When it comes to retirement, many people envision spending their golden years traveling the world. Those aspirations, however, involve a lot of money, effort, and planning to execute.
But did you know there’s a country that will actually take care of the majority of travel costs and logistics for its retirees to vacation? Spain, a country that consistently ranks among the best places in the world to retire, is the first country in the EU to give certain senior citizens and residents access to greatly subsidized getaways, with expenses like transportation, meals, and hotels included.
The program is run by Spain’s Institute for Seniors and Social Services (IMSERSO), which calls the concept “social tourism.” The gist is that investing in travel for seniors will help improve their health and keep them active and engaged. “The IMSERSO tourism program contributes to active aging and the promotion of an active lifestyle, while favoring intergenerational solidarity, generating employment and economic activity, and favoring inter-territorial solidarity through travel between different regions,” an IMSERSO spokesperson told EuroNews in February.
The discounted trips are available each year in the “shoulder season” from October through June. For the 2023-2024 season, the Spanish government made 886,269 places available for retirees in the social tourism program—that’s 70,000 more spots than the previous year. Prices for these vacation packages range anywhere from 124 euros to 435 euros, depending on the destination, length of the trip, and whether transportation is included.
Here’s everything you need to know about the program, including how American expats can apply.
A well-traveled bunch of retirees share their savviest tips and tricks—from travel days to avoid, to must-pack items.
What type of travel is subsidized?
The types of trips range from four-day city break, five-day “nature tourism” trips that focus on exploring the natural areas of a particular region, or six-day culture circuits that explore several towns in a particular region. There are also longer vacations of eight to ten days in several regions along Spain’s coasts or in its islands in the Atlantic Ocean or Balearic Sea.
What destinations are included?
Destinations covered by the program include towns and cities throughout popular regions of Spain, including Andalusia, Catalonia, and Valencia. Pay a visit to Granada, the capital of Flamenco dancing, relax in the quiet beach town of Castellón, or soak up the culture and energy of Barcelona.
Among the nature-focused itineraries are jaunts through numerous striking areas like Asturias, an autonomous region on Spain’s northwest coast known for its breathtaking land formations, including dramatic seaside cliffs and jagged mountains rising out of green hillsides. Or choose to visit Aragon, a region that sits in the Pyrenees mountains and is home to Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
For the longer trips, vacation hubs like the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands—home to iconic sunny destinations like Ibiza and Mallorca—are also on the table.
What costs are covered?
The program generally covers accommodations and meals, as well as insurance plans and sightseeing costs, however, some of the inclusions vary based on the trip package. For many of the packages, travelers can choose whether they’d like to include transportation to and from their destinations.
