Best things to do in Spain

From the gorgeous coastline and buzzing cities to delectable food and delicious wines, there's plenty to see and do in Spain. Before we get stuck into the full list, here are 25 things you shouldn't miss.

The information in this article is inspired by The Rough Guide to Spain, your essential guide for visiting Spain.

1. Enjoy the spectacle of Flamenco in Seville

Flamenco music and dance is on offer at dozens of places in the city, some of them extremely tacky and expensive. Unless you’ve heard otherwise, avoid the fixed “shows”, or tablaos (many of which are a travesty, even using recorded music) – the spontaneous nature of flamenco makes it almost impossible to timetable into the two-shows-a-night cabaret demanded by impresarios.

Make the most of a city break in one of Spain's most atmospheric cities with our tailor-made tour to Seville. The home of flamenco, Seville is a veritable feast for all the senses. Come here for the tantalising cuisine and fragrant orange trees, awe-inspiring Gothic cathedral, pretty plazas and many excellent museums and galleries.

Where to stay in Seville:

• EME Catedral Hotel

The stylish EME Catedral is located next to Seville Cathedral and 60 m from La Giralda. It offers a rooftop swimming pool and bar with views over the city. The boutique hotel has free WiFi and a spa.

2. Visit Las Alpujarras

Beyond the mountains, farther south from Granada, lie the great valleys of the Alpujarras, first settled in the twelfth century by Berber refugees from Seville, and later the Moors’ last stronghold in Spain.

The valleys are bounded to the north by the Sierra Nevada, and to the south by the lesser sierras of Lujar, La Contraviesa and Gador. The eternal snows of the high sierras keep the valleys and their seventy or so villages well-watered all summer long. Rivers have cut deep gorges in the soft mica and shale of the upper mountains, and over the centuries have deposited silt and fertile soil on the lower hills and in the valleys.

Take a day trip across Spain's highest villages in La Alpujarra, one of the most charming and tranquil corners of Europe.

Where to stay near Las Alpujarras:

• Hotel Alcadima

The excellent Hotel Alcadima has the best pool and restaurant terrace in town, and many of the comfortable rooms boast stunning balcony views towards the castle.

3. Marvel at the Burgos cathedral, Burgos

The Catedral has emerged from a lengthy period of restoration (1994 to 2015), looking cleaner than it has for centuries, and proving more popular too. There is also a separate visitor centre and a well-stocked gift shop.

Where to stay in Burgos:

• Silken Gran Teatro

This stylish hotel is next to Burgos’ Museum of Human Evolution, 5 minutes walk from the old town. Its elegant rooms have free Wi-Fi and plasma TV with satellite channels.

4. Enjoy Ibiza and Formentera’s hidden coves

For years, Ibiza was the European hippy escape, but nowadays it’s the extraordinary clubbing scene that most people come here to experience. The island can lay a strong claim to being the globe’s clubbing capital, with virtually all of the world’s top house DJs and many more minor players performing here during the summer season.

However, visit between October and May, and you’ll find a much more peaceful island – just one club (Pacha) and a few bars remain open through the winter.

Experience the Spanish Sea on a boat adventure around the island of Ibiza. On this exciting tour, you will visit historic sites, snorkel to discover the reefs and nature reserves, explore secret caves, and relax on beautiful beaches.

Where to stay in Ibiza:

• Sir Joan Hotel

Situated in Ibiza Town, 400 m from Pacha, Sir Joan Hotel boasts air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi throughout the property. Guests can enjoy the on-site bar and outdoor pool.

5. Try gourmet snacks in San Sebastián - it's one of the best things to do in Spain for foodies

Basque cuisine has established a reputation as the Spanish finest, so it's definitely one of the best things to do in Spain. Cutting-edge chefs such as Martín Berasetegui, Juan Mari Arzak, and Andoni Aduriz, the stars of the nueva cocina vasca (new Basque cuisine), delight in creating inventive new combinations and preparations.

Restaurants throughout the region are crowded with eager diners happy to pay premium prices for superb food.

