Getting There & Away

Spain is dotted with international airports, and connections with the rest of Europe are good. If you're coming from the UK or from Morocco, you could consider a ferry. Otherwise, bus is the cheapest option, unless you're a whipper-snapper with an under-26 rail pass.

Spain has many international airports, including Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Granada, Málaga, Almería, Alicante, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza and Maó. A departure tax applies when flying out of Spain, but this is included in the price of the ticket at purchase.

Travelling to Spain by train can be more expensive than by bus unless you are under 26 or have a rail pass.

There are regular bus services to Spain from all major centres in Europe, including Lisbon, London and Paris.

Getting Around

Getting around within Spain is best done by bus; the bus network gives you better coverage and more mile for your dollar than the rail system. If you're swanning off to the Balearics, you can go the whole luxury hog and get a flight, or pleb it on a ferry.

The only time you might seriously consider flying within Spain is to get out to the islands. From Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante, there are often good deals on charter flights.

There are plenty of bus routes serviced by dozens of independent companies, and the bus network is more extensive than the train system and cheaper.

Ferries regularly connect the mainland with the Balearic Islands, but flying is a better choice considering the time saved.