The Best Filming Locations in Spain

WhereNext's production services in Spain have included filming mountain biking adventures, tourism productions, footwear marketing campaigns, and a culinary travel series. Some of the clients we’ve partnered with in Spain include Cat Footwear, H&I Adventures, World Nomads, Ciclismo Classico, and Experience Plus. Through our work with these companies, we have found Spain to be a cost-effective filming location that combines a diverse range of landscapes, cultures, and traditions, as well as some of Europe's most cosmopolitan cities and idyllic rural villages.

Here are what we consider to be some of the top filming locations in Spain.

Cataluña

Sandwiched Between the Pyrenees Mountains and the Mediterranean

Cataluña is an autonomous community in Spain's northeastern corner, consisting of the four provinces of Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its unique geographical position on the Iberian Peninsula – sandwiched between the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyrenees – makes Cataluna an ideal location for filming in Spain. The region offers a wonderful combination of mountainous and coastal landscapes, diverse regional gastronomy and culture, and a mix of urban and rural filming locations.

Cost Effective Locations

Many of WhereNext's Spanish productions have been filmed in Cataluña. We have found it to be a cost-effective filming location. The ease of travel between its many varied destinations makes it ideal for maximizing your time during a Spanish production. It's entirely possible to be filming with fishermen along Girona's rocky coastlines in the morning and then shooting the fruits of their labors in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Barcelona by night. We did precisely that during the filming of our digital food travel series in Cataluña and our work on 'Passport & Plate' with World Nomads.

Top Destination for Cycling Productions

As well as being a foodie paradise, Cataluña is also a top destination for cycling productions, as we discovered when Experience Plus trusted us to film one of their award-winning Costa Brava bike tours for a promotional video. With the Pyrenees just a stone's throw away from this rugged coastline, the adventure production market in Cataluña is just waiting to be explored.

Magnificent Countryside

Similarly, it's not hard to get off-the-beaten-track in this region, despite Barcelona's bustle and the Mediterranean region. The rural regions of Girona, for example, offer a compelling snapshot into Spain's past, with many local people maintaining a traditional and simple way of life. We have filmed in this bucolic corner of Spain with shepherds, winemakers, and artisanal herb collectors in these rolling hills. There are so many idyllic villages and mountain trails to explore.

World-Class Art and Culture

Then, of course, there's Barcelona – Spain's second-largest city is a bustling metropolis full of world-class museums, stunning and surreal architecture from the great Antonio Gaudi, and white-sand beaches on the Mediterranean coast. As a major transport hub, Barcelona's air and rail connections with Europe and the rest of Spain make the city an ideal Spanish production base.

In short, if you're looking for production services in Spain in a region that combines value for money, an accessible range of landscapes, and a unique and independent culture, then Cataluña is a destination worth considering.

Andalucía

Mountains, Atlantic and Mediterranean Coastlines

This southern autonomous community comprises the eight provinces of Almeria, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaen, Malaga, and Seville. As the only European region with both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, the highest peak in Western Europe outside the Alps, and some of the continent's most biologically diverse wetlands, Andalucía is a geographically diverse region for filming.

Crossroads of Ancient History

It is also Spain's most culturally diverse region, with influences from the Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, Byzantines, Berbers of North Africa, Jews, and Moors, among others. This transcultural heritage is reflected in the stunning architecture of cities like Seville, Cadiz, Granada, and Cordoba.

Adventure Travel Mecca

As part of WhereNext's production services in Spain, we filmed a cycling adventure tourism project with our client, H&I Adventures, in Andalucía's Sierra Nevada Mountains. This was an advanced and physically challenging 8-day biking tour over Class 5 routes through some of Spain's most off-the-beaten-path terrain and gave us a real insight into what it takes to film adventure travel videos in this wild corner of the country. The Sierra Nevada is a worthwhile location for shooting adventure content in Spain. Its proximity to Granada makes for excellent travel connections. It is home to the most southerly ski resort in Europe, and there aren't many places where snow-capped peaks sit so close to the Mediterranean's sparkling waters.

A Farm and Sea-to-Table Showcase

We also worked on a gastronomic series for our client, World Nomads in Andalucía, which showcases the region's cultural and culinary diversity. This project included shoots at a fish market in Malaga, a sherry vineyard in Jerez, a fishing trip in the Mediterranean, and even tilling the fields with a group of farmers. In this video, you get a snapshot not just of the region's varied gastronomic offerings, but also its irresistible blend of cultures and traditions. Filming in Andalucía is like filming in several countries at once.

Also Easy on the Production Budget

As with Cataluña, shooting a production in Andalucía allows you to combine a startling array of landscapes, cultures, and locations within a relatively short distance, and offers a cost-effective means of doing so. There's so much to explore in this spectacular Spanish region.

Madrid

The Mixing Pot for Spanish Culture

The Spanish capital is the country's most populous city, and an outstanding filming location due to its excellent transport connections, unique cultural attractions, and cosmopolitan vibes. Regularly named one of the world's most liveable cities, Madrid mixes bohemian chic with a big-city vibe.

A Culinary Wonderland

Madrid is an especially good filming location for gastronomy productions, as we found out during our work on World Nomads's 'Passport & Plate' series, for which we filmed an episode in Madrid. Madrid's gastronomic culture contains influences from across the country and autochthonous dishes. This was reflected in the final production: our main character enjoyed Asturian cider, cocktails mixed with ingredients from all corners of the country, and typical local dishes at a food market.

A Treasure Trove of Art

Madrid is also well-known for its world-class museums. As the home of the Prado, the Reina Sofia, and Thyssen Bornemisza museums, Madrid's artistic credentials are second to none.

Valencia

Where Ancient and Modern are Perfectly at Ease

As one of the Mediterranean's most important port cities, Valencia counts on a robust transport network, a vibrant mix of cultural influences, and architecture dating back to Roman and Arabic times. Like southern Andalucia's cities, Valencia's streets can contain buildings influenced by several different cultural periods all on the same block, making it a visually arresting filming location.

Where the Young and Hip Can Make Their Mark

Our production services team in Spain chose Valencia for our client Cat Footwear for the launch of their Cat CODE shoe collection. As the third-largest city in Spain, Valencia was the ideal location for a campaign celebrating hip, urban shoes, designed to move effortlessly from the streets to the club. Valencia's young, cool vibes fit this brief perfectly.

An Astoundingly Affordable Filming Location

We've found Valencia to be one of the coolest destinations we've worked in. It's also an extremely cost-effective filming destination, allowing us to shave up to 50% off a typical U.S. production budget.

Learn more about our production services in Spain or contact us to learn how we can help select the ideal Spanish filming destination for your needs.

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