Close Menu
    Travel

    11 Things You MUST DO In Spain!



    This video is about what you MUST DO in Spain. I’ve lived here for 8 years and these tips will help you have a truly local experience in this country! Venga, let’s go! 🥝

    ⏩ Watch Next: Experience Spain Like a Local: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPBzlSvp_Nk&list=PLWoKRXwP0XnJXhPS3mPmLv_fdmI7k5l6k

    MY FREE SPAIN RESOURCES
    🍤 Tapas 101 Cheat Sheet: https://swiy.io/Tapas101
    🏡 Spain House Buyer’s Checklist: https://swiy.io/SpainHouseChecklist
    🔑 Spain House Renter’s Cheat Sheet: https://swiy.io/SpainRentalCheatSheet

    ENHANCE YOUR SPAIN TRIP
    💡 Get my ultimate Madrid city guide: https://swiy.io/MadridRevealed
    🥘 Book a food tour with Devour Tours: https://swiy.io/devourtours
    🏰 Book a walking tour with Walks: https://swiy.co/walks

    JOIN OUR EXCLUSIVE LIVE STREAMS
    ❤️ YouTube members get exclusive live stream access: https://swiy.io/JoinSpainRevealed

    🍤 Spanish food delivered to your door (USA): https://swiy.io/latienda
    👄 Learn Spanish my way: https://swiy.io/learnspanish
    🎥 The gear we use to make videos: https://swiy.io/gear

    👩🏻‍💻 CONNECT
    James on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesblickspain
    Yoly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flamencoguide/
    Our private Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spainrevealed

    MORE ABOUT THIS VIDEO 😃
    ⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯
    Recently Yoly and I made a video about things you MUST NOT do in Spain. And it was really popular, as well as a little controversial.

    So we decided to follow it up with something more positive – the things you have MUST DO in Spain if you want to have a truly local and authentic experience.

    11. Read a great book before you come!
    Before I moved to Spain, reading really helped me get a grip on this country and in the end have a much more local experience.

    ▶ BUY ‘GHOSTS OF SPAIN’ HERE: https://amzn.to/2vG1d62
    ▶ BUY ‘DON QUIXOTE’ HERE: https://amzn.to/2DOaeOM

    10. People watch during the evening paseo!
    People watching is a real cliche, but it can be an amazing way to discover a place. So how do you do it right in Spain?

    9. Explore the neighbourhoods as well!
    Don’t just limit yourself to the historic centre – hit the barrios where the locals are and see that side of life!

    ▶ Check out this video of a tapas crawl in our Madrid neighbourhood: https://youtu.be/k5PcUZwCoCo

    8. Explore lesser-known parts of Spain!
    Of course you want to visit Barcelona, Seville, Madrid etc. But why not hit the rural areas? Or lesser know regions?

    ▶ In this video Yoly and I head to the beautiful rural Jerte Valley

    7. Eat a menú del día in an old man bar!
    These bars are full of locals who are going about their busy day and stop to eat a big lunch. Such an amazing way to get a glimpse at everyday life in Spain.

    6. Make time for a lengthy ‘sobremesa’!
    Once you’ve finished lunch, be sure to make time to chill out with a huge gin and tonic!

    5. Drink local wine!
    Don’t just still to Rioja and Ribera del Duero – make sure you check out local wines too.

    ▶ In this video Yoly and I head to rural Granada and drink local wine:

    ▶ My video to help you understand Spain’s famous Rioja wine: https://youtu.be/onwgAQJQEP0

    ▶ My video to help you understand Spain’s other famous wine region – Ribera del Duero: https://youtu.be/59mgOZIt_T0

    4. Eat paella like a local!
    First you want to make sure you eat non-frozen paella. But then, you also want to eat it WHEN the locals eat it.

    ▶ My video about Spanish food myths (incl. paella info!): https://youtu.be/vawjuIxmjrc

    3. See an AMAZING flamenco show!
    I’m not really into dance… but flamenco is so much more than that. And I adore it!

    ▶ My wife Yoly is a passionate flamenco expert and leads incredible private flamenco experiences. Check them out here: www.theflamencoguide.com

    2. Eat Spanish delicacies that scare you!
    I’m talking blood sausage, sweetbreads and pigs ears. Get into it – it’s the local food!

    1. Talk to a stranger in a bar (or somewhere else)!
    In Spain we very easily and quickly strike up conversations with strangers. So even if you don’t have much Spanish, go for it!

