Escape to the Spanish charm and enjoy one of these memorable weekend breaks in Spain for a mix of local culture and cuisine.
These weekend breaks in Spain are based on the mainland (Iberian Peninsula) and not the island options. These are all city breaks in Spain but you can also organise day trips from them to other nearby attractions.
It should be noted that Backpackingman has visited all these places except for Bilbao, which came highly recommended by a Spanish friend for some Basque culture, and they recommended what to do there.
On another note, I would like to mention that I lived in Gibraltar when I was 8-10 years old and we would regularly do trips to Andalucia in southern Spain on the weekends when my dad wasn’t working. From a young age, I was doing weekend breaks in Spain!
I already had come to love this part of the country when young, and still do having visited as an adult.
Weekend Breaks in Spain
1. Barcelona City Break
Barcelona is easily one of the best choices when choosing your weekend breaks in Spain. It’s one of Spain’s most charming cities and offers some great Catalan cuisine to try and plenty of good beaches to relax on.
It also has some of the most recognisable architecture in Spain with the unfinished cathedral of La Sagrada Família being the most impressive and a must-visit site.
There is also an excellent Gothic Quarter where you can stroll around the narrow medieval streets where you will find plenty of restaurants and shops as well as historic buildings. There is a particular charm to this area.
Other places to explore are Park Güell with its beautiful gardens and great views and La Rambla with its well-known boulevard packed with shops and a great atmosphere to it.
There are plenty of other places to explore which will keep you busy on a weekend break in Spain.
Search for places to stay in Barcelona.
2. Madrid City Break
Madrid, being the capital of Spain, has lots to offer that will keep you busy and is one of the most popular weekend breaks in Spain.
The most recognisable building there is the Royal Palace where you can wander around inside parts of it. The famous Plaza Mayor, the central square, is surrounded by great architecture and plenty of cafes to relax at. Another great square to see is the Puerta del Sol.
There are so many museums to explore with the Prado Museum being one of the best if you love art.
As well as parks and buildings you should go to one of Spain’s most famous experiences, a Flamenco show which is part of the heart of Spanish culture.
Being the capital of Spain and one of the best city breaks in Spain, the city has so many Spanish dishes to try like paella, tapas churros, and much more. It’s a foodie heaven.
Other things are there to be seen which will keep you busy all weekend and if you feel like it you can also do a day trip or a half day trip to some interesting nearby cities like Segovia or Toledo.
Search for places to stay in Madrid.
Day Trip To Segovia From Madrid
Segovia is a very small city so its compact size makes it easy to do on a day trip from Madrid. Of course, you could always just stay there for your weekend break in Spain instead.
In Segovia, you can visit the fairy-tale castle that is the Alcazar of Segovia that’s said to be one of the inspirations for Disney’s Cinderella Castle. It has epic views across the countryside.
The Aqueduct of Segovia is a famous landmark in Segovia and is an ancient Roman aqueduct that you can stroll on and the Gothic-style Cathedral of Segovia is a stunning architectural marvel.
Go to the Plaza Mayor to relax, have a meal and drink, before exploring the old Jewish Quarter known as the “Juderia” where you can get lost in its narrow alleys and streets.
Segovia is a very charming small city to explore in Spain.
3. Toledo City Break
Toledo can be visited on a long day trip from Madrid, but if you’re having a weekend break in Spain then it would be better to choose just one of those cities to stay in so you don’t have to rush around.
Toledo is a medieval city that is packed with history and has a certain medieval charm to it and if you love that kind of ambience as well as historic architecture then Toledo makes for one of the best weekend breaks in Spain you can do.
The Alcazar of Toledo is one of the best places for views of the area and is an iconic site in the city while the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes has some of the most impressive Gothic architecture in Spain.
The Toledo Cathedral is another masterpiece of the Gothic cathedrals in Spain and strolling the charming alleys of the Jewish Quarter is a must.
If you have a sweet tooth then be sure to try the famous marzipan of Toledo.
