Spain travel tips: what to know before your Andalusia trip

The short answer

Before a trip to Andalusia, sort out five things: your documents, the sights that sell out, your phone data, how you’ll pay and what to pack for the heat. Everything else, from meal times to tipping, is easy to pick up once you’re there.

Documents: EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need a valid ID card or passport. Visitors from the UK, the US, Canada and other visa-free countries need a passport that meets two date rules, and can stay up to 90 days in any 180 days. Check yours with our passport checker.
Book ahead: the Alhambra, the Real Alcázar and hotels at Easter and the April Fair.
Phone: EU phone plans roam at no extra cost; most others don’t. See our eSIM for Spain guide.
Money: cards are accepted almost everywhere; carry a little cash for small bars and markets.
Plugs: type C and F, 230 V.

Documents and entry rules

If you are from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland

Travel with a valid national ID card or passport. You don’t need a visa, and there is no 90-day limit for a holiday. If you are an EU or EEA citizen, bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC): it covers necessary care in the public health system on the same terms as local people, but not private care or repatriation, so it does not replace travel insurance.

If you are from the UK, the US, Canada or another visa-free country

Passport: it must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you arrive and be valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave the Schengen area. Our passport checker works out both dates for you.
90/180 days: you can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counting your days in all Schengen countries, not only Spain.
EES: since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System is fully in place. On your first entry the border officer takes your fingerprints and a photo, and passports are no longer stamped. It is free and you don’t need to do anything before you travel.
ETIAS: the EU’s travel authorisation for visa-free visitors (€20, valid for three years) is not in operation yet, and no applications are accepted. The EU says it will announce the start date several months in advance.
What you may be asked at the border: a return or onward ticket, where you are staying, proof of funds (in 2026, €122.10 a day per person, with a minimum of €1,098.90) and proof of travel insurance. We’d carry your hotel bookings on your phone.
Health: a UK GHIC or EHIC covers medically necessary state healthcare in Spain, but it is not a replacement for travel insurance. Visitors from outside Europe should take out travel insurance with medical cover.

Rules change, so check the official advice for your country before you book.

What to book before you go

The Alhambra. Tickets go on sale online about three months ahead and often sell out, above all in spring, summer and at Easter. Our Alhambra tickets guide has a planner that tells you when to book for your date.
The Real Alcázar in Seville. We’d book online ahead, above all in spring and at weekends. See our Alcázar tickets guide.
Hotels at Easter and the April Fair. Seville fills up and prices rise sharply during Semana Santa and the Feria de Abril.
High-speed trains between Seville, Córdoba and Málaga are cheapest when booked early. See getting to Seville.
Car hire in summer. Book early for July and August, above all at Málaga airport. See our car hire guide.

Phone, data and apps

If your phone plan is from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway, you use your normal allowance in Spain at no extra cost. UK operators set their own charges, and plans from the US, Canada, Latin America and elsewhere usually charge roaming, so an eSIM is the simplest option: see our eSIM for Spain guide.

Before you leave, we’d save offline maps of the places you will visit and download your train and museum tickets to your phone.

Money, cards and tipping

Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including most tapas bars, many taxis and museum ticket offices. Contactless payment is normal.
Cash is handy for small bars, markets, some village shops and tips.
Tipping is not expected the way it is in the US. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service in a restaurant is common; in a bar, people often leave the small change.
Tax-free shopping: visitors who live outside the EU can claim back VAT on purchases. Ask the shop for the electronic refund form and validate it at the DIVA kiosk at the airport or port before you leave the EU, within three months of the purchase.
Budget: our trip cost calculator gives you a daily budget for your dates and travel style.

Plugs and electricity

Spain uses type C and F plugs (two round pins) at 230 V. Visitors from the UK, the US, Canada and Latin America need an adapter, and US and Canadian devices that are not dual-voltage need a converter. Most phone and laptop chargers work on 230 V.

The daily rhythm

Lunch is from about 2 pm and dinner from about 9 pm. Many restaurants close their kitchens in between, but tapas bars serve most of the day.
Small shops in towns and villages often close in the afternoon and reopen in the early evening; big stores and shopping centres stay open all day.
Monuments have their own hours, and some close one day a week. Check our guide to each sight before you go.

Our where to eat in Seville guide explains how tapas work.

Heat, sun and what to pack

Andalusia is hot. In July and August, average highs in Seville and Córdoba are around 36 °C, so we’d plan sightseeing for the morning and evening. See the best time to visit.

What to pack:

Comfortable shoes for cobbled streets, steep village lanes and the Alhambra.
Sun protection: hat, sunglasses and sun cream, from spring to autumn.
A light layer for air-conditioned trains and museums, and a warm jacket in winter: nights are cold inland and in the mountains.
Covered shoulders and knees for cathedrals and churches.
A reusable water bottle. Tap water in Spain is treated and monitored; in the official tests, 98.5% of samples were fit to drink.
A plug adapter, if you need one.

Safety and health

Andalusia is generally safe, but pickpockets work in crowded places such as the cathedral area in Seville, busy markets and festivals. Keep your phone and wallet out of reach.
Around Seville Cathedral and the Alhambra, people may hand you a sprig of rosemary and then ask for money. We’d politely decline and walk on.
The emergency number is 112.
Pharmacies (green cross) can help with minor problems.

Your checklist

For official advice and the main risks, see is Spain safe?

FAQ

What do I need to travel to Spain?

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need a valid ID card or passport. Visitors from the UK, the US, Canada and other visa-free countries need a passport issued less than 10 years before arrival and valid for 3 months after leaving the Schengen area, and can stay up to 90 days in any 180.

Do I need ETIAS to travel to Spain?

Not yet. ETIAS is not in operation in October 2026 and no applications are accepted. The EU will announce its start date several months in advance.

Can I drink the tap water in Andalusia?

Yes. Tap water in Spain is treated and monitored, and in the official tests 98.5% of samples were fit to drink. Some people prefer bottled water for the taste.

Do I need cash in Spain?

Not much. Cards and contactless payment are accepted almost everywhere, but a little cash is useful for small bars, markets and tips.

What plugs does Spain use?

Type C and F plugs with two round pins, at 230 V. Bring an adapter if your plugs are different.

Should I tip in Spain?

It isn’t expected, but it is appreciated: rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service in a restaurant is common.