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Spain Itineraries

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The hotels were fabulous and we were greeted and treated with care. The itinerary proved outstanding. The drivers were wonderful. He was always on time, ma...

Spain is a vast and varied country, and you can't cover all of it in a single trip. Our Grand Tour concentrates on Spain's major cities and outstanding sights, while our other suggested routes focus on two fascinating regions, one in the south, one in the north. Each itinerary will take a packed two weeks to cover; with only a week to spare you can cover part of one, and get a flavour of the whole country or one of the regions that make Spain special.

Tailor-made travel itineraries for Spain, created by local experts

9 days  / from 2422 USD

Andalucía Explored

Discover the best of Andalucía's breathtaking palaces, churches, museums, vineyards, and more, as you travel through spectacular scenery dotted with pueblos blancos and bordered by rugged mountains and coast en route to Granada, Seville, Ronda and Jerez de la Frontera.

4 days  / from 631 USD

A culinary experience in Seville

Explore the cuisine and surroundings of Seville in Andalucia. From Iberian ham over sherry wines to the production and secrets of olive oil, this tour is an ideal weekend getaway. Decide yourself if you prefer a rental car or a chauffeur-driven car to explore the beauty of Andalucia.

10 days  / from 3721 USD

Spanish Honeymoon

Discover Andalusia, starting with the cultural city of Seville, then on to Córdoba and Granada, home of the stunning Alhambra Palace. Next you'll visit Granada and the Albayzin Arab quarter, then enjoy a stunning hot-air balloon ride, before ending your trip with a luxury boat trip from Marbella!

Tailor-made trips for   Spain

Recommended Spain itineraries

If you are planning your travel to Spain yourself, use these itineraries created by our travel writers as a starting point for inspiration.

Seville, Plaza de Espana © Shutterstock

Spain Itinerary 1 - Grand Tour of Spain

Two weeks in Spain and no idea where to start? Our "Grand Tour" puts you on the right track.

The vibrant capital is at the heart of all that makes modern Spain tick, from world-class art collections to a buzzing café society and a wild nightlife.

With time for just one side-trip from Madrid, it has to be the old rock-bound capital of Toledo, the home of El Greco and packed with magnificent buildings.

You could spend weeks exploring Andalucía – but for a taster, Seville combines gorgeous buildings with a vibrant flamenco and tapas scene.

4. Valencia

The rapidly changing city of Valencia – cultural hub of the east, not to mention the spiritual home of paella – makes a natural break on the journey up the long Mediterranean coast.

5. Barcelona

Leave Spain – as the locals would have you believe – for the cool Catalan capital, with its Art Nouveau architecture, designer shops, and stylish bars and clubs.

6. Figueres

The two-hour side-trip towards the French border is made with only one destination in mind – the extraordinary Teatre-Museu Dalí.

This handsome city sits at the heart of the Rioja region, and while it's only small there's nothing modest about its superb tapas and wine bars. From here, you could detour along the northern coast.

8. Valladolid

Re-live Spain's Golden Age in the capital of Castilla y León, whose majestic Plaza Mayor has no equal.

9. Salamanca

The most beautiful city in Spain, its buildings fashioned from a honey-coloured stone that glows as the sun sets.

Spain Itinerary 2 - The best of Andalucía

This transport hub is the obvious place to start, but it's also worth lingering for a day to enjoy this vibrant coastal city.

Sited astride a towering gorge is the queen of Andalucía's white towns.

The essence of all things andaluz , with a stunning cathedral, Moorish Alcázar and atmospheric old quarter.

A must-see destination, featuring one of the world's greatest Moorish buildings, the Mezquita, at its heart.

5. Baeza and Úbeda

These twin Renaissance architectural jewels are filled with a wealth of monuments in honey-tinted stone.

6. Cazorla Natural Park

A stunning array of wildlife inhabits the rugged mountains, gorges and forested valleys of Cazorla. See Parque Natural de las Sierras de Segura y Cazorla

Overlooked by the seductive Alhambra, the historic city of Granada is one of Spain's most compelling attractions.

8. Almuñécar

The Costa Tropical's main resort has great beaches and plenty of places to eat, drink and dance the night away.

Spain Itinerary 3 - Northern Spain, along the Atlantic coast

Revitalized by the success of its Guggenheim Museum, the energetic city of Bilbao is set amid the spectacular green hills of the Basque Country.

2. San Sebastián

This elegant seaside resort boasts one of Europe's best city beaches; its superb cuisine is at its most affordable in the pintxos bars of the old quarter.

3. Pamplona

An intriguing destination, which comes alive during the bull-running of July's San Fermín festival.

4. Santillana del Mar

Often hailed as Spain's prettiest village, Santillana is an exquisite medieval ensemble with some gorgeous hotels.

5. Picos de Europa

Just a few kilometres back from the sea, the snowy peaks are interspersed with lush meadows and ancient settlements, and offer superb hiking.

Delightful seaside towns dot the Asturian coast, but bustling little Llanes, close to superb beaches and soaring mountains, is perhaps the finest of all.

Ravishing little Visigothic churches pepper the hills here – though you'll have to tear yourself away from the city's cider-houses to see them.

8. The Rías of Galicia

The fjord-like estuaries that slice into Galicia cradle dramatic scenery and splendid beaches, with the wild Rías Altas in the north and the busier, gentler Rías Baixas to the south. See The Rías Altas

9. Santiago de Compostela

For over a thousand years, this magnificent cathedral city has welcomed footsore pilgrims; its historic core, bursting with bars and restaurants, remains irresistible.

The Rough Guides to Spain and related travel guides

In-depth, easy-to-use travel guides filled with expert advice.

Travel advice for Spain

From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Spain

• Culture and Etiquette in Spain
• Eating and drinking in Spain
• Getting around Spain: Transportation Tips
• How to get to Spain
• Sports and Outdoor activities in Spain
• Travel Tips Spain for planning and on the go
• Best time to visit Spain

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written by Rough Guides Editors

updated 10.05.2021

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Discover the Old and New Madrid

Get lost in the narrow streets and charming alleyways running off Plaza Mayor. Wooden shops and tavernas pull you in, taking you into spaces handed down through generations. With contemporary architecture and experimental restaurants, anything’s possible in the city of Madrid. The collision point of old and new.

Feel the rhythm and magic of an Andalusian flamenco

No trip to Spain is complete without witnessing an Andalusian flamenco. Emotion, seduction and mystery form into this traditional Spanish dance, making this so much more than just a pastime. Feel the guitar, the heavy clapping, the heart-thumping steps and 500 years of passion in a tablao – the region’s historic enclaves where this dance comes to life. 

View the Bullring in Valencia

Aside from being the centre of one of Spain’s most traditional activities, the Plaza de Toros de Valencia is a commanding example of neoclassical architecture. Look up at the Roman-inspired building and you can almost hear 150 years of crowds roaring through the brick arches.

Admire Gaudí architecture in Barcelona

Barcelona means little without Antoni Gaudí, the 20th century architect whose unmistakable approach to Art Nouveau has made its mark on the Catalan city. Walk past Gaudí’s residence, Casa Vicens, pick out his Islamic influences in Parc Güell and watch history being built at la Sagrada Familia.

Travel to the mountain of Montserrat

Escape the city and venture to Montserrat, the jagged mountain range just outside Barcelona. Here, hike to Montserrat’s highest summit, Sant Jeroni, or take the scenic cable car to the 16th-century cliff top Christian complex of Santa Maria de Montserrat. Sweeping Catalonia views and religious history combine on this incredible experience.

Our top 5 things to do in Spain

Discover Spain with Trafalgar and get to know the intricacies of its heritage through music, dance, religion and architecture. Our trips are filled with both iconic and unexpected experiences, and will cement your love for this country. 

Dali Museum

Walk through the Dalí Theatre-Museum and get a glimpse into the mind of one of Spain’s most famous exports. Designed by the artist himself, this is a building of grand Surrealist proportions, housing decades of Dalí’s works. Enjoy a surprise and new perspective at every turn.

Picasso Museum

Spend at least a few hours at the Museu Picasso, a warren-like building of courtyards and staircases filled with more than 4,000 original artworks. Explore the rooms of five joined medieval mansions, and bear witness to the artist’s broad and varied talent. This is a collection concentrating on Picasso’s earlier, lesser-known years.

Guggenheim Museum

Come for the architecture, stay for the art. Frank Gehry’s most-referenced work of modern architecture has revolutionised Bilbao and is a masterpiece in itself. Dismiss all ideas of what a building should look like and revel in the Deconstructivist design while getting up close to large-scale installations by contemporary artists.

Best museums in Spain

Surrealism, cubism, modern history and expressive architecture, you will experience it all with the museums we visit in Spain. Let Trafalgar unlock the culture of this remarkable country.

Paella Valenciana

Take a seat and immerse in a large pan of Paella Valenciana. The rice dish packed with meat and vegetables is found all over Spain but the original hails from Albufera, on the coast next to Valencia. Eat it straight from the pan with fellow dinner guests for an authentic Spanish mealtime.

A cold soup of raw, blended vegetables may not sound appealing, but Andalusia’s age-old dish is one that you will quickly learn to love. Try history-drenched gazpacho - typically made of tomatoes, stale bread, cucumber and bell pepper - for a light and refreshing option during a hot Spanish summer.

For Catalonians, nothing evokes memories of home like Escudella i carn d’olla. Devour the centuries-old meal over two courses, consisting of a soup of broth with pasta or rice (or both) followed by a large ‘pilota’ meatball livened by garlic and parsley.

Best food in Spain

Enjoy traditional Spanish food in the very place the meals originated. With Simple ingredients and rich flavors, the dishes we share with you on a trip to Spain will connect you with the authentic culinary heritage of the country.

What to pack for Spain

Catalan, Basque or Galician phrase book

Depending on where you’re visiting, speak like the locals and swap Spanish for a few phrases of the mother tongue. You’ll make friends for life by showing such enthusiasm for the local dialect.

Espadrilles

Forgo ‘flip-flops’ or ‘thongs’ and do as the Spaniards do; don a pair of traditional espadrilles for walking around the cities and travelling the country’s coastline. Comfort and style combined.

Spain has a reputation for being dry and sunny, but cool and rainy days do come. Pack a jacket for and easy layers, particularly if visiting Spain in winter.

A scarf or pashmina

A scarf or pashmina is a must for air-conditioned transport, cooler evenings and when visiting religious sites and cathedrals, which require bare shoulders to be covered.

Sturdy walking boots

Spain may be renowned for its cities and beaches, but you may need sturdy walking shoes when visiting the idyllic mountain ranges.

Pack for sustainable travel

Consider your environmental impact when you next take a trip and go single-use-plastic-free by packing a reusable water bottle, a steel straw, your own shopping bags and refillable toiletry bottles.

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Plan the Perfect Trip to Spain

For some, a visit to Spain is simple, a weekend on a beach on the Costa del Sol or a few days in Barcelona and that's all they are looking for.

But for the rest of us, there is so much to fit into a limited time that some hard choices will be necessary .

Spain is not a very big country if you compare it to, say, the United States, but it is quite culturally fragmented. Some things, such as free tapas with your drink, are only available in a limited area of the country.

Suggested Itineraries

If you know what you are looking for most out of your trip, check out these tips below on which city to start your trip in. 

For Cheap Tapas

Choose   Granada  (fly to Malaga) Why?  Spain is one of the few places you can get something for free, as there are many bars where you get a bit of food with every drink you buy. There are such bars all over the country, but the highest proportion of such bars can be found in Granada and other cities in the area (such as Jaen). Leon is a great city for this too.

For the Best Tapas

Choose   San Sebastian  (and nearby Logroño) or  Seville Why?  The gourmet tapas scene in San Sebastian and Seville vie for top honors in internationally acclaimed tapas. Logroño, close to San Sebastian, is a lesser-known but equally good challenger.

For Good Weather

Choose  Andalusia , but it depends on so much. Why?  Well, what's good weather? If you want to spend your time on the beach, you'll probably want to head to Andalusia, unless you're visiting at the height of summer, when it can be too warm here. Otherwise, if you want to go hiking in cool conditions, Galicia is your best bet, though it will probably rain. 

For the Best Wine

Choose   The Basque Country  or  Madrid Why?  San Sebastian and Bilbao, in the Basque Country, are close to the Rioja wine region, but they also have their own wine: Txakoli. Madrid, as the capital, gets the best of the wine in the country. 

For Architecture

Choose   Barcelona

Why?  One word: Gaudi.

Choose   Madrid  or  Bilbao Why?  The Reina Sofia, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Prado museums of Madrid and the  Guggenheim  in Bilbao.

Choose  Barcelona Why?  For its good access to the Pyrenees . 

For Bullfighting

Choose   Seville  or  Madrid Why?  Bullrings can be found throughout Spain. But a bullring doth not a bullfighting town make. Bullrings sprung up throughout Spain under dictator Franco as a part of his attempts to bring tourism into Spain. The main places to see bullfighting are in Andalusia (particularly Seville) and Madrid. There is also a number of  bullfighting festivals in Spain  which are great places to catch a fight. TripSavvy trusts its readers to make their own decisions on the ethics of bullfighting as an attraction.

Unique Things

• Africa is just an hour away. There are plenty of options to take  ferries from Spain to Morocco
• In theory, nudity is legal anywhere in Spain.
• Spain has a strong Muslim, Christian, and Jewish heritage.
• No one will tell you that you're lazy for having a sleep in the afternoon! The Spanish tradition of siesta ensures that.
• You can throw tomatoes at people and not get arrested. (As long as you do it at the right time .)
• You can celebrate the most reverent Easter celebrations in the world.

