In this article, you will find an ultimate list of resources and tips to plan a trip to Spain like a pro, based on my 15+ years of travel across the country, as well as a guide on finding exclusive free resources on the At Lifestyle Crossroads blog.

• This post contains affiliate links from which I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you). For more info, please read my disclosure. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Planning New Trips in Spain in 2025

Learn more about Spain

First of all, before planning a trip to Spain, I recommend checking out my post on the top reasons to visit Spain, where you can find everything I find stunning about the Iberian Peninsula, based on my 15+ years of living here. While Spain has a few drawbacks if you plan to move here, as a travel destination, it’s one of the most versatile places on this planet. You can find stunning historical landmarks from both the Moors and Romans, along with delicious cuisine, beautiful beaches, scenic hikes, and iconic city breaks like Barcelona. So, there’s truly something for every taste.

You can gain more historical insight into Spain through my articles on Spain documentaries and historical mysteries. Additionally, posts on top Spanish novels, popular TV shows, famous Spaniards in history, virtual tours, and coffee table books provide a great way to get familiar with the cultural context before visiting and understanding Spain on a deeper level. If you plan to travel extensively across the country, learning some Spanish will be helpful – check out my tips in this post. While millions of visitors explore Spain with only English, keep in mind that outside of major cities like Madrid or Barcelona, the general level of English is quite low. It is improving with younger generations, but older Spaniards often learned French as their second language.

Best places to visit in Spain for first-timers

If you’re visiting Spain for the first time, I recommend starting your planning with my articles, such as the Beginner’s Bucket List and Top Spanish Landmarks. These will give you a general overview of Spanish destinations and help you identify the ones that appeal to you most. The more you know, the better you can plan your Spanish adventure to suit your tastes and preferences. Also, if you love unique trips and experiences on the road, check out my article 22 Unusual Things to Do in Spain, where I’ve gathered plenty of travel ideas beyond the typical Spanish itineraries.

As I’ve mentioned, Spain is a highly versatile destination, allowing you to easily customize any traditional itinerary based on your preferences. Typically, the most popular destinations for first-time visitors to Spain include Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Granada, Seville, and Mallorca, as these places are well-established on the tourist track, and travelers often experience major FOMO if they don’t include them in their trip.

However, there are many other incredible places to visit in Spain, such as San Sebastian, Bilbao, or Cadiz. In fact, travelers often end up enjoying these lesser-known cities more, as they come without the high expectations that a visit to Barcelona usually entails.

How to plan a trip to Spain

You can use the At Lifestyle Crossroads blog to plan your trip to Spain like a pro.

• Firstly, if you already know the Spanish region you’d like to explore, check out the Spain by Region page, where you’ll find tips and itineraries for different areas of Spain.
• Secondly, if you know how many days you have for your Spain vacation, head to the Spain Itineraries page, where you can explore travel plans ranging from one day to over two weeks.
• Thirdly, if you’re looking for the best small towns, castles, hikes, cathedrals, and more, visit the Spain Bucket List blog section, where you’ll find a vast collection of posts on things to do in Spain, from colorful villages to the best beaches.
• Last but not least, if you have already seen a lot in Spain and want to explore the lesser-known corners of the country (or maybe simply want to avoid overcrowded destinations), check out the blog series Undiscovered Spain.
• Also, gastronomic experiences in Spain are labeled under #SpainForFoodies, hiking under #NatureInSpain, Spain with kids under #FamilyTravel, and local souvenirs under #SpanishGifts.

Helpful resources for planning a trip to Spain

Spain photo books are only available to blog subscribers; however, there are lots of maps, lists, and tips that anyone can download from the Lifestyle Crossroads blog.

