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Travel and Tour World Spain Aligns with France and Other Destinations as Regional Tourism Puts Hotel Costs and Resort Access in FocusTravel and Tour World El Salvador Travel Technology Budgets Transform As AI And Costs Surge Across San Salvador, Costa del Sol And More Cities, All You Need To KnowTravel and Tour World Spain Works With US And More In Boosting Jamaica GDP Tourism Growth Target To 3% As Aviation And Resorts Fuel ComebackTravel and Tour World Spain Sees Castellón Hotel Occupancy Growth as Overseas Guests Now Make Up More of the September MarketThe Travel Hack 11 reasons to visit Madrid in the 11th monthTravel and Tour World Spain Sees More Local Interest as Stays Are Shorter and New Slow Travel Holiday Trends Emerge for 2027Travel and Tour World Spain’s Holiday Rental Shake Up Signals a Wider Shift Across EuropeAeroTime Spain picks Airbus A321 for future SIGINT spy plane fleetTravel and Tour World Athens Follows Barcelona And More As Greece And Spain Rein In Short-Term Rentals With Freezes, Tough Caps Across Tourism HubsTravel and Tour World UK Powers Ahead with France and Germany as Spain Tourism Hits New Heights with 70.4 Million Visitors and Nearly €100 Billion SpendingConde Nast Traveler Top 15 Hotels in Spain: Readers’ Choice Awards 2026Travel and Tour World Italy Joins Spain and More as Slow Tourism and Simpler Itineraries Rise Across Europe in 2027Travel and Tour World Flights Cancelled Throughout Europe As London, Madrid, And 18 Other Airports Face 241 Cancellations And 3,794 DelaysTravel and Tour World El Salvador Expands European Tourism Access With Spain As New Madrid And Barcelona Flights Transform International ConnectivityTravel and Tour World Spain Aligns with France and Other Destinations as Regional Tourism Puts Hotel Costs and Resort Access in FocusTravel and Tour World El Salvador Travel Technology Budgets Transform As AI And Costs Surge Across San Salvador, Costa del Sol And More Cities, All You Need To KnowTravel and Tour World Spain Works With US And More In Boosting Jamaica GDP Tourism Growth Target To 3% As Aviation And Resorts Fuel ComebackTravel and Tour World Spain Sees Castellón Hotel Occupancy Growth as Overseas Guests Now Make Up More of the September MarketThe Travel Hack 11 reasons to visit Madrid in the 11th monthTravel and Tour World Spain Sees More Local Interest as Stays Are Shorter and New Slow Travel Holiday Trends Emerge for 2027Travel and Tour World Spain’s Holiday Rental Shake Up Signals a Wider Shift Across EuropeAeroTime Spain picks Airbus A321 for future SIGINT spy plane fleetTravel and Tour World Athens Follows Barcelona And More As Greece And Spain Rein In Short-Term Rentals With Freezes, Tough Caps Across Tourism HubsTravel and Tour World UK Powers Ahead with France and Germany as Spain Tourism Hits New Heights with 70.4 Million Visitors and Nearly €100 Billion SpendingConde Nast Traveler Top 15 Hotels in Spain: Readers’ Choice Awards 2026Travel and Tour World Italy Joins Spain and More as Slow Tourism and Simpler Itineraries Rise Across Europe in 2027Travel and Tour World Flights Cancelled Throughout Europe As London, Madrid, And 18 Other Airports Face 241 Cancellations And 3,794 DelaysTravel and Tour World El Salvador Expands European Tourism Access With Spain As New Madrid And Barcelona Flights Transform International Connectivity
Madrid – SpainBarcelona – SpainSeville – SpainGranada – SpainMontserrat Monastery – Spain
📍 Madrid📷 Zarateman · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
🌍 Europe🗓️ Best: Apr–Jun and Sep–Oct

Spain ✓

Seville

Sunny beaches, flamenco nights and world-famous tapas

🕒 –:– local time54 stories this week16 sources 6 top placesCapital Madrid

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Spain📸 Photo album · 8 photos · Ultra-HD
Spain📜 History of Spain

The story of Spain

Spain's story stretches back to some of Europe's earliest artists: the painted bison of Altamira cave were created by Ice Age hunters many thousands of years ago. Iberians, Celts, Phoenician traders and Greeks later shaped the peninsula, before Rome conquered it after the Punic Wars and turned Hispania into one of its richest provinces, leaving behind aqueducts, theatres and the roots of the Spanish language.

