Spain gives a first trip a lot to work with: Gaudí's Sagrada Família and Park Güell in Barcelona, Velázquez and Goya at the Prado in Madrid, a royal palace, tapas around old squares, and medieval cities a short train ride from the capital. High-speed trains link Madrid and Barcelona in about two and a half hours, and Toledo and Segovia are each about half an hour from Madrid by fast train.
This page starts with our ranked picks for a first trip, best first, each with a practical tip on timing, booking or etiquette. Below them you will find every sight we cover in Madrid and Barcelona, city by city, with opening notes and checked entry fees where we have them, then answers to the questions travelers ask most.
The 17 best things to do in Spain
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- 1BarcelonaBook ahead
Step inside Gaudí's Sagrada Família
Antoni Gaudí's basilica has been rising in Barcelona since its cornerstone was laid in 1882. Gaudí took over the project in 1883, and from 1914 he worked on nothing else until his death in 1926; building has carried on ever since from his plans. The Nativity façade and the crypt are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church as a basilica in 2010. In February 2026 the builders finished the outside of the central tower of Jesus Christ, the tallest of all. Inside, the nave feels like a forest of light and color, and the museum below explains how Gaudí worked. Metro lines L2 and L5 stop at Sagrada Família station.
Tip: Book a timed ticket on the official site or app, up to about two months ahead, bring photo ID and clothes that reach at least mid-thigh, and choose the 9:00 to 10:00 AM quiet hour, the calmest time inside.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Sagrada Família (official); Sagrada Família (official); Sagrada Família (official); Barcelona Turisme (official)Basilica: €26 (about $29) · With towers: €36 (about $40) · Book a time slotLast verified
- 2Madrid
Meet Velázquez and Goya at the Prado
The Prado opened on November 10, 1819, in a building by Juan de Villanueva first planned as a house of science, and it holds the world's most complete collection of Spanish painting. Velázquez's Las Meninas and Goya's Third of May, 1808 are the stars, with Titian, Rubens and Bosch among the Italian and Flemish masters on show. With about 8,600 paintings and more than 700 sculptures, it pays to plan: the museum's website suggests routes of 1, 2 and 3 hours through the main masterpieces. It anchors Madrid's Paseo del Arte, with the Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofía museums close by. The nearest metro stations are Banco de España, Atocha and Estación del Arte.
Tip: The museum opens at 10:00 AM every day and closes at 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday and 7:00 PM on Sundays and holidays, so pick one of its suggested routes before you go and head first for the rooms you care about most.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: esMADRID (Madrid City Council tourism); esMADRID (Madrid City Council tourism)Entry: €15 (about $17) · Free in the last two hoursLast verified
- 3BarcelonaBook ahead
Look over Barcelona from Park Güell
Park Güell began in 1900 not as a public park but as a private housing estate for wealthy families, laid out by Gaudí. The monumental zone, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, holds the Monumental Stairway with its famous salamander, the Hypostyle Room, whose columns were built to shelter a weekly market, and the Nature Square, a viewpoint over the city edged by a long undulating bench. Gaudí lived in a house in the park from 1906 to 1925, now the Gaudí House Museum. Your ticket includes the Bus Güell shuttle, about 15 minutes from Alfons X station on metro line L4; from Lesseps or Vallcarca on line L3 it is about a 20-minute walk.
Tip: Book a timed ticket online, up to three months ahead, and arrive on time, since entry closes 30 minutes after your slot starts and you cannot go back in once you leave.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Park Güell (official, Barcelona City Council); Park Güell (official, Barcelona City Council); Park Güell (official, Barcelona City Council); Park Güell (official, Barcelona City Council); Park Güell (official, Barcelona City Council); Park GüellEntry: €18 (about $20) · Timed tickets for the Monumental ZoneLast verified
- 4Madrid
Tour the Royal Palace and watch the guard change
Madrid's Royal Palace stands where the old Alcázar of the Habsburg kings burned to the ground in 1734. Philip V had the new palace started in 1738, and Charles III was the first king to live in it. Spain's monarchs lived here until Alfonso XIII, and while today's royal family lives elsewhere, it is still their official residence. A self-guided route through the state rooms takes about 45 minutes, and the Royal Armoury shows weapons and armor worn by Spanish kings since the 13th century. On Wednesdays and Saturdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, the Royal Guard changes at the Puerta del Príncipe gate, and a much larger Solemn Changing of the Guard takes place on the first Wednesday of most months.