Where to stay in San Sebastián:

• Hotel Parma

Set overlooking the spectacular bay of La Zurriola, this small hotel enjoys a fantastic setting right in the heart of classic San Sebastián, near the old town.

6. Going out clubbing in Ibiza - one of the best things to do in Spain for those who are young in spirit

Some of the globe’s most spectacular clubs are spread across the southern half of Ibiza. Clubs cost around €25–60 to get in and are open between midnight and 6 am – try to blag a guest pass from one of the bars on the harbourfront. The Discobus (June–Sept midnight–6.30 am; €3) ferries partygoers from Ibiza Town to the island’s major clubs, leaving from the main port.

The highly recommended website has a party calendar and full details of club nights, events and tickets.

Find your perfect accommodation option in Ibiza.

7. Take a walk along the Roman aqueduct, Segovia

After Toledo, Segovia is the standout trip from Madrid. A relatively small city, strategically sited on a rocky ridge, it is deeply and haughtily Castilian, with a panoply of squares and mansions from its days of Golden Age grandeur, when it was a royal resort and a base for the Cortes (parliament). It was in Segovia that Isabel la Católica was proclaimed queen of Castile in 1474.

For a city of its size, there is an extraordinary array of architectural monuments. Most celebrated are the breathtaking Roman aqueduct, the Gothic Catedral and the fairy-tale Alcázar, but the less obvious attractions – the cluster of ancient churches and the many mansions found in the lanes of the old town, all in a warm, honey-coloured stone – are what really make it worth a visit.

If you have time, take a walk out of the city alongside the river and out to the fascinating church of Vera Cruz.

See the sights of Toledo and Segovia on a guided tour from Madrid. Access the former palace of the Alcázar of Segovia and marvel at the art and architecture of Toledo Cathedral.

Where to stay in Segovia:

• Hab Urban Hostel

Set 500 from Plaza Mayor Square, Hab Urban Hostel is located in Segovia. This guest house offers air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi. Segovia Cathedral is 5 minutes walk away.

8. Visit the Teatre-Museu Dalí, Figueres

One thing is certain: you won’t have trouble spotting the Teatre-Museu Dalí. Just look for a roof topped with giant eggs and a red facade with protruding bread loaves. Housed in a former theatre – which is particularly apt, for this most theatrical of artists – the museum is designed around a large courtyard with white ceramic sinks and gold mannequins inspired by Oscar statues.

Light streams into the building through a transparent, geodesic dome ceiling that resembles the eye of a fly, in a nod to Dalí’s fixation with insects. Incidentally, the artist had no problem with flies but was supposedly repulsed by ants, which he depicted crawling out of eyeballs and such in his paintings.

Where to stay in Figueres:

• Figueres Center

Located in Figueres, 1.1 km from Dalí Museum and 10 km from Peralada Golf, Figueres Center offers a terrace and air conditioning. This property offers access to a patio and free private parking.

9. Visit the capital of medieval Spain - Toledo

Toledo remains one of Spain’s great cities. Redolent of past glories, it is packed with memorable sights – hence the whole city’s status as a National Monument and UNESCO Patrimony of Mankind – and enjoys an incomparable setting. Be aware, however, that the extraordinary number of day-trippers can take the edge off what was once the most extravagant of Spanish experiences.

Where to stay in Toledo:

• Hotel Santa Isabel

Set in a restored 15th-century building, 2 minutes’ walk from Toledo Cathedral, Hotel Santa Isabel offers a roof terrace with cathedral views and free WiFi throughout. Some rooms overlook the cathedral.

10. Be charmed by La Mezquita, Córdoba

The development of the Mezquita paralleled the new heights of confidence and splendour of ninth- and tenth-century Córdoba. Abd ar-Rahman III provided it with a new minaret (which has not survived but which provided the core for the later belfry), 80m high, topped by three pomegranate-shaped spheres, two of silver and one of gold and each weighing a tonne.

But it was his son, al-Hakam II (r.961–76), to whom he passed on a peaceful and stable empire, who was responsible for the most brilliant expansion. He virtually doubled its extent, demolishing the south wall to add fourteen extra rows of columns, and employed Byzantine craftsmen to construct a new mihrab or prayer niche; this remains complete and is perhaps the most beautiful example of all Moorish religious architecture.

