Spain

Discover the magic of Spain with our essential travel guide, covering everything you need for an unforgettable journey. Learn about Spain's diverse weather patterns and the perfect seasons to plan your visit. Find practical tips on navigating the country through trains, buses, and local transportation options. Explore famous cities like Barcelona and Madrid, along with beautiful coastal areas and historic sites you shouldn't miss. Sample delicious paella, tapas, and local wines while uncovering lesser-known treasures that most tourists never find.

Weather and Best Time to Visit

Northern Spain (Basque Country, Galicia, Asturias): June to September offers pleasant temperatures and less rainfall. July and August are the warmest but busiest.

Central Spain (Madrid, Castilla y León): April to June and September to October provide mild temperatures. Summer (July-August) can be extremely hot.

Catalonia (Barcelona): May to June and September to October offer warm weather without excessive crowds. August sees locals leaving for vacation.

Valencia and Murcia: April to June and September to October are ideal, with pleasant temperatures and fewer tourists.

Andalusia (Seville, Granada): March to May and September to October provide comfortable temperatures. Summer months can exceed 40°C (104°F).

Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Ibiza): May to June and September to October offer warm seas and pleasant weather without peak crowds.

Canary Islands: Year-round good climate with temperatures between 18-24°C (64-75°F). December to February are slightly cooler but still mild.

How to Get to Spain

Spain has numerous airports connecting travelers to cities and coastal destinations throughout the country. Madrid-Barajas Airport is Spain's busiest airport, serving as a major international hub. Barcelona-El Prat Airport provides access to the Catalan capital, Barcelona.

For island travel, Palma de Mallorca Airport serves as the main entry point to the Mediterranean island's beaches and villages.

Málaga Airport provides access to Costa del Sol destinations and nearby towns near Málaga. 

Valencia Airport serves travelers heading to Valencia, while Seville Airport connects visitors to Seville with its historic sites.

All airports in Spain feature:

• -Clear signage
• -Customer service staff
• -Various transportation options

These amenities help travelers reach their final destinations efficiently.

How to Get Around

Spain's transportation network tells the story of a country connected by wheels, rails, and wings. 

Trains zip between cities on the AVE network, turning a journey from Madrid to Barcelona into a comfortable three-hour ride rather than a day-long trek. Buses wind their way through the countryside, stopping at small towns with narrow streets where larger vehicles can't go. Companies like ALSA carry travelers to hillside villages and coastal towns for just a few euros.

When time matters more than scenery, flights hop between distant points and reach the scattered islands. Families often choose to rent cars or minivans, following country roads to find hidden beaches or mountain viewpoints that don't appear in guidebooks. The freedom to stop whenever an interesting church or olive grove appears makes driving worth considering.

Ferry boats connect the mainland to the Balearic and Canary Islands, cutting through blue waters while passengers watch for dolphins from the deck. 

City travelers find that Madrid's metro carries them quickly beneath the busy streets, while Barcelona's buses climb hills to panoramic views.

Many of Spain's oldest city centers welcome only those on foot, revealing their secrets to people who walk the narrow lanes. When tired feet need a rest, taxis wait nearby to help.

For reliable transportation bookings, check out ALSA and Sagales on our website.

Food Scene

Must-Try Dishes:

• Paella: In Valencia, locals gather as the afternoon sun warms the Malvarrosa Beach. The golden rice arrives in a wide pan, each grain soaked with saffron and seafood essence.
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• Jamón Ibérico: At Madrid's Mercado de San Miguel, paper-thin slices melt on your tongue, revealing the acorn diet of the black-hoofed pigs that roamed Extremadura's dehesa woodlands.
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• Tortilla Española: Bar Nestor in San Sebastián makes only two tortillas daily. People queue before opening time, hoping for a slice of this potato omelette with its barely-set center.

Food Markets:

• Barcelona's La Boqueria: Morning light filters through the iron roof as vendors arrange red peppers beside silver fish. Between shopping locals, you'll find counters where cooks prepare what was caught hours ago.
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• Madrid's Mercado de San Antón: Each floor tells a different story: buy ingredients on the first level, have them cooked on the second, then take your glass of vermouth to the rooftop.
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• Seville's Triana Market: Built on the ruins of a castle, fishmongers and olive oil producers continue centuries-old traditions on the quiet side of the Guadalquivir River.