Where to Go and When

Spain can best be divided into four areas: north, south, east and central (western Iberia is Portugal, which is also worth visiting).

Central Spain , which is dominated by Madrid, is home to historic walled cities such as Toledo and Avila , the windmills of Consuegra and grand old cities like Salamanca , Segovia , and Leon .

The  east coast  is also famous for its sun, sea, and sand, but it also has Barcelona, with its fabulous modernist architecture, and Valencia , the birthplace of paella .

The south of Spain is all about Andalusia , with classic cities such as Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Jerez and Cordoba to visit. Eat classic tapas, drink sherry and explore Spain's centuries-long relationship with Islam at the Mezquita in Cordoba or the Alhambra in Granada. Plus there's also the beaches of the Costa del Sol .

The north is an undiscovered country for many visitors to Spain. But with the modern cuisine of the Basque Country (especially in San Sebastian), the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the wines of La Rioja, cider in Asturias and the UNESCO-protected old town of Santiago de Compostela , there is so much to see in northern Spain. And don't forget all that seafood!

But  when should you visit?  For guaranteed good weather, the summer is best, though what you would consider 'summer' gets longer the further south you go. The big events of the year for visitors are Easter (Semana Santa), Las Fallas in March, the Tomatina Tomato Fight in August and the Pamplona Bull Run in July. But there is so much happening all year round .

Trip from Madrid

The capital of Spain, Madrid , is the center point of the country, quite literally, around which all else revolves. Most of the other major cities are on the coast, typically at least six hours away from the capital by car. Between these are a lot of agricultural villages and barren land, with Seville, Granada, Leon, and Salamanca the main inland cities of note.

Madrid is a good place to arrive, as the capital is well connected by train, bus and internal flights . But that isn’t to say you should hurry out of the country’s premier city. While Madrid isn’t in the league of other European capitals like Paris and London, it is a living, breathing city with every kind of bar , restaurant and leisure activity you could desire.

Madrid and Barcelona are obviously Spain's two most famous cities and if you can't decide between the two, then this is an ideal way to cover them both.

Nearby Cities

Madrid is a great base for day trips to the wonderful aqueducts of  Segovia  and the historical delights of  Toledo , with  El Escorial  also a short train ride away.

Madrid's location in the center of Spain, as well as its good train connections, means you'll want to travel by rail from the capital. This isn't always true for other cities in Spain.

• San Sebastian
• Lisbon, Portugal

Trip From Barcelona and Valencia

For a more cosmopolitan experience, there is Barcelona in the northeast, in the community of Catalonia. The locals say it isn’t really Spain at all and, while this is not the time to get into a political discussion, Barcelona certainly does have a different feel to it from the rest of Spain. It's spectacular Gaudí architecture , solemn Barri Gòtic and lively Ramblas street are as iconic as you can get in Spain.

Barcelona or Valencia

There are more flights to Barcelona than Valencia, so it is more likely you'll arrive in Barcelona. Valencia is Spain's third city (by population) and, like Barcelona, is connected to Madrid by the high-speed train (it takes about two-and-a-half hours from both cities to reach the capital).

However, Valencia is not Spain's third city when it comes to tourist sights. This may be an attraction in itself as the small city center allows you to ignore the vast suburban sprawl outside it. But for a full and active trip, you'll get a lot more out of Barcelona than Valencia. 

Barcelona is also much better connected to other cities in Spain than Valencia is.

Places to Visit

The top sights outside Barcelona are not cities, but rather the Montserrat mountain and the Salvador Dali museum in Figueres. 

After that, you have Tarragona, famous for its Roman ruins, and Girona, which is known for its Jewish quarter . 

How to Get to Other Cities From Here

Barcelona's location in the north-east of Spain means it's quite difficult to get to the other extremes of the country, though the high-speed AVE train helps for getting to Madrid and Seville. In many other cases, you'll want to fly.

Connect the dots with these routes.

The Big Three:  If you're a city-type that wants to see Spain's biggest cities on your trip here, this Big Three Itinerary covers Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia, the country's biggest cities by population, in a tight triangle that squeezes in a stop in Zaragoza too. Much of the journey can be taken by high-speed  AVE train   or by bus if you're on a tighter budget. There's also a  Guided Tour of Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia .

Barcelona to Seville:  It's a long way from Barcelona to Seville and you miss out a lot of top sights if you fly direct.

Trip to Malaga or Seville

The tourist brochure image of Spain, with its flamenco dresses, bullfighting, and blistering hot sunshine is not as universal in Spain as many think but if you go to Andalusia, you won’t be disappointed. With the Alhambra of Granada , the Mezquita of Cordoba , and the, well, everything of Seville, there is more than enough in Andalusia to fill several vacations.

Most flights to Andalusia arrive in Malaga, though there are a few to Seville too, so you'll probably choose to base yourself in one of these two cities for most of your time in the south of Spain.

Seville or Malaga

Seville is a far more attractive city than Malaga , with better food and plenty more to do. However, you'll find fewer flights to Seville than to Malaga.

For me, the best thing about a flight to Malaga is that you can connect easily to Granada. In every other way, you are better off in Seville.

Cities to Explore Nearby

All of Andalusia is within reach of Malaga and Seville, while there is also the high-speed AVE train to Madrid from both cities. 

Granada is the best option from Malaga, as it is just over an hour away. It also has good connections with Ronda and is slightly better than Seville for getting to Morocco.

From Seville, you have great access to the nearby cities of Jerez and Cadiz.

• Jerez and Cadiz
• Marrakech, Morocco

Suggested Itinerary: Andalusia

Andalusia has the highest concentration of tourist sights in the whole of Spain. The  high-speed AVE train  can take you from Madrid to Cordoba and on to Seville. After that, a stop in Granada to see the Alhambra is a must.

Trip to Northern Spain

To really experience the diversity of Spain, you have to explore Spain's northern-most regions – Galicia, Asturias or Basque Country. Galicia's national instrument is the bagpipe, while in Asturias you are more likely to find cider than sangria , not what tourists usually expect of Spain!

The City You Should Base Yourself in

This will depend on where you can get flights to. There are airports all along the north coast in Vigo , Santiago de Compostela , A Coruña , Asturias, Santander, and Bilbao , plus Biarritz in France and Porto in Portugal, but most of these are small airports with few flights. If heading to the Basque Country, you're most likely to find flights to Bilbao, if heading to Galicia your best bet will be to Santiago, though you might need to fly to Porto.

How to Get Around

Galicia is well connected by train, with a fast, cheap line connecting A Coruña to Santiago de Compostela and Vigo. If traveling between northern Portugal and Galicia, you'll need to change in Vigo.

And then there's the Basque Country. Bilbao and San Sebastian are, the two main cities, are close together, with regular buses connecting the two. There are also bus and train services to the Rioja wine region.

Asturias, between the two, is a less well connected, with mainly bus services to connect you to the east and the west (trains in Asturias mainly head south to Leon, also great for tapas, and Madrid).

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Passionate, sophisticated Spain is full of wild beauty, deep history and some of the best food you'll ever eat. Life is a fiesta, and everyone's invited.

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Best places to visit, leave the planning to a local expert.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions.

La Sagrada Família

L'Eixample

The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family) is considered to be the symbol of Barcelona by many residents, and the…

Museo del Prado

Welcome to one of the world's premier art galleries. More than 7000 paintings are held in the Museo del Prado’s collection (of which only around 1500 are…

Visitors and locals alike love Park Güell. The waving balcony and the colorful Guard’s House, with the imposing Barcelona skyline and sea in the…

Centro de Arte Reina Sofía

Home to Picasso’s Guernica, arguably Spain’s most famous artwork, the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is Madrid’s premier collection of contemporary art.

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is one of the three points composing Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art along the Paseo del Prado (Art Walk), together with the…

Casa Batlló

One of Europe's strangest residential buildings, Casa Batlló (built 1904–6) is Gaudí at his fantastical best. From its playful facade and marine-world…

In the top tier of Gaudí's achievements, this madcap Unesco-listed masterpiece, with 33 balconies, was built in 1905–10 as a combined apartment and office…

Parque del Buen Retiro

Spend a day exploring the vast grounds of Madrid’s emblematic park.

Top picks from our travel experts

20 of the best things to do in spain.

Mercado Central

Valencia’s vast Modernista covered market, constructed in 1928, is a swirl of smells, movement and colour. Spectacular seafood counters display…

The Alhambra is Granada’s – and Europe’s – love letter to Moorish culture. Set against the brooding Sierra Nevada peaks, this fortified palace started…

Catedral & Giralda

Catedral & Barrio de Santa Cruz

Seville’s showpiece church is awe-inspiring in its scale and majesty. The world’s largest Gothic cathedral, it was built between 1434 and 1517 over the…

Casa Vicens

A Unesco-listed masterpiece, this angular, turreted 1885-completed private house was Gaudí’s inaugural commission, when the architect was aged just 30,…

Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar

Costa de Almería

Boasting glorious beaches, vertiginous cliffs and a semi-desert hinterland, this 340-sq-km park occupies Andalucía’s southeastern corner. It’s a wild…

Real Alcázar

A magnificent marriage of Christian and Mudéjar architecture, Seville’s royal palace complex is a breathtaking spectacle. The site, which was originally…

Parque Nacional de los Picos de Europa

Picos de Europa

Founded in 1918 as one of Spain's first two national parks, the 646-square-kilometre Parque Nacional de los Picos de Europa encompasses some of Europe's…

Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias

L'Eixample & Southern Valencia

This aesthetically stunning complex occupies a massive 350,000-sq-metre swath of the old Turia riverbed. It’s occupied by a series of spectacular…

It’s impossible to overemphasise the beauty of Córdoba’s great mosque, with its remarkably serene (despite tourist crowds) and spacious interior. One of…

Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip.

Best Things to Do

There are so many incredible experiences awaiting you in Spain. Here are some of the very best.

Things to Know

From speaking Spanish to avoiding common tourist mistakes, this guide full of top tips can get you ready for a trip to Spain.

Transportation

Traveling around Spain is convenient, efficient and manageable — thanks to its advanced and accessible public transport infrastructure.

Visa Requirements

Don't let your visa application mess up your trip to Spain. Here's everything you need to know about whether you need one.

Money and Costs

Compared to the rest of Europe, Spain is easy on the eyes and even easier on the wallet. Here are the best ways to save money while you're there.

Best Road Trips

Set out for history, natural beauty and delicious flavors on these five road-trip itineraries, which will show you the best of Spain.

Traveling with Kids

Of all the places to travel with children, Spain is up there with the best of them. Here are some of the best things to do with kids in this dynamic country.

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Spain Tours and Vacation Packages 2024/2025

Delicious tapas, authentic sangria, sandy beaches and incredible landmarks — a tour to Spain has it all! Visit Madrid , the country’s capital, for a taste of Spanish culture, art, and elegance — or head to Barcelona where you can bike tour through the many vibrant neighborhoods. For a completely different feel, take a trip through the Andalucia region and explore its unique architecture and sprawling green hills.

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+300 Trips in Spain with 624 Reviews

• Starts Madrid, Spain
• Ends Madrid, Spain

Grand Tour Of Spain

• Best price guaranteed
• No booking fees
• Tour Type Group Tour
• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Sightseeing Tours
• Accommodation Hotel
• Transport Ferry & Flight
• Age Range 6-80 yrs
• Operated in English
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,884
• Special Deal (4%): - US$ 115
• Total Price from: US$ 2,769
• May 04 10+ seats left
• May 11 10+ seats left
• View More Jan 1, 2019 Jan 2, 2019 Jan 3, 2019

• Ends Barcelona, Spain

Best of Spain

• Tour Type Small Group Tour
• Activities City sightseeing & Natural landmarks sightseeing City sightseeing , Natural landmarks sightseeing , Cultural, religious and historic sites , Art and architecture & Concerts and shows 'data-more-tripid='3772'>+3 more
• Accommodation Guest House & Hotel
• Transport Train, Bus, Ferry, Private Vehicle & Taxi
• Age Range 15-99 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 4,565
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 685
• Total Price from: US$ 3,880
• May 08 Only 5 seats left
• May 11 Only 1 seat left

• Starts Arenas De Cabrales, Spain
• Ends Arenas De Cabrales, Spain

Walking the Picos de Europa

• Activities Trekking and Hiking & Walking tours
• Age Range 16-95 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,792
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 267
• Total Price from: US$ 1,525
• Apr 27 Only 2 seats left
• May 04 Only 2 seats left

Spanish Wonder

• Activities City sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites City sightseeing , Cultural, religious and historic sites & Art and architecture 'data-more-tripid='20850'>+1 more
• Transport Coach
• Age Range 5-99 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,150
• Special Deal (20%): - US$ 440
• Total Price from: US$ 1,710
• May 04 Only 5 seats left
• May 18 Only 7 seats left

• Starts Guadalest, Spain
• Ends Guadalest, Spain

Sierra de Aitana Trek

• Activities Trekking and Hiking
• Accommodation Lodge
• Transport Minibus
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,948
• Special Deal (11%): - US$ 223
• Total Price from: US$ 1,725
• Apr 28 Only 6 seats left
• May 26 Only 4 seats left

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Museum and gallery visits Cultural, religious and historic sites , Museum and gallery visits , Art and architecture & Beach 'data-more-tripid='20914'>+2 more
• Accommodation Hotel & Resort
• Brochure Price: US$ 4,375
• Special Deal (20%): - US$ 860
• Total Price from: US$ 3,515
• May 03 10+ seats left
• May 10 Only 8 seats left

