Europe
Spain
Late dinners, long summers and a city for every kind of traveller.
Spain rewards slow travel. Trains link Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Granada, and every region has its own food, festivals and way of doing things.
Tapas bars keep eating cheap if you follow the locals, and the Camino de Santiago is one of the great long walks in Europe.
Good to know
- Time zone
- GMT+1, GMT+2 in summer
- Plugs
- Types C and F, 230V
- Emergency numbers
- 112 for all emergencies
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Traffic drives on the
- Right
- Tipping
- Not expected, but locals round up or leave small change, and 5–10% at a nicer restaurant is generous.
- SIM cards
- Orange, Vodafone and Movistar prepaid SIMs with 20GB or more cost about €10–15, and EU SIMs roam at no extra cost.
When to go to Spain
Best months to go: April to June and September to October. Pick a month to see what it’s like.
Bars show rainfall; numbers are the average daytime high. Amber marks the best months to go.
SeptemberBest time to go
Still warm with fewer crowds. Harvest festivals in the wine regions.
- Daytime high
- 26°C
- Rainfall
- 30 mm
- Crowds
- Busy
| Month | Daytime high | Rainfall | Crowds | Best time to go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10°C | 35 mm | Quiet | No |
| February | 12°C | 35 mm | Quiet | No |
| March | 16°C | 25 mm | Busy | No |
| April | 18°C | 45 mm | Busy | Yes |
| May | 22°C | 50 mm | Busy | Yes |
| June | 28°C | 20 mm | Busy | Yes |
| July | 32°C | 10 mm | Peak season | No |
| August | 31°C | 10 mm | Peak season | No |
| September | 26°C | 30 mm | Busy | Yes |
| October | 19°C | 60 mm | Busy | Yes |
| November | 13°C | 55 mm | Quiet | No |
| December | 10°C | 50 mm | Quiet | No |
What Spain costs
Work out a budget for your trip, then check what everyday things cost.
$840for 14 days, about $60 a day (€731 in total)
| Cost | Per day | For the trip | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | $25 | $350 | |
| Food and drink | $18 | $252 | |
| Getting around | $8 | $112 | |
| Things to do | $5 | $70 | |
| Everything else | $4 | $56 |
Per person, in US dollars. Flights and insurance not included.
What things cost
- Caña of beer€2.50, about $2.87
- Café con leche€1.80, about $2.07
- Menú del día (three courses at lunch)€14, about $16
- Tapa in a bar€3, about $3.45
- Hostel dorm bed€28, about $32
- Bus, Madrid to Granada€22, about $25
- Alhambra entry ticket€21, about $24
Routes through Spain
Where to go and how long to stay, for the time you’ve got.
14 nights, 6 stops
Madrid and the great cities of Andalusia, linked by fast trains and buses.
Madrid
3 nights
The Prado, Retiro Park and late nights in La Latina.
Toledo
1 night
A hilltop city of churches, synagogues and narrow lanes.
Córdoba
2 nights
The Mezquita and flower-filled courtyards.
Seville
3 nights
The Alcázar, flamenco in Triana and tapas until midnight.
Cádiz
2 nights
An old port city with beaches right in the centre.
Granada
3 nights
The Alhambra, free tapas and sunset from the Albaicín.
Getting around
Train
$15–60 for a high-speed trip booked ahead
Renfe, Ouigo and Iryo compete on the fast lines, so book early for the cheapest fares.
Bus
$10–35 for a long-distance trip
Alsa buses reach towns the trains miss and are often cheaper. Handy around Andalusia.
Flight
$30–80 one way
Budget airlines are the quickest way to the Balearic and Canary Islands.
Walk
About $35 a day on the Camino
The Camino de Santiago has cheap pilgrim hostels every few hours along the way.
What to eat and drink
Tortilla de patatas
A thick potato and egg omelette, served by the slice in every bar.
€3, about $3.45
Patatas bravas
Fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and aioli. A tapas classic.
€5, about $5.75
Paella valenciana
Rice with rabbit, chicken and beans, cooked in a wide pan. Best at lunchtime in Valencia.
€15, about $17
Salmorejo
A thick, cold tomato soup topped with ham and egg. The taste of a Córdoba summer.
€6, about $6.90
Pintxos
Small bites on bread piled along the bar in San Sebastián. Take what you like and pay at the end.
€3, about $3.45
Churros con chocolate
Fried dough dipped in thick hot chocolate, for breakfast or at 4am.
€4, about $4.60
Say it like a local
A few words go a long way. Tap “Hear it” to listen, where your browser can.
Hello
Hola
Say it like: oh-la
Thank you
Gracias
Say it like: grah-thee-as
How much is it?
¿Cuánto cuesta?
Say it like: kwan-toh kwes-ta
A small beer, please
Una caña, por favor
Say it like: oo-na kan-ya, por fa-bor
The bill, please
La cuenta, por favor
Say it like: la kwen-ta, por fa-bor
Where is the station?
¿Dónde está la estación?
Say it like: don-day es-ta la es-ta-thyon
Delicious
¡Qué rico!
Say it like: kay ree-ko
Cheers!
¡Salud!
Say it like: sa-lood
Questions travellers ask
When do people eat?
Lunch is the main meal, from about 2pm to 4pm, and dinner rarely starts before 9pm. The menú del día at lunchtime is the best value meal in the country.
Where do I get free tapas?
Granada is famous for a free tapa with every drink, and parts of Jaén, León and Almería do the same. Elsewhere you order and pay for them.
Do I need to book the Alhambra?
Yes, as early as you can. Tickets for the Nasrid Palaces sell out weeks ahead in spring and summer, and only the official website is safe to use.
Is pickpocketing a problem?
In Barcelona and Madrid, yes. Keep your phone out of back pockets and bags zipped on the metro, Las Ramblas and crowded beaches.
Will people speak Spanish everywhere?
Everyone speaks Spanish, but Catalan, Basque and Galician are the everyday languages in their regions. A hello in the local language goes down well.