Mainland Spain has slowly become one of the places I feel most connected to, which is exactly why these Mainland Spain travel guides are such a personal part of my travels.
I’ve been coming to Spain since I was young, and over time I completely fell in love with the mentality, openness, warm weather, terrace culture, and of course the endless tapas.
However, my connection with Spain goes beyond simply visiting.
My mom learned Spanish, and later I followed in her footsteps. To fully immerse myself in the language and culture, I spent two weeks living in Málaga during my very first real solo trip abroad. Looking back, that experience completely changed the way I travelled afterwards.
Later, I spent five months living in Madrid during my Erasmus exchange, where I combined my studies with an internship as an occupational therapist. Because of that, I experienced daily life in Spain far beyond the tourist perspective.
Barcelona became another city I kept returning to over the years. Thanks to friends living there, I experienced the city much more like a local than a visitor, discovering hidden spots, local restaurants, and neighbourhoods I probably would have never found otherwise.
For me, mainland Spain is a mix of late dinners, beach sunsets, busy plazas, local cafés, spontaneous nights out, train rides between cities, and conversations that somehow always last longer than planned.
Why these Mainland Spain travel guides exist
These Mainland Spain travel guides combine personal experiences, solo travel stories, Erasmus life, local recommendations, itineraries, food spots, and practical travel tips from different trips across Spain.
Instead of only focusing on tourist highlights, I wanted these guides to feel honest and realistic — the kind of information I would genuinely send to a friend planning a trip.
You’ll find detailed guides for:
Madrid
Málaga
What I love about mainland Spain
Every city feels completely different.
Madrid feels energetic and social, Málaga feels relaxed and coastal, while Barcelona mixes city life with beach culture in a way very few places do.
At the same time, there is still something connecting all of them:
- the social lifestyle
- outdoor living
- late-night dinners
- affordable food and drinks
- and the feeling that people genuinely enjoy life
That combination is exactly why I keep returning.
Final note
Mainland Spain became much more than just another travel destination for me.
It became connected to independence, language learning, friendships, solo travel, Erasmus memories, and some of the moments that shaped how I experience travel today.
No matter how many countries I visit, Spain always feels familiar in the best possible way.
