Top Destinations to Check Out When in Spain

By Sinclair Jones | October 10, 2022

Spain is an immensely popular travel destination, steeped in history. It is most popular with other Europeans because it gives them somewhere hot, relaxing, and welcoming to go, without traveling too far.

However, some places in Spain are more popular with tourists than others. If you want to visit but want to visit somewhere that’s frequented by other travelers, and where there’s a lot for you to do, then you need to research these places.

This post will simplify that research for you, by telling you about the top destinations you need to check out when in Spain.

Ibiza

Ibiza is without a doubt one of Spain’s most iconic destinations. It is frequented more by people interested in partying than relaxing, though. An activity that’s very popular in Ibiza is the yacht party. If that’s something you are interested in, then you can book an Ibiza yacht charter online, and then arrange a party with the company from whom you lease the boat. Bear in mind, Ibiza can be very expensive to travel to if you travel during the summer because that’s when everybody else is traveling there. However, if you want a very enjoyable experience, then that’s the best time to visit.

Malaga

Malaga is a city that’s located a stone’s throw from Africa. On a good day, you can see Morocco from the coast. Malaga, like Ibiza, is very popular with people going away purely for the purpose of partying. However, it is not as populated with tourists as Ibiza is, mainly because it is a very large city. A lot of the people you’ll find partying there are locals. All along the coastline stretching from Malaga to Marbella, you can find beach resorts and small towns, all great for partying in.

Marbella

Marbella isn’t too far from Malaga. Most people who go to Malaga are actually going to Marbella, but because Malaga is the airport people have to go to in order to get to Marbella, they spend a few days in Malaga and then travel to Marbella. Marbella is an extremely popular party destination with other Europeans. As with Ibiza, during the summer it can get very busy. This means that it can be very expensive to find a hotel there. However, you can save money by staying in one of the smaller beach towns located in and around the Marbella area.

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a controversial place. It’s a British colony, but it is located in Spanish territory. The Spanish government and United Nations both agree that it should be returned to Spain, but Britain disagrees. Regardless of where you stand on the matter, one thing is certain: Gibraltar is a great place to go on vacation. The weather’s beautiful and there are lots of things to do. You can take a ferry to Tangier in Morocco from Gibraltar, too. So, if you want to see North Africa then Gibraltar is the best place to base yourself. The ferries usually run once a day, so you will have to stay overnight in Morocco before you can return.

Pamplona

Pamplona is a large city located in Spain’s Navarre province, in the north. The city’s architecture is incredible and has some very interesting historical attractions. However, the main reason that people visit Pamplona is to see the bull run. A bull run is an event in which the bulls are released on sectioned-off streets in the city center. People are then able to run ahead of these bulls. Unfortunately, however, people have died during bull runs in the past, and the Spanish government is under a lot of pressure to prevent any further bull runs from happening. If you want to see it, then you should go before bull runs are banned for good.

Madrid

Madrid is Spain’s capital city. As one would expect from a thriving European nation’s capital, traveling to (and then staying in) Madrid can be very expensive. However, despite the high costs, it is somewhere that everybody should visit at least once. The city’s streets are lined with small cafés, restaurants, and incredibly designed churches. There are also various museums and galleries that you can visit, as well as some very famous historical monuments.

Barcelona

Barcelona is a city that’s equally as interesting as Madrid, though it tends to be a lot more popular with tourists because a number of budget European airlines fly there. Barcelona can be very expensive during the summer, and it’s not really a party city in the same sense that Ibiza and Marbella are. So, if you do want to visit, you might be able to save yourself a lot of money by visiting during winter, when there are fewer tourists. Prices tend to be a lot lower during this period.

Seville

Seville is an incredibly interesting city. It is the capital of Spain’s Andalusia region, notorious for its hot weather. Just this summer, Andalusia experienced unprecedented heat. It is also Spain’s fourth-largest city. The main reason that most people visit Seville is to visit the Royal Alcázar of Seville, an old palace located in the city. However, there are also lots of other sites, castles, and cathedrals worth visiting. If you plan on visiting then it doesn’t really matter when you do, since it is a popular destination all year round. It is also not that expensive a city to visit, compared to some of the others featured on this list.

Granada

Granada is another of Spain’s most popular tourist destinations, mainly because of the Alhambra Palace, one of the world’s best-designed Islamic buildings. It was built when Andalusia was under the control of the Nasrid dynasty, an Islamic empire that had its roots in the Iberian Peninsula. It was also the last Muslim dynasty to rule the area before it was surrendered by them. Granada also has many other things for you to see, and places for you to visit. The weather is beautiful throughout the year, making it the perfect place to get away to during winter.

The cities and destinations listed in this post are only the tip of the iceberg. There’s lots more for you to see in Spain. If you are planning on visiting, then be sure to consider the destinations listed here, because whilst they are only the tip of the iceberg, they also happen to be the most popular.