Best Spain Day Trips & Things to Do

Turn the tables on Spain and become modern-day conquistadors.

From region to region, city to city, Spain is a multifaceted gem of a country. Exploring the country is like getting a taste of the once great Spanish Empire, an ever-changing picture that is definitively Spanish but with a zing of the exotic.

In Spain, tourist attractions are aplenty. An in-depth exploration of the regions will let you truly appreciate what the country has to offer.

Madrid

It is from Madrid’s center, the very center of Puerta del Sol, that roads circling out to the rest of the country begin measuring their distance. The capital is literally and figuratively the heart of Spain and the best place to start getting to know it. It’s also why Spain tours from Madrid are extremely popular.

While Madrid may not seem as hip as Barcelona, it has a special charisma of its own. Its focus on art and culture is evident in its Golden Art Triangle of the Prado, Reina Sofia, and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museums, along with the dozens of other museums and galleries that dot the city.

Hang out in Plaza Mayor, wave hello to the royal family at the Palacio Real, take a stroll along the Gran Via, relax under the shade in El Retiro, and hunt for deals in the Sunday flea market that is El Rastro. Madrid can keep you going all day and all night.

Spain tour packages won’t be complete without Madrid. Many actually kick off from there.

Barcelona

The city is a world of moods. Its wonderful climate and laid-back style of living seems to be the perfect recipe for serenity and relaxation. It is. But the opposite is true as well. Barcelona is also extremely cosmopolitan and so vibrantly pulsating with life.

No modern art fan worth his or her salt can visit Barcelona without paying homage to the works of Gaudi, Picasso, and Miró. In fact, it would be hard to avoid them, they’re part most of the popular tours of the city. La Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, Casa Batlló, and Casa Milá a.k.a. La Pedrera are all features of the much-in-demand Gaudi-themed tours. Then there’s the Museu Picasso for Pablo’s works and the Palau Nacional—which houses the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, the largest in the region. For a true feel of the city head to La Rambla.

Other notable Spain tours from Barcelona are the daytrips to the Dalí Theater and Museum in Figueres, and to Montserrat to visit the peaks, monastery, and wineries.

Valencia

Down the coast from Barcelona, Valencia awaits. While normally overshadowed by its bigger and louder siblings, the city of Valencia is no slouch.

Enjoy a pleasant surprise and go to the City of Arts and Sciences. This totally futuristic-looking destination seems incongruous in the midst of Valencia’s traditional architecture but that’s precisely why you should see them.

A visit to the Plaza de la Virgen and the a walk or bike ride in the Jardins del Turia—a 5.5 mile long park that runs along the old bed of the Turia River—should round out the basics. Oh! And don’t forget to eat some Paella, Valencia claims to be its birthplace, after all.

Granada & Sevilla

These two are perhaps the most famous of the Andalucian cities. Granada equals the Alhambra. You cannot set foot in the city without visiting one of Spain’s most popular heritage sites and take in the beauty of its Moorish structures as well as the beautiful view of the city that it overlooks.

And then, there is Seville. There is beauty and there is Seville’s hard-to-name quality that brings to mind the balance of beauty and grace. The mix of boldly different styles—Gothic, Mudéjar, and Modern—in the city’s architecture is surprisingly harmonious instead of jarring. Plaza de España, the Alcazar, the Seville Cathedral should make it to any list.

The region is also the best jump-off for Spain-Morocco tours and Spain and Portugal tour; being at the southern part of the country and closest to the North Africa makes it quite convenient. Arrange a crossing by bus and ferry, by train, or by plane.