Regional Gems:

• Basque Country: In San Sebastián's Old Town, wooden counters hold small plates secured with toothpicks. The bill is calculated by counting those toothpicks at evening's end.
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• Galicia: Fishermen bring octopus to Sunday markets where women boil it in copper pots, snip it with scissors, and dust it with paprika and sea salt.
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• Catalonia: Winter brings calçots season, when families gather around long tables to grill these spring onions, peel them with blackened fingers, and dip them in brick-red romesco sauce.

Hidden Gems

1. Gaztelugatxe

On Spain's northern coast sits an islet that feels pulled from a fantasy novel. Gaztelugatxe connects to the mainland by a narrow bridge, with 241 stone steps snaking upward to a small 10th-century hermitage. Game of Thrones fans might recognize it as "Dragonstone," but locals have walked these paths for centuries, ringing the church bell three times to make a wish. The Atlantic crashes against the rocks below while seabirds circle overhead. 

Between April and June, the crowds thin out, and the weather turns gentle enough for the climb. To get there, catch bus A3518 from Bilbao to Bakio (50 min), then take a taxi or follow the 3 km (1.8 mile) coastal path on foot.

2. La Geria

Imagine grapevines growing in perfect circles of black volcanic soil, each protected by curved stone walls. This isn't ordinary wine country. In La Geria, farmers dig deep hollows by hand to reach moisture for their vines, creating a landscape that looks like the moon dotted with craters. The Malvasia grapes take on flavors from the volcanic minerals beneath. 

During February and March, a brief rainy season brings patches of green to the black landscape. Rent a car from Arrecife Airport and follow the Wine Route (Ruta del Vino) signs to stop at family-run bodegas along Lanzarote's way.

3. Matarraña

Time moves differently in Matarraña. Medieval stone villages cling to hillsides, overlooking valleys filled with olive trees and pine forests. In the small town of Valderrobres, locals still make cheese and press olive oil using methods passed down through generations. The hiking trails here follow paths that medieval traders once walked between villages. 

The warm light of May and September makes the stone buildings glow golden in the evenings. You can reach this quiet corner of Spain by car from Barcelona to Teruel (2 hrs).

Scenic Routes

Across Spain, roads and railways weave through mountains, trace coastlines, and connect centuries-old cities. Here are five journeys that reveal Spain's true character:

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• Madrid to Barcelona: The train cuts through central Spain's golden wheat fields and vineyards before entering Catalonia. In April and May, red poppies dot the landscape. The window becomes a moving picture frame as plains gradually give way to hills, telling the story of Spain's changing geography.

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• Malaga to Nerja: Buses follow coastal roads where the mountains meet the Mediterranean. Small white villages appear and disappear around each bend. Come in September when the sea keeps its summer warmth but the crowds have thinned. The right-side seats face the water almost the entire way.

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• Barcelona to Montserrat: Watch as city blocks fall away and unusual finger-like mountains rise in the distance. The rack railway climbs at surprising angles. On clear spring mornings, you can see how monks chose this isolated spot for contemplation centuries ago.

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• Granada to Ronda: Silver-leaved olive trees blanket the hills as you approach Ronda, a town split by a deep gorge. The October light turns the stone buildings golden. The train windows frame Andalusian scenes that painters have tried to capture for generations.

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• Valencia to Alicante: Orange groves stretch to the horizon before giving way to coastal views. Between these two Mediterranean cities, small beach towns wait to be discovered. The train often runs so close to the shore that passengers can spot people swimming.

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Events, Festivals and Local Markets

Feria de Abril: When spring arrives in Seville, the city transforms with rows of striped tents called casetas. Locals gather in traditional dress, dancing flamenco as horses and riders parade in their finest gear. The scent of rebujito (sherry mixed with soda) fills the air while families and friends eat, dance, and celebrate together. It happens two weeks after Easter, when the weather turns warm but not yet hot.

Las Fallas: Each March, the streets of Valencia fill with giant sculptures, some satirical, some beautiful, some towering several stories high. For days, fireworks boom at all hours. The air smells of gunpowder and fried churros. Then, on the final night, each sculpture meets its end in carefully orchestrated flames as crowds cheer and firefighters stand ready. The city glows orange under this centuries-old tradition.

Semana Santa: The narrow streets of Seville fall silent except for drum beats and haunting brass music during Holy Week. Massive wooden floats carrying centuries-old religious figures move slowly through crowds on the shoulders of hidden men. Candle-carrying participants in pointed hoods walk alongside. The air fills with incense as these processions continue day and night, moving through the ancient city under spring skies.

