Trip to Spain

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• Traveling with kids? NoYes

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1. Check passport validity and visa rules

   Spain is in Schengen: your passport must be valid 3+ months beyond departure. Check visa requirements for your nationality early — slots fill fast in season.

2. Buy travel medical insurance

   Schengen visas require €30,000+ coverage. Make sure the policy covers activities: surfing, hiking, waterparks.

3. Save tickets and bookings offline

   Border control may ask for a return ticket and accommodation address. Screenshots plus paper copies just in case.

4. Sort out money: euro cash and cards

   Cards work almost everywhere, but small bars and market stalls prefer cash. Skip airport exchanges — rates are poor.

5. Make copies of your documents

   Photos of passport, visa and insurance in cloud storage; paper copies separate from originals.

6. Pack a compact first aid kit

   Fever reducer, painkiller, blister plasters, your regular meds. Farmacias (green cross) cover the rest, though much is prescription-only.

7. Sunscreen SPF 30–50

   Southern sun is harsh May through October, and resort-shop sunscreen is overpriced. Add panthenol for sunburn.

8. Broken-in walking shoes

   Old towns mean hills, cobblestones and 15–20k steps a day. Seville and Toledo add scorching heat in summer.

9. A layer for the evening

   Even southern sea evenings get fresh, and the north (Bilbao, Santiago) is rainy year-round.

10. Chargers and a power bank

    Type C/F sockets — European plugs fit; US/UK plugs need an adapter.

11. Set up an eSIM or local SIM

    An eSIM beats roaming charges. Keep access to SMS codes from your bank back home.

12. Download offline maps and a translator

    Add Spanish to your offline translator: English is limited outside tourist areas, and any Spanish effort is warmly received.

13. Plan around the siesta

    Outside tourist zones shops close roughly 2–5 pm. Schedule lunch, beach or a museum for that window.

14. Expect late dinners

    Spaniards dine at 9–10 pm; kitchens often stay shut before 8. A restaurant packed at 7 pm is a tourist spot.

15. Do lunch as menú del día

    A two-course set lunch with a drink for €12–18 is Spain's best food hack. Look for it on weekdays, 1–4 pm.

16. Plan against pickpockets

    Madrid and Barcelona are Europe's pickpocket capitals. Bag in front, nothing in back pockets, phone off the cafe table.

17. Book trains in advance

    High-speed AVE tickets cost several times less booked early. Stations have luggage screening — arrive 20–30 minutes ahead.

18. Check museums' free hours

    The Prado is free on weekday evenings (6–8 pm), and many museums have free windows. Queues form early.

19. Learn the beach flags

    Green — swim, yellow — caution, red — no swimming (fines aside, currents are genuinely dangerous even near shore).

20. Know: tap water is mostly drinkable

    In Madrid and most regions it's fine to drink. On some coasts the taste is off — grab supermarket bottled water there.

21. Know: tipping is optional

    Rounding up or leaving coins is already generous. Nobody expects 10–15%.

22. Kids' documents Yes

    Each child needs their own passport (and visa where required). Bring the birth certificate if surnames differ; check single-parent travel rules.

23. UV swim shirt and sun hat for the kid Yes

    Kids' skin burns in 15 minutes; a UPF swim shirt beats sunscreen. Floaties depend on the surf.

24. Kids' first aid kit Yes

    Child-dose fever reducer, thermometer, tummy remedies, plasters. Familiar meds beat explaining symptoms at a farmacia.

25. Adjust the routine for late dinners Yes

    Spanish kids up at 10 pm on terraces are normal. Shift the nap later, or do early tapas dinners — bar kitchens are flexible.

26. Snacks and entertainment for transit Yes

    Offline cartoons and familiar snacks save flights and queues. Churros con chocolate make a great local bribe.