Things To Do in Spain

Five Places, One Country

Spain's most booked experiences cluster in five places, and high-speed trains link four of them in under three hours. Barcelona is Gaudí, the Gothic Quarter and the sea; Madrid is the Prado, the Royal Palace and the best tapas bars in the country; Seville is the Alcázar, the cathedral and flamenco; Valencia is paella, the City of Arts and Sciences and the Albufera lagoon; and Mallorca is coves, sailing and the Sóller train. The country page below adds the Alhambra in Granada, the Mezquita in Córdoba, Málaga, San Sebastián and Bilbao.

The Alhambra and Andalusia

The Alhambra in Granada sells out weeks ahead, and the small-group tour with the Nasrid Palaces is the surest way in; the standard guided tour with tickets is the higher-volume alternative. An hour west, the Mezquita of Córdoba, a mosque with a cathedral built inside it, pairs with the Jewish Quarter and the Alcázar on a morning tour. From Málaga, the Caminito del Rey walkway along the Gaitanes gorge is the most booked day trip on the Costa del Sol, and the city itself rewards a two-hour history and legends walk.

The North

San Sebastián has more Michelin stars per head than almost anywhere, but the real draw is the pintxos bars of the Old Town, and the pintxos and wine tour takes you to the counters locals use. Bilbao is an hour away and the Guggenheim guided tour explains Gehry's titanium building and the collection inside.

When to Go and How to Book

Spring and autumn are ideal everywhere. Andalusia is very hot in July and August, when tours start early and the sea cities come into their own. The Alhambra, Sagrada Família and Park Güell are timed-entry monuments with strict capacity, so book those first and plan the rest of the day around them. Most tours here offer free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.