Reasons Why Spain is Splendid!

Originally published February 6, 2020. Updated April of 2023

All images are courtesy of the Spain Less Traveled team, unless otherwise stated.

Recently the World Economic Forum declared that Spain is the best country in the world to travel to. Here Spain Less Traveled HQ in Málaga I can’t say we disagree with that!  Spain has so much to offer so it is no wonder that took this highest honor.

In this blog post, I offer some concrete reasons as to why I personally agree that Spain is 100% splendid and is the perfect travel destination.

And I can personally help you plan your unique trip to Spain too! Be sure to check out the various levels of Spain travel planning services that I offer and let’s work together!

The ease of traveling around makes getting around Spain simple

Although Spain is a large country, getting around is easy. 

With an array of busses, trains, ferries, and domestic flights, you can easily eat breakfast in Madrid and lunch in Málaga.

Or visit Sagrada Familia in Barcelona in the morning and be in the Albufera in Valencia by late afternoon!

Not only does Spain’s public transportation reach nearly every corner of the country, but it is generally safe, clean, efficient, and on-time.  Any country that claims to be the best country in the world to travel to needs excellent transportation.  And Spain has that in abundance.

And if you are ok with driving, renting a car to get off the beaten path is always great fun. You can explore the Roman Ruins in Extremadura, or sample the best olive oil in the world in Jaén, or just chill on the wild Mediterranean coast of Almería. With your own wheels the possibilities are endless!

Spain is the best country in the world to travel to because it is still a travel bargain

While other European countries have the reputation of being pricey, Spain is still affordable. It’s even a great destination for solo travelers partially because of this.

You do get more bang for your buck here in Spain.  Outside of the major two cities, it is possible to stay at nicer hotels for under 150€ per night.  And make sure not to overdo it on those 1,50€ beers and 2€ glasses of really good Spanish wine.  Furthermore, a lot of time those cheap drinks come with a free tapa, especially in places like Granada!

And if you want to splurge Spain-style, but not go overboard, you can literally sleep in a historical site such as a castle or old monastery at one of Spain’s many Paradores.

Spain truly is the best country in the world to travel to for travelers on just about any budget.  

Spain’s Friendly and Festive Nature

While it’s true that Spaniards are loud and often brusk, they are also friendly and welcoming. Even when I am traveling around other regions of Spain as a solo traveler, it’s easy to make friends. Just elbow yourself up to the tapas bar and join the fun. You will have new friends in Spain right away too! In smaller cities and towns, people still greet each other, including strangers, with a friendly “hola!” or “buenas!” on the sidewalk. And because Spain is such a society oriented toward friends and family, you will quickly feel that warmth as it is extended to everyone. Come visit Spain and see for yourself what a friendly country it is!

And it it’s festivals you’re after, you’re in luck! There are an abundance of festivals in Spain!

The diverse regions are a big reason why Spain is the best country in the world to travel to

Have two weeks vacation and want to try to go to five countries in Europe? (Professional hint: Don’t.)  Spain is the solution to wanting to see it all.

Spain is a multi-lingual and multi-cultural country. 

It has bustling and busy cities, Madrid and Barcelona being the largest. (And these cities are great bases as Madrid has an abundance of day trips and so does Barcelona).

From Galicia, Asturias, Basque Country, and Cantabria in the north to the old time wild west Extremadura, all of Spain’s regions are different and diverse. 

And of course there are the magnificent Castillas, Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha.

Andalucía, Spain’s magnificent south is packed with history in places like Seville, Cádiz, Málaga, Córdoba, and Granada (where you’ll find the Alhambra, one of the top places to see Moorish architecture in the entire world!).

But it’s not just Madrid and Barcelona, here are 30+ of my personal favorite cities in Spain!

About 500 years ago, Spain was not one country but was several small kingdoms.  When Spain became Spain, all of these small kingdoms became part of Spain.  (Today some are not happy about that, but that is a different story). 

With rich Moorish and Jewish history too…

The result: an incredibly diverse country.

With incredible nature, so many UNESCO World Heritage sites, and more, Spain has it all!

In fact, one of the hardest parts of planning a trip to Spain is deciding where to go!

The top-notch food and drinks help make Spain the best country in the world to travel to

When you think of world food destinations, Italy, India, Thailand, and France often come to mind.  But put Spain on that list too!

Although it has not been as good at marketing itself as its neighbor to the north (France), Spain produces world-class food and wine.  Pork lovers rejoice, jamón (ham) is pretty much the national food, and it is so special that it is illegal to import into the US. And with so many locally produced cheese, 26 of them classified as protected designation of origin, Spain is heaven for aficionados of the queso.

And let’s talk about wine for a moment too.  Spain’s wine industry is one of the best in the world, with wines for all tastes to choose from.  All that wine is not too expensive.  As I mentioned above it is possible to get a good glass of wine for 2€ in many places.  Traveling with a friend, a partner or a group?  You might want to consider ordering a whole bottle!

Now it’s clear why Spain is the best country in the world to travel to

So what’s stopping you from visiting Spain?  If you’re concerned about planning it and making the most of your time here, look no further.  I can help!  

In this day and age, using a professional travel advisor is more important than ever and here are just a few of the reasons why.

Based in Spain with nearly 20 years of experience in the professional travel industry, handcrafting unique itineraries for Spain is my passion.  Let’s get in touch!  Simply fill out the form on this page to contact me and I will get back to you shortly.

We offer several levels of Spain traveling planning services. Spain Less Traveled can work with all different types of travelers and travel planners, from those who want our full support throughout the entire travel planning process to those who simply need to talk with a Spain destination specialist to assist with specific aspects of travel planning. 

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