Life in Spain through the eyes of a tourist

The popular city of Barcelona is the capital city of the Catalonia region, which is a scenic rich region with the Pyrenees Mountain Range located to the north and the Costa Blanca coast to the southeast. So if you have stayed in the city in the past, you have surely spent time down Las Ramblas, La Ribero, browsed around the Gothic Quarter and perhaps visited the Camp Nou!

What you may not be aware of is that much of the Catalonia region is actually very reachable in a day trip from Barcelona! For some touring ideas check out our guide to the top 5 driving tours of the Catalonia region…

Barcelona to Gerona Driving Tour
This driving tour is about 103km in length, and will take you about 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete. Starting out from Barcelona, the key is to travel along the north east coast get onto the Gerona A7 road, then the Autopista Barcelona-Montmelo Road and the AP 7 road, which is a partial toll road. 

Gerona is a pleasant and attractive medieval city, which is perched on the side of a hill and offers great space to explore. Places to look out for are the Cinema Museum, the historic Jewish Quarter and the Roman ruins in the area, notably the Roman baths. The medieval architecture is really something to savour in the town. Gerona is actually an ideal base if you wanted to make further trips to places like Olot and Figueres. It's an ideal central point to take excursions to the beaches of Costa Brava, or coastal towns such as Calella de Palafrugell.

Figueres - A Day Trip from Barcelona
After reaching Girona, you could head on for Figueres, which in total is 140km and a two hour drive from Barcelona, and to get there take the AP 7 partial toll road to Gerona, and follow the signs for Figueres. Figueres is a small town on the French border, which was the birthplace of renowned artist Salvador Dali, and the town is now home to the Dali Museum. Whether you have an interest in surreal abstract art, or just interested in the life of Dali himself, this is a must visit place to see how he lived and where he came from that made create his wonderful work.

Port Lligat Dali Museum, a smaller museum dedicated to Salvador Dali, is to be found at Port Lligat, Cadaqués. The museum is in a former residence of the artist, who lived there from 1930 until his wife became deceased in the early 1980s. Or travel to Gala Dali Castle in Púbol – which is a shrine to Dali's deceased wife and his home place for the remainder of his life.

Barcelona to Tarragona Driving Tour
The pleasant town of Tarragona is located to the southwest of Barcelona, around 115km away, and would take around 80 minutes for you to get there. Again, take the AP 7 route south from Barcelona, and you will be driving through some majestic mountain scenery en route.

Tarragona is an ancient port town, and is situated in a terrific setting, on a hill which rises over 150 metres above the Mediterranean Sea. The hill’s highest point is the Cathedral. Perhaps the main attractions in Tarragona are the Roman and Ancient ruins to be found there. This ancient Phoenician and Roman settlement is fascinating for those interested in history.

Tarragona has plenty to occupy the family, with a majestic beach nearby, the famous Port Aventura Amusement park quite nearby along with the holiday resort town of Salou.

Andorra  - Driving tour from Barcelona
Andorra is a separate nation from Spain – but can be accessed by car quite easily and is well recommended as a driving tour destination from Barcelona. On route to Andorra, you will be astounded by the magnificent mountain scenery on the E9 road. With a driving distance of over 200km, it would take probably over three hours to reach Andorra.

Andorra is the only country in the world where Catalan is the first language, although French and Spanish are spoken. Andorra is an excellent destination for skiing with wonderful slopes all year round. It is also a great place for shopping due to the tax free status of the country.

Barcelona to Olot Driving Tour
Situated to the northeast of Catalonia in Spain, Olot is located 110km from Barcelona and takes nearly two hours to get there along the C17 and then the C152.

The biggest attraction of the Olot area are its volcanic craters, which are renowned as being the best preserved on the European continent. One of the most fascinating things to see here is a church that was built in one of the craters, and the view is most spectacular. Why not visit the scenic villages of Banyoles and Besalu via Olot as part of your driving tour.

So if you're heading to Spain and you want to get away from the city, Make yourself a packed lunch, find a place that offers cheap car hire and spend your trip soaking up some true Catalan culture.

 Don’t make the mistake of missing out on Seville. For budget travellers, Andalucia’s capital has plenty more to offer than scorching summers and tasty tapas. You won’t have to spend a single penny on enjoying these sights and sounds. You might even leave that little bit more cultured too. That’s the idea right?

