Exploring Spain – Tips & Recommendations

There is plenty to do and see in the beautiful country of Spain.  There are awesome cities to visit, villages to explore, great festivals to attend and gorgeous beaches to get that golden tan.  A Spanish vacation, if planned appropriately, can be the best time of your life.  The country is absolutely mesmerizing and eventful.  Red - Feria de Abril Seville SpainBeing the cultural center of Europe for thousands year’s now, as you can guess Spain is a major tourist destination.  Spain is also the epitome of historic architecture and extreme urbanization within its beautiful cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Granada and many more.  Everything about Spain from Flamenco dancers to the scrumptious tapas is absolutely fabulous. As you can see we have tried to take that culture to heart and incorporate it into our daily lives.  Anya is taking Flamenco and Lars is on the Fútbol team.

Places to See & Things to Do

Spain offers so much for you to do and see while on vacation. It is difficult to do it all in just one trip and Spain keeps you coming back for its splendid and grand cities, festivals, and beaches.  Here we provide you a gist of some of the best things to do in Spain which can be helpful when planning your vacation.

Must See Cities

Barcelona is the best city in Spain, no arguments there. One of the country’s top travel destinations, the city offers you everything from awesome retail spread for shopping, amazing nightlife and the best part being that you get to experience the beautiful Spanish culture.  The city of Barcelona presents everything you would want in a European city including grand historic architecture in Casa Batlló and the very popular Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia Basílica.  The vibe in this city is contagious and we just love it there.

Another amazing city in Spain is of course, Madrid. Capital of Spain and the largest city in the country, Madrid is best known for its buzzing night life.  The striking feature of Madrid is its essence of being a cosmopolitan city with diverse and colorful ethnic group.  You know we have had a good time in Madrid and travel through often, as it is the heart of the country.

Gorgeous Beaches

exploring Spain - Almunecar Costa TropicalSpain has almost 5000 miles of picturesque beaches, the most famous being Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol.  However, there are many other gorgeous beaches in here which are simply amazing.  As you know we are very partial to Costa Tropical and Almuñécar, but everyone has their different preferences when it comes to beaches.

Ses Illetes Beach in Formentera (part of the Balearic Islands) is one of the best beaches in Spain with its crystal clear waters and white sands.  Formentera is near Ibiza and you can get there by ferry services.  Sitges near Barcelona not only has a splendid beach but also a mind-blowing night life.  Not usually our cup of tea, but it’s what we hear from other travelers.

Festivals

Grabbing the bull by the horns CastrilSpain has many grand festivals which attracts tourists from all over the world.  Festivals of Spain are one of the shining features of the Spanish tradition.  Take for instance San Fermin which runs for one week in early July.  People gather from all over to experience the legendary Bull Run in Pamplona which takes place annually.  Of course if you recall, we happened upon our own “running of the bulls” in Castril.

Another unique and awesome festival is the La Tomatina Festival which takes place in Buñol, near Valencia.  The battle of tomatoes is not to be missed if you are in Spain and generally takes place in August.  I read they are now going to start to charge a fee to go.  They hope this will help with crowd control and keeping people safe.  This is a very small town where about 40,000 people arrive just for the festival.  We did have fun, but not sure it was the smartest “parental move” to take the kids.

Of course we can’t neglect the big Water Fight in Lanjarón.  Every June 23 you can expect to have the time of your lives and get soaked.  This one is highly recommended for the kids and a unique experience that will last a lifetime.

Exploring Spain

Even though the public transportation is quite good in Spain, the best way to travel around places is to have a car while in Spain.  As you know this is our preferred mode of transportation.  We like to go explore and happen upon small villages, so a car is the way to go.  The car services are not only inexpensive but also enable you to cover places easily and quickly.  Rather than missing out on things because it wasn’t on the public transit route or the bus didn’t arrive on time, it is easier to get a cheap car hire in Spain.

Spain offers grand shopping prospects, amazing nightlife opportunity, quaint villages and a chance to experience the rich culture.  When you plan your Spain holiday, make sure you make the most out of your experience!

 

Organized Tours

There are also many organized tours for you to enjoy from being active on walking or biking tour, to enjoying a food or wine tour.  There is so much to do and Viator has so many great offers for you.  Click here to see their latest Spain Deals!

Where to Stay in Spain

We have the best Spain holiday rentals here:

Property Owners: you may list your holiday property or room rental for free!

This entry was posted in Spain and tagged , , by Heidi. Bookmark the permalink.

About Heidi

Heidi has a passion for travel and has been exploring the world with her husband and 2 kids, since August 2012. She's visited more than 50 countries and loves to write about their family adventures, mishaps and costs. She has been an inspiration to others wanting to live their dreams. Her travel tips, planning posts, cost breakdowns, accommodation, and product reviews are also very popular. Her current home base is in Spain. Any post on this site may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, there is no extra cost for you and we may receive a commission.

3 thoughts on “Exploring Spain – Tips & Recommendations

  1. Pingback: How Many Countries Have You Been To? - worldtravelfamily.com

  2. Great article for anybody contemplating a Spanish holiday. However, whilst you mention the Balearics, the Canary Islands merit a shout out. Why not come and visit us for a while?

    • You bet they are worth a shout out. We want to see it all. It is funny we have about 6-8 months left and it feels like time is running out!

Come on and tell us what you think!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.