Things to do in 

Spain

Follow alternative things to do across Spain, trading big-ticket lines for local workshops, coastal rambles, and village bars where daily life still sets the pace.

Cultural experiences: In Barcelona, visit Poblenou maker studios, then learn to pour vermut in a family bodega in Sants; couples enjoy the unhurried tasting. In Madrid, browse Lavapiés galleries before a no-frills cocido lunch counter where regulars swap stories; seniors like the seated, social format. In Seville, paint azulejo tiles in Triana and join a small peña flamenca where singers perform for locals, not stages. In Valencia, meet rice farmers near Albufera and try wood-fired paella at a village casal; private farm visits work well for families and luxury travelers alike.

Day trip ideas: From Madrid, ride the Cercanías train to Cercedilla for pine forest trails, then stop in Segovia for a slow walk past the aqueduct and a pottery studio near Plaza Mayor. From Barcelona, e-bike through the Penedès vines to a small cava cellar and loop back via Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. From Seville, head to Carmona for fortress walls, quiet plazas, and the Roman necropolis. From Valencia, climb to Xàtiva Castle and explore its old town, then sample turrón in nearby Montesa. From Bilbao, visit Guernica for the market and mural trail before an anchovy tasting in coastal Getaria, an hour east of the city.

Explore Spain’s regions: In Catalonia, pair Barcelona with Girona’s medieval lanes and Costa Brava coves. In Andalusia, weave Seville, Córdoba, and Granada with olive-mill visits in the countryside. In the Basque Country, split time between Bilbao’s riverfront and San Sebastián’s pintxo bars and coastal paths. Around Madrid and Castile, day-trip to Toledo and Segovia for craft studios and castle views. In the Valencia Region, balance city beaches with Albufera wetlands and hill towns like Morella. In Galicia, base in Santiago De Compostela and follow seafood trails along the Rías Baixas; the Balearic Islands add quiet calas from Palma if you’re island-bound.

Travel tip: Spain rewards focus: allow 10–14 days for one to two regions, like Catalonia and the Basque Country, or Andalusia with Madrid. A broad loop touching four or more regions needs 3–4 weeks to feel sane and satisfying.

More places to see in Spain

Barcelona is a great starting point, but Spain stretches far beyond its boulevards. Head out to coasts, mountains, and small towns where food, language, and daily life shift from place to place.

Basque Coast: Pintxos in San Sebastián’s Parte Vieja as the evening rolls in, a slow walk along La Concha, then a bus to Bilbao for the Guggenheim’s steel curves and the riverside paths. Ride the local train to Zumaia to see the Flysch cliffs, where layered rock meets the sea. You’ll hear Euskara in cafés and see menus change from cider houses to seafood grills as you move along the shore.

Andalusia’s Sierra de Grazalema: Drive the mountain road to Puerto de las Palomas, then wander white lanes in Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema. Taste Payoyo cheese in Villaluenga del Rosario and watch the late light sink into the limestone peaks. In nearby Ronda, step onto the Puente Nuevo and tuck into simple tapas on Calle Virgen de los Remedios after sunset.

Valencia & Albufera: Start at Mercado Central for fruit, jamón, and a coffee, then cycle the Turia Gardens toward the City of Arts and Sciences. At midday, ride out to El Palmar for paella cooked over wood, and a boat through the Albufera rice fields as the sky softens. Back in the city, an evening stroll through El Carmen keeps the day easy.

Asturias & Picos de Europa: Go early to the Covadonga Lakes for quiet views and grazing cattle, then drop to Cangas de Onís for a sidra pour that hits the floor before your glass. Follow the coast near Llanes to the Bufones de Pría blowholes, and if you love cheese, stop in Arenas de Cabrales to learn how the blue wheels age deep in caves.

Seasonal activities

Spring: Follow orange‑blossom breezes into Andalusian plazas, where Semana Santa processions glide past candles and brass bands. Admire Córdoba’s flower‑filled patios and catch March’s fireworks and street art during Valencia’s Las Fallas, a lively scene for culture lovers and photographers alike.

Summer: Join San Juan bonfires on Mediterranean beaches, then linger on shaded terrazas as dinner slides into midnight. Slip to the Costa Brava or the Basque coast for coves and coastal trails, while inland towns throw open‑air ferias with folk music and family‑friendly parades.

Fall: Toast grape harvests in La Rioja or Ribera del Duero and watch barefoot treading at village fiestas, then savour menus shifting to mushrooms and game. Celebrate Barcelona’s La Mercè with human towers and street puppetry, a colourful weekend that suits curious couples and easy‑going groups.

Winter: Browse nativity scenes and Christmas markets in Madrid and Barcelona, nibbling turrón under twinkling lights. Welcome the Three Kings with confetti‑filled parades on 5 January, or chase soft winter sun through Andalusian courtyards and Canary Island trails.

Yearly highlights include March’s Las Fallas in Valencia, Holy Week processions across Spain, and April’s spring ferias in Andalusia. In May, Córdoba’s Patios Festival opens ornate courtyards, while September’s La Mercè turns Barcelona into a city‑wide stage; June finishes with San Juan bonfires lighting beaches from Cádiz to the Costa Brava.