Dream Destination: Spanish Road Trip

spain map
Lonely Planet

A few months ago, I watched the Bollywood Film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (or You Don’t Live Twice) for the first time and it inspired some serious wanderlust for a Spanish road trip. The culture (and dialect) varies in different regions throughout the country, which adds even more interest for me. I think I could spend quite a bit of time driving around Spain, trying to delve into all the different regions and discover something I love in each. Given that I don’t really have that kind of time right now, here are the top five places I’d see on a road trip through Spain!

costa brava spain

Costa Brava, Spain, by Sharyn Cairns for Gourmet Traveller.
Costa Brava, Spain, by Sharyn Cairns for Gourmet Traveller.

Everyone I’ve met who has been to Costa Brava absolutely raves about it. This area of the coast seems like the perfect place to kick back, relax, and indulge in a few glasses of wine. After a few days of relaxing, I’d probably try my hand at the diving here and then spend a day exploring Tossa de Mar, which is supposed to be a beautiful but kind of undiscovered area along the Rugged Coast.

barcelona spain

parc guell
flickr – baldheretic

I hear that you either love Barcelona or you love Madrid. Based on nothing but photos, I think my allegiance would side with Barcelona. I could imagine myself spending days here, sipping wine and indulging on tapas at outdoor cafes; exploring the numerous museums; and of course, taking in all of the architecture. You can’t really go to Barcelona without seeing some Gaudi, you know? I think Parc Guell would entertain me for hours–snapping endless photos of those gorgeous colors and curves.

valencia spain

valencia spain
flickr – joelmetlen

Much like Barcelona, I’d like to check out some of the more modern architecture in Valencia. Beyond that, there are plenty of beaches, hot springs, and museums to hold me over for a few-day stay. And if I time the trip right, I could check out the Fallas Festival–a several-day party in commemoration of Saint Joseph.

cordoba spain

córdoba la mezquita spain
Rough Guides

The Andalusia region of Spain probably ranks among the highest in terms of areas I’d like to explore, mainly for its Moorish architecture and art. Cordoba is home to The Mezquita, a mosque turned cathedral which looks absolutely stunning. The proximity of this region to Morocco can be seen in influences throughout. I’d love to experience some of the Arab culture in this city, delighting in afternoon teas and perhaps a hammam.

madrid spain

madrid spain
New York Times

Lastly, I’d visit Madrid, Spain’s largest and capital city. After taking in much of the city’s sights, I’d try to catch a flamenco show, a bullfight, perhaps an opera, and definitely a football game. I’d probably also spend a good bit of time eating, drinking, and shopping, as Madrid offers some of the best cuisines, wines, and stores in the country.

Where would you go on a trip to Spain?

Author: Megan

Megan is an ordinary girl who outgrew her small town and decided to try the world on for size. She's on a mission to travel, photograph, and write about the world.

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  • I have four Spanish road trips planned at this point, in that vague, someday kind of way. Northern Spain, from Santiago de Compostela to Hondarribia, Southern Spain, from Valencia along the coast to Cadiz and up to Cordoba, Zaragoza and Catalunya, and Madrid and day trips. Hopefully I’ll manage at least one in this lifetime!
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  • Last October we started in Madrid for a couple of days, then rented a car and drove around Spain for two weeks. We went to a winery (Bodegas Jiménez) west of Madrid in Mentrida; stopped in Talavera de la Reina along the way; overnighted in Trujillo; spent a couple of nights in Sevilla; drove to Granada (overnight) along the Costa Brava–stopping for lunch in Estepona; overnights in Valencia; drove to Barcelona–with a stop for lunch in Peniscola (do it!)–where we finished the road trip with 5 nights in that wonderful city.