Which are the two most-searched summer holiday towns in Spain?

NOW that the 'State of Alarm' is over, residents being summoned for vaccines are getting younger and lower-risk, masks no longer have to be worn outside and contagion rates are dropping dramatically, Spain as a whole can finally start thinking in earnest about going away on holiday. 

Hopefully, nearly a year and a half into the pandemic, a second fiesta-free summer and the likelihood of British tourists not heading here for a while – except the Balearic Islands - or for the first three weeks in July at least – we haven't all gotten out of the habit of doing those things we used to love, like hanging out with friends in cafés and bars, going to restaurants, watching or taking part in festival parades, and taking weekend mini-breaks or full-blown vacations.

And if we have, with luck, it won't last. 

The great news is that search engines for package tours, excursions and hotel and holiday apartment rooms are starting to climb. 

Why summer is still peak holiday time for Spanish residents

In the past, most Spanish companies and the vast majority of the public sector shut down for the whole of August and, even though this is no longer practical and workers rarely get a double pay-packet that month now, things certainly do seem to slow down in the country from the end of the school year (mid-late June) until it restarts (first or second week in September) except in those areas that make most of their full year's living from tourists. Most business premises have air-conditioning these days, but where work isn't always indoors, it's generally too hot to be bothered. And too hot for your customers to be bothered with anything particularly energetic.

As a result, Spaniards are in the habit of taking their annual holidays in summer, normally all their year's leave at once (standard practice, harking back to the days of having the whole of August off), and they love a bit of sunshine, beach and pool as much as any northern European. 

Those who live close to a beach may not do so; their work might have them chasing their tails all summer, so if you're based in one of these areas, expect to see a lot of small shops and restaurants closing down for anything up to a month in September or October. Also, those who treat a holiday as a time to travel and explore rather than just put their feet up will probably simply use their weekends and time outside of work for catching the rays, and go off on their trips in autumn or winter.

But those who do not live anywhere near a beach will be the number one candidates for holidaying any time from around now until the weather cools off. If you live on a coast yourself, you might notice different accents among the people you pass, and if you're in a region with its own co-official language (Valencia, Catalunya, the Balearics, Galicia and the Basque Country), you may notice the use of Castilian Spanish suddenly increases in summer. People from big cities and land-locked zones want to be where you are, flopped out on the sand or swishing around in the waves.

Hotel search criteria

What people want when searching for a holiday in Spain generally varies according to which online tour operator you speak to. But Hoteles.com, in its report Lista de Deseos 2021 ('Wish-List 2021') says travellers are seeking quality accommodation for their summer breaks.

Quality, not luxury: Five-star hotel searches remain in the minority, but four-star searches more than double those for three-star, despite the apparently small difference between them in reality.

And actually, even one-star hotels in Spain are clean, comfortable, bright and cosy; you'll get less space and no frills, but you certainly won't be in a grim, depressing back-street box-room. They are often family-run establishments with the room in the main house, but where guest privacy is guaranteed. 

The Lista de Deseos 2021 report also covered the 'extras' holidaymakers seek when booking or searching – bits that come included in the price and which they do not want to have to pay an additional fee for.

Nowadays, WiFi in your room and communal areas for free is standard in Spanish hotels, if not actually in all European establishments, so this does not tend to be a search criteria; back when it was not guaranteed, or when it included a charge by the day or even the hour, it is likely to have been one of the top 'extras' sought.

Now, travellers browsing hotel rooms seem to place the greatest importance on breakfast being included in the price, says the Lista de Deseos.

In fact, this element was 25% more popular in searches than the hotel having a swimming pool – necessary for summer breaks if there isn't a beach nearby – and 60% more than free parking.

The latter is always a hook, because the cost of a holiday can soar if you have to use a multi-storey or if the hotel charges by the day, and the stress of preparation can rocket if you have to use on-road parking in a town where this is nearly impossible to find.

Which means the fact it is less searched-for is quite surprising – unless this year's holidaymakers are expecting to get to their destination by train or air.

Hoteles.com is offering discounts of up to 25% on some of the most sought-after accommodation in Spain this summer, and travellers can get an additional 5% off using the promotional code RWD5621, as well as being entered into a prize draw to win free stays, including a flexible booking option for multiple hotels.

And the two most-searched locations for summer...

According to the Lista de Deseos 2021 report, two destinations are clear winners – even though they are polar opposites in terms of what they involve for a trip during the hottest months of the year.

Benidorm is joint top, which may come as no surprise. Its vast urban beaches are exceptional, and facilities close by, as well as seafront hotels just metres from the sands, are never lacking; Benidorm has had enough decades to practise at catering for tourists, after all. 

This mid-Alicante-province sun-sea-sand hotspot is where holidaymakers head if it's life and soul they want, and especially if their trip is just about relaxation, sunshine and entertainment. Love it or hate it, Benidorm's flamboyantly cheesy and colourfully tacky feel is not something it's ashamed of – in fact, it flaunts it. Benidorm never pretends to be anything it's not, and milks its long-standing image to the maximum, cheerfully and cheekily. Indeed, if you're making a brilliant living from designing sturdy, comfortable and hard-wearing hiking boots, why play this down and create lace-trimmed, glittery stiletto sandals instead?

This is Benidorm by daylight. When night falls, it's another town altogether. Bright lights in a cityscape against a backdrop of the sea, music, cocktails, shows, dancing all night, Benidorm doesn't 'do' sleep. It transforms into a miniature New York- or São Paulo-on-Sea, glittery, exciting and fast-paced.

Madrid is the other joint-most searched-for location for this summer's holidays, according to the Lista de Deseos. And this may seem ironic, given that most year-round residents in the capital will be heading out of it, rather than staying in it, bound for beaches or cool, quiet countryside destinations. Although Madrid is always perfect for a short city-break trip; there's enough that you really must see to keep you occupied for three or four days, but not so much you go home feeling as though you haven't finished. 

Again, Madrid is superbly convenient in terms of public transport (you don't need a car if you live and work within the main metropolitan area) and shops and restaurants stay open until very late – and there are plenty of both. 

As a city, it does not feel like a European capital – many explorers in Spain believe Barcelona fits the bill in terms of character more – but this does mean it's a little calmer than a capital city in our continent would typically be. Also, its main attractions are close together in a compact centre – a fair amount of walking is necessary to get around them, but walkable they certainly are. 

Moreover, visitors to Madrid normally speak highly of how neat and clean-looking it is, and of its classical, stately architecture.

It may not have a coast, but out in the wider region it has blue-flagged beaches, and the enormous, green Retiro Park right in the centre is a popular hang-out on a hot day, with its tree-lined walks and boating lake.

Additionally, if the travellers concerned are going four-star, it is very likely their hotel will have a pool anyway, since accommodation of this category in Spain generally does; to that end, they may not feel the need for a beach in any case.

And despite being hundreds of kilometres from the coast, Madrid accounts for the highest number of tourists of anywhere in Spain – foreigners and Spaniards alike.