The cuisine is remarkable and definitely unforgettable. The mixture of styles of architecture demonstrated throughout the many churches, fortresses and palaces littered through Spain are truly extraordinary. The sheer natural beauty of this country often gets overlooked, be sure to explore with car hire when visiting Spain to ensure you get the best from your visit.
Spain Tourist Board: The official website for the Spanish National Tourist Office – a useful resource for planning your trip to Spain.
Know Before You Go: Travel advice for Spain from the FCO.
Things to see and do
- Visit a Tapas bar, and enjoy some traditional Spanish cuisine.
- Go and see a bullfight; it is an inescapable part of Spain’s history.
- Take a tour of Gaudi's Barcelona: Antoni Gaudi’s famous Basilica has drawn many people to the city of Barcelona.
- Visit the Alhambra in Granada: this Moorish fortress protected the city's inhabitants from invasion for hundreds of years. The gardens are beautiful and a whole day can easily be spent exploring them.
- Make time to see a Flamenco show and always do your research before going to ensure that you see an authentic show.
- Visit Madrid's Three Essential Museums and see the works of Spain’s famous artists Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali at the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Museo Del Prado and Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza.
- Seville is a lovely city; its cathedral is breath-taking and the Giralda tower, the neighboring Alcazar castle and garden complex and the Plaza de España are not to be missed.
- See the Green Spain of Asturias & Galicia: this lush green area differs to the rest of the country and is well worth a visit to see an alternative side to Spain.
Festivals and events
- La Endiablada or The Disguised Devils in Cuenca held in Castilla y La Mancha. (February)
- Fallas de San Jose celebrates the beginning of spring in Valencia. (March)
- The Feria de Abril runs for six days in Sevilla, Andalucia. (April)
- Fiesta de Moros y Cristianos reenacts a famous battle in Spanish history held across many Spanish cities. (April)
- Corpus Christi is celebrated throughout Spain. (May)
- The Hogueras de San Juan marks the summer solstice and is celebrated in Alicante. (June)
- Dia de Santiago, the annual feast of Saint James is held in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia. (July)
- Romeria Vikinga is a fiesta to commemorate the Viking invasions in Pontevedra, Galicia. (August)
- Fiesta de Verano is celebrated with fireworks in Malaga, Andalucia. (August)
- La Tomatina is a famous tomato fight festival in Valencia. (August)
- Tamborrada de San Sebastian also known as The San Sebastian Drum Festival held in San Sebastian, Basque Country. (August)
Time difference
GMT +1
