Heads up MadTravels contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you book or buy through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my disclaimer for more information.
Spain is very special to me, and I’ve spent a lot of time here. I lived in Madrid from January to May 2022 while studying abroad, and I’ve been back to Spain several times since.
From Madrid, I took weekend trips to San Sebastián, Barcelona, Sitges, and Valencia, and did day trips to Toledo, Segovia, and the hiking towns in Cercedilla. I’ve been to Seville and have been back to Barcelona, Madrid, and Sitges many times because of how much I love these places.
If it’s your first trip, you don’t need to see everything! You need two or three places that fit the kind of trip you want.
These are the eight places I’d send a friend to first, with what to book ahead and what I’d skip.
Book your Madrid trip
Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Why Spain Is a Must-Visit for First-Time Travelers
- Lots of things to do: from historic landmarks to beaches and mountains.
- Food and wine: tapas in Madrid, paella in Valencia, pintxos in San Sebastián.
- Culture and history: Moorish palaces, Gothic cathedrals, and medieval towns.
- A slower pace: dinner at 10 p.m., long meals, and slow mornings. It frustrated me at first, because I’m naturally fast-paced, and then it became my favorite part.
8 Best Places to Visit in Spain for First-Timers
1. Madrid – The Best Starting Point for Your Spain Adventure
Madrid was my home base for five months, and it’s one of the best places to experience Spain for the first time. It has incredible museums, great food, fun nightlife, and a lot of history.
It’s also the easiest base in Spain. The airport is a short metro ride from the center, the metro is one of the best I’ve used anywhere, and I flew Ryanair and took the train out of Madrid on a lot of weekends.
Top Attractions:
- Prado Museum: Spain’s most famous art museum. The Reina Sofía, for modern art, is nearby.
- Royal Palace of Madrid: one of the largest palaces in Europe.
- El Retiro Park: my favorite place to relax, row a boat, or ride bikes.
- Gran Vía: Madrid’s main shopping street.
🎟️Skip the line and book a Prado Museum tour→
🎟️Join a guided Royal Palace tour→
Insider tip: Before sunset, grab a bottle of wine, cheese, and crackers from a corner shop and take them to Templo de Debod. It was my favorite thing to do in Madrid.
On a Sunday morning, add El Rastro, the city’s flea market.
📍Check out the best hotels in Madrid→
If you only have a weekend, here’s my 2-day Madrid itinerary. My Madrid safety guide covers how I had my phone stolen, and here are non-touristy things to do in Madrid.
2. Barcelona – Iconic Landmarks & Mediterranean Vibes
Barcelona has some of the most beautiful architecture and food I’ve seen anywhere. I spent two full days there in May 2026, and Gaudí alone is worth the trip.
Top Attractions:
- Sagrada Família: book about six weeks ahead on the official website. Our tickets were €35 each, including the audio guide and the tower. Do the tower. The views of the city and the up-close tile work are half the visit.
- Park Güell: busy even in the afternoon, but the tile work is so cool.
- Montjuïc and the MNAC: I had no idea this existed before the trip. It’s a huge park with a palace-like museum, fountains, and sweeping steps.
- La Boqueria: touristy but worth it.
🎟️Book a Sagrada Família tour→
🎟️Reserve your Park Güell entrance ticket→
Insider tip: The neighborhoods that felt most local were Vila de Gràcia and El Poblenou. If you’re gluten-free, go to Jansana in Eixample, an entirely gluten-free bakery.
A croissant is €3, and I went twice in two days.
📍Browse the best hotels in Barcelona→
Planning more time in the city? Here’s my Barcelona 3-day itinerary and the best time to visit Barcelona.
3. Sitges – A Beach Town an Hour From Barcelona
I spent a week in Sitges in May 2026, staying four blocks from the beach and taking the train into Barcelona for city days. I’ve also been four times before that while I lived in Madrid and visiting friends in Spain.
It’s small enough to walk everywhere. In early May, the beach was uncrowded, it was in the high 60s, and the sun didn’t set until almost 9 p.m.
