Spain Best Travel Tips and Places

All right, unlike the Spanish, let's kick off this travel guide in a timely manner. Hey, I'm Lexi Limitless. I'm an accredited travel agent and the youngest person to travel to every country. Our world is an amazing place just waiting for you to explore, and I wanna help. I'm here to teach you the major things you need to know before you go. In this series, we're covering every country in order from most visited to least visited. And because nobody likes taking notes, I even have a free tip sheet in the description ready to go for you. But now, ladies and gentlemen, please put your seat back and tray table in the upright and locked position because we're taking off for the best travel tips and places of every country. Let's dive into one of the most easygoing countries in Europe, Spain. Known for its architecture, seafood, and nightlife, in the last year alone, there have been 51 million visitors, making it the second most visited country in the entire world. Over the years, I've been to Spain a few times, and most recently, I just spent a few weeks in Barcelona this summer. And I have to admit, it took quite some time to adjust to the easygoingness of Spanish life. And after I got used to the long dinners in restaurants and stores being closed midday, I started to see the true beauty of Spanish culture. Some of my favorite memories were spending evenings at Barceloneta Beach in Barcelona. Because the weather is so warm, the beaches are crowded with good people and music long after the sun goes down. And after the beach one night, I saw a flamenco show on Las Ramblas, and it was some of the most incredible dance and guitar performances that I have ever seen. If you do head to Barcelona, La Boqueria Market is an essential place to check out. I recommend arriving early to beat the crowds so that you have hours to eat your way through everything before the afternoon siesta. I'm hungry just thinking about it. I would love to hear your stories of Spain from all of you. If you're from Spain or if you've traveled there recently, comment below with your story. I wanna create a place where we can all swap the best travel tips and learn from each other. Although I've made some unforgettable memories in Spain, there are still a few things I wish I would have known before I visited. So let's take it back to the basics. The land. Spain is a pretty large country. It's the fourth largest country in Western Europe and the largest country in Southern Europe. It shares a border with France, Portugal, the micronation of Andorra and the British territory of Gibraltar. Outside of these neighbors, Spain has 60 islands. The country also borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Mediterranean Sea. Spain has a mix of Europe and Africa coming together. So there's no wonder it's one of the most visited countries in the world. The terrain consists of mountains, beaches, plateaus and rivers. One of the most famous mountain ranges is the Pyrenees in the north. It may or may not be a surprise, but the most visited city in Spain is not the capital, Madrid. Most international tourists spend their time visiting Barcelona. The most popular places to fly into are, oh boy, I'm gonna butcher this pronunciation, but the Adolfo Suarez Madrid Barajas Airport and the Barcelona El Prat Airport. If you're traveling from Africa, one of the easiest ways to get to Spain is by taking a ferry from Tangier in Morocco to Tarifa. The people. Around 88% of those living in Spain speak the official language of Spanish. Now, don't think that you can get around Spain with just your high school Spanish classes alone. There are a few different regional languages spoken around the country that are very different from the Spanish you've probably learned. For example, in the northeast region of Spain, Catalonia, Catalan is spoken, while in the northern Basque, think I'm pronouncing that right, county, Euskara is the main language. In most larger cities, you can find English speakers, but don't expect that to be the case everywhere. As for religion, almost 70% of the population identifies as Roman Catholic, while other religions include Islam, Judaism, Protestant Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Outside of this, around 20% do not identify with any religion. The weather. As for the Spanish weather, you guessed it. Summers are hot, so please pack sunscreen. I promise you'll regret it if you don't, especially as you move towards central and southern Spain, the average temperatures are around 37 degrees Celsius or 89 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer, while in the winter, these temperatures can drop significantly to three degrees Celsius and 37, roughly, Fahrenheit at night. On the coast, you'll find a more temperate climate, but heavier rainfall. If you're up for it, visiting these regions during November to February is your best bet. If you wanna avoid the crowds, and trust me, you do, stay away from the extremely hot summer months and visit during September and October. If you do wanna visit during the summer, I recommend heading towards the north to explore Galicia, Cantabria, Austria, and the Basque Country for more bearable weather. All right, now that you have a general idea of what Spain is like, you might have a few destinations already in mind, but not so fast. Here's what you need to know before you go. As a traveler, you can never truly know everything before you arrive in a new place, and you'll always run into surprises. So it's important to do your own research, but I at least wanna get you up to speed on the most important things to know so you have a solid foundation for your trip, starting with visas. For US citizens, you won't need a visa if your trip to Spain is 90 days or less, but it is required that your passport is valid for up to three months after you plan on leaving the country. If you're in Spain for work or school, then you will need an approved visa. If your passport is from another country, please do your research and check your requirements before booking