Little Trips in Spain; Travel Tips and Itineraries

Madrid, Spain

Shannon Allen ('24 - Environmental Science) offers budget‑friendly, immersive mini‑getaways across Spain. She shares planning insights, must‑see locales, transport hacks, flexible routes and cultural tips to optimize travel.”

Traveling around a country is exciting and essential to immersing yourself. However. it can be overwhelming and expensive. As soon as I arrived in Madrid, Spain, all I could think about was getting to other places. Traveling within the country and within Europe would never be easier than it is while I am here. So, I began the planning.

Planning these trips and finding a way to make them affordable can be overwhelming, but that should never stop you from the adventure. In this post, I will detail the trips that I have already gone on while here, explain some ways to plan for them, and give some insight into what is worth your time in the area.

Barcelona, Spain

View of Barcelona, Spain A person standing in front of a view of Barcelona

La Sangrada Familia A person at the beach

Two people standing in front of a building View from a building

By far Barcelona was the most expensive small trip so far. The train ticket was well over 100 euros, and the hostel I stayed in was also on the expensive side and, upon arrival, taxi rides were pricy too.

However, there are ways to make it cheaper. Firstly, I was traveling on Halloween weekend, and even though it isn’t celebrated as much here as in the states, things still tend to be more expensive on weekends and this holiday in particular. Second, I took the train, but I booked my tickets very last minute, if I had planned a month in advance, I am certain the train would have been less expensive.

My top recommendations to do:

Carrer del Turo: A nice hike away from the dense city, this is an amazing abandoned bunker with a fantastic vibe and view of the city. This was my favorite thing I did in Barcelona

Sagrada Familia: A beautiful building by Gaudi, all of his works are worth visiting. Pro-tip: tickets for the inside can sell out, book a week in advance to ensure you can get in.

Park Guell: A park full of beautiful works by the artist Gaudi, I went twice, and it is a 10 euro entry fee. Tip: Go in the morning, just after opening, to avoid huge lines to the best vantage point, where people take all their photos. Also, there is a lot to know about the park, if interested this could be something worth paying for a tour.

The Beach: If you are going, plan to go sometime when the weather is nice enough to go to the beach, the sand is great and I highly recommend doing what I didn’t and planning a full beach day.

Toledo, Spain

In Toledo, be prepared to walk… a lot. The entire city is one big hill! Though it is small, it takes a lot of effort to navigate its hills and narrow streets. I spent 12 hours in this city, which, in my opinion was enough. It was cheaper to get to, around 20 euros for a train ride about 30 minutes south of Madrid. Defiantly a nice, cheap day trip.

My top recommendations to do:

Greco Museum: This beautiful museum features an important local figure, El Greco, and is interesting, small, and manageable for anyone.

Fly Toledo: I didn’t do this, but over the river, there is a Zipline! For anyone seeking adventure, this seemed very fun and I would do it if I ever go back.

Find a Vantage Point: Highly recommend grabbing some food and sitting looking over the edge of the city. Given this city sits on a hill there is always a beautiful view to find.

Granada, Spain

Granada is a beautify city with a chill vibe compared to Madrid. This trip is all the way south in Spain! I recommend making an effort to travel to other areas in the same region, like Sevilla. It is a long journey from anywhere to Granada, but it is so full of life and Spanish culture that it will be worth it.

My top recommendations to do:

See a Flamenco Show: I saw my first Flamenco show in Granda and I believe that seeing the shows is essential to properly enjoy Spain.

Walk along the River: Granada is split in two by the river and there is so much to see (and eat) walking along it.

Alhambra, Generalife, Albyzin: These structures are parts of a UNESCO world heritage site that are so beautiful! They are a great way to learn about Spain’s long and rich history, especially if you research them beforehand. The gardens, fortresses, and medieval quarters are places you could get lost in for days.

SU-Sponsored Program - CIEE Open Campus - Madrid, Spain - Fall 2022

Shannon Allen