You would go to Spain on holiday for the delicious food alone. Enjoy tapas, Tortilla Espanola and paella on a cozy terrace while enjoying a locally produced wine. Besides good food, you can experience extensive culture and history in the Spanish cities. For a nice combination of beach and city, go on holiday to Marbella or one of the many other lively seaside resorts on the Spanish coast. In Northern Spain you will visit the Pyrenees and the Silver Coast, in Southern Spain the wonders of Andalusia. Don't forget to visit the Pueblos Blancos, white villages in rugged hills, the colorful Selva de Irati forest and the caves of Las Cuevas del Drach. Among the most beautiful places in Spain are certainly the islands of La Palma, Mallorca and Menorca. The islands in the Azores archipelago should also be on your wish list. Spain offers a wonderful climate for those who want to take a break in winter. In the Sierra Nevada, a nature reserve with sixteen peaks of more than three kilometers high, you can ski in the winter.
The Spanish coast is a true paradise, with snow-white beaches, azure blue water and good weather. Those looking for peace and quiet will visit one of the less crowded but certainly no less beautiful Spanish beaches. Playa del Silencio, or “beach of silence”, lives up to its name. You reach the idyllic beach via a long walk that is worthwhile in itself. For a relaxed, almost hippie-like atmosphere, visit the coastal town of Las Negras and its beach, where you can also camp wild. Rest and tuna lovers head to Zahara de los Atunes, known for its tuna fishing and clear waters. For an island atmosphere you can visit the beautiful Formentera, a small island near Ibiza. On the island you can reach beautiful beaches via winding dirt roads.
Spain is a good destination for those who want to go on a driving holiday. But for example a road trip through Andalusia, where you start with a city walk through Seville. Continue to Mezquita de Córdoba, the historic cathedral declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy flamenco and good food in the picturesque villages and towns that you will encounter further on. Continue your road trip to the Costa del Sol, where it is always good to be in the warm temperatures of Andalusia. Take a city trip in Malaga, see famous people in Marbella and enjoy your well-deserved rest on the paradise beaches.
Visit Catalonia for a tour of Northern Spain. Visit Cadaqués, the village of painter Salvador Dali, and enjoy the coast on the way to the pleasant villages of Cap de Creus and Figueras. Nature lovers follow the hiking trails along the coast and do not miss Parc Naturel dels Aiguamolls de l'Empordà and the wetland Ebro Delta. You can soak up culture in the cities of Barcelona, Gerona and Tarragona.
You spend the night in Spain in style. Enjoy the sound of the waves crashing on the beach from a campsite on the Costa Brava, or listen to the deer from an inland nature campsite. You can camp throughout Spain at nature campsites and more luxurious campsites with a swimming pool. Those who prefer to sleep in a Spanish holiday home can go to cave houses, tree houses or luxury Parador hotels. Paradores are historic buildings converted into hotels, such as castles, monasteries and palaces. A popular destination is Cardona's Parador hotel, in a medieval castle on a mountaintop, with fantastic views.
Spain is increasingly suitable for those who want to cycle there. The government has paved old train tracks into "Via Verde" cycle paths, of which Via Verde de la Jara is perhaps the most beautiful. You can enjoy sweeping views, bridges, tunnels, lakes and charming villages on this more than fifty kilometer long cycle path. Scattered throughout Spain you will find these bike paths, through flat areas near the cities and through challenging areas in the mountains. Mountain bikers seek out the trails through the mountains, such as the ten-kilometer trail on Tibidabo mountain near Barcelona.
Those who want to go on a multi-day cycling holiday should follow the TransAndalus, a two-thousand-kilometer low cycle route for mountain bikers, which connects some of the most beautiful Spanish nature reserves. Daredevils cycle from the Catalan to the Basque coast, right through the Pyrenees.
The most famous walking route in Spain is the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella. Several routes lead to Santiago, the most famous being the 775-kilometer Camino Frances. Even if you do not have the time or desire to walk such a long distance, you can go for a walking holiday in Spain. With over 400 natural parks, Spain is a paradise for hikers in every season. Hike through the Pyrenees in the north or along the coast in Andalusia. Hiking trails up to 50 kilometers are called Pequeños Recorridos, longer hiking trails are called Grandes Recorridos. Take to the heights of the Picos de Europa, limestone mountains with jagged peaks. The walks to Sant Aniol de Aguja and Rupit i Pruit in Catalonia are also highly recommended.
Those with no fear of heights can also visit the Caminito del Rey or the Canal de Urdón, two of the scariest walking routes in Spain. Those who prefer more solid ground can go along the coast or on the islands of Tenerife, La Palma, Mallorca or Menorca. In Tenerife you walk at sea level between succulents and cacti and in higher areas through forests in fifty shades of green. Those who climb even higher walk over lava fields between craters and lava chunks. The interior of La Palma consists of an eighteen kilometer long volcano chain consisting of 120 volcanoes. Follow the GR130 walking route to discover this area on foot. In Mallorca, as a hiker you can enjoy the Serra de Tramuntana, a UNESCO heritage area with many hiking trails that combine culture and nature. In smaller Menorca you can enjoy white sands, azure blue water and old-fashioned towns along the GR223.
Barcelona is a popular destination for a city trip in Spain, but there are more Spanish cities that have culture and history to offer. For example, visit one of the many museums and palaces in Madrid. For a weekend away, visit Bilbao in Northern Spain with its Guggenheim Museum and old city center. More to the south is Granada, with its narrow alleys between old buildings. Visit the old Arab quarter of Albayzín, the medieval Alhambra palace, the cathedral and the surrounding nature of Sierra Nevada. In Málaga you can also enjoy the milder climate in the south of Spain. Here you will find fine shopping streets and historic buildings next to beaches. For a city trip full of shopping and culture, go to Seville, where you end your day surrounded by flamenco dancers with a drink on a terrace. Take a bike in Valencia, the City of Arts and Sciences, and admire the architecture. If you want to combine a city trip with nature, visit Ronda, a city built on a mountain plateau. In the city itself you will find the Puente Neuvobrug, which connects two parts of the city over a deep gorge. For a mix between a city trip and a beach holiday, travel to Torremolinos on the Costa del Sol.
Record your Spain adventures in an online travel diary. Like a true travel blogger, fill it with long stories about your adventures, supplemented with beautiful photos. Share the online album with your friends and family, or have it printed into a real travel (day) book.