Seville

Seville is full of amazing architecture. Plaza de Espana has been completely renovated as it was badly neglected in the past. With beautiful bridges and gondolas, this place is magical. Alcazar is a medieval Islamic palace, surrounded by amazingly luscious gardens-very peaceful and relaxing to wonder through. If you’re looking for a little taste of flamenco, Casa de la Memoria de Al-Andalus is one of the most authentic and intimate flamenco bars you will find. Vinería San Telmo also has great tapas.

La Carbonería may seem pretty dead during the day, but at night it goes off with live music and traditional dancing. The Cathedral and Giralda is an amazing site from the 12th century. Parque de María Luisa is also amazing. Very quiet, which means it’s a lovely place for a mini nap if you’re feeling a bit tired for your adventures. If that’s not enough culture for you, Semana Santa and Conjunto Monumental de la Cartuja are two spectacular churches. The detailed architecture around the whole city is quite unbelievable! As well as Ronda and Pamplona, Seville is also known for its bullfighting, so if you have a chance to check that out take it as an advantage.

Seville is full of small bars. You can visit five very different bars without even leaving the street. The main areas are; Alfalfa, where Pérez Galdós gets so packed with people on Friday and Saturday nights that cars can't drive down it; Alameda, which has a more alternative scene, with lots of gay bars and clubs; and calle Betis by the river in Triana, which is wall-to-wall with venues, from quiet bars to all-night clubs.

Ronda

Ronda’s landscape is absolutely amazing. Even if you don’t have time to stay, you must do a day trip to see the cliff sides. La Ciudad (literally translates to The City), is where Ronda’s most famous sight is – yes I mean the cliff side (Puente Nuevo). The best view of this is from the Camino de los Molinos, which runs along the bottom of the gorge. Guided walks etc are not very necessary. Wonder around the area and you can walk down as far as you want towards the bottom. There’s also plenty of busking around the cliff side, which really sets the scene. Makes the view magical. Hidden in the site is a cave bar, which has awesome live music. (See below)

For great tapas in the area, head to Bodega San Francisco. If your there for dinner, Casa Santa Pola has fantastic food. The roast lamb with honey and rosemary is delicious. Tetería Al Zahra has beautiful teas and fantastic Moroccan ceramic teapots and cups and, of course shisha’s, or hookahs, which are very common throughout Spain. If you’re planning on doing a tour around the city, there is a day tour trip from Granada, including wine tasting and checking out the bull fighting arenas (which you must do). There is a local guide who will show you around. This will cost around $160, so clearly if you’re on a budget you can check the places out in your own time.

Ronda is surprisingly becoming a younger area, so more and more bars and clubs are actually opening. Carmen Abela, off Calle Espinel (La Bola) is the best bar in Ronda for a night out. La Farola is a traditional bar named after the huge street lamp in the centre of the square. Just be aware it is closed on Sundays. Limbo is also a great bar but closes early, depending on how busy it is. Having said that, sometimes it is open till sunrise. O’Flaghtery’s Irish Bar is less than a minute’s walk away and is always full of young tourists and locals (perfect for you guys- loads of uni students).

Pamplona

If you know anything about Spain, more so Pamplona, I’m sure you know it’s most famous for the running of the bulls, or ‘Sanfermines’. If you are there from the 6th of July to the 14th, you should definitely check it out. Just be very careful. People die who take part every year, but it’s fantastic if you’re watching from a tall building and there’s no way the bulls can reach you. The top things to do in Pamplona include visiting the impressive cathedral, the historic parks and the great city walls. If you are looking to stay at a cheap hostel, the cheapest you will find is around $25, including hostels such as Aloha Hostel and Xarma Hostel Aterpea. In Pamplona, rooms are a bit pricier due to the positioning and beaches in the city, so if you are planning to stay in the cheapest hostels, remember you will be getting the extreme basics.

Bars and clubs are busiest in the early hours of the morning. A lot of the activity is also throughout the day during the Festival of San Fermín. The main square of Pamplona is the Plaza del Castillo, it is the heart of the Old Town as well as the entire city, which holds Subsuela, quite a decent and busy club. The Plaza is always entertaining with a million things going on around you. It is so much fun. You can’t go to Pamplona and not go here. Being a busy area, remember to keep a hold of your belongings close to you, particularly in tight crowds to avoid any theft. Also, there is no cover charge which is great too. A lot of the clubs in Spain don’t really have cover charges unless they are the biggest ones in the city (or you’re in Barcelona). Jarauta Street is FULL of clubs and bars and is always fun going from one club to the next. You won’t need to go anywhere else, just spend the whole night on this street. Tejeira Street is very similar. During the Festivals, literally all the shops and groceries close down and all the streets turn into streets of music, dancing, fun and of course A LOT OF ALCOHOL. The night life is really EVERYWHERE in this city. Just follow the music and you will find great drinks and great people and have the time of your life. Eating out in Pamplona is a real treat and great fun if you plan to sample every tapas bar you can find.

