Top 10 alternative vacations in Spain

From a tour focussing on the production, tasting and cooking of delicious Iberian ham to Spanish courses that can be combined with mountain biking, salsa dancing or hiking in the high peaks of the Picos de Europa mountains, our Top 10 alternative vacations in Spain offer a smorgasbord of outside-the-box vacation possibilities.

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Top 10 alternative vacations in Spain

Spain may not be the first place that comes to mind when you consider taking a vacation that offers something a little bit different, but look outside the box and you’ll find passionate local hosts opening up corners of the country away from the crowds. Consider Spanish courses in the Picos de Europa Mountains mixed with walking or yoga, fitness camps tucked into the Costa Blanca, or learn the secrets to making traditional Iberian ham in rural Andalucía.

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1. Activities around the Altiplano de Granada

Dubbed Spain’s Lake District, the Altiplano de Granada is an outdoor wonderland of lakes and rivers – surrounded by the dramatic mountains and gorges of the Sierras de Cazorla and Castril. And for family-friendly hiking, kayaking, mountain biking or horse riding under the balmy Mediterranean sky it’s bliss. It’s also one of the darkest places in Spain at night, with spectacular stargazing.

Best time to go: All year round
Our top selling trip: Altiplano de Granada activity vacation
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Read more: Family vacations in Spain travel guide

2. Learn Spanish and...

Saddle up for adventures in Catalonia, with week-long horse riding vacations that can be tailored to experienced riders as well as complete beginners. You can roam the beautiful countryside around your eco hotel base, and enjoy lessons in the ring as well, whether you’re interested in jumping, dressage or even buggy riding. Learn under the watchful eyes of a national equestrian coach, and remember that you can get there in just 10 hours from London by train – talk about horse power.

Best time to go: All year round
Our top selling trip: Spanish course & walking vacation, Picos de Europa
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Read more: Learn Spanish overview

3. Try a spot of snowshoeing

Spain is not just for the summer months. Destinations like the Spanish Pyrenees are idyllic during the winter, often blanketed with snow. Here, guided snowshoeing vacations might explore the magnificent Ordesa National Park, where vultures fly. If you’ve never tried snowshoeing before it’s not difficult to get the hang of, especially with the help of a local guide. And if the snow doesn’t fall, there are plenty of lovely winter walks to enjoy, too.

Best time to go: December to February
Our top selling trip: Pyrenees winter walking and snowshoeing vacation
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Read more: Snowshoeing and winter walking in the Spanish Pyrenees

4. Horse riding in Catalonia

Best time to go: All year round
Our top selling trip: Catalan horse riding vacation in Spain
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Read more: Horse riding vacations travel guide

5. Off-beat accommodation in the Canaries

Throw off the ‘Lanzagrotty’ shackles and discover what this island of year-round sunshine can do at its best. Off-grid accommodation on a quiet eco-friendly finca ranges from a renovated old water tower to spacious, luxurious yurts – all within walking distance of a gloriously quiet beach – perfect for kids and kite surfers alike – and a pretty, traditionally Canarian fishing village.

Best time to go: All year round
Our top selling trip: Unusual accommodation in Lanzarote
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Read more: Lanzarote travel guide

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6. Explore Mallorca’s mountains

Barely anyone makes Mallorca’s mountainous interior their main reason for a Balearic break – and yet away from its often busy beaches lie exquisite hiking trails past rugged peaks and a host of tiny, traditional villages topped with ancient churches and quiet, almost-only-for-locals cafes. That’s not to say bathing isn’t possible too – but in hidden coves accessed on foot, and well away from the tourist crowds.

Best time to go: March to May and September to October
Our top selling trip: Mallorca 8-day walking vacation
Read more: Walking vacations in Spain travel guide

7. Painting vacations

Poise those paintbrushes and dust off camera lenses, Spain offers wonderful opportunities for creative getaways under the close, but friendly, eye of an expert tutor. You might be surrounded by the vibrant colours of rural Andalucía – springtime wild flowers or stark whitewashed Moorish villages; or the earthy, rust-like tones and crystal-clear air of the Picos de Europa mountains in Autumn; or sea spray from crashing waves in northern Spain, catching the evening light.

Best time to go: May to June and September to October
Our top selling trip: Northern Spain photography vacation, wild seascapes
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Read more: Painting vacations travel guide

8. Discover the Spanish Pyrenees

Some of the least-visited corners of the Pyrenees can be found in Spain’s share of its peaks. Here valleys hide tiny farming hamlets on the edge of the spectacular Ordessa National Park, with near endless guided and self-guided walking options. Visits to local markets and wine-tastings offer delectable ways to practise after Spanish lessons, or simply relax in a detox retreat in the clear mountain air.

Best time to go: March to October
Our top selling trip: Cooking & walking vacation in the Spanish Pyrenees
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Read more: Spanish Pyrenees travel guide

9. Iberian Ham tour in Andalucia

Go beyond a night out tasting tapas and immerse yourself fully in the tantalising world of traditional Spanish cuisine. Head to the Sierra de Aracena – home of Spain’s best cured ham, pata negra – to learn about all things jamón, from carving and cooking to a tasting masterclass.

Best time to go: All year round
Our top selling trip: Iberian ham tour in Andalucía
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Read more: Cooking and food travel guide

10. Stay in a cave

One of the quirky intricacies of rural Andalucían life are cave houses – cool, whitewash-fronted dwelling hewn out of the rocky hills scattering the Altiplano de Granada and the northeast Granada province. Often set alone, in tiny hamlets or at most on the edge of small villages, cave houses are unanimously peaceful, but usually with the benefit of local produce markets just down the road.

Best time to go: All year round
Our top selling trip: Cave accommodation in Andalucía
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Read more: Andalucía travel guide