Best Places to Visit

1. Barcelona

In Barcelona, Antoni Gaudí's unfinished Sagrada Familia rises from the cityscape, its organic spires reaching skyward while construction continues after more than a century. Nearby, Park Güell's colorful mosaics and curved benches overlook the city and Mediterranean beyond. Through the Gothic Quarter, footsteps echo on worn stone paths where medieval walls contain centuries-old tapas bars and workshops.

The city breathes most comfortably in spring and fall. April brings blooming jacaranda trees along Passeig de Gràcia, while October offers warm sea temperatures without summer's crowds.

On match days, Camp Nou fills with 99,000 voices supporting FC Barcelona. Inside the 19th-century Gran Teatre del Liceu, opera notes resonate against red velvet walls. Each October, locals queue at Mercat de Mercats to sample Catalonia's traditional cheeses, wines, and fresh seafood prepared by home cooks and chefs alike.

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• How to get to Barcelona
• -Direct flights to Barcelona El Prat Airport from major international cities
• -High-speed AVE train connections from Madrid and other Spanish cities
• -Mediterranean cruise ships regularly dock at Barcelona's port

2. Lloret de Mar

Lloret de Mar sits where pine-covered hills meet the Mediterranean's turquoise waters. Morning sunlight warms the sand of Platja de Lloret as joggers trace the shoreline and café owners arrange chairs on terraces. By night, the same promenade transforms as music drifts from beachfront clubs and restaurants serve late dinners to families and friends.

The sea reaches swimming temperature by May and stays warm through October. September brings perfect beach days without the August crowds, when water remains bath-warm but the town regains its breathing room.

Water skiers carve across the bay's surface during summer competitions. On Tuesday evenings, the beachfront fills with wooden stalls where local artisans sell hand-painted ceramics and olive wood utensils. Fishermen's families lead tours through the Santa Clotilde Gardens and maritime museum, sharing stories passed through generations.

• How to get to Lloret de Mar
• -Flights to Girona-Costa Brava Airport (25 km/15 miles away) or Barcelona El Prat (80 km/50 miles away)
• -RENFE train to Blanes, followed by a short bus connection
• -Direct coach services from Barcelona and major European cities

3. Girona

In Girona, stone bridges cross the River Onyar connecting banks lined with tall, narrow houses painted in russet, ochre and amber. The Jewish Quarter's narrow passageways wind uphill past stone buildings where families have lived for generations. At the cathedral, 91 stone steps rise to an entrance that opens to reveal Europe's widest Gothic nave, its dimensions amplified by afternoon light through stained glass.

When cherry trees bloom in April, the old city walls make for perfect walking paths with views that extend to distant mountains. October brings golden light that warms the stone buildings before winter's quiet arrives.

Professional cyclists train on the surrounding roads year-round, testing themselves on the same climbs as Tour de France competitors. Evening concerts fill the 12th-century Arab Baths with string quartet music that bounces off ancient stone. Television enthusiasts recognize corners where Arya Stark once stood blind in Game of Thrones, now marked by discreet plaques explaining which scenes were filmed where.

• How to get to Girona
• -Flights to Girona-Costa Brava Airport with connections throughout Europe
• -High-speed train from Barcelona (38 minutes) or from France
• -Car rental from Barcelona (1.5-hour drive on AP-7 motorway)
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Tips for Traveling to Spain

VISA & ENTRY

• EU citizens: No visa required
• Non-EU travelers: 90-day Schengen visa-free for many countries (US, Canada, Australia)
• Apply at the Spanish consulate if required (4-6 weeks processing)

CULTURAL ETIQUETTE

• Expect two cheek kisses as a greeting
• Meals are later than in many countries: Lunch (2-4 pm), Dinner (9-11 pm)
• Tipping: 5-10% is appreciated but not mandatory

MONEY MATTERS

• Currency: Euro (€)
• Credit/debit cards are widely accepted, but keep some cash on hand
• ATMs are easy to find; inform your bank about travel plans beforehand

HEALTH & SAFETY

• Emergency number: 112
• EU visitors: Bring your EHIC/GHIC card for healthcare access
• Travel insurance is strongly recommended
• No special vaccinations needed for Spain

TRANSPORTATION

• Renfe trains provide reliable connections between major cities
• Madrid and Barcelona have excellent metro systems
• BlaBlaCar offers affordable ridesharing options
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