Spain Travel Guide: Where to Go & How to Save

Spain pairs Gaudí, Moorish palaces and late-night food with practical ways to spend less and fit more into your trip.

A country where every city changes the table

Spain is a joy to recommend when you want one trip to feel properly varied. Barcelona brings Gaudí's wild architecture and city beaches together, while Seville adds flamenco, grand buildings and streets that come alive after dark.

The food is reason enough to come hungry. Tapas turns dinner into a slow wander between bars, San Sebastián makes pintxos an art form, and a fixed-price menú del día remains one of the smartest lunches in Europe. Add the Alhambra in Granada and the trip gains a completely different mood.

This hub brings together what to know before going to Spain and how to save money while still getting the most out of the trip.

Good to know

Meals run late: lunch is around 2pm and dinner rarely before 9pm. Restaurants can be empty or closed at UK and US mealtimes, and many lunch menus (menú del día) are better value than dinner.

Top tips

Currency: EUR (€)
Daily spend: 30–80 EUR per person
Hotels: 20–400 EUR per night
Plug: Europlug / Schuko
Tipping: Welcomed
Timezone: GMT+0 to GMT+1
Taxis: Uber / Cabify / Bolt
Food: Glovo / Uber Eats / Just Eat

Best time to visit

Weather, prices, crowds and the events worth travelling for.

Spring

Great

Apr – May

Sunny 13–24°C days, with festival demand lifting prices and crowds in Seville.

Summer

Good

Jun – Aug

Beach weather across the country, but inland heat, peak prices and heavy crowds dominate.

Autumn

Great

Sep – Oct

Warm seas and 19–27°C days bring thinner crowds and lower prices, with more rain in the north.

Winter

Good

Nov – Feb

Mild 11–12°C city days mean low hotel prices, while Christmas lights enliven Madrid and Barcelona.

Cost saving tips

Book AVE, Ouigo or Iryo trains ahead instead of paying walk-up fares.
Choose May or October for lower hotel prices than summer or Semana Santa.
Take the metro, Cercanías train or airport bus instead of an airport taxi.

Top tips

Reserve timed entry for the Alhambra and Sagrada Família before arranging the rest of the trip.
Order a menú del día at lunchtime for a filling meal at a better price than many dinner menus.
Look beyond main-square terraces for better-value tapas bars and pintxos counters.
Round up the bill or leave coins for ordinary service, and leave 5–10% at a nicer restaurant when the service deserves it.
Use high-speed rail between Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Málaga rather than renting a car for city-to-city travel.