On the east coast of Spain, right on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, lies the university town of Castellón de la Plana. It has about 170,000 inhabitants and is easily accessible because it has its own airport. But most tourists probably travel via the metropolis of Valencia, which is only 30 km away – or even with a cruise ship: Cruise ships often arrive in the port of Castellón de la Plana, and the passengers may then spend a few hours in the city. But such a short stay is actually not appropriate for the traditional city! If you can make it possible, you should take a few days for Castellón de la Plana, yes, maybe even spend the whole holiday here – it’s worth it! A beach holiday is highly recommended, as the water temperatures of the Mediterranean Sea reach around 25°C in July, even 26°C in August, and in September the water on the beaches of Castellón de la Plana is still around 24°C!

A stroll through the old town

The old town with its narrow streets, nice restaurants and numerous shops offers plenty of opportunities for shopping and going out. If you like to party, head to the small party district of Las Tascas with its cocktail bars in the evening. And during the day it is worth taking beautiful photos in the old town. Tourists like to walk through the market square and admire the pretty town hall with its arcades. It was built in the 17th century in the Baroque style. In front of the town hall there is a fountain – also photogenic. The most beautiful photo motif and landmark of the city is not the town hall, but the tower “El Fadri”. It is the octagonal bell tower of the cathedral of Castellón de la Plana, the “Iglesia Concatedral de Santa Maria de la Ascunción”. The 58 m high tower dates from the 16th century and was built in the Gothic style. It stands separately from the church to which it belongs. The cathedral itself is definitely worth seeing, but much younger than the tower. After fires and destruction, the original church was reconstructed in neo-Gothic style from 1939 onwards. It has an impressive nave with two aisles and is decorated with beautiful altars and statues. Outside there is a small cloister. The Basilica of Our Lady of Lledó, built between 1724 and 1731, is also worth a visit – a place of pilgrimage for the locals, an admirable building for tourists and also a place of silence and contemplation. The basilica is painted bright white inside and out.

Interesting and quiet: the museums

Not only the historic buildings, but also the museums prove that Castellón de la Plana is a very attractive place for those interested in culture. Two of the city’s museums should be mentioned here: The largest and most important museum in the city is probably the “Museum of Fine Arts”. Many archaeological finds are exhibited here, but also numerous pretty, colorful ceramic products. (An extra tip: ceramic jugs, cups or plates are ideal holiday souvenirs from the region!). In addition, interesting paintings and sculptures can be found in the museum. Also worth a visit is the Ethnological Museum (“Museo de Etnologia”), where mainly everyday objects of the 19. and 20th century. This is where the region’s past comes alive!

Attractive for families: the adventure pool and the beaches

Families like to spend an eventful day in the “Aquarama” adventure pool. It is located just 12 km north of Castellón de la Plana and offers attractions for swimmers and non-swimmers, such as various swimming pools, paddling pools and water slides. Children will never get bored here! But the beaches are also attractive: north of the city harbour are the beaches of Playa el Gurugú, Playa del Pinar and Playa el Palmeral. Every family will find a nice place here, even in the high season! The sand is light and fine, and the beaches slope gently down to the sea. Important for children and non-swimmers: Lifeguards are on duty during the bathing season. Sanitary facilities, showers and beach bars are also available. Another tip: South of the city harbour is the beach Playa de Ben Afelí. It belongs to the southern municipality of Almassora and is often a little quieter than the city beaches on hot summer days. Beach bars can also be found here. By the way, a walk on the beach is a wonderful experience at any time of the year.

Rest and enjoy: From the park to the harbour

If you want to relax for a few hours, the best thing to do is to take a walk through Ribalta Park. This park is a “must” for visitors to the city anyway, it is one of the most important attractions! The Ribalta Park was laid out in the 19th century in the English style: with beautiful flower beds, hedges, pond and pavilions. The monuments and sculptures that additionally decorate the park form original photo motifs. The “stars” of the park, however, are the benches. They are not made of wood or plastic, as is usual in “normal” parks, but they are colorful works of art! Each bench is individually designed from colourful mosaic stones.

How about a trip across the Mediterranean?

Not only the large cruise ships dock at the port of Castellón de la Plana, but also smaller ferries that are on their way to and from the Balearic Islands. Many tourists like to take a trip to Ibiza, for example. But if you have spent a few days in Castellón de la Plana and fallen in love with this city, you may not want to leave…

Due to the heat waves that have prevailed in southern Europe in midsummer in recent years, more and more tourists are moving to cooler regions during the summer months. Currently, Holland, the North Sea and South Tyrol are at the top of the list of the most popular destinations.

But of course, wanderlust also wants to be satisfied in Germany’s most popular foreign travel destination. That’s why it’s worth taking a look at which Spanish destinations are particularly worthwhile in the off-season (March-June & September-October). We draw on information from a study by Ferienwohnungen-spanien.de , which recorded the maximum temperatures, average UV values and humidity for over 100 popular Spanish holiday resorts.

The early mid-season in Spain from March to June

One thing in advance: UV exposure in the early off-season is significantly higher in Spain than in the late off-season – despite sometimes lower temperatures. So if you have particularly sensitive skin, we recommend postponing your travel plans to autumn.

According to the study, the most popular travel destinations at this time of year are:

• Valencia
• Castellón de la Plana
• Huelva
• Javea
• Moraira
• Alicante
• Denia
• El Campello
• Cadiz
• Guardamar del Segura

We briefly introduce Valencia, Alicante and Cadiz to you below:

Valencia – Birthplace of Paella

With more than 780,000 inhabitants, the third largest city in Spain is located on the east coast of Spain directly on the Mediterranean Sea. The city is known for its impressive architecture, including the futuristic Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias and the historic cathedral.