If you want to visit one of the most medieval cities in Spain then Toledo makes a great choice when deciding what your weekend breaks in Spain will be.
Search for places to stay in Toledo.
4. Seville City Break
The Andalucia (the correct Spanish way to write it) or Andalusia (the anglicised way) region of southern Spain is one of the best areas of the country and there are a lot of things to do there with many charming cities to visit, with Seville being one of the best to choose from.
It’s packed with historic buildings with the Alcazar of Seville being the most impressive. The Alcazar is a palace area where you can see different styles of stunning architecture and lovely gardens to wander around.
There is a historic Jewish Quarter (Barrio Santa Cruz) to get lost in its narrow streets and see what you can discover, while the Plaza de Espana is one of the main sites in Seville.
Naturally, being Andalucia, you should also check out a Flamenco show when there for a cultural experience.
Andalucia is one of the favourite destinations of Backpackingman and there are so many great day trips you can do from the cities in Andalucia when using one of them as your base for your weekend breaks in Spain.
Search for places to stay in Seville.
5. Granada City Break
Granada is one of the best city breaks in Spain for its location and history. It has a mix of Moorish and Spanish influences with a gorgeous backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains and is actually Backpackingmans favourite city in Spain.
The Alhambra Palace is one of the best palaces in Europe to visit and looms over the city. The Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba Fortress, and the Generalife Gardens are must-visits and the main attractions in the city.
In the Sacromonte neighbourhood, you can catch a flamenco show and it’s also home to some of Granada’s famous cave houses.
If you want to treat yourself then head to the Hammam Al Ándalus, where you can soak and relax in a traditional Moorish bathhouse. (one of Backpackingmans favourite experiences.)
The Albayzín neighbourhood is a very historic area with Moorish architecture and winding narrow streets and stroll to Mirador de San Nicolás viewpoint for epic views of the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada mountains in the background.
Of course, there are plenty of other things to do in Granada. One fun option is to visit the bars and have a drink where you will enjoy free tapas with it.
If you fancy getting out of the city for a bit then you can do some hiking in the Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada. In fact, Granada makes for a great destination if you love hiking for its access to the national park as it’s very close by.
Granada is easily one of the best weekend breaks in Spain and is highly recommended on a visit to Spain, be it a weekend or not. But for a weekend in Spain, it’s hard to top.
The whole Andalucia region has some of the best landscapes in Spain to explore.
Search for places to stay in Granada.
Book ahead for a ticket to the Alhambra Palace as it’s always busy.
6. Cordoba City Break
Cordoba is one of the best weekend breaks in Spain for historic architecture. It has a fascinating history for a mix of Moorish and Spanish culture (like many cities in Andalucia) which you can see there.
The Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba is the must-visit site in the city and is absolutely gorgeous, for want of another word. The columns and intricate mosaics show the different styles of the Christian and Islamic (Moorish) influences of the city.
Like many of the cities mentioned here, it has an excellent Jewish Quarter that is great for wandering around the narrow streets and stumbling upon lovely courtyards.
The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos fortress/palace has been the home to many a Spanish monarch and has stunning towers and gardens to explore.
Cross the Roman Bridge for some of the best views and photo opportunities of the city (see the above pic.)
Search for places to stay in Cordoba.
If you want to spend a bit of time outside the city when there then you can do day trips to other cities mentioned here in Andalucia, like Seville, but as mentioned before, you would be trying to pack too much in for a weekend break.
7. Cadiz City Break
Cadiz might not be up there with nearby cities in Andalucia, like Seville, but as far as seaside cities in Spain go, it’s one of the best. So if you’re looking for a charming experience by the sea for one of your weekend breaks in Spain, then this is highly recommended.
This really is a place to take it slow and easy. Make sure you stay in the old quarter when there and you can wander the seaside and watch the locals fishing and enjoy fresh seafood in the many outdoor seating at restaurants.
Also, as you are by the sea, you may want to enjoy some water fun at the nearby Aquapark, which is especially great if you’re with children. You can also do a day trip to Tarifa beach which is one of the largest and best beaches in Spain.
