Tiqets’ annual tourism awards series, the Remarkable Venue Awards, shines a spotlight on museums and attractions that are moving the industry forward and providing incredible visitor experiences.
From historic castles to botanical gardens, Spain’s winning venues are all unique in their own way. The winners have been decided based on real reviews by over 1.1 million customers, as well as a panel of local industry experts, including Josep Maria Palau, Editor-in-chief for Viajar Magazine, and Javier Zori, Web Director at Viajes National Geographic.
Find out more about this year’s winners across five unique categories, and what makes these top tourist attractions in Spain truly remarkable.
Best Hidden Gem: BIBO Park – Ibiza Botánico Biotecnológico
“A spectacular UNESCO-listed gem in the middle of nowhere! The castle itself is full of rococo art, and the gardens and forest nearby are like something out of a fairy tale.” – Guilherme, Brazil.
BIBO Park is a unique and multifunctional space in Ibiza that provides an environment to observe, learn, relax, and enjoy the nature of Ibiza and Formentera through Biotechnology.
Visitors to BIBO Park can opt for a guided tour to learn how science and technology are helping this innovative venue achieve its goals to ensure a better future for the environment.
A hidden gem refers to something outstanding, unique, or special. This award category focuses on highlighting lesser-known and more niche attractions to travelers worldwide. BIBO Park certainly ticks the box for all of the above, backed up by hundreds of five-star reviews from travelers.
Most Innovative Venue: MIRADOR TORRE GLÒRIES
“Wonderful experience to see the exhibition and then the top floor of the tower!” – Katrien, Spain.
Formerly known as Torre Agbar, Torre Glòries grandly sits in the heart of Barcelona, towering high above at an incredible 144 meters into the sky. Architect Jean Nouvel’s iconic building is the perfect blend of modern architecture, art, and innovation, and a must-see in the city.
The Most Innovative Venue award is about spotlighting museums and attractions that found new and original ways to appeal to customers.
The Torre Glòries Lookout certainly achieves that.
Opened in Spring 2022, the new and immersive experience enables visitors to see Barcelona like never before on the 30th floor of an iconic building. State-of-the-art technology combined with Barcelona’s local and historic culture shares a whole new perspective of the city with visitors.
With travelers on Tiqets.com describing the experience as creative, interesting, and wonderful it’s no wonder this venue has snapped up such a prestigious title in this year’s Remarkable Venue Awards. Why not pencil in a visit to see the Torre Glòries in real life?
Most Remarkable Venue: Casa Batlló
““Casa Batlló is not to be missed. The design features are amazing!” – Anne, United States.
Casa Batlló is undoubtedly one of Barcelona’s top architectural landmarks. Like other creations by the city’s most famous architect, Antoni Gaudí, its design is uniquely singular.
Every year, the Most Remarkable Venue award goes to the venue that is the most popular and top-rated with visitors, based on customer reviews on Tiqets.com.
Also known as the ‘House of Bones’, Casa Batlló is truly as remarkable on the inside as it is on the outside. From scaly dragon-inspired roof tiles to floral mosaics – anyone lucky enough to visit will be immersed in a magical and timeless environment.
So what do travelers on Tiqets.com think? With a solid 4.8 star rating based on thousands of reviews, it no surprise that the magical Casa Batlló snapped up the Most Remarkable Venue title.
Best Museum: Casa-Museu Salvador Dalí
“Awesome experience so informative and such an incredible insight into the life of Dali.” – Padraig, Ireland.
Dalí’s home of more than 50 years in Portlligat is a surrealist-lover’s dream come true – even the building is considered a work of art! Windows of all sizes and shapes, impossibly quirky furnishings, and some of the artist’s most famous sculptures make this museum a must-see.
The Best Museum award uses customer reviews on Tiqets.com to recognize the best museum or art gallery in the country. We can see why this museum was crowned the best with hundreds of 5-star reviews, many of which describe Dalí’s home as idyllic, insightful, and beautiful.
Like the artist’s work, the structure of Dalí’s home has more than a hint of surrealism. With no window of the same shape, blind passageways, and a lamp you won’t find anywhere else, the Dalí House takes you directly into the artist’s mind. Check it out for yourself.
Best Attraction: Athletic Club Museoa – Tour San Mamés
“Beautiful nature to explore! The park had a variety of different landscapes to enjoy!“
– Mengjia, The Netherlands
The Best Attraction award honors the best attraction in Spain, from theme parks and zoos to guided visits to cultural locations – it recognizes venues that stand out for their appeal to all types of visitors. That being said, it’s easy to see why Athletic Club Museoa won this award.
This football club is a globally famous venue that offers a unique opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the club’s proud history. A tour of the stadium will let you venture inside the locker rooms and even gain pitchside access.
Football fan, or not, a visit to the interactive museum with its grass-stained heirlooms and sparkling trophy cabinet, is sure to provide any type of traveler with a world-class experience of a world-class football club. One that’s now rightfully titled The Best Attraction in Spain.
Best Landmark: Castillo de Almodóvar del Río
“One of the most beautiful castles we ever visited.” – Lukasz Zbylut
Recognized as one of the most beautiful castles in Andalusia, the stunning Almodóvar del Río castle features iconic Gothic architecture traced back to the 12th-century. Perched high on top of a hill, a visit to this castle guarantees incredible panoramic views of the region.
Often used as a film location, any lovers of the HBO series Game of Thrones might even recognize the castle as it regularly featured in the world-famous series as “House Tyrell”.
It comes as no surprise as to why this gothic masterpiece snapped up The Best Landmark title for 2022. This award recognizes venues such as sacred sites, castles, natural landmarks, historic or iconic buildings, and observation decks. As the building is well known to be one of the best preserved and most beautiful castles in Spain, we think it’s been rightfully crowned.
Best Onsite Experience: Cova de s’Aigua
“We thought it was amazing and so beautiful, the caves were breathtaking and the lake so blue.” – Claire, United Kingdom.
The Cova de s’Aigua, which translates as ‘cave of water’, will draw you in with its prehistoric past and secluded lake with water as clear as glass.
A tour underground will allow you to explore incredible geological formations, such as stalactites and stalagmites, to name a few. The star of the show, though, is the crystal-clear lake which provides an otherworldly beauty.
Keeping the visitor experience at heart, the Best Onsite Experience award is selected using customer ratings and reviews from Tiqets.com, including staff interaction and information available at the venue.
Cova de s’Aigua has a 4.8-star rating based on hundreds reviews on Tiqets.com, many of which praise the informative tour guides and the interesting experience as a whole. This is an experience you should certainly add to your bucket list.