Tip: Buy timed tickets online up to 90 days ahead, leave large backpacks and suitcases at your hotel, and note that in July and August the guard change moves to 10:00 AM to noon because of the heat.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: esMADRID (Madrid City Council tourism); Patrimonio Nacional; Patrimonio Nacional (official); esMADRID (Madrid City Council tourism)Entry: €18 (about $20) · Can close for state eventsLast verified
- 5Barcelona
Get lost in the Gothic Quarter's medieval lanes
The Gothic Quarter is where Barcelona began. Under Plaça del Rei, the city history museum lets you walk through the remains of Roman Barcino, a town more than 2,000 years old. Above ground, narrow lanes lead to the cathedral of Santa Eulàlia, one of the city's patron saints, with a carved wooden choir, her crypt beneath the altar and a Gothic cloister with a fountain. Carrer de Petritxol is known for its chocolate shops, and Plaça Reial has lampposts designed by Gaudí. Nearby La Rambla, 1.2 km long and laid out in 1766 along the line of the medieval walls, passes the Liceu opera house and the Boqueria market.
Tip: Take the cathedral's lift up to the roof for a view over the Gothic Quarter, then follow Carrer de Ferran toward Plaça Reial.
Sources: Barcelona Turisme (official); Barcelona Turisme (official)Free to visit - 6Toledo
Explore Toledo, the city of three cultures
Christians, Muslims and Jews lived side by side in Toledo for centuries, and its old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, keeps a Gothic cathedral, a 10th-century mosque and two synagogues just a few steps apart. Work on the cathedral began in 1226, and the visit takes in the main chapel, the Transparente, the choir and a sacristy hung with paintings by El Greco. Nearby, the Church of Santo Tomé holds his Burial of the Count of Orgaz, and the Synagogue of El Tránsito is now the Sephardic Museum. High-speed trains from Madrid's Atocha station take about 33 minutes, and the station is about a 25-minute walk or a short bus ride from the cathedral.
Tip: Arrive at the cathedral's visitor entrance, the Puerta Llana, well before closing, since it stops letting people in 30 minutes before the end of visiting hours, then finish at the Mirador del Valle viewpoint across the river.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Spain.info (Turespaña, official); Toledo Cathedral (official, Spanish text); Catedral Primada de Toledo; Spain.info (Turespaña, official)Entry: €12 (about $13) · Sundays from 2 PMLast verified
- 7Barcelona
Compare Gaudí's houses on Passeig de Gràcia
Two of Gaudí's most famous buildings stand a short walk apart on Passeig de Gràcia, the grand avenue of Barcelona's Eixample. At number 43, Casa Batlló is an 1877 house that Gaudí remade for textile industrialist Josep Batlló between 1904 and 1906, with mosaic, masks, a mushroom-shaped chimney and ceilings that recall the sea floor. It stands on the Block of Discord, beside modernist houses by rival architects. Nearby, Casa Milà, better known as La Pedrera, was built between 1906 and 1912 for Pere Milà and Roser Segimon behind an undulating stone façade, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. Inside you can see a period apartment, the attic and the rooftop with its sculpted chimneys.
Tip: Check the forecast before you book La Pedrera, since its rooftop closes when it rains, and walk between the two houses to spot the small animals hidden on Passeig de Gràcia's bench lampposts.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Casa Batlló (official); La Pedrera (official); La Pedrera (official); Barcelona Turisme (official)Standard (Blue): €35 (about $39)Last verified
- 8Madrid
Row a boat on the lake in Retiro Park
El Retiro covers more than 125 hectares in the middle of Madrid, with over 15,000 trees, and since 2021 it has been part of a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape with the Paseo del Prado. Rent a rowing boat on the big lake, watched over by the monument to Alfonso XII, then walk to the Velázquez Palace and the Glass Palace, an iron and glass pavilion built in 1887 for an exhibition on the Philippines. Look for the Fallen Angel near the Rose Garden, said to be the only statue in the world dedicated to the devil, and a Mexican conifer of nearly 400 years in the Parterre Francés, thought to be the city's oldest tree. On weekends the park's puppet theater puts on shows.