any travel. Cultural customs. One of my favorite things, and sometimes inconvenient things, about Spanish culture are the siestas, especially in Southern Spain during the summer. After lunchtime, stores, restaurants, and businesses shut down for a few hours. During this time, most people go back to their homes to rest and beat the heat before continuing the workday later on. This also plays a part in why the Spanish are known for their late evening meals. If you're hungry in Spain before 5.30 p.m., you're out of luck. Instead of waiting until 8, 9, or 10 p.m. to eat dinner, you'll be able to snack some tapas or small sharing meals beforehand. Although Spaniards are known for their unique foods and culture, they're not known for their punctuality. So just a fair warning to not expect everyone to arrive when they said they will. At times, the Spanish can come off as very direct. If this isn't something that you're familiar with before visiting, it can come off as quite a shock. But don't take this the wrong way. The Spanish are just very honest and open right from the get-go. In case you didn't know, the Spanish typically wear smart, casual clothing. And if you don't wanna stand out as a tourist, avoid outdoorsy gear, and please just always stay away from socks and sandals. Although men in Spain often wear athleisure and sportswear, looking ready for a hike is a dead giveaway that you're not from the area. Also, make sure to just avoid baseball caps and stick to some more neutral tones. If you're not sure what to wear, stop in a Zara or Inditex for a quick outfit change, and you'll be looking like a local in no time. It's also important to remember that not looking like a tourist goes beyond just what you wear. So try stepping out of your comfort zone and try restaurants that locals typically enjoy. No matter where or when you visit Spain, remember you're in someone else's home. So be respectful. Language. In some larger cities like Madrid or Barcelona, you'll be able to get around speaking only English, but there are many cities and towns where English is not spoken or understood. In fact, about 60% of Spain's population doesn't speak any English, so it's very helpful to know Spanish. No matter where you travel throughout the country, the Spanish are always appreciative of tourists knowing at least a few Spanish phrases. Before you go, I'd practice a few simple phrases such as, do you speak English? Perdón, ¿hablas inglés? Where is the bathroom? ¿Dónde está el baño? And of course, thank you, gracias, and please, por favor. Water. All across Spain, tap water is safe to drink. However, that's not always offered at restaurants. In larger cities like Madrid, you can find dozens of public drinking fountains that are safe to use. As an extra safety precaution, make sure to double check with a local before you drink. Cell phone and internet. When it comes to cell phone service in Spain, I recommend you start by checking with your own phone carrier to see if an international travel package is in your budget, or you can always purchase a new Spanish SIM card. This means you'll be able to use local cellular data while on your trip. Before you visit, you can purchase a SIM card online as well from a large Spanish carrier like Orange or Movistar. If you don't purchase a SIM card before your trip, you can also find one at the airport, gas stations, phone stores, and convenience or grocery stores as well. As far as coverage, you should be able to find 5G and LTE service in larger cities with a drop-off to about 4 or even 3G once you leave the most populated areas. If you don't need to make international calls, you can get by just with Wi-Fi from local cafes. Some cities have open city Wi-Fi, hotels, libraries, et cetera. Transportation. It's safe to say that you won't need to rent a car to get around Spain's big cities as there are plenty of public transportation options. In larger cities like Barcelona and Madrid, many locals opt for the metro, which is efficient and easy to use. As for trains, Spain is home to some of the best on the continent. So if you wanna travel from city to city, do it by train. In some cases, you may wanna visit a city that doesn't have a train station. And when that happens, it's likely that you're going to need to take a coach bus to your final destination. Getting around by bus is another reliable option, but it's important to note that the bus systems can vary heavily from city to city. So it's something that you're gonna wanna research beforehand. Taxi and ride-sharing apps are also available in Spain, but I did recently rent a car for a few days in Barcelona to visit the nearby country of Andorra, and it was such a great place to visit. You can make it a day trip or stay for a few days before heading back to Barcelona. Outlets and converters. In Spain, you'll use type C and F sockets. Before you travel, make sure your devices can handle the 230 volts of power that are typical throughout Spain. If you're from the US, you'll need a voltage converter to help your device's battery life stay healthy while traveling. I also recommend traveling with a universal adapter, which adjusts the prongs of the plug wherever you're visiting. Safety. Common sense is key when it comes to travel. Especially if you're alone, make sure to share your itinerary with your loved ones and know where to find your embassy. For US citizens, you can find the embassy in Madrid. In general, Spain is a safe country to visit. Be aware that in the Catalan region, there are some political demonstrations. However, tourism in this area is still massive. Pickpocketing is a real thing in Spain, especially in larger cities. At touristy locations and on the subway, keep your eyes and hands on your bag. If you're traveling as a solo female, Spain is a safe place to visit. Of course, just remember my golden rules. Don't get intoxicated and avoid exploring too much at night. Accommodation. Spain has a wide variety of accommodation options. From hostels to hotels to Airbnbs, there's something for everyone's style and budget. As you might