Where to go on a multi activity holiday in Spain

Spain is huge, with landscapes that vary from the sandy beaches of Andalucia to the snow-striped mountains of the Picos de Europa and Pyrenees. Our multi activity holidays visit local activity providers in lesser-visited areas of Spain – which often means going rural. You’ll usually stay in one place, perhaps in an independent hotel or guest house, and be whisked off to various river gorges, via ferrata routes or snowshoeing trails within an hour or two’s drive, hike or train ride away. Or in the case of many, the adventure starts from your accommodation’s front door. Scenery changes fast here, so although you’re typically based in one place you’ll have the chance to try a variety of different activities in a variety of natural environments.
Andalucia

1. Andalucia

Take yourself off grid in Andalucia as you enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities in lesser-trod rural regions like the Altiplano de Granada and the national parks of Castril and Cazorla. From flamenco dancing and stargazing to white-water rafting and canyoning, multi activity holidays in Andalucia are all about discovering Spain from an immersive angle.
Catalonia

2. Catalonia

Imagine Catalonia as a triangle, with the mountainous French border on one side, a long line of lakes and rivers on another side, and the sandy Costa Brava on the other. The diverse landscapes make Catalonia great for multi activity holidays – you might be horse riding and hiking along clifftop paths one day and snowshoeing or mountain biking in the Pyrenees the next.
La Rioja

3. La Rioja

La Rioja isn’t just about tasting wines and touring vineyards… although that is one of the more tempting activities here. This northern province also features part of the Camino de Santiago, which draws cyclists and hikers to this sacred pilgrimage route. Make sure to visit the monasteries and add a day or two in Bilbao, leaving time to see the futuristic Guggenheim Museum.
Picos de Europa

4. Picos de Europa

Learning Spanish has never been so much fun, especially when combined with canoeing, canyoning and via ferrata climbing routes on a multi activity holiday in the Picos de Europa mountains. If you want to experience the Picos from a more extreme angle, try exploring the routes around Arenas De Cabrales – its steep trails and funiculars are not for the faint-hearted.
Sierra de Guadarrama National Park

5. Sierra de Guadarrama National Park

Sierra de Guadarrama is one of Spain’s most impressive mountain ranges, with cycling, hiking and tapas tasting all within an hour’s drive of Madrid. Oak and juniper trees sweep up to rocky mountain peaks, hiding away old trails. In fact, this is serious cycling country – you’ll see lots of Lycra-clad peddlers zooming from village to village. Penalara, the highest peak in the region, rises above it all.
Spanish Pyrenees

6. Spanish Pyrenees

The foothills of the Spanish Pyrenees remain a relative unknown to many visitors. Nature hikes watch out for reintroduced bearded vultures – the conservation success story of the region. There’s yoga, walking, wild swimming and winter snowshoeing in Ordesa National Park. Or hop over into Andorra for a multi activity holiday around the lakes and valleys of Siscaro National Park.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Spain multi activity or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.

Multi activity holidays in Spain travel advice

“The stargazing session was so memorable, book it if you can! Take bug spray, we did get a lot of bites – so we were better for the bug spray. Use the app provided by the hotel, it’s very helpful for choosing the most accessible activities and Ilaria is so helpful with booking things.” – Charlotte Broughton on our Altiplano de Granada activity holiday

“We’ve had 87-year-old who are into everything and parents with babies who are still keen to get involved. Some guests arrive and they seem to be stuck in an inactive rut. We encourage them to get going again by joining a few yoga classes or tackling easy walking or cycling routes.” – Fiona Smart, who co-owns our activity and sports hotel Mas Pelegri near Girona

“We highly recommend all the activities we did: kayaking, rafting, riding, canyoning, Segway, cooking, flamenco and archaeology. The location is wonderfully remote. Be prepared for a bit of rough driving and make good use of the app.” – Helen Bowman on our Altiplano de Granada activity holiday

“It’s usually a mix of family time and social time that works best for most. We always talk with families and find out what they’d like to do. It often depends on the age of the kids. We'll do our best to accommodate everyone but really you need to make sure your family knows what they’re signing up for before they book.” – Ilaria Grieco, co-owner of our Spanish multi activity holiday specialists El Geco Verde

“Definitely hire a car with a big ground clearance, preferably a 4x4. The roads are often not covered in tarmac and the hills are quite steep.” – Helen Ainsworth on our Altiplano de Granada activity holiday
Written by Chris Owen
Photo credits: [Page banner: Mathew MacQuarrie] [Andalucia: Por los caminos de Malaga] [Catalonia: Diliff] [La Rioja: Oula Lehtinen] [Picos de Europa: Stjean64] [Sierra de Guadarrama National Park: Discasto] [Spanish Pyrenees: Kitty Terwolbeck]