Spain is home to some very impressive monuments and natural parks that have been named UNESCO World Heritage Sites! With 49 sites in total, you have many options to choose from, but unfortunately, many UNESCO sites in Spain are overshadowed by the famous Alhambra and Sagrada Família. Thankfully there are many other, not so well-known UNESCO Heritage Sites for you to visit all over Spain. If you want to escape the crowds on your next holiday to Spain, visit one of the following hidden gems instead!
The Medina Azahara, UNESCO World Heritage Site © manuel m. v. via Flickr
- San Cristobal de la Laguna (Tenerife)
1 search in the UK per every 1600 searches in Spain
Coming in on first place is San Cristobal de la Laguna, a city with tropical air in the north of Tenerife, and the oldest city of the Canary Islands. The city is a unique example of American influences on European architecture, with many buildings showing a beautiful combination of European and American styles. No wonder the city looks like it came from the Caribbean! The colourful streets of San Cristobal de la Laguna contain many secrets: stately palaces, quaint churches, vibrant markets and much more.
San Cristobal de la Laguna © Javier Losa via Wikicommons
- El Palmeral de Elche (Alicante)
1 search in the UK per every 760 searches in Spain
The Palmeral of Elche is a large palm grove located in the centre of the city Elche, on the Costa Blanca. The palm trees were planted during Roman times, and was expanded by the Moorish and Christian rulers of the city over the next centuries with an irrigation system, gardens and of course, more palm trees. The palm grove in Elche is the largest on the European continent: it contains 200,000 palm trees and spans over 1.4 square miles! Visitors can enjoy the different gardens and parks, the palm grove museum and several walking routes that will guide you along the oldest and most impressive palms of the palmeral.
Palmeral de Elche © miguel angel crespo via Flickr
- The Poblet monastery (Tarragona)
1 search in the UK per every 460 searches in Spain
You can find the Poblet monastery, one of the largest of its kind in the world, nestled in the countryside of Catalonia. The monastery is still in use today, which means that you cannot visit all areas of the complex, but also adds a solemn air to your visit. Highlights of the monastery are the church with the impressive Renaissance carving of Jesus’ life and death behind the altar, the monks’ old dining room and the royal sepulchres where 8 kings and queens of Spain are buried. A visit to the Poblet monastery is a journey through time!
Poblet monastery © Angela Llop via Flickr
- Las Medulas (Leon)
1 search in the UK per every 440 searches in Spain
Las Medulas, located in Leon, are the remains of the largest Roman gold mine to exist. The mining work changed the landscape immensely: you can still see its marks in the mountains, from the giant mining pit to the aqueducts carved into the mountain walls. This natural area dominates the landscape, and even from afar, its beautiful yellow colour and peculiar shapes will take your breath away. You can follow several trails during your visit to Las Medulas, but the most popular one is the Senda de las Valiñas, which will take you to the most picturesque locations within the complex.
Las Medulas © Karsten Wentink via Flickr
- The Lonja de la Seda (Valencia)
1 search in the UK per every 180 searches in Spain
The Lonja de la Seda is an impressive building in Gothic style located in the centre of Valencia. This building was a trading hall where silk exchanges took place. The important industries of Valencia each had their own trading hall, but the Lonja de la Seda is by far the most impressive one! With high, vaulted ceilings and delicate ornamental detailing, the building is an ode to the Golden Era of Valencia, when the city was a busy merchant centre for Mediterranean trade. This World Heritage Site is a must for every architecture lover!
Lonja de la Seda © Nan Palmero via Flickr
- The Medina Azahara (Cordoba)
1 search in the UK per every 140 searches in Spain
The Medina Azahara is an ancient Moorish city on the outskirts of Cordoba. While the Mezquita of Cordoba is on the must-see list of every visitor, the Medina Azahara goes unnoticed by many. This fortified city was the capital of the Caliphate of Cordoba and dates back to the 10th century. It was discovered in 1911, and while excavations have been ongoing ever since, only 10% of the entire city has been uncovered! Parts of the excavated city have been carefully restored, and you can take guided tours that will lead you along the palaces, temples and gardens of Medina Azahara.
- The University of Alcalá de Henares (Madrid)
1 search in the UK per every 130 searches in Spain
Alcalá de Henares, a city in the province of Madrid, is a real hidden gem of Spain. Often forgotten and overlooked by tourists, this city is beautifully designed around its university, and was used as a model for most universities in Europe. The entire historic centre of the city is made up of 16th-century buildings that display amazing examples of Baroque architecture. Make sure to visit the main university building, the small but gorgeous university chapel and the universities dedicated to the writer Cervantes, who was born in Alcalá de Henares.
- The Segovia aqueduct and old city centre (Segovia)
1 search in the UK per every 108 searches in Spain
Segovia, a city located an hour from Madrid, is next in the ranking. Overlooked by many tourists in favour of Madrid and Toledo, this city’s old centre is so beautiful that it was named UNESCO World Heritage! Visit Segovia and wander through its medieval streets to discover places such as the Jewish Quarter, the medieval fortress and the cathedral. But the star of Segovia is its Roman aqueduct, which runs right through the city centre and is one of the best-preserved Roman structures in the world!
- The Garajonay National Park (Canary Islands)
1 search in the UK per every 105 searches in Spain
On one of the smaller islands of the Canary Islands, La Gomera, you can find a unique natural park: Garajonay. This park is home to the best preserved example of a subtropical laurel forest in Europe, with trees that date back to prehistoric times. Hikers will absolutely love the dense, lush forests of the Garajonay park that are traversed by well-indicated trails. You can hike to the highest point of the island, from which you’ll have a wonderful view of the park and its surroundings. Another popular trail is the trail of Raso de la Bruma, an area of the park characterized by its trees covered in moss, which gives the area a magical feel.
- The National Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido (Huesca)
1 search in the UK per every 92 searches in Spain
In the heart of the Spanish Pyrenees, you can visit an otherworldly landscape: the limestone massif and karst formations of the National Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido! This UNESCO World Heritage Site spans over 57 square miles of mountains, forests and valleys, all accessible via hiking routes of varying difficulty. Some must-see locations within the park are the Escuaín gorges, where you spot several endangered bird species, the impressive Sorrosal waterfall, and the Añisclo canyon, where you can enjoy the most spectacular view of the entire park!
Methodology
The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain was obtained from the official UNESCO website. Next, the average amount of monthly Google searches for those Heritage Sites was extracted for both the United Kingdom and Spain. In some cases, several landmarks are considered only one World Heritage Site. For those Heritage Sites, the Google searches for each landmark was obtained separately and then summed up to determine the total number of searches for the World Heritage Site. After that, the ratio of Google searches in Spain per Google search in the UK was calculated to determine the final ranking.
