The worst places for overtourism in Spain this summer – and where to go instead

With strikes planned on the Balearics in June and July and anti-tourism protests happening across much of Spain, particularly in mainland cities and on the Canary Islands, you’d be forgiven for pointing your compass elsewhere this summer. 

Recent weeks have seen holidaymakers cowering in hotels across the Canaries as fed-up locals have disrupted sunshine bliss for thousands of tourists.

Protests have taken place in Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Ela Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, and Lanzarote, with those protesting chanting the slogan ‘Canarias tiene un limite’ (The Canaries has a limit) as they marched through popular resorts.

Demonstrators have also taken to the streets in Barcelona and Valencia as well as Madrid, as tensions towards tourists have continued to rise over the last year.

In April, locals fired water pistols at a tour bus outside Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia, as they warned of bigger protests this summer.

And tourists heading to Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca could see their holidays disrupted by waves of strikes this summer.

Hotel workers across the Balearic islands are set to down tools in protests over pay and conditions during June and July – saying they’re keen to cause as much upheaval as possible for tourists to cause maximum impact.

The decision to strike – which is likely to affect thousands of holidaymakers – comes after the workers’ union, Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT), said they were dissatisfied with progress during ongoing talks.

Summer of discontent? Tourists heading to Balearic Islands in June and July could be hit by protests by hotel workers, who are fighting for better pay and conditions. Pictured, Canarian residents in Madrid protest against mass tourism in the Canary Islands

Tourists heading to Mallorca this summer could see their holidays disrupted by strikes by hotel workers too – with hopes of an eleventh-hour resolution looking unlikely, says the workers’ union, Unión General de Trabajadores (Pictured Portals Vells)

Tourists heading to Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca could see their holidays disrupted by waves of strikes this summer.

However, while the current situation appears far from ideal, a little lateral thinking can ensure a holiday in Spain can still be on the cards this summer, simply by switch out the country’s busiest tourist hotspots for lesser known locations.

Here’s some of the best Spanish destination dupes to consider: 

SWAP MADRID FOR…SEGOVIA

Segovia: The food’s delicious and there’s plenty of historic architecture to enjoy, from the fairytale Alcazar castle (pictured) to the Roman aqueduct

A high citadel in Castile, foodie town Segovia is known for its turreted fairytale Alcazar castle and pretty sand-coloured buildings and an imposing Roman aqueduct, built under Emperor Trajan in the early 2nd century AD, and still standing despite the efforts of the besieging Moors in 1071.  

Then there’s Segovia’s strangest and most beautiful church, La Vera Cruz, or Church of the True Cross. It is 13th-century Romanesque with saints, herons and ghoulish wombats carved atop columns either side of the doors. 

The Knights Templar are said to have stood vigil over their arms all night in La Vera Cruz before riding off Santa Agueda dates from it is the women to rule on holy quests.

Around 60 miles north of Madrid, it’s easy to reach by train. It’s hilly, so pack comfortable shoes. 

Get there: Ryanair fly to Madrid 

SWAP BARCELONA FOR…TOLEDO

An hour south of Madrid, Toledo is a fine alternative to the Catalan capital

Another destination that’s just an hour, this time in a southerly direction, from the Spanish capital – so easy to access via low-cost flights, Toledo is pretty as a picture. 

There’s handsome stone buildings, cobbled passageways and towering spires that are enticing enough to make you forget the Catalan capital.

The central Spanish city sits on the Tajo river, and rises up the hill to the Alcazar, a renaissance palace, with its Gothic cathedral right at the top. 

And like Segovia, it also has an Alcazar, although this one houses Madrid’s National Army Museum. 

It is Toledo’s dominant landmark and has undergone a series of transformations, most recently with the addition of a side wing built around the 16th-century foundations.

Get there: Ryanair fly to Madrid

SWAP IBIZA FOR…FORMENTERA  

Bid farewell to the White Isle’s party people and catch a boat to Formentera. (Pictured: popular Ses Illetes beach)

When the mercury hots up, Ibiza’s tiny little sister, Formentera, offers those in the know the chance to shrug off mass tourism and enjoy a more exclusive take on the Mediterranean summer. 

