Spain travel guide: when to go, where to go and how to plan it together

November 8, 2026 · 9 min read

Spain is big, varied and runs on its own clock. Lunch is at two, dinner is at nine or later, and the streets are fullest after dark. In one trip you can walk through the Moorish palaces of Andalusia, eat your way along the pintxo bars of the Basque Country and swim off a Mediterranean beach, and each part feels like a different country.

It is also one of the easiest places in Europe to cover by train, and a fine one to plan with friends: big shared tables, long evenings and plenty of apartments with terraces. This guide covers when to go, where to go, a twelve-day route and what to settle before you book.

Capital: Madrid
Currency: Euro (€)
Languages: Spanish, with Catalan, Galician and Basque also official in their regions
Plugs: Type C and F, 230 V
Driving: On the right
Time zone: UTC+1, UTC+2 in summer (the Canary Islands are one hour behind)
Best time to go: April to June and September to October
Daily budget: About US$120–220 a person a day, mid-range, 2026

When to go

Spring (April to June) is the best season for most of the country. Andalusia is warm and in flower, the cities are comfortable for walking, and the beaches are open without being full. Holy Week (Semana Santa), the week before Easter, brings huge processions to Seville, Málaga and many other towns; it is a wonderful time to visit and also busy, with hotels full and prices up. Seville's April Fair follows a couple of weeks after Easter.

Summer (July and August) is hot. Inland and southern cities such as Seville, Córdoba and Madrid regularly pass 40 °C, and the sensible rhythm is a long break in the middle of the day. The coast and the islands are at their busiest, with Spanish families on holiday too. The north, from the Basque Country to Galicia, is much cooler and greener, and a good choice for a summer trip. Festivals include the running of the bulls in Pamplona in July and La Tomatina in Buñol in late August.

Autumn (September and October) is warm, the sea is at its warmest, and the crowds thin. It's a good time for the cities and the coast, and for the wine regions, with the grape harvest in La Rioja.

Winter (November to March) is cold and clear in Madrid and the north and mild in the south. The Canary Islands stay warm all year and suit a winter break. Las Fallas in Valencia in March is a week of fireworks and giant papier-mâché sculptures. Christmas and New Year are quiet, and many shops close for the holidays.

Where to go

Barcelona

A city of sea and mountains, with Gaudí's buildings at every turn: the Sagrada Família, Park Güell and Casa Batlló. Beyond them are the Gothic Quarter, the beach at Barceloneta, the Boqueria market and a food scene that runs from tapas to tasting menus. Popular buildings sell timed tickets, so book those ahead. Three or four days. For a day-by-day plan, see the 3-day Barcelona itinerary.

Madrid

The capital is a city for walking and eating late. The Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen-Bornemisza make up one of the great museum clusters, the Retiro park is a calm green space in the middle, and the neighbourhoods of La Latina and Malasaña are lively in the evening. Toledo, a walled hill town of cathedral, synagogue and mosque, is about half an hour away by fast train. Three days, plus a day trip. For a day-by-day plan, see the 3-day Madrid itinerary.

Seville

The heart of Andalusia, with the Alcázar palace, the vast cathedral and its Giralda tower, orange trees in the streets and flamenco in small bars. It's very hot in summer, so see it in spring or autumn if you can. Two or three days.

Córdoba

Home to the Mezquita, a mosque of red and white arches with a cathedral built inside it, and a maze of whitewashed lanes and flower-filled patios. It fits easily between Seville and Madrid on the fast train. One night, or a long day trip.

Granada

The Alhambra, a hilltop palace and fortress of the Nasrid dynasty, is the reason to come, with the Sierra Nevada mountains behind it and the Albaicín quarter below. Tickets for the Alhambra sell out well in advance, so book them as soon as you know your dates. Two days.

San Sebastián and the Basque Country

A curved beach, an old town packed with pintxo bars and more famous restaurants per head than almost anywhere, set among green hills. Bilbao, with its Guggenheim museum, is about an hour away. Three days.

Valencia

The city of paella, with a large old town, a modern arts and sciences complex and a long beach, and a more relaxed pace than Barcelona. Two days, or a base for the nearby coast.

The islands

The Balearic Islands, Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera, are Mediterranean beach country, with coves, hill villages and cycling on Mallorca. The Canary Islands, off the coast of Africa, have volcanoes, black beaches and warm weather in winter; Tenerife and Lanzarote are the best known. Each is its own trip, a short flight from the mainland. See the guide to island-hopping by ferry for the Balearics.

A 12-day itinerary

Days 1–3: Barcelona. Arrive, walk the old town, and keep one morning for a timed visit to a Gaudí building. Take an evening for tapas.

