Spain is one of the most visited country in the world, each one of its region has its own culture that you can immerse yourself in. Delicious paellas, beautiful beaches, amazing architecture, and scenic coastline, are just a few things that will make you want to visit Spain.
5 Top Places To Visit In Spain
1. Madrid
Madrid is the capital of Spain, and it is a city filled with lively street life, delicious food, and much more. Madrid is rich with its culture and even though it doesn’t have beaches like Barcelona, it is still worth a visit. I’ve lived in Madrid for almost a year and it is a must visit, you will find a lot of different things to do, and you will get to enjoy the life of the Madrileños.
The best & easiest way to reach Madrid is by plane since it has an international airport, Adolfo-Suárez Madrid Barajas Airport, since it is a large international airport, you will be able to find a lot of flights depending on where you are. You can find cheap flights on WayAway. Also, if you are in Europe, you can easily find train and buses through Omio, FlixBus, and Kiwi.com.
To move from the airport to the city or to your accommodation, it is pretty easy and straightforward since the metro is connected to the airport, after claiming your baggage, simple follow the metro sign at the airport and from there you will find ticket machines to get your ticket.
Madrid is actually a pedestrian friendly city, and it is not an extremely large city, so you can definitely explore most place on foot, but you can use public transport, and it is actually easy and good. I lived in Madrid for a year and it has one of the best public transport in Europe, it is convenient and easy to use, so you won’t get lost and you will be able to move from one place to another easily using the metro or even the bus.
Madrid weather is actually pretty contrast since the winters are really cold and the summers are really hot and dry. People who live in Madrid tend to go to the coast during the summer, so try to avoid that time because the heat is unbearable, and because of this, the city becomes quiet and also most places might be closed such as restaurants. The best time to visit Madrid would be during spring or in September and October. If you’re okay with the cold, Christmas will be a great time for you to visit, as you will get to see the Madrid lights and the Christmas Markets during that time.
There are a lot of amazing neighbourhoods in Madrid, my favourite is Lavapies since it is multicultural and lively. You will find a lot of different options which will suit your budget no matter what it is. Most people tend to stay in Salamanca since it is the central area but it is a little expensive.
You can book your accommodation through Booking.com, which is the one I use the most, or if you wan to stay in a hostel you can book through HostelWorld. You can also use Agoda, Trivago, or Vrbo to book your accommodations. I know most people have a favourite website or app to use, so just choose what you prefer best.
2. Barcelona
Most people think about Barcelona when speaking about Spain, and it is definitely a must visit when in Spain. The city life in Barcelona is great, and the architecture is just mesmerising. A 3-4 days trip to Barcelona should be good to explore. Barcelona–El Prat Airport is an international airport, so you can easily get there depending on where you are.
Similar to Madrid, Barcelona is easy to move around since the public transport is also good. The buses and the metros are well connected, and you can also buy a 10 trip ticket when at a metro station, which is the best option.
The best time to visit Barcelona would be April, May, September, and October. The weather is great during that time and you can enjoy your time there. To escape the crowd and avoid high-season, then visit from March to April and from September to October.
The city of Barcelona offers a variety of accommodations that suits your budget whatever that is. If you want something luxurious you will find a lot of options, and if you are on a budget, you would still find something to suit you whether that’s a hotel, a hostel, or an Airbnb.
3. Málaga
Málaga is a beautiful city in Andalucía, Spain, it is located on the Costa del Sol - The Sunshine Coast - and it is a must visit in Spain. You will fall in love with the architecture, its blue sea, and its yellow sandy beaches. You will enjoy knowing more about the history of Málaga as well as taking advantage of the beautiful weather by the beach. You can also enjoy many day trips from Málaga if you want to explore more areas and part of Andalucía such as Setenil de Las Bodegas. Málaga offers a variety of activities for tourists, so you will definitely find something you enjoy doing, while enjoying the beautiful and privilege climate Málaga has.
The best & easiest way to reach Málaga is by plane since it has an international airport, Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport which is easy to reach and you will be able to find flights but most probably you will have to take to connecting flight from either Madrid or Barcelona. If you are in Europe you can also find trains & buses depending on where you are, and of course if you are in Spain you will find multiple ways to reach Málaga. I personally took the train to get from Madrid to Málaga and it was the most comfortable way to get there.
