With every Spanish destination promising you new experiences,twists on classic cuisines and exciting sights to discover, if you’re planningon jetting off to somewhere in Spain, then it’s always worth doing a bit ofresearch beforehand so you can really make the most out of your trip. Spain isnot short of options for going away, whether that’s for a city break, arelaxing beach vacation or a family holiday.
Spain is made up of 17 regions, all with varied culture, diversities and ways of life. From small towns nestled in breathtaking mountain ranges, to dreamy sandy beaches, every destination promises you something new to discover.
It takes between 2 to 2.5 hours to get to Spain from a UK airport, which makes it a great option if you don’t want to travel too far. If you do have young children and are a bit concerned about a long-haul flight, then definitely consider somewhere in Spain.
Renowned for its art and architecture, incredible diningexperiences and thriving nightlife, it’s no wonder that Barcelona is one of themost popular destinations to visit in Spain for both city breaks and longerholidays. With its cobblestone streets laced with exciting markets and beachesthat resemble a tropical paradise, it provides the opportunity to have both arelaxing and activity packed break – what you choose, is up to you. At nightBarcelona comes alive, with its vintage cocktail bars, music halls, word classrestaurants and clubs where you can dance the night away.
Gothic Quarter – This is the old city centre of Barcelona, laced with labyrinthine streets. Regular traffic is not permitted in this area, so you can wander around and just enjoy the architecture and sense of history it has to offer. With plenty of places to shop and eat, this part of Barcelona really provides the perfect backdrop for a great day out.
Parc de la Ciutadella- Way back when, this park was the only green space in Barcelona. Since then more have popped up, however this one not to miss. Its quaint lake and idyllic setting make it the perfect spot to stop and relax for a while. It’s just nearby to Mercat de Santa Caterina, which is great if you need to stop for a bit of lunch.
Parc del Laberint d’Horta- Developed in the late 18th century for an upper-class family, this is one of the oldest gardens in Barcelona and features the famous cypress hedge, a lake, waterfalls and a pavilion. It is the perfect place to wander around, soak in the sun and escape for a while.
Basílica de laSagrada Família – Famously unfinished, this grandcathedral stands in the northern part of the city and consists of 18 spindlytowers which soar above all the other buildings nearby. It is one of Europe’sless conventional churches and has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Barcelona really does have it allwhen it comes to food. From local bodegas offering cheese, ham and wine straight from the barrel, toMichelin star restaurants promising a world class experience – you’re sure tonot be disappointed. There are plenty of markets where you’ll find everythingfrom fresh local produce to tapas bars where you can pull up a stall and tuckin. For anyone chocolate lover, you’re sure to be satisfied with Barcelona’smany chocolate ships and granjas (dairy stores).
Barcelona isthe perfect place to taste Catalan cuisine; in February to March you can trycalçots, a type of green onion served with romesco sauce, while during thesummer you can sit at one city’s beachside restaurants and enjoy some of thefinest seafood.
Spain’s capital is a great place to visit if you want a longweekend with your friends or partner. Madrid’s nightlife is infamous, withcocktail bars, live music, mega clubs and a wide variety of restaurants tochoose from. It is said to be one of the richest culinary capitals of Europe,embracing traditional Spanish cuisine whilst also introducing creative and newtwists on the dining experience, to make it truly unforgettable.
Madrid’s architectural history sweeps through the city, with its medieval mansions and royal palaces. This is balanced out with contemporary architecture including the sober brickwork and slate spires of Madrid baroque to the incredible confections of the belle époque. This is a truly beautiful city and real must see.
Museo del Prado – This is one of the most elite art museums in Europe, home to Spain’spremier collection of art, including Goya and Velazquez. It sits along thecity’s grand boulevard, Paseo del Prado. With so much to take in, more than onevisit is recommended.
Tapas La Latina – One of the main gastronomic streets is La Latina’s Calle de laCava Baja. It is lined with tapas bars, that really get creative with theirdishes, making the tiny portions look like an art form. Definitely one forfood-lovers.
