Spain
The soft glow of a Spanish October afternoon
The sun slowly sinks behind the rooftops of Madrid and the sky turns a warm orange. You are sitting on a terrace, ordering your first glass of wine of the evening. It costs hardly two euros. This is October in Spain: warm enough to eat outside, cool enough for a jacket, and much nicer than the tourist rushes of July and August.
10 September 2026 · Wayloha editorial · 3 sources
A late evening on a busy square
The terraces only truly fill up at nine in the evening. Spaniards eat late, much later than you are used to, and nobody is in a hurry. You see families with children, couples and groups of friends all arriving at once. The conversations are loud and cheerful. The food is cheap: a small beer or glass of wine costs two to three euros, tapas are not expensive, and a full meal costs much less than in the rest of Europe. This is where you feel the difference. Your wallet stays intact while you feel full. The secret is simple: look for a place outside the well-known large resorts and outside the centre of the biggest cities. There you will find good food at fair prices.
In Spain, you don't eat when you are hungry. You eat when the city wakes up.Spain
Walking through Madrid on a cold morning
The morning starts chilly, so bring a jacket even if the sun is shining. You join a free walking tour through the city. A guide points out the architectural highlights and stories: squares with history, streets where artists once lived, buildings you would otherwise walk straight past. At the end of the walk you give the guide a small tip, as is customary in Spain. After that, check what day it is. Madrid regularly offers free access to museums and attractions. You can enter an entire museum without a ticket, saving money while soaking up culture. The city feels inviting.
The coast: five thousand kilometres of freedom
Spain has almost five thousand kilometres of coastline. October is the month when you can walk without heavy heat and without masses of tourists. The wind can be strong, hence the jacket, and the water is still mild. Many people fly to Madrid or Barcelona and stop there. They miss everything. Valencia is close enough to visit but feels like another planet: less crowded, more beautiful streets, the same good food. Bilbao is further away, but worth seeing. Extremadura and Aragón are truly hidden gems: mountain areas with hiking paths where you are alone for hours. There are free parks where you can simply sit and take in the view. The rush of high season is over.
Alone on a mountain path
Six days is what most travellers need to truly feel Spain. You spend a few of them on quiet mountain paths. Walking here gives a freedom you find nowhere else. The landscapes change: green valleys, rocky slopes, villages where you are the only visitor. This is the real Spain. Extremadura and Aragón are not famous, but they are beautiful. You walk for hours without meeting anyone. All you hear is your feet on the path and, now and then, birds. This is what makes October perfect: the weather is good, the sun is not scorching, and you are alone.
