If you have a passion for cultural travel and don’t mind stepping into the shoes of famous Spaniards from history, save this list of fascinating house museums for your next trip – you won’t regret it.

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Famous Spaniards in History and Top House Museums in Spain

Cultural Travel in Spain

Aside from my passion for fairytale locations, dreamy castles, and natural wonders in Spain, I have developed a huge interest in house museums. There’s something special about getting a sneak peek into places that were once the homes of famous Spaniards in history, where numerous big ideas and creative projects were born.

Visiting a house museum feels like stepping back into someone’s real life, away from fame, glory, and public appearances. It’s like uncovering the deepest layers of personal memory, where hidden details about the biggest names in Spanish history come to light. House museums are filled with curious details that reveal the cultural habits, beliefs, and traditions of their owners. These unique and lesser-known landmarks were the highlight of my solo trip to Paris, but Spain doesn’t fall behind when it comes to famous people.

While there are quite a few famous Spaniards in the international spotlight today – like Antonio Banderas, Rafael Nadal, Julio Iglesias, Pau Gasol, Penélope Cruz, Pedro Almodóvar, and others – there’s something uniquely valuable about visiting the house museum of someone who lived centuries ago. The person may be long gone, but the house still holds their essence. What we see inside often feels more personal and authentic than what we might learn from books or traditional museums. Society often makes people wear masks, but the house remains an unfiltered reflection of who they truly were. Each house museum, therefore, offers a rare opportunity to connect with someone from a different era.

With that in mind, let me share with you a few famous Spaniards from history and my impressions of their house museums.

Famous Spaniards in History and Their House Museums

Miguel de Cervantes

Let’s begin with one of the most famous Spaniards in history: Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616), the author of the globally renowned Spanish novel Don Quixote.

This book needs no introduction – it’s one of the world’s best-selling Spanish novels of all time (500 million copies) and a quintessential example of the modern novel. If the tale of a Spanish knight driven mad by his chivalric ideals and the story of his incredible adventures hasn’t captured your imagination yet, now is the perfect time to add Don Quixote to your wanderlust reading list.

Don Quixote was originally published in Spanish in two parts (1605 and 1615) and has since been translated into more than 50 languages, making it the second most translated book in history (after the Bible).

Miguel de Cervantes was born in the Spanish town of Alcalá de Henares, which can be visited as a day trip from Madrid. In this charming town, you can explore the Cervantes Birthplace Museum, where admission is free. Inside, you’ll find first editions of Don Quixote, displayed amidst traditional Spanish interiors from the 16th century.

If you haven’t heard about it yet, there’s even a Don Quixote-themed road trip through the Spanish region of Castile-La Mancha. It’s one of the most unique road trips in Spain, offering a chance to learn more about Cervantes, Don Quixote, and the spirit of the Spanish nation.

The Borgia Family

The Borgia family (or Borja in Spanish) is undoubtedly one of the most famous in Spanish history. Although their international fame arose after establishing roots in Italy and becoming key figures in Vatican political life between the 1400s and 1500s, the Borgia family originated from Xativa near Valencia. As a result, there are many sites in the Valencian region associated with them, offering unique ideas for day trips in Valencia – you can find the full list in this post.

Historically, the Borgias are linked to numerous crimes and murders, largely due to their relentless pursuit of power. Despite this dark legacy, the House of Borgia produced two popes: Alfons de Borja, who reigned as Pope Callixtus III from 1455 to 1458, and Rodrigo Lanzol Borgia, who ruled as Pope Alexander VI from 1492 to 1503.

The Ducal Palace in the small town of Gandia was the Borgia family’s residence since 1485, as well as the birthplace of Saint Francis Borgia, the great-grandson of Pope Alexander. Its interiors provide a glimpse into the Borgia family’s era of prosperity.

Vasco Nunez de Balboa

During my recent trip through Extremadura, I was surprised to learn that the region was once home to many notable Spanish explorers of the New World, including Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro, and Vasco Núñez de Balboa. Travel always seems to be the best teacher, filling in the gaps left by our school education. I can’t believe that years ago, all I knew were Columbus-related sites and the city of Cádiz, from where he set sail toward the New World.

