The top things to know before your next trip to Spain.

With its world-class art, energetic festivals, and a food scene that practically encourages ordering one more for the table, Spain is a place where prioritizing enjoyment reigns supreme. You’ll never get bored in Spain, either. Historic hotspots? Head to Seville. Late-night partying and a great restaurant scene? Check out Barcelona. Dramatic landscapes and avant-garde architecture? You’ll find us in the Basque Country.

Whether you’re planning on sipping vermouth in Madrid, hiking the Picos de Europa, or lounging in Ibiza, Spain should be on your travel list for 2025. Heading there soon? Here’s what you need to know before you go.

Documents and Visas That You’ll Need

For most travelers, Spain requires a valid passport with at least three months of validity beyond your planned departure. U.S., Canadian, U.K., and most E.U. citizens can stay visa-free for up to 90 days in a 180-day period under the Schengen Agreement.

If you’re staying longer, a visa is required. Always carry ID because Spain has strict ID laws, and police may (rarely, but you never know) request to see your passport. If you’re an E.U. citizen, a national ID card often does the job. It’s worth keeping a copy of your documents in your suitcase, too: some Spanish cities like Barcelona struggle with pickpockets.

Currency and the Cost of Things

Spain uses the euro (€). Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, but cash is handy for small purchases, especially in rural areas. Tipping isn’t mandatory, but rounding up the bill or leaving 5-10% for excellent service is common. If you’re eating at a fancier restaurant or dining with a large group, a service charge is typically added to the bottom of your bill automatically.

While Spain is generally affordable compared to other Western European countries, big cities like Madrid and Barcelona are pricier. Expect to pay around €1.50 for a coffee, €3 for a beer, and €15-30 for a mid-range meal.

Transportation in Spain and Transport Tips

Spain has an extensive and efficient transport system. The AVE high-speed trains connect major cities quickly, while regional trains and buses are great for smaller towns.

In cities, metros, buses, and taxis are reliable–get a transport pass for savings in many of the big cities. Rideshare apps like Uber and Cabify are available but not as dominant as local taxis.

Renting a car is ideal for countryside explorations but avoid driving in big cities where parking is a nightmare (Seville, we’re looking at you). If you’re island-hopping, ferries connect the Balearic and Canary Islands.

It’s worth planning your travels before you buy a transport pass or hire a car, though: many Spanish cities are best explored on foot (Madrid, Barcelona, Seville) or via e-bikes, which you’ll find dotted throughout the most popular spots and usable via apps.

Spanish Cuisine and Eating Culture

Spanish dining runs on its own schedule: lunch is the main meal (typically between 2-4 p.m.), and dinner rarely starts before 9 p.m.

Tapas are small plates meant for sharing and are often enjoyed while standing; tapas culture is a big deal in Spain. Try regional specialties like paella in Valencia, pintxos in San Sebastián, or cochinillo (roast suckling pig) in Segovia.

Breakfast is light–often a coffee with a pastry or toast with tomato (pan con tomate). In Andalusia, locals often opt for mollete (soft bread with olive oil, tomato, or cured meats).

Hungry before lunch? Grab a bocadillo (simple sandwich) or churros con chocolate for a mid-morning snack. One of the best things about Spain? Churros are typically a breakfast treat, not a dessert.

Healthcare and Health Considerations

Spain has excellent healthcare, with both public and private options widely available. E.U. travelers should bring an EHIC card for state healthcare access, and U.K. travelers can now bring a GHIC. Regardless, travel insurance is highly recommended for all visitors.

No vaccines are required beyond routine ones. Pharmacies (farmacias) are everywhere and can offer medical advice for minor issues but bring a Spanish speaker with you for anything complex.

If you need emergency care, dial 112 (free and multilingual). For minor issues, you can visit a local clinic (called a centro de salud), but private clinics (clínicas privadas) generally often offer faster service for a fee.

Tap water is safe to drink in most cities, but some rural areas and the Canary Islands have a slight chlorine taste, but bottled water is common and available there.

