Visiting Spain in 2022 could be a great success. Beyond its emblematic tourist attractions, we must also consider other different reasons that make this European country a key place to visit in the coming months. In this note I will share some of the most significant events to discover and that you could take into account if you want to travel to Spain in 2022.
5 reasons to travel to Spain in 2022
Second Jacobean Year in Galicia
The Xacobeo, also known as the Jacobean Year or the Holy Year, is celebrates when the festivity of the Apostle Santiago on July 25 falls on a Sunday. This happened in 2021, but on this occasion, this celebration has been extended for another year. In other words, in 2022 there will also be concerts, art exhibitions, congresses, talks, cinema, allusive educational activities.
The best thing to enjoy all this is to dare to do the famous Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage route with centuries of history that ends at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. It is quite an experience: for some it has a spiritual character, for others cultural, for others a way of finding oneself.
What we could all agree on is that it is a route that you have to do at least once in your life and that runs through territories of northern Spain with incredible nature.
Sanlúcar de Barrameda: Spanish Capital of Gastronomy 2022
If you are one of those who enjoy local cuisine on your travels, you will love escaping to Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz, Andalusia) this year. To celebrate its capital status, gastronomic days, tastings, cooking workshops are organized… You see, it seems like an unbeatable time to try its two star products: shrimp and the wine known as manzanilla.
When visiting this place you will have to choose between more than 150 bars and restaurants and more than 20 wineries during your stay. And if you want to experience what “going out for tapas” means, in Sanlúcar you can take a tour where you can try fried fish, acedías, sprigs, pijotas, marinated dogfish, garlic shrimp, aliñás potatoes, orange stripe, coquinas al garlic, rice with duck, among others.
Furthermore, this year Sanlúcar also continues with the commemoration of the first circumnavigation of the world, which was the starting and finishing point, with different cultural events.
Valencia: World Design Capital 2022
The artistic and cultural history of this Mediterranean city has always been closely linked to design. If you want to travel to Spain in 2022, you can organize a trip to discover buildings as surprising as those in your “City of Arts and Sciences”, designed by Santiago Calatrava.
If you are a design lover, you will like to know that in 2022 around 100 activities will be organized, such as exhibitions, congresses, publications, etc. focused on this topic. It is the first time that a Spanish city has received this recognition and the idea is to promote design by relating it to values such as diversity, innovation, inclusion or sustainability.
Some of the most outstanding events are: the exhibition “Graphic Route. The sound design of Valencia” at the Institut Valencià d’Art Modern (IVAM), the exhibition “Nude exhibition. 20 years. 20 designers” at the Hábitat Vàlencia Fair or the DoCoMoMo International Congress. Check the entire program here. As if that were not enough, did you know that Valencia is also the European Capital of Smart Tourism 2022?
Menorca: European Region of Gastronomy 2022
There are many reasons to visit this beautiful island of the Balearic Islands in the heart of the Mediterranean. Its coves with turquoise blue waters that almost seem unreal, cities as beautiful as Ciutadella… Even so, one of the best reasons to travel there is its delicious cuisine. They say that whoever has never tried a lobster stew in Menorca has not fully enjoyed the island.
This year, in addition to savoring a good stew, you can attend one of the more than 50 activities that will take place on the occasion of this appointment. Gastronomic fish days, chef competitions, a wine fair, a tapas fair with foodtrucks, product tastings, the “Cooking films” festival… savor Menorca more than ever.
Madrid: World Capital of Sport in 2022
Madrid is in 2022 World Capital of Sport, becoming the first European city that gets this recognition. This year you will be able to attend important events such as the Tennis Masters, the indoor athletics championships, the outdoor athletics championship, the EDP Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series Madrid marathon or football matches of the capital’s big clubs. such as Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid.
In addition, the museum dedicated to football “Legends Experience” is inaugurated. On the other hand, interesting outdoor activities such as mobile gyms are being developed in the city’s large parks such as El Retiro, Casa de Campo or Madrid Río.
In addition to sports, you can also use your stay to learn more about the culture of the place: Forbes has included the Prado Museum among the 10 most valued in the world. If you have never visited it, now is a good time to do so: the Paseo del Prado (where the museum is located) next to El Retiro Park and the Jerónimos neighborhood have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