Learn about the rich heritage and history in Córdoba with a full-day hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour.

Where to stay in Córdoba:

• Los Omeyas

The hotel Los Omeyas is located within the delightful Jewish district of Córdoba, awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. Just a few minutes from “La Mezquita” (the mosque), “La Torre de la Calahorra” (the Calahorra tower), and “El Alcázar” (the ancient fortress), is one of the most attractive areas in the city.

11. Take a tour of the Bodegas Ysios, Rioja Alavesa

Framed by the hills that rise to the north, the mesmerizing Bodegas Ysios undulates through the vineyards 2km north of Laguardia, off the Vitoria-Gasteiz road. Its resemblance to an ancient temple is entirely deliberate; the name Ysios honours twin Egyptian deities Isis and Osiris, and no expense was spared when architect Santiago Calatrava, also responsible for Bilbao Airport, was commissioned to construct a new winery in 2001.

The aluminium roof surmounts a wooden structure that on a more mundane level looks like a row of wine barrels.

Visit La Rioja, Spain's most renowned wine-producing region, and discover the secrets of Spanish wine-making with our tailor-made luxury tour through the Vineyards of La Rioja.

Where to stay near Rioja Alavesa:

• Posada Mayor de Migueloa

Set amongst 300-year-old vineyards in the La Rioja-Alavesa region, Posada Mayor de Migueloa is housed in a 17th-century Baroque mansion, Palacio de Viana. It features a restaurant serving traditional Basque and Riojan cuisine.

12. Visit the Alhambra, Granada

The Alhambra, a treasure of Moorish Spain, is one of Spain’s architectural wonders and its most-visited monument. There are three distinct groups of buildings on Alhambra Hill: the Palacios Nazaríes (Royal or Nasrid Palaces), the palace gardens of the Generalife and the Alcazaba.

Where to stay in Granada:

• Senator Granada Spa Hotel

Senator Granada Spa Hotel is next to Granada's Congress Center and 250 m from Granada's historic centre. It offers elegant rooms, a gym, a café and free Wi-Fi.

13. Take part in the celebration of Semana Santa

You’ll find memorable processions of pasos (floats) and penitents at Seville, Málaga, Granada and Córdoba, and to a lesser extent in smaller towns such as Jerez, Arcos, Baeza and Úbeda. All culminate with dramatic candlelight processions at dawn on Good Friday, with Easter Day itself more of a family occasion.

14. Take a walk in the surroundings of the Santiago de Compostela

The ancient pilgrimage centre of Santiago de Compostela ranks among the most beautiful cities in all of Spain. A superb ensemble of twisting stone lanes, majestic squares and historic churches, interspersed with countless hidden nooks and crannies, its medieval core remains a remarkably integrated whole, all the better for being very largely pedestrianized.

Hewn from time-weathered granite, splashed with gold and silver lichen and sprouting vegetation from the unlikeliest crevices, the buildings and plazas, arcades and flagstones seem to blend imperceptibly one into the other.

Discover the heritage of Santiago Cathedral and its museum together with this Cathedral and Museum guided tour.

Where to stay in Santiago de Compostela:

• Hostal Anosa Casa

Situated in a pedestrianized street between the Plaza de Galicia and Plaza de Toral, the Hostal Anosa Casa offers classic rooms with simple decoration.

15. Visit Parque Nacional Coto de Doñana

The seasonal pattern of its delta waters, which flood in winter and then drop in the spring, leaving rich deposits of silt, raised sandbanks and islands, gives Coto de Doñana its uniqueness. Conditions are perfect in winter for ducks and geese, but spring is more exciting; the exposed mud draws hundreds of flocks of breeding birds.

In the marshes and amid the cork-oak forests behind, you have a good chance of seeing squacco herons, black-winged stilts, whiskered terns, pratincoles and sand grouse, as well as flamingos, egrets and vultures. There are, too, occasional sightings of the Spanish imperial eagle, now reduced to a score of breeding pairs.

Conditions are not so good in late summer and early autumn when the marismas dry out and support far less birdlife.

