Need some wanderlust to plan your next trip to Spain? – Check this list of adventurous things to do in Spain and make your travel itinerary simply unforgettable.
Spain, travels, and adventures
While I´m completely aware of the fact that my recent blog posts are mostly focused on exploring Spain with kids – in my real life off the screens, I do not forget to be an irresponsible parent every now and then, while trying out new adventurous things to do in Spain.
Some of the adventures are easy to share with kids and husbands, others – others are meant to be lived solo. It´s also not a secret that there are lots of adventurous things with strict requirements, like age or weight, not to mention phobias or irrational fears most of us have.
So, whenever the rest of my family can´t join – I do search for adventurous things to do in Spain on my own. Even on family trips – there are always moments for breath-taking solo experiences. As they say – you only live once, but if you do it well, once is enough.
Therefore, I thought it was just about time to infuse my blog with some adventurous vibes and share all the adventurous things to do in Spain.
This list is a melting pot of things I tried and still dream of experiencing. These adventurous ideas keep my wanderlust fueling. Hopefully, they´ll inspire some of you too.
I plan to keep updating this post every time I come across (or try) something worth sharing!
Adventurous Things To Do in Spain
1. Wild West Theme Parks in Almeria
There´s something truly intriguing about the concept of the Wild West, don´t you agree? – Those freedom-infused landscapes, the alarming sense of danger, a lifetime adventure waiting for you around the corner… You don´t even need to do something adrenaline-pumping yourself, as the Wild West setting makes you time-travel to the times of cowboys, sheriffs, and outlaws.
No wonder that ever since I´ve seen my first cowboy movie, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), I´ve been secretly obsessed with visiting a Wild West Town somewhere around the world. While the States seemed like an obvious choice for this dream, its Wild West Towns didn´t really fit into my itineraries while in LA or New York. I have almost given up on this idea when, to my surprise, I discovered that many of the top Hollywood Westerns were actually filmed here, in Spain.
Hereby, I should mention that all this research took place way before my 15 expat years, so I honestly knew little about Spain – except for Valencia, Madrid, or Barcelona.
So, no wonder, I have never heard of Almeria – Andalusia´s iconic Wild West! – Suddenly having a Wild West town experience was not feeling like mission impossible after all. While it took me years to plan an actual trip to Almeria, this idea has been present on my Spain Bucket List ever since.
While my kids were still toddlers, back when we visited Almeria´s Wild West theme parks – they also loved it. In fact, this trip was unexpectedly added to the list of my favorite places to visit in Spain with kids. While the little ones didn´t know much about the Wild West – I could still see the decorations were sparking curiosity in them.
So, visiting Wild West Theme Parks in Almeria definitely felt like one of the most adventurous things to do in Spain for all of us.
2. The longest double zip line in Europe – Tirolina Valle Tena
While our recent Pyrenees road trip has already ended on my list of favorite travel experiences in 2022 – there is still more to the story. On that trip, I discovered one very special adventurous thing to do in Spain – Tirolina Valle Tena, the longest double zip line in Europe. Somehow I have never done zip lines before. Always wanted but never had. So, I was honestly more scared before the ride, than after.
Tirolina Valle Tena was especially enjoyable due to the mountain views surrounding it. On their official website, you can see how different the landscape looks depending on the season. I´d really like to return in winter and test the zip line with the snow caps at the backdrop. Maybe, my oldest daughter would be allowed to join me this time ( as she has been daydreaming about it after our trip to the Spanish Pyrenees with the kids).
3. Dog-sledding in Baqueira Beret
You don´t need to travel far away to the North Pole in order to try dog-sledding – Spain got you covered here as well.
Dog-sledding in Baqueira Beret is definitely one of the most family-friendly adventurous things to do in Spain. Also, it was one of the most memorable moments on our Skiing trip to Baqueira Beret.
Honestly, I was initially concerned about the dogs for ethical reasons. Even though in some parts of the world dog-sledding is both a necessity and a part of local cultural heritage. But to my surprise during the ride, the dogs were literally having a blast running and competing (since we were traveling with my parents and they divided us into two sleighs).
Also, we tried a snowmobile tour, taking us to a lonesome church Santuario de Montgarri via local forests. It was all at dusk, so definitely looked and felt magical (one of the most beautiful places in the Spanish Pyrenees, for sure). Once at the sanctuary, we were seated by the fireplace and served locally-made grilled sausages. I still remember how my dad (who had previously refused to finish a fancy truffle cheese fondue at lunch, cause he was full) was having his lifetime hedonic moment with those sausages.
