Practical · 7 min read
Getting Around Spain: High-Speed Trains, Flights, Driving and Private Drivers
A practical comparison of every way to travel between Spain's cities, with journey times, luggage rules and advice for families.
Spain guide
Read before you go
Written by people who plan these trips, checked against official sources, with the review date on every guide.
Practical · 7 min read
Arriving at Madrid-Barajas Airport: Terminals and Ways into the City
What to expect when you land at Madrid-Barajas, how each way into the city compares, and when a pre-booked transfer is worth it.
Practical · 7 min read
Muslim-Friendly Spain: Halal Food, Mosques, Prayer and Ramadan
How to travel in Spain with confidence as a Muslim visitor: checking halal certification, finding mosques, planning prayer and Ramadan, and the right questions to ask hotels.
Practical · 7 min read
Shopping in Spain and Tax-Free Refunds: Streets, Outlets and DIVA
The best shopping streets and outlet villages in Spain, when the sales are, and a step-by-step guide to claiming your VAT refund through the DIVA system.
Destination guides
Places worth knowing
Landmark · Madrid
Royal Palace of Madrid
The official residence of the Spanish royal family and one of the largest royal palaces in Western Europe. The state rooms, the royal pharmacy and the armoury fill a morning.
Tip: Combine it with the Sabatini Gardens and the Almudena Cathedral next door.
Official website ↗
Park / garden · Madrid
Retiro Park
Madrid's green lung: the boating lake, the glass Crystal Palace and shady avenues made for an afternoon walk with children.
Tip: In summer, go after 5 pm when the heat eases.
Official website ↗
Landmark · Madrid
Plaza Mayor
A 17th-century arcaded square in the heart of old Madrid, ringed with cafés and turned into a Christmas market in December.
Tip: Have coffee in a side street — cafés on the square cost more.
Market · Madrid
Mercado de San Miguel
An early-20th-century iron-and-glass market by the Plaza Mayor, now a hall for tasting small Spanish plates.
Tip: It gets crowded in the evening; midday is calmer with children.
Official website ↗
Park / garden · Barcelona
Park Güell
Gaudí's hillside park above Barcelona, with its colourful mosaic benches and the famous dragon at the entrance.
Tip: The monumental zone needs a timed ticket — book it on the official website.
Official website ↗
Landmark · Barcelona
Casa Batlló and Passeig de Gràcia
Gaudí's rippling façade of 'bones and scales' on Barcelona's grandest shopping avenue.
Tip: Walk on to Casa Milà (La Pedrera) to see two Gaudí buildings in one stroll.
Official website ↗
Landmark · Barcelona
Sagrada Família
Gaudí's masterpiece, begun in 1882 and still under construction; the coloured light inside stays with you.
Tip: Tickets sell out in high season — book on the official website before you travel.
Official website ↗
Neighbourhood · Barcelona
Gothic Quarter
A maze of stone lanes around the cathedral, with Roman wall fragments, small squares and cafés.
Tip: Best early in the morning, before the lanes fill up.