Get back to nature in Doñana National Park with this tour from Seville.

Where to stay near Parque Nacional Coto de Doñana:

• Finca-Vallestares

Finca-Vallestares is located in Almonte. This apartment features a private pool, a garden, barbecue facilities, free WiFi and free private parking.

16. Take a tour of Universidad de Salamanca

Salamanca actually has two universities, the minor one being the Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, a short walk south of Pza. Mayor. It was originally linked to the university proper, but the faculties of theology and canon law were excluded from the main institution in 1852, and Pontificía was later formally established as a separate religious university in 1940 by Pope Pius XII.

Guided tours around the grand central building, a former Jesuit college first founded in 1617, start at a magnificent stone staircase, la escalera noble, that seems to hang suspended in the air. They then take in the richly decorated main hall and the grandiose Baroque cloister, around the upper level of which Jesuit priests once walked meditational circuits, believing themselves to be closer to heaven at such a height.

The tour ends in the vast Baroque church of La Clerecía, next door to the university. The climb up the church towers – Scala Coeli, or Stairway to Heaven – is worth the effort for the magnificent views of the city.

Where to stay in Salamanca:

• Abba Fonseca

Located in the historic centre of this city, Abba Fonseca is a contemporary-style hotel with an old stone façade, providing spacious and cheerful bedrooms.

17. Take a hike along the Picos de Europa

The Picos de Europa may not be the highest mountains in Spain, but they’re the favourite of many walkers, trekkers and climbers. Designated a national park in its entirety, the range is a miniature masterpiece: a mere 40km across in either direction, shoehorned in between three great river gorges, and straddling the provinces of Asturias, León and Cantabria.

Hikes in the Picos are amazingly diverse, with trails to suit all levels, from a casual morning’s stroll to two- or three-day treks. The most spectacular and popular routes are along the 12km Cares Gorge, and around the high peaks reached from the cable car at Fuente Dé and the subterranean funicular railway at Poncebos, but dozens of alternative paths explore the river valleys or climb into the mountains.

Take care if you go off the marked trails: the Picos can pose extreme challenges, with unstable weather and treacherous terrain.

Enjoy an unforgettable tour of the national park of Picos de Europa and the amazing village of Potes.

Where to stay near the Picos de Europa:

• Hotel Balneario La Hermida

Offering a picturesque setting on the banks of the Deva River, Balneario La Hermida features its own thermal spa dating from the 18th century. It has rooms with free internet access. et just 5 km from the Picos de Europa National Park, the hotel is a 40-minute drive from the Fuente Dé cable car. The beaches at San Vicente are less than 35 km away.

18. Get a dose of art in Museo del Prado, Madrid

The Museo del Prado is Madrid’s premier attraction – well over two million visitors enter its doors each year – and one of the oldest and greatest collections of art in the world.

The museum’s highlights are its early Flemish collection – including almost all of Bosch’s best work – and, of course, its incomparable display of Spanish art, in particular, that of Velázquez (including Las Meninas), Goya (including the Majas and the Black Paintings) and El Greco.

Find more information about the best things to do in Madrid with our in-depth guide to exploring Madrid. And our guide to where to stay in Madrid will provide you with some of the best accommodation options in this city.

Spend four days discovering the wonders of Spain's capital Madrid: from fascinating museums like El Prado and Reina Sofia over exploring unknown corners with your private guide on our tailor-made Madrid getaway tour.

Where to stay in Madrid:

• Eurostars Madrid Tower

The Eurostars Madrid Tower can be found in the Cuatro Torres business area, on Paseo de la Castellana. Begoña Metro Station is just 100 m away, and nearby Chamartín Station offers easy access to the city centre.

19. Have a weekend getaway at the Sitges, Southern Catalunya

Sitges, 40km from Barcelona, is definitely the highlight of this stretch of coast. Established in the 1960s as a holiday town, whose liberal attitudes openly challenged the rigidity of Franco’s Spain, it has now become the great weekend escape for young Barcelonans, who have created a resort very much in their own image. It’s also a noted LGBTQ holiday destination, with the nightlife to match.

