Sangria, Sunsets, and Spanish Charm: A 20-something’s guide to Spain’s must-dos


Whether it’s the breathtaking beaches of Barcelona, the dance and club-filled nights of Ibiza, or the art and tapas-filled streets of Madrid; Spain is the ultimate adult playground for 20-somethings to enjoy and explore. 

Spain, along with its impeccable beauty and sunshine year-round, is the perfect place for a college study-abroad experience, or even just a couple weeks of vacation! You truly will never run out of things to do and amazing places to explore, as each city is filled with delicious food, drinks, and unique excursions. 

We’ve created an amazing guide of all the Spain must-dos for your next European adventure - specifically, how to have the most fun and soak up all your time in this beautiful country. 

Stop #1: Barcelona

Barcelona is the capital of Spain’s Catalonia region and is known for its art, architecture and amazing nightlife. The architecture in Barcelona can be described in one way: breathtaking. Antoni Gaudí is a famous Catalan architect, and his amazing designs can be found all throughout the city. Barcelona is also home to so many delicious restaurants, constantly serving delicious Tapas-style foods, which are plenty of small plates with all different kinds of mouth-watering Spanish foods! 

Here’s our must-do list of all things Barcelona for your next trip:

The Sagrada Familia is an absolute must-do, a stunning church in the heart of Barcelona. It’s the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world (it has been under construction for over 100 years), and the inside is just as beautiful as the outside. It’s surrounded by a beautiful park and walking area, so you can grab a coffee from one of the local cafes nearby, and stroll along as you look at the stunning architecture. 

Photo by Elizabeth Reucassel

The Beaches are simply everything in Barcelona! We’re obsessed with how long and open they are, and the warm sand and stunning Mediterranean sea that’s a dream to swim in. Because it’s always sunny in Barcelona, the beach is a must-do no matter what time of year you’re visiting. For swimming purposes, it’s an absolute dream to soak in from May through October. Just don’t forget your sunscreen!


The Gothic Quarter! This is by far one of the most beautiful, historic, and stunning areas of Barcelona. Home to the original buildings of the city, the Gothic quarter is flooded by amazing restaurants, cool and unique speakeasies, and the most stunning architecture pictured above. 

Photo by Elizabeth Reucassel


The clubbing culture and nightlife! Barcelona has some of the biggest, most fun, and unique nightlife and clubbing experiences! “Razzmatazz”, which is pictured above; is arguably the most fun and study-aboard catered club in all of Europe. It is filled every night of the week, but given that it’s 7 floors, you will never feel squished or overcrowded because there’s so much room. The music and DJs are fantastic, and we totally recommend checking out the concerts they throw as well!

These are just a couple of the amazing highlights Barcelona has to offer. There is still plenty more to do and see. As we said before: it’s literally a playground for 20-somethings to soak up all the fun and amazing chaos the city has to offer. 


Stop #2: Ibiza

Oh Ibiza, it is truly a must-do visit and experience for 20-somethings hopping around Europe. It is one of the Balearic islands of Spain, surrounded by the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. Ibiza has some of the most famous nightlife spots in the whole world, featuring the #1 best club in the world: Hi Ibiza. 

One thing to remember about Ibiza is that you must come prepared. You definitely don’t need more than a week in Ibiza, and make sure you are ready for plenty of fun and lots of late nights with memories you won’t forget. 

Here our some of our top recommendations as well as tips & tricks for experiencing the best out of Ibiza:

Enjoy the rocky beaches and views! Nightlife isn’t everything in Ibiza, the island is actually home to some AMAZING beaches with picturesque sunset and sunrise views. We definitely recommend doing some boat tours around the island to get the full scope of its beautiful coast and all it has to offer.

Despite it’s “party island” rep. Ibiza is truly a stunning island in Spain that has amazing food, beaches, and yes, amazing nightlife as well. The island will most likely be filled with lots of other 20-somethings, so it would be a great place to meet friends as you travel as well! 

Stop #3: Madrid

We truly don’t have enough good things to say about Madrid. It is a stunning, clean, and wholesome city that has the most amazing food and art. As Spain’s central capital, Madrid is known worldwide and is such a fun city to explore. 

Some must-visits in Madrid:

As we said before, Madrid is known for its art. An absolute MUST-DO is visiting Museo Nacional del Prado, commonly known as ‘Prado’. This museum features some breathtaking Spanish art, dating all the way back to the 6th century BCE. Grab some friends, go for a little cocktail before, and spend your evening getting lost in the amazing exhibits Prado has to offer. 

The cannot miss architecture! The best way to get around Madrid is by foot. The city is so walkable and you get to immerse yourself in all the beauty. Definitely check our Plaza Mayor, the  Luján Lagoon (where the mayor’s office is!), and all the gorgeous cobblestone streets in between. Whether you’re strolling around with a yummy coffee or cocktail in hand, Madrid’s architecture is nothing short of amazing. 

Last, but certainly not least, the amazing restaurants and cave-style bars Madrid has to offer! Cave-style bars are unique to Madrid, they are literally a bar inside of a cave. Definitely worth it!

Here are our top recs for restaurants & cave bars in Madrid:

Safe to say, Spain is truly one of the most desirable, fun, and life-changing places to visit in Europe in your 20s. It’s beautiful, affordable, delicious, and simply just an all-around great time. Save all our recs for your next Spanish adventure!

Tag @Theedge if you venture to any of these amazing Spanish spots!

TravelElizabeth Reucassel