expect, staying in the big cities and on the islands are where the accommodation options will be the most expensive. There is quite a range of prices for Spanish hotels. The average for a modest hotel is about $160 to $300 per night. And if you're traveling alone and just need something simple, a hostel is always a great option. In Spain's largest cities, hostels can cost between $30 and $100 a night. And if you're looking for a hostel outside of a major city, you can expect to pay a cheaper price. Before booking anything, I always recommend reading the reviews. And you can plan this portion of your trip on TripAdvisor, Booking.com, HostelWorld, Hotels.com and Expedia. Money and budget. Here are several budgets with how much you can expect to pay per day traveling in Spain. These prices vary a lot, especially in big cities and top destinations depending on when you're traveling. So in this guide, these numbers include accommodation, food, transportation and activities for one person. If you plan on backpacking Spain, you can get away with a budget of roughly $50 per day, depending on the city and also the season. If you want a more comfortable trip, but still wanna be budget friendly, you can expect an average daily cost of between 80 and $140 a day. If you wanna travel luxuriously, at minimum your daily budget will be between 220 and 280 per day with the sky as the limit. Keep in mind that these are just averages. Prices are very dependent on the time of the year that you visit. For currency, Spain uses the Euro. If you travel with a major credit card like a Visa, you'll be able to use it throughout the country and especially in big cities. You should know that cash is still widely used in Spain and if you're making a purchase of 10 euros or less, it's likely that you'll be asked to pay with cash. So make sure to always have some on hand. Speaking of cash, I recommend bringing 100 or 200 euros for your trip and also having a debit card is a smart choice as a backup. Make sure to keep your money in different locations in case something is stolen or lost. Since Spain uses the Euro, most banks will have them available for you before your trip. You can also grab them at an ATM, bank or airport once you land. Before you go, make sure to download a currency converter app to use offline and check current conversion rates. This will help you know exactly how much you're spending those extra euros on more paella. Now that we've covered all of the basics, here are a few experiences you can't miss. I've curated some of the best information about this country from not only my own personal experiences, but also from those of locals and other travel experts to bring you the experiences that, in my opinion, you won't want to miss. Now, if you're from here or you've been here and you feel like there's something that I've missed or something that I've even overhyped, then please feel free to share in the comments. I want everyone in the Limitless Army to learn from each other's experiences. So I look forward to reading what you have to say in the comments. But for right now, I'll get started with sharing the tour of Gaudi's architecture in Barcelona. From La Sagrada Familia to Parc Güell, there are so many masterpieces to see throughout Barcelona. Whether you're into architecture or not, these are places you can't miss on your visit. I could stare at the intricate details of Parc Güell for hours, which is why I love going on what I like to call building safaris. This park was created by local architect Antoni Gaudi in 1900, and it became a World Heritage Site in 1969. Because the park sits above the city, you get a wide view of Barcelona below. One of the reasons it attracts visitors from all over the world is because the park is a stunning mixture of nature and architecture. In the Spanish sun, it's hard not to want to spend all day here. Indulge in paella. I can't talk about Spain and not mention paella. I used to dream of eating one of the country's most popular dishes in a bustling city square that's full of live music while drinking red Spanish wine. And it's truly one of the best ways to feel like a local. I even had the opportunity to travel to Valencia, the birthplace of paella, in search of some of the best that Spain has to offer. I found the absolute tastiest paella dishes at La Papica and Casa Carmela. While I was there, I was able to watch the locals cook up the dishes over wood stoves in the same way they have for more than 100 years. I even took a cooking class with the Barcelona paella experience where I got an up-close and personal view into how this complex dish is made. After spending time in the kitchen, I definitely have a new appreciation of this Spanish delicacy. Visiting one of the Spanish islands keeps topping the list as one of the best things to do during your Spain experience. When you're ready to relax on a sun-soaked island, Ibiza, Mallorca in the southeast, and the eight Canary Islands in the southwest are begging to be explored. These islands have clear waters, mountain views, coves, and offer a taste of the Spanish countryside. Just imagine landing here to relax after a long travel day. If you want a unique beach experience, I recommend heading to the island of Lanzarote, part of the Canary Islands, to soak up the hidden gem, Papagueo Beach, which actually isn't overrun by tourists. Visiting a beach in Spain might sound like an obvious recommendation, but the hidden inlets and beaches on Lanzarote and the rest of the Spanish islands are definitely worth checking out. Now you have everything you need to experience Spain for yourself. If you would like more weekly content, as well as a PDF printout with all of this information for your travels in Spain, sign up for my newsletter in the description or go to lexylimitless.com slash newsletter. Also, don't forget if you are a local from here, leave a comment letting me know if I missed anything or if there's anything else you would want The Limitless Army to know about your home country. Thank you for watching, and until next time, let's push our limits.