Exclusive Maps

• Map of Top Landmarks in Spain (check it out here)
• Map of Best Beaches in Spain (check it out here)
• Map of 50+ Unique Castles in Spain (check it out here)
• Map of Top Small Towns in Spain (check it out here)
• 3 weeks in Spain road trip (check it out here)
• 1 day in Madrid itinerary (check it out here)
• 1 day in Tarragona Itinerary (check it out here)
• 1 day in Bilbao Itinerary (check it out here)
• 1 day in Seville Itinerary (check it out here)
• 1 day in Cadiz Itinerary (check it out here)
• 3 days in Barcelona Itinerary (check it out here)
• 2 Weeks in the Spanish Pyrenees Itinerary (check it out here)

Downloadable freebies

• Dreamy Spain Notebook with Quotes (download)
• List of hikes and National Parks in Spain (download)
• Top Small Towns in Spain Checklist (download)
• An Ultimate Spain Quiz – Test your knowledge of Spain (download)
• Gaudi Sites Checklist (download)
• Spanish National Parks Checklist (download)
• List of hikes in the region of Valencia (download)
• An Ultimate Spain Travel Checklist (download)
• Spain Travel Planner (download)
• An Ultimate Madrid Bucket List (download)
• The Spanish Pyrenees Bucket List for first-timers (download)
• Carry-on essentials checklist (download)
• Southern Spain + Portugal Itinerary (download)
• One-day Madrid Itinerary (download)
• One-day Valencia Itinerary (download)

Packing lists

Here are a few helpful posts to help you pack everything you might need for a trip to Spain:

• An Ultimate A to Z Spain Packing List (read it)
• Favorite Carry-On Essentials: What I Never Travel Without (read it)
• Holiday Makeup Essentials: Best Brands You Should Pack (read it)
• What to wear in Spain: My Favorite Spain Outfits (read it)
• Our Favorite Travel Essentials for Kids +Toys On The Go (read it)
• My Travel Beauty Essentials & Hacks On The Go (read it)
• Best Luggage for European Travel: My Honest Review (read it)
• My Top Hiking Essentials On The Go (read it)

What is the best way to travel around Spain?

Trains and rented cars are the best ways to explore Spain. For the best deals on train tickets, I use Trainline, and for renting cars, I use Discover Cars, as they offer the largest number of local and international brands to compare prices. Whether you choose the train or a car depends on your itinerary in Spain. With the train, travel is more carefree (and if you book in advance, it can be even more budget-friendly than driving, considering the costs of insurance, gas, and parking). At the same time, a car gives you the flexibility to explore the country beyond its major cities. If you’re driving in Spain for the first time, you might find it helpful to purchase this Tripiamo Driving in Spain Guide.

As someone who frequently travels by both train and car, I usually decide on the sights I want to see in Spain and then research whether I can visit everything using public transport or if it makes more sense to rent a car.

Buses used to be the cheapest way to travel across Spain before 2022, but in recent years, there have been many budget-friendly deals on high-speed trains. For example, I was able to get high-speed train tickets from Valencia to Madrid in December via Trainline for just 13 euros per person (one way), which was an amazing deal since traveling by car would have taken twice as long and been much more expensive.

How to visit Spain on a budget?