Classic Spain

• Activities City sightseeing & Natural landmarks sightseeing City sightseeing , Natural landmarks sightseeing , Museum and gallery visits , Cultural, religious and historic sites , Pub and bar crawl & Concerts and shows 'data-more-tripid='3766'>+4 more
• Accommodation Hotel & Guest House
• Transport Train, Bus, Private Vehicle, Ferry & Taxi
• Jun 15 Only 7 seats left

Trending Destinations in Spain

• Starts Barcelona, Spain

Best of Northern Spain

• Activities Local culture & Cultural, religious and historic sites Local culture , Cultural, religious and historic sites & Wine tasting tours 'data-more-tripid='4984'>+1 more
• Transport Bus & Private Vehicle
• Age Range 12-95 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,999
• Special Deal (20%): - US$ 400
• Total Price from: US$ 1,599
• Apr 25 Only 5 seats left
• Apr 27 Only 5 seats left

Andalusia & Mediterranean Coast With Barcelona

• Activities Art and architecture
• Age Range 10-99 yrs
• Operated in English, Spanish
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,509
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 226
• Total Price from: US$ 1,283
• May 20 10+ seats left
• May 27 10+ seats left

• Starts Malaga, Spain
• Ends Malaga, Spain

Andalusian Feelings

• Activities Beach & Art and architecture
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,286
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 193
• Total Price from: US$ 1,093
• Jun 12 10+ seats left
• Jun 19 10+ seats left

• Starts Samos, Spain
• Ends Santiago De Compostela, Spain

Camino de Santiago Trek

• Activities Trekking and Hiking & Adventure
• Accommodation Hotel & Villa
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,167
• Special Deal (5%): - US$ 102
• Total Price from: US$ 2,065
• May 04 Only 8 seats left
• May 11 Only 2 seats left

North Spain Discovery

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Museum and gallery visits Cultural, religious and historic sites , Museum and gallery visits , Food tours , Beach & Wine tasting tours 'data-more-tripid='3778'>+3 more
• Transport Train, Bus & Private Vehicle
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,475
• Special Deal (25%): - US$ 619
• Total Price from: US$ 1,856
• May 04 Only 4 seats left
• May 11 Only 9 seats left

Spanish Ring

• Activities Explorer
• Transport Boat, Bus & Train
• May 14 10+ seats left
• May 21 10+ seats left

Taste of Spain

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Art and architecture Cultural, religious and historic sites , Art and architecture & City sightseeing 'data-more-tripid='37608'>+1 more
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,465
• Special Deal (23%): - US$ 330
• Total Price from: US$ 1,135
• Mar 09 10+ seats left
• Mar 23 10+ seats left

Traveling to Spain? Chat with a local travel specialist in Spain who can help organize your trip.

Spain Tour Reviews

Spain tours — highlights and vacation tips.

Unparalleled Roman ruins, stunning Islamic architecture, a wealth of history of great civilizations, unique culture, and edgy creativity are what define any trip to Spain. The country is full of rich and diverse landscapes. The Pyrenees are as majestic as any other mountain on the continent and are famous as one of the best-hiking destinations in Europe . Madrid and Barcelona always present a grand vibe and an incredible experience. The charming coves of the Mediterranean will truly make you fall in love and there are always quaint little villages that present an old-world European way of life to choose from.

Spain Trip Highlights

• Dodge tomatoes at the annual food fight festival, La Tomatina, in Buñol
• See all of Gaudi’s distinctive architecture, from Park Güell in Barcelona to El Capricho in Comillas
• Grab a bite to eat at Mercat de la Boqueria, just off La Rambla in Barcelona
• Discover the world-renowned art, fashion, and architecture of Madrid
• Drink traditional Spanish red sangria
• Visit the sarcophagus of Christopher Columbus at the Catedral de Sevilla

Spain Vacation Tips

• Spaniards are incredibly intimate and like to tell it as it is. Expect to be greeted with a kiss, even by strangers, and it’s not unusual to be interrupted as you speak.
• When dining out with friends, always opt for some paella . Arguably the most popular dish in Spain, it’s often cheaper to share by increasing the size of your paella than to order a separate meal.
• If you want to see the inside of the Sagrada Familia, be sure to buy your tickets online before you go. Only a certain number of people are allowed inside each day, and tickets sell out days in advance.
• Though there’s plenty to see on Spain’s mainland, its many islands are also worth visiting. Check out Ibiza for some incredible nightlife, Lanzarote for unique volcanic landscapes, or Fuerteventura for surfing.
• Promptness isn’t exactly a value in Spain. Spaniards tend to be very laid back and arrive late.

Spain has seasonal weather so please do check up on the best time to visit Spain before booking your Spain tour. And if you’re still hunting for more things to do and places to explore in Spain, do check out our Spain Travel Guide for more information.

Tours in Spain - Questions and Answers

The duration of your stay, the type of accommodation and services you wish to book, and the activities you want to experience play a key role in determining the costs of your Spain vacation. On average, 7 days in Spain , including accommodation and meals, can cost anywhere from USD 1,000 to USD 1,800 per person. Hotel rooms can start from USD 49 per person, per night and go upward of USD 209, while a meal at an inexpensive restaurant can be had for around USD 12. A meal in a decent restaurant can cost upward of USD 20 per person.

Spain is a treasure trove of beautiful destinations. While each region boasts an array of popular attractions coupled with a rich past, Barcelona, Malaga, Seville, Madrid, Valencia, Mallorca, and Tenerife are among the most-visited places in Spain .

There are so many things to do in Spain . Uncover the turbulent history of Spain in cities like Seville, Granada, and Salamanca during sightseeing tours . You can take in the picturesque landscape of rural Spain either on a driving trip (for example, through the Basque Circuit) or while hiking through its meadows and mountains. Experience the rich culinary culture of San Sebastian, considered by many to be the culinary capital of the country, and discover the dunes of Doñana National Park during a safari trip. 

Generally speaking, Spain is a safe destination to visit. It is considered among the top ten safest countries in the world. However, locals advise that you exercise the same kind of caution you would anywhere else. For example, avoid walking alone in dark alleys, be aware of scammers and follow the instructions of your tour guide. Learn more .

Spain is famous for its wines and alcoholic drinks. Be sure to enjoy your meals with Sangria, Cava, Clara, Vermouth, and Horchata wines.

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Pure eye candy with Spain's spectacular views

15 Roque de los Muchachos viewing point

Second recommendation: this viewing point on the island of La Palma . It's at the highest point, 2,426 metres above sea level. From here you can see the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, and –on a clear day– even the islands of Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro. If you want to see as far as the sky itself, you can also visit the island's famous observatory, with some of the most advanced telescopes in the world.

15 El Teide volcano

The best and last of this list of viewing points is the highest point in Spain: the summit of Mt. Teide, on the island of Tenerife . You can go up in the cable car to a very considerable height. Dare-devils can go even higher on a route up to the peak, for which you need to request permission online (find out more at www.reservasparquesnacionales.es ).

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Our 10 Best Spain Itineraries

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We match you with top tour companies that specialize in the trip you want,  whether it's a customized private tour or a group tour.

Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain

From Madrid to Mallorca, Seville to San Sebastian, Barcelona to Bilbao, Granada to Girona, our 10 best Spain itineraries demonstrate why the country is a perfect destination at any time of the year.

From a flavorful tour of authentic dishes to the romance of the coastline, an exploration of the dynamic trails to exclusive views of famous architectural grandeur, discover why Spain is the right destination for any traveler.

The following sample itineraries were designed by our top travel specialists for Spain and offer essential experiences as you consider your ideal vacation sampled from our Spain Tours & Vacations .

1. Magical Highlights of Spain: Culture, Cuisine, Countrysides

2. unrivaled luxuries of spain tour, 3. spain's culinary heritage tour, 4. highlights of northern spain: madrid, san sebastian, barcelona tour, 5. romantic one-week tour of seville and madrid, 6. coasts of spain tour: atlantic to mediterranean, 7. exquisite spanish honeymoon: canary islands tour, 8. intimate barcelona and mallorca honeymoon, 9. enchanting journey through spain: history, heritage, cuisine, 10. traditions of spain 20-day tour, speak with a travel specialist to plan your spain trip.

Toledo, Spain

Length: 13 Days

Places Visited: Madrid, Toledo, Ribera del Duero, San Sebastian, Bilbao, Barcelona

Why we recommend this sample itinerary:

Raquel, a Spain travel specialist, has captured the majesty of the culture in Magical Highlights of Spain: Culture, Cuisine, Countrysides .

Blend the familiar highlights of popular cities with the charisma of the countryside to find distinctive traditions rolling across the plains, over the hills, and through preserved cobbled lanes.

Find esteemed artistic masterpieces, witness medieval Gothic cathedrals, and embrace the enticing flavors of the Ribera del Duero.

Expert Tips for Discerning Travelers

The Generalife, palace and gardens, in Granada

Length: 12 Days

Places Visited: Barcelona, Penedès, Montserrat, Granada, Seville, Ronda, Marbella, Madrid

Adventure and luxury go hand-in-hand during the Unrivaled Luxuries of Spain Tour designed by Elena, a Spain travel specialist.

Indulge in celebrated wines, bask in the Alhambra’s artistic design, and embrace flavor in Michelin-starred Madrid restaurants.

Perfect for the discerning traveler, this tour boasts the country’s tradition of opulence in architecture, art, and cuisine.

Learn more: Luxury Spain Tours

Jamon and wine for sale at a market in Spain

Length: 15 days

Places Visited: Salamanca, La Alberca, Hervás, Cáceres, Mérida, Seville, Jabugo, Aracena, Córdoba, Granada, Madrid

Spain is as much about history as it is about indulging in life’s abundant pleasures. Rosa, a Spain travel specialist, has designed the ultimate food and wine experience for Spain’s Culinary Heritage Tour .

Your hands-on exploration reveals customs that have shaped the nation. Taste complex flavors when sampling renowned Iberian ham and delight in boutique wineries across Montilla hills.

From the Sierra Nevadas to famous cathedrals, fragrant olive oils to eclectic cities, the past and present converge amid the picturesque setting.

Learn more: Food & Wine Tours in Spain • Best Time to Visit Spain for a Wine Tour • 7 Best Places for Food and Wine in Spain

Madrid, Spain

Length: 10 days

Places Visited: Madrid, San Sebastian, Toledo, Barcelona

Spain radiates beauty, charm, luster, and life, captured in the Highlights of Northern Spain: Madrid, San Sebastian, Barcelona Tour .

Designed by Ana, a Spain travel specialist, enjoy a slower pace that exudes simple pleasures and a reverence for the past.

Witness the brilliance of Picasso and Guadi in Barcelona, sample the traditional pintxos of the Basque region, and wander amid grandeur where the world’s Judeo-Christian religions converged in Toledo.

Learn more: Northern Spain Tours & Vacations • Top 7 Things to Do in San Sebastian

Real Alcazar gardens in Seville, Spain

Length: 7 Days

Places Visited: Seville, Ronda, Madrid, Toledo

Unparalleled passion can be found on every day of the Romantic One-Week Tour of Seville and Madrid designed by Manlio to feature the spectacular spirit of Spain.

Enjoy immersive experiences like seeing priceless masterpieces in Madrid’s world-famous museums and delight in the traditional ambiance of a flamenco performance.

Travel to medieval streets, enjoy remarkable views, and indulge in the beloved cuisine for a perfect romantic tour of Spain.

Biarritz, France

Length: 11 days

Places Visited: San Sebastian, Loyola, Zumaia, Getaria, Biarritz, Saint Jean de Luz, Hondarribia, Barcelona, Minorca

Discover the natural beauty and pristine shores when traveling on the Coasts of Spain Tour: Atlantic to Mediterranean crafted by Ana, a Spain travel specialist.

Spanish culture shines bright against the beaches' glitzy corners, spreading across the edges of the Atlantic and Mediterranean waters.

From San Sebastian’s illustrious cuisine to cycling along the Catalonian coast, you will uncover island grandeur, sprawling beauty, and the unique allure of La Familia Basilica.

Tenerife Island, Spain

Length: 9 days

Places Visited: Tenerife, Lanzarote, La Graciosa Island

Whitewashed towns and gold-sand beaches become the picturesque image of Spain on the Exquisite Spanish Honeymoon: Canary Islands Tour designed by Ana, a Spain travel specialist.

You can indulge in the essence of Spanish passion as you sample spectacular wines and embrace panoramic views stretching from the mountains to the ocean.

From private island tours to fantastical landscapes, charming towns to quiet retreats, you can bask in honeymoon luxury on the Canary Islands.

Learn more: Spain Honeymoon Packages

Traditional villa overlooks the ocean in Majorca

Length: 9 Days

Places Visited: Barcelona, Mallorca, Valldemossa, Deia, Soller

The treasured coastlines and Mediterranean beauty could persuade even the most cynical romantics during the Intimate Barcelona and Mallorca Honeymoon crafted by Ana, a Spain travel specialist.

Enjoy the panoramic views over Barcelona and the fine details of Gaudi’s surrealist dreams. Indulge in wine country’s vintage charms and escape to hidden coves to bask in crystal-clear waters.

This Spain trip captures the picturesque quality of cities, towns, and shores steeped in passion.

Learn more: Spain Tours for Couples • Our 7 Best Sample Romantic Trips to Spain

Places Visited: Madrid, Trujillo, Extremadura, Cacéres, Dehesa, Salamanca, Astorga, Vigo, Santiago de Compostela

Customizable, luxurious, and full of discovery, Joel, a Spain travel specialist, designed Enchanting Journey through Spain: History, Heritage, Cuisine to unravel the nation’s exceptional heritage.

