Museu de Cera de Barcelona

Barcelona's wax museum occupies a converted 19th-century bank building just off La Rambla, its ornate original interior giving an unexpectedly grand backdrop to the theatrical, occasionally kitsch wax figures inside. A 4.3-star rating and modest culture score place it firmly in the entertaining-diversion category rather than the serious-museum one, though fans argue it's underrated for what it offers at the price.

The historic building itself, easy to miss from the street, surprises plenty of visitors who wander in without expectations. At around an hour, it makes for a lighthearted break from more earnest Ciutat Vella sightseeing.