Where can we go for a weekend away?

Every one of our six cities has World Heritage towns, mountains, beaches or islands within a few hours, and fast trains make many of them easy without a car. If you live in Spain with a TIE, Portugal, France, Gibraltar and Morocco are weekend trips too, but you need the right documents.

Ideas from each city

For train options and the €60 Abono Único for regional trains, see Can I live in Spain without a car? For hiring or driving a car, see Can I drive on my UK licence?

National parks and paradores

Spain’s national parks range from the Picos de Europa and Ordesa in the north to Doñana in Andalucía, the Teide on Tenerife and the islands of Cabrera. The national parks network runs a central booking service for some visits, and each park’s page has its own rules. In summer, check fire rules before you go (see summer).

Paradores is a chain of historic hotels, many in castles, convents and palaces. The chain is renovating much of its network ahead of its centenary in 2028, and has recently reopened paradores in Cuenca, Cardona, Vic-Sau, Sigüenza and elsewhere. They can be a good base for a weekend in a historic town. Prices and offers change

Abroad for the weekend: your documents

As a resident, the rules are different from when you visited as a tourist.

• Always carry your passport and your TIE (residence card) when you enter, leave or travel within the Schengen area, and show both at the border. If you show only your passport, it may be stamped
• Time you spend in Spain on a residence permit doesn’t count towards the 90/180 rule. Trips to other Schengen countries, such as Portugal and France, do: you can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and you need a visa or permit from that country to live or work there
• If you have a TIE you don’t register with the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES). If you still have the older green residence certificate, you do
• Your passport must meet the usual rules: for Schengen, issued less than 10 years before you arrive and valid for at least 3 months after you leave

Gibraltar

Since the UK–EU agreement on Gibraltar began to apply provisionally on 15 July 2026, there are no entry and exit check booths on the land border between Spain and Gibraltar. Gibraltar’s rules for short visits now match Schengen ones. Rules for residents of Spain, and how time in Gibraltar counts, can still change while permanent arrangements are completed, so read the FCDO’s Gibraltar travel advice before you go. Arrangements are new

Morocco

British passport holders can visit Morocco for tourism for up to 90 days without a visa. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you arrive and must not be damaged. Make sure it’s stamped on entry, as some travellers have had problems leaving without a stamp. Fast ferries from Tarifa to Tangier take about an hour. Carry your TIE as well as your passport so you can show it when you come back into Spain.

Busy weekends

Long weekends (puentes), Easter and the school holidays are busy times for trains, roads and hotels. Book early, and travel outside those dates when you can. See public holidays and school holidays.