Spain travel guide
Spain offers Moorish palaces, Gothic cathedrals and Gaudí's modernist buildings, long beaches, mountain villages and a food culture built around late, sociable meals. Its regions differ strongly in language, cooking and character, so it rewards repeat trips as much as a first visit.
Places worth the trip
Barcelona
Antoni Gaudí's Sagrada Família, Park Güell and Casa Batlló sit alongside the medieval Gothic Quarter, the Boqueria market and a city beach. Book timed tickets for Gaudí's main buildings well ahead.
Madrid
The Prado, Reina Sofía (home to Picasso's Guernica) and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums are within walking distance of each other, with Retiro Park, the Royal Palace and lively tapas streets in La Latina nearby.
Granada and the Alhambra
The hilltop palace complex of the Nasrid dynasty, with carved stucco halls and the Generalife gardens. Entry to the Nasrid Palaces is by timed ticket and often sells out. Afterwards, walk up through the Albaicín quarter to the Mirador de San Nicolás at sunset.
Seville
The Real Alcázar royal palace, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world with its Giralda tower, and the sweeping Plaza de España. It is also a centre of flamenco, especially in the Triana district.
Córdoba
The Mezquita-Catedral began as a great mosque, with a forest of red-and-white arches, and has a cathedral built in its centre. In May, residents open their flower-filled courtyards during the Patios festival.
San Sebastián and the Basque Country
La Concha bay and a food scene famous for pintxos, small bites served on bar counters across the old town. Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Gehry, is about an hour away.
Camino de Santiago
A network of pilgrimage routes ending at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. Many people walk the final hundred kilometres or so of the Camino Francés, staying in pilgrim hostels along the way.
The islands
The Balearics (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza) offer coves and old towns in the Mediterranean, while the volcanic Canary Islands off Africa have Mount Teide on Tenerife and the lava landscapes of Lanzarote.
Interesting facts about Spain
- Spain's national anthem, the Marcha Real, has no official lyrics.
- Spain's highest mountain is not on the mainland: Mount Teide, on Tenerife in the Canary Islands, rises to just over 3,700 metres.
- The Canary Islands are one hour behind mainland Spain.
- Spain includes two cities on the North African coast, Ceuta and Melilla.
- Restaurants in Spain often serve lunch from around 2 pm and dinner from around 9 pm, much later than in most of Europe.
Best time to visit Spain
Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are the best times for cities and touring, with warm days and fewer crowds. July and August are very hot inland, particularly in Seville, Córdoba and Madrid, and the coasts are at their busiest. The north (Galicia, Asturias, the Basque Country) is greener, cooler and wetter all year. Winter is mild on the southern coast and warm in the Canary Islands, and there is skiing in the Pyrenees and Sierra Nevada. Easter week (Semana Santa) brings processions, especially in Andalusia, and busy travel.
Getting around
Spain's high-speed rail network is one of the largest in the world, linking Madrid with Barcelona, Seville, Málaga, Valencia and other cities in a few hours. Book long-distance tickets in advance for the best fares. Buses fill the gaps, especially for smaller towns in Andalusia and the north. Cities have good metro systems, and the old centres are best on foot. Hire a car for rural areas, the white villages of Andalusia and the northern coast. Ferries and domestic flights connect the mainland with the Balearic and Canary Islands.
Practical details
- Capital
- Madrid
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Languages
- Spanish (Castilian), Catalan, Galician and Basque (co-official in their regions)
- Plug types
- C, F
- Voltage
- 230 V, 50 Hz
- Emergency
- 112 (all emergencies)
- Driving side
- right
- Tipping
- Not expected. Rounding up or leaving small change is common; around 5 to 10 percent for good service in restaurants is generous.
Staying online in Spain
Mobile coverage is strong in cities, towns and along motorways and high-speed rail lines, with 4G nearly everywhere and 5G in larger cities. Some mountain areas, rural interior regions and the more remote parts of the Pyrenees can have weak or patchy signal. Free Wi-Fi is common in hotels, cafés, and many stations and airports. Spain is in the EU, so visitors from outside it should install an eSIM before they fly and switch it on when they land.
Spain eSIM plans
1 GB
1GB eSIM Data for 3 Days for Spain, V2
無制限
Unlimited eSIM Data for 1 Day for Spain, V2
無制限
Unlimited Plus eSIM Data for 1 Day for Spain, V2
3 GB
3GB eSIM Data for 3 Days for Spain, V2
Useful apps
- Renfe: Book and store tickets for Spain's national rail services, including high-speed AVE trains.
- Cabify: A Spanish ride-hailing app widely used in Madrid, Barcelona and other cities, alongside Uber.
- Google Maps: Walking, metro and driving directions; download rural areas offline.
- Google Translate: Translate menus and signs, including Catalan, Galician and Basque.
Spain travel FAQs
Lunch is usually the main meal, from around 2 pm, and dinner often starts at 9 pm or later. Many restaurants close between services, but tapas bars stay open, so you can always find something to eat.
Yes. Coverage is good across most of the country. Visitors from outside the EU usually pay high roaming fees on home plans, so a travel eSIM is a simple way to get local data on arrival.
Yes. Both use timed entry and often sell out, especially in spring and summer. Buy from the official websites as early as you can.
In tourist areas, hotels and big cities, generally yes. In smaller towns and rural areas it is less common, so a few words of Spanish or a translation app help.