Indeed, if you don’t like vigorous action of all kinds, you’d be wise to avoid Sitges in the summer – said it isn’t. Finding a place to stay in peak season can be a challenge unless you arrive early in the day or book well in advance.

Where to stay in Sitges:

• Hotel Capri

Located just 100 m from Sitges Beach and the town centre, Hotel Capri is set in stunning Mediterranean gardens and features an outdoor pool. Free WiFi and a 24-hour reception are available.

20. Wander the Roman ruins of Mérida

Built on the site of a Celtiberian settlement and founded by Emperor Augustus in 25 BC as a home for retired legionaries, Mérida became the tenth city of the Roman Empire and the final stop on the Vía de la Plata, the Roman road that began in Astorga in northern Castile. The old city stretched as far as the modern bullring and Roman circus, covering only marginally less than the triangular area occupied by the modern town.

Where to stay in Mérida:

• Las Abadías

This modern guest house boasts charming décor and free Wi-Fi. It has a peaceful setting in a fashionable residential area of Mérida, near the famous Roman Aqueduct and bridge.

21. Head to the Museo Guggenheim, Bilbao

Museo Guggenheim looms over the left bank of the Río Nervión, ten minutes’ walk west of the Casco Viejo. Completed in 1997, it was hailed by architect Philip Johnson as “the greatest building of our time”. The construction of such a showpiece project on a derelict industrial site represented a colossal gamble by the Basque government, which hoped to stimulate the revitalization of Bilbao.

Amazingly enough, it worked. A gargantuan sculpture, whose sensual titanium curves glimmer like running water in the sun, it has inevitably overshadowed the artworks it contains.

Where to stay in Bilbao:

• Sercotel Ayala

Conveniently set in the Bilbao City Centre district of Bilbao, Sercotel Ayala is located 270 m from Campos Eliseos Theatre, 1 km from Arriaga Theatre and 1.4 km from Funicular de Artxanda. The accommodation provides a 24-hour front desk as well as free WiFi throughout the property.

22. Visit Seville

“Seville,” wrote Byron, “is a pleasant city, famous for oranges and women.” And for its heat, he might perhaps have added, since Seville is one of the hottest cities in mainland Europe. Its summers are intense and they start early, in May.

Seville has three important monuments and an illustrious history, but what it’s essentially famous for is its own living self – the greatest city of the Spanish south, of Carmen, Don Juan and Figaro, and the archetype of Andalucian promise.

This reputation for gaiety and brilliance, for theatricality and intensity of life does seem deserved. It’s expressed on a phenomenally grand scale at the city’s two great festivals – Semana Santa (Holy Week at Easter) and the Feria de Abril (which starts two weeks after Easter Sunday and lasts a week). Either is worth considerable effort to get to. Seville is also Spain’s second most important centre for bullfighting, after Madrid.

Seville is also great for a family trip. Read our guide on how to plan a trip to Seville with children.

Explore the cuisine and surroundings of Seville in Andalucia. From Iberian ham over sherry wines to the production and secrets of olive oil, this tailor-made tour to Seville is an ideal weekend getaway.

Find your perfect accommodation option in Seville.

23. Take a look at Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Encountering the Basilica de la Sagrada Família for the first time has a breathtaking visceral impact. As work on Gaudí’s masterpiece races towards completion, and its extraordinary towers climb ever closer towards the heavens, the glorious, overpowering church of the “Sacred Family” is now more than ever a symbol for Barcelona. Even the coldest hearts find the Sagrada Família inspirational in both form and spirit.

Where to stay in Barcelona:

• Hotel Continental Barcelona

Set on Las Ramblas and next to Plaza Catalunya, the Hotel Continental offers charming rooms with free high-speed Wi-Fi and a fridge. A free continental buffet is available 24 hours a day.

Once in Barcelona, check our list of things to do in Barcelona for free.

24. Go to sherry tasting in Jerez

The tours of the sherry and brandy processes can be interesting – almost as much as the sampling that follows – and, provided you don’t arrive in August when much of the industry closes down, there are a great many firms to choose from. The visits are conducted either in English (very much the second language of the sherry world) or a combination of English and Spanish and last for about an hour.

