Newcomer A1
The Ultimate Spanish Travel Guide
Spanish Travel — Preparing For Your Trip
The best time to start thinking about learning a language isn't when you're already on the plane. Check out these articles designed to be ready as you get ready for your trip to Mexico, Spain, or anywhere else in the Spanish-speaking world!
Beginner A2
How To Talk About The Home In Spanish
Furnish your vocab with this guide to household rooms and items.
Beginner A2
How To Start Speaking Spanish Before Your Vacation
So you want to learn some Spanish for your upcoming vacation, but don’t know where to start? No problem!
Newcomer A1
20 Spanish Words and Phrases You Need To Know
Master these 20 Spanish words and phrases, and you’ll be ready to navigate conversations like a pro—no passport required!
Beginner A2
Mexican Vacation Cheat Sheet: 20 Spanish Phrases To Know
Make the most of your upcoming Mexican vacation by focusing on these Spanish conversation topics ahead of your flight abroad.
Upper Intermediate B2
Mexico City Travel Guide: What To Do And How To Prepare
Mexico City can be overwhelming, especially when you consider that it’s one of the biggest cities in the world (with over 21 million inhabitants!). But to experience it like a local, all you need is this handy guide.
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Spanish Travel — Ordering Food and Drink
Explore the rich culture of the Hispanic world through its cooking, with these essential Travel phrases for navigating the kitchens, restaurants, and markets you'll spend time in.
Beginner A2
How To Talk About Fruits And Vegetables In Spanish
All the vocabulary you’ll need for your next trip to the produce aisle.
Newcomer A1
How To Talk About Food And Drink In Spanish
Once you learn to name and pronounce these Spanish food words, you’ll be ready to have a delicious meal in any Spanish-speaking country.
Intermediate B1
How To Host The Perfect Spanish Dinner Party
Impress your friends (and yourself) by using these recipes to make an authentic Spanish meal!
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Spanish Travel — Getting Around
You may have your maps app at the ready, but knowing a few common phrases for Spanish travel will make navigating a new town or city much easier.
Intermediate B1
How To Talk About Countries And Nationalities In Spanish
No, you can’t just say “Germano” and hope to get away with it.
Beginner A2
How To Talk About Transportation In Spanish
Whether you’re traveling by plane, train or automobile, we’ve got you covered with the words and phrases you need to navigate transportation in Spanish.
Intermediate B1
Useful Spanish Phrases To Fix And Avoid Mistakes
Here are a few apologies, interjections and idioms that might come in handy.
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Spanish Travel — Shopping
Whether you're planning to hit designer stores or just need to pick up some essentials, these Spanish phrases for travel will help make each transaction seamless.
Beginner A2
How To Talk About Fruits And Vegetables In Spanish
All the vocabulary you’ll need for your next trip to the produce aisle.
Beginner A2
How To Talk About Clothes In Spanish
Learn how to get dressed in Spanish with this guide to basic clothing vocabulary.
Beginner A2
How To Go Shopping In Spanish
A brief guide to stores, money and more in Spanish.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Spanish Travel
Admittedly, it's difficult to make a quick recommendation. Madrid is famous for its art and food, Barcelona for architecture and beaches. Then you have Seville for flamenco and Moorish heritage, Granada for the Alhambra, Valencia for paella and the City of Arts, Bilbao for the Guggenheim, and Santiago de Compostela for the pilgrimage vibe. Each offers distinct culture, cuisine, and history. And that's only looking at "Spanish" in the Spain sense, because there is far more to explore in the larger Spanish-speaking world. You might want to do a decent amount of research around your personal interests to find the best option for you.
Prioritize essentials for navigation, lodging, eating, and emergencies: greetings and politeness (hola, por favor, gracias), asking for directions (¿Dónde está…?), tickets and reservations (¿Tiene disponibilidad?), ordering food (Quisiera…, ¿La cuenta, por favor?), prices (¿Cuánto cuesta?), and help (Necesito ayuda). If you have the time, though, it's always worth it to dive deeper into the language.
If you are really trying to stick to the basics: hola ("hello"), por favor ("please"), gracias ("gracias"), sí ("yes"), no ("no"), baño ("bathroom," though there are some regional differences), ayuda ("help"). With these plus pointing and a smile, you can handle many basic situations while you learn more.
At the risk of getting repetitive, focus on transport (tren, autobús, metro, taxi, billete), lodging (hotel, habitación, reserva, llave), food (menu, agua, sin, con), directions (izquierda, derecha, recto), time (hoy, mañana, tarde), money (efectivo, tarjeta, precio), and essentials (baño, farmacia, policía). We cover all of these in the guides above.
“Travel” as a noun is viaje, and as a verb, it’s viajar. You’ll also see turismo ("tourism") and recorrer ("to tour"/"go around") depending on context.