In the small town of Jerez de los Caballeros, fans of off-the-beaten-path places in Spain can visit the house museum of Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1475–1519), a Spanish explorer, governor, and conquistador.

Balboa served as the governor of the provinces of Panama and Coiba and was the first European to establish a settlement on the mainland of the Americas. His home offers a glimpse into the era of exploration, featuring traditional interiors. While the exhibit was filled with informative panels and intriguing objects, I absolutely fell in love with the lace dress and the wardrobe in the picture below.

Lope de Vega

Lope de Vega is another prominent figure among the most famous Spaniards in history. Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio (1562–1635) was a Spanish playwright, poet, and novelist, and one of the leading figures of Baroque literature. His contributions to world literature include around 3,000 sonnets, 3 novels, 4 novellas, 9 epic poems, and approximately 500 plays. Esteemed authors like Cervantes and Goethe praised Lope de Vega’s works.

The Lope de Vega House Museum, where he lived for 25 years, can be visited in Madrid.

Among all the famous Spaniards in history, I am particularly fascinated by writers and painters. Their house museums are always the most intriguing to visit, as they once served as the creative spaces where timeless works of art were born. This is especially true of the Lope de Vega House Museum, where many of his most celebrated works were written.

Salvador Dali

No trip to Costa Brava would be complete without encountering the legacy of Salvador Dalí (1904–1989), the extravagant Spanish surrealist artist. He remains one of the most influential figures in the art world, loved by art enthusiasts globally.

In his hometown of Figueres, you’ll find the renowned Dalí Theatre-Museum and the Casa-Museu Salvador Dalí, together forming the famous “Dalí Triangle” of art.

While you can visit the Dalí landmarks on a weekend trip from Barcelona, note that in order to visit Dalí’s House Museum, you’ll need to book in advance, as everything related to the artist is among Spain’s most popular landmarks.

Antonio Gaudi

There won’t be a single traveler without Gaudí’s sights on their Spain bucket list. The Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí is one of the most famous Spaniards in history. All of his works have become top Spanish landmarks and Barcelona’s international calling card. While Gaudí gave the world one of the most iconic Spanish cathedrals, La Sagrada Familia, his actual house in Barcelona was much more modest: it is located in Park Güell and even offers a virtual tour.

Although Gaudí was born in the Catalan town of Reus, which is home to many sites related to the famous architect, he moved to Barcelona in 1906 with his father and niece.

Joaquin Sorolla

Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923) was one of the most renowned Spanish painters of all time, and personally, I love his works. Although Sorolla was born in Valencia, many of his most emblematic works are inspired by the Mediterranean coast, which he knew well from childhood. The Sorolla House Museum, however, is located in Madrid.

This museum preserves the painter’s home and studio, and it is one of the most complete and well-preserved artist homes in Europe. Even the garden was designed by Sorolla himself.

Jose Benllure

While the name José Benlliure may not immediately come to mind when thinking of famous Spaniards in history, his house museum is likely my favorite on this list. José Benlliure was one of the most important Valencian painters of the 19th century.

The house museum feels incredibly authentic and showcases an extensive collection of works by both Benlliure and his son, José Benlliure Ortiz. It’s one of the lesser-known attractions in Valencia, especially great to visit if you have more than three days in the city.

Other famous Spanish people in history & their house museums

The list of famous Spaniards in history and their house museums doesn’t end here. You can find more names and locations below:

• Federico García Lorca, a Spanish poet, playwright, and theatre director (his house museum is located in Granada and Fuente Vaqueros).
• José Zorrilla, a Spanish poet and dramatist (his house museum is in Valladolid).
• Manuel de Falla, an Andalusian composer and pianist (his house museum is located in Granada).
• Miguel de Unamuno, a Spanish novelist, poet, playwright, philosopher, and rector at the University of Salamanca (his house museum is in Salamanca).
• Miguel Hernández, a Spanish poet and playwright (his house museum is in Orihuela).
• Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, a Spanish journalist and bestselling novelist (his house museum is in Valencia)

Map of the top house museums of the Famous Spaniards

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