Many tourists, when asked about their favorite means of transport, declare themselves to be in love with the train. The tranquility of touring landscapes contemplating its beauty through the windows, the pleasure of reading a book, watching a movie or starting to plan the experiences of the trip lulled by the rattle of the railway lines are some of the reasons that explain this predilection. To all this we must add the fact that, sometimes, the stations themselves are authentic monuments to include in the route through the destination.
Civitatis, the leading company in the sale of guided tours, excursions and free tours in Spanish throughout the world, has selected in a list the 10 most beautiful train stations in Spain. In many of them, it is enough to stop in the lobby to enjoy a trip through time without having to buy a ticket.
1. Atocha Station, Madrid
Built in wrought iron in the purest continental style, the current Atocha station was inaugurated under the name Estación de Mediodía (Monopoly fans surely already knew this) and since then it has not stopped growing. In addition to its elegant exterior appearance, inside Madrid’s main railway entrance it is possible to stroll through a tropical garden, full of the most varied plants and small ponds where it is even possible to spot turtles.
2. Toledo Station
Inaugurated in 1919, Toledo Station was declared a Site of Cultural Interest thanks to the beauty of its neo-Mudejar style in 1991. Composed of a central pavilion, a clock tower, five doors and two platforms, Toledo Station is a perfect prelude of what awaits visitors upon their arrival in the City of Three Cultures.
3. Canfranc Station
Very close to the border with France, in the Huesca town of Canfranc, is the Canfranc International Station, an imposing building created as a great showcase of Spain for foreign visitors.
It was built at the beginning of the 20th century to connect Spain with France through the Pyrenees, and inaugurated by King Alfonso XIII in 1928. In fact, the 30s were its moment of greatest splendor (and on the contrary, the 40s its ominous decade particular: it was closed from 1945 to 1949 due to disagreements with the French government). Taking into account its architecture, it draws from various influences such as the palatial architecture of France.
4. North Station, Valencia
Located next to the Plaza de Toros and just two hundred meters from the town hall, Valencia’s North Station captivates everyone who visits it. Inaugurated in 1917, it was from the beginning a symbol of European modernist architecture. In addition, it has been declared a building of cultural interest.
5. France Station, Barcelona
It was one of the first connections between Barcelona and Paris, so the Francia station in Barcelona could not aspire to be merely a railway station. Inaugurated in 1929 for the Barcelona International Exposition, this station is a monumental building in the heart of the Born district.
The double metal canopy with stained glass windows is one of its hallmarks, in addition to the beauty of its Noucentista lobby, which has made it be compared on more than one occasion to the Orsay station in Paris.
6. Almeria Station
Built between 1890 and 1893, Almería station has an eclectic style in which iron architecture is mixed with glass. In addition, its French-style air, its windows and its tiles make it a perfect place to discover the rich culture of this Andalusian town.
7. Aranjuez Station
The oldest train station on this list is not in a large metropolis, but in Aranjuez, where this neo-Mudejar-style railway complex was inaugurated in 1851.
The Aranjuez train station treasures numerous stories and anecdotes, since it transported the products of the Aranjuez garden to the capital, in addition to connecting directly with the Royal Palace. Some of the elements that stand out in this building are the coffered ceilings in the lobby, the mosaics or its unmistakable decorative tiles.
8. Jerez de la Frontera Station
In addition to having a monumental character and great architectural value, the Jerez de la Frontera station was one of the first railway lines in the country and the first in Andalusia. One of the reasons for its construction was the need to transport the famous Sherry wine to the port, where it would set sail for the distant lands of the United Kingdom.
9. La Concordia Station, Bilbao
On the banks of the Nervión River, a stone’s throw from the historic center of Bilbao, is La Concordia station, also known as Santander station. Like the one in Valencia, the Bilbao station boasts of being one of the best modernist examples in Spain far from Catalonia. It was restored a little over a decade ago, so today it is experiencing a second youth that allows you to breathe the air of the Belle Époque in the 21st century.
10. Zamora Station
Although it is one of the most modern on the list, the Zamora station is also one of the ones that took the longest to build: its works began in 1927 and ended in 1958, after a series of problems that arose in the project. Fortunately, the end result was a marvelous railway station inspired by the Plateresque style (characteristic of the area) and with colossal dimensions: it has a main façade almost ninety meters long.
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