• Spain can be a relatively budget-friendly destination if you are willing to travel in the offseason and build your itinerary around lesser-known landmarks across the country.
• Once you decide on a Spanish destination, I recommend checking prices for bus, train, and plane tickets to find the best deals. You can use platforms like Skyscanner, Kiwi, Busbud, and Omio. Sometimes, you may come across ridiculously low flight deals between Spanish cities, which can help you save a lot of money. If you love train travel and plan to combine Spain with other European countries, you can get a Eurail Pass (or, if you are a European citizen, an Interrail Pass).
• Food is a significant part of any travel budget, so cooking for yourself or finding cheap eats at your destination is helpful. That said, I rarely stick to three full meals a day while traveling, as stops at local cafés often disrupt the eating schedule. I usually prefer a hearty breakfast and a full lunch. For breakfast, the cheapest option is to visit a local Spanish bar (Spain has more bars per capita than any other country, so it’s easy to find one wherever you go) and order a few tapas, a sandwich, or a pincho de tortilla. If you’re visiting the Valencia region, trying the local almuerzo is a great option. For lunch, search for a menú del día – especially during weekdays, most local restaurants offer a fixed-price menu with three courses, often including coffee and dessert. It’s significantly cheaper than ordering à la carte and allows you to enjoy local delicacies without overspending. The price of a menú del día varies by region, city, or town, but on average, at a local bar, it will range from €15 to €30. There are also plenty of tasting menus above that price, but these are typically found in more upscale restaurants.
• Finally, consider booking attraction tickets in advance (they’re usually a few euros cheaper than buying them on-site, and for many attractions, getting tickets ahead of time helps you skip long lines). Another great idea is to purchase combo tickets for multiple attractions. On platforms like Tiqets, you can get combo passes for multiple attractions, like the one I enjoyed in Seville, which allows you to save money on entrance fees. Except on bundles, I have a 5% discount code you can use on any of their tickets: use ATC5 code for a 5% discount only applicable via this link. Here are a few most popular passes for Spain worth pre-booking:
  • Seville City Pass (read more about it in this post)
  • Madrid City Pass
  • Valencia City Pass
• Avoid unjustified roaming charges with eSIM. Plus, there’s no need to buy a physical SIM card or search for a local store – you can activate a mobile data plan instantly upon arrival. I use Saily. Take a look at their current rates here, and use the code AtLifestyleCrossroads for an exclusive 5% discount.

How safe is Spain for tourists?

Spain is generally a safe country, but tourists should be mindful of pickpocketing and scams, especially in crowded cities like Barcelona or Madrid, as well as along the Costa Brava (you can read more about the road scam that happened to my friend in this post).

I’d say that among Spanish cities, Barcelona currently has the highest crime rates when it comes to robberies. It’s a good idea to get anti-theft bags and avoid carrying all of your valuables at once – leave extra money and cards in the hotel safe. Before your trip, consider travel insurance that covers medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and lost baggage – it’s better to be safe than sorry.

In my opinion, safety in Spain is comparable to other European countries. You won’t feel unsafe in the touristy areas during the day. However, the risk of robberies is high, and, like in any major city, some neighborhoods across Spain are safer than others. So, if you’re unfamiliar with the city, it’s best not to explore unknown neighborhoods at night.

Is it better to take cash or use a card in Spain?

I would recommend having both cash and a card, but not carrying a lot of cash with you on a daily basis (since in tourist areas there’s always a risk of robbery). What no one will tell you is that Spain has a rather strange situation with cash and card payments. Legally, in Spain, you cannot pay more than 1,000 euros in cash for a purchase (this is how our government enforces card payments to control transactions and ensure taxes are properly paid).

On the other hand, in practice, Spain has a large market for undeclared purchases and services, and it’s quite common to hear at bars that they do not accept cards (or that their card terminal is out of service, or for whatever other reason). This is because they simply do not want to declare all the sales they make in order to pay fewer taxes. So, people who suggest you only use cards in Spain have likely never traveled across the country. Yet, since your one-time cash purchase is limited to 1,000 euros, you will need a card to pay for anything above this amount.

Also, if you plan to exchange money outside of Spain, beware of 500-euro and 100-euro bills. These are not very common outside the major Spanish cities, and locals often get stressed when they see them. They may need to check the authenticity of these bills and take extra time to give you the change. It’s better to have 50, 20, and 10-euro bills when paying with cash across Spain. Actually, if you exchange money at a Spanish bank, you’re very unlikely to receive anything other than 10-20-50-euro bills.

Are people in Spain friendly to tourists?

Overall, Spaniards are very friendly. However, in recent years, popular tourist destinations in Spain, such as Barcelona and Mallorca, have made headlines due to protests against overtourism. While it’s true that this is a significant issue for many Spaniards – who, due to rising property prices and Airbnbs, are often forced to live outside the city as expats and visitors typically earn more than the average Spaniard – the underlying problem is more complex. The real reason we can afford less and less each year in Spain is largely due to our own government, which has created a legal and tax system that makes it unattractive to run a business here. Without new businesses, there are no new jobs, and this contributes to the high unemployment rate across the country. Meanwhile, inflation continues to erode the purchasing power of locals.