Follow the footsteps of the Knights Templar at their preserved medieval castle and sample the exclusive flavors of Pata Negra Ham.

From the Galician fjords to the Santiago Cathedral, you will discover grandeur in places often overlooked to enjoy heritage that has shaped history.

Malaga, Spain

Length: 20 days

Places Visited: Barcelona, Seville, Malaga, Madrid, Toledo, Ronda, Segovia, Girona, Tarragona, Valencia

Tradition, medieval marvels, and mouthwatering flavors combine to create the perfect blend of experiences during the Traditions of Spain 20-Day Tour .

Designed by Samuel, a Spain travel specialist, you can go beyond the highlights with a truly immersive exploration.

Sample paella in Valencia, survey Royal Palace’s gilded rooms in Madrid, discover the atmospheric corners of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, and witness the remarkable remains of Tarragona’s Roman amphitheater.

Court of the Lions at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain

Spain is a magnificent country to explore, filled with historical and culinary wonder, beaches and rolling hills, each offering you a chance of discovery.

Find more inspiration on experiences tailored to your preferences by visiting our Spain Tours & Vacations to view itineraries. The Spain Travel Guide also has many more helpful tips for planning your perfect trip.

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• Tel:  +32 460 20 10 12
• Tel:  +34 688 708 332
• info@medvillaspain.co.uk
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Viewing trips to Spain

On a viewing trip with medvilla.

MEDVILLA: Your personal guide in finding your dream home in Spain!

There are many clients who come to our office severely dissapointed with other agencies, where not only weren't they shown anything that they had wanted or had been looking for, but even worse - they realised, that in fact, agents had presented them olny what they wanted to sell them at any cost. In MedVilla, we believe in absolute transparency of all our actions and the most personal service to our customers. Since we never want to attend a biased presentations, we make sure to plan and customize our viewing trips based on our clients' needs, criteria and financial situation. We do a thorought individual assessment of each client before planning a viewing trip together, so neither of us waste valuable time looking at properties that are not of interest.

None of our presentations or viewing trips hold purchase obligation!

Together we map out your wishes and plan your trip to the sun. We offer you 3 options for your personal house hunt.

1 - Premium trip

A PREMIUM TRIP is a 2-3 day viewing trip where we not only present you the buildings that we have chosen before, but also we show you around the region, so you have a mix of sightseeing and visiting the homes. 

• Before organizing the trip, we arrange an extensive introductory meeting in advance via ZOOM video call. Sit comfortably within the comfort of your home, talk about your wishes and let us guide you in the search for your DREAM HOME in Spain.
• We choose a date and organize a 'tailor-made' trip.
• At the beginning of the viewing trip, we sit together in our office to discuss the latest planning.
• Together we visit the projects that we have selected in advance. We make sure that all of them are choosen perfectly in accordance to your wishes and priorities.
• At the same time you can enjoy the cuisine and admire the picturesque region, which we will show you around.
• We explain all administrative and legal aspects and make sure that you are familiar with all of them, so you can be sure that you make a really good decision.

You can count on our professional, reliable advice and, above all, personal guidance to make the right decision for your investment in Spain. Stress-free purchase of your dream property

• How does an introductory trip work? We book your hotel (2 nights) and flights and pick you up at the airport for the price of €399 pp
• What if you buy a home from us? We will then reimburse all of above costs!* (This will be done within 2 weeks after the transfer of the house at the notary.)

Furthermore, we promise you, that after the purchase you will also enjoy our  optimal after-sales service and that you will find new lifetime friends at MEDVILLA.

A PREMIUM TRIP is the most efficient way to find your dream home in Spain

>> Yes, I want more information and would like to book my PREMIUM TRIP for €399 pp

2 - Classic trip

A CLASSIC TRIP is also a 2-3 day viewing trip with the aim of discovering the region as well as the real estate options according to your wishes, but then you book your flight and hotel yourself.

• How does a Classic trip work? You book your hotel (2 nights) and flights yourself and one of our real estate experts will be happy to pick you up at the airport
• What if you buy a home from us? Then we will refund your hotel and flight costs up to a maximum of €750! (This happens within 2 weeks after the transfer of the house at the notary.)

>> Yes, I want more information and would like to book my free CLASSIC TRIP

3 - Welcome trip

Are you soon coming to Spain for any reason and want to take the opportunity and visit the properties that meet your expectations? Then our WELCOME TRIP is just perfect for you.

Let us spend the first 2 days of your stay in Spain with you . We will show you around the region and present you a selection of houses that we have chosen earlier. Then, we will let you go to spend the rest of your holiday as you wish, but remember - anytime, if you want to visit us once more, to talk about any questions, doubts, or perhaps legal or tax issues - we are always there for you.

If you are already on holiday in Spain, feel free to contact us for a no-obligation viewing. Decide about the date and time and enjoy our assistance for as much time as you need. An excellent opportunity to combine the business and the pleasant.

>> Yes, I would like more information and would like to book my free WELCOME TRIP

The MedVilla guarantee

• Independent, registered (RAICV1216) and certified API real estate agent (API 00592) with more than 10 years of experience in the sale of Spanish Real Estate.
• MedVilla is aware of Spanish legislation and regulations.
• We have been working with reliable construction developers as well as skilled lawyers and notaries for years.
• We guarantee that all the projects that are presented to our clients have been checked by our lawyer and that bank guarantees are always provided.
• All employees live in the region and will immediately answer all your questions.
• Good preparation on our part is important…. we will always update the availability of the offers within your budget before you start your viewing trip
• No loss of time on site: all appointments (promoters, model homes, lawyers, etc.) are arranged in advance.

Call us today on our International number +32 460 20 10 12 or via Whatsapp +34 688 708 332

¡Hasta pronto!

MedVilla, Stress-free purchase of your dream property!

*IMPORTANT:

To benefit from this offer, buyers must make the decision during the trip when they have found the home they like.

• The customer undertakes that he will only visit real estate projects with MEDVILLA during the introductory trip.
• Financing must be confirmed. If financing from a bank is required, you must have examined the options with your bank in your country before starting the inspection visit. If financing takes place in Spain, this must be discussed in advance via Medvilla
• A sufficient budget to buy, so that our real estate expert can present different options during the trip and not just two or three projects.
• Preference for modern and newly built homes. Medvilla specializes in new-build homes and does not offer existing homes.
• * Max 2 persons.

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Spanish Property Viewing Trips: Finding Your Dream Home on the Costa Blanca or Costa Cálida

Does this sound familiar?

You’ve spent weeks and months on a journey of discovery, Googling, researching, collecting properties, ‘favoriting’ and narrowing down to a shortlist, all in pursuit of the perfect property on the Costa Blanca or Costa Cálida. 

Now it’s time to put the next stage of your plan into action. But how?

Well, the Micasamo team is here to help and will be by your side every step of the way. 

We understand the process of purchasing property in Spain may seem daunting, which is why our personalised property viewing trips are designed to help you to seamlessly view your choice of locations and selection of properties – as well as introduce you to our trusted team of professionals, ready to answer all your burning questions about the buying process and the legal side of things.

Planning your property viewing trip

Success stories always begin with plenty of planning and preparation, and we want everything about your property viewing experience to be fun and supremely successful.

We start the ball rolling with either a telephone call or a Zoom chat, meeting you in the comfort of your own home with a cup of tea, a glass of cava or chilled beer in hand (you, not us!) and getting to know one another.

This is an incredibly important part of the planning process because it’s our job to ensure we find you the exact property you want in your dream location. We do this by spending time with you, getting to know you, asking questions about your lifestyle aspirations, any legal concerns and financial requirements, and answering any questions you might have at this stage.

To find you the right-fit property, we want to understand you, and find out more than just the property type and number of bedrooms you’re after. We want to know, for example:

• What do you want to see when you open your front door?
• How far do you want to walk or drive to get to local amenities like shops, bars/restaurants, sports facilities, beaches, a supermarket, etc?
• Which property features are a ‘must have’, for example, a swimming pool?
• Do you want to be in rural Spain or near the coast?
• Are you looking for a resale property or key-ready, new build ?

Booking your flights

The next step for you is to book your flights whilst the Micasamo team gets to work in the background, meticulously planning for your visit. 

Before your arrival, we’ll also connect you with a legal representative, mortgage advisors and any other professional help you might require, to ensure you have all the information you need regarding the buying process in Spain.

What you can expect from your viewing trip

First and foremost, we want your viewing trip with us to be informative, exciting and fun.

Unlike some agents, we don’t class it as a ‘freebie’; obsessed with selling you a property to cover the trip’s costs. We take a far more professional approach.  

We consider your property viewing trip to be a business trip – and our job in helping you to find and buy a property in Spain is only one part of our comprehensive, end-to-end service.

If you’ve been slightly apprehensive about taking the plunge and buying property in Spain (Dave down the pub with his horror stories nearly put you off!), then a viewing trip with our team of professionals will quickly put you at ease, taking you from being cautious to feeling relaxed and, yes… excited.

See what Alex and Mark had to say about their recent property viewing trips with the Micasamo team:

“We couldn’t have had a more positive experience. There was no pushy selling, but a real interest in helping us hopefully find a property that fitted our criteria. We viewed properties off-site and also at La Manga Club and felt that the Club had everything to offer that we required. Needless to say, we have managed to agree on a price and pay our deposit.” —Alex Billington

“ Outstanding – personal and professional service. I would not hesitate to recommend Micasamo for finding the perfect property. Their personal and professional service has been outstanding – from initial contact and viewing trips to after sales. ” —Mark Rumble

Honesty is the best policy!

We’ve listened carefully to your needs and carried out the research to be able to present you with properties that match your criteria.

During viewings, we encourage you to be honest, which sometimes means brutal honesty (don’t worry, we can take it!), so we can learn from what you don’t like and narrow the focus to get you exactly what you want.

We want you to enjoy your time and find the perfect property, whilst feeling comfortable and secure in the knowledge that we will always be open and transparent with you too. 

What does the viewing trip include?

Talking of transparency… here’s exactly what we include for you in our property viewing trips:

• Airport transfers by a member of the Micasamo team.
• 2/3/4 nights accommodation in a minimum 4-star hotel or a suitable equivalent such as an apartment or villa. (The number of nights depends on the availability of flights.)
• Accompanied viewings of all properties and locations we’ve shortlisted for you, to give you a feel for the areas you’re interested in.
• Evenings are free to sample the fabulous local food and wine, relax and discuss the day’s events.
• Scheduled face-to-face appointments with a Spanish lawyer and mortgage adviser, if required.
• A visit to the Micasamo office, situated at the prestigious La Manga Club, to meet our friendly and experienced team. This gives you the opportunity to learn more about the range of services available for continued peace of mind – whether you’re looking to relocate with family , become a permanent resident in Spain, a rental property owner , or a digital nomad !

Questions, questions – ask away

We want you to feel comfortable asking us questions about everything and anything you need answers to before you get on the plane and head back home.  

Honestly, there is no such thing as a silly question. We encourage you to ask as many questions as you like, afterall, it’s not every day you buy a new home in Spain. And rest assured, we’ve probably been asked every question (multiple times!) before.

We’ve found our dream home.  What next?

Congratulations – all the hours spent scrutinising pictures and videos on the laptop until the early hours, and taking that all-important viewing trip to Spain, have paid off.

You’ve found your dream home. Your offer has been accepted. The deposit has been paid. This is just the start of the buying process made simple with Micasamo .

We don’t just say we provide an end-to-end service; we actually deliver. 

Once a completion day is agreed, we’ll get busy behind the scenes on the after-sales process , which includes transfer of utilities, registering you with the town hall, home insurance, installation of utilities, etc.

And, if you can be present on completion day, it’s time for colourful celebrations. As well as a bottle of bubbly and flowers in your beautiful new home, you’ll also become the proud owner of your very own multi-coloured (no-walking required!) dog who goes by the name of Pablito Micasamo. He’s an adorable miniature version of our multi-coloured mascot and office dog, Pablo Micasamo.

He’s a highly sought after treasure and loves a good photo opportunity – especially being featured on social media with his excited new owners!

At Micasamo, we’re about much more than just ‘selling’ you a property

We are here to assist at every stage of your purchase, providing a worry-free, five-star service, whether buying a resale property or reserving a new build, overseeing equipment installation such as air conditioning, or communicating with the Spanish builders!

We’ve even organised a 21st birthday party bash for clients in the past.

We believe it’s important to continue the client relationship based on the trust we have built and enjoyed during the sales process.

We want you to feel at home and experience carefree living in the Spanish sunshine from the minute you receive the keys and open your new front door.  

Ready to book your property viewing trip?

Chances are, if you have read this far, you’ve already looked at our website and checked out our extensive range of properties for sale in Spain .

If you need further convincing about the time being right to invest in a Spanish property, look at a few of our recently published articles about trends in the Spanish property market and why Murcia’s real estate is booming .

Excellent properties are in high demand and selling fast.

Please get in touch with the Micasamo team today to begin discussing your property requirements and exploring how we can help you pursue your new dream life in the sun.

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An Introduction to Los Alcázares, Murcia

La Manga Club in the Press

By: Maria Olmos Garre

Hi, I'm Maria I was born in Spain and I love to tell people about the incredible lifestyle here. I hope you enjoyed this article. If you want to talk to us about the content you would like to see more of then please email me directly!

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A selection of our featured properties....

Centrally located 4 bedroom villa in la manga club lmc029, three bedroom las orquideas penthouse loph08, two bedroom las orquideas penthouse apartment laor2ph, stunning five bedroom villa in el valle golf resort vv001.

