10-day itinerary in Spain: from Barcelona to Alicante

Conditions of entry to Spain for Ukrainians

Since July 27, Ukraine has been included in the list of "green countries", residents of which are not subject to general restrictions on entry to Spain. Citizens of Ukraine can travel to Spain without the need to provide certificates of vaccination or negative results of testing for Covid-19, provided that they fill in the form of sanitary control in advance. After filling in the form the passenger receives a QR code. It will be necessary to provide it at the request of the representatives of the carrier company before boarding, as well as sanitary control services at the checkpoint in the port or airport upon arrival in Spain.

Note that the rules of entry are regularly updated, so before planning a trip we recommend to check the current conditions at tripadvisor.gov.ua.

Barcelona

Our first destination is Barcelona. Let's not sing her unnecessary dithyrambs, this beauty and already knows the price.

You can book a hotel in Barcelona with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

How to get from Kyiv to Barcelona?

Regular flights from Kyiv to the capital of Catalonia are operated by UIA (expensive and not always comfortable),Ryanair, Wizz Air, Laudamotion. Ernest Airlines (quite cheap, but the comfort is also debatable), as well as carriers from the more expensive segment:Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Air France and KLM. The choice, of course, is yours alone. But if you want to save money, then feel free to buy Ryanair tickets, because in the off-season round-trip tickets will cost you about €80. Let's say you have two days for this city.

What to see in Barcelona?

Day 1

First you need to go to the sea. You can say hello to the Mediterranean near Barcelona's Old Port. There, spend or meet the sunset feeding the fat seagulls. From there, stomp to the Gothic Quarter and be sure to have a coffee in one of the jamalienne and eerily cozy coffee shops.

Then hop on the Barcelonetta metro and head to Passeig de Grasia, the city's central artery. Check out Casa Batll and stop for dinner at La Rita (Carrer d'Aragó, 279). Located right across the street from the aforementioned landmark, this restaurant offers a set menu for lunch or dinner for €12 and €20 respectively. And, most importantly, exhale. You've seen the possible maximum, as for the first day after your flight. Go to a couple or three more stores, make a leisurely promenade and that's it, rest.

Day 2

On the second day, the plan is a cultural program at most. You didn't forget a week before the trip to go to the official website of Sagrada Familia and buy tickets for a certain time online, did you? Good for you. Go there first thing in the morning, all morning is the perfect time to fully enjoy the play of light in the Temple. Forgot to mention that it's not cheap: it's the most budget-friendly option (a self-guided tour without an audio guide costs €17).

Your next assignment is just to walk around. Yes, yes, everything is so primitive, but we hasten to assure you that it is a walk (preferably without a navigator and without the slightest idea where exactly you are going) that will allow you to really get to know the city, to dissolve in its atmosphere. For the evening we recommend to leave the Picasso Museum, tickets for which should also be taken in advance on the official website. You will need at least 2 hours for the museum, and it closes at 21:30, so carefully calculate the necessary time.

By the way, Monday is the day when you can get to the museum absolutely free. But even on a regular day, the price is not too steep - €7 for a student and €10 for an adult.

Say goodbye to the sea for two days, let's go to Madrid. Let's write right away that there is no need to compare these two cities. Madrid is about Mediterranean beauty without the sea, but with mountains at your side. It is about Spanish, but not Catalan. It's about the greatness of the capital and an abnormal number of must-see sights. There are 623 kilometers between the sea and financial capitals, which still need to be overcome somehow. Here are a few options on how to do it simply and inexpensively:

Bus. It's a 7-8 hour ride, but it's one of the most budget-friendly options at €33-38. You can purchase tickets here.

Train. Here too you have several options. Either pay €55 and in 3 hours you are already in the capital (it is a high-speed train AVE), or Estrella trains. They arrive at the platform of the Madrid train station at 7 am, and the fare will be only €35 one way. Of course, there is always the option to buy airfare, or banal rent a car. But only such options of transportation cost a lot of money. Yes, and with the delivery of the car will also be trabliy.

You can book a hotel in Madrid with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

In any case, getting to the Spanish capital is never a problem. If only we had the desire, and we have it. Perhaps, someone will accuse us of bias, but we sincerely want you to spend 3 days in this city. Madrid is unique and literally packed with sights.

Day 1

Upon arrival, take your time to turn on the "turbo explorer" mode, especially if you've opted for a long Estrella or bus ride. Start at the Plaza de la Quibela, from where you'll take a leisurely pace to the swankiest park of the year, Retiro. Speaking of the square, it's the city's money conglomerate, as it's where all of Spain's gold and currency reserves are stored. In the park you have two main goals: to enjoy the nature as much as possible and to visit (well, or at least look outside) the Crystal Palace. It's open Monday through Saturday from 11 to 20:00. On Saturday, it's open from 11 to 18:00. And, what is also pleasing, the entrance is free. As for the first day - more than enough. Lunches and dinners are suggested to spend in the arms of traditional tapas con calamares and sangria. It is pointless to recommend any establishments: temptations in the form of small cafes with inexpensive and traditional business lunches are waiting for you at every step. But if you do decide to heed our advice, you should definitely check out Tinto y Tapas, Cafe Melo's, Taberna Malaspina and Pez Tortilla.