After Rome's decline the Visigoths ruled until 711, when Muslim armies from North Africa crossed the Strait of Gibraltar. For nearly eight centuries Al-Andalus flourished, with Córdoba becoming one of the great cities of the medieval world, renowned for its scholarship, poetry and architecture. Christian kingdoms in the north gradually pushed south in the long Reconquista, which ended in 1492 when Ferdinand and Isabella took Granada. That same year Columbus sailed west on their behalf, opening the way to a vast empire across the Americas and beyond.

Read the full history

In the sixteenth century Spain's Golden Age brought immense wealth and artistic brilliance, from the paintings of Velázquez to the novels of Cervantes. The following centuries saw gradual decline, the Napoleonic invasion and the loss of most colonies. The twentieth century was turbulent: a Civil War from 1936 to 1939 was followed by the long dictatorship of Francisco Franco. After his death in 1975, Spain made a celebrated transition to democracy under King Juan Carlos I, adopting a new constitution in 1978 and joining the European Community in 1986.

Today Spain is a confident, diverse democracy of regions with their own languages and identities, from Catalonia and the Basque Country to Galicia and Andalusia. For travellers, this rich past means an extraordinary range of experiences: Roman ruins in Mérida and Segovia, the Alhambra and Córdoba's Mezquita, Gothic cathedrals, Gaudí's modernist marvels in Barcelona and world-class art in Madrid. Add in late-night tapas, flamenco and festivals, and few countries pack in as much culture.

Timeline

  1. c. 36,000–13,000 years agoIce Age artists paint caves such as Altamira
  2. 218 BCRome begins its conquest of the Iberian Peninsula
  3. 711Muslim forces cross from North Africa, beginning the era of Al-Andalus
  4. 1492Granada falls to Ferdinand and Isabella; Columbus reaches the Americas
  5. 1936–1939The Spanish Civil War
  6. 1975Franco dies and the transition to democracy begins
  7. 1978Spain's democratic constitution is approved
  8. 1986Spain joins the European Community
Spain 🛂 Visa & entry

Entry rules depend on your passport and change often.

  • Schengen Area – Part of the Schengen Area – 29 European countries with no passport checks between them. Short visits are usually counted under the 90-days-in-any-180 rule across the whole area.
  • European Union – EU member – EU/EEA citizens can travel and stay freely.
  • Eurozone – Uses the euro.

Before you book, check the official rules for your passport:

The latest visa and entry news for Spain appears below as soon as publishers report it.

Spain✨ 10 best things to do in Spain

Things to do in Spain

  1. Explore the AlhambraWander through Granada's breathtaking palace of carved stucco, tiled courtyards and fountain-filled gardens.
  2. Marvel at the Sagrada FamíliaStand beneath the forest-like columns and glowing stained glass of Gaudí's extraordinary basilica in Barcelona.
  3. Go on a tapas crawlHop between bustling bars in Seville, San Sebastián or Madrid, sampling small plates late into the night.
  4. Watch flamencoFeel the passion of a live flamenco performance in an intimate venue in Seville or Granada.
  5. Visit the PradoLose yourself among masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya and El Greco in one of the world's great art museums.
  6. Walk the Camino de SantiagoFollow the ancient pilgrim route across northern Spain to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
  7. Island-hop the BalearicsSwim in turquoise coves in Mallorca and Menorca or enjoy Ibiza's quieter, bohemian side.
  8. Explore the Canary Islands' volcanoesHike lunar landscapes on Tenerife's Mount Teide and Lanzarote's fire mountains.
  9. See the Mezquita of CórdobaWalk through a forest of striped arches in this spectacular former mosque turned cathedral.
  10. Taste paella in ValenciaTry the original rice dish in its home region, ideally at a seaside restaurant on a long Sunday lunch.
Travel and Tour World🧭 Top Travel News
El Salvador Travel Technology Budgets Transform As AI And Costs Surge Across San Salvador, Costa del Sol And More Cities, All You Need To Know