    WHO ARE WE? 🥝
    ⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯
    Hola, Spain lovers! We’re James and Yoly. James is a New Zealander, and Yoly is from Spain. And we both live in Madrid. This channel is all about giving you a local insight into life in Spain, and helping you experience this country like a local when you come to visit (or live!). If that sounds like your kind of thing, bienvenido!

    *This description contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you use them 🙏🏻

    Related

    View 37 Comments

    37 Comments

    4. Joey Roane on

      we rented a car from Oviedo and drove to San Sebastian. it was a wonderful way to see the Picos and northern coastal country

    7. MOTIVATED ACTION GROUP on

      Hi James and Yoly, I am walking the Camino de Santiago Frances Route in August and finishing in mid-September. I am flying back to the US (San Francisco) from Madrid. I plan to spend a couple days in Madrid before I fly home. I am enjoying your videos. I am doing the Camino because I think it will be the best way to tour Spain. I can meet the locals, learn about the culture, and have good wine. I am watching to learn what to do and not do while traveling and what to do and see in Madrid. Hotel recommendations or locations to find them? Thanks, Tony.

    9. Pamela Stevens on

      We are visiting Spain next week. Thank you for your videos. They have been quite helpful. Agree with the strange food tip. In Italy I ate a fish head, ick, and in Puerto Rico blood sausage and pig ears, yum.

    14. mitreswell on

      Greetings from Godzone. Lambs' brains . . . I remember seeing Alison Holst cooking them on TV, deep frying them and saying how they're are great thing to feed the kids. Yeah . . . nah . . .

    17. Ken Eckert on

      Yolanda and James, First, thank you for your Spain videos. I moved here to Barcelona in December 2022 and have learned and put into practice much of what you shared in this video (11 things you must do) and the 11 things to avoid in Spain. Your comments on the languages and specifically Catalan was spot on. I also refer to "Espanol" as Catellano. I have two questions for you: first, which small villages would you recommend near Barcelona? I don't have a car so villages accessable by train or bus would be useful. I've been to Sitges, Girona, Montserrat, Tarragona, Zaragoza, Torre Vieja and Alicante. Do y?ou have any favorites near Barcelona? Second, Yolanda mentioned Flemenco dancing. Which shows in Barcelona would you recommend? I am very interested in seeing a good one. Thanks much for your videos and the valuable information.

    18. Frank on

      I would recommend Asturias for a less travelled area. We drove through it a few years back and I was really shocked at how different the scenery was as well as the culture. For example, the local drink is not wine, it's a type of cider, and they have an interesting way of pouring it. The culture in general has a much more Celtic feel to it, they even play a type of bag pipe.

    20. John Mills on

      My comment is not so much for visitors, but for those who decide to come to Spain to live full time. Pensioners for example. I live in the Canary Islands (La Palma) and came here from the UK in 1986. My work contract with a British research council was originally for 3 years and some 36 years later I´m still here, but retired now.
      The best advice I can give is "LEARN THE LANGUAGE". Spanish for an English speaker is not difficult. At first I had to translate in my head, but after a few months I could understand (more or less) what the locals were saying. I should add that Spanish as spoken in the Canary Islands is not quite the same as spoken in the mainland i.e. castellano… More like as spoken in Latin America.
      The biggest problem I found was the speed, but the locals were only too happy to slow down so I could understand them. They appreciate that a foreigner is making an effort to learn their language. It makes all the difference😀

    21. Jen Cordero on

      How about ordering a special paella and you pick the ingredients example: chicken, beef, mushrooms with NO seafood or pork or sausage 🤔 reply thanks 👍

    24. alsoarod on

      Scary foods you must try: pulpo (octopus), percebes (barnacles), chipirones en su tinta (tiny squid type creatures with ink sauce! YUM), croquetas (fish or ham – super Yum!). Also for heaven's sake EAT PASTRIES!!! Spanish pastries are divine – especially those filled with cream or almonds!!!
      Oh baby!!!!!

    25. _mvf on

      hi, great info and tips on your videos. Can you recommend a not so well known villa for a day trip from Valencia and Sevilla. That I can reach via train. Thanks

    26. AKIndyHouse on

      I want to try all of the food but I’m allergic to/intolerant of eggs. Will I be able to eat much of the food? Even a lot of bread and sauces have egg. I’m worried though I will try to ask I may fail. I’m excited to hear that we might be able to communicate with people even though we don’t speak Catalan or Castilian (we’ll be in Barcelona and a couple of day trips). Also we read somewhere else that Seeing flamenco on Barcelona is like seeing Country music in Boston in the US – which would be odd. It must not be a no-no if you’re recommending it. 🙂

    27. Colleen Smith on

      Years ago we visited Ronda in the south of Spain. We stayed in a parador overlooking a deep canyon. The food was amazing. It was quiet and the countryside was beautiful.

