Spain
Base yourself in Madrid and the fast train does the rest: Toledo is half an hour away, and Seville, Córdoba, Valencia and Barcelona are each under three hours.
How many days do you need in Spain?
A first trip of ten days usually takes in Madrid and the three Moorish cities of Andalusia, with Barcelona or the Basque coast as the extra stop. A week suits a single region: Madrid with Toledo, Andalusia on its own, or Barcelona with Valencia. The Basque coast, with Bilbao and San Sebastián about an hour apart, takes three or four nights, and the train from Madrid is slow enough that a flight to Bilbao is quicker.
Do you need a car in Spain?
Not between the cities. The AVE high-speed trains link Madrid with Seville and Barcelona in about two and a half hours and with Valencia in under two, and Córdoba sits on the Seville line. Málaga and Granada have their own branches. A car is useful for the Basque coast, the rice fields of the Albufera south of Valencia and the hill villages of Andalusia.
When is the best time to visit Spain?
April to June and September to October. In July and August the inland south passes 40°C in the afternoon, and Seville and Córdoba empty at midday, while the Basque coast stays mild. The big festivals fill their cities: the Fallas in Valencia in mid March, Holy Week and the April Fair in Seville, and San Fermín in Pamplona from 6 to 14 July.
Is English widely spoken in Spain?
Spanish is spoken everywhere, and three regions in the guide have a second official language: Catalan in Barcelona, Valencian in Valencia and Basque in Bilbao and San Sebastián. Signs there are usually bilingual, though Barcelona street names are in Catalan only. English is routine in hotels and at the major sights of the big cities, and less common in tapas bars and small towns.
What currency does Spain use?
The euro. Cards and contactless payment are taken almost everywhere, including most tapas bars and market stalls. Service is not normally added to a bill, and a tip is modest: rounding up, or a few coins for good table service. Hotels in Barcelona add a tourist tax to every night; Madrid and the Valencia region charge none.
Where do you fly into Spain?
Madrid-Barajas is the main hub and handled about 68 million passengers in 2025, with Barcelona-El Prat second. The C1 suburban train links Terminal 4 to Atocha, where most AVE lines leave. Málaga and Seville take direct international flights for Andalusia, Valencia has its own airport close to the city, and Bilbao is the way in to the Basque coast.