La Manga Club - Central Location - Elevated Plot - South Facing This perfectly located villa in the heart of La Manga Club is just a few minutes' walk from Las Sabinas Commercial Centre, the...

Only 2 Now Available! La Manga Club Golf Resort - Swimming Pool - Luxury - Golden Visa Property These penthouses sit proudly at the top of the prestigious La Manga Club and feature...

Private Pool - Large Plot - Stunning Interior - El Valle Golf Resort  This fabulous 5-bed villa is nestled within the prestigious El Valle Golf Resort in the picturesque region of Murcia,...

Five Bedroom Villa with Stunning Views LMC020

Private Pool - Sea Views - La Manga Club - Terraces Wonderful villa in the hills of La Manga Club, with amazing views of the Mar Menor, La Manga Club, the golf courses, and the surrounding...

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Viewing Trip Itinerary

View Spanish Properties are offering a bespoke viewing trip pack package, making it even easier for you to find your property in Spain

• We Book you into a 3-4 * hotel with en-suite facilities & breakfast included
• View Spanish Properties will pick you up from the airport & provide private transport to your hotel and all property viewings.
• We offer relaxed property viewings to suit your budget & requirements, with no pressure to buy.
• Our agents will show you the local area & key amenities including shops, public transport stops & hospitals.
• We also organise meetings with independent, fully registered English speaking solicitors & Spanish banks if required.

Just £99 per person

So send us your details, including area of interest, Property requirements & possible dates you have in mind and we will contact you.

Please note * terms & conditions apply. Full Terms & Conditions can be viewed  here

• Airport collection by a member of our staff who will also assist with your luggage.
• A drive of approximately 30 min to your accommodation with time to unpack and get a relaxing coffee.
• We will then have a general informative viewing of the local area, local towns, other facilities and local amenities.
• Relaxed Evening meal in local restaurant
• Depart after a leisurely breakfast at around 10am
• View various properties in different locations along the coast in your preferred budget range.
• Continued viewing, various coffee breaks during the day to get a feel of the local facilities and area
• Depart after a leisurely breakfast at around 10am
• Continued viewing of properties in different locations and possible return to ones later that day the suit your needs to go into greater detail if required.
• Reviewing of properties of main interest and if required we can help negotiate the best possible price directly with the builders on your behalf.
• If you wish to reserve a property that suits your needs perfectly
• We can arrange meetings with fully registered English-speaking respected local solicitors, assist in opening your Spanish bank accounts, obtaining your NIE number plus other matters relating to property purchase.

Book your viewing trip now

Our staff have keys to many properties not on websites or in the media, plus new listings, so in some cases you will be viewing homes for the first time since they were put up for sale.

We also have access to excellent new build finished homes to inspect if you wish, which benefit from a comprehensive 10 year warranty .

Our after sales team will then take you through to a trouble-free completion when you return.

Book your exclusive Spanish Viewing trip

Flights included

limited to 2 people travelling

Including flights, transport, accommodation & breakfast

Terms and conditions apply. Flights included. Limited to 2 people travelling. Includes 3 nights accommodation for up to 2 people. Transfer transportation from Alicante, Murcia and Malaga Airports.

It's good to talk

If you would like to find out more about View Spanish Properties and how to go about buying a property in Spain, please fill in the contact form and we will be in touch.

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Book your exclusive £99 Viewing trip

whilst in Spain. Limited to 2 people travelling.

Including flights, transport, hotel accommodation and breakfast

VIEWING TRIPS

T: +44 (0)1334 652292 M: +44 (0)797 367 6673

Mon - Sun: 9.00am - 8.00pm

With over 25 years of experience exclusively in the Spanish property market, sourcing properties for both private individuals as well as the more demanding corporate market, we already know who the most reputable companies are. We know how the Spanish property market has changed dramatically over the years and more importantly, we know how the prices of Spanish properties have changed.

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Flights, Hotel & expert advice

£99 viewing trips.

PLEASE NOTE:  Our established group has keys & full access to a huge selection of many other great value, quality homes to inspect in all budgets in desirable locations all along the coast that are not advertised in the media or on websites.

Our  3-4-5 Day Viewing Tours  covers inspecting a vast choice of properties from Alicante & Murcia areas down to around the Mar Menor.

Our relaxed and informative 3-4 day property Viewing Trips to the Costa Blanca, and Murcia regions are available right now. Over 10,000 people have bought a property in Spain with us. FACT!

Your £99 p.p. trip includes:

• Daytime return flights from your nearest Airport to Alicante or Murcia.
• All transport & Airport transfers in Spain.
• View 8-10 great value, desirable homes a day in your preferred budget range in all the best locations.
• Excellent 3 & 4* Hotel courtesy accommodation with breakfast & most meals.
• We can offer low cost Spanish mortgages up to 60% - please contact us full details by return
• Informative & enjoyable viewings of locations, facilities & local amenities.
• Access to the most comprehensive property showrooms on the Blanca / Murcia coast.
• Access to independent English speaking Solicitors, plus help you open Bank accounts.
• We are also Developers & Main Promoters with all the added benefits.

Further information

Read our FAQ section or call us 7 days a week on 01202 971614 .

Viewing trip enquiry

If you have ever watched T.V. programmes regarding viewing and buying a holiday home, such as ‘A PLACE IN THE SUN’, this is what Spanish Legal Homes have been providing since 1985.

Our £99p.p Viewing Trips include flights, transport, accommodation, meals and allow you to view up to 8-10 different ‘handpicked’ properties a day, all you have to do is pick the one that suits your needs & budget perfectly.

A viewing trip encompasses all principal elements that need to be considered when buying Spanish property. We organise:

• Relaxed property viewings in your budget & requirements, with no pressure to buy
• Show you the local area & key amenities including shops, public transport stops & hospitals
• Take you to lunch & dinner in the area to get a taste of the stunning Mediterranean cuisine & atmosphere
• Pick you up from the airport & provide private transport to all property viewings & evening activities
• Book you into a 3-4* hotel accommodation with en-suite facilities & breakfast included
• Organised meetings with independent, fully registered English speaking solicitors & Spanish banks if required
• Offer you full use of our showrooms & offices
• Access to our award winning after-sales team, if you decide to buy

If you go it alone and choose to view properties with multiple agents, you will risk viewing the same properties, as some resale and new development Spanish properties can be listed with numerous agents. Also, less credible agents may choose to limit the properties they show, to ones that offer the biggest sales commission.

As a registered property agent with AIPP, we must make sure that all the appropriate paperwork is completed, that you have suitable legal representation and have the adequate finances in place to enable you to receive your deeds (Escitura) once the purchase is safely completed.

Seen a property online you like? You wouldn’t buy a property in the UK online before viewing it first, so don’t do it in Spain. In order to view property, you need to visit Spain and get a feel for the area and step inside the property(ies) you’re interested in.

At Spanish Legal Homes, we organise property viewing trips to Spain which run over 3-4 days and allow you to view a variety of properties within your chosen areas, stipulated budget and that match your specified requirements.

Conducting property inspections with a well respected Spanish property agent helps to ensure you receive accurate answers to key questions, such as:

• Is this a good area for rentals?
• How much is the cost of living?
• Are property prices rising here?
• How close am I to key amenities such as shops, bus routes, doctors etc?
• Is this a sensible buy based on my needs?

In addition to helpful and unbiased advice, a trustworthy agent who is employed by a firm such as Spanish Legal Homes , will recognise a ‘hard sell’ does not work.

It is only a professional approach, where the desires of the property hunter are carefully matched with the property type, its cost and location that will be successful.

If you do decide to reserve a home with our group we will organise all the banking and legal aspects of the entire purchase; this includes holding your hand on completion and long afterwards. Our group are always at your service.

Your typical 3-4 day Spanish properties viewing trip involves everything mentioned above, although it can be adapted to suit individual schedules, timings and most requests.

For more information about our viewing trips, get in touch with our team on 01202 971614 . Or to continue your journey to buying in Spain, book a £99 viewing trip with the form above.

Please note, viewing trip participants are required to have an available budget of at least €125,000. If you require assistance to source finance, please see our finance page .

How can I get the best out of the Viewing Trips?

There are a few basic qualifications that will help us help you. 

• All decision-makers must be present (maximum 2 people unless pre-arranged)
• Trips cannot be added to any other holiday or existing trip (unless pre-arranged)
• Trips cannot be extended longer than the 3-4-5 days 
• Clients must be genuinely and seriously looking to purchase a property in Southern Spain
• Clients must have the appropriate funds in place or pre-arranged, and can reserve whilst on their viewing trip if, and only if, they find a property that suits their needs
• If you think you are unable to reserve a property on your trip, or just going to see what’s available, the viewing tours are not for you. We can gladly offer alternate viewing options.

What are your Terms and Conditions?

• Our subsidised £99p.p. inspection visits are for 2 people max, we refund the difference between the basic flight over £99p.p. & does not include extras such as fast track, priority, extra baggage / suitcases, seat pre-allocation, parking. If pre-agreed, any extra people joining an inspection visit must pay in full for their own flights, transport & accommodation is provided.
• Flights and travel costs from your home country to Spain must be booked using your own credit card (if your flights come to a total in excess of the offer price of £99, you will be reimbursed for the balance over this amount per person)
• Flight dates, cost and duration should only be booked after these are mutually agreed and confirmed with Euro-Prestige by E-Mail, the subsidy covers the basic flight cost over £99p.p. with hand baggage, the subsidy is paid in full at the end of the month you travel
• Our staff will ensure you are fully aware of all purchasing costs and will provide a final ‘bottom line’ price so no surprises further on
• The property reservation fee is normally 5,000 Euro’s which can be paid by credit / debit card or Bank Transfer. This then ensures the property is taken off the market & the price is pegged on the day of reservation for your peace of mind.
• Every property viewed with our group is 100% legal & full due diligence has been done. We therefore cannot allow viewing with other Agents or Developers whilst on our viewing trips.
• When in Spain clients on Blanca & Murcia Viewing Tours are looked after for the duration by the separate Euro-Prestige Spanish based registered group with their Head Office in Torrevieja.

Viewing trip enquiry​

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Viewing trip need to knows (and a free guide!)

Many of our readers are planning a property viewing trip to Spain. How exciting! And a little nerve-wracking too, finally choosing a home after years of planning. So what are your viewing trip need to knows? 

When you’ve been planning your property purchase in Spain for a long time, getting to the business end of the dream can be a time when nagging worries start to surface. We spoke to leading Spanish property lawyer, who explained your legal need to knows to protect yourself as you step onto the plane for your viewing trip.

How long do the legal processes take?

If you want to own a property in Spain by the end of summer or early autumn 2021 you will need to book your viewing trip. The legal processes take a minimum of 45 days. It takes that long to organise certificates, legal searches, the notary etc. But assuming no issues, it won’t take longer than 45 days either. The kind of issues that can delay matters are homes out in the countryside because we have to involve an architect.

It could be yours in 45 days!

When should we see a lawyer?

As soon as you decide to buy! Then your lawyer can start planning everything ahead and talk it over either online or over the telephone. It’s really important to consult a lawyer before you’ve found a property and signed anything.

To put your own questions or to be put in touch with a specialist and affordable Spanish property lawyer,   click here .

What are buyers normally worried about.

Not understanding how it all works, on things like the legal processes, tax, etc, means you’re immediately out of your comfort zone. That often makes people frightened to make a decision. So the best thing to do is clear up all the questions at the start. The role of the notary can also cause confusion, for example, but this is also something that your lawyer will organise on your behalf.

Is buying in Spain safe?

Yes! Nothing will go wrong so long as you employ a property lawyer. Planning permission, for example, used to be an issue but is now under control 100%. Your lawyer won’t release any money to the vendor until everything is checked.

Where in particular should we be careful?

Get legal advice from the start and they will do the worrying for you. For example, seafront properties need a special permit, but it’s easily arranged and doesn’t affect the cost if the lawyer knows from the start. New-build and off-plan properties used to worry people too , but again, there are strong legal protections that ensure buying these is safe too.

No matter how nice the agent and rapport you’ve built up together on your trip, it’s better to use the lawyer’s own form and contract

Should we sign a reservation contract?

If you find the property you love and are asked to pay to secure it, just send the details of the estate agent to the lawyer and they check it all over. No matter how nice the agent and rapport you’ve built up together on your trip, it’s better to use the lawyer’s own form and contract, which protects your interests.

The home for you? Just ensure you’re legally protected

We would get a survey in the UK, what about Spain?

A good property lawyer will have a qualified architect to do this for you. Moreover, they will instruct them with what the report must cover and the report will be legally binding.

Download your free guide and make your viewing trip count

What extra costs are there?

Total buying costs will depend on the region. However, you should generally allow 11 or 12% on top of the purchase price. Don’t forget too, that you’ll need to transfer your currency. For that we always recommend Smart Currency Exchange.

At Spain Property Guides we know there are three professionals you need to ensure a safe purchase in Spain. Click here to meet your ‘Golden three ‘ for a no-obligation chat about your plans.

How to buy a holiday home in spain.

NEW GUIDE! Can you buy a holiday home in Spain? This guide will answer all your questions... Click here to read more and download

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The Spain Buying Guide is a free, independent resource to help anyone who is looking to buy property in or move to Spain through each critical stage of their property buying journey.

Set up to help our readers avoid the many complexities and pitfalls of buying property in Spain, the guide takes you through each stage of the property buying process, with practical recommendations from our experts who have been through the process themselves.

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Viewing Trips

ITINERARY FOR YOUR TRIP IS AS FOLLOWS: On the day of arrival, you will picked up from the airport (Alicante or Murcia) and transferred to your accommodation.

