Fodor's Essential Spain 2024

By Fodor’s Travel Guides

Whether you want to explore the Alhambra, marvel at La Sagrada Familia, or enjoy tapas, wine, and flamenco, the local Fodor’s travel experts in Spain are here to help! Fodor’s Essential Spain guidebook is packed with maps, carefully curated recommendations, and everything else you need to simplify your trip-planning process and make the most of your time. This new edition has been fully-redesigned with an easy-to-read layout, fresh information, and beautiful color photos. 

Fodor’s “Essential” guides were named by Booklist as the Best Travel Guide Series of 2020.

Fodor’s Essential Spain 2024 travel guide includes:

• AN ILLUSTRATED ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES GUIDE to the top things to see and do
• MULTIPLE ITINERARIES to effectively organize your days and maximize your time
• MORE THAN 55 DETAILED MAPS and a FREE PULL-OUT MAP to help you navigate confidently
• COLOR PHOTOS throughout to spark your wanderlust!
• HONEST RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LOCALS on the best sights, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shopping, performing arts, activities, side-trips, and more
• PHOTO-FILLED “BEST OF” FEATURES on “Spain’s Best Museums,” “Spain's Best Beaches,” “Most Beautiful Castle Hotels in Spain,” “Spain’s Most Beautiful Villages,” and more
• TRIP-PLANNING TOOLS AND PRACTICAL TIPS including when to go, getting around, beating the crowds, and saving time and money
• HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTS providing rich context on the local people, politics, art, architecture, cuisine, music, geography and more
• SPECIAL FEATURES on “History You Can See,” “What to Watch and Read Before You Visit,” and “What to Eat and Drink” 
• LOCAL WRITERS to help you find the under-the-radar gems
• SPANISH-LANGUAGE PRIMER with useful words and essential phrases
• UP-TO-DATE COVERAGE ON: Madrid, Barcelona, Andalusia, Granada, Seville, the Pyrenees, the Canaries, Galicia, Asutrias, Basque Country,Toledo, La Rioja, Bilbao, Catalonia, Valencia, Ibiza, Costa del Sol, and more

Planning on visiting Spain? Check out Fodor’s Barcelona and Fodor's Madrid.

*Important note for digital editions: The digital edition of this guide does not contain all the images or text included in the physical edition.

ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts. Fodor’s has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. For more travel inspiration, you can sign up for our travel newsletter at fodors.com/newsletter/signup, or follow us @FodorsTravel on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We invite you to join our friendly community of travel experts at fodors.com/community to ask any other questions and share your experience with us!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fodor's Travel
• Release date: Dec 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9781640976559

Fodor’s Travel Guides

For over 80 years, Fodor's Travel has been a trusted resource offering expert travel advice for every stage of a traveler's trip. We hire local writers who know their destinations better than anyone else, allowing us to provide the best travel recommendations for all tastes and budgets in over 7,500 worldwide destinations. Our books make it possible for every trip to be a trip of a lifetime.

Book preview

Chapter 1. EXPERIENCE SPAIN

25 ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES

Spain offers terrific experiences that should be on every traveler’s list. Here are Fodor’s top picks for a memorable trip.

1 Park Güell

A sweeping view of Barcelona awaits you at this architectural park, Gaudí’s pièce de résistance in urban planning. Peer out from the mosaic benches over gingerbread-like houses and fountains guarded by giant tiled lizards. (Ch. 8)

2 Picos de Europa

A national park where you can hike between lakes, meadows, and snowy peaks, this mountain range on Spain’s northern coast is a top outdoor adventure. (Ch. 5)

3 Gorgeous Cathedrals

Towering temples in cities including León and Burgos have been presided over by bishops for centuries and are some of the greatest marvels in Spain. (Ch. 4)

4 Food tours

Take a delicious dive into Spanish culture by trying dishes like tortilla española (Spanish potato omelet) and paella with a local guide who knows the best haunts.

5 Guggenheim Bilbao

Thought-provoking works by world-renowned international artists will entrance you at Bilbao’s riverfront museum, a titanium work of art itself. (Ch. 6)

6 Beaches

You can’t go wrong on the Iberian Peninsula, where you can choose between the sun-drenched beaches of the Mediterranean and the wild, brisk shores of the Atlantic.

7 Flamenco

A foot-stomping whirlwind of click-clacking castanets, guitar solos, and gut-wrenching vocals will have you shouting ¡Olé! at the tablaos (flamenco venues) of Sevilla. (Ch. 11)

8 El Escorial

A leisurely day trip from the hustle and bustle of Madrid, this medieval town’s main attraction is a gargantuan royal residence set high on a hill. (Ch. 4)

9 Córdoba Mosque

The ancient Mezquita’s engraved columns and candy cane–striped double arches are an enchanting reminder of Andalusia’s 10th-century Islamic grandeur. (Ch. 11)

10 Barri Gòtic

Barcelona’s most ancient quarter is a maze of cobblestone streets and stone arcades that empty into medieval plaças. It also boasts some of the city’s chicest boutiques. (Ch. 8)

11 Rioja wine caves

Don’t miss the bodegas in Haro, in the heart of Rioja Alta, for their centuries of history and mysterious cellars, draped with penicillin mold and cobwebs. (Ch. 6)

12 Mérida

Tour the remnants of an ancient Roman city, home to one of the best-preserved stone amphitheaters in Europe. The UNESCO Site is the largest of its kind in Spain. (Ch. 4)

13 Canary Islands volcanoes

The tallest mountain in Spain is also an active volcano—and you can climb it. Make it to the peak of 12,000-foot El Teide, and you’ll be rewarded with bird’s-eye views. (Ch. 14)

14 Alhambra

Nothing epitomizes the Moors’ power and ingenuity like this centuries-old fortress. Set aside a few hours to take in arched courtyards and intricate arabesques. (Ch. 12)

15 Sagrada Família

Gaudí’s iconic church is a soaring fantasy world of vivid stained glass and zoomorphic motifs. It is slated for completion in 2026 after 150 years of construction. (Ch. 8)

16 Toledo

When Toledo was the ancient capital of Spain, Muslims, Jews, and Christians cohabitated in harmony—hence the city’s nickname, City of Three Cultures. (Ch. 4)

17 Skiing

Some of the best slopes in western Europe (and with reasonable ticket prices) can be found in the Pyrenees, the mountain range Spain shares with France and Andorra. (Ch. 7)

18 Retiro Park

The tree-shaded trails, artwork, and gardens here are an oasis right in Madrid’s city center. Look for the Palacio de Cristal, an impressive iron-and-glass greenhouse. (Ch. 3)

19 ¡Feria!

Vibrant ferias, or fairs, are some of the country’s wildest parties, with traditional dance performances, carnival rides, street food, and makeshift discotecas. (Ch. 11)

20 Paradores

Want to hole up in a property with personality and a true sense of place? Look to the paradores, a state-run network of accommodations in historic buildings.