San Sebastián

Being on the beach, there is nothing better than after a day of exploring to have a swim and a cerveza (beer) on the sand of Isla de Santa Clara. For a cheap tour of around $20, there is a hop-on hop-off bus that travels right around the city on a double-decker bus -yes, like the ones in London. When looking for somewhere to stay, there are many cheap hostels full of students doing the exact same thing. San Fermin is only about $30 a night. You can go cheaper if you want for $15 a night at Urban House but just remember its $15 for a reason. Olga’s Place is only $22 a night. It is basic but it is done well.

The beaches and sights to see are great. Playa de Gros and Playa de la Concha are some of the best city beaches you can find. Mirando a San Sebastián and Museo Naval are both pretty cool museums if you have time to check them out.

A night of partying typically starts in 'La Parte Vieja', the Old Part, which is a maze of bars, clubs, pubs to suit any taste. Meet with friends between 10 and 11 to enjoy some pinxtos (typical Basque food), and have a few copas (beer, wine, a strong mixed drink, or the famous Basque cider). Illumbe is the biggest after-hours zone in San Sebastian with dozens of clubs staying open until 6 or 7 in the morning. Here there is typically no cover fee meaning that you can go from club to club to see which ones best suit you. Illumbe is about a 15 or 20 minute walk from the Old Part or a 5 Euro cab ride (tip - or a 1.20 Euro bus). For those who don't want to make the trip to Illumbe, San Sebastian's most famous club, Bataplan, is only a 5 minute walk from The Old Part. For those interested in a more alternative scene, the dozen or so bars around the Buen Pastor Cathedral, located next to the Old Part provide a more relaxed ambience with quality lounge music and nicely decorated interiors. El Barrio Gros, located on the other side of the Urumea River, a 5 minute walk from the Old Part features a diverse nightlife with everything from Irish Pubs to Retro bars.

Madrid

Being the capital of Spain expectations for Madrid can be rather high. Try not to have this and keep in mind it is not the ‘clubbing capital’. Having said that, there are many exciting destinations throughout Spain and Madrid is just another one. When staying in Madrid, it is best to stay as close to the city centre as possible, or in it.

There are many beautiful sights to see. Even if you are not particularly into that kind of thing, you must visit the Museo De Prado. The artwork is amazing and you will spend hours being lost amongst it. As well as this, the major plazas throughout the city are full of entertaining scenes and great shopping. Plaza Mayor is the major plaza, with exciting things happening everywhere you turn. Plaza de la Villa is also an exciting and busy plaza to visit. If you want to check out some grand sites but don’t want to spend all of your time doing that, quickly check out Palacio Real, a beautiful palace and Basílica de San Francisco El Grande, where all you will want to do is look up. Beautiful architecture. El Rastro is a great market, full of opportunities to pick up a bargain or two. Mercado de de Fuencarral is an area full of young and vibrant shops. A lot of the stores are pretty funky. With names like Fuck, Ugly Shop and Black Kiss you have to check them out.


In terms of clubbing, La Venencia is a great bar. They pour the drinks straight from the barrel and also have a decent selection of tapas. Museo Chicote has the most cocktails I have ever seen. The Roof, which is a cocktail bar with an amazing view of the city, as well as Antigua Casa Angel Sierra and Delic are also pretty cool bars to visit. One of the best clubs in Madrid is definitely Kapital. It’s known to be one of the most famous ‘mega clubs’ with seven stories and different music on each floor you will never be bored. You will learn that the locals are very forward in terms of sexuality and showing you how they feel. Just keep this in mind…

Granada

Granada, being placed right down South is not usually thought of as an ideal destination for young people traveling through Spain. Having said that, the local nightlife and free tapas with every drink, as well as the beautiful people tend to change these initial thoughts.

If you only have a small amount of time for sightseeing, the Alhambra is one of the main attractions in Granada. It’s a beautiful palace in the day and night! If you are up for a few casual drinks, or a wild night, begin at the bar Camborio, which has the most beautiful view of the Alhambra. But you might need to take off your heels to walk. It’s quite I steep walk on the cobbled streets. The lights on the palace are magical.
There are many vibrant bars in Granada with 1 or 2 Euro shots. One bar in particular, Babylon is found in a dark alleyway, containing pillars covered in the names of 100 different types of shots, all 1 and 2 Euro as shown in this
picture. Maee West is a great club with 3 different rooms all containing different music and D.J’s. Be careful as it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. Eshavira is a flamenco bar which you should check out along with Sala Industrial Copera Peña de la Platería, which claims to be the oldest flamenco aficionados’ club in Spain. It’s a private affair, though, and not always open to nonmembers. Performances are usually Thursday and Saturday at 10.30pm – speak a little Spanish at the door, if you can. Granada 10, being a glittery converted cinema is now Granada’s top club for the glamorous crowd, who lie on the gold sofas and enjoy cheesy Spanish pop music. It’s unlikely you will get to check this place out as it is very pricey, but it’s a once in a life time kind of thing. It’s unbelievable.

Being very close to Morocco, Granada has fantastic Moroccan influenced markets, with every second store containing hookah’s (or shishas) which are often served with Moroccan style tea. Some places give you a free hookah with a kebab. The kebabs in Granada are not like your average kebabs. Coming in the form of a sandwich, or burger it does not look like your average wrapped kebab. Don’t let this image question the food. I have to say, these are the BEST kebabs I have ever had around the world. Delicious.