Day 2

It is recommended to start with a visit to the Museo del Prado. This is one of the most unique museums in the world, with a colossal collection of over 6 thousand paintings and over 400 sculptures. Yes, there's not much to see here during the week, but schedule the museum early on the morning of your second day and spend at least 3-4 hours here. The museum is open daily, except Sunday, from 10:00 to 20:00. The ticket price is €14. For pensioners over 65, members of large families and youth card holders €7. For children under 18, students (18-25 years old) and people with disabilities admission is free. Free admission to the museum is available on Sundays and two hours before closing time.

After the cultural program go to explore the main must-see of the city: the Royal Palace, the Main Palace, the Almudena Cathedral. By the way, there is one strange place in Madrid - Temple of Debod. It is located in the Del Oste Park, so you can combine its visit with a walk in nature. It was a gift to Spain from Egypt - for help in saving the temples from flooding. By the way, there are a lot of platforms, from where you can get a good view of the city. You can look here for free from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00. The temple and the park are within walking distance from the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral.

Day 3

We suggest making the last day as gastronomic as possible: visit the San Miguel market, stop by the San Gines pastry shop and make sure to eat the biggest portion of frozen yogurt. This dessert could be a reason to return to Spain again and again, seriously. And yes, if you have any energy and time left, we highly recommend checking out Reina Sofia. It's kind of like our Pinchuk, only there you will also find Dali's works. And, yes, the exposition and interior of the museum will surprise you.

So, shall we go on?

The return to the sea in the form of Valencia will be fastest and most comfortable precisely by train. Here again you have two options:

1. AVE high-speed trains: the journey will take 1 hour and 40 minutes and cost €31.
2. Regional trains: the journey takes 2 hours and 45 minutes and costs €21.
3. Buses: here the journey will take 4 hours and 15 minutes, not including possible traffic delays. The cost of the trip varies from €27 to €35. The price is influenced by the level of comfort, i.e. the availability of additional services on board the bus.

It is important to take into account that train tickets sell out quickly, so the earlier you buy them, the more likely you are to travel inexpensively and comfortably. You can buy them on this service.

By the way, in Valencia it makes sense to buy Valencia Card for 48 hours for €20. The price is reasonable, and you will save the same amount. You can buy it on the official website.

Now about what to do in Valencia.

Day 1

We start as usual from Ciutat Vela, or Old Town. Take a stroll through the streets, where everything breathes with history, be sure to visit its three magnificent squares - Plaza de la Virgen, Plaza de la Reina and Plaza del Ayuntamiento, and then visit the famous Mercat Central market - one of the oldest food markets in Europe. Once you've had enough of walking around, spare neither time nor money to try the most traditional Spanish dish in its homeland. We're talking about paella, if anything. Stop by Casa Carmela at 155 Isabel de Villena, where it is really the most delicious. In the evening, head to the Mediterranean to watch the sunset. Unfortunately, clean beaches within the city limits are a long shot, especially during the tourist season. If your plans include a longer stay in this region, we recommend staying somewhere in the outskirts of the city. Valencia itself is worth a trip to get some air from idle beachcombing.

Day 2

Head to the City of Arts and Sciences. Even though it sounds boring, in fact it will more than impress. Start exploring at the Prince Felipe Science Museum, catch a show at the dolphinarium and don't miss the spectacular show at the Hemisferic Hall. You can get here by metro (lines 3 and 5, Alameda station) or bus (nos. 1, 13, 14, 15, 19, 35, 95 and 40).

By the way, here is the schedule of the city: Sunday-Friday - from 10:00 to 18:00, Saturday - from 10:00 to 19:00. Prices vary. For example, to visit the Science Museum you will have to pay only €8, but for a visit to the Aquarium - €29. There are also complex options, but, in any case, before buying familiarize yourself with the full price list on the official website.

Ready for the last point of your Spanish adventure?

Alicante, welcome!

The road to the sunny Costa Blanca will be the shortest, and therefore the most pleasant. The distance of 125 kilometers is covered daily by hundreds of trains and buses.
From Monday to Thursday and on Saturdays, 11 trains depart from Valencia to Alicante. On Fridays, the number of trains increases to 14, and on Sunday - decreases to 10. A Valencia-Alicante train ticket costs an average of €22.50.

In Valencia, the train leaves from the Joaquín Sorolla train station. This is a relatively new station designed to accommodate the high-speed AVE trains that run between Valencia and other Spanish cities. The Joaquín Sorolla train station is connected to lines 1 and 7 of the Valencia Metro. The train station can be reached by getting off at one of the two metro stations, Joaquín Sorolla-Jesús and Bailén. There is also a city bus stop near the train station.

The train from Valencia arrives at Alicante-Terminal station. Not only high-speed AVE trains come here, but also suburban trains. To get from the station to the city center of Alicante, you can use public transport, in particular, city and intercity buses. The C6 metro line, which connects the train station to the airport, is for those travelers who are in Alicante on a layover.

Well here we are, the final point of our big adventure. Time to exhale and catch some sea vibes. And it is all the more pleasant to do it, if you consider the fact that by the number of beaches with the blue flag Costa Blanca ranks first in all of Spain. Four of Alicante's five beaches are exceptionally clean, well-equipped and blue flagged.Basically, their must-do here is to visit at least one beach of your choice. Here's a list of them: Albufereta, Las Saladares, San Juan, Almadraba Beach.

In Alicante, it is definitely worth trying the local sweet of Arabic origin - turrón. The classic version contains almonds, honey, sugar and egg white. It is said that Alicante produces the most delicious turrón in all of Spain.Among the must-see must-sees in the city: the pedestrian boulevard - the Esplanade of Alicante, the Basilica of Santa Maria and the port.