Yes, you’ll need to fly into Ibiza to reach it, but then you’re only a half-hour boat ride away from a much more tranquil destination – particularly in high season. 

The island is just 12 miles long and a mile-and-a-half wide at its narrowest point and there’s little to do apart from eat, drink and enjoy the soft sand beaches. 

Get there: Fly to Ibiza, flyevai.com can organise transfers to Formentera

SWAP MARBELLA FOR… ESTEPONA

On Spain’s Costa del Sol, Estepona is easy to reach from Malaga and often much quieter than its better known counterparts

Admittedly, there’ll be less reality TV stars in Estepona, 40 minutes from Malaga airport, but that’s a good thing, right? 

Quieter this Costa del Sol town may be but it’s no less charming, with genteel white washed squares, a buzzing cultural life with urban art and poetry on the streets, and plenty of museums and galleries to enjoy. 

It’s also surprisingly lush, and is frequently lauded as the ‘garden of the Costa Del Sol’ thanks to its stunning botanical gardens and orchid house.

SWAP MALLORCA FOR…MURCIA 

Murcia, Spain’s seventh largest city, is home to a simmering gastronomic scene 

If you can bear to turn your back on the Balearics then the mainland has a city where the beaches are just as delightful. 

Murcia, in the county’s south-east remains one of the least visited holiday destinations, but there’s plenty to admire. 

Nicknamed ‘Europe’s Orchard’ thanks to its production of fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers, Murcia is home to a simmering gastronomic scene.

Flat and walkable, Spain’s seventh largest city is worth visiting for restaurants alone, all offering reasonably-priced regional dishes.

Get there: Fly to Murcia with easyJet 

SWAP MENORCA FOR CADIZ… 

The Baroque watchtower of Torre Tavira offers stunning views of Cadiz from above. Pictured is the panoramic vista from the tower 

On Spain’s Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light), there’s a string of beguiling beach towns, with Cadiz amongst the most charming of them. 

Divided into old town and new, Cadiz is said to be the oldest continually inhabited city in Western Europe. So it’s hardly surprising that this friendly port city is drenched in history – an estimated 3,000 years of it, to be precise.

Those who do visit tourists feast on its renowned seafood, unwind on its glorious beaches or attend its wild annual carnival. 

The Gaditanos (or locals) are a friendly bunch and there’s bargain tapas and live music alongside ancient sights and sandy beaches.

Known affectionately as ‘Little Havana’, it’s also home to a warren of narrow streets, sun-filled squares and a waterfront like that of the Cuban capital.

So similar are the cities that Havana scenes in the Bond film Die Another Day – with Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry – were filmed here.

Get there: Fly to Jerez, 45 minutes away, with Ryanair

SWAP SOUTH TENERIFE FOR NORTH TENERIFE

Head north to San Cristobal de la Laguna and experience Tenerife as it was before mass tourism erupted

Tenerife has been one of the hardest hit destinations by the over-tourism protests but don’t give up on the Canary Island; there are parts of it that are so peaceful, you’ll think you’ve left and landed somewhere new. 

Tinerfeños have let tourism own the dark, dry plains of the south but preserved the lush, undulating lands of the north. 

The supermarkets and souvenir shops give way to pine trees, banana plantations – sectioned like the paddy fields of the Far East, and Dragon trees. 

UNESCO-stamped former capital San Cristóbal de La Laguna – or just La Laguna – in the heart of the north-east has one foot firmly in the past. 

It became an architectural blueprint for new towns across the Americas and still retains a ‘last stop before the New World’ feel to it. 

Get there: Fly to Tenerife, and hire a car to drive north  

The best Airbnbs in Spain that you CAN stay in this summer – and how to tell if your holiday let is legal 

This week, Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs ordered Airbnb to remove more than 65,000 holiday homes from its platform as part of a crackdown on illegal listings. 

Spain ordered the online holiday lets giant to remove the listings on Monday, with Pablo Bustinduy, Spain’s Consumer Rights Minister, saying: ‘No more excuses. Enough with protecting those who make a business out of the right to housing in our country.’

The minister said his goal was to end the ‘lack of control’ and ‘illegality’ in the holiday rental industry – the country is currently facing a housing crisis as construction has failed to keep up with demand.

