Flights from Santorini to Spain

Travel to Spain from Santorini

A non-stop flight of around 3 hours crosses the Mediterranean from east to west, from Santorini to Barcelona. It is one of 17 Spanish destinations Vueling serves direct from the island.

Coming from the Cyclades, how different Spain feels depends on where you land: the big cities, the Mediterranean coast, the Moorish south or the Atlantic north.

What documents you need to travel to Spain

Spain and Greece are both in the European Union and the Schengen Area, so Greek and other EU citizens only need a valid national ID card or passport, with no visa or extra paperwork.

Make sure it is still in date before you book, as you cannot board with an expired document. If you are travelling with children, each of them needs their own. The European Health Insurance Card gives you access to public healthcare in Spain. If you hold a passport from outside the EU, check your situation on the travel documents page.

What to know when you land in Spain

Getting into town. The main airports have good public transport links, so there is no need to book a transfer. Barcelona is 3 hours from Santorini, and metro line 9 Sud and the Aerobús link its airport with the centre in under half an hour. In Madrid, the metro runs to Nuevos Ministerios and the Cercanías commuter train to Atocha and Chamartín. In Málaga, the Cercanías covers the city centre and the Costa del Sol.

Time. Mainland Spain is 1 hour behind Greece all year round. Both countries change their clocks on the same dates, but they sit in different time zones. The Canary Islands are 2 hours behind.

Mealtimes. Lunch in Spain is between 14:00 and 16:00 and dinner starts at 21:00, later even than in Greece, and many kitchens stay closed until then. Add the time difference and it is worth planning your first day around these hours.

High-speed rail. Once you have crossed the Mediterranean from Santorini, the AVE links Madrid and Barcelona in about 2 hours 30 minutes, and lines run from Madrid to Valencia, Seville and Málaga. Stations are in the city centres, so you can string together 2 or 3 destinations without going back to the airport.

The currency is the euro. Spain uses type C and F plugs, at 230V.

What to do in Spain

City breaks: Barcelona and Madrid

Barcelona, around 3 hours west of Santorini, brings together the Gothic Quarter, Park Güell and the Sagrada Familia, with a beach inside the city and the Boqueria market on the Ramblas. Madrid, a slightly longer flight, packs the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen into less than 1 km, with the Retiro next door and neighbourhoods with real character all around.

Andalusia

Seville, the great city of the Moorish south, has tiled courtyards, flamenco in Triana, the Real Alcázar and the Giralda. Go in spring or autumn, when the temperatures are kinder. Granada is home to the Alhambra and the Generalife, while Málaga offers the Picasso Museum and the Costa del Sol.

The islands

Leaving one Mediterranean island for another makes sense when the sea itself feels different. Palma de Mallorca pairs a Gothic cathedral on the waterfront with the Serra de Tramuntana, a World Heritage Site, and Ibiza adds its coves and its nightlife. Tenerife, with Mount Teide, and Gran Canaria belong to another ocean entirely.

The Atlantic north

This is the side of Spain least like the Cyclades: green, rainy and with acclaimed restaurants in a concentration that few regions can match. Bilbao has the Guggenheim and the pintxo bars of the Casco Viejo, and Santiago de Compostela, at the end of the Camino, has a cathedral that is a World Heritage Site.

Luggage for your flight to Spain

How much luggage you can take comes down to the fare you book. The simplest fare includes a personal item that fits under the seat in front, and from there you can add cabin or checked luggage.

For a weekend away, cabin luggage is usually enough. Sports equipment, musical instruments and baby seats have their own conditions, so check them in advance. You will find the current rules in Vueling’s luggage policy.