Holidays and Travel
Holidays and Travel
A perennial exam favourite — appears regularly across all four skills. Prepare to describe past, current, and future holidays.
Types of Holiday and Accommodation
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| las vacaciones | holidays |
| una estancia | a stay |
| un viaje organizado | a package holiday |
| un hotel / un albergue juvenil | a hotel / a youth hostel |
| un camping | a campsite |
| una casa rural | a rural cottage |
| un apartamento / un piso | a flat |
| una habitación doble/individual | a double/single room |
| media pensión / pensión completa | half board / full board |
Transport
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| en avión | by plane |
| en coche | by car |
| en tren / en AVE (alta velocidad) | by train / high-speed train |
| en barco / en ferry | by boat / ferry |
| en autobús / en autocar | by bus / coach |
| en bici / a pie | by bike / on foot |
| el aeropuerto | the airport |
| la estación (de autobuses) | the (bus) station |
| el viaje / el trayecto | the journey |
| un billete de ida y vuelta | a return ticket |
Holiday Activities
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| bañarse / nadar en el mar | to swim in the sea |
| tomar el sol | to sunbathe |
| visitar monumentos / museos | to visit monuments / museums |
| hacer turismo | to go sightseeing |
| hacer submarinismo / surf | to go diving / surfing |
| dar paseos | to go for walks |
| probar la comida local | to try local food |
| comprar recuerdos | to buy souvenirs |
| descansar / relajarse | to rest / relax |
| sacar fotos | to take photos |
Countries and Places
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| España | Spain | Francia | France |
| Italia | Italy | Alemania | Germany |
| Grecia | Greece | Estados Unidos | USA |
| México | Mexico | Argentina | Argentina |
| Colombia | Colombia | Perú | Peru |
| la playa | the beach | la montaña | the mountain |
| el campo | the countryside | la costa | the coast |
| una isla | an island | en el extranjero | abroad |
Prepositions with countries:
- en + most countries: en España, en Francia, en Italia
- a + destination: Voy a España. — I'm going to Spain.
Model Responses
Past holiday:
- El verano pasado, fui a España con mi familia. Viajamos en avión y nos alojamos en un hotel cerca de la playa. Hacía mucho calor y nos bañamos todos los días. ¡Fue genial! — Last summer, I went to Spain with my family. We travelled by plane and stayed in a hotel near the beach. It was very hot and we swam every day. It was great!
Future holiday:
- Este verano, voy a ir a Grecia con mis amigos. Vamos a alojarnos en un albergue juvenil. Tengo muchas ganas de visitar las ruinas y probar la comida griega. — This summer, I'm going to go to Greece with my friends. We're going to stay in a youth hostel. I really want to visit the ruins and try Greek food.
Dream holiday:
- Si tuviera bastante dinero, viajaría a Japón porque me fascina la cultura. Sería la experiencia de mi vida. — If I had enough money, I would travel to Japan because the culture fascinates me. It would be the experience of a lifetime.
Exam Tips
- Holidays are perfect for three time frames: where you went (preterite + imperfect), where you go usually (present), where you will/would go (future/conditional).
- Practise weather vocabulary: hacía buen/mal tiempo, hacía calor/frío, llovía, había sol/viento.
- For role play, you may need to book accommodation, ask about facilities, or make a complaint — practise transactional language.
- Hispanic world context: mention destinations like México, Colombia, Argentina to show cultural awareness.