Visas & entry
Spain is in the Schengen Area: EU/EEA/Swiss citizens can enter freely; travellers from the US, Canada, UK, Australia and many other visa-waiver countries can generally visit for up to 90 days in any 180-day Schengen period. Passport-validity requirements and any ETIAS requirement can change, so verify with Spain’s consulate or official EU travel portal before booking.
Getting in
- Madrid–Barajas: The best all-round intercontinental gateway and Spain’s dominant rail hub. Use it for Madrid, central Spain, Andalusia, Valencia and most multi-region mainland trips; allow generous time for self-transfers between its spread-out terminals.
- Barcelona–El Prat: The natural arrival airport for Barcelona, Catalonia and the northeast. It works well for an open-jaw mainland trip ending or beginning in Madrid, but it is not a shortcut to Andalusia.
- Málaga–Costa del Sol: A practical direct gateway for Andalusia’s coast, Seville/Granada combinations and resort stays. It is especially useful on European routes, though inland transfers still take time.
- Palma de Mallorca: The main gateway for Mallorca and the Balearics, with extensive seasonal European flights. Treat the islands as their own trip rather than a quick add-on to a short mainland itinerary.
- Tenerife South: A major Canary Islands gateway for winter-sun travellers, with strong European connections. Use it for Tenerife and onward island hops; the Canaries are geographically and logistically separate from mainland Spain.
Getting around
High-speed rail is excellent on the Madrid spokes: Madrid–Barcelona, Madrid–Valencia, and Madrid–Seville/Málaga are the easy country-crossing moves. It is much less magical between coastal regions, where routes can detour through Madrid or take longer than the map suggests; compare rail with a domestic flight for long south-to-east jumps. Rent a car for Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, rural Andalusia and the islands, but not for Madrid, Barcelona, central Seville or Palma, where parking and restricted streets are a nuisance.
Money
Spain uses the euro (€). Cards and contactless payment are routine in cities, but carry some cash for small bars, markets, rural areas and occasional minimum-spend situations; tipping is modest, not American-style—round up or leave roughly 5–10% for notably good table service.
Daily budget · EUR (€)
- Value
- €65–110
- Mid-range
- €145–230
- High-end
- €350+
- Per-person daily bands exclude international flights and assume two people sharing a room; solo travelers should budget noticeably more for accommodation.
- Value: hostel bed or basic pension, bakery/market breakfasts, menú del día lunches, tapas bars, regional buses or advance-booked trains, and selective paid sights.
- Comfortable mid-range: a good three- or four-star/boutique room shared, restaurant meals, advance-booked high-speed rail, museums, and a few tours or taxis.
- High-end: polished four- or five-star hotels, tasting menus, premium rooms in Barcelona, Madrid, San Sebastián or the islands, private guides/drivers, car hire, and peak-season beach properties.
- Barcelona, Madrid, San Sebastián, Mallorca/Ibiza, and the Costa del Sol in summer can exceed these ranges substantially. Inland Andalusia and secondary cities can cost materially less.
- Hotels are the biggest cost lever; summer dates, islands, late-booked high-speed rail, rental cars, football weekends, and major festivals are the other common budget breakers. Budget toward the upper end for Barcelona or August travel nationwide where resorts are involved.
Eating well
- Breakfast is usually light: coffee with toast, tomato-rubbed bread, pastry or churros.
- Lunch commonly runs from about 2 to 3:30 p.m.; dinner at 9 to 10:30 p.m. is normal, especially in cities and summer.
- A weekday menú del día is one of Spain’s best-value meals and is usually substantial.
- Have vermouth before lunch; order raciones to share, or move between bars for a proper tapas or pintxos crawl.
- Do not assume tapas are free: they may come with a drink in Granada and parts of Andalusia, but expect to pay in Barcelona, Madrid and San Sebastián.
- In San Sebastián, combine casual counter eating in the old town with one serious meal booked ahead if food is a priority.
Book before you land
Alhambra and Generalife, Granada · Sagrada Família, Barcelona · Park Güell monument zone, Barcelona · Royal Alcázar of Seville · Top San Sebastián tasting-menu restaurants or sought-after Michelin tables
- Book long-distance Renfe and competing high-speed services once dates are firm: late fares can be much higher, especially on Fridays, Sundays, holidays and festival periods.
- Spain runs late: lunch is commonly 2–3:30 p.m. and dinner 9–10:30 p.m. Tourist-area restaurants may serve earlier, but the better local rhythm often does not.
- Do not build a short trip around six cities. Madrid is the rail hub, but every hotel change and station transfer eats more time than a timetable implies.