Weather and the Best Seasons for Travel

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Spain’s climate varies by region. Summers (June-August) are hot, especially inland, with temperatures often exceeding 95°F (35°C) in Madrid and Seville. The Mediterranean coast is warm but breezy.

Winters (December-February) are mild in the south but can be cold in the north and mountainous areas. Spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) are the best times for comfortable sightseeing, in our opinion, with moderate temperatures, lower accommodation prices, and fewer crowds.

If you head north (e.g., Basque Country, Galicia), you’ll find it’s rainier year-round, while the Canary Islands are a top choice for that perpetual spring-has-sprung climate.

Packing for Spain

You’re welcome to leave your heels behind when visiting Spain, as the most important thing to pack is comfortable walking shoes—Spain’s cities are best explored on foot.

In summer, bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. If you’re traveling in winter, pack a warm coat, especially for the northern regions. A rain jacket is always useful for unpredictable showers, especially in the north.

If you’re visiting cathedrals, bring a scarf or shawl to cover your shoulders. And in rural areas, plug adapters (Type C/F) and power banks are handy, as outlets can be sparse.

Staying Safe in Spain

Spain is generally very safe for travelers, including solo and LGBTQ+ visitors. Pickpocketing is the biggest concern, especially in tourist-heavy areas like Barcelona’s La Rambla or Madrid’s Puerta del Sol. Always keep your bags zipped and valuables secure and hidden away.

Female travelers will find Spain relatively safe, but nightlife areas can get rowdy, so stay aware and follow the same precautions you’d exercise in any big city. LGBTQ+ travelers will feel welcome, particularly in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and Sitges, where Pride celebrations are massive.

Key Spanish Phrases to Know

If apps like Duolingo just aren’t cutting it (el oso bebe leche, anyone?), here are some key phrases to get you started in Spain:

Hello: hola

Thank you: Gracias

The check, please: La cuenta, por favor

Where is the bathroom?: ¿Dónde está el baño?

A beer/tapas, please: Una cerveza/tapa, por favo

I don’t speak Spanish: No hablo español

How much does it cost?: ¿Cuánto cuesta?

Excuse me / Sorry: Perdón / Disculpe

Internet, Wi-fi, and Connectivity

WI-fI is widely available in hotels, cafés, and public spaces but can be slow in rural areas. SIM cards from providers like Movistar, Vodafone, and Orange offer affordable data plans if you need constant connectivity.

You can also look into global ESIM options like HolaFly or Airalo, although their prices are typically a fair bit higher. Spain uses Type C and Type F plugs with 230V voltage, so bring an adapter if needed. Some hotels require keycards for power in rooms, so charge devices when you’re in. If you’re working while traveling, the most popular Spanish cities all have coworking spaces with high-speed wi-fi, too.

Watch Out for These Scams

Pickpocketing is common in tourist hubs, with distraction techniques like fake petitions, “spilled” liquids, or street performances used to lift wallets. Always be cautious of overly friendly strangers offering help with luggage or ATMs—it’s better to seem rude than get scammed.

In restaurants, double-check the bill for unwanted extras. While this isn’t a scam exactly, some restaurants will offer bread and olives before your main meal, which are rarely free, so expect to see them on the bill afterward, too.

When moving around Spain, it’s important to stay aware as well. In some cities like Barcelona, taxi drivers may take longer routes to drive up fares (this is especially a problem at night from BCN airport). Instead, use apps like Uber when possible.

Whether you write a list of 50 unmissable South American destinations, or cap it at 10, it’s clear there’s something for every kind of traveller across the continent.

Budget comes into play, as does time, but if you’ve started planning and dreaming, you’d do well with starting your adventures with one of the following bucket list destinations.

Machu Picchu

Nestled high in the Andes, this 15th century Incan citadel offers mysterious ruins, stunning views and an opportunity to connect to a lost civilisation.

