Up to 60 million visitors each year for fun in Spain in 315 countries of the sunny days and its rich history and diverse culture. As a result, the Spanish government has spent millions of dollars per year on travel and transport infrastructure to serve the country's growing population and its growing number of visitors.
Therefore Spain has to be one of the easiest and most affordable popular destinations in the world in terms of accessibility - particularly from the United Kingdom and North America. For example, there are cheap flights available from all UK airports to major airports and regional through Spain and daily direct flights from major hubs in the Spanish American newspaper. As an alternative to British and European travelers, there are links to all the fantastic country by train, bus and ferry access and ideal for those who prefer to travel by car.
This article breaks down the main Spanish travel options by region.
Northern Spain - The best way to access the area by plane from one airport serving the United Kingdom directly to Bilbao or from the U.S. to Malaga and transfer to Bilbao. It is possible to connect with Iberia flights for connections in the North and throughout Spain. Alsa and have sophisticated Eurolines bus networks and it is possible to travel all the way across Europe to Bilbao or San Sebastian, then pick up local coaches or rail connections. You can also navigate from the British port of Plymouth to Santander with Brittany Ferries, or you can take the road P & O Portsmouth to Bilbao.
Castile and La Rioja - The best way to access these areas may be to go to one of the main Spanish - Barcelona, Bilbao and Madrid, for example, and then either drive or take connecting flights. You can connect with Iberia for flights to Logrona La Rioja or Valladolid in Castile. Castile, Rioja and Navarre are serviced by an excellent road network which allows one way and again, Alsa coaches connect you with major and minor destinations across regions and the whole country.
Aragon, Navarre and the Pyrenees - As these regions are easily accessible by car or bus from Madrid, it may be better to get a cheap flight to Madrid and then drive the E90 at the heart of the region. You might consider getting a connecting flight to Zaragoza in the middle of the region is a good starting point for exploring this amazing part of Spain. You can also access this area can be done by rail or coach. Eurolines coaches log in Pamplona or Zaragoza, rail Eurostar takes you from the UK to Paris and Paris, you can take a night high speed rail link Madrid ... from Madrid, the options are varied, from local rail and bus links, car rental, and air links with local Iberia.
Costa Brava and Costa Dorada - As we move east to the beautiful Catalonian coastal regions of northern Costa Brava and Costa Dorada, so accessibility increases. Barcelona Airport is the main airport of the region and welcomes cheap UK and U.S. flights. You can then log in Girona in the region of the Costa Brava and Reus in the region Costa Dorada. Barcelona itself has a metro network for access throughout the city, and if you want to travel a little further the Spanish rail service RENFE has many mainline local services serving both regions. The main coastal road on the Costa Brava is the A7, with the A2 taking you west of Barcelona and the C32 taking you south of Barcelona on the Costa Dorada. Barcelona has a port with ships from Genoa, Rome, Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza.
Central Spain and Madrid - Airport main center of Spain is Madrid and it welcomes direct flights from all major airports UK and U.S., and some of the smaller ones as well. As Madrid is a big city you can imagine, it acts as a hub for all important trip to Spain. Bus and rail networks and roads all major automobile radiate from the city. Madrid has two main stations trains for regional and international destinations, and the city has a subway system as well.
Costa del Azahar - The main travel hub of this region is Valencia with the city's airport enjoying direct flights from the UK. To access the rest of the region, you can enjoy the RENFE services from Valencia or enjoy the city via the FGV trams and metros. If you want to travel from the coast to Madrid take the N430 and A3, to explore the coast take the A7. Again, Eurolines coaches use connections to cities in this region including Valencia, Sagunto and Vinaros. And last but not least, Valencia is a port city and a ferry across the Mediterranean, with destinations such as Malta, Ibiza, Italy, etc.
Costa Blanca - Most visitors for this region enter via Alicante airport. With the Costa Brava well serviced by roads and Alicante airport offers great opportunities for car hire many people prefer to access the rest of the region by road, though RENFE, Eurolines and Alsa offer excellent rail and road alternatives.
Costa Calida - Murcia is the main airport of the region, though Alicante airport is also accessible to visitors and residents providing an extra opportunity and advantage. Murcia, there are a number of major train services including direct links to Madrid. In terms of roads, again the Costa Calida is a region with an excellent network of highways and roads N340: Alicante Murcia tracks through the Costa del Sol, the A7 hugs the coast and coach local, national and international lines service area. In the port city of Cartagena a passenger terminal was built in 2003 and now serves as a destination for some of the large cruise ships en route to and from destinations across France, Greece and the coast of Black Sea.
Costa de Almeria - You're spoiled for choice when it comes to airports serving this region, you can fly to Alicante or Murcia and travel by road or rail in the area or you can fly directly to the Almeria airport. Flights are often to Alicante. RENFE rail service with outline Almeria to Granada, Eurolines, Alsa and Enatcar all offer coach services across Costa de Almeria. The main roads of the region are the N340 which runs from Costa Calida through the town of Almeria and the south of the Costa del Sol, the A92 which links Granada and the A348 which connects Almeria with the Alpujarras. In terms of access to the sea, have Transmediterránea ferry from the port of Almeria to Northern Africa.
Costa del Sol and Andalucia - If you can not get a flight to this region of Spain you must be doing something wrong - or maybe just hoping to travel during the high season ! The main airport is Malaga and nearly every single airline you can think of flies almost every single UK and U.S. airport you can think of! If you can not get a flight and you're in the UK, you might consider driving to the Costa del Sol! In this case, your best bet would be to sail from Plymouth to Santander or from Portsmouth to Bilbao and then travel the 900 kilometers to the south. If you start to Bilbao, you will need the A68 and A1 to Burgos, Santander or take the N623 to Burgos - Burgos then travel via the N1 to Madrid. Madrid head to Granada, Granada head for Malaga ... phew! You can also get a Euroline coach all the way from the United Kingdom or in Estepona Malaga or travel to Paris on the fast night train to Madrid and connect with the AVE fast Cordoba which in turn connects with the services regional Costa del Sol.
Costa de la Luz and Gibraltar - You can fly to Gibraltar or Jerez in the region or enjoy the many cheap flights to Spain that land in Malaga. There are ferry services between Tarifa and Algeciras in Spain and Tangiers in Morocco, buses and trains in Europe and across Spain on the Costa de la Luz and close links with the E15 serving Gibraltar route on the continent.
Whatever your final destination, you should be able to find some cheap flights to major airports in Spain, then use the local and regional tourism services to get to your destination of choice, as I hope I have shown in the whole of Spain is easily accessible.