Apart from enjoying the laid-back atmosphere of the old town of Cadiz and its waterfront, you can also do a half-day, or full-day trip to nearby Jerez de la Frontera, which is famous for its sherry and Flamenco culture, as well as an interesting old quarter. It’s only a 30-minute drive from Cadiz.
Technically, if you wanted to base yourself in Seville, you could do Cadiz and Jerez on a day trip from there, but if spending just a weekend, you would be rushing around too much, but it’s up to you.
Search for places to stay in Cadiz.
Food in Cadiz.
8. Ronda Mountaintop Break
Although Ronda could be done as a day trip from Malaga or Seville it’s worth staying there for the weekend for its rustic charm and if you don’t want to visit one of the bigger cities in Spain.
It’s a mountaintop city, although it feels more like a town, with amazing views and separating the 2 parts of the city, from the old to the new, is the El Tajo gorge and the Puente Nuevo (Bew Bridge) (see the image above) spans across it.
The bridge is not only one of the most famous sites in Ronda but in all of Spain.
The old town of Ronda has beautiful whitewashed buildings in its narrow streets and lots of plazas (squares) with a relaxed shopping vibe in the shops that adorn the area.
The area is known for its wines as well, so if you like wine, then you can do some wine tasting when there (highly recommended!) It’s actually in a very famous region for Spanish wines making it one of the better weekend breaks in Spain for wine tasting and rustic charm.
Search for places to stay in Ronda.
Look at this book for an overall guidebook for Andalucia to help plan your trip.
9. Bilbao City Break (Basque Culture)
You don’t come to Bilbao just for the city, but also for the Basque culture. As mentioned at the beginning of the article, this is the only place on this list that Backpackingman has not visited, but came highly recommended.
This is why his friend suggested it for one of the best weekend breaks in Spain.
For one thing, you will see a different side to Spain as this is Basque country with its own unique culture and some of the best cuisine in Spain.
The city itself is quite modern with plenty of museums, in particular, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, pictured above, with its stunning modern architecture and plenty of contemporary art to see.
Of course, there is an old town to explore called Casco Viejo, and it’s here that you can wander narrow streets with plenty of cafes and the famed pintxo bars. Look for the Plaza Nueva when there to see where the locals like to hang out.
One of Europe’s largest covered markets can be found in Bilbao, called the La Ribera Market, where you can try some of the local food that’s as fresh as it can get.
Basically, this was suggested to get a look at Basque culture and there are also some easy day trips from Bilbao to do to quieter and more traditional areas to see the local culture.
Search for places to say in Bilbao.
One of the most recommended day trips from Bilbao is to visit Santillana del Mar which has been described as one of Spain’s ‘prettiest towns’ for its medieval atmosphere and Renaissance palaces. It’s a small place and can easily be visited in a day.
So you could spend one day exploring Bilbao and another day going to the countryside for some rustic charm in Santillana del Mar.
Or take a full-day tour to save you time:
10. Salamanca City Break
Salamanca is home to one of Europe’s oldest universities and has a lot of old charm going for it.
The university was founded in the 13th century and you can explore the area with the library in particular highly worth a visit. There are plenty of historic buildings to see and visit.
The Plaza Mayor has some stunning buildings surrounding it and is a great place to watch life go by in the city.
Be sure not to miss out on some tapas when there as Salamanca is famous in Spain for their tapas. Salamanca is one of the significant weekend breaks in Spain as far as food goes, as well as historic architecture.
Search for places to stay in Salamanca.
Travel Spain Advice
These cities are some of the best short breaks to Spain that you can do. Personally, as you’ve probably seen in this article, the Andalucia region really is highly recommended for your weekend breaks in Spain.
Of course, if you have longer than a weekend, even by just 1-2 days, then you can combine two cities in the same area to experience more from the region.
I recommend taking the Rick Steves Spain guidebook to help plan your trip for your weekend breaks in Spain.
If you’re looking for other destinations in Europe for future travels then have a look at these guides to Europe.
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