I have been several times to Spain, but I only visited certain areas and I never did a round trip, so I missed a lot of important sights of this special country, like the Alhambra, Mezquita, and the city of Seville. I have seen some great other sights, which I will be talking about on this page.

Visit the mighty capital Madrid

The mighty city of Madrid is a personal favorite, as the city has a real Spanish feel with lovely bars and neighborhoods. There may be fewer real sights in comparison with Barcelona, but just being in Madrid is something special. You have absolute great times just being in its famous squares, alleys, and restaurants. The city is in the heart of the country, and a lot of sights are relatively close to the country (but can still be far away).

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How to get here: Madrid is easy accessible from all parts of the world. There is a big airport with many international flights. Besides it is easily reached by public transport and by car.

How much time needed: 3-4 days give you sufficient time to get to know the city.

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Mix city and beach in Valencia

Valencia is the third-biggest city in the country and has a great combination of being a very interesting city and having a nice beach as well. The city, famous for its paella and oranges, will offer some great sights like cycling and Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. The city has something for everyone.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How to get here: Valencia is easily accessible with its airport. Madrid is 2 hours by train, while Barcelona is 4.5 hours.

How much time needed: 2-3 days give you sufficient time to get to know the city.

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Enjoy one of the great beaches 

Spain has a lot of coastlines, and there are many great ones. There are beaches in cities like Barcelona, Valencia, and more. There are also a lot of beaches away from cities, but leaving Spain without seeing a beach is a shame. They can get extremely busy in the summer, though. Some beaches can be very touristy, so make sure to pick the right one.

Tourist occurrence: Can be very high in summer

How much time needed: I am not the biggest fan of beaches, so a couple of hours is enough for me, but this is different for everyone.

Basque Country

Enjoy the vibes of San Sebastian

San Sebastian is a fantastic city to experience Basque culture and enjoy the local cuisine. Besides having a lot of extremely good restaurants, there are a lot of bars to taste pintxos, especially in Parte Viejo. There are several good beaches and places to surf. The hikes in the area are also a great thing to do in this city. 

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How to get here: San Sebastian is 5-6 hours from both Madrid and Barcelona. Bilbao is 1 hour away by public transport.  

How much time needed: 3-4 days give you sufficient time to get to know the city and see the area.

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See the fishing villages Pasaia and Pasai Donibane

The perfect way to reach these cute fishing villages is by hiking for 2-3 hours from San Sebastian, a very scenic route. The villages of Pasaia and Pasai Donibane are on opposite sides of the water, and you can get to each other by boat in 1 minute, paying some euros in cash. The houses are traditional, and you can catch some great fish. Stay here for a bit and head back to the big city.

Tourist occurrence: Low

How to get here: San Sebastian is 2-3 hours hike away, which is absolutely worth it. You can get back by bus for half an hour. 

How much time needed: A couple of hours, but not to long as the villages are very small. 

Enjoy the biggest Basque city Bilbao

Bilbao is historically an industrial city, but with the impressive Guggenheim Museum, it is getting more and more popular. There are great places to get some pintxos, and a lovely area called Casco Viejo has beautiful buildings. This is a city not to miss in Basque Country, especially with the fantastic museum. 

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How to get here: San Sebastian is 1 hour away by public transport, while Madrid is 4.5 hours away by train. 

How much time needed: 1-2 days, as the highlights are close to each other, except the museum.

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Andalusia

Be impressed by el Caminito del Rey

El Caminito del Rey is a very impressive cliff where you can have an amazing hike. Most of the route is pretty easy and cool, but there were a couple rougher parts. I have a bit of vertigo, but I was absolutely fine. This was a very cool place to go, and you should definitely visit when you are close. A reservation would be advisable. 

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How to get here: Driving is the most convenient way to get here. Malaga is the closest big city. 

How much time needed: 2-3 hours.

Enjoy a hike in Torcal de Anteguera

Antequera del Torcal is a hidden gem, but a perfect hike in nature. The rock formations are delightful. At some points, you have to climb a bit. There are 2 hikes you can do. My personal highlight in this national park is that you have a good chance of spotting ibex; we saw them several times. 

