Spain is the third country, after Italy (54) and China (53), with the largest number of properties declared World Heritage (47). Among them are cultural , natural and mixed properties.
The title of World Heritage is awarded by UNESCO to places or traditions important from a cultural or natural point of view for the inheritance of humanity.
On the website of UNESCO there is the complete and updated list of the places and monuments declared World Heritage of Spain:
Information updated on 2018
http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/es
For a journey to discover these places of great historical and cultural value, we propose different routes:
- Via de la Plata (Silver Way): is composed of two parts: one is the Roman road that leads from Astorga to Merida, and the other one is from Merida to the mouth of the Guadiana in Ayamonte. Along this Way (Via de la Plata) you can see great works of the past as the bridges built in Roman times.
- Route of the cities World Heritage of Spain: Cordoba, Ubeda and Baeza (Andalusia); Ibiza (Balearic); San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Canary); Ávila, Salamanca and Segovia (Castile and Leon); Toledo and Cuenca (Castilla-La Mancha); Tarragona (Catalonia); Cáceres and Mérida (Extremadura); Santiago de Compostela (Galicia); Alcalá de Henares (community of Madrid).
- Ribeira Sacra Route: an important area for archaeological and architectural richness, in which you can visit: the monastery of San Esteban de Atan, Santa Cristina de Ribas de Sil, San Esteban de Chouzán and San Esteban de Ribas de Sil.
- Routes of Santiago de Compostela: a long journey on foot through the most beautiful landscapes of northern Spain, which leads to the city of Santiago de Compostela. You can begin the path from: Aragón, Navarra, País Vasco, La Rioja, Castilla y León, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia.
- Route of the Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic rock art of Northern Spain:
In Cantabria: Cueva de El Pendo in Camargo; Cuevas del Monte Castillo in Puente Viesgo; Cueva de Covalanas in Ramales de la Victoria; Cueva de La Garma; Cueva de Chufín in Rionansa; Cueva de Hornos de la Peña in San Felices de Buelna; Cueva de Altamira in Santillana del Mar;
In Asturias: Cueva de la Covaciella in Cabrales; Cueva de la Peña in Candamo; Cueva de Llonín in Peñamellera Alta; Cueva del Pindal in Ribadedeva; Cueva de Tito Bustillo in Ribadesella;
In País Vasco: Cueva de Santimamiñe in Cortézubi; Cueva de Ekain in Deva and Cueva de Altxerri in Aya. - Route of mediterranean rock art of the Iberian Peninsula: in Andalusia, Aragon, Castilla La Mancha, Catalonia, Valencian community, Murcia.
Each autonomous community of Spain has its own cultural and natural heritage recognized by UNESCO. Here you will find more information to organize your discovery trip of these properties:
- In Andalusia: Alhambra (fortress and royal residence), Generalife (country house of the emirs who ruled this part of Spain during the XIII and XIV century) and Albaicín (a neighborhood where you can see many buildings built by Muslims, which style is mixed with Andalusian architecture) of Granada;
Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba;
Cathedral, Alcázar and Archive of the Indies in Seville;
Doñana National Park;
Renaissance monuments of the cities of Ubeda and Baeza. - In Aragón: Mudejar Architecture of Aragon: the mudejares monuments are characterized by the use of bricks and glazed ceramic;
Monte Perdido. - In the Principality of Asturias: Oviedo and the Kingdom of Asturias monuments: Santa Cristina de Lena in Lena and Camare Santa in Oviedo, the Foncalada, San Julian de los Prados, San Miguel de Lillo and Santa María del Naranco in Oviedo.
- In the Balearic Islands: Ibiza.
- In the Canary Islands: Garajonay National Park;
San Cristobal de la Laguna (city with churches and buildings that date back to the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries);
Teide National Park;
Silbo Gomero: whistled language of the island of La Gomera, which replaces the vowels and consonants with whistle. - In Castile and León: Cathedral and historic center of Burgos;
old town of Avila and churches outside the walls;
historic center and aqueduct of Segovia;
historic center of Salamanca;
Las Médulas (old gold field);
Archaeological site of Atapuerca (the caves of the Sierra de Atapuerca contain traces of fossils of early humans who lived in Europe). - In Castilla-La Mancha: Toledo; Cuenca.
- In Catalonia: works by Antoni Gaudí: Casa Batlló, Casa Milá, Casa Vicens, Palacio Güell, Park Güell, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and the Crypt of la Colonia Güell in Santa Coloma de Cervello;
Palace of Catalan Music and Hospital San Pablo in Barcelona;
archaeological site of Tarraco (ancient Roman city now called Tarragona);
Catalan Romanesque churches of the Valley of Bohí: church of San Félix de Barruera Church of San Juan de Bohí, churches of Santa Maria and San Clemente Tahull, the Santa María church of the Assumption Coll, church of Santa María de Cardet, Church of Nativity and Hermitage of San Quirce de Durro and church of Santa Eulalia in Erill-la-Vall;
Patum de Berga: a popular event that is celebrated during the week of Corpus Christi, between late May and late June and it is important for the ritual component that is passed down from generation to generation from the Middle Ages. - In Extremadura: the old town of Cáceres;
Archaeological site of Mérida (ancient Roman city);
Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe. - In Galicia: the historic center of Santiago de Compostela;
Roman wall of Lugo;
Tower of Hercules
A Coruña. The Glass City
- In the Community of Madrid:
El Escorial: where Felipe II built the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo and other buildings used as a royal residence, Casita del Príncipe with attached parks and gardens and Casita del Infante with attached parks and gardens. The place is located in the Sierra de Guadarrama, where there is a large library which houses, among others, manuscripts in Arabic, jew and greek language;
University and historical center of Alcalá de Henares; - In País Vasco: Vizcaya Bridge.
- La Rioja: the monasteries of San Millán de Yuso and Suso.
- Valencia Community: the Lonja de la Seda of Valencia: (they are buildings used for the silk trade);
Palm grove of Elche;
Fallas of Valencia (festivals celebrated in March 15 to 19)