DAY 1 & 2: You will visit our office on the first day where you will have the chance to meet our team of property experts who will review your choice of properties before the start of your tour. During the day tour we show you different environments and current properties. Along the way we give you general information about the area, sights, restaurants and beaches. Lunch is usually served in a traditional restaurant and after lunch the tour continues, followed by free time to relax as well.

Day 3: The last day is usually a day where you will be briefed on all legal, tax and property issues. You will also have the opportunity to express any questions or concerns you may have. Usually, after this 3 day inspection trip, our customers have enough knowledge to decide whether the Costa Blanca/Costa Cálida is the place where they would like their dream home. On the day of departure you will be taken to the airport.

The World Health Organization claims that Spain has an “almost perfect environment as it is possible”. The Costa Blanca is one of the healthiest climates to live in. It is protected from strong winds in winter, which is good for keeping colds at bay, and it has a unique microclimate that is considered one of the world’s healthiest. Average temperatures are 15°C in December and January and rise to an average of 30°C in August, so a home on the Costa Blanca will not incur high heating costs. It also has more recorded hours of sunlight than any other place in Spain, which is great for vitamin D and keeps you happy! The average life expectancy is 84 years.

Do you have any questions and would you like to know more about the viewing trip? Send your email to: [email protected] . Do you decide to buy a house during or after a inspection trip? In this case we will refund the costs of the stay up to a maximum of € 750.00.

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Spanish property viewing trips

Breaking out of ordinary life to get a place in the sun can be a lifelong dream, but how are you going to make it reality?

Breaking out of ordinary life to get a place in the sun can be a lifelong dream, but how are you going to make it reality? You could arrange it yourself and brave a strange area and complicated process. You could try an estate agent and put up with sales tactics and viewing properties you can’t afford.

Neither option sounds fun, and they aren’t the easiest way to go about it.

To find the perfect place, you need to view those properties in your budget, in the right style and location. Then sit and think about it for a while. No sales talk, just time to take it all in.

That’s what we do on MASA Viewing Trips. We ask you what you want and then our expert team finds it for you.

We put on a hotel, food, a guided tour of the right style of property in your chosen area, and at the price you set. Then we give you space to take it in.

We never apply pressure, it’s not our way.

What does it cost and what’s included?

Your VIP trip will cost from just £89 per person and this includes return flights from your local airport, all private transport while in Spain, accommodation, breakfast and evening meal and of course your very own MASA Property Advisor who will be your very own guide to the area, the new and resale property market.

What does MASA get out of it?

Our customers are in the UK but our service is in Spain. We realised a long time ago that if we want people to use us then it’s our job to bring them over to see us, so this is why we subsidise the cost of our VIP Viewing Trips for our clients who are in the market to buy a property in Spain.

What can I expect to achieve during my MASA VIP Viewing Trip?

Your time with MASA is so much more than viewing properties. The emphasis will always be for you to enjoy and experience the different potential areas, meet the locals and get a good understanding of what life is like on the Costa Blanca. Always working to your brief, we'll line up the very best new and resale properties for you to view. This is how we've helped over 36,000 families find their home on the Costa Blanca and we'd love to help you too.

Book with confidence:

All bookings will have the guarantee that should government restrictions not allow travel, a full refund will be given.

We will be operating under strict government guidelines and the highest standards to provide you with a safe, enjoyable, and professional way to find your home on the Costa Blanca.

Enquire now about this Viewing Trip Offer

Or if you prefer, call us at the UK office on 020 8686 4696

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Guide to Viewing Properties in Spain

• Choosing the right location
• Areas, budgets and types of properties
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• How to plan effective viewings: on your own or with an expert

This guide to viewing properties in Spain will inform and help you to complete an essential pre-travel checklist, ultimately preparing you perfectly for your visit.

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INSTANT DOWNLOAD: This guide will inform and help you to complete an essential pre-travel checklist, ultimately preparing you perfectly for viewing properties in Spain.

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The September 2019 edition includes:

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• a case study with a family who purchased in Spain,
• and additional information about areas and properties.

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Spanish Property Inspection Trips: Buy Property in Spain

A free property inspection tour to Spain does sound attractive – a subsidised trip to Spain where you view properties with no obligation to buy.

It sounds ideal – or is it?

In the article below we expose the tricks of the trade. See just how the salesmen on commission are experts in convincing you to buy your dream home in Spain.  

Many people have written to us to ask if these free trips are a scam or rip-off. They worry that they will be talked into or convinced to buy a property against their free will. We have never heard of that happening but of course the salesmen can be very persuasive. You just need to be aware of what you are getting yourself into…

Once you have bought a property, compare home insurance quotes as soon as possible.

Free Property Inspection Trips to Spain

By Steven Bromley

In my experience snagging new properties for clients in Spain’s Costa Blanca, Calida and Murcia I regularly come into contact with sales reps and managers working for the multitude of estate agents who operate free or subsidized property inspection trips.

I deal with clients who have either fallen for some of the sales tactics or “untruths” and the truth often hurts, sometimes financially. This article aims to furnish clients with some of the facts, so that they are armed with some information before they make a huge financial commitment.

Of the nearly 60,000 people each year to leave the UK and head for the sun drenched Spanish shores nearly 20,000 of them do so having been on a free inspection tour.

There are a multitude of companies covering virtual all areas of Spain and employing a variety of sales methods to get you to part from your hard earned cash or perhaps more importantly get you to release the equity that you hold in your property. The one thing that they all have in common is they need leads/clients/tours/bums on seats/cannon fodder.

Some companies are backed by large corporations, such as banks or developers; some are no more than jumped up UK high pressure sales companies who are trying to make a quick buck in a new market. The tours often include the following.

Return flights for two, luxury 4 star hotel accommodation for 3 or 4 nights, breakfast in the hotel, evening restaurant meals, use of liveried company car and tour guide (aka sales person).

THE MARKETING TRICKS. – Gaining your attendance. These agents market in decidedly different ways: Some spend fortunes on glossy magazines, with artist’s impressions of your dream off plan property.

These pictures in themselves can be very misleading as they often have the sea in the background but in reality they are 10 km inland. They will show lush green gardens with not another property in sight, yet in reality and under much closer inspection the partition wall is 1 metre from the house wall and the development is virtually a new town being built – a wall of white washed euro boxes as far as the eye can see.

The lush green garden will be the remnants of a buildings site covered with an inch of topsoil. Beware when digging holes as a sprained wrist is a real danger.

With some agents you will receive a phone call one evening. That competition entry form that you filled in at Alicante / Murcia airport the last time you were on holiday could lead to a series of calls to gain your attendance over in Spain.

As these companies get more desperate for clients you could find yourself at the end of a phone literally days after you returned from holiday. These telesales operators have been known to call clients into submission, getting them to fly over just to stop the persistent nature of the calls.

Of course there is no point in calling the Telephone Preference Service as the calls originate in Spain and are out of their jurisdiction. Some agents spend tens of thousands advertising on the TV. “Our property experts are flying in this weekend to share their experience of living the Spanish dream. They will be at the Jubilee suites at the Anytown football ground / racecourse / hotel this weekend”.

Sure enough when couple arrive there are a team of informed reps that do in fact live in Spain and do fly in each week to a different part of the country to spread the dream. They also include a financial expert and a credit card machine and an internet connection to book your flights.

The trick here is that although the flights are free or subsidised you have to pay for them on your own credit card initially for “security” reasons and your money will be returned in full when you touch down in Spain and paid in Euros to give you some spending money.

Another marketing method that the agents have been trying is called the home visit. A practice developed from the double glazing industry, where the client is called and told that an expat property expert is in the area for the next couple of days and rather than come to our offices, they will come and see you in the comfort of your own house. “Allow an hour or so and they will answer any questions you have about relocation, holiday homes or investments” is the pitch of the telesales staff.

The salesperson or relocation consultant as they like to be known will in true style stay as long as it takes.

One of the sneaky sales tricks that they use is just before they arrive the salesperson will drop a call to their manager to say they are going in to the clients house, a couple of minutes after they have been sat in the house don’t be surprised if your home phone rings.

I will be the salespersons manager ringing to falsely state that the reps previous clients have been awarded a huge flight subsidy and there is only one subsidy left for the month… creating a little urgency in the client for fear of missing out.

This is a tactic used in double glazing or timeshare when the salesman states that this offer is only available today and tomorrow the product will cost thousands more.

As soon as any interest is shown the rep will have their laptop open and be booking you flights. They will then push you to travel at a time that suits them rather than you by offering flight incentives, these also tally with the commission that they earn.

As an example of how much these companies make out of sales, the home sit rep can earn EUR50 for just turning up, EUR1000 for booking you (subject to you actually turning up) and a further EUR1000 should you buy.

Of course the point of all these methods of marketing is to get your bum on an airplane seat and out to Spain with the minimum delay. Do not be surprised that if affordability in Spain is an issue, they will try and sell you an apartment in Bulgaria or Turkey and if finance is again an issue they will stoop as low as selling a plot of land on a barren coast in Brazil that you can pay for on the spot using your credit card.

The rep that you meet in your house, on the phone or at an exhibition is without doubt a self employed commission only salesman who will furnish you with all the details you wish to hear and none of those that you don’t. It is very common practice for these companies to employ their staff on self employed, commission only sales positions. This of course is much cheaper for the company, they can let staff go with little prospect of any legal comeback and without paying their back commissions.

The reps themselves are hungry as they need to sell to earn, which can lead to some hard sell tactics being employed to gain the sale. Please do remember however that if you are going just for a look or as some people have done on a “fag run” that these reps are working from 9am to 11pm for free!

Some companies offer completely free flights as long as you travel when they want you to. Some will state that the cost of the flight will only be £50 and they will subsidize the rest and some will subsidize the flight to the tune of £50.

As the market tightens and more and more of these agents disappear the degree of generosity diminishes at about the same rate as the exchange rate. This should be taken as a warning as the agents need there pound of flesh and as fewer clients travel in the first place and even fewer of them purchase the agents need to extract every last euro from the few remaining purchasing clients.

Now I have covered some of the marketing methods, I will cover the actual inspection tour in some detail. I am not quoting one company but a mix of all the companies; however you will find that they all offer virtually identical experiences.

I am using experiences gained personally, from ex reps and sales managers and from employees who still work for several of the big agents on the Costa Blanca, Calida, Murcia and Costa Almeria.

The stunning Hondon valley nestling in the Sierra Crevillente mountain range is an oasis of peace and tranquillity away from the hustle and bustle of the coast. Properties in the valley are surrounded by vineyards, fruit orchards, and olive & almond groves with stunning views whichever way you look.

The two principle villages of Hondon de las Nieves and Hondon de los Frailes have the authentic charm of a traditional Spanish village but with all the modern amenities expected for day to day living. At Hondon Valley Homes we only select properties that are realistically priced to sell, with owners who are motivated to sell and understand the requirements of the difficult time the economy is facing at the moment. If you are looking to sell, our network of collaborating agents on the coast (and soon in UK) will ensure that your house is seen by more potential buyers than by using normal methods.

I have written this section of the article with the assistance of personal experience in the industry, having personally undertaken an inspection tour, family and friends who has toured and most importantly experienced sales reps who still work in the industry, so they have no axe to grind but perhaps their conscience got the better of them. The only remuneration they received was a couple of cafe con leche’s each. The surprising thing was that I had arranged to meet two reps but when word spread half a dozen arrived with offer from many others.

Your tour should proceed along these lines. Show homes are close on Saturday afternoons and all day Sunday and flights are more expensive over the weekend so most tours tend to be during the midweek. Tour duration is normally 5 days 4 nights. For the purpose of this article I have formatted a Monday to Friday tour.

A couple of years ago a trip to the arrival lounge at Alicante or Murcia airport would have seen you rubbing shoulders with dozens of agents sales reps / salespeople / property consultants / tours guides ( I will call them reps from now on) all standing there with their clipboards with their clients names printed on them, often looking nervously as passengers came through the sliding doors. Similarly a trip down the coast road from the airport you would literally pass dozens of agents cars all brightly liveried and each company with its own colour cars. The credit crunch has killed off the numbers but made the agents need to extract every last euro from clients almost an art.

Your rep will great you with a big smile and engage you in small talk as they walk you back to the car. The reps should also take the luggage off you or at least the wife. During the journey back to the hotel it is taboo for the rep to talk about property for fear of the client feeling under pressure. What the rep is doing here is selling themselves, after all who would buy off somebody that they either did not like or did not trust? Your rep is sticking strictly to step one of the seven steps. The holy gospel of the rep which is drilled into them from day one. The steps are as follows and I will refer to the as we progress. I will shortly be writing an article solely covering the seven steps in much greater detail.

1. SELL YOURSELF – Make yourself likable to your clients 2. SELL THE COMPANY – We are established, trustworthy, large, family run, UK based…. 3. SELL THE AREA – Sell the lifestyle, pace of life, cost of living, health, beaches…….. 4. SELL THE PROPERTY – Once sold on the lifestyle find the property within budget. 5. FINANCE – Sort out loans, mortgages, affordability etc. 6. CONTRACT – Complete a property purchase contract and get EUR3000 deposit. 7. CONSOLIDATION – Introduce to solicitors, open bank accounts and look after them.

When you rep gets you to the hotel, they will jump out of the car and open the door for you, they will get your bags and check you into a very swish 4 or 5 star hotel on the beach with stunning views (see # 3). Once they have checked you in they will take you up to the room, open the door and take you in. You will often find that the curtains will be closed in the room. This is an arrangement that the agent will have with the hotel. This enables the rep to do the great reveal. They will walk to the window and pull the curtains back with gusto revealing a beautiful view of the beautiful blue Mediterranean Sea. Having just left a grey, miserable, cold, wet and windy UK, this reveal makes the client feel that they have found heaven.

