Spain holidays: The best holiday destinations in Spain

The best Spain holiday destinations

When it comes to variety, Spain is one of the best and most rewarding European holiday destinations - not only for all-inclusive holidays, but also for solo trips and holidays with lots of friends or family!

If you're keen for a beach holiday, many travellers head to places like the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and Costa Brava. With almost 5,000 kilometres of gorgeous coastline to choose from, it's easy to see why these destinations are so popular.

The Spanish mainland's interior is no less spectacular than the coastal regions, and there are many major cities and smaller towns that are worth exploring. There are also some beautiful regions that are ideal for a day-long or multi-day hiking trip. So, if you're currently considering a trip to Spain, don't hesitate! And, thanks to the country's excellent weather, there is no bad time of the year to visit Spain.

The best things to do in Spain

Spain really does have it all. Picture-perfect beaches, fascinating museums, ancient buildings and ruins, buzzing nightlife, delicious food and drink and spectacular national parks, to name but a few. And this is what makes Spain such a reliable travel destination - you'll always find something to do.

Here are some of our favourite things to do during a Spain holiday.

Plan a Spain beach holiday

Home to gorgeous islands, including Ibiza, Cabrera, Majorca and Gran Canaria, Spain offers some of Europe's finest and cleanest beaches.

Playa de Silencio in Asturias is one of Spain's most exquisite beaches, known for its natural rock formations and silver sand. On the island of Majorca, Cala Agulla is a great place to bask in the tropical weather of summer and early autumn, while indulging in plenty of water sports, of course!

Nicknamed the Caribbean of the European continent, Playa de Ses Illetes in Formentera is worth a visit for its turquoise water, white sand and numerous bars and restaurants.

Located in the town of Tarifa, Playa de Bolonia is an ideal place for hiking along the sand dunes while admiring an awe-inspiring view of the turquoise water. This beach is also excellent for kitesurfing due to its crashing waves and strong winds.

Start planning your own beach holiday in Spain today.

The 14 best types of food to try in Spain

1. Tapas
   Where to eat: Madrid and Barcelona
   Tapas are an absolutely essential food experience, and you can find them pretty much anywhere you go in Spain. These small plates are meant to be split with friends and tapas culture is especially strong in the big cities like Madrid and Barcelona. You’ll usually encounter two types of tapas: pinchos are individual slices of bread with different toppings like sardines or chunks of thick tortilla while porciones are small plates for sharing.

2. Tortilla Espanola
   Where to eat: Everywhere
   While some may associate the word 'tortilla' with the thin, flat pancakes used in Mexican cuisine, tortilla Espanola is actually a type of omelette. This dish is usually made using potatoes, eggs and onion. The result is a crust-less quiche, usually more than an inch or two thick. Tortilla Espanola is served by the slice and is especially tasty when sandwiched between two slices of bread

3. Croquetas
   Where to eat: Madrid
   Croquetas are one of those foods that exist in one form or another in many countries across the globe. In Spain, croquetas have a crispy outer crust and a warm, gooey centre that's filled with thick, cheesy bechamel and your choice of filling. The most common fillings include jamon, cod or shredded chicken.

4. Patatas bravas
   Where to eat: Madrid
   While we might have our chips and ketchup, the Spanish have patatas bravas. Translated as 'brave' or 'wild' potatoes, these crispy potato morsels are drizzled with a spicy tomato sauce. They're the perfect accompaniment to a late-night cana (small beer). Grab a few porciones to share with friends.

5. Gazpacho
   Where to eat: Andalucia
   Gazpacho is the perfect summertime dish: cool, refreshing and not too filling. This chilled soup uses juicy summer tomatoes as its base, along with vegetables like cucumber, pepper and onions. Buy it fresh at a cafe or restaurant or pick up a carton at the supermarket to take on a picnic. For a thicker alternative with a similar flavour, try the lighter-coloured salmorejo.

6. Paella
   Where to eat: Valencia
   Paella is one of Spain’s most iconic foods; this savoury saffron-infused rice dish is prepared with vegetables, seafood or meat (and sometimes all three). It's traditionally cooked in a large round pan and the most common variants are paella mixta (a mix of meat and seafood), paella de marisco (seafood) and paella de verduras (vegetables). If you want to try something a little different, go for paella negra, sometimes called arros negre, which is prepared with squid ink.

7. Pan con tomate
   Where to eat: Balearic Islands
   Sometimes the simplest dishes are also the tastiest. Pan con tomate means 'bread with tomato' and has many variants across the regions of Spain, such as the pa amb oli ('bread and oil') of the Balearic Islands. Be sure to save some extra bread to dip in a bit of alioli, a highly addictive garlicky mayonnaise spread that you’ll usually find as a pre-meal appetiser.

8. Pulpo a la gallega
   Where to eat: Galicia
   It may seem like an unusual combination, but this mixture of fluffy potatoes and tender, briny squid that's drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with paprika just works. Share a plateful with a travel companion over a glass of red wine for an afternoon snack.

9. Churros con chocolate
   Where to eat: Everywhere
   It’s a testament to the delicious nature of fried foods that churros have now spread across the globe. The varieties are endless: some are filled with sweet cream, some are dusted with cinnamon sugar, others are served as thin loops and others as hollow columns. In Spain, churros are best eaten dipped in a tub of thick hot chocolate.

10. Crema Catalana
    Where to eat: Catalonia
    Another sweet treat, Crema Catalana is the cousin of the French creme brulee. The main difference is that Crema Catalana is thickened with cornstarch and is typically not made with cream. You’ll find this creamy custard dessert on menus across Catalonia (and the rest of Spain).

11. Fabada Asturiana
    Where to eat: Asturias
    The green, mountainous Asturias is a great choice for outdoorsy travellers, and it's also known for having a slightly cooler climate. Enter the fabada Asturiana, a hearty stew that's made from white beans and different types of pork, such as ham hock and chorizo; it's best accompanied by a local Asturian cider.

12. Pimientos de padron
    Where to eat: Galicia
    These small green peppers are the perfect salty snack to accompany a refreshing glass of beer. The peppers are often prepared with plenty of olive oil and a generous dash of salt. Padron peppers are available in many places in the UK, meaning that you can replicate the recipe back home.

13. Queso manchego
    Where to eat: La Mancha
    Spain has its fair share of delicious cheeses - queso Mahon, from the town of the same name in Menorca, is another good bet - but queso manchego is perhaps the most famous. Made from Manchega sheep's milk, the end result is a sweet but nutty cheese that pairs well with fig spread and crisp crackers or warm bread.

14. Cured pork, in all its forms
    Where to eat: Everywhere
    Chorizo, jamon iberico, fuet, jamon serrano, morcilla - the list goes on and on. The Spanish have perfected the art of curing pork, and whether it’s a thick slice of spicy chorizo or a delicate sliver of melt-in-your-mouth jamon serrano, it’s hard to go wrong. Seek out the local speciality wherever you’re staying or order a plate with a variety of options to find your favourite.