View Seville in a larger map

 Santa Cruz

Seville’s lovely old Jewish quarter is famous the world over as being one of the quaintest, most attractive, barrios in all of Spain. For that reason alone you’re going to want to stroll down its delightful cobbled streets, twist in and out of its alleyways and wander past its thick-walled houses. Seeing this area on foot won’t cost you a dime. It’ll also provide you with some shady spots to escape the searing summer sun too!

Home to some of the cities oldest churches, make sure you stop in their courtyards and take in Seville’s elegant past as the city founded on the riches of the Americas. There’s plenty for your literary nerds too. The legend of that saucy Spaniard Don Juan is set on the streets of Santa Cruz. Check out the Plaza de los Venerables, Don Juan’s supposed birthplace, and pay homage to the man who swash buckled and seduced his way to the deflowering of a hundred delicate virgins. Just don’t get any ideas now. Remember how it all ended for the Don?

Santa Cruz by: Matthew Black

 Plaza de Espana

Free all year round, the recently renovated Plaza de Espana is definitely worth whiling away a few hours. Designed for the Latin American expo in 1929, this semi-circular palace looks particularly stunning slap bang next to the park of Maria Luisa (whose gigantic ferns make it too worth a wander). Navigate the path leading across from the horse drawn carts (yes, don’t worry, you are in present day Spain) stationed next to the giant centre fountain and head to the two towers looming over the circle of shining colours. Here you can see the separate artistic designs dedicated to each of Spain’s regions, each with its own cultural motifs and decorations. Keep your eyes peeled for the painted donkeys of Badajoz. Beat the pants off the real-life horses nearby.

Go to the Plaza de Espana at night and you’ll be in for an even greater treat with the square lit up and its alcoves illuminated. Run your hands all over the tilework and amble up to the balcony for views out over the Plaza below. Watch as tourists bump into each other in rowboats on the water that runs in a ring beneath the bridge. Apparently it’s the same bridge that Princess Leia walks across in Star Wars: The Emperor Strikes Back. No Jabba the Hut though I’m afraid.

Plaza de Espana by: asw909

 Parroquia de San Lorenzo

Seville’s Parroquia de San Lorenzo means that budget travellers needn’t break the bank to see some top rated art in this part of Spain. Step inside the church, a 14^th century architectural mix of North European gothic meets Arab mudejar, sit back and take in its glory. The Parroquia, famous for its five naves, also features an altarpiece designed in 1632 by Martinez Montañés, considered the best Sevillian sculptor of the time. Not a shade on me though.

Searching for more creative inspiration? Head next door and you’ll be able to walk straight up to the feet of the most famous statue of Christ in Seville at the Basilica de Nuestro Señor Jesús del Gran Poder. Make sure you don’t miss out on the mural painting of the Virgin de Rocamador or Murillo’s painting “Charitas” either. We’d never miss a good virgin. Nor should you.

Parroquia de San Lorenzo by: JJ Filpo

 Cathedral and Giralda

Go any other time of the week to Seville’s symbolic Cathedral and Giralda and expect to pay the price for such beauty. Head on a Sunday however and you can enjoy the cities most famous landmark entirely forfree.

Seville Cathedral, the third largest in the world, is a splendid blend of Christian and Arabic styles (not surprising given its foundation on the site of an old mosque), finished in the 16^th century. Here you can see the tomb of the legendary Christopher Columbus, for whom Seville had to thank for its hey day as one of the worlds richest cities after the discovery of the Americas. The inside of the cathedral is no less opulent with its retablo (carved scenes from the life of Christ), the Giralda (a minaret converted into a bell tower) and the longest nave in all of Spain. Keep an eye out for the dome mind; it’s collapsed a fair few times since old Columbus’ has been laid to rest.

Cathedral Giralda by: Wit

 Museo de Bellas Artes

If you still haven’t had your fill of all the wonderful art that Seville has on offer, it’s worth checking out the Museo de Bellas Artes and having a wander around its galleries for free.

This 17^th century building houses one of the finest art galleries in the whole of Europe, featuring works by Seville’s own Murillo, Velazquez and El Greco. If you do find yourself tiring looking at the work of such gods (it’s OK the rest of us are human) take a peek at the museums hedged gardens. A nice little break from the buzz of the cerveza swigging centre!

Museo de Bellas Artes by: Alex E Proimos

Seville guarantees a good time for the cash strapped traveller, just prepare to have your eyes bombarded by all the glitz and glamour on display.