Tip: The park opens at 6:00 AM and closes at midnight from April to September and at 10:00 PM from October to March, but it can shut in severe weather, so check before heading out on a stormy day.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: esMADRID (Madrid City Council tourism); esMADRID (Madrid City Council tourism)Free to visit - 9Madrid
Stand before Picasso's Guernica at the Reina Sofía
Madrid's national museum of modern and contemporary art fills a former hospital that Philip II founded in the 16th century and Charles III later enlarged. Its centerpiece is Picasso's Guernica, his response to the bombing of Guernica on April 27, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War. The collection also covers Dalí, Miró and Juan Gris, and a gallery covers Spain's transition from dictatorship to democracy. Glass and steel lift towers by Ian Ritchie mark the old building outside, and the Nouvel extension, added between 2001 and 2005, has a rooftop terrace with large sculptures. The museum sits at one end of the Paseo del Arte, near Atocha, Estación del Arte and Lavapiés metro stations.
Tip: The museum is closed on Tuesdays and on Sundays opens only from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM, so plan a Sunday visit for the morning or come on another day, when it stays open until 9:00 PM.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: esMADRID (Madrid City Council tourism)Entry: €12 (about $13) · Free entry in the last hours of the dayLast verified
- 10Barcelona
Look up inside the Palau de la Música Catalana
Lluís Domènech i Montaner built this concert hall between 1905 and 1908 as the home of the Orfeó Català choir, paid for by public subscription, and it is the only concert hall on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Inside, natural light pours through the stained glass of the hall, sculpted muses surround the stage and Wagner's Valkyries burst from the ceiling. Outside, mosaic columns line the first-floor balcony, and busts of Palestrina, Bach and Beethoven look down on the narrow streets of the Sant Pere quarter. A guided or self-guided visit takes about 50 minutes, or you can hear symphonic and choral music in the hall itself. It stands near Plaça Urquinaona, an easy walk from Plaça de Catalunya.
Tip: Book your visit ahead in busy periods and for guided tours, as the Palau advises, or buy a concert ticket to see the hall in use.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Palau de la Música Catalana (official); Palau de la Música Catalana (official); Palau de la Música Catalana (official)Guided tour: €24 (about $27) · Self-guided visit: €20 (about $22) · Visits daily until 3:30 PMLast verified
- 11Madrid
Start at Plaza Mayor, then graze San Miguel market
Madrid's grand arcaded square was built under Philip III, after Philip II moved the court to Madrid in 1561, on the site of the town's busiest market. Bullfights, coronations and the occasional auto-da-fé of the Inquisition all took place here. After a fire nearly destroyed it in 1790, it was rebuilt in its current form, closed at the corners and entered through nine arches; the steep steps of the Arco de los Cuchilleros lead down to a street named for the knife makers who worked there. Look up at the frescoes painted on the Casa de la Panadería in 1992. A short walk away, the Mercado de San Miguel, a cast-iron market from 1916, has about 30 stands of tapas, cheese, seafood and more.
Tip: Save the market for the evening, since it stays open until midnight from Sunday to Thursday and until 1:00 AM on Fridays, Saturdays and the eves of public holidays.
Sources: esMADRID (Madrid City Council tourism); esMADRID (Madrid City Council tourism)Free to visit - 12Segovia
Walk under Segovia's Roman aqueduct
Segovia's Roman aqueduct marks the entrance to the old town, 167 arches held together only by the balance of forces, and the old quarter and aqueduct together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its blocks, some weighing up to two tons, sit on one another with no mortar at all. From Plaza del Azoguejo, walk up through the old Jewish quarter to the cathedral, nicknamed the lady of cathedrals, and on to the Alcázar, where 152 steps climb the Tower of Juan II for wide views. For lunch, the local specialty is roast suckling pig. High-speed trains from Madrid's Chamartín station take about 27 minutes to Segovia's high-speed station, about 6 km from the center; bus 11 runs from there to the aqueduct.
