per meal= Euro 21+Euro 30 for tours/museum entry per day)
Expenses to be spent for buying souvenirs at the end of trip $100
1 Euro =PKR 118-120
Carry Euro from Pakistan
Calculations are per person based on twin sharing accommodation
Accommodation Prices may vary by 40% if you go for budget accommodation or luxury accommodation.
Source:Travel Package Compare
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