Top Things to Do:
- Beach days: Papaya Beach is a beach club right on the water with a cheap, easy breakfast. The water was cold in May but refreshing. For kayaks, paddleboards or surf lessons, look at Nookta Kayak & SUP or The Surf Club.
- Tapas: Yamuna Sitges, right by the beach, has patatas bravas, salads and classic tapas at reasonable prices, and English-speaking staff. Café Sardina, in the center on the water, is a little touristy but solid.
- Gelato: Gelateria Italiana Oliver serves real gelato from tins.
- A night out: start at Parrots bar, then go to the bar street around the corner. We stayed out until 3 a.m. The crowd is mostly gay men, and my friend and I had a lot of fun as two women.
Insider tip: The R2 train between Barcelona and Sitges takes about an hour (it was free during construction when I went; check before you go). The last train back to Sitges leaves around 10:58 p.m. From the airport, the 1144 (E16) bus costs €5.40, takes about 45 minutes, and only takes cash.
A taxi is about €85, or closer to €75 if you ask for “sin autopistas” to skip the toll roads.
Skip Montserrat if you’re based in Sitges: it’s about three hours each way.
📍Browse places to stay in Sitges→
4. Seville – The Best City in Spain for History and Architecture
I love Seville. I spent a long weekend here in early July, which I wouldn’t do again.
It was so hot that we kept ducking inside for water and gelato. Even so, the orange trees everywhere, the tile work, and the slower pace made it one of the most distinct cities in Spain.
Top Attractions:
- Real Alcázar: crowded and 100% touristy, but worth it. Book ahead, because day-of tickets sell out. We did the audio guide.
- Casa de Pilatos: my favorite part of the trip. It’s quieter than the Alcázar and full of tile work.
- Plaza de España and Parque de María Luisa: the park is shady, which matters in summer.
- Triana: cross the river for the Triana market and a more local neighborhood.
🎟️Book an Alcázar guided tour→
Insider tip: Go in spring or fall, not July. If you visit in April, Feria de Abril is Seville’s biggest festival.
📍Discover top-rated hotels in Seville→
More on Seville: 2 days in Seville, free things to do in Seville and day trips from Seville.
5. Valencia – The Best Mix of History and Beaches
Valencia is a smaller, underrated city in Spain. It has lots of paella and beautiful beaches, and is home to one of the coolest art and science museums I’ve ever seen.
Top Attractions:
- City of Arts and Sciences: a huge modern complex of museums and an aquarium.
- Turia Gardens: a long park built in a former riverbed.
- Las Fallas: a city-wide festival in March with massive sculptures and fireworks.
🎟️Buy City of Arts and Sciences skip-the-line tickets→
Insider tip: If you’re a foodie, you can’t leave Valencia without trying authentic paella.
📍Browse top-rated hotels in Valencia→
6. San Sebastián – Spain’s Best Beach & Food Destination
San Sebastián is one of my favorite cities in Spain. I only had a weekend here, taking the train up from Madrid (three to four hours), and I’d go back so fast.
It feels like a small surf town even though the center is a real city. Everywhere we ate was great, and the water is very blue.
Top Attractions:
- Pintxos in the Old Town: the Basque Country’s version of tapas, best done hopping from bar to bar.
- La Concha Beach: one of the most beautiful city beaches in Europe.
- Monte Igueldo: the ride up to the viewpoint is touristy, but you see the whole bay and the beach.
🎟️Join a pintxos and wine-tasting tour→
Insider tip: If you want to surf, book a lesson ahead. We booked our trip last minute, so lessons were full.
We rented boards and wetsuits on our own. In April, the water was cold, and the waves were bigger than I expected for my first time.
San Sebastián is also famous for its cheesecake. I couldn’t eat it (gluten-free), but my friends loved it.
📍Check out beachfront hotels in San Sebastián→
7. Toledo – A Perfect Day Trip from Madrid
Toledo is one of the easiest day trips from Madrid, and it feels like stepping into a medieval town. I did it as a day trip, and it’s easy by bus or train.
As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its history is especially unique. It was once known as the “City of Three Cultures,” where Christians, Muslims and Jews coexisted, leaving behind a mix of architectural and cultural influences.
