Reasons to visit Spain 2019

Yes we all know the common reasons to visit Spain: Sun, sea, food and museums to name but a few, but here we look at some activities that are a little different, and certainly more energetic. Whether an adrenaline junkie or an explorer seeking a different view of this amazing country, Spain’s got you covered.

Spain, a country on Europe’s Iberian Peninsula, is well-known for football and sunshine as well as great city breaks. The capital city of Madrid is one of the most popular Spanish destinations, closely followed by Barcelona and Malaga. Barcelona is famous for Antoni Gaudí’s imaginative modernist landmarks, the Royal Palace and Prado museum, beaches, and the diverse geography and cultures, while Malaga has a great blend of city hustle and coastal beauty. These reasons alone make Spain one of the top destinations to travel in 2019.

A look at the country

Spain is often labelled as a country of beaches – one of the major reasons to visit Spain. However there is so much more than that on offer. Filled with epic mountains, peaks and the challenging trails that lead up to them makes for a beautiful setting. Therefore, if you are planning to visit Spain but are not sure if you want to only visit a museum or take the Spanish sun in, there are a number of thrilling adventurous things you can do in Spain.

Planning a trip

Make a plan first, which of course includes your budget. Start to compare flights to Spain or go to a travel agency London before you book. Then move on to look for accommodation and itinerary options. If travelling for you needs to be an active adventure you want to remember for a long time, then you won’t wish to restrict yourselves to a package beach break which will leave more tan lines than adrenaline rushes, or party hotspots which could leave you with a hangover rather than a cleared head. Instead, choose something adventurous.

Google is your friend here – and can deliver so many adventruos options. Alternatively, take a look at some photos on Instagram by browsing popular hashtags. Whether you like thrills on water, in the air, or on the ground, Spain is the right place for you, one that has so many of the extreme sports and energetic activities to offer. Listed below are some of the adventurous things you can do on your trip to Spain. 

Extra reasons to visit Spain in 2019.

1. Cross-border on a zip-wire

You can actually fly and cross the border, as well as fly through time on 80km/hour zip wire across the River Guadiana from Spain to Portugal (it is the only zipwire that crosses a border and a time zone), and enjoy stunning vistas from the air.

2. Skateboarding in Barcelona

As mentioned above, Barcelona is known for its modernist Antoni Gaudí work of art, especially the Sagrada Família. However, one other great thing the capital of Catalonia is also known for is being the European capital, or mecca, of urban sports. There are numerous adventurous things you can try here, such as rollerblading, BMX, or scooter. You can also try skateboarding as there is a great skatepark with some impressive spots for street, flat or curves.

3. Paragliding in and around Madrid

Instead of a taking a leisurely tour of the capital city, why not try paragliding and explore the skies and landscapes of the Spanish capital from above. The sports activity is pretty awesome and will pump your veins with a nice dose of adrenaline. You can glide over Guadalajara or Avila near Madrid, and cruise at 600 meters altitude (of course with a pilot) and see almost all of the city, the Plaza de Castilla, as well as the surrounding mountainous landscapes. If this doesn’t quench your thirst for adventure, you can always get hooked in and let yourself go in the air. This is a great option if you want to get creative with some paragliding aerobatics, as well as some aerial manoeuvres.

4. Go Heli-skiing in the Pyrenees

Heli-skiing is an extreme outdoor sport and not something for the faintest of the hearts. If you are tired of skiing and snowboarding and want to take a step further into Dangersville, go for heli-skiing in Spain because this is where you can practice the insane sports legally in Europe. Basically, heli-skiing, as the word suggests, is throwing yourself out of a helicopter and into some grave off-piste skiing. Not for wusses like me!

5. Jet skiing in Benidorm

Jet skiing is another great adventurous thing you can do on your trip to Spain. You can Jet Ski your way around the electric blue waters of the Mediterranean sea and admire some of the most breathtakingly beautiful scenes of the Costa Blanca, Altea region, Alfàs del Pi and Benidorm. With speed, sun, and scenery, you can have the best time of your life along Benidorm’s coastline and admire the wide variety of beaches and coves. The natural beauty is always there to calm your nerves if the adventure is too much for you. Or you could just go and grab a beer.

6. Canyoning on the Costa del Sol

The Costa del Sol is the coastal region that covers a large stretch of Andalucia. The place is well known for its long and beautiful coastline, the 124 beautiful sandy beaches which bring people from all over the world come to relax and chill. It is also another of the great reasons to visit Spain, a haven for people seeking nature and likeminded extreme sports enthusiasts. You can get in the water and try scuba diving and see the breathtakingly beautiful under-water world surrounding Marbella, or you can ramp it up a notch and go canyoning, which is basically a mix of caving, climbing, hiking, and mountaineering, as well as water activities such as tombstoning, swimming currents, or shooting down the naturally formed rock slides. We are told by the hardcore nutters that you can head to Guadalmina River’s gorges where you can practice canyoning, rafting or kayaking. There is so much to discover and do in this place, you will be shattered but exhiliarating.

7. Kitesurfing in Tarifa

Tarifa is a great city of Andalusia located on the southernmost point of continental Europe, which makes it a great spot for adventurous outdoor sports, especially kitesurfing. This is the place where the Med meets the Atlantic, where the winds and waves are stronger, and a perfect place to practice surfing of all kinds: kite, windsurf, body board and SUP.

If you love skiing or sports related to wind and nature’s power, head to places like Valdevaqueros, Los Lances, Playa Chica or Bolonia. Want to know how close you can get to another continent from there? Just look south on clear days and you can see Africa’s Morocco.

8. Windsurfing on Lanzarote

Lanzarote is well known for its amazing year-round weather and is also a top destination for sporty people from around the world. Costa Teguise and La Santa are particularly popular for water-sports enthusiasts. When we lived on the island, we would often drive up to La Santa and watch the surfers tackling the stunning waves. It takes a brave soul to tackle them there, but with plenty of international competitions choosing Lanzarote as their base – well they can’t all be wrong!

Elle Draper

Elle, along with Alan, is the owner of Spain Buddy and the busy web design business - Gandy-Draper. Born a "Norverner", she then spent most of her life "Dann Saff" before moving to Spain in 2006. Elle's loves are Alan, the internet, their three bouncing dogs, good food, and dry white wine - although not necessarily in that order.