Europe · Southern Europe
🇪🇸 Spain travel guide
Moorish palaces, tapas bars & Mediterranean coast.
- Currency
- € EUR
- Time
- UTC +1
- Emergency
- 112
Best places in Spain
- Sagrada Família, Barcelona. Gaudí’s masterpiece — book ahead.
- Alhambra, Granada. Moorish palaces and gardens.
- Seville. Plaza de España, Real Alcázar and flamenco.
- Madrid. The Prado, Retiro Park and tapas streets.
Hidden places
- Cuenca. Hanging houses over a gorge.
- Setenil de las Bodegas. Houses built under rock.
- Menorca. Quiet coves and walking trails.
- Ribeira Sacra, Galicia. River canyons and terraced vineyards.
When to go
- Best time. March–June and September–November.
- Avoid. July–August heat inland and crowds on the coast.
- Festivals. Semana Santa (spring), La Tomatina (Aug), San Fermín (July).
What you need
- Documents. Passport, Schengen visa if required.
- Pack. Sun hat, sunscreen, comfortable shoes.
- Apps. Renfe, Cabify, Citymapper.
- Booking. Reserve Alhambra and Sagrada Família tickets early.
The soul of Spain
- Start somewhere unforgettable. Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Granada, San Sebastián, the Balearic and Canary islands.
- Choose your season. Spring and autumn are best; inland summers are very hot.
- Before you leave. High-speed AVE trains link major cities.
Visual money
- Currency · EUR €. Menu del día lunches are excellent value.
- A daily budget. Illustrative, per person: budget €60–100; comfortable €140–260.
- Paying locally. Contactless cards work almost everywhere; keep a little cash for small cafés, markets and rural stops. Choose to pay in euros, not your home currency.
Arrival playbook
- Documents first. Part of the Schengen Area. Check visa rules for your passport, the EU Entry/Exit System and ETIAS requirements on official EU sites before booking.
- Your first ride. Metro and airport express buses serve Madrid and Barcelona airports.
- Get connected. An EU SIM or eSIM works across most EU countries under roaming rules. Save an offline map before leaving Wi-Fi.
Street codes
- Meal times. Lunch 2–4pm, dinner from 9pm. Plan around siesta closures in smaller towns.
- Regions. Catalonia and the Basque Country have their own languages and identities.
- Beachwear. Cover up away from the beach; some cities fine swimwear in streets.
Beyond the postcard
- Picos de Europa. Dramatic mountains near the green north coast.
- Ronda. A town split by a deep gorge in Andalusia.
- Asturias. Cider houses, fishing villages and cliffs.
Food dossier
- A few first plates. Paella in Valencia, pintxos in San Sebastián, jamón, tortilla and churros.
- Free tapas. In Granada a tapa often comes free with a drink.
- Dietary needs. Ham appears in many dishes; ask “sin carne”.
Scam shield
- Pickpockets. Las Ramblas and metro lines are hotspots.
- Rosemary offers. Women offering rosemary in Seville and Granada ask for money after.
- Fake police. Real police won’t ask to check your wallet in the street.
Language cheat sheet
- Hello · Hola. Thank you · Gracias. Please · Por favor.
- How much? · ¿Cuánto cuesta?. Water · Agua. Help · ¡Ayuda!
- The bill · La cuenta, por favor. Ask when you’re ready.
Survival essentials
- Emergency · 112. Works across Spain with English support.
- Heat. Plan sightseeing early and late in summer.
- Power & time. 230V; sockets types C and F. UTC+1 (Canaries UTC+0).
Your Spain chapter
- A gentle first journey. Madrid → Seville → Granada → Barcelona over 12 days.
- A different pace. Walk a stage of the Camino de Santiago.
- Before confirming. This is a starter guide, not live advice. Verify visas, prices, opening times and safety conditions with official sources.