    28. Alastair Johnson on

      Strongly recommend the green, rainy north, looks like Ireland or New Zealand, so Cantabria, Asturias & Galicia, great food too. Then some smaller provincial capitals that even Spaniards tend not to visit very much, like Teruel (amazing Mudéjar architecture), Soria, Burgos, Palencia, Plasencia, Cuenca, Cáceres, etc. Then last, but not least, the literally thousands of beautiful, historic ‘pueblos’ often surrounded by medieval walls, with castles, churches, monasteries, cobbled streets, etc. My personal highlights would be Pedraza (Segovia), Albarracín (Teruel), El Escorial (Madrid), Almagro (Ciudad Real), La Alberca (Salamanca), LaGuardia (Álava), Santo Domingo de La Calzada (Rioja), Covarrubias (Burgos), Zahara de La Sierra (Cádiz), Setenil De Las Bodegas (Cádiz- truly surreal place) and, perhaps the most impressive of all, Ronda (Málaga). But there are countless more in every corner of the country. Enjoy!

    30. Vinesy68 on

      I have just found this now. In regards to trying something new I just went to València and had some lovely fried sea anemones! They were a bit bizarre but totally delicious. I have just found your site I love your videos. It was also great to people watch in the evenings in Valencia especially just hanging about in the old Turia riverbed. We watched locals just get up and do an impromptu salsa class for anyone who walked by etc! I love Spain! I love to go to places I have never been so thanks for the recommendations!

    31. jon Bodnar on

      Love learning from your videos as someone relatively new to Spain. I think one thing many visitors overlook when visiting Valencia is el Cabanyal. As one of your tips regarding visiting neighbourhoods out of the historic center, it seems like many visitors go to visit the beach for the day but don't plan to stay for late lunch or dinner. Wandering the streets of cabanyal away from the beach, visitors will find amazing local bar/restaurants with a strong seafood focus. A most wonderful tapa for after the beach with a refreshing beer or wine or sparkling water is titaina. Essentially a delicious tuna and tomato based spread for fresh bread that originated in the tiny beach "town" just a few minutes outside of Valencia city.

    33. Bryan Kenney on

      I lived in Madrid for 1yr back in the mid-80s. I lived in a really nice suburban neighborhood (Calle Monteverde)off of the Alameda de Osuna area. Going towards Barajas Airport. Yes, all the people, including children, would be out playing/socializing @ midnight or later. The great thing about it is I'm a hard core night owl myself. So this worked out perfect for me.
      I made the decision to move back to Spain to live, after being away from it for almost 40yrs. I'm fed up with living here in the States. Even though it's my "home". I have many reasons why I want to move to Espana. I wouldn't make such a huge decision just for one reason.
      It's a bit too early for me to attend your Masterclass ZOOM session you're having on Tuesday. But I am now starting to relearn Spanish in different ways. Babbel app, taking out Spanish learning books @ public library, watching Mexican television channels. I'll hook up with your Masterclass soon, James. However, I just made the decision to move to Spain a couple weeks ago. Even with me doing everything I should do(going on ALL your advice), it will probably be another 4-5 years before I set my feet on to Spanish soil. A LOT of things have to happen for me before I can move there. I'll try to be patient. I❤🇪🇦 VIVA ESPANA!!

    35. Patrick Brady on

      When I visited Spain I had difficulty getting vegetarian food, this may be because I could not speak the language or maybe there was none on offer what do you guys think. I was in Madrid and Barsalona.

    36. Metacosmos music band on

      You must turn corrupt and mafia like , first grafting your friends at your factory or public business, then blocking that your enemmies could get a job or an opportunity, then taking advantage of whatever situation to make money, like the speaker, not obeying the constitution nor the laws, acting not democratically, like the majority of the current spaniards.

    37. Michael England on

      I am a single male and plan to stay for the second time in a Spanish home to practise my Spanish. My question is do you have any advice for a singleton. For example are there walking groups or excursion groups etc that single or coupled Spanish might use if they are on holiday in a strange place. All ideas welcome even ideas on dating etc

    Leave A Reply