21 Cuenca’s hanging houses

It doesn’t get much more picturesque than these buildings perched on a cliffside overlooking the Huécar River. They seem to defy gravity as they jut over the ravine. (Ch. 4)

22 Museums in Madrid

Madrid’s Golden Triangle is home to three world-class museums within blocks of each other. Don’t miss Picasso’s Guernica at Museo Reina Sofía. (Ch. 3)

23 Segovia aqueduct

This work of Roman engineering has stood for more than 2,000 years—mind-boggling, considering that mortar is entirely absent from construction. (Ch. 4)

24 Pueblos blancos

Road trip through these stark white villages on Andalusian hilltops, one of southern Spain’s most postcard-perfect attractions. (Ch. 11)

25 Santiago de Compostela

The best way to reach the Galician capital is hiking the Camino de Santiago, an old Christian pilgrimage route; you don’t have to be religious to appreciate the hike. (Ch. 5)

WHAT’S WHERE

dingbat Madrid. Its boundless energy creates sights and sounds larger than life. The Prado, Reina Sofía, and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums make this one of the greatest repositories of Western art in the world.

dingbat Central Spain. From Madrid there are several important excursions, notably Toledo, as well as Segovia and Salamanca. Other cities in Castile–La Mancha and Castile–León worth visiting include León, Burgos, Soria, Sigüenza, Ávila, and Cuenca. Extremadura, Spain’s remote borderland with Portugal, is often overlooked but has some intriguing places to discover.

dingbat Galicia and Asturias. On the way to Galicia to pay homage to St. James, pilgrims once crossed Europe to this corner of Spain so remote it was called finis terrae (world’s end). Galicia’s capital, Santiago de Compostela, still resonates with mystic importance. In nearby Asturias, villages nestle in green highlands, backed by the snowcapped Picos de Europa mountains, while sandy beaches stretch along the Atlantic. East, in Cantabria, is the Belle Époque beach resort of Santander.

dingbat The Basque Country, Navarra, and La Rioja. The Basque region is a country within a country, proud of its own language and culture, and home to the wild, dramatic coast of the Bay of Biscay. Nearby Navarra and La Rioja are famous for the running of the bulls in Pamplona and for excellent wines, respectively.

dingbat The Pyrenees. Cut by some 23 steep north–south valleys on the Spanish side alone, with four independent geographical entities—the valleys of Camprodón, Cerdanya, Aran, and Baztán—the Pyrenees have a wealth of areas to explore, with different cultures and languages, as well as world-class ski resorts.

dingbat Barcelona. La Rambla, in the heart of the Ciutat Vella, is packed day and night with artists, street entertainers, vendors, and vamps, all preparing you for Barcelona’s startling architectural landmarks. But treasures lie beyond the tourist path, including Antoni Gaudí’s sinuous Casa Milà and his unique Sagrada Família church, masterpieces of Modernisme.

dingbat Catalonia, Valencia, and the Costa Blanca. The mountain-backed plain of the Levante is dotted with Christian and Moorish landmarks and Roman ruins. Valencia’s signature paella fortifies visitors touring the city’s medieval masterpieces and modern architecture, while the Costa Blanca has party-till-dawn resort towns. The rice paddies and orange groves of the Costa Blanca lead to the palm-fringed port city of Alicante.

dingbat Ibiza and the Balearic Islands. Ibiza still generates buzz as a summer playground for club-goers from all over, but even this isle has its quiet coves. Mallorca has some heavily tourist–populated pockets, along with pristine mountain vistas in the island’s interior. On serene Menorca, the two cities of Ciutadella and Mahón have different histories, cultures, and points of view.

dingbat Seville. One of Andalusia’s landlocked provinces, seductive Seville is a vibrant city known for its food, Moorish architecture, and flamenco. Don’t miss the Mezquita in nearby Córdoba.

dingbat Granada. Christian and Moorish cultures are dramatically counterposed here. Especially notable is the romantic Alhambra.

dingbat Costa del Sol and Costa de Almería. A popular sun-holiday destination, the Costas have vast holiday resorts occupying much of the Mediterranean coast. Respites include Málaga, a vibrant city with world-class art museums; Marbella, a pristine Andalusian old quarter; and villages such as Casares that seem immune to the goings-on along the water.

dingbat Canary Islands. Fuerteventura, the least-visited and least-developed of the four largest volcanic islands, boasts endless white beaches, while Gran Canaria is an isle of contrasts from the desert dunes in the south to the verdant central peaks. Lanzarote’s ocher-and-gold landscape is dotted with long beaches and white villages. Tenerife has the most attractions plus Spain’s highest peak, the Pico de Teide.

Spain Today

POLITICS

Since the advent of democracy in 1978 and until 2014, Spanish politics was dominated by the two largest parties: the socialist Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) and the right-wing Partido Popular (PP). In 2014, however, as Spain continued to battle an economic crisis and as some high-profile corruption scandals came to light, the political scenario changed. Renovation became the watchword, and Spaniards clamored for more ethical behavior from public figures. On the back of this, two new parties entered the political arena: Unidas Podemos (Together We Can), a left-wing grassroots party; and Ciudadanos (Citizens), a pro-business, center-right party that strongly opposes Catalan nationalism. General elections in June 2016 resulted in a deadlock, with no party reaching the required 176-seat majority. The PP under Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, however, formed a minority government with support from Ciudadanos.

In October 2017, a push for Catalan independence, led by separatist parties, created a major constitutional crisis. Separatist politicians presided over an independence referendum that had been outlawed by Spanish courts. The ruling PP government in Madrid took a hardline stance against the independence movement, sending national police and civil guards into Catalonia to halt voting. To punish the renegade region, Madrid imposed emergency rule on Catalonia, suspending its autonomy and jailing top regional politicians—who remained in prison until 2021, when they were pardoned. This should ease tensions, but it remains to be seen what will follow.

In 2018, Spain’s national court found that the ruling PP had been profiting from illegal kickbacks in return for contracts since 1989 and confirmed that the party had been running an illegal, off-the-books accounting structure. The Socialist party under Pedro Sanchez won a parliamentary no-confidence motion and brought down Rajoy’s government. Sanchez—who seeks a negotiated solution to the Catalan issue—became prime minister, supported in a coalition by Podemos and regional separatist parties.

Despite the coalition, the parties continued to clash over a number of policies, although they have passed several important bills, including the annual budget. Spain celebrates general elections in late 2023 and at the time of writing, polls predict a vote divided mostly between the PSOE and PP, with uncertainty regarding the role of other left-wing parties and Vox, Spain’s populist radical right-wing party.

THE ECONOMY

After Spain went into recession in 2008, stringent financial measures were imposed by the European Union and the IMF. Unemployment soared to 26% and youth unemployment reached double that. Since 2014, the economy has bounced back: GDP growth for 2017 was 3.1%, one of the highest rates in Europe, and Spain surpassed the United States to become the world’s second-most-visited country after France. When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, it had an unprecedented effect on the economy, and GDP shrank by 10.8% (the worst since 1970). However, thanks in part to high vaccination rates and a vast injection of funds from the EU, Spain’s economy grew by 5.5% in 2022, with 1.6% forecast for 2023, one of the highest in the EU.

RELIGION

The state-funded Catholic Church, closely tied to the right-wing PP and with the national Cadena Cope radio station as its voice, continues to have considerable social and political influence in Spain, with members of secretive groups such as Opus Dei and the Legionarios de Cristo holding key government and industry positions.

Despite the church’s influence, at street level Spain has become a secular country, as demonstrated by the fact that 70% of Spaniards supported the decidedly un-Catholic law allowing gay marriage—which has been legal since 2005. And although more than 75% of the population claims to be Catholic, less than 20% go to church on a regular basis.

More than 1 million Muslims reside in Spain, making Islam the country’s second-largest religion.

