7 Best Sights in Catalonia, Valencia, and the Costa Blanca, Spain

Designed mainly by native son Santiago Calatrava, this sprawling futuristic complex is the home of Valencia's Museu de les Ciències (Science Museum), Hemisfèric (Hemispheric Planetarium), Oceanogràfic (Oceanographic Park), and Palau de les Arts (Palace of the Arts, an opera house and cultural center). With resplendent buildings resembling crustaceans, the Ciutat appeals to architecture buffs and kids alike.

The Science Museum has soaring platforms filled with lasers, holograms, simulators, hands-on experiments, and a swell "zero gravity" exhibition on space exploration. The eye-shaped planetarium projects 3-D virtual voyages on its huge IMAX screen. At Oceanogràfic (the work of architect Felix Candela), home to one of the largest aquariums in Europe, you can take a submarine ride through a coastal marine habitat.

Sitges’s coastline counts around 18 beaches, with many being easily accessible by foot from the old town. The most central, and hence the busiest, are Ribera and Fragata. Neighboring Bassa Rodona is a popular gay beach. Quieter, more family-friendly beaches are Sant Sebastià, to the east, which also has a large playground, and at the far western edge, Terramar, with a swimming cove that allows for calm, protected swimming.

About 15 km (9 miles) inland from Dénia, this 400-yard-long cave was named for the 12 Moorish skulls found here when it was discovered in 1768. The cave of stalactites and stalagmites has a dome rising to more than 60 feet and leads to an underground lake.

An interesting collection of artifacts and movie-related paraphernalia traces the evolution of movies, starting with Chinese shadow puppetry, through the first rudimentary moving pictures, to the Lumière brothers. The Cine Nic toy filmmaking machines, originally developed in 1931 by the Nicolau brothers of Barcelona and now being relaunched commercially, allow even novices to put together their own movies.

Hundreds of antique dolls and toys are on display here—including collections owned by, among others, Salvador Dalí, Federico García Lorca, and Joan Miró. The museum also hosts Catalonia's only caganer exhibit. These playful little figures answering nature's call have long had a special spot in the Catalan pessebre (Nativity scene). Farmers are the most traditional figures, squatting discreetly behind the animals, but these days you'll find Barça soccer players and politicians, too.

Sweeping past the Vila Vella, this well-maintained, soft-sand Blue Flag beach runs along the front of town to meet the base of the Cap de Tossa. One of the most photographed coastlines in this area of Spain, it is also, at the height of summer, one of the busiest. Conditions are normally fine for swimming (any warnings are announced via loudspeaker). Running behind the beach, there is no shortage of cafés and kiosks selling ice cream and snacks. There is no natural shade, but you can rent deck chairs and umbrellas. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming.

Just northeast of the town center, this small sandy crescent is a pleasant Blue Flag beach that's popular with local families. The sand is coarse, but the calm, shallow waters make it ideal for children. Fishing boats bob peacefully in the water nearby after completing their morning's work. At the top of the beach there is a second cove called La Banyera de Ses Dones (the women's bathtub), which provides ideal conditions for diving, though if the sea is not calm, it is dangerous for swimmers. By day there is little natural shade, so bring adequate sunblock and an umbrella if you plan a long beach session. It gets extremely busy in high season. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming.