Spain Travel Guide

• Catalonia: Explore Gaudí buildings and modernist tours in Barcelona, beach time on the Costa Brava, cycling and food markets, day trips to medieval Girona and Dalí country.
• Madrid and the centre: Museum hopping at the Prado and Reina Sofía, tapas evenings, day trips to Toledo and Segovia, and leisurely park strolls.
• Andalusia: Visit the Alhambra in Granada, see the Mezquita in Córdoba, flamenco shows in Seville and drive the white villages and coastal Costa del Sol.
• The islands: Beach and boat time, island-hopping, hiking volcanic landscapes in the Canary Islands and nightlife or relaxed bays in the Balearics.
• The green north: Sample pintxos and gastronomy in the Basque Country, hike coastal trails in Galicia, and follow sections of the Camino de Santiago.

Most international visitors fly into Madrid-Barajas (MAD) or Barcelona-El Prat (BCN); other common gateways include Málaga (AGP) for the Costa del Sol and Palma de Mallorca (PMI) for the Balearics. Extensive high-speed rail (Renfe AVE) and budget coach networks make overland travel between cities straightforward.

By sea and rail: Brittany Ferries sails from Portsmouth and Plymouth to Santander and Bilbao, an overnight crossing of roughly 20-30 hours that suits travellers bringing a car. Short ferry hops link Algeciras and Tarifa with Tangier in Morocco, and Almería and Málaga with Melilla and Nador. Direct high-speed trains run from Paris and southern France to Barcelona, connecting there with AVE services to Madrid and beyond.

Typical daily spend €70-€180 ($80-200), cheaper in smaller inland towns and pricier in Barcelona, Madrid and the islands.

• Hostel dorm bed: €15-30
• Budget private room: €40-70
• Mid-range hotel: €70-140
• Upscale hotel: €150-300
• Market or street-stall meal: €6-12
• Bottle of local beer: €2-4.50
• Organised tour or activity: €20-60
• Metro ride: €1.50-2.50

For current prices on hundreds of everyday items, see Numbeo’s Spain cost of living, a crowd-sourced database that is updated often.

Ways to save

• Use regional transport passes: Buy Renfe offers, regional train passes or multi-day metro cards to cut intercity and urban travel costs.
• Eat like a local: Share tapas, choose menú del día lunches and avoid tourist restaurants to save on food.
• Book ahead for summer and festivals: Reserve accommodation and key sights early for better prices, especially in Barcelona, Madrid and the islands.

Full trip budgets are in Spain Itineraries.

Cards are broadly accepted in cities, tourist areas and larger businesses, but small shops, markets and some rural areas may be cash-only. ATMs are common in towns and tourist centres, so carry some cash for markets and small purchases.

• Tipping: Tips are not expected and waiters do not rely on them. Spaniards leave small change at bars and cafés and round up taxi fares; in a smarter restaurant a few euros, or 5-10% for exceptional service, is generous. Leave it in cash, as card terminals often have no tip option.
• Check the bill: bread, olives or an aperitivo you did not order can appear as a small charge, and terrace tables sometimes cost more than standing at the bar.
• Cards & Cash: Visa and Mastercard work widely; American Express is accepted at many but not all places. Contactless and mobile payments are widely supported in urban areas, though small vendors may only take cash.
• ATMs & Mobile Payments: ATMs are plentiful in cities and towns; fees from your bank or the ATM operator may apply. Apple Pay/Google Pay are increasingly accepted, especially in major retailers and restaurants.
• Tax refund: non-EU residents can reclaim Spain’s 21% VAT (minus a handling fee) on goods with no minimum spend. Ask the shop for a tax-free form and validate it at the DIVA kiosks at the airport or port before you leave the EU.
• Tourist taxes: Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and a growing number of cities add a per-person nightly tax, usually collected by the hotel at check-out and not always included in the online price.
• Banknotes: €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200, €500
• Coins: €0.01, €0.02, €0.05, €0.10, €0.20, €0.50, €1, €2

Meals start late by many national standards, with dinner often after 21:00 and lively tapas culture into the night. Locals are generally relaxed and forgiving of foreign habits, but showing basic politeness and attempting Spanish or the regional language is appreciated.

Spain offers good mobile and fixed connectivity across cities and most tourist areas, with FTTH widely deployed in urban centers. Mobile performance in towns is generally strong for streaming and videoconferencing, while rural and island coverage can be more variable.

• Which number: 112 is the one to remember; it connects to police, ambulance and fire anywhere in Spain. 061 and 080 vary by region and city, and 092 reaches the local municipal police.
• Electricity: 230V, 50 Hz; plug types C, F.

Yes - for most visitors Spain is safe; violent crime is uncommon but pickpocketing, road risks and weather hazards are the main concerns.

Staying healthy in Spain is generally easy thanks to good healthcare; main issues are sun/heat, ticks in rural areas and routine vaccinations.

Spain’s culture is regionally diverse, linking Mediterranean and Atlantic influences, with strong local identities, lively festivals and a social dining culture centered on tapas and shared meals. Visitors often notice visible historical layers - Roman, Islamic, medieval and modernist - that shape architecture and local traditions.

Meal times run late. Breakfast is light (coffee and toast or a pastry), lunch is the main meal from about 14:00 to 16:00, and dinner rarely starts before 21:00, later in summer and in the south. Many kitchens close between services, so a restaurant that is busy at 15:00 may be shut at 18:00; bars serving tapas fill the gap.

Menú del día. On weekdays most restaurants offer a fixed-price lunch with a starter, main, dessert or coffee, bread and a drink, often the best-value meal of the day. Dinner is usually à la carte.

Tapas, raciones and pintxos. A tapa is a small portion, a media ración a half plate and a ración a full plate for sharing. In Granada, León and parts of Andalusia and Castile a free tapa still comes with each drink. In the Basque Country, pintxos sit on the bar counter: help yourself, keep the toothpicks or tell the barman what you had, and pay at the end.

Paying and water. Ask for the bill (la cuenta); it won’t come until you do. By law every bar and restaurant must give you tap water (agua del grifo) free if you ask, though many will bring bottled water unless you do.

Dietary needs. Ham and tuna turn up in salads, croquetas and vegetable dishes, so vegetarians should ask “¿lleva carne o pescado?”. Gluten-free (sin gluten) options are widely understood, and big cities have plenty of vegetarian and vegan places.

Regional plates to look for: paella and other rice dishes in Valencia (a lunchtime dish locally), gazpacho, salmorejo and fried fish in Andalusia, pulpo and Albariño wine in Galicia, pintxos in San Sebastián and Bilbao, cider and fabada stew in Asturias, cocido in Madrid, and pa amb tomàquet with cava in Catalonia.

Spain’s concentrated cultural sites and extensive coastline require mindful travel to reduce pressure on fragile landscapes, coastal ecosystems and historic neighbourhoods.

• Manage overtourism & timing: Visit popular cities and sites like Barcelona or the Alhambra outside peak hours or shoulder seasons, and respect local residents by avoiding noise and crowds in residential neighbourhoods.
• Protect marine habitats: Help preserve Posidonia meadows around the Balearics and Mediterranean coasts by choosing Blue Flag beaches and operators listed on the Blue Flag programme; avoid anchoring on seagrass.
• Pilgrimage & trail etiquette: On routes such as the Camino de Santiago stick to marked tracks, use official refugios and respect pilgrims’ silence and shared facilities; pack out what you pack in.
• Respect national parks & wildlife: Follow rules in sensitive areas like Doñana and the Picos de Europa-stay on paths, keep dogs leashed where required, and use authorised guides for birdwatching.
• Cultural events & animal welfare: Be mindful of local traditions but avoid supporting events that harm animals; when seeking cultural performances choose community‑run flamenco shows and ethical exhibitions.

Long-term living in Spain attracts retirees, families, and remote workers seeking good healthcare, varied lifestyles, and Mediterranean climate. Expats choose for culture, food, and relatively affordable living outside major city centres. Many move for quality of life, access to EU services, and varied visa pathways.

Long-Term Visas: Non‑Lucrative visa for non-workers, Golden Visa for investors, work and start-up routes also available.

Working There: EU/EEA/Swiss citizens work freely; non‑EU nationals need employer-sponsored permits or register as autónomo to work legally.

Cost of Living: Monthly costs vary: Madrid/Barcelona single-person budgets ~€1,200-€1,800; smaller cities considerably cheaper.

Health & Wellness: Public SNS available to contributors and residents; many expats keep private insurance, plans often €50-€100/month.

Banking & Finance: Open a bank account with an NIE for residents, IBANs start with ES, online banking widely supported.

Taxes: Tax residents pay on worldwide income; top marginal rates around 45%-47% depending on autonomous community.

Popular Places to Live in Spain

The choice comes down to whether you want beaches, a big city, or somewhere quieter. For beaches head to Valencia, Málaga, or the Canary Islands; for urban life choose Madrid or Barcelona, with the trade-off of higher costs and more crowds in the latter.

• Madrid - Capital energy, great cultural institutions and transport, suits career-focused expats, trade-off: higher living costs.
• Barcelona - Seafront city with strong international scene, ideal for creatives and nomads, trade-off: tourism and high rents.
• Valencia - Affordable coastal city, family-friendly, good food and beaches, trade-off: smaller international community.
• Málaga - Beach-city balance, growing remote-worker scene, suits outdoorsy nomads, trade-off: busy during high season.
• Tenerife - Year-round warm climate and outdoor lifestyle, great for nature lovers, trade-off: island remoteness and fewer direct connections.

Spain’s remote-work scene is mature and growing: strong connectivity, abundant coworking, and established expat communities. Nomads choose Spain for quality of life, culture, and easy travel within Europe, balancing higher city costs against excellent services and climate.

Nomad Visa: Spain Digital Nomad Visa (part of the Startup Act) available for qualifying remote workers and freelancers.

Long Term Rentals: Long-term rentals commonly 6-12 month leases, deposits typically one to two months, furnished options available in cities.

Internet: Fiber widely available in cities, typical urban speeds 100-600 Mbps; reliable mobile 4G/5G coverage nationwide.

Monthly Cost: Typical nomad monthly budget €1,200-€2,000 in Madrid/Barcelona, lower in smaller cities and some islands.

Coworking: Many coworking spaces with daily and monthly passes, prices typically €100-€250/month depending on city and amenities.

Fitness & Wellness: Gym memberships around €25-€50/month; plentiful outdoor activities like hiking, cycling, and watersports.

Community: Active digital-nomad communities in Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Málaga and the Canary Islands, regular meetups and events.

Time Zone: Central European Time (CET, UTC+1) and Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2) in summer.

Spain Digital Nomad Visa (DNV)

• Stay Duration: Initial approval commonly up to 1 year, with renewals possible for multi-year stays under the startup law framework.
• Validity: Initial residence permit generally up to 1 year, renewable and can lead to longer-term residence.
• Eligibility: Remote employees of non-Spanish companies or freelancers with majority foreign clients, must meet income and background requirements.
• Application: Apply via Spanish consulate or in-country where allowed; submit employment contract, proof of income, insurance, background check.

Popular Nomad Hubs in Spain

Nomads pick bases depending on priorities: lively cities for community, coastal towns for outdoors and lower costs. The trade-off is city convenience versus quieter, cheaper seaside or island life.

• Barcelona - Strong international community, many coworking spots and nightlife, trade-off: higher rents and tourist crowds.
• Madrid - Big-city infrastructure, excellent transport and events, trade-off: more expensive and urban than coastal alternatives.
• Valencia - Affordable coastal city, good weather and beaches, trade-off: smaller expat scene than Barcelona or Madrid.
• Tenerife - Year-round warm climate and outdoor lifestyle, trade-off: more remote, slower pace and fewer direct flights.
• Málaga - Good mix of city and beach, growing digital-nomad scene, trade-off: seasonal tourism can make some areas busy.