THE ARTS

Spain’s devotion to the arts is clearly shown by the attention, both national and international, paid to its annual Princesa de Asturias prize, where Princess Leonor hands out accolades to international high achievers such as Frank Gehry, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Marina Abramović, and to homegrown talent such as the writer Antonio Muñoz Molina and actress and director Núria Espert.

Film is at the forefront of the Spanish arts scene. Spain’s most acclaimed director, Pedro Almodóvar, is still at it, releasing a short in 2020 starring Tilda Swinton (filmed during lockdown), and Parallel Mothers, starring long-time muse Penelope Cruz in 2021. The Bookshop, an English-language film directed and produced by Spaniards, won Best Film and Best Director awards at the 2018 Goya Awards, Spain’s version of the Oscars.

While authors such as Miguel Delibes, Rosa Montero, and Maruja Torres flourish in Spain, few break onto the international scene, with the exception of Arturo Pérez-Reverte, whose books include Captain Alatriste and The Fencing Master, and Carlos Ruiz Zafón, author of the acclaimed Shadow of the Wind, The Angel’s Game, and Prisoner of Heaven.

Spain’s contribution to the fine arts is still dominated by three names: the Mallorca-born artist Miquel Barceló; the Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida (who died in 2002); and the Catalan abstract painter Antoni Tàpies (who passed away in 2012).

SPORTS

With Real Madrid and FC Barcelona firmly established as international brands, and with La Liga recognized as one of the world’s most exciting leagues, soccer remains the nation’s favorite sport. The national soccer team, known as La Roja (The Red One), won the World Cup in 2010 and has won the European Cup three times—a record tied only by Germany. In other sports, national heroes include Rafael Nadal, the first tennis player to hold Grand Slam titles on clay, grass, and hard court; rising star Carlos Alcaraz, winner of the 2022 US Open; six-time NBA All-Star Pau Gasol and his two-time All-Star brother, Marc; and WNBA star Anna Cruz, who now plays for Barça. Motorsports are hugely popular in Spain; Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso returned to successful racing in 2021 and all-time-great Marc Márquez continues to dominate in Grand Prix motorcycle road racing.

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON SPAIN

Spain was hit hard by COVID-19. After heavy restrictions throughout most of 2020 and 2021, Spain finally lifted the compulsory use of face masks except in health centers in early 2023. As a result of high vaccination rates, the economy including the hard-hit tourism sector have returned to pre-COVID-19 levels.

Travel Times by Train

Spain’s Best Museums

CIUTAT DE LES ARTS I LES CIÈNCIES (CITY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES), VALENCIA

This incredible collection of buildings in Valencia houses some of the world’s most cutting-edge science and art exhibits in an enormous piece of modern architecture.

TEATRE-MUSEU DALÍ, FIGUERES

Dalí himself supervised the renovation work on this former municipal building, recognizable for its red and gold paint job and the iconic white eggs that crown it. The museum pays homage to the artist’s creativity and imagination, and houses many memorable works. You won’t find his greatest paintings here, but you will find his crypt!

MUSEU NACIONAL D’ART DE CATALUNYA (MNAC), BARCELONA

Catalonia’s national art museum isn’t just a literal palace, it’s also a shrine to history, culture, and the spirit of the Catalonian people. MNAC has the finest collection of Romanesque frescoes and devotional sculpture in the world, most rescued from abandoned chapels in the Pyrenees in an astonishing feat of restoration.

FUNDACIÓ JOAN MIRÓ, BARCELONA

High on the hill of Montjuïc, overlooking Barcelona, the Fundació Joan Miró houses the largest collection of works by the revolutionary artist, most of which are assembled from his own private collection, as well as temporary exhibitions by new artists. The building was designed by the artist’s close friend, the avant-garde architect Josep Lluís Sert.

THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM, BILBAO

Frank Gehry’s groundbreaking Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is a complex work of art in its own right and one of the great pieces of architecture of the 21st century. It’s also one of the world’s best contemporary art museums. Highlights include works by Andy Warhol, Anish Kapoor, Jeff Koons, Louise Bourgeois, and Eduardo Chillida.

MUSEO THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA, MADRID

Set in a palace on the Paseo del Prado, the Thyssen offers the opportunity to check a lot of important art off your bucket list as you explore European painting from the Middle Ages through the late 20th century.

MUSEO DEL PRADO, MADRID

The Prado is one of Spain’s largest and most visited museums and a highlight of a visit to Madrid. Wander through rooms filled with dazzling works by the great European masters, all housed in a magnificent neoclassical building that first opened more than 200 years ago.

CENTRO DE ARTE REINA SOFÍA, MADRID

The Reina Sofía is specifically dedicated to Spanish modern and contemporary art, with works by practically all the major Spanish artists of the 20th century—Picasso, Dalí, Miró, Julio González, Antoni Tàpies, Alfonso Ponce de León, and Antonio Saura. Picasso’s Guernica is the top attraction.

MUSEU PICASSO, BARCELONA

Five elegant medieval and early Renaissance palaces in Barcelona’s La Ribera house a collection of more than 4,000 works by Pablo Picasso, who studied at La Llotja art school. The collection focuses primarily on these formative years and includes pre-adolescent portraits and sketched landscapes.

MUSEO ARQUEOLÓGICO NACIONAL (NATIONAL ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM), MADRID

A modern showcase of ancient treasures, MAN went from hidden gem to one of Madrid’s top museums, home to one of the most outstanding archaeological collections in Europe.

Spain’s Best Beaches

CALA MACARELLA AND CALA MACARELLETA, MENORCA

These picture-perfect coves, situated alongside each other on the southwest coast of the island, offer impeccably clear waters, white beaches, and shallow, glimmering rock pools.

PLAYA LOS LANCES, TARIFA

Located where the Mediterranean and the Atlantic meet, Tarifa is ideal for kitesurfing and for spotting dolphins and whales. The main attraction is the 6-mile-long paradise of powdery white sand and the protected nature reserve.

PLAYA DE CORRALEJO, FUERTEVENTURA, CANARY ISLANDS

Incredibly popular with kitesurfers, all the Grandes Playas (or big beaches) of the Corralejo Natural Park offer pristine white powder sand and crystal-clear turquoise water.

BOGATELL, BARCELONA

Barceloneta may be the best known of Barcelona’s city beaches, but Bogatell is the beach of choice among locals in the know. Why? Not only is it less crowded than tourist-heavy Barceloneta, it is also cleaner and less popular with local pickpockets. The downside, meanwhile, is that it requires a slightly longer trek from the city center. It’s also home to one of Catalonia’s best-loved seafood restaurants, Xiringuito Escribà.

PLAYA LAS ARENAS, VALENCIA

Given that Las Arenas literally translates as the sands, it goes without saying that Valencia’s most famous beach has been blessed with some pristine golden powder. The water is calm and shallow, making it suitable for swimmers of all ages and abilities, as well as for windsurfing and other water sports. The wide, busy promenade that runs alongside the grand beach is packed with bars and restaurants.

LA CONCHA, SAN SEBASTIÁN

San Sebastián’s emblematic seashell-shaped La Concha ranks as one of the most famous urban beaches in the world. Sheltered from the elements by Monte Urgull on one side and Monte Igueldo on the other, and facing Isla de Santa Clara island across a short stretch of water, La Concha’s water is nearly always calm, making it an ideal spot for swimming, paddling, and sunbathing.

