What to Know for your Spain Trip
Visiting Spain is a wonderful experience, especially for a honeymoon. The culture, food, and scenery are breathtaking. Here are some key tips to make your trip memorable.
Travel Tips Before You Go – Visas and Planning
Before the trip, we had to apply for the Schengen visa. This process was quite a mission. We had to submit various financial documents, including payslips, bank statements, and proof of employment. Additionally, we needed to provide proof of travel and accommodation.
While we thought we had to make these bookings before the visa application, this was not the case. Many providers can do provisional bookings to assist with your visa application. The application is done through VFS, and you may need to provide additional documents. We suggest applying well in advance, as they can be finicky and, frankly, a bit challenging.
Cities to Explore
We visited three cities: Barcelona, Seville, and Valencia. We would happily return to any of them. Travel operators often promote Madrid and Lisbon alongside Barcelona, but Seville and Valencia are truly worth exploring. Seville, in particular, has nearby towns like Giralda and Alcazar, which are easily accessible by train.
We chose Barcelona over Madrid because Aliasgher is a big fan of its city design. We also discovered that Barcelona is rich in history, which is definitely worth checking out. You can embark on several water adventures from Barcelona, but we couldn’t do this due to the weather. This isn’t a criticism of Madrid; we are sure it is a great city that we want to visit!
Flight Costs and Booking
Our flight to Barcelona cost R19,207 ($1,200) round-trip. Since this was in 2022, we suggest budgeting slightly higher, around R20,000-21,000 ($1,250 – $1,400). Flight Centre helped us with bookings, and their rates were quite affordable at that time. It also provided peace of mind if we needed to make any changes, as we were traveling to multiple cities.
We used Qatar Airways, and our total flight time was 17 hours, with a 2-hour transit in Qatar. The flight was satisfactory, and the food was decent. If budget is a concern, we recommend Qatar if they are the cheapest option. The airport was both fancy and cozy, with many spaces to pray. There are plenty of shopping options if you want to grab some duty-free items during your travel.
Accommodation Costs
Our hotel in Barcelona cost R3,767 ($230) for 2 nights, R5,175 ($300) for 4 nights in Seville, and R5,052 ($300) for 3 nights in Valencia. We used Booking.com for our reservations, although it’s difficult to recommend them now due to ongoing global issues. We suggest using online providers, as travel agent prices can be higher and may not offer the best options. Many online platforms provide great discounts, so it’s worth exploring them.
We spent 4 days in Barcelona, 3 days in Seville, and 3 days in Valencia. In hindsight, we would increase our stay in both Barcelona and Seville by at least 2 days each. Barcelona has numerous attractions, and Seville’s nearby towns are worth exploring.
When You’re There – Getting Around
Travel Apps to Use
For travel in Europe, we highly recommend Rome2Rio. You can input the names of the two cities you want to visit, and it will provide all the options for traveling between them. We also suggest using Google Maps for walking around. It’s extremely accurate and includes public transport options, such as train and bus numbers.
All the apps require data, and SIM cards are easily accessible when you land. The world has moved to eSIMs, and there are several apps online that offer affordable eSIM travel bundles. We haven’t used any of these, so we can’t recommend specific options, but Airalo and Saily are popular choices.
Transportation Choices
Since we were pressed for time, we chose to fly Ryan Air between Barcelona and Seville, which took about 1 hour and 45 minutes. However, if we could plan again, we would opt for the train, which takes about 5 hours and 52 minutes. The train option requires a full day of travel, while the flight departs at night. Ryan Air offers extremely affordable flights at R2,600 ($150) for both of us.
Between Seville and Valencia, we took a 4.5-hour train costing R2,800 ($170) for two tickets. The flight was shorter, but only marginally so when considering the travel to the airport and waiting time. The train experience is also delightful, winding through the countryside with beautiful scenery.
Public Transport Options
We relied on public transport throughout our stay. In Barcelona, you can get the Hola Barcelona Travel Card, which provides unlimited travel on all public transport, including the metro, buses, trams, funiculars, and even the airport metro line. The card is available for 2, 3, 4, or 5 days, with prices ranging from €18.10 for 2 days up to €42.10 for 5 days. You can purchase it online for a discount or pick it up at the airport or any metro station. Kids under 4 travel for free.
Seville is small, so we mostly walked and used the Red Bus Tour. If you need public transport, there’s the Tarjeta Turista tourist pass for €5 (1 day) or €10 (3 days), plus a €1.50 refundable deposit for the physical card.
Single bus tickets cost €1.40 if you pay the driver with cash or tap your debit or credit card. Valencia offers the Valencia Tourist Card for 24 hours (€15), 48 hours (€20), or 72 hours (€25), with a 10% discount when purchased online. This card includes unlimited free transport on all buses, metro, tram, and commuter trains, including airport stops. It also provides free entry to all municipal museums and monuments, discounts of up to 50% on major tourist attractions, and even free tapas and drinks at participating establishments.
Booking Activities
If you want to book any activities, we suggest GetYourGuide, which offers good discount rates and a wide range of options. We have linked our favourite activities for easy booking.
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