Days 4–6: Madrid. The high-speed train from Barcelona takes under three hours. Spend two days in the city and one in Toledo.

Days 7–9: Seville. About two and a half hours by fast train from Madrid. Stop in Córdoba on the way if you can, and then spend two days in Seville.

Days 10–11: Granada. About three hours from Seville by train or bus. See the Alhambra at the time on your ticket and walk the Albaicín at sunset.

Day 12: Málaga. A bus or train to the coast, then fly home. If you have a spare day, spend it on the beach.

With more time, add San Sebastián and Bilbao in the north, or fly to the islands. For a neighbour to pair it with, see the Portugal travel guide, as Lisbon is a short flight from Madrid.

Getting around

Trains are the easiest way to travel between the big cities. The high-speed network, run by Renfe and a few other operators, links Madrid with Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, Málaga and others in two to three hours. Book ahead in busy seasons, as fares rise and the best times sell out. Local and regional trains are slower but cheap. There is more in the train travel in Europe guide.

Buses are very good in Spain and reach places the trains don't, including many hill towns and villages.

Cars are worth it in the countryside: the white villages of Andalusia, the Pyrenees, Galicia and the islands. Motorways are fast, and some are tolled. In cities, don't drive: streets in old centres are narrow, parking is hard, and many city centres restrict traffic. Renting a car abroad lists what to check before you pay.

Cities have good metros and buses, with Madrid and Barcelona each running extensive metro networks. Taxis are common, and ride-hailing apps work in the big cities.

Flights are worth it for the islands and for long north-south hops, for example from Barcelona to Seville if you're short of time.

Money and costs

Cards, including contactless, are accepted in nearly all hotels, shops and restaurants. Cash is useful for small bars, markets and rural places. Use bank ATMs rather than standalone ones that add fees.

Tipping isn't expected. Leaving small change or rounding up the bill at a sit-down meal is enough. Lunch is the best-value meal of the day: many restaurants serve a fixed-price menú del día on weekdays. In bars, tapas are sometimes free with a drink in some cities, such as Granada, and paid for in others, so look at what the people around you are doing.

Spain is cheaper than France or Italy, especially outside Barcelona, Madrid and the Balearic Islands. Hotels in Semana Santa and in summer on the islands cost the most.

Rough daily costs a person, in 2026:

Budget: about US$70–110, with hostels, a menú del día and buses or regional trains.
Mid-range: about US$120–220, with hotels or apartments, restaurant dinners and some paid sights.
Comfortable: US$280 and up, with boutique hotels, good restaurants and high-speed trains.

Planning Spain as a group

Spain's late, social way of eating suits groups, and so does its stock of large rentals.

Stays. Apartments in Barcelona, Madrid and Seville sleep six or eight, often with a terrace, and a house with a pool on the coast or in the countryside works well for a longer stay. Read where to stay with a group and, for a shared villa, how to split a villa fairly.

Dinner. Spanish restaurants open late and fill up from about 9 pm. Book a table for six or more, especially on Friday and Saturday, and in tapas places order dishes to share in rounds. Round-by-round ordering is the easiest way to split a bill fairly.

Heat. In summer, plan sightseeing for the morning and evening and take the afternoon off by the pool. A group that agrees this early avoids arguments in the sun.

Splitting costs. Rounds of drinks, a rented car, an apartment and tickets paid by different people add up fast. Log each one in the currency you paid in, and settle up once at the end.

Before you go

Entry rules: check the official government site of Spain and your own government's travel advice before you book. Spain is in the Schengen area, so the rules depend on your passport.
Travel insurance that covers medical costs and cancellations. Heat-related problems can be serious in a southern summer.
Connectivity: an eSIM works well, and visitors from the EU can usually use their home plan. Wifi is widespread.
A plug adapter for Type C or F if you're coming from outside continental Europe, and check your devices take 230 V.
Health: no special vaccines are usually needed; ask a travel clinic if unsure. Carry water and sunscreen from May to September.
Customs: shops in smaller towns often close from about 2 to 5 pm, and restaurants don't open for dinner before about 8:30 pm. Learn a few words of Spanish, and in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia, remember that the local language is a matter of pride.

What to pack

Pack for sun and walking: comfortable shoes with grip for cobbles and steep old towns, a hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen. A reusable water bottle is useful in the summer heat.

For summer, light and loose clothes in cotton or linen, with a thin layer for air-conditioned trains and evenings. For spring and autumn, a light jacket, since mornings in Madrid and the north can be cold. For winter, a proper coat in Madrid and the north, and a warm layer even in Andalusia. Bring something smarter for dinner, and cover your shoulders and knees for cathedrals. A small day bag with a zip is worth having in crowded places.