El Salvador Travel Technology Budgets Transform As AI And Costs Surge Across San Salvador, Costa del Sol And More Cities, All You Need To Know Discover how El Salvador's hoteliers in San Salvador, Mizata Beach, and Costa del Sol…

#El Salvador#Spain#San Salvador
Spain🗺️ Where to visit in Spain

Where to go in Spain

  • MadridCentral Spain · capital & artA vibrant capital with world-class museums, grand boulevards, leafy parks and legendary nightlife.
  • BarcelonaCatalonia · architecture & beachesGaudí's city combines Gothic lanes, modernist landmarks, seaside promenades and a buzzing food scene.
  • SevilleAndalusia · flamenco & heritageThe heart of Andalusian culture, with a vast cathedral, the Real Alcázar and orange-scented plazas.
  • GranadaAndalusia · Moorish palacesHome to the Alhambra and the hillside Albaicín quarter, with the Sierra Nevada as a backdrop.
  • 📍
    San SebastiánBasque Country · food & beachesAn elegant seaside city famous for its pintxos bars and its beautiful shell-shaped bay.
  • 📍
    MallorcaBalearic Islands · coast & mountainsDramatic mountains, hidden coves and charming stone villages beyond the busy resorts.
  • 📍
    Santiago de CompostelaGalicia · pilgrimage cityThe emotional end point of the Camino, with a magnificent cathedral and a lively old town.
  • TenerifeCanary Islands · volcanoes & sunYear-round warmth, black-sand beaches and Spain's highest peak, Mount Teide.
Spain✨ Must-do experiences
  • Hop between tapas bars in the evening
  • Tour the Alhambra palace and gardens in Granada
  • Watch a flamenco show in Andalusia
  • Walk part of the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail
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Spain🍽️ Taste of Spain
  • Paella – saffron rice with seafood or meat, from Valencia
  • Tortilla española – thick potato and egg omelette
  • Jamón ibérico – rich cured ham, sliced thin
  • Churros con chocolate – fried dough dipped in thick hot chocolate
Spain🌦️ Weather & best time to visit Spain

Best time to visit Spain

Spain's climate varies widely: the Mediterranean coast is warm and dry, the interior has hot summers and cold winters, and the green north is cooler and rainier. The Canary Islands enjoy mild, spring-like weather all year.

BestApril to June and September to October – warm, sunny days ideal for sightseeing, with fewer crowds than midsummer.
ShoulderMarch and November – cooler and quieter, great for cities and good value, with the Canaries still mild.
AvoidJuly and August inland – cities such as Seville, Córdoba and Madrid can be extremely hot and coastal resorts are crowded.
10°💧Jan
12°💧Feb
16°💧Mar
18°💧Apr
22°💧May
29°☀️Jun
32°☀️Jul
31°☀️Aug
26°💧Sep
19°💧Oct
13°💧Nov
10°💧Dec

Typical daytime highs and rain in Madrid (approximate averages).

Spain🎉 Festivals & events in Spain
  • March–April
    Semana Santa (Holy Week)Solemn processions of hooded brotherhoods carry ornate floats through the streets, especially in Seville and Málaga.
  • March
    Las FallasValencia erupts with fireworks and giant satirical sculptures that are set ablaze on the final night.
  • April–May
    Feria de AbrilSeville's spring fair is a week of flamenco dresses, horse parades, music and dancing in festive casetas.
  • July
    San FermínPamplona's famous festival features the running of the bulls, parades and round-the-clock celebrations.
  • August
    La TomatinaThe town of Buñol hosts a giant, messy tomato-throwing battle on the last Wednesday of August.
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Spain🧭 Spain itinerary ideas

How many days in Spain?

5 daysClassic Madrid and Barcelona

Days 1-2 explore Madrid's Prado, Retiro Park and tapas bars, with a day trip to Toledo. Day 3 take the high-speed train to Barcelona. Days 4-5 see the Sagrada Família, Park Güell, the Gothic Quarter and the beach.

