When to Visit Spain?
Spain can be brutally hot, crowded, and expensive during the mid-summer months. So, the best time to visit Spain is from April to May when the tourist season has not yet peaked. It offers good weather, fewer crowds, cheaper prices compared to June - July, and, best of all, it coincides with some cool festivals you can attend, such as Madrid's Bullfight (March - June) and Seville's April Fest (often held in May. Be sure to check the schedule for the year you plan to visit Spain).
How to Get to Spain?
First, you will have to get to Spain. There are many airlines that fly from the US directly to Spain, such as American, Delta, Iberia, or Air Europa. If you are from Asia, Emirates, Qatar, or KLM are great options too.
To find the cheapest flight to Spain, make sure to browse through Skyscanner or Expedia so you can get the cheapest flight from your home country to Spain.
How to Get Around Spain?
Buses are easy and cheap to travel in around Spain. ALSA, Flixbus, or if you are looking for a one-stop shop for finding buses, check out Omio.com to easily find and book a bus ticket online for your trip in Spain.
For big cities like Madrid and Barcelona, the metro system is really well-connected, although be aware that there are a lot of pickpockets around crowded stations in Madrid and Barcelona, so be sure to watch your belongings when getting on/off the train. The train should cost around 2 - 3 EUR per trip.
For Seville, you can walk to all the tourist attractions in the city, no problem.
Same goes for Granada, but if you want to go hiking, you can also rely on the local bus system which is well-connected and easily accessible. Be sure to ask your hostel/hotel for information on which bus number to take to go somewhere. Once you know the bus number, you can check the bus schedule online here.
Daily Budget
Traveling here will typically cost you more than visiting most other countries. You can expect to spend around $45 - $65 USD per day per person, including food, accommodation, and transportation.
Please keep in mind that these are suggested daily budgets based on my own style of travel, which leans more towards the budget side of things. If you aim to stick to this budget, anticipate sleeping in dormitories, dining out only occasionally, and being comfortable with the cheapest and most convenient modes of transportation, which often involve a considerable amount of walking.
Which tourist SIM card is best for Spain?
There are several phone carriers you can choose from, such as Movistar, Orange, or Vodafone. I chose Orange and bought a SIM card with 3 GB of data for 7 EUR, which is plenty for 10 days. The coverage is well-covered in all the places I recommended in this itinerary. You can also top up at the shops or supermarkets with a label "recargas," or you can do it yourself online.
For more information on Spain SIM cards: Spain Prepaid Data SIM Card.
Tips: To stay connected with your loved ones at home, make sure to have a VPN service like NordVPN installed before traveling so that you can bypass any local Internet censorship you might encounter while in Spain.
What to Pack for Spain?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Spain:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.