Located 80 kilometres from Cusco, the journey itself to this UNESCO World Heritage site – whether it’s by train, bus or some solid hiking – is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Hiking the celebrated Inca Trail? Expect a guided four-to-five day hike from the Sacred Valley surrounding Cusco.

Galapagos Islands

Love wildlife? It’s hard to go past an opportunity to explore the 19 islands which make up the Galapagos Islands (not to mention the marine reserve which surrounds them).

Located some 1000 kilometres off the coast of Ecuador and considered a melting pot of marine species, this is the place to swim, snorkel, cruise and hike your way through colonies of species you’re unable to find anywhere else in the world.

See the island iguana, the giant tortoise, the blue-footed booby and much more as you marvel about the beauty of Mother Nature.

Uyuni Salt Flat, Bolivia

Welcome to the world’s largest salt flat, a glistening white expanse spanning over 10,000 square kilometres, which transforms into a giant mirror reflecting the sky any time it rains.

Visit between December and April (the wet season) and you’re likely to see a population of vibrant flamingos making the most of the area, which also includes lagoons and volcanos.

The perfect destination for both photographers and adventurers.

Iguazu Falls

Why travel to visit one waterfall when you can see hundreds all at once?

Located on the border between Argentina and Brazil, Iguazu Falls comprises 275 individual waterfalls across two kilometres of lush rainforest, making it one of the largest (and certainly the most eye-catching) waterfall systems in the world.

While the Brazilian side is home to the most powerful falls, Argentina have the majority.

What to do? You can tackle one of the many walking trails, sign up for a local boat tour, or commit to a multi-day guided tour which takes in all the highlights.

The Amazon

Spanning nine countries and producing 20 per cent of the world’s oxygen, it’s difficult to miss the Amazon but you’re going to have to make some decisions.

Which country to visit from? To enjoy a cruise along the Amazon river, the second-longest river in the world, stay in a jungle lodge or explore the vibrant ecosystem of the rainforest by other means?

A few great options are to go via Manaus, Brazil (most of the rainforest is within Brazil), visit the Peruvian Amazon from Manu National Park, Tambopata Province, or the city of Iquitos, and for those visiting Ecuadorian Amazon, take a (lengthy) bus journey from Quito into Tena City where you can then get private transportation. It goes without saying that joining an organised tour is usually the easiest way to see the Amazon.

Pantanal, Brazil

If you’re already thinking about the Amazon (and heading to Brazil accordingly), you’d be crazy to miss tacking on a side adventure to the country’s Panatal wetland.

It’s considered one of the most biodiverse destinations on the planet and the world’s largest inland wetland area.

Out here in these wide open spaces, animals are easier to spot and while most are hoping to see the elusive jaguar, any multi-day trip is likely to include more than a few otters, capybaras, caimans and a wealth of exotic bird species.

On the activity list? Put piranha fishing, night safari, horse riding and cruising right at the top.

Easter Island, Chile

Keen to truly get away from it all? It’s tough to beat a remote island in the middle of the South Pacific which is populated by some 900 monumental statues of human figures – or moai – with oversized heads.

Easter Island (aka Rapa Nui) might be famous for said statues but visitors who make the five-hour flight from Santiago can also explore volcanic craters, swim in pristine beaches and scuba dive with the underwater moai.

You’ll only need three to four days to experience all the main attractions the island has to offer, with most adding Easter Island as an extension of a trip to Chile.

Rainbow Mountain, Peru

Known locally as Vinicunca, Rainbow Mountain – located right by Cusco in the Andes – is an astonishing (and now, Insta-famous) geographic landmark celebrated for its colourful strips.

Although many of the images you’re likely to see online are vibrant in a way that only only a solid filter can add, you’ll still see the mountain’s distinct stripes in a variety of reds, purples, yellows and greens – the result of many layers of different minerals.

You can lock in a day trip from Cusco (handy if you’re on your way to Machu Picchu) and attempt the Rainbow Mountain Trail. It’s only about three hours, but not only is it challenging, you’ll have to have acclimatised to Cusco first.

