Walking Holidays in Spain

The choice of where you go walking in Spain is very much down to your own personal preferences, as well as your general fitness and activity level.

Location-wise, all our walking tours will take you through beautiful and awe-inspiring scenery, though you may wish to choose a tour based in a larger town or city if you want to get stuck into more culture, food and drink after your day's walking. Conversely, tours like our 12-night Following St James' Way holiday will feature lots of long stretches through countryside - perfect for a contemplative and nature-filled trip.

Make sure to check out each listing's 'Excellent for' ratings, too - showing you whether a holiday is good for flora and fauna, birdwatching or art and history, for instance.

It's also key to keep in mind the tour's activity level. This stretches from one to four, with one being great for relaxing, low-exertion walking, and four for demanding walks that require a much higher level of fitness.

When heading on your walking holiday in Spain, it's important you bring along essential kit:

• Walking boots or shoes - Arguably the most important bit of kit is your boots or shoes (shoes for level-one activity trips, boots for level two and above). Your boots should be comfortable and made from tough leather or fabric with a waterproof layer. If they're leather, it can be a clever idea to break them in a little before you embark.
• A day pack - A small, lightweight backpack is a great choice when walking in Spain, letting you hold water, maps, snacks and other knick-knacks while you explore away from your main luggage.
• Breathable clothing - Whether it's summer or winter, walking holidays are active, so you'll want to bring breathable, wicking fabrics.
• Protective clothing - For summer, bring a lightweight waterproof outer layer in case it rains. Winter, quality thermal base layers, and a wind and waterproof outer layer, and don't forget a hat, gloves, and good socks for your extremities either!

As well as the list in the prior section, we advise bringing:

• First aid - If you are heading on a self-guided walkingholiday, a first aid kit can be helpful in bandaging any scrapes or healing hurt feet.
• Sunblock - Spain gets plenty of sun throughout the year, so be sure to bring sun protection according to your skin type.
• Personal essentials - Make sure to pack essentials according to your interests, like your camera or bird identification books.

A walking holiday in Spain is a perfect choice if you want to see less-frequented areas of the country - natural, historical and often traditional places that take you away from the mass tourism hotspots.

On a walking holiday, you can take in villages, views and all the other interesting things that you'll come across at your own pace. Whether you're travelling solo or as a group, self-guided or with other travellers, you'll be certain to learn plenty about your destination - including lots that you're unlikely to find in a guidebook.

The best times to walk in Spain can vary greatly depending on where you go. We run our holidays all year round to cater for all our customers.

If you'd like to walk in places like the Canary Islands over the winter, you can. While if you'd prefer to spend your summer in Spain, we also offer trips across popular locations like Catalunya and Andalucia.

All our Spanish walking holidays include transport between your hotels and airports in addition to the transfer of all your luggage between the various places you stay at throughout your trip. Breakfast is included as standard along with any other meals specified in your itinerary.

We have designed our walking holidays to cater for everyone with an interest in walking or even just those keen to see the sights and scenery.

To help you decide which is best for you, our grading system defines the difficulty of each trip based on its length and the changes in elevation encountered. On each holiday page, we have also assigned an activity rating level from one to four, one being easiest.

Travel to and from Spain comes as part of every package and our team will be only too happy to talk you through the various options available - be it by air or rail. We can even organise private transfers from most UK airports for a small additional fee, as well as upgrades if you are looking for a more luxury experience.

Our team will be on call around the clock and our 'boots on the ground' will be made up of our Headwater-employed reps, hotel staff and various partners familiar with the area. If you're ever in need of anything, don't hesitate to ask for their assistance.