Spain does not border a lot of countries, but there are a few interesting ones anyway. So – in this article, we are zooming in on the countries near Spain. They can be great travel destinations as well, and you can possibly combine a trip to Spain with any of these nations.
Portugal
Spain’s neighbor and most culturally aligned brother. Portugal is a wonderful country that has a great culture, nice weather, cool people, tasty food, and so much more.
Portugal borders Spain to the West. It has a rectangular shape and is obviously part of the Iberian peninsula. The Spanish province of Galicia is directly north of Portugal and has many cultural links to Portugal that the rest of Spain does not have.
Lisbon is the first destination that most people visit when they go to Portugal. It is the largest city and home of most modern Portuguese culture. However, Porto in the north is also worth a visit – home of the famous port wine. Algarve in the south is a popular tourist destination because of its beaches and hot weather. And then we have everything else – Coimbra, Braga, Guimarães, and countless other Portuguese cities also worth visiting.
Flights between Spain and Portugal are usually cheap. You can also drive, for example after renting a car. Bus trips and train trips are possible as well, although there are only a few direct train connections.
France
Located north of Spain and separated by the Pyrenée mountains.
France is one of the major countries of Europe, and throughout history, there has been both friendship and fights between Spain and France. These days, they are getting along fine, with plenty of trading going on between the two countries. French is perhaps the most spoken second language among most Spaniards, as most older people know it much better than English.
A lot of Spanish people take holidays and France, and a lot of French people take holidays in Spain.
France has a lot of interesting cities. Paris is the big one that everybody knows about, but you can also visit great cities such as Strasbourg, Nice, Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille, and many others.
Just like with Portugal, there are a lot of affordable flights between France and Spain. Driving is also possible, with great mountain views on the way. You will also find train routes between the two countries. A long one from Madrid is a possibility. Otherwise, Catalonia has a lot of connections to France, and the same goes for the Basque Country.
It is one of the countries near Spain that is absolutely worth a visit – whether it is an extension of your Spain trip, or simply just a note on the to-do list for another time.
Andorra
A small country located in the mountains. Actually right between Spain and France.
Andorra is worth visiting if you are looking for a very special experience. It is not large, and the population is not giant either, so you will run out of things to do eventually. But it is great for trying something new, and the surrounding natural sights are quite amazing.
It’s best to drive to Andorra by car, but you will also find several public transportation options.
Gibraltar
Also a very tiny place, but this time bordering Spain to the south. Gibraltar is the peak south of the Iberian peninsula, linked with the United Kingdom as an overseas territory.
Gibraltar is tiny, and you can see most things in just a day. So even though it is close to Spain, it is not necessarily worth a trip, perhaps unless you are already in Andalusia, the southernmost Spanish province.
However, Gibraltar provides great work opportunities in some fields. A lot of people live in the surrounding Spanish towns but go to Gibraltar for work. Politically, it is also a very important area, and Spain is actively trying to get the region.
Italy
Not bordering Spain in any way, but culturally linked for sure. Italy is considered Spain’s closest friend by many Spaniards, and it is another great country to visit.
There are plenty of direct flight routes between Spanish and Italian cities. It is also close enough to be a somewhat short trip. Aside from that, you can also sail to Italy by boat or ferry. If you want to include France, then drive by car or do a train/bus road trip with a few changes on the way.
Italy is home to world-class travel destinations such as Rome, Milan, Florence, Pisa, Venice and many others.
Like Spanish, Italian is a Romance language, so there are some lingual similarities.
Italy has a great culture and is absolutely worth a visit. Along with Spain, it is one of the most interesting countries in the world, and we highly recommend a trip to Italy if you get the chance.
Conclusion on the countries near Spain
Spain has some great and interesting countries near. Big ones such as France, small ones such as Andorra, and highly underrated travel destinations such as Portugal. While Italy doesn’t border Spain, it is culturally close and also worth a visit – or, actually, countless visits!
We hope you enjoyed the article – be sure to check out some of the other articles we have up on the site, covering Spain’s most popular destinations.
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