Parque del Buen Retiro – This stunning corner of the city, with its eye-catchingarchitecture, statues, beautiful lawns and peaceful lake, makes its not onlyone of the largest but also the most popular parks to visit in Madrid. Enjoy aboating afternoon on the lake, or even lay on the lawn and enjoy the rays.
Chueca- This lively district in Madrid, has blossomed over recent yearsand become a real hub for nightlife and shopping. With bars for all budgets,this is definitely a place to visit if you want to let your hair down for thenight with the odd mocktail or two.
Madrid isthe home to Spanish cuisine, with local classics including callos (tripe) andcaracoles a la Madrileña (Madrid-style snails) available, should you feel braveenough to give them a go! Nearby markets like Mercado Antón Martín have deliciouslocal produce and are a great place to grab some picnic bits before heading toRetiro park for an afternoon and eating and relaxing.
Seville is the capital and largest city of Andalucía. It is sat onthe lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the IberianPeninsula. It is known for its hot summers, mild winters, incredible food andGothic and Renaissance architecture. There are plenty of reasons to visit Seville,with its heritage, amazing weather, culture and shopping just scratching thesurface. With plenty to do and see, Seville does not disappoint.
Seville Cathedral- This incredible structure with its beautiful architecturalflourishes, relics and historical attributes will leave you in complete awe. Ithas 80 different chapels, making it the largest cathedral in the world in termsof volume.
Real Alcázar- This is a stunning UNESCO listed palace which is still used tothis day by the Spanish royal family. If you’re willing to pay a little extra,you can actually view their chambers, state rooms and halls situated on theupper level. The palace has a Mudéjar style (Moorish-inspired architecture fornon-Islamic buildings) and was designed by Pedro the Cruel. The courtyard isthe perfect place to go for a stroll and surround yourself in all the greenery.
Tablaos and Flamenco Shows- No matter what month you visit Seville, there are sure to beflamenco shows happening across the city on any given evening. The tablao is agreat way to watch and enjoy a shown, with live musicians and either bar orrestaurant service. If you are in Seville during the Spring or Autumn time thenyou can watch the Peñas de Guardia, a series of shows organised for local orup-and-coming flamenco talent.
Sevilleis not short on options when it comes to food. There are some many dishes youjust have to try! There’sSecreto ibérico & presa ibérica – this is Iberian pork.Whilst you’ll find pork dishes throughout Spain, no one seems to do it quitelike Seville. It is a melt in your mouth kind of dish and said to beone of the best kept secrets of Seville. It’s rival is presa ibérica, a cut from near the top ofthe pork shoulder. No matter which option you choose while dining out, youwon’t regret it! Another dish is Espinacas con garbanzos. Now, there aren’tthat many vegetarian friendly tapas dishes, however this traditionalcombination of spinach and chickpeas is simply delicious. Espinacas congarbanzos is influenced by Seville’s Moorish and Jewishhistory, and is still popular in today’s tapas bars, where it’s oftenserved with a picatoste (a type of crouton).
Many people visit Granada not knowing exactly what to expect. Whatyou’ll find is a city decorated in Islamic architecture and Arab-inspiredstreet life. It’s churches, tapas bars and graffiti art promise a culturalexperience unlike no other.
The streets of Granada are packed with bars, bohemian cafes andflamenco clubs. This combined with the traditional and historical sights, willkeep you entertained for days on end.
Alhambra- The Alhambra is known as Grenada and Europe’s love letter to Moorish culture. Set at the foot of Sierra Nevada, this palace began as a walled citadel before becoming what it is today. The palaces date back to the 14th century Palacios Nazaries and are some of the most beautiful Islamic buildings in all of Europe. Tickets do sell out fast, so try and get them ahead of time!