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How to get here: Driving is the most convenient way to get here. Malaga is the closest big city. 

How much time needed: 2-3 hours.

Catalunya 

Enjoy Gaudís work in Barcelona

Barcelona may be the most important or famous city in Spain; however, it is not my favorite. There are many sights to see, which are amazing, so there will be a lot to do. The highlights of the city are:

• Sagrada Familia - One of the most beautiful buildings in the world (see picture above)
• Casa Milà - A house of Gaudí
• Casa Batlló - Another house of Gaudí
• Parc Guëll - The park of Gaudí

• Walk the Rambla and Barri Gòtic
• Enjoy Plaza Catalunya
• See the great Mercat de la Boqueria
• Enjoy the beach
• Head to Camp Nou to see a football match or stadium tour

Tourist occurrence: Very high

How to get here: Barcelona is easy accessible from all parts of the world. There is a big airport with many international flights. Besides it is easily reached by public transport and by car.

How much time needed: 3-4 days

Head to the Dalí museum in Figueres

Figueres is a cute town, but the absolute highlight is the fantastic Dalí Museum. There are many impressive paintings, sculptures, and other interesting artifacts. He has some crazy, but fantastic, work. Walk around and really look at paintings to understand them well, as there are often several meanings.

Tourist occurrence: High in the museum

How to get here: Figueres is 1.5 hours by train from Barcelona

How much time needed: 2 hours in the museum and after have a nice meal in this city

Have a lovely stroll in Girona

Girona is a small town in Catalunya, but it is absolutely worth travelling to. The city is perfect for a day trip from Barcelona, but it can also be visited for a full day or two. The small alleys, lovely square, beautiful stairs, nice cathedral, and cute river make this a great sight in Catalunya.

Tourist occurrence: Low

How to get here: Girona is easy accessible as it has an international airport. Besides it is easily reached by public transport and by car. Barcelona is 1.5 hours away

How much time needed: 1-2 days

Enjoy the picturesque Besalù and Castelfollit de La Roca

These two villages are very good to combine. Castelfollit de La Roca (see picture above) is especially gorgeous from outside of the town and absolutely worth a visit, while Besalù (see picture below) is more interesting in the town itself. However, it has a beautiful bridge outside the village as well. This is a perfect Catalunya day trip.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How to get here: The villages are primarily best to visit by car.

How much time needed: 1 day in total is enough.

Experience the combination of beach and culture in Cadaqués 

Behind the mountains lies the gorgeous village of Cadaqués. It has some very cute beaches where you can have a swim and where you also have the opportunity to do some snorkeling. The village is worth walking into as it is historic with cute alleys and has good views. There are many restaurants on the shore as well. The house of Salvador Dalì is very close as well, but a reservation is needed at least a week in advance, so I have not been. 

Tourist occurrence: Low

How to get here: By car is the most convenient way to get here

How much time needed: 1 day is enough.

Food and drinks

Enjoy some tapas and paella

Although Spanish cuisine is pretty famous, I think it is very underestimated. The sharing bit of it is what I love, but also the extreme flavours it brings. Paella is very tasty as well, especially in Valencia, the origin of this great dish. The cuisine is something you really need to try. My favorite, however expensive the dish or bite, is jamón iberico. 

Try some sangria 

Besides great food, Spain also has a very lovely great alcoholic drink: Sangria. This drink is mostly made of red wine, red and other fruit, and sugar or honey. This is a fantastic taste, especially on a terrace. But be careful with a couple of nice ones; the alcohol can get to you! 

Things I have not done, but could be cool

As I said earlier, I have definitely not seen every highlight in Spain, as I never did a road trip. The Mezquita, Sevilla, and Alhambra are some of the many highlights this extremely intriguing country has to offer.

Final thoughts

Spain is one of the most popular countries to visit in the world, and that is for a reason. The good weather, lovely languages, many interesting cities, and way more aspects make Spain a country on top of your bucket list. This is a country you should absolutely visit during your lifetime. 

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