PLAYA DE LA RIBERA, SITGES

The dreamy seaside town of Sitges is located some 40 km (25 miles) down the coast from Barcelona and offers pristine, white powder sand and a lively scene.

EL PLAYAZO, COSTA DE ALMERIA

Few places in Europe remain as wild and unspoiled as Cabo de Gata, the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the southeastern corner of the Iberian Peninsula. Its wild, arid landscape is a mix of secluded rocky coves, jagged cliffs, and idyllic white sandy beaches.

PLAYA DE SES ILLETES, FORMENTERA

While every corner of Formentera screams exclusivity, the chicest spot of all is Playa de Ses Illetes, part of the Ses Salines National Park. The residents are pretty, too.

ISLAS CÍES, VIGO

One of the last unspoiled refuges of the Spanish coastline, these islands off the coast of Galicia in northernmost Spain are designated a nature conservation and wildlife site and home to seven beautiful beaches.

ES TRENC, MALLORCA

Popular with nudists and day-trippers, Es Trenc has excellent facilities and a variety of restaurants and beach bars and is an ideal spot to let it all hang out—if that’s what you’re into.

PLAYA DE LA VICTORIA, CÁDIZ

The most famous urban beach in the Andalusian city of Cádiz, Playa de la Victoria has a spacious, golden sand beach; a generous boardwalk with a seemingly infinite number of beach bars; and several popular beachfront hotels.

Spain’s Most Beautiful Villages

FORNELLS, MENORCA

For a guaranteed quiet escape, head to the northern fishing village of Fornells, whose whitewashed houses wrap around a picturesque marina. Dive by day, then make your way to one of the seafood restaurants for the daily catch.

CADAQUÉS, GIRONA

Dalí, Lorca, Duchamp, Buñuel, Picasso—Spain’s visionaries flocked to this whitewashed town on the Costa Brava for much the same reasons travelers continue to visit today: its laid-back, bohemian attitude; blindingly white houses; tiny harborside restaurants; and stupefyingly gorgeous sunsets.

CASARES, MÁLAGA

This quintessential Andalusian village—whitewashed houses and terra-cotta roofs—produced one of the region’s greatest thinkers and patriots, Blas Infante. Visit the museum in his childhood home, then wander up to the ruins of a Moorish castle.

SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LA LAGUNA

The UNESCO-protected center of San Cristóbal de La Laguna (simply La Laguna to locals) takes on a tropical feel with wide plazas, Baroque churches, and pastel-painted houses with carved-wood balconies. What La Laguna may lack in beaches (it’s 15 minutes from the coast) it makes up for with a student-driven nightlife scene, fascinating history (don’t miss the Museo de Historia de Tenerife), and immaculately preserved colonial architecture.

ALQUÉZAR, HUESCA

One of the best-preserved villages of the region of Aragón, sandwiched between Catalonia and Navarra, Alquézar spirals out like a nautilus from its central castillo. Start there and wind your way down to the base of the village through one-car-wide streets and arcaded plazas, pausing at the designated viewpoints to snap pics of the foothills of the Pyrenees.

FORNALUTX, MALLORCA

Overlooking a spectacular backdrop of the Tramuntana mountain range, this is one of Mallorca’s highest and most charming villages. The steep cobbled streets are lined with honey-hued stone buildings embellished with bright green shutters and colorful flowers.

CUDILLERO, ASTURIAS

Gravity-defying cliff-top houses? Check. Sleepy port surrounded by cafés and seafood restaurants? Check. Centuries-old churches and palaces? Also yes.

ALMAGRO, CIUDAD REAL

Drama geeks and literature buffs fawn over Almagro, whose Corral de Comedias is the only preserved medieval theater in Europe, founded in 1628. This quaint Manchegan town is known for its berenjenas de Almagro (pickled baby eggplant) best sampled at the tapas bars that line the green-and-white Plaza Mayor, a relic of the 1500s; near the plaza are granite mansions bearing the heraldic shields of their former owners and a splendid parador housed in a 17th-century convent.

BEGET, CATALONIA

Beget is nestled against a backdrop of forested mountains, all but hidden amid the lush green valleys of the Pyrenees. Medieval bridges span the river, which flows past the village’s historic stone houses and a Romanesque church. There’s all manner of hiking trails that start and finish here, best capped off with a vermut in the village plaza.

HONDARRIBIA, GIPUZKOA

Hondarribia is one of the Basque Country’s most charming towns, thanks to its white, green, and red fishermen’s homes and tree-shaded promenades. Wind your way down to the harbor on foot, and ferry over to the town of Hendaye. Then stay at the parador, housed in a medieval bastion.

What to Watch and Read Before You Go to Spain

HOMAGE TO CATALONIA BY GEORGE ORWELL

Orwell’s journals document his time at war in Catalonia, and his first-person narrative provides a view of war-torn Barcelona that today seems wholly foreign.

THE SHADOW OF THE WIND BY CARLOS RUIZ ZAFÓN

Daniel Sempere is 10 years old when his father, a bookseller in post–civil war Barcelona, takes him to a mysterious labyrinth filled with treasured but forgotten tomes and tells him to pick one that he will then dedicate his life to preserving. What follows is a tale of a young man who discovers a mysterious person—or perhaps creature—is destroying all remaining works of Julián Carax, the author whose book he now protects. The Shadow of the Wind’s story of life, death, and history may be fictional, but its setting in a war-torn Spain is forceful, and the fact that it’s sold more than 15 million copies hints at its compelling universe.

THE BEST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO A CROISSANT BY PABLO TUSSET

Pablo Baloo Miralles is the lazy, debaucherous scion of a well-to-do Spanish family. When his elder (and more accomplished) brother inexplicably disappears, Baloo suddenly finds himself pulled into the dealings of the family’s powerful financial firm, a turn of events that inspires him to try to locate his missing sibling. Within this satirical quasi-detective story is a modern-day tale about the city of Barcelona.

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS BY ERNEST HEMINGWAY

All the typical Hemingway elements are present in this fictional account of the Spanish Civil War: romance, bravado, glory, death, and tragedy. It’s an incredibly evocative slice of historical fiction that’s almost impossible to put down.

MARKS OF IDENTITY BY JUAN GOYTISOLO

A searing masterpiece from one of Spain’s greatest novelists and poets describes the return of an exile to Barcelona. Goytisolo comes to the conclusion that every man carries his own exile with him, wherever he lives. The narrator (Goytisolo) rejects Spain itself and searches instead for poetry. This is a shocking and influential work and an affirmation of the ability of the individual to survive political tyranny. Marks of Identity was banned in Spain until after Franco’s death.

MONSIGNOR QUIXOTE BY GRAHAM GREENE

This novel provides a wonderful journey through Spain in the company of Monsignor Quixote, an aging village priest, and his friend Sancho Panza, the communist ex-mayor. It’s a contemporary reimagining of Miguel Cervantes’s classic Don Quixote, set in Spain in the 1980s rather than the 1600s.

THE NEW SPANIARDS BY JOHN HOOPER

How was the transition from dictatorship to democracy accomplished so smoothly? How did a country noted for sexual repression find itself in the European vanguard in legalizing gay marriage? What’s the deal with the Spanish royal family? This fascinating study is considered one of the clearest insights into the sociology and culture of modern Spain.

