You might not think of Spain as a backpacking country but it’s definitely worth a visit. We ended our trip here because it’s one of those places in Europe with nice weather. Of course, this depends on where you’re traveling to.
Spain is very laid back, the food is amazing, and there are a lot of beaches. But cities won’t disappoint you if you’re more of a cultural traveler.
You don’t need a visa if you’re from the Schengen countries. Citizens who are not from visa-exempt countries need to obtain a Schengen Visa, which allows stays of up to 90 days for tourism and business purposes.
- Language: Spanish
- Capital: Madrid
- Currency: Euro (EUR)
- Time Zone: UTC+0 to +1
In Spain, you’re able to use your debit card or credit card at ATMs and in most stores as well. Pay attention to the signs at the terminal and decide what your method of payment should be.
The Euro has both coins and notes. The coin series consists of 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, 1, and 2 Euros. The banknote range consists of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 Euros. The colors make it easy to see which note has which value.
If you want to make a dinner reservation, just remember that most people eat dinner around 9 pm. If you go early you don’t have to wait but it might be really quiet in the restaurant before this time.
There is public transport but it’s also recommended to rent a car to get around. This makes it a bit easier to travel to remote areas, where you’ll find a lot of tourist highlights.
Via Barcelona we fly to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. We stay here for a week to enjoy the sun and dive. We fly onwards to Tenerife because this is cheaper than making the crossing by ferry. We spend a week in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and we explore this city and the surrounding area. We spend the second week in Los Realejos, a small village to the left of Puerto de la Cruz. We rent a car and make a trip to the pyramids of Guimar and El Teide.
In Valencia, we go out with Baja Bikes and get to know the city in a fun and relaxed way. This way we know exactly where we need to be. We celebrate New Year’s Eve and learn that the Spaniards eat a grape at every stroke of the clock to start the new year well.
If you’re headed to Tenerife you have to pay a visit to El Teide. It’s a dormant volcano and there is a national park around it. You’re able to go up via a cable cart, but it’s also a lot of fun to hike up or around the volcano. We drove up through the clouds which was an awesome experience. Because there are a lot of options it’s a fun visit for everyone.
We like to get to know cities by walking or biking and learning more about their history. Valencia is an excellent city for a bike tour, especially because the contrast between the old and new parts is huge. Going by bike allows you to cover bigger distances and see just a bit more. There were plenty of stops and our guide had a good story for each of the stops.
Would you believe me if I told you there are pyramids in Europe? I was a bit surprised because my mind goes to Egypt when I hear pyramids. But on Tenerife, you’ll find the pyramids of Guimar. They’re not built like you would imagine and apparently you’ll find these kinds of pyramids all over the world. Definitely worth a visit!
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