Torres del Paine, Chile

Take a snow-capped landscape dotted with towering granite peaks, gargantuan glaciers and turquoise lakes, and you have one of the best destinations for nature lovers and adventure seekers.

Some come to this national park, often called the eighth wonder of the world, to go puma spotting and others are all about tackling the park’s famous hiking trails, such as the W and O circuits which wind their way through landscapes as diverse as alpine meadows to ice-gripped fjords.

Don’t miss getting up for sunrise when the peaks glow red and purple – the perfect way to start the day.

In some instances, government agents can search your digital devices legally after an international trip

These days, you could face extra scrutiny at the border when returning to the United States after a trip to another country.

Border agents may inspect your phone, laptop or other digital devices, and they could retain the electronics and/or the data within it — even if you’re an American citizen. The measures are legal and don’t require a warrant.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have previously been able to inspect your devices to, among other security concerns, determine “an individual’s intentions” upon entering the U.S. and to potentially “combat terrorist activity.”

In reality, the number of travelers who’ve been subjected to these searches has been miniscule. In fiscal 2024, it was less than 0.01 percent, according to the agency.

That’s about 47,000 international travelers out of the 420 million processed at U.S. ports of entry. Media reports suggest that such searches are on the rise under Trump administration policies.

“It’s important to note that I do think there’s been an uptick,” says Tom McBrien, counsel for the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) advocacy group in Washington. “I do think that uptake is targeted at people who have a higher chance of being politically active, of just being within this administration’s crosshairs, whether it’s because of their last name, or their skin color or their national origin or whatever. …

“I don’t think it’s a guarantee that you’re going to have your device searched at the border,” he says. “But it’s an increased risk.”

More older adults expect to travel abroad this year

In late 2024, 44 percent of nearly 2,000 U.S. adults 50 and older planned to take at least one personal trip out of the country in 2025, up from 37 percent last year, according to an AARP survey released in March. Half said the travel would be a “bucket list trip.”

Ted Chiaparri a New York-based partner at Duane Morris and head of the legal firm’s immigration law group, thinks the chances that your device will be searched as you return remain small.

“It would be surprising to me that an individual would get stopped just because they made an offhand comment critical of President Trump,” he says.

Two types of searches can happen

The CBP conducts two types of searches: A basic search generally involves an officer examining the contents of your device manually without the use of any special tech gear.

As the name hints, an advanced search goes further and in theory would occur when officers have a “reasonable suspicion” that you’re a national security risk. Under this type of search, an officer can connect your phone or computer to external equipment to “review, copy and/or analyze its contents.”

What you can do to minimize any encounters.

1. Get familiar with your rights

You’re not expected to become a legal expert, but you do have rights. For example, the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution puts pretty strict boundaries on what law enforcement is able to do, McBrien says.

“A lot of those boundaries fall down,” he says. “And essentially the rules are largely determined by the courts,” which can vary by jurisdiction.

McBrien recommends learning about the area you’re flying or driving into as you return to the U.S. and trying to evaluate the legal and political climate. Of course, if you have to travel somewhere, it’s unlikely you’ll dramatically alter the route because of politics.

2. Turn off your device

Because of a wrinkle in constitutional law, an agent can’t force you to type in your password or PIN to unlock the device, McBrien says. But nothing technically stops an agent from pressuring you to unlock the device with a thumbprint or face scan.

If you turn off your phone before going through security, the only way to get past the lock screen when powering it up is by entering a password. That potentially makes it more difficult for the agent.

Meanwhile, if your phone doesn’t already have a passcode, consider adding one before you travel.

3. Just say no

As a U.S. citizen, you have the right to say, “No” if a border agent asks you to unlock your device. Moreover, as a citizen you cannot legally be banned from entering the country under such circumstances, a right not afforded to noncitizens.

4. Be aware: Agents can retain your devices

While border agents can’t bar you from entering, they can seize your device and, with cause, hold it for an indeterminate length of time. What’s more, the CBP can retain copies of information obtained during a search and hold it for up to 15 years.

