Decide on the type of vacation you want. Spain and Italy have historic cities such as Seville and Rome, large beach resorts and areas of natural beauty. You might want to concentrate on particular food and wine regions like Chianti and La Rioja or focus on places of religious or cultural interest.
Research the Spanish and Italian tourist board websites for information on accommodations and travel in the two countries. Consider websites such as Trafalgar Tours which organise guided tours around European destinations including Spain and Italy. If you want a more specialized tour, try Internet searches such as "Italian walking tours" or "Spanish wine tours" and you will find a range of companies offering these types of vacation.
Plan your itinerary and methods of transport. You may save money by flying to alternative European destinations and then using budget airlines to reach Spain or Italy. Try the Skyscanner website for information on Europe's budget airline routes and prices.
Check the weather. Temperatures can soar in the Mediterranean region during mid-summer so an active vacation may be better in spring or autumn. If you want a beach holiday with plenty of sun, then June to early September is best. If you want to ski in Northern Italy, plan to travel December to March.
Buy your foreign currency. You will only need to use one type of currency in Spain or Italy as the Euro is used in both. You will find ATMs located at regular intervals in towns and cities, decent hotels will have exchange desks and most tourist areas will have a number of currency exchange booths and shops.
Try to learn a few words of Spanish and Italian. Locals appreciate the effort if tourists can even manage a hello or thank you in their language and while many people working in tourist areas can speak a little English, you may struggle to communicate in areas off the beaten track.