Tip: Climb the Postigo steps beside the aqueduct, next to the visitor center on Plaza del Azoguejo, for one of the best views of the arches, and pick up a map there before you set off.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Spain.info (Turespaña, official); Spain.info (Turespaña, official); Turismo de Segovia (Segovia City Council); Spain.info (Turespaña, official); Spain.info (Turespaña, official) - 13Montserrat
Ride up the mountain to Montserrat monastery
Montserrat is a mountain of rock needles shaped by wind and rain, protected as a natural park since 1987, and home to a thousand-year-old Benedictine monastery. Abbot Oliba founded the monastery in 1025 at a hermitage of Santa Maria, and pilgrims have come ever since. In the basilica you can visit the throne of the Virgin of Montserrat, and the Escolania, one of Europe's oldest boys' choirs, usually sings there at 1:00 PM. Two funiculars, Sant Joan and Santa Cova, run higher up the mountain for walks. From Plaça d'Espanya in Barcelona, take the train toward Manresa, then change at Aeri de Montserrat for the cable car or at Monistrol de Montserrat for the rack railway.
Tip: If you want to hear the Escolania, check its schedule first, since the choir is on holiday from late June to the end of August, after Christmas and in Easter week.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Montserrat (official visitor site); Montserrat (official visitor site); Montserrat (official visitor site); Escolania de Montserrat (official); Montserrat (official visitor site); Spain.info (Turespaña, official) - 14Barcelona
Climb Montjuïc to the Palau Nacional
The Palau Nacional on Montjuïc was built for the 1929 International Exhibition and now houses the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC), which traces Catalan art from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Its collection includes Romanesque wall paintings from the churches of the Vall de Boí, and the café and terraces look out over the whole city. Around it you can see the German Pavilion by Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich, Poble Espanyol, also built for 1929, and the Olympic Ring from the 1992 Games. As the day ends, the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc puts on a 30-minute show of light, water and music. Bus 55 from Plaça de Catalunya and bus 150 from Plaça d'Espanya climb the hill.
Tip: Start with breakfast at the museum café for the view, and if you are short on time, visit just the building, terraces and dome rather than the full collection.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Barcelona Turisme (official); Spain.info (Turespaña, official)Museum: €12 (about $13) · Terrace free; the museum closes on MondaysLast verified
- 15Madrid
Ride the high-speed train from Madrid to Barcelona
Spain has the second longest high-speed rail network in the world, and the line between Madrid and Barcelona makes it easy to see both cities on one trip. The fastest trains take about two and a half hours, crossing Aragon and the Ebro at Zaragoza, about halfway, with stops that can include Guadalajara, Calatayud, Lleida and Camp de Tarragona depending on the train. Several companies run high-speed services in Spain: Renfe with its AVE trains and low-cost AVLO, plus the private operators Ouigo and Iryo on some lines. In Madrid, high-speed trains use Atocha and Chamartín stations, and in Barcelona they arrive at Sants.
Tip: Check which Madrid station your train uses, Atocha or Chamartín, and compare the operators' timetables, since stops and journey times vary by train.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Spain.info (Turespaña, official); Spain.info (Turespaña, official); Spain.info (Turespaña, official); Spain.info (Turespaña, official) - 16Madrid
Step inside Madrid's ancient Temple of Debod
This Egyptian temple from the 2nd century BC was Egypt's thanks to Spain for its help in saving the temple from the floods caused by the Aswan Dam. King Adijalamani of Meroë began it as a chapel to Amun and Isis; later Ptolemaic kings and the Roman emperors Augustus and Tiberius enlarged and decorated it. It was moved stone by stone and opened in Madrid in 1972, keeping its original east to west orientation. It stands in Cuartel de la Montaña Park, on the hill where Napoleon's troops shot the rebels of May 2, 1808, the scene Goya painted. Inside, models and videos explain its history and carvings. The nearest metro stations are Plaza de España, Príncipe Pío and Ventura Rodríguez.
Tip: Go between Tuesday and Sunday, since the interior is closed on Mondays, and be ready to wait at busy times, as only 30 people can be inside at once for up to 30 minutes.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: esMADRID (Madrid City Council tourism)Free to view from the park - 17Barcelona
Eat and stroll along the seafront at Barceloneta
La Barceloneta is Barcelona's seaside neighborhood, with a strong maritime character and a down-to-earth food scene. Walk, run or cycle along the seafront promenade, then eat the way the neighborhood does: rice dishes and fresh fish at the restaurants facing the sea, or a bomba, a stuffed potato croquette with spicy sauce, at one of the classic tapas bars. The terrace of the Museu d'Història de Catalunya looks out over the harbor, and from there it is a short trip to the Columbus Monument at the foot of La Rambla. Bus V19 runs between Barceloneta and Passeig de Sant Joan, and from Park Güell the V19 brings you down to Plaça del Mar.