“Weighing the relative advantages, do you want to have them seize the device and you’d be without a phone?” Chiappari asks. “Or do you want to just let them look at it, appease them and they won’t find anything that will cause them to arrest you or keep you at the airport for many hours?”

5. Cleanse your phone before you travel

If you’re worried about your privacy or the prospect that something could be misinterpreted, remove the potentially damaging content before leaving the country. You can curate social media and wipe away other revealing communications and restore it from a backup later.

“If there’s a really sensitive conversation happening, delete it before you cross the border,” McBrien says.

6. Travel with a secondary phone

You also can travel with an inexpensive and relatively anonymous secondary device or burner phone, one without your contacts, photos and revealing texts. But be aware that having a device with barely any content on it could raise alarm bells.

That said, many people have perfectly plausible reasons why they’re traveling internationally with a phone with only a few basic apps and not much else. You could be on a business trip and have proprietary or client data that your employer dictates must stay in the U.S.

Regardless of the steps you take, “If you show up and [border agents] think you’re suspicious … whether you’ve got it encrypted or locked, if you’re a person of interest they’re going to take your phone,” Chiappari says. “And then they’ll figure out a way to get it unlocked.”

But most of us are not people of interest, he says. Most people can sleep well at night, breathe easily and not really have to worry about a border search of their electronic devices.

Living out of a suitcase isn’t exactly fun—but these tips will make it more manageable.

Whether you’re taking a long vacation away from the cold winter temps or your employer is sending you on an extended trip overseas, you need to pack and you need to do it smartly. Living out of your suitcase seems fun for a while, but it can get old fast. I once did it for four weeks and was miserable by the time I was about halfway through. Learn from me: These tips will ensure your experience is better than mine.

Pick three pairs of shoes and three pairs only

I am a Shoe Person. My apartment is full of shoes. They are a passion of mine, but that passion used to lead to back pain from schlepping a carry-on full of heels through the airport every time I went somewhere, to say nothing of the checked-bag fees that pained my wallet and my heart. Pragmatically, I started sticking to a three-shoe rule for every trip, which is also recommended by Travel Fashion Girl.

Think of where you’ll be going while you’re on your trip. If you’re going to a resort or beach, you need sandals, comfortable walking shoes, and one pair of dressier shoes for dinners. Business conference? Flats, heels, and sneakers. Visiting family over the holidays? Sneakers, boots, and dress shoes. You do not need more than three pairs of shoes for a trip, no matter how much you want to flex, unless you’re actually going to destinations that require very specific footwear. If that’s the case, ignore this, but focus on the other tips even more.

Use plastic bags for everything

When I travel, I pre-plan every single outfit and try to keep them all separate from each other using plastic bags or reusable bags. Having a baggy of clothes ready to go saves you time and stress in the hotel room. If you don’t have enough bags to stash each individual outfit, at least make sure you have enough for your shoes, so the dirty bottoms don’t touch the rest of your stuff. Keep an extra bag or two in your suitcase for dirty clothes and wet clothes, too.

Focus on basics

Pack basics and buildable wardrobe pieces to take the guesswork out of getting dressed when you’re far from your closet. You need black pants, jeans, plain tops, and a pair of nondescript shoes.

Before getting to your destination, look up where the nearest laundromat is or otherwise ensure you’ll have somewhere to wash your clothes so you don’t have to pack too many pieces. If all else fails, familiarize yourself with the process of hand-washing your clothes in the tub. I did this on a trip a few weeks ago and saved a considerable amount of money, suitcase space, and time, but be advised this works best when you’re traveling somewhere warm enough to air-dry your clothing.

Check the weather thoroughly

The weather can be unpredictable, but there’s really no excuse not to be as prepared as possible before getting to your destination. It will only aggravate you to have to buy a rain coat when you’re away knowing damn well you already have one back home.

Consider bringing weather-appropriate clothing you don’t care much about on the journey, wearing them one last time while you’re away and then donating them locally before you catch your flight out of there to save packing space on the way home and free up closet space in your house.