Top Attractions:
- Toledo Cathedral: one of Spain’s great Gothic cathedrals.
- Alcázar of Toledo: a fortress with views over the city.
- El Greco Museum: dedicated to the painter who lived here.
🎟️Join a guided Toledo day tour from Madrid→
Insider tip: The best way to see Toledo is by wandering its narrow, winding streets. Get lost, stop in tiny shops, and don’t over-plan it.
8. Segovia – Another Easy Day Trip from Madrid
Segovia was another of my day trips from Madrid. Like Toledo, it’s easy to reach by bus or train, and it’s small enough to see in a day.
Top Attractions:
- The Roman aqueduct: it runs right through the middle of town.
- Alcázar of Segovia: a castle on the edge of the old town.
- Segovia Cathedral: in the main square, Plaza Mayor.
🎟️Browse Segovia day trips from Madrid→
Planning a weekend away?
Get The Weekender: weekend trips, already planned.
Spain Travel Tips for First-Time Visitors
- Best time to visit: spring (April–June) and fall (September–November), when the weather is comfortable and there are fewer crowds. Summer is brutally hot, especially in Andalusia. I learned that in Seville in July.
- Getting around: high-speed trains (Renfe AVE) connect the major cities in a few hours, buses cover smaller towns, and budget airlines like Ryanair are cheap for longer distances. Rail Europe sells train passes.
- Book the big sights ahead: Sagrada Família (about six weeks out) and the Real Alcázar both sell out.
- Tapas culture: instead of ordering everything at once, it’s common to start with one tapa, share, and order more as the night goes on.
- Learn some Spanish: fewer people spoke English than I expected, even in Madrid. Touristy restaurants will, but most other places won’t. On my last trip, my one wish was that I knew more.
- Be ready for late nights: dinner is at 9 or 10 p.m., and nights out often last until sunrise. Adjusting was hard for me at first, but I grew to love the long meals.
- Gluten-free travelers: Spain was one of the easiest countries I’ve traveled gluten-free. Madrid and Barcelona both have entirely gluten-free bakeries, and Barcelona even has a gluten-free gelato shop.
FAQs: What First-Time Visitors Need to Know About Spain
How many days do you need in Spain for your first visit?
I recommend at least 7–10 days. That gives you time to explore two or three places without feeling rushed.
What’s the best way to get around Spain?
Spain has an excellent train network (Renfe AVE), reliable buses, and affordable flights for longer distances. Within Madrid or Barcelona, take the metro.
In Barcelona you’ll need a paper ticket, since it isn’t tap to pay.
Do you need to speak Spanish when visiting Spain?
Not necessarily, but a few key phrases help a lot. Outside touristy spots, fewer people spoke English than I expected, even in Madrid.
What’s the best city to start your trip in Spain?
Madrid or Barcelona. Both are well connected and easy to navigate, and Madrid is a short train ride from Toledo and Segovia while Barcelona is an hour from Sitges.
Is Spain expensive for travelers?
Compared to other Western European countries, Spain is affordable. On my last trip I spent significantly less than I expected without cutting anything, and food and transit are cheap compared to New York.
How safe is Spain for solo travelers?
Spain is one of the safest countries in Europe, and I felt comfortable traveling solo. Pickpocketing is the main issue in tourist-heavy areas, especially in Barcelona and Madrid.
Here’s what happened when my phone was stolen in Madrid.
Final Thoughts: Your First Trip to Spain
Whether you’re drawn to Madrid’s energy, Barcelona’s architecture, the beach in Sitges, or the tile work in Seville, two or three of these places will make a great first trip.
And, living in Madrid was one of the best experiences I’ve had. There are plenty of options, so you really can’t go wrong. I hope you have the best time!
If you’re thinking about a longer stay, here’s my guide to living in Spain.
A Weekend in Barcelona, planned for you
Friday night to Sunday afternoon on one printable PDF: before-you-go tips, where I ate and what it cost.
Or just download it, no sign-up needed.
I hope you have the best trip!
Everything here comes from my own time in Madrid. Take what’s useful and make the trip your own.
