Friends watching the sun go down

4 group experiences in Spain, other than going to the beach

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Who says that to enjoy your holidays you need to go to the coast? Discover some alternatives to the beach available in Spain. Four ideas to make your group trip an unforgettable experience.

Flying in a hot air balloon

It is said that the best way to discover a destination is on foot, exploring its alleys, shops and paths. But it is often forgotten that a key part of fully knowing a place... is seeing what it looks like from the sky. Going up in a balloon is a unique experience that meets all your expectations. Spain has hundreds of places where you can see the most beautiful landscapes. You can fly over Toledo, in Castile-La Mancha, a heritage city; you will also see Segovia, in Castile and Leon, and its impressive Roman legacy; and Girona, in Catalonia, where you will disconnect in one of the most beautiful natural parks in the region, the Zona Volcánica de la Garrotxa Natural Park.

Images of hot air balloons in Spain © Foto arriba: Juan Enrique Barrio

Go paintballing in some of the best courses in Europe

After experiencing the adrenaline of flying over the land, play paintball to feel the adrenaline of touching the ground. Spain makes it easy for you, offering you hundreds of perfectly equipped fields to have a great time with your friends.You will be able to play alongside experts in Girona, Catalonia, where some of the most outstanding tournaments in the region are organised. You will also explore the prestigious courses in Villanueva de Duero, half an hour away from Valladolid, in Castile and Leon; and the courses in Seville, a beautiful Andalusian city where you will find a field stretching more than 20,000 square metres and seven settings where you can play.

Group of girl friends after doing paintball

Cycle the historic greenways

The greenways (Vías Verdes) are a real gift for cycle and nature lovers. In case you still don't know them, they are mostly old Spanish train tracks that have been adapted for walking and cycling. There are more than 3,400 kilometres of Vías Verdes and nearly 130 routes waiting for you. Gentle slopes and perfect signage, the ideal plan to enjoy the plant and animal life. The classics include the Vía Verde de Ojos Negros in Teruel, Castellon and Valencia; the Vía Verde del Aceite and Subbética in Jaen and Cordoba; the Vía Verde del Tajuña in Madrid; the Vía Verde de Alcaraz in Albacete; and the Vía Verde de la Sierra in Cadiz and Seville.

Tourists on bikes through nature

Breathe tranquility by staying in rural accommodation

To finish and enjoy some quiet, rural accommodation – like farmhouses, manor houses, country houses or country house lodges – is the ideal place to rest. Natural and healthy environments, near the mountains, far from the cities, where breathing fresh air will be the first thing you do and lying in the sun, the second. In Catalonia, you find the “masías”, impressive farmhouses in the field made of unpolished stone and wooden beams of Roman origin; in Andalusia, specifically in Granada, you will find the “casas cueva”, accommodation built by digging the soil; and in Asturias, you can sleep in an unusual cabin on top of a tree, perfect to add a hint of adventure to the whole trip.

Backpacker girl with a cow