travel smart.

I was only able to visit Spain for a very short period of time during my first European excursion. Barcelona for TWO days. Bah. That's just not enough time to really experience this enchanting country, with its paella, sangria, and flamenco dancing. I am lucky though, because hubs has always wanted to visit Spain, so that means there's a 80% chance I will get to go back. I don't think it will be age appropriate for me to go topless on the beach like I did the last time I visited, but I'm sure I can work something out. For now, I will just page through the fabulous Rick Steves' 2015 guide to Spain and think warm thoughts.

If you want to do things more self-guided than tour-guided, Rick Steves will make it happen. In this guidebook, he tells you what to see, why to see it, and how to get there, with extremely detailed maps that even I can read. There is even a Whirlwind Three-Week Tour of Spain highlighting the best places to visit and in what order, so you get the best bang for your buck and your time. My favorite parts? What to know before you go! Super helpful. An idea of what you should allot spending wise. AND sightseeing priorities. I like the research to be done for me, which is why I ALWAYS go Rick Steves with my travel guides. .