Tourism in Spain

Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia draw the lion’s share of visitors, and in peak season the queues, cruise-ship groups and packed old towns can test even the most patient traveller.Recently, The Mirror highlighted a lesser-known Spanish city as a smart alternative to Barcelona, noting its similar atmos

A Spanish city has just taken the top spot in the very first edition of the Forbes Travel Awards, finishing ahead of heavyweights like Hong Kong and Miami. Madrid named best city in the world by Forbes Travel Awards The Spanish capital was officially crowned Best City in the inaugural Forb

A Travel Trends 2026 report, based on a survey of more than 9,000 travellers, paints a clear picture of how travel behaviour is shifting.

These sunny Spanish islands are once again in the spotlight.

Spain is moving beyond the holiday-home model and towards a more stable residential tourism sector. In 2025, more foreign buyers chose the country as a place to live for much of the year, investing more, often purchasing without financing, and helping to reduce seasonality. This shift is reinforcing Spain’s position as one of Europe’s most attractive destinations for long-term residential living.

Two Spanish communities made the UN’s Best Tourism Villages for 2025.

Barcelona has once again placed housing at the centre of political and social debate. The City Council’s plan to phase out 10,000 tourist accommodation licences by 2028 coincides with the Ministry of Housing ordering digital platforms to remove thousands of listings that fail to meet the new state registry rules. While both measures aim to curb tourist rentals, the sector questions how far they will ease the housing access crisis.

Every spring, a hidden valley in Spain turns completely white.Not with snow — but with over 1.5 million cherry blossoms.For just a short window between March and April, Valle del Jerte in Extremadura transforms into one of Europe’s most breathtaking natural spectacles.

Every March, Valencia shifts into a different rhythm as Las Fallas takes over the streets with towering sculptures and thunderous fireworks for nearly three weeks.

The number of active tourist accommodations in Spain has fallen sharply. According to the latest data from the Spanish Statistics Institute (INE), there were 329,764 holiday flats nationwide in November 2025 – 12.4% fewer than a year earlier (376,463) and 13.6% fewer than in May (381,837), just before the short-term rental register came into force.

A Spanish city has secured a place in TripAdvisor’s 2026 Travellers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best for destinations.

Spain’s speciality coffee scene has just received global recognition. Four Spanish coffee shops have earned a coveted place in the prestigious World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops ranking, highlighting the country’s growing influence in the international coffee movement.

Short city breaks in Spain are changing. In 2026, travellers are quietly moving away from overcrowded capitals and rediscovering smaller, character‑filled cities where culture, food, beaches, and local life fit effortlessly into a long weekend.

This country really does spoil you when it comes to wild landscapes. The best national parks in Spain stretch across volcanic islands, snowy peaks, Atlantic cliffs and vast wetlands that feel a world away from the costas.

La Gomera sits just west of Tenerife, but it feels a world away once you step off the ferry.

Spain is a land of contrasts, from rugged mountains to idyllic beaches.

Amid rising travel costs and restrictions on mass tourism, peer-to-peer home exchange has emerged as a rapidly growing alternative. In 2025, more than two million people chose this model for holidays or tourist stays, reflecting steady growth compared with traditional accommodation options.

Nestled in sunny Murcia, Spain, El Palmar is a small but vibrant village. Tennis fans know it as the birthplace of Carlos Alcaraz, the young superstar who continues to conquer the tennis world with his 2026 Australian Open win.

Spain ended 2025 with a record number of tourists visiting the country, consolidating its position as one of the world’s leading holiday destinations.

Spain may be world‑famous for its beaches and historic cities, but it is also one of southern Europe’s most appealing winter sports destinations.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) announced on Thursday that it will move its headquarters from London, UK, to Madrid, following a selection process that included Geneva, Milan, Paris and Dubai, among other cities.The decision was unanimously approved by the 17 members of the internation

Bloomberg has once again compiled a list of must-visit destinations set to shape travel in 2026, blending revitalised classics with lesser-known places on the rise. The list spans creative cities, remote islands, emerging food regions and unspoilt natural havens.

British tourists visiting Tenerife should be aware of new “Stay Alert” signs being installed across the island.

If big resorts and packed beach clubs are starting to feel a bit samey, Spain’s lesser‑known islands are a nice surprise. Scattered around the Canary Islands and the Balearics, these spots offer quieter beaches, proper hiking, and dark skies for stargazing.

National Geographic’s Spanish pick for the best travel destination for 2026 is not a single city, but an entire northern region.