4. Hiking to the Spanish highest peak of Teide
I still get itchy feet with this adventurous experience in Spain. How about hiking all the way up to Spain´s highest peak Teide, reaching over 3,718 m?
It´s still in the plans for me, since on our last Tenerife family holidays I was pregnant with my second child and my first baby girl was still under 2: so we did not fit the requirements to take a cable car to the top.
You’ll probably know that exploring the best Spanish hikes has lately been a huge part of my travels across the country. Teide is definitely one of the most unique sceneries in Spain – the stars should align for us one day or another. It would be such a once-in-a-lifetime.
While you currently can virtually travel even to the moon, The Canary Islands might give you a similar experience in real life. The impressive lunar landscapes of this exotic Archipelago deserve a separate post. But if I were to pick one epic Spanish national landmark of the Canary Islands – it would be Teide.
There´s even an old mysterious local legend in Spain about the 9th secret island in the Canary Archipelago, visible only from the highest peak of Teide.
Keep in mind: the most popular way to visit Spain s highest peak is to take a cable car to La Rambleta station (3 555m). Another option is a 9km hike via Montaña Blanca, which usually takes 6-7 hours. However, in order to climb higher than La Rambleta station and reach the Teide peak itself you´d need to ask for special permission at the Parque Nacional Teide website (in the peak season it might take up to 3 months).
Alternatives to Teide would be Aneto and Mulhacen Peaks – the highest ones on the Iberian Peninsula. For a child-friendly hike, you might consider Penyagolosa Peak – the highest one in the Valencia region, a hidden gem of Castellon.
5. Walking Caminito del Rey
An iconic walkway pinned along the steep walls of a narrow gorge, Caminito del Rey, is one of the most picture-perfect hikes in Spain and one of the top places to visit in Andalusia.
While also called The King´s Little Path, this adventurous hike could be found in El Chorro, the province of Malaga. It was re-opened in 2015, and ever since ranks globally as one of the world´s most dangerous walkways.
There are two types of entrances available – guided and non-guided. One of the significant drawbacks of El Caminito del Rey for spontaneous travelers is the fact that the tickets are often completely sold out a few months in advance. Alternatively, you can take the guided tour via one of the local agencies (in case it´s all fully booked on the official web).
Another detail to consider for family travelers in Spain – kids under 8 y.o are not allowed at the Caminito del Rey trail. It´s actually the reason why I haven´t tested this hike myself yet.
However, there are a few family-friendly alternatives with walkways in Spain – Pasarelas de Alquesar in Huesca, Ruta Camino Natural del Guadalaviar near Teruel, and Parrisal de Beceite in Matarranya – these three I have done with kids myself. Others are still in the plans for me: Cerrada del Rio Castril in Granada, Ruta Pasarelas de Montfalco in Aragon, Relleu in Alicante, Pasarelas del Rio Mao in Galicia, Ruta Pasarelas de los Hocinos in Burgos, Ruta del Rio Borosa in Jaen.
6. Kitesurfing in Tarifa
Tarifa is one of the best places to search for adventurous things to do in Spain. The list of ideas here is endless: mountain biking, climbing, scuba diving, wingfoil, kite surfing, SUP, and windsurfing. Even whale-watching is an option in Tarifa, which I really hope to experience one day (since I loved it in Iceland), and was eager to repeat it in a different part of the world.
I´m never tired of Tarifa Beach Getaways, since it´s one of my favorite places in the whole of Spain. However, I still haven´t had a chance to try kitesurfing there. Even though Tarifa is officially one of the top kitesurfing destinations around the world.
More adventurous things to do in Spain:
- Naturlandia Park in Andorra (while Andorra is an independent country it´s nestled in between Spain and France)
- Rafting at Sierra de Guara
- Jeep Safari in Valencia
- Kayaking inside Sant Josep Caves in Castellon
- Snorkeling with turtles in Tenerife
- Stargazing in La Palma, one of the most beautiful islands in Spain
- Surfing in Fuerteventura
- Gran Canaria buggy tour
- Hot Air Baloon over the wineries in La Rioja
- Rio Verde Canyoning in Granada
- Visit La Geoda de Pulpi in Almeria
Let me know what´s your most adventurous experience in Spain or around the world.
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