Tip: Come early in the morning, a good time for a run along the seafront, and keep your bags close on the beach and in crowds.
Sources: Barcelona Turisme (official); Spain.info (Turespaña, official); Barcelona Turisme (official)Free to visit
Every sight, city by city
Barcelona Cathedral
A Gothic cathedral whose cloister is home to 13 white geese.Entry: Sundays from 2 PMSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsBarceloneta
The old fishermen's quarter behind the beach, with seafood restaurants and classic tapas bars.Entry: Free to visitBarceloneta Beach
The city beach, with a seafront promenade and seafood restaurants.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsCarrer de Blai
A pedestrian street in Poble-sec lined with pintxos bars.Entry: Pay as you goCasa Batlló
A Gaudí house with a dragon-scale roof on the Passeig de Gràcia.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsCiutadella Park
The old town's big park, with a boating lake and a monumental fountain.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsEl Born
The medieval quarter around Santa Maria del Mar, full of tapas bars, boutiques and small squares.Entry: Free to visitGothic Quarter
Narrow medieval streets and squares around the cathedral.Entry: Free to visitGràcia
A former village north of the Eixample, with small squares, local bars and independent shops.Entry: Free to visitLa Boqueria
The famous food market off Las Ramblas, with tapas counters inside.Entry: Pay as you goLa Pedrera (Casa Milà)
A wavy stone apartment building with a rooftop of chimney sculptures.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsPalau de la Música Catalana
A Modernista concert hall by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, crowned by a stained-glass skylight.Entry: Visits daily until 3:30 PMSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsPalau Nacional (MNAC)
The domed palace on Montjuïc that houses the National Art Museum of Catalonia, with a wide view from its terrace.Entry: Terrace free; the museum closes on MondaysSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsPark Güell
Gaudí's hillside park of mosaic benches and gingerbread-like houses.Entry: Timed tickets for the Monumental ZoneSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsPicasso Museum
Picasso's early work, in medieval palaces in El Born.Entry: Online price; more at the ticket office. Closed MondaysSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsSagrada Família
Gaudí's still-unfinished basilica, begun in 1882, glowing with stained glass inside.Entry: Book a time slotSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsSant Pau Recinte Modernista
A former hospital of tiled Modernista pavilions by Lluís Domènech i Montaner.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSanta Maria del Mar
A soaring 14th-century Catalan Gothic church in El Born.Entry: Free outside cultural visiting hours.Search tours on TiqetsBarrio de las Letras
The old literary quarter between Sol and the Prado, with quotes set in the pavement and many tapas bars.Entry: Free to visitCalle de la Cava Baja
A curving La Latina street lined with old taverns and tapas bars.Entry: Pay as you goChurch of Santo Tomé, Toledo
A small church that displays El Greco's painting The Burial of the Count of Orgaz.Entry: General admission for visitors over 16, including the El Greco painting.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsGran Vía
Madrid's grand avenue of early 20th-century buildings, theaters and shops.Entry: Free to visitLavapiés
A multicultural old quarter south of the center, with Indian, African and Spanish bars and restaurants.Entry: Free to visitMalasaña
A lively quarter of vintage shops, cafes and bars around the Plaza del Dos de Mayo.Entry: Free to visitMercado de San Miguel
An iron-and-glass market hall full of tapas counters.Entry: Pay as you goMirador del Valle, Toledo
A roadside viewpoint across the Tagus gorge with the classic panorama of Toledo.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsPlaza de Zocodover, Toledo
Toledo's main square, ringed by cafes, with shops nearby selling the city's marzipan.Entry: Free to visitPlaza Mayor
The arcaded 17th-century main square.Entry: Free to visitPrado Museum
Velázquez, Goya and El Greco in one of the great art museums of the world.Entry: Free in the last two hoursSearch tours on TiqetsPuerta del Sol
The busy central square, with the Kilometer Zero plaque.Entry: Free to visitReina Sofía Museum
Modern Spanish art, home of Picasso's Guernica.Entry: Free entry in the last hours of the day. Closed TuesdaysSearch tours on TiqetsRetiro Park
A huge park with a boating lake and the glass Crystal Palace.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsRoyal Botanical Garden
An 18th-century botanical garden of terraces and glasshouses beside the Prado.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsRoyal Palace of Madrid
The official royal residence, with lavish state rooms and an armory.Entry: Can close for state eventsSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsSynagogue of El Tránsito, Toledo
A 14th-century synagogue with carved stucco walls, now home to the Sephardic Museum.Entry: Free on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. Closed MondaysSearch tours on TiqetsTemple of Debod
An ancient Egyptian temple, a gift from Egypt, rebuilt in a park near Plaza de España.Entry: Free to view from the parkSearch tours on TiqetsToledo Cathedral
A Gothic cathedral in the old capital, about 35 minutes from Madrid by train.Entry: Sundays from 2 PMSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsQuestions travelers ask
What are the best things to do in Spain for a first trip?