Most clients arrive late afternoon, so the rep will leave you for a couple of hours to rest and come and collect you for dinner (the tour will include all meals). The rep will still not be speaking about property, they will, still be selling themselves and the business. They will tell you about how they came to live in Spain , how great it is, how their kids love it…… this is undoubtedly true as I am willing to testify but it is all part of the sales process. The rep will also start telling you how great the company is and how good they are to work for and how well they treat their staff. The truth is that they are all non contract, commission only sales people who are in fear of their jobs from tour to tour because if they do not sell and hit targets they are out! The rep will also outline the itinerary whilst you are with them:

Monday: Arrive, settle in and go for dinner. Tuesday: Pre tour meeting and area tour, go for dinner. Wednesday: Look for properties in areas you have expressed an interest in. Thursday: Continue search, or if purchasing complete contracts, payments etc. Friday: Continue search or if purchased, consolidate and back to airport.

Following your nice evening meal you will be dropped off at the hotel and arrangements made to meet you in the hotel reception at 9:30am the following morning. As they leave the rep will be on the phone to their manager telling them what they think of you and the likelihood of you purchasing. You will be graded as red, amber or green or on a scale of 1 to 10 as a prospect with red or 1 being no chance. All clients start as amber or a 5 on the scale.

A good hour or so before the rep collects you on Tuesday they will have a breakfast meeting with their manager where they will discuss in great detail their impression of you. The manager will produce all the paperwork that they have on you. This will be notes and transcripts of conversations that you have had with the companies telesales staff, or the home visit rep or even with the manager when they called to confirm your attendance a couple of days ago. All the questions that you have been asked no matter how innocent have the intention of garnering as much information as possible. This meeting that the rep ha with their manager will determine the course of action that they will be taking with you over the next few days!

The rep will come and collect you on time. They will be in their uniform, light pants, either white or blue shirt/blouse, brown shoes, sunglasses and immaculately clean company car (the cars are inspected each day and reps fined EUR50 for dirty cars). Your rep will then take you to a lovely café by the beach, or on a golf course or with fantastic views. This helps sell the lifestyle, but the choice of cafe is determined following your conversation the previous evening when they gleaned the information out of you to make this choice.

The purpose of the meeting is to determine what you are looking for i.e. holiday home, relocation , investment or business, your budget and your preferred location. The rep already has this information as this information has already been obtained from you when you arranged the trip in the first place. The one thing that the rep will do is promise never to show you properties above your budget, they will site affordability issues however the truth is that people who over extend when in Spain are 4 times more likely to cancel when they get back to the UK.

Meeting over you will jump in the car. One thing to note here is that the rep will always have a cool box or paperwork on the seat behind them. This means that the clients will sit in the passenger seat and the seat behind. This stop them being able to make eye contact with each other, communicate without the rep hearing and the rep will be able to see the client in the rear view mirror.

The day will be spent completing an extensive tour from Alicante in the North to Cartegena in the south and up to 50km inland. You will visit town, villages, beaches, golf courses, mountains, you name it they will cover it. Anything or place you express an interest in will be noted for use later. If you like a particular village or beach, they will stop for a look around or a coffee. Although you do not know it you will be following a predetermined route aimed at showing the area in its best possible light.

Whenever you do stop the rep will be glued to your side at all times. They do not want you talking to the natives because they may tell you something that you do not want to hear (i.e. how much commission the agents charge/make). The rep will always seat you away from other people, never at a café with free papers (other agents advertise in them) and never near an estate agent window because invariably they could have the same properties for sale for considerably less money! (most properties for sale are on with many agents).

Following completion of your area tour you are returned back to the hotel at 6pm, some 8 1/2 hours after you were picked up and informed that the next couple of hours are your own and that the rep will pick you up at 8pm for dinner. As a parting shot the rep will warn you about “bar stool Johnny’s”. They will tell you to be suspect of anyone who approaches them in the hotel bar or foyer as they could be a con merchant who will know that they are on an inspection trip and will coerce them out of thousands of euros. There may be a modicum of truth in this, however its main reason is to stop clients talking to each other and comparing experiences. One rotten apple can spoil a barrel….. You will be picked up at 8pm and taken to a nice restaurant for a three course meal and wine and taken back to the hotel at 10:30pm. You have been with you rep for 13 hours.

Following the extensive and tiring area tour you will be hoping for an easier day today. Your rep will collect you again at 9am fresh from a debrief with their manager where the plan of attack will have been drawn up. Today is all about property, after all, this is the third day you have been in Spain and you have not seen any property yet.

There has been a lot of thought put into the art of showing properties. The rep will have listened to your preferences and listened to your opinions when on the area tour. You general chit chat will have been noted and the answer to innocent sounding questions during dinner will have been noted, analyzed and actioned.

When you arrive at a property you will be brought in on a route that shows the property and area to its best. The show home will be immaculate; it will be on a nice big plot or have great views and will invariably be the most expensive plot on the site. The show home will have been dressed by a designer. Your rep will now take you round room by room, telling you what is included and what is not, what the payment structure for this particular developer is.

You will never be shown the best property first. The first property will often be chosen because it does not match many of your requirements. You will be asked for your comments regarding, size, location, views, rooms etc and asked to score the property on a whole out of ten and the area out of ten. If you score the property highly and area poorly we need to look at similar properties in a different area. If you score the area highly and property poorly, we need to look for different properties in the same area.

The rep should note your thoughts, comments and scores and move on to the next property based on your requirements.

Amazingly the reps I spoke to stated that if somebody was genuinely interested in purchasing that they only ever showed 3 or 4 properties before they found the perfect place.

Do not be surprised if at some point during this day that the reps manager accidentally bumps into you either in a show home or at a cafe somewhere (those furtive phone calls the rep makes or receives when they slope off out of earshot are the management gauging the progress of the tour. If you hear the rep saying amber or green you might know what they are talking about now). The manager is there to check on how well the tour is going, check up on the rep and try and point the clients in a new direction should they need to, or to reveal a deal that can be done or a special offer that has only just become available.

The pressure will be really on the rep towards the end of the day as you should have seen a property that meets all your requirements by now. The pressure exerted on the rep will be passed down to you in a more subtle way in the form of more direct or leading questions.

You will be dropped off again at 6pm and collected at 8pm for dinner. The conversation at dinner will be a lot more focused. You may also find that on this evening all the reps and their clients eat in the same restaurant, often taking it over. The reps are allowed to bring their partners to this meal. This is all part of the sales process as the partner has been thoroughly briefed on what to say. The reps manager and partner will also be present, so the sales process continues until 10pm. You will be dropped off at the hotel at 10:30pm with another 13 hour day under your belt.

By this point in the tour, if you have not purchased the chances of you doing so are minimal. Not only will you be feeling the effects of the long days, but so will the rep as their working day is on average 15 hours a day. Be prepared for a battle of wills.

Yours reps phone will be a lot busier today as they are pressured from above to get a sale. You will almost certainly call into the office to have a look around, with the real intention of putting some pressure on from the manager, finance person, company owner etc. This pressure will never be too excessive as this could be off-putting, but it will be pressure none the less. “We have found you the property within your budget in an area that you loved that meet all your criteria… its what you asked us to find and we have, so lets do the paperwork!” The rep will pull out the property scoring sheets with you favorable comments and score on the top property. You will be told that if you do not buy now then you never will. Your “bottle” will be questioned and you will be asked why you bothered coming out if you had no intention of purchasing I the first place.

This is the make or break part of the tour. The pressure to purchase will be considerable but not overbearing, more subtle than high pressure.

You will find yourself looking at properties that had previously been rules out because of comments made in other properties. If you comment in one property that the kitchen is too small, the rep will then rule out taking you to dozens of properties that have small kitchen and will only take you to properties that have bigger kitchens.

The rep will keep going because they are paid on a commission only basis and have nothing to lose. As a self employed, commission only sales person, if you do not buy, they will not be getting paid for working some 60 hours and they could be one step closer to getting fired, especially if the sales manager thought you were a good purchasing prospect. In Spain if you are not on a contract you have to pay approximately EUR250 per month to the tax office to cover social security as well as EUR50 towards your accountant. Even if they do not work or earn no money one month they still have to pay out EUR300. Their company will say that this keeps them lean and eager. The reps will say that it leads to unnecessary pressure and often hardship.

With the realization that there is no prospect of a sale, most reps will give up come the end of the day. You will find that you will be dropped off at the hotel at 4pm, the rep will offer you the chance of going for a meal on your own (at your own expense) and you will be given the opportunity of a later collection on the final day.

The meal on this last evening if taken will be a more casual affair as the rep is resigned to a “no sale” tour. The meal will be taken earlier and finished quickly. The rep out of spite will often take you to a restaurant that you have expressed that you do not like. If you don’t like Chinese food guess were you will be eating come the last evening if you have not purchased.

If you have purchased you will have spent Thursday completing paperwork and contracts in the office. On the Friday the rep will have you out of bed at 5am and standing outside the local town hall in a queue to get your NIE number (needed for purchase). You will be taken to a bank to open a bank account and introduced to a solicitor. If you want the solicitor to have power of attorney you will need to go to the notaries office as well.

As a word of caution I would always advise you to seek out your own solicitor rather than one suggested by your agent. Your solicitor should be working exclusively for you and some agents have far to a cosy relationship with their solicitors. Just check out some of the internet forums for details.

If you have not purchased, this will be a more relaxed day. You will have to check out of the hotel by 11am but the hotel or rep will take your cases. You will need to fill in an end of tour report where you can comment on the rep, company and tour. You will have a little time to sunbathe, go shopping, go for a walk. The chances are that you will be dropped off at the airport a good 3 hours before your flight and your reps car will disappear in a cloud of dust ready for the next clients.

Taking everything into account would I recommend partaking in an inspection tour?

The case for yes: If you are looking for a new or off plan or key ready property, the prices are set by the builder not the agent, so you will be paying the best price for the property. Despite the sales tactics, the reps in general have a fantastic knowledge of the area, builders and developments and despite what you may think, they are chosen for their personality more than sales skills. The agents can use their size and power in your favour and you do get free flights, accommodation and use of car and tour guide. You will cover more area and see more in one day with a good rep than you would do in a week on your own. If you do purchase you are actually paying for your free tour out of the agents commission. It’s a great way to learn the area and see property at their expense, however please remember that your rep will not earn a penny if you do not buy.

The case for no: You only get to see the side of Spain that the rep wants to show you. You are never on your own and are always being questioned as to your opinions. If you are considering a resale property then you will have to pay the agents fees not the seller. Agents can charge up to 20% commission. One a villa valued at EUR200,000 the agent will put it on the market for EUR240,000. An agent can make EUR20,000 on a small apartment. If you have an idea of the area or what you want and the sort of property you are after you can save a fortune doing it yourself.

There is an alternative. There are now companies who offer the best of both worlds. They are independent of any builder, promoter or agents. You pay for your flights and accommodation and meals. They pick you up and take you out looking at areas and properties and charge you a day rate. The late afternoons and evenings are yours. People come out for 7 days, spend 3 looking at properties and the rest of the time on the beach. Because they are independent they have no loyalty other than to you and could save you thousands. In these times of hardship it really is the best solution to a problem you never even knew existed…Until now.

The stunning Hondon valley nestling in the Sierra Crevillente mountain range is an oasis of peace and tranquility away from the hustle and bustle of the coast. Properties in the valley are surrounded by vineyards, fruit orchards, and olive & almond groves with stunning views whichever way you look. The two principle villages of Hondon de las Nieves and Hondon de los Frailes have the authentic charm of a traditional Spanish village but with all the modern amenities expected for day to day living.

At Hondon Valley Homes we only select properties that are realistically priced to sell, with owners who are motivated to sell and understand the requirements of the difficult time the economy is facing at the moment. If you are looking to sell, our network of collaborating agents on the coast (and soon in UK) will ensure that your house is seen by more potential buyers than by using normal methods. Source: Steven Bromley

Property Section Index:

• Buy a B&B (Costa Blanca)
• Distressed/Bargains
• Mortgages in Spain
• Property Prices
• Renting Long-Term
• Repossessed Property
• House Surveyors
• Property Tax
• Sell Your House in Spain
• Buyers Guide – Costa Blanca
• Buyers Guide – Spain

Popular Related Reading…

Guide to Living in Spain

Getting a Job in Spain

About the Author

Mark Eastwood

Main author and owner of SpainMadeSimple.com which was started in 2004 when I first moved to Spain.

Spain Made Simple features expert advice on all aspects of moving to and living in Spain as well as useful tourist information and travel tips.

As well as my own articles we have many contributions from professionally qualified experts in varied occupations in Spain.

Thank you for visiting our website and if you would like to comment or contribute, we welcome this! Just type your message in the comments box at the bottom of the page.

