Flights from Edinburgh to Spain from 31GBP*

Flights to Spain from Edinburgh

Vueling flies direct from Edinburgh to 20 destinations in Spain. Barcelona is around 2 and a half hours away, and from there the Mediterranean, Andalusia, the islands and the Atlantic north all open up.

Spain can feel like several countries in one, so the real question is less when to go than where. If you are travelling from Scotland, few places offer such a contrast only 2 and a half hours away.

What documents you need to travel to Spain

The UK is no longer in the European Union and is not part of the Schengen Area, so British citizens must travel with a passport. No other identity document is accepted for entry into Spain.

British citizens can stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. Make sure your passport is valid for the whole of your stay. EU entry requirements are changing, so check the latest conditions on the travel documents page before you book.

As your flight arrives from outside the Schengen Area, you will go through passport control when you land. Allow some extra time for it.

What to know when you land in Spain

From the airport into town. The main gateways are well connected, so there is no need to book a transfer. In Barcelona, metro line 9 Sud and the Aerobús reach the centre in under half an hour. In Malaga, the local train serves both the city centre and the Costa del Sol, and in Palma the shuttle bus covers the 8 km to the old town. Alicante has a direct bus into the centre.

Plug sockets. Spain uses round two-pin plugs, types C and F, at 230V.

Mealtimes. This is the biggest change from Scotland. In Spain, lunch is between 14:00 and 16:00 and dinner starts from 21:00, with many kitchens closed until then, and plenty of small shops shut in the middle of the day. Don’t count on dinner at 18:00.

Heat in the south. In July and August, Seville and the interior go above 40°C and nights stay at 25 or more. That is far hotter than most people expect coming from Scotland, and it shapes when people go out: life shifts to the early morning and the evening.

Spain uses the euro, and cards are accepted almost everywhere.

What to do in Spain

Barcelona

Barcelona brings together the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and the Gothic Quarter, with a beach inside the city and the Boqueria market on Las Ramblas. It works as well for a cultural weekend as for a week of city and sea, and the Costa Brava is an hour away by car.

The south: Malaga and Andalusia

Malaga is no longer just the gateway to the Costa del Sol. It has the Picasso Museum, the Alcazaba, the Roman theatre and a restaurant scene on the rise. From there, Ronda and its gorge, Marbella and the white villages of the sierra are less than an hour and a half away, with Granada and the Alhambra only a little further.

The islands

Palma de Mallorca pairs a Gothic cathedral and historic centre with the coves and mountain villages of the Serra de Tramuntana, a World Heritage Site. Ibiza brings the coves and the nightlife, while Tenerife and Gran Canaria come into their own in the depths of the Scottish winter, with Mount Teide as the landmark.

The green north

This is the side of Spain that looks most like Scotland: Atlantic, rainy and green all year round, with a jagged coastline and mountains close by. Bilbao has the Guggenheim and the pintxos of the Casco Viejo, and Santiago de Compostela marks the end of the Camino with a cathedral that is a World Heritage Site.

Luggage for your flight to Spain

What you can take depends on the fare you choose when booking. The simplest fare includes a personal item that fits under the seat in front, and from there you can add cabin or checked luggage.

A city weekend works with cabin luggage. A week on the coast or a family trip calls for checked bags. Sorting it out while you book avoids surprises at the desk. Check the current conditions in Vueling’s luggage policy.