Frommer's Spain (Complete Guide)

Frommer’s books aren’t “written" by A.I., like so many others, or by travel writers who simply pop in briefly to a destination and then consider the job done. We use seasoned, locally-based journalists like Peter Barron (formerly of the BBC), along with writers who live part-time in Spain, like Patricia Harris, David Lyon and Murray Stewart.  The four of them spent months checking out all of Spain’s best hotels, attractions, shops, wineries, and restaurants in person, so they could offer authoritative, candid reviews that will help you find the venues that suit your tastes and budget. 

In short, use this book and you’ll be eating in the places most tourists don’t know about, visiting top attractions at times when the crowds are at their thinnest, and patronizing the bars and clubs Spaniards hold dear. 

Whether you’re partying the night away in the Balearic Islands, exploring architecture and history in Barcelona or Bilbao, or walking the Camino de Santiago, this book will make your vacation better. We include advice the tourist board wouldn’t approve of: which sites to skip, how to avoid the crowds, and how to stretch your travel budget further, whether you’re on a lavish honeymoon or backpacking it.

Inside the guide:

• Full-color photos and helpful maps, including a detachable foldout map
• Detailed itineraries for planning your trip to suit your schedule and interests (and help you avoid lines and crowds)
• Candid reviews of the best restaurants, historic sights, museums, tours, shops, and experiences―and no-punches-pulled info on the ones not worth your time and money
• Accurate, up-to-date info on transportation, useful websites, telephone numbers, and more
• Compelling cultural information so that you’ll better understand the history, cuisine, and traditions of Spain
• Budget-planning help with the lowdown on prices and ways to save money, whether you’re traveling on a shoestring or in the lap of luxury

About Frommer's: There’s a reason Frommer’s has been the most trusted name in travel for more than 65 years. Arthur Frommer created the best-selling guide series in 1957 to help American servicemen fulfill their dreams of travel in Europe, and since then, we have published thousands of titles, become a household name, and helped millions upon millions of people realize their own dreams of seeing our planet. Travel is easy with Frommer’s.

After careers at the BBC and Google, Peter Barron turned his attention to restoring a barn at his finca on the border between Andalucía and Extremadura. He has been visiting Spain for more than 35 years and loves flamenco guitar, iberico ham, and manzanilla. He writes the Sketches of Spain column for the New European newspaper and blogs at adventuresinextremadura.com.

Patricia Harris and David Lyon drove almost every twisting mountain road as they researched four previous Frommer's guidebooks about Spain. Founders of HungryTravelers.com, they have a deep appreciation for the perfect codfish croqueta, an honest plate of patatas bravas, or a heap of garlic shrimp. They write about travel, food, wine, spirits and contemporary art for a range of U.S., Canadian, and British journals. When not on the road, they reside in Cambridge, MA, where their kitchen is well stocked with saffron from Consuegra, smoked paprika from Extremadura, chorizo from Castilla y León, and a Valencian paella pan to bring them all together.

Murray Stewart has written and updated several travel guidebooks in the last decade. Before taking an abrupt career change, he “enjoyed” a career in corporate restructuring. He has visited more than 60 countries, including spells teaching English in Chile and Mexico and consulting in Spain and Bulgaria. A keen walker, he has covered several routes of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. His guidebook to the lesser-known Camino Ignaciano pilgrimage was shortlisted for Best Travel Guidebook of 2022.