¡AY CARMELA! DIRECTED BY CARLOS SAURA

This 1990 film portrays the ethical and personal dilemmas a group of nomadic comedians faces during the Spanish Civil War. The film features a scene where Carmela, played by Carmen Maura, tries to teach a Polish prisoner, an International Brigadist, how to pronounce the /ñ/ sound in the word España.

THE BEASTS (AS BESTAS) DIRECTED BY RODRIGO SOROGOYEN

A stark, deeply moving drama set deep in the Galician countryside, this award-winning 2022 film explores the claustrophobia and cruelty of rural life in Spain. The protagonists are a couple of French back-to-the-landers whose lives are unexpectedly upended by xenophobic neighbors out to make their lives a living hell.

ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER DIRECTED BY PEDRO ALMODÓVAR

After Manuela’s 17-year-old son Esteban is killed before her eyes, she decides to move to Barcelona in order to find his father, a transvestite named Lola who doesn’t know that Esteban exists. It’s a brilliantly directed tale which sensitively examines a variety of complex topics such as bereavement, addiction, gender identity, and the impact of HIV. It earned director Pedro Almodóvar the Best Director award at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2000.

PARALLEL MOTHERS DIRECTED BY PEDRO ALMODÓVAR

Penélope Cruz stars in this 2021 film set in Madrid that begins with a scene of two mothers giving birth. They don’t know each other, but soon they will—as Almodóvar expertly weaves their stories together and explores themes related to the Spanish Civil War.

BELLE EPOQUE DIRECTED BY FERNANDO TRUEBA

It’s 1931 and the Spanish monarchy is facing its final days. During this time of confusion and conflicting loyalties, Fernando, whose allegiance is to the republic, deserts from the army and goes on the run into the beautiful Spanish countryside. There he meets Manolo, a painter with the same political beliefs, and his four beautiful young daughters.

A GUN IN EACH HAND DIRECTED BY CESC GAY

Catalan director Cesc Gay recruited some top-notch Spanish actors and actresses for this comedy. Told through a series of vignettes, A Gun in Each Hand explores how changing gender roles in Spain affect modern relationships, how Spanish ideas about masculinity and relationships are evolving, and how that evolution can benefit women in Spain.

PAN’S LABYRINTH DIRECTED BY GUILLERMO DEL TORO

Set in the early years of Franco’s dictatorship, this film follows an imaginative kid, Ofelia, who moves with her pregnant mother to her future stepfather’s house. In her new home, she meets the faun, Pan, who tells her she might be the lost princess of an underground world. While she faces mythological creatures and terrifying beasts, rebellion is brewing in her stepfather’s military post.

THE SILENCE OF OTHERS DIRECTED BY ALMUDENA CARRACEDO AND ROBERT BAHAR

This heartrending 2019 documentary follows an elderly woman’s struggle to unearth her dead relatives, who were buried in a mass grave during the Spanish Civil War. Spain is second only to Cambodia in its number of mass graves, the result of an amnesty law put in place following Franco’s dictatorship.

History You Can See

ANCIENT SPAIN

The story of Spain, a romance-tinged tale of counts, caliphs, crusaders, and kings, begins long before written history. The Basques were among the first here, fiercely defending the green mountain valleys of the Pyrenees. Then came the Iberians, believed to have crossed the Mediterranean from North Africa around 3000 BC. The Celts arrived from the north about a thousand years later. The seafaring Phoenicians founded Gadir (now Cádiz) and several coastal cities in the south three millennia ago. The parade continued with the Greeks, who settled parts of the east coast, and then the Carthaginians, who founded Cartagena around 225 BC and dubbed the then-wild, forested, and game-rich country Ispania, after their word for rabbit: span.

What to See: Near Barcelona, on the Costa Brava, rocket yourself back almost 3,000 years at Ullastret, a settlement occupied by an Iberian people known as the Indiketas. On a tour, actors guide groups through the homes and fortifications of some of the peninsula’s earliest inhabitants, the defensive walls attesting to the constant threat of attack and the bits of pottery evidence of the settlement’s early ceramic industry. Not far away in Empúries are ruins of the Greek colony established in the 6th century BC. At the Museo de Cádiz in Andalusia, you can view sarcophagi dating back to the 1100 BC founding of the city.

In Madrid, the outstanding National Archaeological Museum displays more than 1 million years of artifacts unearthed in what is now Spain, from Paleolithic tools found in Madrid’s Manzanares River basin to 19th-century textiles and musical instruments.

THE ROMAN EPOCH

Modern civilization in Iberia began with the Romans, who expelled the Carthaginians and turned the peninsula into three imperial provinces. It took the Romans 200 years to subdue the fiercely resisting Iberians, but their influence is seen today in the fortifications, amphitheaters, aqueducts, and other ruins in cities across Spain, as well as in the country’s legal system and in the Latin base of Spain’s Romance languages and dialects.

What to See: Segovia’s nearly 3,000-foot-long Acueducto Romano is a marvel of Roman engineering. Mérida’s Roman ruins are some of Spain’s finest, including its bridge, theater, and outdoor amphitheater. Tarragona was Rome’s most important city in Catalonia, as the walls, circus, and amphitheater bear witness, while Zaragoza boasts a Roman amphitheater and a Roman fluvial port that dispatched flat-bottom riverboats loaded with wine and olive oil down the Ebro.

THE VISIGOTHS AND MOORS

In the early 5th century, invading tribes crossed the Pyrenees to attack the weakening Roman Empire. The Visigoths became the dominant force in central and northern Spain by AD 419, establishing their kingdom at Toledo and eventually adopting Christianity. But the Visigoths, too, were to fall before a wave of invaders. The Moors, an Arab-led Berber force, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar in AD 711 and swept through Spain in an astonishingly short time, launching almost eight centuries of Muslim rule. The Moorish architecture and Mudejar Moorish-inspired Gothic decorative details found throughout most of Spain tell much about the splendor of the Islamic culture that flourished here.

What to See: Moorish culture is most spectacularly evident in Andalusia, derived from the Arabic name for the Moorish reign on the Iberian Peninsula, al-Andalus, which meant western lands. The fairy-tale Alhambra palace overlooking Granada captures the refinement of the Moorish aesthetic, while the earlier 9th-century Mezquita at Córdoba bears witness to the power of Islam in al-Andalus.

SPAIN’S GOLDEN AGE

By 1085, Alfonso VI of Castile had captured Toledo, giving the Christians a firm grip on the north. In the 13th century, Valencia, Seville, and finally Córdoba—the capital of the Muslim caliphate in Spain—fell to Christian forces, leaving only Granada in Moorish hands. Nearly 200 years later, the so-called Catholic Monarchs—Ferdinand of Aragón and Isabella of Castile—were joined in a marriage that would change the world. Finally, on January 2, 1492—244 years after the fall of Córdoba—Granada surrendered and the Moorish reign was over.

The year 1492 was the beginning of the nation’s political golden age: Christian forces conquered Granada and unified all of present-day Spain as a single kingdom; in what was, at the time, viewed as a measure promoting national unity, Jews and Muslims who did not convert to Christianity were expelled from the country. The departure of educated Muslims and Jews was a blow to the nation’s agriculture, science, and economy from which it would take nearly 500 years to recover. The Catholic Monarchs and their centralizing successors maintained Spain’s unity, but they sacrificed the spirit of international free trade that was bringing prosperity to other parts of Europe. Carlos V weakened Spain with his penchant for waging war, and his son, Felipe II, followed in the same expensive path, defeating the Turks in 1571 but losing the Invincible Spanish Armada in the English Channel in 1588.