If you travel directly to Valencia in March, you will experience “Las Fallas” – the famous festival with the highlight of the burning on March 19th. Valencia also has extensive beaches, where you can relax in the pre-season with pleasant temperatures between 19 and 26 degrees.

Alicante – Swimming on the Costa Blanca

As a beach holiday in the early low season, Alicante in the southeast of Spain is ideal. Towering over the city on the Benacantil mountain is the castle of Santa Bárbara. An absolute highlight in the city invites you to stroll: The Explanada de España, Over 6 million mosaic stones in three colors have been processed into the floor here. At the edge, palm trees provide refreshing shade and in the evening the harbour is a magnet for good food and lively bars.

Cadiz – coastal town in Andalusia

In the capital of the province of the same name, temperatures in summer are constantly well above 30 degrees. A trip to this traditional town in spring is a good idea. With pleasant temperatures of around 23 degrees in May, you can explore the city, which was used as a base by sailors long before the birth of Christ.

So it’s no wonder that you can see numerous finds from this era in the city’s archaeological museum. Cadiz is particularly easy to reach for German holidaymakers. Jerez Airport is just 45 kilometres away.

September & October: Soak up the sun before the dark season

Lower UV exposure at pleasant water temperatures. Visiting Spain in the late mid-season offers many advantages. Here, the Balearic Islands, which are particularly popular with German holidaymakers, also performed well in the study.

The most popular travel destinations in autumn:

• Castello de la Plana
• Can Picafort
• Alcudia
• Cala d’Or
• Cambrils
• Magaluf
• Palma de Mallorca
• Pollença
• Salou
• Santa Ponça
• Tarragona

As in spring, Castello de la Plana appears at the top of the list of the most popular destinations. Since many other holiday resorts from Mallorca share the top rankings, we present the Balearic island as a whole in addition to Castello below:

Castello de la Plana – Tradition on the Mediterranean

A dream for every holidaymaker who is looking for a combination of culture and relaxation. In the morning, stroll quietly on the central market, visit the town hall in the baroque building from the 17th century and take numerous photos with the city’s landmark, the bell tower “El Fadrí”. In the afternoon, after the afternoon rest, the day ends relaxed at the Mediterranean Sea. This is possible in the charming capital of the Valencia region.

Even in autumn, the temperature here is still a pleasant 28 degrees and the humidity is always well tolerated.

Mallorca – Germany’s favourite island

Almost everyone who has ever visited Cap de Formentor feels the need to return to this magical place. Mallorca is so versatile as an island that there is a suitable holiday destination for every type of holiday.

Somewhat wealthier guests like to go to Andratx in the west of Mallorca, while families with small children are likely to feel most at home in the east around Cala Ratjada, Cala Millor or Sa Coma with its beautiful peninsula Punta de n’Amer.

But there is also no shortage of excursion destinations on the largest Balearic island. In particular, the capital Palma de Mallorca with its cathedral “La Seu” is worthwhile for a day trip.

Spain is always worthwhile – no matter what time of year

In summary, a trip to Spain is always worthwhile. If you don’t mind the heat wave, you can of course spend fantastic days in southern Europe even in the middle of summer.

A little tip for the cool season: City trips to Madrid and Barcelona are also recommended in winter and offer excellent conditions to expand your cultural knowledge at temperatures just above 10 degrees.

The Camino de Santiago, one of the most famous pilgrimage routes, attracts countless people from all nations every year. The trail inspires with its impressive landscape, the high level of individuality and, of course, the exciting history all along the line. It is not without reason that more than 446,000 people made pilgrimages on the Way of St. James in 2023, almost 200,000 of them from Spain alone. The path is enjoying increasing popularity, as the sharply increasing number of visitors shows. But it is precisely on this complex journey that adequate preparation is important. For this purpose, we give the right tips and tricks so that this special type of hiking tour can be a real success.

Plan the right route for your project

Did you know that there is no fixed route for the Camino de Santiago? This is shown by the following Spanish quote: “El camino comienza en su casa” (The path starts in your house). This comes from Spaniards as an answer to the question of where the Way of St. James begins. The destination is always identical in the form of the tomb of the Apostle James in Santiago de Compostela, but in the meantime many different routes have emerged. When planning and choosing the route, it depends above all on individual taste. For example, there is the Portuguese Way of St. James along the coast, which can be walked from Porto and guarantees an impressive view of the sea and many sights. The Portuguese coastal route of the Way of St. James is considered a particularly beautiful section, but it is definitely worth a visit. Our tip: Before planning, take your time and calm, compare the different stages and routes to plan a very special trip on the Camino de Santiago.

Packing effectively for a relaxed pilgrimage

When it comes to pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago, less is more. Because with an efficiently packed backpack, you can travel relaxed and avoid overloading. Make sure you have comfortable shoes, suitable functional underwear and think about weather protection. An extensive supply of clothes is not necessary, as most hostels allow washing directly on site. The medicine cabinet for the hike includes blister plasters, skin and sunscreen. Modern technology does not necessarily have to be included. In most cases, a simple map is sufficient to reliably estimate distances. In case of emergency, however, a smartphone should of course still be at hand. Many hikers consciously use the journey on the Way of St. James to get away from the stress of everyday life.

Preparation and essential accessories for the Camino de Santiago

When preparing, you should also consider the right time to travel. Especially in summer and on holidays, it gets crowded quickly, in the low season the adventure guarantees much more peace. In addition, you should apply for the so-called pilgrim’s passport at an early stage. During the journey, the stamps of the hostels and stages are collected in it, which serve as identification. In addition, the pass allows you to stay overnight in the special, particularly cheap hostels. And at the end of the trip, only with the pilgrim’s passport you will receive the Compostela (certificate) for completing the Camino de Santiago.