Traveling to Spain from the United StatesSpain is a great country to visit, either by itself or as a tour of Europe. It has so much to offer tourists:-
- Sunshine – Andalucia is particularly known for its sunshine and year round warm climate.
- Culture – Bullfighting, fiestas, flamenco, art, museums, gastronomy, wine and more!
- History – From the Moorish Alhambra and Mezquita, to Renaissance and Baroque architecture, Spain has got a rich history to become immersed in. Spain has the second largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world.
- Beauty – Pretty white-washed mountain villages, mountains, plains, natural parks, pine forests, the Tabernas desert, gorges and the beautiful Mediterranean coastline.
- Vibrant cities – Granada, Seville, Malaga, Cordoba, Cadiz and Almeria are all wonderful cities with great shopping and a vast array of attractions. You may want to combine a visit to Andalucia with a city break in Madrid or Barcelona for the perfect taste of Spain.
- Top Class Golf Courses - There are around 100 golf courses in Andalucia and it's got just the right climate for playing golf- year round sunshine and generally dry weather.
Those are just a few of the attractions that Spain has to offer, and Andalucia has them all!
Getting to Spain from the USIf you want to fly to Spain from the US, you have two main options:-
- Fly direct to Spain
- Fly to Spain via another European city.
Flying Directly to Spain
Some US airports have flights which go directly to Spain, without any stopovers and connecting flights.
You can either fly to Madrid, which is great if you want to see Spain's capital but you will then obviously need to get to Andalucia by car, train or another flight; or you can fly directly to Malaga in Andalucia, which will obviously cut down your travelling time once you are in Spain.
Looking on Priceline.com
 for some example flights in February 2009, I found a direct flight (non-stop) from New York City (JFK) to Malaga (in Andalucia, Spain) with AirFrance for $2751 roundtrip per person, departing on a Wednesday (February 25th) and taking 7 hours 35 minutes.
Also on Priceline.com , I found a flight on the same day (25th February) from New York's JFK Airport to Malaga, with a stop in Madrid, for $479 roundtrip per person. Trip duration was a total of 16 hours 55 minutes.
Madrid can be reached from Chicago (ORD), Newark (EWR), Miami (MIA), Boston (BOS) and Philadelphia (PHL).
These are just example flights and obviously prices and flights will depend on your chosen dates of travel and which airport you choose to travel from. Priceline.com has a great search facility.
Flying to Spain via another European City
A great way to see Europe is by flying from the US to a European city like London, Zurich, Brussels or Paris. All of these cities are beautiful and have many cultural and historical attractions, and are ideal for a city break before catching a flight to Spain. Just imagine combining a holiday to Andalucia with seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the church spires of Zurich, Buckingham Palace in London or the Grand Palace of Brussels!
You can either fly from these European cities to Madrid, and have yet another fabulous city break, or fly directly to one of the Andalucian cities, such as Malaga, Granada, Seville or Almeria.
Entry Requirements
If you are travelling to Spain from the United States or Canada, you will need a valid passport which will allow you to remain in Spain for up to 90 days. Your passport needs to be valid for at least 3 months after your intended leaving date.
You do not need a visa unless you are intending to stay longer than 90 days.
Driving in Spain
To be able to drive in a rental car on your vacation in Spain, you will need to be 21 or over and generally need to have held a driver's licence for a minimum of 1-2 years, depending on the car hire company. You will need to obtain an International Driving Permit before your vacation.
Other Documentation or Requirements
Travel insurance is recommended for your Andalucia vacation and you should also check with your medical insurance company before your trip to check out whether you will be covered overseas. Medical care is excellent in Spain, should you need it.
Embassy or Consulate Registration
US citizens are advised that they should register with the nearest US Embassy or Consulate if they are going to be traveling in Spain or living in Spain. You can register and find out up-to-date travel information at the US Department of State website.
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