- Barcelona’s central tourist zones, stations and airport links require normal big-city anti-theft habits: keep phones and wallets secured, and do not leave bags unattended.
- Summer heat in inland Andalusia, Extremadura and central Spain can be genuinely punishing. Sightsee early and late, reserve the middle of the day for museums or rest, and do not treat July–August as merely ‘warm.’
- Semana Santa and Seville’s Feria de Abril, plus San Fermín in Pamplona, radically change prices, availability and street access. Book far ahead if attending; avoid the dates if you want an easy, inexpensive city break.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this country.
Season by season
March–May
Spain’s best all-purpose season: April–May suits Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Andalusia and much of the north, with comfortable walking weather, green landscapes and lively terraces before the heat arrives.
first mainland tripsAndalusiacity-and-food itinerariesroad trips and walking
Semana Santa can make Seville, Málaga and other historic cities exceptionally crowded and expensive; Feria de Abril makes Seville a poor choice for a spontaneous or cheap visit.
June–August
The Atlantic north—Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia—stays cooler, greener and wetter, while the Balearics are at beach peak; inland Andalusia, Extremadura and central Spain can be fiercely hot.
northern coast and Basque Countrymountains and hikingBalearic beach tripslate-night city life
July and August bring Spain’s highest prices and crowds, especially in Barcelona, Mallorca, Ibiza, the Costa del Sol and resort towns; plan museum time around the midday heat in the south.
September–November
September still delivers Mediterranean beach weather, while Madrid, Barcelona and Andalusia become comfortable again; October is often the strongest month for a broad mainland trip, with warm days and harvest season.
first mainland tripsMediterranean swimming in Septemberfood and wine travelAndalusia without summer heat
November has shorter days and increasing rain in the north, making it better for museums and eating than dependable beach time.
December–February
Madrid and the interior can be cold, the north is often wet, and Andalusian cities are mild but chilly after dark; the Canary Islands are Spain’s reliable winter-sun option.
Canary Islandsmuseum-focused city breaksskiing and mountain snowquieter urban travel
Christmas, New Year and Epiphany bring domestic travel, altered hours and some family closures; reserve holiday-date accommodation and restaurant meals ahead.
Events worth planning around
Semana Santa · Usually March or April; dates vary with Easter. · Most consequential in Seville, Málaga and historic cities across Andalusia.
Processions are spectacular, but central rooms, trains and restaurants sell out or become expensive; expect crowds and restricted access in old centers.
Feria de Abril · Usually April or early May, shortly after Semana Santa; dates vary. · Seville.
A major cultural event, but hotel prices jump and spontaneous dining or accommodation becomes difficult; book well ahead or choose another date.
San Fermín · Around 7 July each year. · Pamplona.
It transforms the city: rooms become scarce, prices surge and normal sightseeing is overwhelmed. Book far ahead or avoid Pamplona during the festival.
Christmas, New Year and Epiphany · Late December to 6 January. · Nationwide, especially major cities and family destinations.
Domestic travel raises accommodation demand, while holiday hours and family closures can complicate dining and sightseeing; reserve key dates in advance.
What to eat
Treat Spain as a set of regional cuisines, not a tapas theme park: order the local specialty where it belongs, from Atlantic shellfish and Basque pintxos to Valencian rice and Andalusian frying. Make lunch the main meal when possible, eat rice at lunch rather than late at night, and use bars for a crawl of shared raciones rather than one oversized tourist “tapas dinner.”
Paella valencianaPintxosJamón ibéricoGazpacho and salmorejoAtlantic shellfishPulpo á feiraCocido madrileñoPa amb tomàquetMenú del díaSherry from Jerez
Madrid and Castile: Cocido madrileño · Callos · Roast suckling pig in Segovia · Roast lamb around Aranda de Duero · Manchego cheese
Catalonia and Barcelona: Pa amb tomàquet · Escalivada · Botifarra · Calçots in late winter and spring · Crema catalana and Penedès cava
Valencia: Paella valenciana with chicken, rabbit and local beans · Seafood rice · Rice dishes near the Albufera or at serious Valencian rice restaurants
Andalusia: Jamón ibérico · Gazpacho · Salmorejo · Fried fish and grilled seafood · Córdoba oxtail and Jerez sherry
Seville: Spinach with chickpeas · Serranito sandwiches · Seasonal produce and regional tapas
Basque Country: Pintxos · Salt cod · Grilled turbot · Txuleta steak · Anchovies, Idiazabal cheese and cider
Galicia: Percebes · Oysters, clams and mussels · Pulpo á feira · Empanada · Tetilla cheese and Albariño
Asturias and Cantabria: Fabada · Cider poured from height · Cabrales cheese