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Six steps, eighteen things to look at before you fly. Each one links to the official page, with the date we read it. Tick what you have done.
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Step 1 of 6
Passport, ID and entry
Which document you travel on, and what the border will ask. Rules differ between EU and non-EU visitors.
Look at the expiry date on your passport or ID card, and check on the official page which document you can use to enter Spain.
Official page: Your Europe: Entry and exit → Read 2026-11-09
Visitors from outside the EU are registered at the border by the EU's entry/exit system. Check the official page for what this means at your arrival airport.
Official page: European Union: EES → Read 2026-11-09
ETIAS is the EU's planned travel authorisation for visitors who do not need a visa. Its status changes, so check the official page before you book.
Status when we read the EU page on 9 November 2026: planned for the last quarter of 2026, with no exact start date confirmed. Other sites give other dates, so check the official page.
Official page: European Union: ETIAS → Read 2026-11-09
Step 2 of 6
Health card and insurance
We are not a source for health or insurance questions. These links go to the people who are.
If you are insured in an EU country, check how to get the European Health Insurance Card from your own insurer. Children need their own card.
Official page: Your Europe: EHIC → Read 2026-11-09
Check on the official page how health cover works for a short stay in another EU country.
Official page: Your Europe: Short stays → Read 2026-11-09
Read the terms of any travel insurance you hold, and see what the official page says the health card does not cover.
Official page: Your Europe: EHIC → Read 2026-11-09
Step 3 of 6
Driving licence and car hire
Only if a car is part of your plan.
Check on the official page whether your driving licence is accepted in Spain.
Official page: Your Europe: Driving licence → Read 2026-11-09
If you plan to hire a car, read the rental company's terms for age limits, the type of card needed and the deposit, and the official page on renting abroad.
Official page: Your Europe: Renting a car → Read 2026-11-09
Traffic rules and signs can differ from home. The Spanish traffic authority's site is the place to check them.
Official page: DGT → Read 2026-11-09
Step 4 of 6
Money
Spain uses the euro. Cards work in most places, not all.
The Swedish embassy's travel information says cards are not always accepted in small towns and taxis. Read what it says on the official page.
Official page: Utrikesdepartementet / Sweden Abroad: Lokala lagar och sedvänjor, Spanien → Read 2026-11-09
Ask your bank what a card payment or cash withdrawal abroad costs, and read the official page on cross-border payments.
Official page: Your Europe: Cross-border payments → Read 2026-11-09
Check the official page on what you may carry with you and when cash must be declared.
Official page: Your Europe: Carrying cash and goods → Read 2026-11-09
Step 5 of 6
Phone, roaming and eSIM
Within the EU, roaming usually works like at home. Outside it, ask your operator.
Check with your operator whether your plan works in Spain and what it costs, and read the official page on EU roaming.
Official page: Your Europe: Roaming → Read 2026-11-09
If your phone plan is from outside the EU, ask your operator about roaming costs, or look at what a travel eSIM would be before you fly.
Official page: Your Europe: Roaming → Read 2026-11-09
112 is the emergency number in Spain. The Swedish embassy's travel information also mentions the police's AlertCops app.
Official page: Utrikesdepartementet / Sweden Abroad: Kriminalitet och personlig säkerhet, Spanien → Read 2026-11-09
Step 6 of 6
Book ahead and before you land
Pick your place and see what our own guide says. The links go to official sites.
Some sights and trains have limited entry. Pick a place below to see what our guide says, then check the official site for tickets.
Official page: Spain.info (Turespaña) → Read 2026-11-09
Look up how you get from the airport to where you stay. Pick a place below to see what our guide says, and check the airport operator's site.
Official page: AENA → Read 2026-11-09
Kitchens in Spain open late: lunch from about 13:30 and dinner from about 20:30, according to Wikivoyage. If you land in the afternoon, check what is open near your stay.
Official page: Wikivoyage: Spain → Read 2026-11-09
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More basics on our Spain essentials page
General travel information, not medical, legal, insurance or tax advice. Rules change: the official page decides.