They always arrive a little nervous. I see it in their eyes. Their bags are too full. Their Spanish is too shy. But they’re brave. Brave enough to travel alone. Brave enough to stay with a stranger. Brave enough to start something new in a country they’ve only seen in photos.

Over the years, I’ve hosted many solo women. Some came to learn Spanish, others just wanted to feel something different. Most came for both. They stayed with me in Barcelona and with other host teachers in Cádiz, Valencia, and even small towns in Extremadura. Each one brought her own story. Each one left a little lighter.

This blog isn’t a guide. It’s not about where to go or what to pack. It’s just what I’ve seen. What I’ve felt. What I’d tell you if you were sitting in my kitchen, herbal tea in hand, wondering if solo travel is for you.

Barcelona

Barcelona is not one city. It’s many different feelings, depending on where you are. Some women arrive planning their first solo trip. Others want the sea. Some want everything at once. Luckily, with Spanish Express, they have that choice.

Dosrius with Mónica

Mónica’s home in Dosrius feels far from everything, in the best way. It’s green. It’s slow. And her dogs, Samba and Rumba, know when a student needs company.

Most of the learning happens naturally over lunch, on a walk, or in quiet corners of the village. One solo traveler told me, “I spoke more Spanish sitting in the garden than I ever did in a classroom.”

In Dosrius, students love:

• Exploring the Montnegre i el Corredor Natural Park
• Visiting Castell de Dosrius and the Canyamars streams
• Cycling through pine trails near the house
• Cooking Spanish dishes together in the modern kitchen
• Sharing meals and stories with Mónica and her family
• Morning grammar, afternoon conversation, and evening laughter

It’s best for solo female travelers who want to reset. Breathe. And remember what peace feels like.

Castelldefels with Nanda

Castelldefels is full of light, and the air smells of salt. Nanda’s home is just steps from the water. Her students return with sea-soaked hair, full notebooks, and new confidence.

She brings language alive with stories, books, and food. Many of her students return just for her cooking.

In Castelldefels, students often:

• Visit Platja de Castelldefels and walk along the coast
• Explore Castelldefels Castle and its old streets
• Enjoy calm afternoons in the Garraf Natural Park
• Read classic Spanish literature together
• Learn vocabulary while making crema catalana or fideuà
• Practice verbs during real conversations in the town cafés

It’s quiet, but not sleepy. There’s rhythm here. And Nanda makes solo female travel feel like part of everyday life.

Poblenou with Ana

This is my barrio—my home—and while it’s not silent, it hums with life. Mornings here start with the scent of fresh bread and the distant buzz of scooters. By the time we’re done with breakfast, Spanish is already part of your day.

We don’t just study Spanish—we live it. Asking for fruit at the Rambla del Poblenou market. Chatting with locals after a yoga class at the beach. Having a real conversation over tapas near the old factory chimneys.

In Poblenou, we explore:

• The local cafés and bakeries tucked between modern lofts and historic warehouses
• Rambla del Poblenou, lined with terraces, bookstores, and daily life
• The art spaces and murals of the 22@ district
• Bogatell Beach, where conversations flow with the waves
• The industrial heritage of Can Framis Museum
• Sunset walks through Parc del Centre del Poblenou, a peaceful corner in the heart of the city

Solo female students say the same thing after a week with me. They came for language, but they found their voice.

Valencia

Valencia always feels bright. Even when it rains, which is rare, the light stays soft. Most women who come here don’t expect how quickly it starts to feel like home. Pilar’s house in Gilet has something to do with that. So do the oranges. And the silence in the garden after a good conversation.

Gilet with Pilar

Pilar’s home is set between green hills and mountain air, just 20 minutes from Valencia’s center and also from the beach. In her house, there’s a pool, a patio, and always the scent of pine or something delicious cooking in the kitchen.

Students live with her. They learn with her. And they talk with her from breakfast to bedtime. It’s immersive, yes. But it’s also gentle. Pilar knows how to teach without making it feel like work.

Most solo travellers in Gilet enjoy:

• Visiting Valencia’s Historic Centre, especially
  • Plaza de la Virgen
  • The Cathedral
  • La Lonja de la Seda
  • Plaza Redonda
  • Miguelete Tower
• Exploring the nearby Sierra Calderona, with walks and forest views
• Cooking traditional paella with Pilar and learning the names of every spice
• Sipping horchata at the Museum of the Alquería del Machistre
• Riding bikes past the City of Arts and Sciences
• Watching Pilar light candles for the San Juan Festival, then jumping over waves at midnight with locals

What I love most about Gilet is the rhythm. It’s not a tourist rhythm. It’s real life. You go to the market, speak to the fruit vendor, and learn the word for watermelon by holding one in your hand.