Since Málaga is a big city, then you will need to use the public transportation to move around. You can get around Málaga by walking as well since a lot of the main attractions are within walking distance, but it will be easier and less exhausting in the heat to use the metro to be able to move from one neighbourhood to the other and also to be able to reach the beaches. I used Uber sometimes since it was cheap, and you can also use Bolt. You can also get a rental bike and move around Málaga that way if you want, which a lot of people tend to do.
Now since Málaga has a great climate all year long, you can visit whenever you want but avoid the month of January since it is the coldest. The best time to visit is between June & September, but be aware that this is the high season so it will be crowded and it will also be more expensive that other months. The hottest time of the year is July and August, so if you don’t like too much heat then avoid these two months.
The top 6 neighbourhoods in Málaga are Old town (Historic City Centre), Soho, La Merced, El Perchel, La Malagueta, Teatinos. So will be able to find a lot of hotels to stay there. You can also find many hostels if you want something that is budget friendly even though there are budget friendly hotels, and of course you will find endless Airbnbs that would suit your budget.
4. Valencia
Fun fact, is that Valencia is actually the birthplace of paella, so if you want to eat authentic paella, then Valencia is your place to go. Valencia isn’t just about food though, it also has amazing architecture like many cities in Spain, and it also has beautiful parks and amazing beaches. Also, you will find few tourists in comparison to Madrid, Barcelona, and Málaga, so you won’t find too many crowds so you can enjoy.
Valencia has a big airport with flights coming from all over Europe, and if you are already in Spain, depending on where you are, you can find a bus or a train to get there.
When arriving from the airport, you can easily access the metro to get to the city from there. Valencia is actually a small city so you can walk from one destination to the other easily without the need of transport. However, if you want you can still access the public transportation as the metro has many stops including the beaches. Similar to most cities in Spain, you can get a ticket with 10 trips.
Best time to visit Valencia would be during prime summer months as the weather is actually cool which makes it fun to walk. April & May are the best months to visit to avoid all the crowds during the summer, and the weather is pleasant.
Accommodations in Valencia are actually affordable, so make sure you stay in the city centre near the old town to easily get to most tourist destinations.
5. Sevilla
Sevilla is a city filled with delicious tapas, beautiful orange trees, and amazing streets to walk through. Also, you will see a lot of Arabic architecture, palm trees, mosaic tiles. Sevilla is definitely a must visit when in Spain to learn more about the history of the city. Sevilla has a small airport, so if you are already in Spain you either get there by plane, or you can easily find a bus or a train to get there.
Sevilla is a small city similar to Valencia, so you can easily explore by walking. However, if you want something different that walking or taking the public transport, then you can use Lime app or the city app Sevici.
Sevilla is one of the hottest places in Spain, so avoid peak summer time if you can’t stand the heat. The best time to visit Sevilla would be from March to May, since the temperature isn’t bad, and also if is low-season so it is not crowded.
Fun fact is that Sevilla is known to be a backpacker city and also a student hub, so the prices for the accommodations are very reasonable. You can find fancy hotels at a cheap price, and also find hostels there.
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How To Get To Spain
Spain’s biggest airport is Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport Airport a.k.a. Madrid’s airport, you will be able to find a lot of international flights that goes there. You can also find other international flights to Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport a.k.a. Barcelona’s airport. You can use WayAway to find cheap flights. You can also reach Spain by train or buses from most cities in Europe, and I like to use Omio whenever I am travelling in Europe to find either trains or buses.
How To Move Around Spain
Public transportation is great in Spain, so you can use the metro, the bus, and the trains. Most cities you will need to use public transportations to move from one place to the other, but in most of the small cities and villages such as Setenil De Las Bodegas; you will be able to explore on foot.
You can book trains and buses through Omio to move from one city to the other, which as I mentioned before is my favourite app to use whenever I am travelling in Europe, and I have used it multiple times when I was in Spain.
Best Time To Visit Spain
The best thing about Spain is that it has an amazing weather all year-round, especially during Spring & Fall, because that’s when it is warm and sunny but not too hot like summer. It is the coldest in Spain from December to March, but if you would prefer that weather then you can visit during that time which won’t be crowded since it’s low season, and also prices tend to be cheaper during that time.
Accommodations In Spain
You will be able to find accommodations in Spain that would suit your budget whether you are on a budget or you’re looking for something luxurious.
You can book your accommodation through Booking.com, which is the one I use the most, or if you wan to stay in a hostel you can book through HostelWorld. You can also use Agoda, Trivago, or Vrbo to book your accommodations. I know most people have a favourite website or app to use, so just choose what you prefer best.