EKTA
Standard
2k$18.50 AUD
Spain highlights on a budget
Doing Spain on a budget means the cheapest third of what is worth doing: Akelarre, La Perla. Activities in this plan start from about $15.
Your 5-day highlights plan for Spain
Where you staySan Sebastian 2 nightsBarcelona 3 nightsabout 405 km between them
5 days · packed · 4 of 19 bookable now · activities from about $131
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Day 1 San Sebastian
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morning
Akelarre
Restaurant. Dates from 1974.
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afternoon
La Perla
Spa near San Sebastian. Dates from 1912. Basque government heritage site.
Just turn up -
evening
Mount Ulia
Mountain in Spain.
Just turn up -
evening
Mugaritz
Restaurant. Dates from 1998.
Where to eat
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Lunch
Mirador de Ulía
Holds a Michelin star.
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Dinner
Kokotxa
Holds a Michelin star.
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Day 2 San Sebastian
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morning
Camino del Norte
Historic grouping. bien de interés cultural.
Just turn up -
afternoon
Arzak
Restaurant in Spain. Dates from 1897.
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evening
Mercado de San Martín
Market near San Sebastian. Dates from 1884.
Just turn up -
evening
Iturraran
Botanical garden near San Sebastian.
Just turn up
Where to eat
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Lunch
Martin Berasategi
Holds a Michelin star.
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Dinner
Holds a Michelin star.
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Day 3 Barcelona
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Travel day
San Sebastian to Barcelona
Journey time is an estimate rather than a timetable - check the operator before you book anything tight on either side of it.
Book direct -
afternoon
Sagrada Família fast-track ticket
Sells out days ahead year-round.
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evening
La Roca Village Shopping Express Experience with VIP Savings Card
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evening
Park Güell timed entry
Where to eat
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Breakfast
The market has a very diverse selection of goods.
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Lunch
Capritx
A Michelin starred restaurant in Barcelona, Spain.
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Dinner
Has three Michelin stars since 2016.
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Day 4 Barcelona
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morning
Montseny Massif
Mountain range. Dates from 1992.
Just turn up -
afternoon
Vil·la romana de Can Terrers
Cultural property in La Garriga, Spain. bien de interés cultural.
Just turn up -
evening
La Boqueria
Market hall. Dates from 1914. With urban protection.
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evening
Las Golondrinas Boat Tour in Barcelona
Where to eat
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Breakfast
A morning market, open 9am to 2pm.
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Lunch
Alkimia
A Michelin starred restaurant in Barcelona, Spain.
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Dinner
A Michelin two-starred restaurant in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain run by self-taught Chef-Owner Jordi Artal and Maître-Owner Amèlia Artal.
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Day 5 Barcelona
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morning
Iluro
Archaeological site. bien de interés cultural.
Just turn up -
afternoon
Can Fabes
Restaurant near Vallès Oriental.
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evening
Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family
Minor basilica. Dates from 1882. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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evening
Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia
Minor basilica. Dates from 1298. bien de interés cultural.
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Prices are indicative and in Australian dollars. Flights and accommodation are not included. Distances between stops are straight-line, so a walking or driving route will be longer, and they are shown only where both stops have a known location. Items marked also worth doing sit outside the highlights theme and are there because they are among the best things to do in Spain.
Before you fly to Spain
The part an itinerary app leaves out. These are Spain's rules for Australian passport holders, re-read from the official source and dated below.
Entry
No - Australian passport holders can enter Spain without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Passport
Spain wants 3 months of validity beyond the day you leave. A fare is non-refundable long before a passport renewal is.
Your checklist
21 things to sort for Spain, built from these same rules, 3 of them essential.
- Passport valid - issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond the date you leave the schengen area
- Take out travel insurance
- Get an International Driving Permit
Last reviewed 2026-10-24. Entry requirements change without notice. Always confirm with the official sources below before you book or fly.
Sort these before you go
The two things worth having arranged before a highlights trip to Spain, compared on price.
Spain travel insurance
Klook
Travel insurance
Set at quote
Fast Cover Cheapest
Comprehensive
9k$19.50 AUD
Compare only
Spain eSIM plans
Airalo
1GB · 7 days
32k$8.50 AUD
Airalo Recommended
10GB · 15 days
32k$17 AUD
Saily
10GB · 30 days
6k$22 AUD
Prices are indicative, shown in AUD and refreshed from provider APIs where available. Always confirm the final price on the provider's site - it is the price that applies. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never changes what you pay. Partners are listed before providers who pay us nothing, as our terms set out; sorting by price ignores all of that and orders on the number alone. How we make money.
Budget highlights questions
What counts as budget here?
The lowest-priced third of everything worth doing in that country, measured against that country's own prices rather than a fixed dollar figure. A budget day in Norway and a budget day in Vietnam are not the same number, and pretending otherwise would just describe the exchange rate.
Does a cheaper plan mean a worse one?
No, and the ordering is the same either way: everything is ranked on its review score first, so a budget plan is the best-reviewed cheap things rather than the cheapest things. Flights and accommodation are not included in any of these figures.
What goes into a highlights plan?
It rotates between wellness, sightseeing and food items rather than clustering them, so no single day is three museums or three meals. If you would rather lean one way, switch the theme at the top of the page and the plan rebuilds.
Can I change the plan once it is built?
Yes. Pace and length are controls on the page, and changing either rebuilds the plan instantly. The itinerary is deterministic, so the same choices always produce the same plan - you can send someone the link and they will see what you see.
Other ways to do Spain
Spain wellness itinerary
Hot springs and spa days, but also gyms, yoga, hiking and open water. Rest and movement, not one or the other.
Spain sightseeing itinerary
Coastlines, lookouts, day trips and the landmarks that are actually worth the queue.
Spain food itinerary
Markets, cooking classes, wine regions and the places worth planning a day around.
Highlights trips in other countries
Still deciding where to go? These are built the same way - real activities, in an order that works, with the entry rules for Australians attached.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom highlights itinerary
Australians now need an ETA - this changed in 2025.
🇮🇹 Italy highlights itinerary
Schengen visa-free - with EES biometrics now in force and ETIAS coming.
🇳🇿 New Zealand highlights itinerary
Closest to home, easiest to plan.
🇯🇵 Japan highlights itinerary
Visa-free, cash-friendly, and worth over-preparing for.