Blog posts about our travels in Spain

Below is a collection of blog posts about our travels in Spain.

Posts include tips and observations from our visits to Madrid, Barcelona, Segovia, Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, Montserrat, and Seville.

We also cover how to use Spain’s wonderful high-speed train network.

Spain might be our favorite country. Enjoy your trip!

Tips for visiting Spain

What is the weather like in Spain?

The temperatures can vary greatly throughout Spain, and summer temperatures can be very hot.

Our recent visit was in January, and the weather varied from a delightful mid-60°F in Seville, slightly cooler in Barcelona to 50°F in Madrid (and considerably cooler in the evening). Coming from the Northeast United States the weather was a very welcome relief in January.

In the summer, the temperatures can soar. In southern Spain and inland areas, summer temperatures reach the mid-80s and even over 100°F.

Do I need cash in Spain?

Credit cards are accepted nearly everywhere in areas tourists visit most often. Barcelona and Madrid’s metro systems both accept tap-to-pay.

It’s always a good idea to have some Euros in cash. We always use ATMs physically attached to major banks.

Be sure you have a credit card that doesn’t charge international transaction fees.

Taking the high-speed trains in Spain

Spain has one of the best high-speed train systems in Europe. There are extensive connections between major cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, and Valencia.

On our most recent visit, we traveled between Barcelona, Madrid, and Seville on high-speed trains and thoroughly enjoyed the trips. You can read our post: How to travel by train in Spain here

Unlike most of Europe, Spain has airport-style security to board a train. It’s much easier and quicker than airport security, but you need to add a few additional minutes to your plans.