There’s laughter, long lunches, and lots of firsts. First time eating fideuà. First adventure travel story to send back home. First full sentence that just comes out without thinking.

Cádiz

Cádiz is old. Not in a tired way, in a grounded way. The kind of old where every street corner has a story, and every story comes with music. When women arrive here, they feel it. A different kind of welcome. Quieter. Slower. But somehow more alive.

Some stay with María in San Fernando. Others with Óscar in Puerto Real. Two places. Two styles. Same warmth.

San Fernando with María

María brings a calm confidence to everything she does. Her house feels like a space for thinking. For laughing. For speaking Spanish without fear. She has a way of making you feel you’ve always belonged here.

She loves language. But she also knows that learning it isn’t only about verbs. It’s about walking into the local market and buying fruit. About sharing a table with her family and understanding the joke without needing it explained.

In San Fernando, María’s students often enjoy:

• Visiting the Museo Flamenco Camarón de la Isla
• Exploring the nearby Roman Theater and Torre Tavira
• Joining cultural visits in Cádiz’s historic center
• Enjoying home-cooked Andalusian meals
• Practicing Spanish in real, everyday conversations
• Learning about flamenco from the people who live and breathe it

This small destination pulls you in slowly. Some solo women say it’s where their whole journey changed.

Puerto Real with Óscar

Óscar’s home is near the sea. You can hear it if you listen. He’s been with Spanish Express for years, and it shows. His lessons stretch far beyond the table. One minute you’re reviewing past tense, and the next, you’re ordering pescaito frito at a tapas bar with locals.

Óscar believes in movement. Surfing. Walking. Learning with your feet as much as your mouth. He brings in his brother, Fernando and his sister in law, Yoli, too, especially for nature walks, music nights, and local excursions.

In Puerto Real, students often:

• Learn while watching dolphins off the coast of Barbate
• Visit the salt mines of La Esperanza
• Taste wines at the Gonzalez Byass cellar in Jerez
• Explore the Naval Museum, Doñana Natural Park, and the White Villages
• Ride horses at the Real Escuela Andaluza de Arte Ecuestre
• Try Cádiz specialties like tortillitas de camarón and pan de Cádiz

For most travelers, this is the Cádiz that doesn’t rush. That teaches you with rhythm, with sunlight, and with stories passed around at the dinner table.

Burgos

Burgos is quiet. But never dull. It’s one of those cities that doesn’t need to impress you loudly. It just stays with you, it’s air, it’s food, it’s old stones.

Solo female travelers who come here often say the same thing: “I finally had time to listen to myself, to the language, to Spain.” And I know exactly what they mean.

Burgos with Marisol and Alberto

Marisol and Alberto are the kind of hosts who remember your coffee order by the second day. Their home is warm and full of books, music, and the smell of something good cooking. They teach with calm, and they listen with care.

Every student returns with a story. Long talks over dinner. Quiet walks between lessons. And yes, a better grasp of Spanish, but also something else. A softness. A little more breath in their day.

In Burgos, most women enjoy:

• Staying in a bright home with views and shared meals
• Visiting the majestic Burgos Cathedral and the peaceful Cartuja de Miraflores
• Exploring the Human Evolution Museum, Huelgas Monastery, and Camino de Santiago
• Taking longer excursions to Atapuerca, Covarrubias, and Santo Domingo de Silos
• Tasting morcilla, Castilian asados, and Ribera del Duero wines
• Practicing conversation during visits to bakeries, bookstores, and wine cellars

The rhythm here is slower. But it’s steady. Every hour brings another chance to speak, to notice, to grow. For those on a first solo trip, it’s a great option.

Seville

Sevilledoesn’t ask for your attention; it simply takes it. The sun hits the orange trees just right. A guitar starts in the background. And suddenly, you’re no longer in a classroom. You’re in a story.

Solo travellers feel something shift here. It’s subtle. But strong. You walk through the narrow streets of Santa Cruz, sip coffee on a quiet square, and for the first time in weeks, you remember to breathe slowly.

Seville with Carmen

Carmen’s home feels like a place where time moves at your pace. It’s private, just one student at a time. The kitchen smells like garlic and olive oil. And when you learn something new, Carmen celebrates it as if it were hers.

She’s not just your host; she becomes your daily companion. She’ll walk with you along the Guadalquivir, tell you why the tiles in her courtyard are painted a certain blue, and make sure your Spanish finds its rhythm.

