Las vacaciones a la española
How and where Spaniards take their holidays — and the vocabulary you can lift for the exam.
If you walk through Madrid in mid-August, half the shops are shut and the city feels half-empty. Where has everyone gone? To the coast. Holidays are a serious business in Spain: most workers take their main break in agosto, the whole family heads south, and the same coastal towns swell every year. Understanding this culture gives your GCSE answers a real, lived-in feel — and a whole bank of phrases to use.
Throughout the article, the useful Spanish words and phrases are highlighted (with their meaning in brackets), so you can “steal” them for your speaking and writing. Tap the on any phrase to hear it.
In Spain there is a tradition called las vacaciones de verano (the summer holidays). Most working adults take three or four weeks off, almost always in agosto, and head to the same destination year after year. Small businesses, neighbourhood bars and even some doctors' surgeries shut their doors for the whole month.
En España, casi todo el mundo se va de vacaciones en agosto.
In Spain, almost everyone goes on holiday in August.
This means cities like Madrid feel desiertas (deserted) and the coast feels abarrotada (packed). Knowing this single fact, and being able to mention it, instantly makes your answers sound authentic.
Las ciudades grandes están casi vacías en agosto porque la gente prefiere la costa.
Big cities are almost empty in August because people prefer the coast.
Spain has thousands of kilometres of coastline, and each region has its own famous coast. The big four for GCSE are:
- la Costa del Sol (Málaga and the south) — sunny, warm, beach resorts like Marbella and Torremolinos. Hace mucho sol todo el año (It is very sunny all year).
- la Costa Brava (Catalonia) — rocky coves, pine trees, slightly cooler water.
- la Costa Blanca (Alicante) — white sandy beaches, hugely popular with British tourists.
- las Islas Baleares — Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza. Tienen unas playas preciosas (They have beautiful beaches).
Useful phrases for your exam
Mi familia y yo solemos ir a la Costa del Sol todos los veranos.
My family and I usually go to the Costa del Sol every summer.
La Costa Brava es famosa por sus calas pequeñas y el agua transparente.
The Costa Brava is famous for its small coves and crystal-clear water.
En las Baleares se puede ir a la playa, hacer senderismo o salir por la noche.
In the Balearics you can go to the beach, hike or go out at night.
A typical Spanish beach day involves an una sombrilla (a parasol), lots of family members, a long lunch and a siesta. Here is what people might say at home or on the beach:
- tomar el sol (to sunbathe)
- bañarse en el mar (to swim in the sea)
- jugar a las palas (to play beach paddleball)
- construir un castillo de arena (to build a sandcastle)
- echar la siesta (to take a nap)
Por las mañanas vamos a la playa y por las tardes solemos echar la siesta.
In the mornings we go to the beach and in the afternoons we usually take a siesta.
Mi hermano pequeño construye castillos de arena y mis padres toman el sol.
My little brother builds sandcastles and my parents sunbathe.
Food matters too: many families take a tortilla de patatas (potato omelette) or eat paella at a beachside chiringuito (beach bar).
Solemos comer en un chiringuito al lado del mar; la paella allí es buenísima.
We usually eat at a beach bar by the sea; the paella there is amazing.
Not every Spaniard goes to the beach. There are also two big alternatives:
Las vacaciones en el pueblo
Many families have un pueblo (a home village) in the countryside, often the village of grandparents. They spend weeks there, escaping the heat of the city.
En verano vamos al pueblo de mis abuelos; es muy tranquilo y se está fresco.
In summer we go to my grandparents' village; it's very peaceful and nice and cool.
Senderismo y montaña
The north — Asturias, Cantabria, los Pirineos — is popular with families who prefer el senderismo (hiking) and cooler weather.
Mis tíos prefieren hacer senderismo en los Pirineos en lugar de ir a la playa.
My uncle and aunt prefer hiking in the Pyrenees instead of going to the beach.
Las escapadas de fin de semana
For shorter breaks, Spaniards love una escapada (a getaway) to a nearby city: Sevilla, Granada, San Sebastián. The AVE makes weekend trips easy.
El año pasado hicimos una escapada de fin de semana a Sevilla; me encantó.
Last year we did a weekend getaway to Seville; I loved it.
Talking about what you usually do
Suelo ir de vacaciones con mi familia en agosto.
I usually go on holiday with my family in August.
Cada año vamos al mismo sitio porque toda mi familia tiene allí una casa.
Every year we go to the same place because all my family has a house there.
Using different tenses to impress
El verano pasado pasamos dos semanas en la Costa del Sol y lo pasé genial.
Last summer we spent two weeks on the Costa del Sol and I had a great time.
Este verano voy a ir a Mallorca con mis amigos en lugar de con mi familia.
This summer I'm going to Mallorca with my friends instead of with my family.
Si tuviera más tiempo, me gustaría hacer senderismo en los Pirineos.
If I had more time, I'd like to go hiking in the Pyrenees.
Opinions with reasons
Para mí, las vacaciones de playa son lo mejor porque puedo desconectar y descansar.
For me, beach holidays are the best because I can switch off and rest.
Sin embargo, prefiero las escapadas a ciudades porque me encanta la cultura.
However, I prefer city breaks because I love culture.
Examiners love answers that show real cultural knowledge alongside good Spanish. Here is a short model you could adapt when asked about holidays:
En España casi todo el mundo se va de vacaciones en agosto, sobre todo a la playa. Mi familia suele ir a la Costa del Sol durante dos semanas, porque hace mucho sol y nos encantan los chiringuitos al lado del mar. Por las mañanas voy a la playa con mi hermano y por las tardes solemos echar la siesta. El verano pasado lo pasé genial. En el futuro me gustaría hacer una escapada a Sevilla con mis amigos, porque siempre he querido conocer Andalucía mejor.
This model uses three tenses (present, preterite, conditional) and slips in cultural details (agosto, Costa del Sol, chiringuitos, echar la siesta, Andalucía) — exactly the layered detail GCSE examiners reward.