10 daysSpain's greatest hits

Days 1-3 discover Madrid and Toledo. Days 4-7 travel south to Andalusia for Córdoba's Mezquita, Seville's cathedral and flamenco, and Granada's Alhambra. Days 8-10 finish in Barcelona for Gaudí, markets and Mediterranean beaches.

Spain🎒 Backpacking Spain – tips & hacks

Backpacker budget: about $50–80 a day

  • Book high-speed and regional trains early for the best fares, or use long-distance buses, which are often cheaper.
  • In Granada and parts of Andalusia, many bars still serve a free tapa with every drink – a great way to eat on a budget.
  • Try the 'menú del día' at lunchtime, a set multi-course meal that is far cheaper than dinner.
  • Barcelona, Madrid, Seville and Granada have lively hostel scenes; book well ahead in summer and during festivals.
  • Many major museums offer free entry at certain times, so check before you go.
Spain🛡️ Safety & money in Spain

Stay safe

  • Pickpocketing is common in busy tourist areas, especially Barcelona's Las Ramblas and Madrid's metro – keep bags zipped and close.
  • Stay hydrated and avoid strenuous sightseeing in the midday heat during summer.
  • Be wary of distraction scams, such as people offering flowers or asking you to sign petitions.
  • Respect red flags on beaches, which indicate dangerous swimming conditions.

Money

  • Spain uses the euro; cards and contactless payments are widely accepted, even for small purchases.
  • ATMs are easy to find, but choose to be charged in euros rather than your home currency for better rates.
  • Tipping is modest – rounding up or leaving small change for good service is usual rather than a fixed percentage.

Emergency: 112 police, fire & ambulance

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Spain🛬 Getting to Spain

Major international airports include Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona-El Prat, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca and those in the Canary Islands. Spain is linked by road and rail to France and Portugal, and ferries connect it with Morocco, the Balearic Islands and other Mediterranean ports.

✈️ Cheap flights to Spain: airports, flight times & best time to fly →

Spain💡 Did you know? 5 facts about Spain
  • Spain has one of the highest numbers of UNESCO World Heritage Sites of any country.
  • The Sagrada Família has been under construction since 1882.
  • Spanish, Catalan, Basque and Galician are all spoken in different regions, with co-official status in their areas.
  • Spain produces a huge share of the world's olive oil, more than any other country.
  • Dinner in Spain is often served as late as 9 or 10 pm.
Spain❓ Spain travel FAQ

Spain travel questions

Is Spain safe for tourists?

Spain is generally very safe and welcomes millions of visitors each year. Petty theft and pickpocketing in busy cities are the main concerns, so keep an eye on your belongings. Always check your government's latest travel advice before you go.

When is the best time to visit Spain?

Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) offer the best balance of warm weather and manageable crowds. Summer suits beaches, while the Canary Islands are pleasant all year.

How many days do you need in Spain?

Five days is enough for Madrid and Barcelona, while ten days to two weeks lets you add Andalusia. Spain's fast trains make it easy to cover a lot of ground.

Do I need a visa for Spain?

It depends on your passport – check the official government site or Spanish embassy before you travel. Spain is part of the Schengen Area, and entry rules may change.

Do people speak English in Spain?

English is widely spoken in tourist areas and major cities, though less so in rural regions. Learning a few Spanish phrases is appreciated, and getting around is easy by high-speed train, bus and metro.

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Spain💰 What a trip costs
$$price level
$50–80backpacker / day
$120–200mid-range / day

Approximate daily cost per person (stay, food, local transport).

Spain🚌 Getting around

Fast AVE trains link the big cities, and cheap domestic flights reach the islands. Buses cover smaller towns, and cities have good metro systems.

Spain🛕 Sacred & spiritual places
  • Santiago de Compostela Cathedral – End point of the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage walked for over 1,000 years
  • Sagrada Família – Gaudí's huge, still-unfinished basilica in Barcelona
  • Montserrat Monastery – Mountain monastery home to the Black Madonna statue
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Spain🤝 Local etiquette
  • Meals are late – lunch around 2 pm and dinner from 9 pm
  • Friends often greet with a light kiss on each cheek
  • Cover your shoulders when visiting churches and cathedrals
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📰 Older Spain stories Everything our agents ever found – keeps loading as you scroll

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