In Seville, you’ll experience:

• One-on-one Spanish lessons with Carmen in a home designed for comfort and connection
• Stays in a bright guest room with full access to a sunny patio and a shared kitchen
• Visits to the Cathedral, Giralda Tower, Plaza de España, and the Alcázar
• Tapas tastings that include croquetas, huevos rotos, and brioche de cochinillo
• Flamenco evenings, local markets, and strolls through Santa Cruz
• Quiet hours for reading, journaling, and speaking Spanish in real-life situations

For those seeking accommodation that feels both lived-in and peaceful, this is it. In Seville, every corner becomes a conversation. Every meal is a lesson. And every day brings a new way to feel a little more at home in Spanish and yourself.

Extremadura

Extremadura feels different. It’s quieter. Older. Wiser, maybe. It holds its stories close, but if you stay a while, it shares them with you. I often say: If you want to learn Spanish with depth, this is the place. It’s not just language, it’s heritage, silence, and sun-baked paths full of meaning.

Most women who come here find themselves slowing down. And somehow, in that stillness, their Spanish speeds up. There’s something grounding about this land; it’s one of those destinations that reveals more the longer you stay.

Extremadura with Richard

Richard’s home is ten minutes from the town center and surrounded by hiking trails and birdsong. He teaches clearly, with patience. Lessons feel natural, like conversations with a friend who really wants you to get it right.

You can come alone or with friends, there’s space for up to four. Some share meals. Some share laughs in the kitchen while trying to master migas de pastor.

What most guests love about their stay with Richard:

• A mix of private or shared bedrooms with access to clean, spacious bathrooms
• Home-cooked meals made with local Extremaduran ingredients
• Spanish practice in the kitchen, on walks, and during cultural outings
• Friendly small-group atmosphere for shared or solo learning
• Short walks into town and easy access to parks, trails, and nature

Highlights Around Extremadura

This region surprises people. It’s full of dramatic contrasts: ancient Roman ruins one day, wild birds soaring over gorges the next. Richard often leads optional outings that double as Spanish immersion. You’ll hear local dialects, try regional dishes, and ask real questions with real answers.

Some of the most loved local visits include:

• Mérida’s Roman Theater, Amphitheatre, and Temple of Diana
• Cáceres, with its medieval walls, plazas, and the WOMAD Festival
• The surreal stone landscapes of Los Barruecos, featured in Game of Thrones
• Trujillo, the birthplace of Pizarro, with its castles and Plaza Mayor
• The cherry blossom season in Valle del Jerte (April is magic)
• Wildlife watching at Monfragüe National Park is a haven for eagles, falcons, and storks
• The monastery of Guadalupe and the stunning Villuercas Geopark
• Historic strolls in Plasencia, La Vera, and the ancient streets of Badajoz

Each tour you take becomes a living textbook. And every walk, meal, or museum visit becomes a chance to use your Spanish in the real world.

Not Just a Trip—A New Chapter

This isn’t just travel. It’s language. It’s laughter. It’s learning how to ask for bread in Spanish and smiling when you’re understood.

Our Spanish Homestay Immersion Program (SHIP) welcomes solo female travelers who want something more than just a holiday. You’ll stay in homes with great locations, safe neighborhoods, and no extra cost surprises.

You’ll meet new people, share meals, and slowly become part of the rhythm. It’s perfect for those traveling solo, for two weeks or more, who want to feel seen, supported, and inspired.

Ready to spend your next chapter somewhere that truly stays with you?

FAQs

What makes Spain one of the most amazing destinations for solo women?

Spain combines deep history, diverse landscapes, and a welcoming culture. From coastal towns to medieval cities, it’s one of those amazing destinations where traveling solo still feels connected. There’s freedom here, but also comfort.

Is Spanish the only official language in Spain?

While Spanish is the main official language, regions like Catalonia and the Basque Country have their own recognized languages. This adds to the richness of your experience and makes language learning even more layered and rewarding.

How does Spain’s food scene compare to places like Costa Rica or Central America?

It’s different in the best way. Spain’s food scene is slower, local, and deeply regional. Instead of spice and heat like in Costa Rica or Central America, you’ll find simplicity, like olive oil, seafood, and ingredients that speak for themselves.

Is Spain a safe country for solo female travelers?

Yes, Spain is widely considered a safe country for solo women. Like anywhere, you still stay aware. But in most cities and towns, especially those in our SHIP program, locals look out for you, and often start conversations that turn into lasting memories.

I’ve been to big cities like San Francisco. Will I still enjoy Spain’s smaller towns?

Absolutely. Spain’s smaller towns offer a different kind of magic. They slow you down in a way San Francisco might not. Here, walking becomes an act of learning. Even a visit to the bakery can feel like the highlight of your day.