The City of Arts and Sciences is a futuristic complex in Valencia, designed mainly by Santiago Calatrava and opened from 1998. Its white buildings stand in shallow pools in the old bed of the Turia River. They include a science museum, a planetarium, an opera house and the Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe.

Valencia Cathedral was built mainly from the 13th to the 15th centuries on the site of a mosque. It mixes Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles. It holds a stone cup said to be the Holy Grail. Its bell tower, the Micalet, can be climbed for views over the city. Every Thursday, the Water Tribunal meets at its door to settle irrigation disputes.

The Lonja de la Seda, the Silk Exchange, is a Gothic building in Valencia built between 1482 and 1533. Merchants traded silk and other goods here. Its Contract Hall has twisting columns that rise like palm trees to a vaulted ceiling. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, standing opposite the Central Market.

The Hanging Houses of Cuenca are medieval houses built on the edge of a cliff above the Huécar gorge. Their wooden balconies hang out over the drop. One of them holds a Museum of Abstract Art. The San Pablo footbridge across the gorge gives the best view of them. The old town of Cuenca is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza is a huge Baroque church beside the Ebro River. It is built where, according to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared to Saint James on a pillar in 40 AD. Its many domes are covered in coloured tiles, and some ceilings were painted by Goya. A tower lift gives views over the city.

The Aljafería Palace in Zaragoza was built in the 11th century as the palace of the Muslim rulers of the city. It is one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture in Spain, with intricate arches. Christian kings later added rooms with gilded ceilings. Today it is the seat of the regional parliament of Aragon. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Cáceres is a city in Extremadura with one of the best preserved old towns in Europe. Inside its walls, the medieval quarter has palaces, towers and churches built by noble families in the 15th and 16th centuries. Storks nest on the towers. It has been used as a film set and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.