Many people in Spain are feeling frustrated these days, but it’s naïve to believe that without expats or tourism, we would all suddenly become rich and our economy would improve overnight. In fact, the travel industry is one of the few sectors that sustains it. Our government should be investing in initiatives to distribute tourism more evenly across the country and promote lesser-known destinations, rather than telling tourists to ‘go home.’ If you encounter protests or unwelcoming attitudes, it’s likely because some people have been overly influenced by the media – it’s easier to blame outsiders for hardships than to hold our own politicians accountable. Why play the victim and blame expats for earning more, instead of asking your government why you’re earning less?

That being said, there are certainly some tourists who behave poorly in Spain, drawn by the country’s reputation for endless festivities and great wine. I often notice an interesting contrast during my international travels: flights leaving Spain tend to be quiet, while flights coming to Spain often have passengers eagerly starting their holidays, sometimes quite tipsy. Although there are occasional news stories about unruly tourists, as someone who travels extensively across the country, I don’t get the impression that the majority of visitors in Spain act this way.

Furthermore, the Spanish mentality – except in Barcelona in recent years – is generally very welcoming toward international visitors. I experienced this firsthand when I first came to Spain as a tourist and later when I moved here and traveled across the country. The majority of locals have always been friendly to me, especially after I learned a bit of Spanish.

Spaniards are easygoing, and if it weren’t for the low level of English across the country (except in multicultural cities like Malaga, Barcelona, and Madrid), people would likely engage in conversations with tourists even more often. Most readers have told me they felt very welcome in Spain.

Even after all these years, now that I hold Spanish nationality and sometimes travel with my parents, who speak no Spanish and look like complete tourists, I notice that locals are even more friendly to them, giving them extra attention and making an effort to overcome the language barrier.

Pin it:

For more Spain travel tips check out my Pinterest board Spain Travel Collection and Flipboard Travel to Spain.

• Accommodation: For short stays, I usually book via Agoda and Booking
• Tours&excursions: My favorites for guided tours are GetYourGuide and Viator
• Museums&attractions: Get mobile tickets for attractions via Tiqets (use ATC5 code for a 5% discount via this link)
• Semi-private & private tours: LivTours is my favorite place for unique & crafted experiences in Europe
• For Foodies: Eatwith is a unique platform for finding culinary experiences with locals around the world
• Audio guides: Book audio excursions & tours in 35+ countries via WeGoTrip
• Flights: Find the best deals with Skyscanner and Kiwi
• Driving in a new country? – Check out Tripiamo guides (do not miss Tripiamo Driving in Spain Guide)
• Train&bus tickets: Currently, I book via Omio (10% off with code ATC10 for first-time customers)
• Car rental: To find the best deals, I use Discover Cars
• Top E-Sim: To avoid roaming fees, I like Holafly (use ATLIFESTYLECROSSROADS for for a 5% discount)
• Shop My Level8 Suitcase: get 15% off with the code ATC15 here
• Internet Security on the road: Connect safely to public Wi-Fi and bypass censorship with NordVPN
• Transfers: For individual transfer services, I like GetTransfer and Kiwitaxi
• Suitcases&Luggage: Discover where to store your luggage on the go with Radical Storage
• Travel Insurance: Find the best trip insurance plans via VisitorsCoverage and EKTA
• Compensation for delayed/canceled flights: Check out AirHelp and Compensair
• Renting Bikes: To find motorcycles, scooters, quads, and bicycles, I use BikesBooking
• Package Tours: Head to CheapOair and Expedia
• For Bloggers: To monetize my blog, I work with Travelpayouts and Stay22
• Website Owners: For hosting services, I work with and recommend Lyrical Host (get 10% off with my code ATC10)