Mirador de San Nicolás – This is perhaps one of the most famous viewpoints in Granada. Even Bill Clinton upon his visit in 1997 said it has “the most beautiful sunset in the world.” The beauty of this viewpoint is unlike you could imagine, with the Alhambra and the Generalife facing one another, the city at its feet and the stunning Sierra Nevada behind. The Mirador is situated in the Albayzin neighbourhood and is known for its charming surroundings, cobbled streets, white houses, tapas bars and friendly and inviting locals.
As a result of being ruled by the Moors until 1492,the city of Granada has a rich and multicultural food tradition. The streets ofthe Albayzin play host to tea houses where you can try spiced tagines, sweetgreen tea and Arab sweets, while a lot of of the city’s tapas dishes areMoorish-inspired.
Granada is also famous for its free tapas; purchase adrink and you’ll receive a plate of something delicious for free! Be sure totry the local cured ham, Jamón de Trevelez, as well as fried fish and migas, abreadcrumb dish decorated with a fried egg and topped with sausages.
If you are visiting Malaga and Costa del Sol then get ready forbeautiful landscapes, sandy beaches, delicious food and wonderful customs andtraditions. It is rich in cultural heritage, as well as having stunning coastalsurroundings and charming villages.
Costa del Sol combines Mediterranean old towns with developedbeach resorts. It acts as a gateway to family favourite destinations such asBenidorm and Fuengirola, whilst also being a great spot for a romantic holiday.
Unlike some of the other destinations in Spain, Costa del Sol isless about history and architecture and more for those who want a relaxingholiday, full of water sports, dinners out, mocktails on the beach – just theperfect summer holiday.
There’s bike and bus tours, day trips to Gibraltar and Tangier,tapas and wine tasting, not to mention a whole host of water sports.
Our recommendation is if you are off to Costa del Sol then make sure you have added an activity pack to your policy. They’re so many water sports you can take part in, so just make sure you are covered! For more information, click here.
If you are going to Costa Del Sol, then there are some dishes youjust have to try. One of those is Gazpacho a tomato soup dish, served cold.Don’t knock it before you try it, it is actually said to be refreshing andperfect to cool you down in the Spanish heat. If you are a fan of seafood thenbe sure to try Gambas al Pil-Pil. This dish consists of prawns served with a spicysauce made up of a combination of garlic, paprika, chillies, and white wine.Cooked in an oven-proof dish, this starter arrives to your table sizzling hotand is truly delicious.
Make a note of the emergency services number: Whenever yougo away you should make sure you know the emergency service number. In Spainthat is 112. However, there are actually other national emergency numbersused in Spain that are worth having saved on your phone. They are:
Police –091
Health emergencies – 061
Fire Brigade – 080
Local Police – 092
Be discreet carrying around cash: As withanywhere there are always pick pocketers who are just waiting for anopportunity to pounce, especially when someone clearly looks like a tourist.They know that often these people aren’t very aware of their surroundings andmay be easier to steal from whilst their enjoying exploring the cities. If youare carrying money around with you either keep it in your bag which is securelyon your person and not easy for others to get into or keep it somewhere youwouldn’t typically expect money to be, such as in your sock.
There are a lot of debit/credit card providers that offer a greatexchange rate when you are going away. If you do have one these cards then makethe most of it and do the majority of your spending via your card. It is a lotsafer and you won’t have to take as much cash out with you.
Indulge in tapas culture: You will never experience tapas as good as what you get in Spain,so make the most of it and tuck in!
Don’t expect everyone to understand English: It’s alwayshandy when you’re going away to learn some phrases, even if your pronunciationisn’t the best. Depending where you’re going in Spain you may find some localresidents do not speak any English. Try ahead to learn just a few words andsentences – it goes along way and may really help you out!
Don’t expect shops to open at the same time as back at home: In Spain many shops open in the morning and then close for a couple of hours in the afternoon. This is often between 2-4pm. So, if you are planning on travelling for a day of shopping, either be up nice and early or explore the shops in the evening.
If you enjoyed this blog, why not read our blog on the 10 of the Most Romantic Holiday Destinations for Couples. Additionally, if you’re looking for cover, get a quote here.
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