What to See: Commemorate Columbus’s voyage to America in Seville, Huelva, Granada, Cádiz, and Barcelona, all of which display venues where the Discoverer was commissioned, was confirmed, set out from, returned to, or was buried. Wander through the somber Escorial, a monastery northwest of Madrid commissioned by Felipe II in 1557 and finished in 1584, the final resting place of most of the Habsburg and Bourbon kings of Spain ever since.

WAR OF THE SPANISH SUCCESSION

The War of the Spanish Succession (1700–14) ended with the fall of Barcelona, which sided with the Habsburg Archduke Carlos against the Bourbon Prince Felipe V. El Born market, completed in 1876, covered the buried remains of the Ribera neighborhood, where the decisive battle took place. Ribera citizens were required to tear down a thousand houses to clear space for the Ciutadella fortress, from which fields of fire were directed, quite naturally, toward the city the Spanish and French forces had taken a year to subdue. The leveled neighborhood, then about a third of Barcelona, was plowed under and forgotten by the victors, though never by Barcelonians.

What to See: In Barcelona, the Fossar de les Moreres cemetery, next to the Santa María del Mar basilica, remains a powerful symbol for Catalan nationalists who gather there every September 11, Catalonia’s National Day, to commemorate the fall of the city in 1714.

SPANISH CIVIL WAR

Spain’s early-19th-century War of Independence required five years of bitter guerrilla fighting to rid the peninsula of Napoleonic troops. Later, the Carlist wars set the stage for the Spanish Civil War (1936–39), which claimed more than half a million lives. Intellectuals and leftists sympathized with the elected government; the International Brigades, with many American, British, and Canadian volunteers, took part in some of the worst fighting, including the storied defense of Madrid. But General Francisco Franco, backed by the Catholic Church, got far more help from Nazi Germany, whose Condor legions destroyed the Basque town of Gernika (in a horror made infamous by Picasso’s monumental painting Guernica), and from Fascist Italy. For three years, European governments stood by as Franco’s armies ground their way to victory. After the fall of Barcelona in January 1939, the Republican cause became hopeless. Franco’s Nationalist forces entered Madrid on March 27, 1939, and thus began nearly 40 years of dictatorship under Franco. This dark period in recent Spanish history ended on November 20, 1975, when Franco died.

What to See: Snap a shot of Madrid’s Plaza Dos de Mayo, in the Malasaña neighborhood, where officers Daoiz and Velarde held their ground against the superior French forces at the start of the popular uprising against Napoléon. The archway in the square is all that remains of the armory Daoiz and Velarde defended to the death. Trace the shrapnel marks on the wall of the Sant Felip Neri church in Barcelona, evidence of the 1938 bombing of the city by Italian warplanes under Franco’s orders. East of Zaragoza, Belchite was the scene of bloody fighting during the decisive Battle of the Ebro. The town has been left exactly as it appeared on September 7, 1937, the day the battle ended.

RETURN TO DEMOCRACY

After Franco’s death, Spain began the complex process of national reconciliation and a return to democracy. Despite opposition from radical right-wing factions and an attempted coup d’état in February 1981, Spain celebrated the first general elections for 40 years in 1977 and approved a democratic constitution in 1978.

Chapter 2. TRAVEL SMART

Know Before You Go

Should you tip? When can you eat? Do you need to plan ahead for the major attractions or can you just show up? We’ve got answers and a few tips to help you make the most of your visit to this beautiful country.

CATALAN CULTURE IS STRONG

Before the rise of modern-day Spain there was Aragon, a kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula whose territories included the regions we know as Catalonia and Aragon, as well as Roussillon, a part of southern France. The Catalan people and their culture are tenacious, and Barcelona—the capital of Catalonia—remains strongly Catalan. This means that you’ll see signage printed in both Spanish and Catalan and will also hear Catalan being spoken. The wealthy Catalan region has about 7.5 million people, with their own language, parliament, flag, and anthem. While you won’t be expected to learn the language, it’s a sign of respect to learn at least a few Catalan words. (Speaking of regional differences, in the Spanish south, the culture and architecture was strongly influenced by the Moors, the name given to Spain’s Muslim population who came across the Straight of Gibraltar from northern Africa.)

A SLOWER WAY OF LIFE

Spanish life has a slower rhythm than you may be accustomed to. Meals are later (lunch starts at around 2 and dinner at around 10 or 11) and are languorous experiences that last for hours. Sundays are especially slow, especially in smaller towns (and in the off season) where many stores and some restaurants are closed for the day. Stores and restaurants keep familiar hours in tourist-centric areas, and while it’s unlikely that you’ll be refused service if you want to eat lunch at noon, you’ll definitely stand out as a tourist. As for the fabled afternoon siesta, while it does still exist in some more rural communities, in cities like Barcelona and Madrid, it really just takes the form of a long, leisurely lunch.

SPAIN IS GAY FRIENDLY

While it’s true that Spain is Catholic-majority and generally takes religion quite seriously, this country also legalized gay marriage in 2005, a full decade before the United States. While Spain as a whole is generally tolerant, specific areas have also built international reputations for being welcoming to gay travelers and have gay-friendly beaches, restaurants, and nightclubs, and hold yearly Pride parades. Some particularly welcoming destinations are the capital city Madrid, which is said to be one of the most LGBT-friendly cities in all of Europe, the seaside resort town of Sitges, Barcelona, Maspalomas in the resort area of Gran Canaria, and parts of the bass-thumping club island Ibiza.

BOOK AHEAD

There are a few major attractions in Spain that rank high on most traveler bucket lists, and if you are hoping to check some of the world’s top attractions off your list, too, you’ll need to plan ahead. For big-ticket sights like the Alhambra, the Sagrada Família, Park Güell, and the Picasso Museum, book tickets before you arrive. Otherwise, lines can be long, and there is no guarantee that tickets will be available when you visit, especially at peak times. Booking in advance gives you an allocated time (there is zero flexibility with this at most attractions, so be sure to arrive on time).

THE RAIN IN SPAIN…

Everyone knows the saying the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain, thanks to Eliza Doolittle’s elocution exercise in My Fair Lady. While you may have sung along as Professor Higgins asked excitedly, Where does it rain? It turns out the rain in Spain doesn’t really fall or stay upon the plain at all. On the contrary, it favors the country’s rocky, steep northwestern corner, Galicia, and the rainiest spot of all is Grazalema in Cádiz province in Andalusia.

PACK FOR A VARIED CLIMATE AND TERRAIN

If you’re planning to travel across different regions of Spain, keep in mind that the landscape and climate can change rather dramatically. While Catalonia and Aragon are rolling, arid, and quite dry, Basque Country has generally mild temperatures but significant rainfall, even during the drier months, and southern cities like Seville have a dry Mediterranean climate that can get quite hot during the day. Spain also has placid beaches, coastal plains, tropical islands, and the dramatic Pyrenees mountain range. You’ll need to pack accordingly if you will be in more than one climate zone.