Start with Barcelona and Madrid. In Barcelona, see Gaudí's Sagrada Família, Park Güell, Casa Batlló and La Pedrera, then wander the Gothic Quarter and La Rambla. In Madrid, visit the Prado, the Royal Palace and Retiro Park, and eat around Plaza Mayor. Link the two by high-speed train in about two and a half hours. With extra days, take day trips to Toledo and Segovia from Madrid, or to Montserrat from Barcelona.
Sources: Spain.info (Turespaña, official); Spain.info (Turespaña, official)How many days do you need in Spain?
It depends how much you add. Spain's tourism board plans two days for Barcelona plus a day trip to Montserrat, and Barcelona's tourist office has a three-day city itinerary. Its routes then give Madrid a full day for the Royal Palace, the Prado and Retiro Park, with separate day trips to Segovia and Toledo. That adds up to about a week for both cities, and the board's 10 and 14 day routes add Valencia or Andalusia.
Sources: Spain.info (Turespaña, official); Spain.info (Turespaña, official); Barcelona Turisme (official)What is the best time to visit Spain for sightseeing?
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable, with mild days for walking cities, and many people call spring the best season. July and August are hot and dry across the country, with daytime highs often over 30°C, and Madrid can pass 35°C. In autumn there are still plenty of sunny days from Madrid south. December to February are the coldest months; Madrid winters are cold and dry, with frequent clear skies.
Sources: Spain.info (Turespaña, official); esMADRID (Madrid City Council tourism)Which attractions in Spain should you book in advance?
Book the big Gaudí sights first. The Sagrada Família sells named, timed tickets about two months ahead, and late arrivals are turned away. Park Güell tickets should be bought online in advance, up to three months ahead, with a 30-minute entry window. Madrid's Royal Palace sells timed tickets online up to 90 days ahead, while ticket office sales are same day only and depend on crowds. For the Palau de la Música, book guided tours ahead in busy periods.
Sources: Sagrada Família (official); Park Güell (official, Barcelona City Council); Park Güell; Patrimonio Nacional (official); Palau de la Música Catalana (official)Is it easy to get around Spain on a first trip?
Yes. High-speed trains run Madrid to Barcelona in about two and a half hours, Madrid to Toledo in about 33 minutes and Madrid to Segovia in about 27. In most cities the main sights sit in a compact historic center you can walk. Madrid's metro has over 300 stations on 15 lines, and Barcelona has metro and city buses. Check operating hours, since the metro runs all night only in some cities on some nights, and taxis or night buses fill the gap.
Sources: Spain.info (Turespaña, official); Spain.info (Turespaña, official); esMADRID (Madrid City Council tourism); Spain.info (Turespaña, official)Is Spain safe for tourists, and what about pickpockets?
Spain is generally very safe, and the main risk for visitors is petty theft. Carry only the cash you need, watch your bags in crowds on public transport and in shopping centers, and avoid empty, isolated places. In an emergency call 112, which is free across Spain and offers interpreting in several languages. The free AlertCops app lets you report a crime to the police in English and other languages.
Sources: Spain.info (Turespaña, official)