While many of Spain’s holiday lets are under threat from tougher legislation that requires them to be registered, there are plenty on Airbnb that have that crucial registration number (Pictured: Cala d’Hort beach in Ibiza)

The worst affected destinations appear to be cities, including tourist hotspots Barcelona, Madrid and Malaga; the latter has 85 per cent of flats in its historic centre linked to tourism lets.

Where does the move leave your summer plans if you fancied heading to Britain’s favourite holiday destination? 

The good news is that there are still plenty of properties right across Spain – including the Balearics and the Canary Islands – listed on Airbnb’s website that are perfectly legal and do have the required registration.

How can you tell? Look for the required eight digit ‘registration number’ – made up of letters and numbers – on listings. 

Tourists can find the code at the bottom of the page entitled ‘About this space’, which usually appears in a ‘show more’ grey box at the end of the property’s initial description – if you can’t see it, it’s likely the let falls foul of Spain’s requirements.

Here’s a selection of Spanish properties that all have registration numbers on their pages… so, what are you waiting for?

MALLORCA

Villa Sylvia, Pollença

Villa Sylvia costs from £438 per night in the height of the summer holidays, and sleeps six people

This three-bed rustic villa with a pool sits in beautiful Pollença, on Mallorca’s north-eastern coast. 

Sleeping six guests, there’s two bathrooms and a large covered terrace for al fresco dining – visitors can pick up delights at the weekly food market in Pollença. 

Other highlights nearby? Puerto Pollença, just a few miles east, has gently sloping golden sands that are perfect for families with younger children.

Book it:  From £438 a night, based on August departures

MENORCA

Ses Milans Villa 

Close to the Menorcan city of Mahon, Ses Milans Villas sleeps ten and has its own pool 

Stylish interiors – and wi-fi and air con – make it a perfect summer stay for large groups

Sleeping ten, this huge villa sits in rural splendour close to Menorca’s second city of Mahon. There’s five bedrooms, an outdoor bar, pool and beautiful beaches nearby. 

Inside there’s stylish muted blue interiors, with all mod cons including wi-fi, a built-in sink bar and air con. 

Book it: From £545 a night, with a five night minimum stay required 

IBIZA

‘Country house with views’ 

In Ibiza’s quieter north, this one-bed sits in beautiful countryside – but has great beaches nearby

Fancy a rustic bolt-hole just for two on the White Isle? This one-bed couple’s retreat sits in Can Surya, in the northern part of Ibiza.

Nearby beaches include Benirras or Puerto de Sant Miquel and tranquility is guaranteed. 

One former guest described it as ‘one of the best airbnbs i’ve stayed in my many years of traveling’.

Book it: From £259 a night

BARCELONA 

Serviced boutique next to Rambla

In the thick of the action in Barcelona’s heart, this serviced apartment sleeps six in three bedrooms

The registration number on this gorgeous apartment is front and centre in its listing, offering reassurance that this Barcelona holiday let is legit. 

The period apartment sleeps six in three bedrooms, each of which have a bathroom each – even better, Barcelona’s most famous shopping street is just outside. 

Book it: From £364 a night in peak season

SAN SEBASTIAN 

La Concha

Natural light floods into La Concha, which overlooks San Sebastian’s easy-on-the-eye beach

This elegant two-bed property in Spain’s most famous foodie town, just 15 miles from the French border in the country’s north, boasts views of its winsome crescent bay. 

Sleeping four, there’s bold modern artwork on the walls and a bright and airy island kitchen in the offing too. 

A stay in Donostia – as the city is known to locals – comes with gourmet dining opportunities galore, including San Seb’s famous pintxo, the Basque region’s refined take on tapas.

Book it:  From £501 a night

CANARY ISLANDS

Tenerife 

Finca la Mandarina

A statement fire-pit frames this stylish retreat that has one villa for four and one for two and sits on a farm close to the Teide National Park

Just a ten-minute drive from Tenerife’s otherworldly Teide National Park, Finca la Mandarina is far from the madding crowds and has a 4.99 review score. 

Sleeping six guests across three bedrooms, this white-washed modern property is set on a 3,000m2 farm.

There’s one large villa, sleeping four, and another sleeping two – so ideal for grandparents wanting to travel on a family getaway. 

Book it: From £242 a night