SKIP THE PLANE AND TAKE A TRAIN

Flights from one region of Spain to another are cheap and easy, but don’t discount the country’s high-speed rail network. It’s fast, comfortable, and a great way to get from city to city. You can get from Madrid to Seville in 2 hours and 23 minutes without any of the hassles or stresses of air travel. Also, did we mention that you can bring food and alcohol on board with you?

WINE IS INEXPENSIVE

Spain is the third largest producer of wine in the world, after France and Italy, and almost half the wine (in a normal vintage) production is sold at low prices—like 5 to 10 euros a bottle. It’s key to a fun and frugal vacation to know that just because this wine is inexpensive, it doesn’t mean it’s cheap.

DON’T JUST EAT PAELLA

Delicious as it is, there’s a lot more to Spanish cuisine than paella. As with any country, Spanish recipes are strongly influenced by culture, tradition, and environment. In northwestern Basque Country, the name of the game is pintxos (pronounced pinchos), which is that region’s version of tapas—numerous little bites, often on a toothpick, eaten alongside beer or wine. Vegetables are the main attraction in the Navarra region: look for Lodosa piquillo peppers, Tudela artichokes, and white asparagus. On the western border where Spain meets Portugal, the greatest treasure is jamón ibérico, thinly sliced cured ham made from pigs fattened up on foraged acorns. In the Andalusian south—where they were invented—tapas reign supreme. Think about the region you’re in before you order. If you’re on the coast, fish is the way to go. If you’re inland, consider a dish made with meat.

GO TO THE BEACH

While most of Europe visits Spain for their beach holidays, the rest of the world is more interested in Spain’s vibrant cities, culture, and history. But if you find yourself on one of Spain’s gorgeous beaches, you’ll wonder why people don’t visit for the beaches alone. Spain has a great many seaside towns that offer a range of popular and less-traveled stretches of sand. Even major coastal cities like Barcelona have beaches. If you’re looking for something truly special though, head to the Canary Islands, which are famous for their soft sands and clear, azure waters.

TIPPING ISN’T MANDATORY (MOST OF THE TIME)

Thanks to decent worker protections, Spanish servers earn a living wage and don’t depend on tips to survive. That said, it is customary in a casual restaurant to round up your bill and leave the change, but it isn’t expected or required. If you eat in a formal restaurant, there is an expectation that you’ll tip, but the maximum is still only 10%.

Getting Here and Around

d Air

Flying time from New York to Madrid is about seven hours; from London, it’s just over two hours.

Regular nonstop flights serve Spain from many major cities in the eastern United States; flying from other North American cities usually involves a stop. If you’re coming from North America and want to land in a city other than Madrid or Barcelona, consider flying a European carrier.

The Visit Europe from oneworld (which includes American Airlines, Iberia, and British Airways among others) is the most useful aviation pass for Spain. It is available only to residents of countries outside Europe and must be booked before departure with a Oneworld member airline. The pass gives you access to 200 destinations in 50 countries in Europe and North Africa. It’s available as an add-on to an international flight to Europe booked with any of the airlines in the Oneworld alliance, and is accepted for as long as the international ticket is valid. You must buy a minimum of two coupons for flights within Europe, but there’s no maximum.

A number of low-cost carriers operate from the United Kingdom to Spain such as Vueling (wwww.vueling.com) and Jet2 (wwww.jet2.com). They provide competition to the market’s main players, easyJet (wwww.easyjet.com) and Ryanair (wwww.ryanair.com). All these carriers offer frequent flights, cover small cities as well as large ones, and have very competitive fares.

AIRPORTS

Most flights from North America land in, or pass through, Madrid’s Barajas Airport (MAD). The other major gateway is Barcelona’s Prat de Llobregat (BCN). From the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe, regular flights also touch down in Málaga (AGP), Alicante (ALC), Palma de Mallorca (PMI), and many other smaller cities.

FLIGHTS

From North America, Air Europa flies to Madrid and Barcelona; American Airlines, part of the Oneworld Alliance, and Iberia fly to Madrid and Barcelona; Delta flies direct to Madrid only. Note that some of these airlines use shared facilities and do not operate their own flights. Within Spain, Iberia is the main domestic airline and also operates low-cost flights through its budget airlines Iberia Express and Vueling. Air Europa and Ryanair both offer inexpensive flights on most domestic routes. The earlier before your travel date you purchase the ticket, the more bargains you’re likely to find. Air Europa, Iberia Express, Vueling, and Ryanair also have flights from Spain to other destinations in Europe.

Iberia runs a shuttle, the Puente Áereo, offering flights just over an hour long between Madrid and Barcelona, every 30 minutes (more often during peak travel times) 6:45 am–9:45 pm. You don’t need to reserve; you can buy your tickets at the airport ticket counter upon arriving or book online at wwww.iberia.com/es/air-shuttle. Passengers can also use the self-service check-in counters to avoid the line. Puente Áereo departs from Terminal T1 in Barcelona; in Madrid, the shuttle departs from Terminal 4.

e Boat

Regular car ferries connect the United Kingdom with northern Spain. Brittany Ferries sails from Plymouth to Santander, and from Portsmouth to Santander and Bilbao. Naviera Armas, Baleària, and Trasmed connect mainland Spain to the Balearic and Canary islands. Trasmed also runs inter-island services in the Balearics.

Direct ferries from Spain to Tangier leave daily from Tarifa and Algeciras on FRS, Inter Shipping, and Naviera Armas. Otherwise, you can take your car either to Ceuta (via Algeciras, on Baleària) or Melilla (via Málaga, on Trasmediterránea)—two Spanish enclaves on the North African coast—and then move on to Morocco.

j Bus

You can travel to Spain on modern buses (Eurolines/National Express, for example) from major European cities, including London, Paris, Rome, Frankfurt, and Prague. Although it may once have been the case that international bus travel was significantly cheaper than air travel, budget airlines have changed the equation. For perhaps a little more money and a large saving of travel hours, flying is increasingly the better option.

Within Spain, a number of private companies provides bus service, ranging from knee-crunchingly basic to luxurious. Fares are almost always lower than the corresponding train fares, and service covers more towns, though buses are less frequent on weekends. Smaller towns don’t usually have a central bus depot, so ask the tourist office where to wait for the bus. Spain’s major national long-haul bus line is ALSA.

Most of Spain’s larger companies have buses with comfortable seats and adequate legroom; on longer journeys (two hours or longer), a movie is shown on board, and earphones are provided. Except on smaller regional lines, all buses have bathrooms on board; most long-haul buses also usually stop at least once every two to three hours for a snack and bathroom break. Smoking is prohibited on board.

ALSA has four luxury classes in addition to its regular seating. Premium, available on limited routes from Madrid, includes a number of services such as à la carte meals and a private waiting room, while Supra+ and Supra Economy include roomy leather seats and onboard meals. You also have the option of asientos individuales, individual seats (with no other seat on either side) that line one side of the bus. The last class is Eurobus, with a private waiting room, comfortable seats, and plenty of legroom. The Supra+ and Eurobus usually cost, respectively, up to one-third and one-fourth more than the regular seats.

If you plan to return to your initial destination, you can save by buying a round-trip ticket. Also, some of Spain’s smaller regional bus lines offer multi-trip passes, which are worthwhile if you plan to move back and forth between two fixed destinations within the region. Generally, these tickets offer savings of 20% per journey; you can buy them at the station. The general rule for children over 3 is that if they occupy a seat, they pay full fare. Check the bus websites for ofertas (special offers).

