Museo Sorolla

The preserved house and garden studio of Joaquín Sorolla, Spain's master of Mediterranean light, left almost exactly as it was when he worked here — his brushes, easels, and a walled Andalusian-style garden he designed himself between paintings.

This is a small, intimate museum — plan forty-five minutes to an hour rather than a half-day, and go slowly through the sun-drenched beach scenes that made his reputation. Free entry applies Saturdays after 14:00 and all day on Sundays. The garden alone, modelled on the courtyards of the Alcázar of Seville, is worth the visit even for those who only have a passing interest in the paintings.