Reader Interactions

October 26, 2021 at 3:32 pm

Hi, How do I contact these companies that you refer to who are independant of builders,agents etc ….for property inspections/visits???? Many thanks Steve

Jackie Pal says

December 11, 2018 at 11:09 am

Looking for property to buy in around Marbella and Andalusia area. Budget £70,000

March 7, 2014 at 6:06 am

This may be very true. But equally there are “tricks of the trade” as you call them with local agents. All agents show you properties they want to sell – that’s the whole point ! – I don’t understand why your article seems so critical. Without agents the buyer would not know where to start!. In any industry there are sales techniques from the local shop to the mighty powerful corporates. The worst thing in all this is downright lies that agents can spin. Some are in it only for the money, greed and would sell their grandmother for an extra few pounds. Some are not legal, don’t pay taxes and I know some that are so shady they have police denuncia’s (a legal black mark). I have seen some agents rent out empty properties without the owner’s permission whilst the owner is in another country. Another one rented out an unsuitable house to a disabled person. Others pretend to have buyers, saying they have deposits just to reserve the property but in fact no buyer exists or money paid. In general estate agents are at war and it is all shady to be perfectly honest. There far too few to trust unfortunately. If the writer of the above article can put his/her hand on heart and say they never lied or used a trick-of-the-trade, then maybe he/she is one of those few … but i seriously doubt it ! – If you want a true picture of the agent you have to do the leg work and talk 1-2-1 with many local people, they’ll tell you who the good ones are. Sad but true.

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Already planning to see the next solar eclipse in 2026? What travelers need to know.

Umbraphiles feeling the post-eclipse blues should start checking the expiration date on their passports.

The next total solar eclipse is set to happen on Aug. 12, 2026, over Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia and a small part of Portugal, according to NASA . 

In North America, only a partial eclipse will be visible, so if April’s event made you an eclipse chaser and you want to see totality, you’ll need to head overseas.

Here’s what you’ll need to know before packing your bags:

Do you need a passport or visa for the best destination?

The path of totality for the 2026 eclipse mostly goes through places Americans can travel visa-free with their passport, so long as they’re planning to stay for less than 90 days.

Spain, Portugal, Iceland and Greenland all allow visa-free tourist travel for U.S. passport holders.

Spain, Portugal and Iceland are also members of the Schengen Area, which allows for visa-free travel in much of Europe, meaning if you decide to make a multi-country trip out of your eclipse adventure, you won’t need to clear customs if you’re coming from much of the rest of Europe, either.

One major change for travelers to Europe from the U.S., however, is that electronic preauthorization will become a requirement beginning in mid-2025. The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) requirement will apply to all four open countries in the path of totality. 

Depending on the state of the Ukraine war, travel to Russia may or may not be an option for most Americans by 2026, so it’s unclear what the paperwork requirements will be by then.

Is it better to see it from the beach?

Beaches can be a great place to see the eclipse because there are few natural obstacles blocking observers’ views of the sky. The 2026 path of totality passes over beaches on Spain’s northern and southeastern coasts, as well as over islands in the Mediterranean Sea including Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. The eclipse will also pass over coastal areas in Greenland and Iceland, according to the National Solar Observatory . 

Cruising Altitude: What it was like to see the eclipse from a plane

Will there be eclipse cruises or flights?

Almost certainly, although most operators have not announced specific plans yet. 

Cruise lines will also offer more viewing opportunities. Princess Cruises “has created a bespoke itinerary aboard Sky Princess to position the ship near Spain on that date,” according to a spokesperson for the line. The cruise will open for bookings on Princess’s website on May 23.

Cunard Line has sailings on its Queen Mary 2 , Queen Victoria and Queen Anne vessels that will put passengers in prime spots to watch .

'The ship can move': Why you should watch next solar eclipses from a cruise ship

Holland America Line is also planning multiple sailings around the event, though details are still to be announced. “Guests have reacted positively to our 2024 eclipse cruises and with the next full eclipse in 2026 we plan to have three sailings in Europe that will align with the path of the eclipse,” Paul Grigsby, the line's vice president of Deployment & Itinerary Planning, previously told USA TODAY in an email.

Want to see the next total solar eclipse in 2026? An expert recommends booking travel now.

• 2026 will be Europe's first total solar eclipse in 27 years.
• Travelers worldwide will likely head to Spain, Iceland, and Greenland for the event.
• A hotel expert encouraged travelers to start planning and booking their trips now.

It'll be two decades before the next total solar eclipse hits the US .

Another option: hop on a plane to Europe and turn the 2026 total solar eclipse into a viewing vacation.

Eclipse cartographer Michael Zeiler at GreatAmericanEclipse.com told Space.com that up to 3.7 million people likely traveled for the solar eclipse on Monday.

HotelPlanner's chief communication officer, Philip Ballard, told Business Insider that the eclipse was a major revenue generator for many cities. For places like Austin, Texas, and Rochester, New York, it could have created $1 billion in revenue, Vox reported.

"I would say the total solar eclipse has become a global phenomenon," Ballard said.

Ballard added that the next solar eclipse , which will pass through Iceland, Greenland, and Spain on August 12, 2026, could result in similar tourism and revenue influxes.

And if travelers are considering a trip to Europe for the solar eclipse, Ballard recommends planning your trip now.

Determine your eclipse viewing destination

According to Space.com , 2026 will be Europe's first total solar eclipse in 27 years. Its path will go through Greenland, parts of western Iceland, and northern Spain.

Choosing where to watch the eclipse will be a tough and important decision for travelers.

Iceland and Greenland have some positives. These regions will experience longer totality times, so viewers can watch the eclipse longer. Plus, the sun will be higher in the sky, so finding a spot to watch the eclipse will be less challenging, Space.com reported.

The downside is that these regions are more likely to be cloudy, according to the outlet.

Related stories

While parts of Spain are likely to offer clearer skies, the eclipse's timing will be shorter and closer to the horizon, which means travelers will need to plan and track down a viewing location with unobstructed views of the western horizon, Space.com reported.

Regardless of the destination, according to the outlet, one bonus is that the strongest meteor shower in the Northern Hemisphere will happen the following night, so travelers can pack two events into one trip.

Book flights and hotels far in advance

Ballard encouraged people to book their hotels in their destination of choice as far in advance as possible.

"You should start looking now and booking hotels now because those cities in the path are already going to be at peak season," Ballard said.

Ballard said it's similar to when a Super Bowl city is determined or a Taylor Swift tour date is announced — you immediately see spikes in bookings. He predicts hotel occupancy rates will hit near-record highs, and room prices may double around the solar eclipse date.

Ballard's general rule of thumb is to book international travel at least three months in advance, but since this is such an anticipated event, booking earlier is smart. His advice is to start discussing plans with friends and family. If you decide on a destination, book a refundable room to keep your options open if plans change.

Regarding purchasing a plane ticket, a study from Expedia states that international travel's sweet spot is at least six months in advance.

According to Expedia, travelers who book six months in advance save an average of 10% more than travelers booking within two months or less.

Skip the hassle of planning altogether and book a solar eclipse tour

Another option is to let a tour operator do the work for you. A handful of tour companies have seen the increased interest in the solar eclipse and launched tours designed around the event.

These tours will have predetermined locations to view the eclipse, hotel blocks reserved, and itineraries highlighting both the region and the eclipse.

However, these can sell out quickly. For example, Space and Telescope created an 11-day tour of Spain around viewing the 2026 solar eclipse. The tour has already sold out as of Wednesday, and the waitlist is full.

Other operators, such as Wilderness Travel and Eclipse Traveler, have similar itineraries for the total eclipse in 2026.

Watch: A small Australian town was treated to a rare hybrid solar eclipse

• Main content

Where To View the 2026 Eclipse

A mongst the buzz for the 2024 solar eclipse , travelers have already been gearing up to get a good view of the next alignment event. The total solar eclipse of April 8th was marked with millions of people scrambling to acquire special eclipse glasses, so they could avoid eye damage from viewing the event. The 2024 eclipse passed over North America so people in Mexico, the United States and Canada got great views of it. But not everyone got to view the stunning sight, even though plenty of people prepared to make the most of the eclipse. 

So people online are already trying to ensure they have their viewing gear. But eclipse prep has a lot to do with being in an ideal viewing place , especially for the next one. The next eclipse will pass over Europe, according to NASA. The next total solar eclipse will be Europe’s 1st in 27 years. This fact is more than enough for people all over the world to get excited about the event. Plenty of people are planning to travel just to see it. Check out where travelers need to go to see the next total solar eclipse of 2026. 

The Next Solar Eclipse

NASA has predicted that there will be another total solar eclipse n August 12th 2026. Eclipse chasers and astronomy fans are encouraged to make an event of the 2026 eclipse. Some people may even need to plan a strategic trip overseas since only a partial eclipse will be visible in some places. Learn more about the destinations that are set to be the ideal places to see the next total solar eclipse. 

Greenland 

Greenland is a location that allows visa-free tourism for U.S. passport holders. But in general, travelers can visit without a visa. They just need to hold a valid passport that does not expire for at least six months after exiting the country. Travelers can only stay for up to 90 days.  

So for the people who got to see the best views of the 2024 eclipse, there is no reason to miss out on the next one. So, this destination is a place that will not be very hard to plan a visit to. The estimated weather during August of 2026 should be around 40 degrees (fahrenheit). Greenland also does not get much sun during this time. This means that travelers visiting Greenland for the eclipse of 2026 should like the cold. 

Iceland 

Iceland also allows tourism without a visa. Iceland requires that travelers have sufficient funds and have a returning flight ticket. People can stay in Iceland for up to 90 days for either tourism or business reasons. 

Near the west end of Iceland is said to be the best place to observe an eclipse. There are sure to be special eclipse tours around the area so travelers should keep a lookout for unique experiences. Iceland has views of another natural phenomenon, the Northern Lights, so travelers may get to see both in one trip. 

Spain 

Spain is another destination where travelers can freely visit without a visa. Travelers can enter Spain for up to 90 days for tourism or business. The passports of travelers must be valid for at least three months after the predicted travel. 

There has even been talk of cruises near Spain. The eclipse will definitely make a welcome addition to the unforgettable coasts of Spain. But if travelers want to be on the beach while they gaze at the stars, they should make sure they are on the northern and southeastern coasts. The chances of a clear sky are the best in northern Spain. 

Portugal 

Finally, travelers are free to enjoy a tourism visit to Portugal visa free. This is possible due to the Schengen Agreement , which applies to all of the listed eclipse locations. Since the visa free travel is applicable to all of the eclipse viewing locations, a European tour might be ideal. 

Things To Know

There will be changes that apply to travelers from the United States to Europe starting 2025. The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will require electronic preauthorization for travel. This will apply to all four of the viewing countries. 

Spanish airlines increase capacity as they expect record summer demand

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Corina is a Madrid-based business reporter focusing on coverage of retail, infrastructure and tourism including some of Spain's biggest companies like Inditex and Ferrovial. She was previously a senior correspondent in Venezuela, where she reported the Chavez and later Maduro government's efforts to retain power and the effects on the economy.

Matteo is an Italian journalist based in Gdansk reporting on the European markets, with focus on Spain and Portugal companies. Previously, he worked at the Spanish newspaper EL PAÍS as a Business Reporter covering stocks, entrepreneurs and labour issues.

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Ireland, Spain, Norway moving closer to recognising a Palestinian state

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez says declarations on Palestine will be made “when the conditions are appropriate”.

Ireland and Norway are both moving closer to recognising Palestinian statehood, leaders of the two countries expressed separately after meetings with Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who also champions the move.

Ireland wants to recognise Palestine soon , but in a coordinated action with Spain and more European nations, the country’s Prime Minister Simon Harris said after meeting Sanchez in Dublin on Friday.

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Are more european nations finally moving to recognise palestine statehood, red cross: do not normalise what is happening in gaza, several countries issue travel warnings over israel-iran tensions.

Earlier in the day, Sanchez travelled to Oslo, where Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said his country also “stands ready” to recognise Palestine together with “like-minded countries”.

Sanchez said Spain wants to recognise Palestine “as soon as possible”, leveraging the move as a way to gain momentum for a definitive peace process.

The current efforts come as the mounting deaths, starvation and infrastructure damage in the besieged Gaza Strip due to Israel’s war have resulted in growing international criticism.

Within Europe, the concerns about Israel’s war on Gaza have also led to shifting positions – including more nations considering the possibility of recognising Palestine.

Last month, Spain and Ireland, long champions of Palestinian rights, announced alongside Malta and Slovenia that they would jointly work towards the recognition of a Palestinian state. They said they were “ready to recognise Palestine” in a move that would happen when “the circumstances are right”.

On Friday, after meeting Sanchez, Harris said, “Let me this evening say our assessment is that that point is coming much closer and we would like to move together in doing so.”

“The people of Palestine have long sought the dignity of their own country and sovereignty –  a home that like Ireland and Spain can take its place amongst the nations of the Earth.”

Sanchez said that willing countries would make their declarations “when the conditions are appropriate” and that they would support the new Palestinian state becoming “a full member of the United Nations”.

The Spanish leader has repeatedly angered Israel with his outspoken comments since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza, while Harris has already drawn a rebuke from the Israeli government this week.

Israel told the four European Union countries that committed to moving towards Palestinian recognition that their initiative would amount to a “prize for terrorism” that would reduce the chances of a negotiated resolution to the generations-old conflict.

Norway ‘stands ready’

“Norway stands ready to recognise the state of Palestine,” Norwegian Prime Minister Store, whose country is a part of the Schengen zone but not the EU, told a joint news conference with Sanchez earlier on Friday.

“We have not set a firm timetable,” he added, saying a decision on Palestine’s recognition would need to be taken in close coordination with “like-minded countries”.

In November, Norway’s parliament adopted a government proposal for the country to be prepared to recognise an independent Palestinian state.

Norway also hosted Israeli-Palestinian peace talks at the beginning of the 1990s, which led to the Oslo Accords.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed more than 33,600 Palestinians and injured more than 76,000 others since October 7. A Hamas attack on southern Israel before the war killed about 1,100 people there.

In all, 139 out of 193 UN member states recognise Palestine as a state.