Museo Sorolla

This charming museum is dedicated to the work of Joaquín Sorolla, the most famous Spanish Impressionist artist. Displayed in beautiful bright rooms, the collection includes a broad representation of the artist's paintings and drawings. Be sure to see the museum's lovely patio adorned with a gurgling fountain and Andalusian-style decorative tile work.

Address: 37 General Martínez Campos, Madrid

Buen Retiro Park and the Crystal Palace

The Buen Retiro Park (Parque del Retiro) is an oasis of peace in the heart of Madrid. Just beyond the busy streets, this lush 120-hectare park offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Created for the Count-Duke of Olivares in the 17th century, the historic park has an elegant ambience with its lovely landscaping and tree-lined paths. From the main entrance at the Plaza de Independencia, visitors arrive at the pool in the center of the park. From here, paths lead to the enchanting Rosaleda (Rose Garden) and the formal French Jardín de Don Cecilio. The Palacio de Cristal(Crystal Palace), a splendid site with its graceful fountain and reflecting pool, often houses art exhibitions. Visitors will find other interesting fountains including Los Galápagos (The Turtles), El Ángel Caído (The Fallen Angel), and La Alcachofa (The Artichoke). A pleasant pastime among locals is sitting at one of the park's open-air cafés, while basking in the sun or relaxing in the shade according to the season. For stargazers, the park has an observatory that was built in 1790.

La Playa de la Victoria, Cadiz

Cadiz is an ancient city in southwestern Spain, once a key port during Spain's time in the 16th and 17th centuries as the world's maritime power. One of the most historic cities in Spain, it offers amazing sightseeing along with miles of wide beaches. La Playa de la Victoria is the city's most popular beach. It's about 2.5 kilometers long and a few hundred yards wide. The surf is calm, and the beach and sea are not rocky, so it's good for swimming and wading. There's a small street that separates the beach from a row of stores and places to eat. The Hotel Playa Victoria is right on the sand. All of the rooms and suites have private balconies, and the hotel has its own small private beach area

Benicassim, Costa del Azahar

Benicassim is known as Spain's music beach and deserves a mention if only for its huge, annual music festival. The multi-day concert, held on the beach, attracts several hundred thousand people each July, along with the top names in the music business. The city itself is a modern, Mediterranean resort, with wide, sweeping beaches and a highly developed beachfront promenade. Torreon Beach is a peaceful, laid-back section, perfect for relaxing in the sun. All the beaches in Benicassim are very wide, stretching several hundred yards to the waterline at low tide. They're also very flat. The Thalasso Hotel El Palasiet is a spa hotel about five minutes from the beach and a 20-minute walk from the center of town.

Carboneras, Almeria

Almeria is in southeast Spain on the Mediterranean Sea. The city is dominated by a Moorish castle looming on a hilltop. Close to Almeria, the resort town of Carboneras is known for its beautiful beaches, which are surrounded by a huge nature preserve. It's also known for its food, mainly fresh seafood. There are a few beach areas around the bay, which extends quite far into the land. Beaches in front of the hotel and business area have beach chair and umbrella rentals, but a more natural experience can be found just by walking a few minutes down the sand. The water is warm, and the sand here is tan and slopes down towards the waterline. The beach is bordered by palm trees and raised dunes, topped with a beachfront walkway. The Hotel Valhalla Spa sits on a hill in Carboneras, offering great views of the sea from its rooftop pool.

Playa de Torimbia, Asturias

Asturias is a region in northern Spain also on the Atlantic coast. The beaches here are white, sandy, and clean, surround by rocky cliffs. Playa de Torimbia is a stunning, secluded beach, close to the port of Llanes, west of Bilbao. It's a raw beach, with no shops or food, but it does have lifeguards on weekends during the summer season, and showers are available. It's accessible by car, although parking can be difficult during the summer, or you can walk here from the village of Niembro. Aside from the beaches, it's a great area for sightseeing as it was an important part of both medieval and Moorish Spain. The Hotel Miracielos is close to Niembro in Barro, which has a few nice beaches of its own.

Laredo, Cantabria

On Spain's north coast, near the French border, the Cantabria region has more than 60 beaches along its beautiful Atlantic Ocean coastline. Laredo is Spain's outdoor watersports capital, popular with surfers, windsurfers, kitesurfers, and jet skiers. The beach is about five kilometers long, curving along a picturesque bay. The beach itself is wide, with very fine, soft, white sand. There are many places to rent all kinds of water sports equipment or take lessons and try something new. The region is also popular with foodies due to its Basque cuisine. Attractions inside the town include some Roman ruins. The Cosmopol hotel is on Laredo's main street, and rooms on the upper floors have great views of the ocean (try to get one with a balcony).