Many of these bodegas were founded by British Catholic refugees, barred from careers at home by the sixteenth-century Supremacy Act, and even now they form a kind of Anglo-Andalucian tweed-wearing, polo-playing aristocracy (on display, most conspicuously, at the Horse Fair).

The González cellars – the soleras – are perhaps the oldest in Jerez and, though it’s no longer used, preserve an old circular chamber designed by Eiffel (of the tower fame).

Taste some of the best sherries in the world and learn how fortified wine is produced with a visit to one of the most important sherry wine cellars with this tour to Jerez.

Where to stay in Jerez:

• Hotel Palacio Garvey

The 19th-century Garvey Palace is located in the historic quarter of Jerez de la Frontera. It offers large, uniquely decorated rooms with hydromassage baths and flat-screen TVs with satellite channels.

25. Enjoy an epic sight of Las Fallas, Valencia

During the year, each barrio or neighbourhood builds satirical caricatures or fallas, some as tall as buildings. These begin to appear in the plazas at the beginning of March and are judged and awarded prizes before being set alight at midnight on March 19. The Nit de la Cremà – traditionally, carpenters celebrated the beginning of spring by decorating the torches they used over winter and adding them to a ritual bonfire.

The fallas are ignited all at once – with the last to go up being the prizewinner. Each falla features ninots (individual characters), the best of which is saved from the flames and displayed in the Museu Fallero.

Where to stay in Valencia:

• Melia Plaza Valencia

Melia Plaza Valencia is set in a classical building overlooking Valencia’s main square. It offers free Wi-Fi and features a gym, sauna and rooftop sun terrace with a whirlpool.

Discover the top ideas for visiting Valencia with our guide to the Valencia city break: a perfect weekend in Spain.

26. Spend a night on the tiles, Madrid

Madrid nightlife is a pretty serious phenomenon. This is one of the few cities in Europe where you can get caught in traffic jams in the early hours of the morning when the clubbers are either going home or moving on to the dance past-dawn discos. As with everything madrileño, there is a bewildering variety of nightlife venues.

Most common are the discobares, whose unifying feature is background pop, rock, dance or salsa music. These get going from around 11pm and stay open routinely until 2 am, as will the few quieter cocktail bars and pubs.

For discotecas, entry charges are quite common but tend to cover you for a drink or two. Free passes can often be picked up from public relations personnel who hang around in the streets outside, in tourist offices or bars.

Be aware that many discotecas are fairly ephemeral institutions and frequently only last a season before opening up somewhere else under a different name, so it’s a good idea to consult listing magazines La Guía del Ocio, Metrópoli, es Madrid or the website for the very latest information.

Find the best accommodation option in Madrid.

27. Take a walk around Park Guell, Barcelona

It’s now one of Barcelona’s most popular tourist attractions, and admission to the Zona Monumental which holds its most iconic sites is by timed ticket only. Access to the rest of the park, where the wooded, landscaped gardens make a nice spot for a picnic, remains free.

Find your perfect accommodation option in Barcelona.

28. Explore the stunning Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are home to the world’s second-biggest Carnival and the highest mountain in Spain as well as world-class wines and beaches. Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro - all have a lot to offer travellers.

The four western islands, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro, in descending order of size, have ragged coastlines with cliffs rising vertiginously out of the ocean. Of these, however, only Tenerife has beaches of any size and the golden sands that make them so popular.

Our first-timer’s guide to the best Canary Islands will help you decide which Canary Islands destination is best for you. And you will find plenty of delightful beaches in our guide to the best beaches in Spain.

If you prefer to plan and book your trip to Spain without any effort and hassle, use the expertise of our local travel experts to make sure your trip will be just like you dream it to be.

Ready for a trip to Spain? Check out the snapshot of The Rough Guide to Spain. If you travel further in Spain, read more about the best time to go, the best places to visit and the best things to do in Spain. For inspiration use the Spain itineraries from The Rough Guide to Spain and our local travel experts. A bit more hands-on, learn about getting there, getting around the country and where to stay once you are there.

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