Not having to adapt to anyone’s plan is one of the most enjoyable aspects of travelling solo.
However, to make the most of your trip, you should do your due diligence and prepare in advance. Otherwise, you’re going to waste precious time researching while on the road instead of soaking in the experience.
To make your job easier, we’ve composed a comprehensive guide containing everything you need to know about solo travel to Spain.
From tourist attractions to staying safe on your travels, the country offers plenty to keep you entertained, so here are some tips for making your trip the best it can be.
1. Think Beyond Barcelona and Madrid
While these places are likely the first to cross one’s mind, they are not the most affordable places and will eat up your budget rather quickly.
The good news is that Spain offers plenty of other regions to explore, including islands.
Those who prefer the laid-back vibe of beach life will not want to miss out on these for sure.
If you do plan to spend a day or two in Spain’s capital Madrid perhaps you may like to visit the Golden Triangle of art including the Queen Sofia National Art Museum and the world-renowned Prado Art Museum.
Check out our list of the 80 best places to visit in Spain, which should help and inspire you to look further afield than the usual tourism hotspots.
In this case, be sure to check out the amazing Sagrada Familia, an ambitious basilica brought to life by the brilliant mind of Antoni Gaudí. Even today, it still stands tall as one of the tallest religious structures the world has seen. For foodies among you, don’t miss out on the Boqueria market. Speaking of which...
2. Enjoy the local market scene
Spain is known for its local marketplaces, which make it easy to browse food, clothing, and other items on display. Plus, it’s easy to meet new people and make new friends while you’re waltzing through one – they come in multitudes and are very open to communication.
The art fanatics among you will appreciate this; cruising through an art market offers plenty of opportunities to take in the marvels created by talented hands.
Besides, bringing home an authentic souvenir like this is one of the best choices you can make if your goal is to preserve your memories while impressing your friends.
Visiting one of the local marketplaces when day turns to night reveals its true colours, bursting with vibrant energy.
Failing to snap at least one photo would be a crime!
3. Book everything in advance
Well, most of it anyway. The reason is that prices tend to be lower this way, and Spain is no different.
To test this out, try opening up a hotel booking search engine such as Booking.com, pick a hotel (it doesn’t matter which one), and set the desired booking date to tomorrow.
Now repeat the exercise, pick the same hotel, and set it to 2 weeks in the future. More than likely, there will be a noticeable gap in prices, which is even more apparent when it comes to booking your flights. In this case, doing it 3-4 weeks in advance seems optimal.
4. Steer clear of dodgy areas
When travelling solo, your safety should be your main concern (even though Spain is not a particularly dangerous country). But like anywhere else, pickpockets are lurking around in busy streets, and falling victim to one of them due to carelessness would be a shame.
In essence, they are much more likely to strike in touristy areas, so don’t make yourself a desirable target. In other words, don’t flash expensive jewellery and leave your valuables locked up somewhere safe. Wearing a money belt is a good additional measure to take if you’re concerned about someone snatching your wallet.
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5. Get comfortable using ride-sharing apps
In Spain, Uber and Cabify are the way to go when you need to call a ride. This comes in handy when you want to visit remote places that aren’t covered by public transportation options (if the opposite applies, the latter tends to be much cheaper).
In most cases, hitching a ride is much more practical than taking the bus if you’re carrying all your suitcases with you (or after a night spent drinking when you’re stumbling around trying to find your way).
6. Jot down the emergency numbers
Think of all the emergencies you might find yourself in and jot down the emergency numbers so you’ll be prepared should disaster strike. Spain, 112 is the general line for all sorts of emergencies.
If you want to go beyond that, it might also be wise to have an immigration lawyer’s number ready, so you’re covered in case trouble starts brewing at the immigration booth.
However, this should be a non-issue if you’ve checked the Visa laws that apply to your country and taken the necessary measures to comply.
» Check out the visa waiver scheme via Etias for Spain.
7. Join online travel groups
Open up Facebook, and you’ll stumble upon numerous travel groups.
A popular group on Facebook is Spain Travel Vacaciones Espana. It’s a good idea to join them and read what people have posted to gain an insight into what is going on at any given time. And if there’s something no one has mentioned yet, it’s fine to ask.
Bonus Tip!
When it comes to staying safe online when travelling to Spain, it is easy to let your guard down as you enter holiday mode. However, this is when you should take precautions the most, as your wifi connection can become compromised by hackers in many ways.
A VPN allows you to bypass it because it changes your IP address, which websites use to determine your region. On top of that, it also shields you from public Wi-Fi networks, as these are considered unsafe (after all, anyone can connect to them and, with enough knowledge, intercept other people’s data).
There are a number of reputable VPN providers such as CyberGhost, IPVanish, ExpressVPN , TorGuard, and NordVPN.
Conclusion
2021 is the year when the world slowly starts to open itself up again to all who couldn’t breathe without travelling. So make the most of your time to prepare yourself in advance so you’ll be able to dive right in when the gates open!
Update: If you are a resident travelling from the UK to Spain, from the 1st of January 2021 it is advisable to take out travel insurance, as you may no longer be covered by the Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