At bus station ticket counters, most major credit cards (except American Express) are accepted. If you buy your ticket on the bus, it’s cash only.

During peak travel times (Easter, August, and Christmas), it’s a good idea to make a reservation at least a week in advance.

k Car

Your own driver’s license is valid in Spain, but U.S. citizens are highly encouraged to obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP). The IDP may facilitate car rental and help you avoid traffic fines—it translates your state-issued driver’s license into 10 languages so officials can easily interpret the information on it. Permits are available from the American Automobile Association.

Driving is the best way to see Spain’s rural areas. The main cities are connected by a network of excellent four-lane divided highways (autovías and autopistas), which are designated by the letter A and have speed limits—depending on the area—of 80 kph (50 mph)–120 kph (75 mph). If the artery is a toll highway (peaje), it is designated AP. The letter N indicates a carretera nacional: a national or intercity route, with local traffic, which may have four or two lanes. Smaller towns and villages are connected by a network of secondary roads maintained by regional, provincial, and local governments, with an alphabet soup of different letter designations.

Spain’s network of roads and highways is essentially well maintained and well marked, but bears a lot of traffic, especially during the vacation season and long holiday weekends. Crackdown campaigns on speeding have reduced what used to be a ghastly annual death toll on the roads—but you still need to drive defensively. Be prepared, too, for heavy truck traffic on national routes, which, in the case of two-lane roads, can have you creeping along for hours.

RENTAL CARS

Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, and Hertz have branches at major Spanish airports and in large cities. Smaller regional companies and wholesalers offer lower rates. In general, the earlier you book, the less you pay. Rates run as low as €15 per day, taxes included. All agencies have a range of models, but virtually all cars in Spain have manual transmission. Rates in Madrid begin at the equivalents of $60 per day and $190 per week for an economy car with air-conditioning, manual transmission, and unlimited mileage, including 21% tax. A small car is cheaper and prudent for the tiny roads and parking spaces in many parts of Spain.

Anyone age 18 or older with a valid license can drive in Spain, but rental agencies require a minimum driver age of 21 and most rental agencies will not rent cars to drivers under 23.

ROAD CONDITIONS

Spain’s highway system includes some 6,000 km (3,600 miles) of well-maintained superhighways. Still, you’ll find some stretches of major national highways that are only two lanes wide, where traffic often backs up behind trucks. Autopista tolls are steep, but as a result these highways are often less crowded than the free ones. If you’re driving down through Catalonia, be aware that there are more tolls here than anywhere else in Spain. This can result in a quicker journey, but at a sizable cost. If you spring for the autopistas, you’ll find that many of the rest stops are nicely landscaped and have cafeterias with decent but overpriced food.

Most Spanish cities have notoriously long morning and evening rush hours. Traffic jams are especially bad in and around Barcelona, Madrid, and Seville. If possible, avoid the morning rush, which can last until noon, and the evening rush, which lasts 7–9. Also be aware that at the beginning, middle, and end of July and August, the country suffers its worst traffic jams (delays of six to eight hours are common) as millions of Spaniards embark on, or return from, their annual vacations.

ROADSIDE EMERGENCIES

Rental agencies Hertz and Avis have (optional) 24-hour breakdown service. If you belong to AAA, you can get emergency assistance from the Spanish counterpart, RACE.

RULES OF THE ROAD

Spaniards drive on the right and pass on the left, so stay in the right-hand lane when not passing. Children under 12 may not ride in the front seat, and seat belts are compulsory for both front- and backseat riders. Speed limits are 30 kph (19 mph) or 50 kph (31 mph) in cities, depending on the type of street, 90 kph (59 mph) or 100 kph (62 mph) on national highways, 120 kph (75 mph) on the autopista or autovía. The use of cell phones by drivers, even on the side of the road, is illegal, except with completely hands-free devices.

Severe fines are enforced throughout Spain for driving under the influence of alcohol. Spot Breathalyzer checks are often carried out, and you will be cited if the level of alcohol in your bloodstream is found to be 0.05% or above.

Spanish highway police are increasingly vigilant about speeding and illegal passing. Police are empowered to demand payment on the spot from non-Spanish drivers. Police disproportionately target rental-car drivers for speeding and illegal passing, so play it safe.

q Train

The chart below has information about popular train routes. Prices are for one-way fares (depending on seating and where purchased) and subject to change.

International trains run from Madrid to Lisbon (10 hours 30 minutes, overnight) and Barcelona to Paris (6 hours 40 minutes).

Spain’s wonderful high-speed train, the 290-kph (180-mph) AVE, travels between Madrid and Seville (with a stop in Córdoba) in 2½ hours; prices start at about €48 each way. It also serves the Madrid–Barcelona route, cutting travel time to just 2½ hours. From Madrid you can also reach Lleida, Huesca (one AVE train daily), Valencia, Málaga, Toledo, and Valladolid.

In early 2023, three so-called ‘low-cost’ companies offer tariffs based on demand on AVE train services. Tickets at less popular times (e.g. midday, last thing, or midweek) are up to 75% cheaper in all three classes: Básico, Elige, and Premium. Avlo (w avlorenfe.com), run by RENFE, has routes between Madrid and Barcelona, Córdoba, Málaga, Seville and Valencia, with other connections due by the end of the year. Tickets cost from €7. Iryo (w iryo.eu) runs services between Madrid and Alicante, Barcelona, Córdoba, Málaga, Seville, Valencia and Zaragoza, with tickets costing from €18. Ouigo (wouigo.com), run by the French SNCF, offers services between Madrid and Barcelona, Córdoba and Seville, with other connections due in April 2024. Tickets cost from €15.

The fast Alvia service is also efficient, but other elements of the rail system are still a bit subpar by European standards, and some long-distance trips with multiple stops can be tediously slow. Although some overnight trains have comfortable sleeper cars, first-class fares that include a sleeping compartment are comparable to, or more expensive than, airfares.

Most Spaniards buy train tickets in advance online or at the train station’s taquilla (ticket office). The lines can be long, so give yourself plenty of time. For popular train routes, you will need to reserve tickets more than a few days in advance and pick them up at least a day before traveling. The ticket clerks at the stations rarely speak English, so if you need help or advice in planning a more complex train journey, you may be better off going to a travel agency that displays the blue-and-yellow RENFE sign. A small commission (e.g., €2.50) should be expected. For shorter, regional train trips, you can often buy your tickets from machines in the train station. Note that you must provide your full name and identity details (e.g. passport number) for all AVE tickets.

You can use a credit card for train tickets at most city train stations, but in smaller towns and villages it may be cash only. Seat reservations are required on most long-distance and some other trains, particularly high-speed trains, and are wise on any train that might be crowded. You need a reservation if you want a sleeping berth.

Train Travel Times

The easiest way to make reservations is to go to the English version of the RENFE website (click Welcome on the top line) or use the RenfeTicket smartphone app (to buy tickets using the app, you need to register and to have bought a RENFE ticket with your credit card). Book early if you’re traveling during Holy Week, on long holiday weekends, or in July and August. (The site allows you to make reservations up to 62 days in advance, which is important in qualifying for online purchase discounts.)

Caveats: You cannot buy tickets online for certain regional lines or for commuter lines (cercanías). Station agents cannot alter your reservations; you must do this yourself online. Some ticket types, e.g. Básico for the AVE, allow no