So, you decided to take a gap year in Spain. Solid choice.
Now comes the next question: what do you actually do once you get there?
A year is a long time, which is exactly what makes it so exciting. You are not stuck trying to cram everything into one rushed trip. You have time to build a routine, try new things, explore different parts of the country, and figure out what you want this year abroad to look like.
If you are searching for the best things to do during a gap year in Spain, the good news is that there is no one right way to do it. Some people want structure. Some want flexibility. Most want a mix of both.
That is why teaching English in Spain is often such a smart place to start. It gives you a home base, a built-in community, and money coming in, while still leaving room for travel, language learning, and everything else you want from your gap year abroad.
Here are six of the best ways to spend a gap year in Spain.
1. Teach English Abroad in Spain
If you want a gap year in Spain that feels both structured and adventurous, teaching English abroad is one of If you want your gap year to feel exciting and actually sustainable, teaching English in Spain is one of the best things you can do.
As a language assistant, you can spend part of your week working in Spanish public schools while keeping your afternoons, weekends, and school breaks open for the rest of your life abroad. That means you are not just floating around hoping things fall into place. You have structure, but you still have freedom.
Teaching English in Spain is such a strong fit for a gap year because it gives you:
- A consistent schedule
- A monthly stipend to help with living costs
- Real international work experience
- Time to travel, take classes, and enjoy daily life
You also get something a lot of gap year options do not offer: a real sense of momentum. Instead of just passing time, you are building confidence, growing as a person, and gaining experience that also looks great on a resume.
If you are wondering what to do during a gap year in Spain and want something that feels fun, practical, and meaningful, this is one of the strongest options by far.
2. Join Volunteer Programs
Volunteering is another great way to make your gap year in Spain feel more connected and more intentional.
Depending on where you live, you may be able to help with community events, support local organizations, or get involved in causes that matter to you. Some people volunteer with kids, some help with environmental projects, and others look for cultural or neighborhood-based programs.
What makes volunteering especially worthwhile during a gap year abroad is that it helps you step outside the usual expat routine. It can introduce you to new people, push you to use more Spanish, and help you experience a different side of the place you are living.
Volunteering can work really well if you:
- Want your gap year to feel more purposeful
- Want to meet people outside your normal circle
- Want to stay involved in your local community
For a lot of people, the best setup is to use volunteering as something that complements their main routine. For example, you might teach English during the week and volunteer occasionally on weekends or during lighter stretches of the school year.
3. Become an Au Pair in Spain
Becoming an au pair in Spain is a wonderful way to experience daily life in a Spanish household while improving your language skills. As an au pair, you’ll provide childcare and light household duties in exchange for rooIf you want a more immersive day-to-day experience, becoming an au pair in Spain can be a really unique option.
As an au pair, you usually live with a host family and help with childcare and light household tasks in exchange for housing, meals, and a stipend. It is a very different experience from teaching English, but for the right person, it can be a great fit.
Living with a Spanish family means you are dropped straight into everyday life. You see real routines, real conversations, and the little details of Spanish culture that tourists usually miss. It can also be one of the fastest ways to build confidence with your language skills, because you are using Spanish in real situations all the time.
Being an au pair may be a good option if you want:
- A deeper cultural exchange
- A more family-based living experience
- Built-in housing and daily structure
It can work as your main gap year plan, or as one part of a bigger year abroad. Some people do it before or after teaching English, depending on the kind of experience they want.
4. Intern and Build Career Experience
Interning in Spain provides an invaluable opportunity to gain professional experience while exploring a new country. Whether you’re interested in business, marketing, hospitality, or any other field, Spain’s diverse eA gap year does not have to mean putting your future on pause. It can also be a chance to build experience that helps you later.
That is why interning in Spain can be such a smart option, especially if you want your year abroad to support your long-term goals too. Depending on your background and interests, you might find internship opportunities in areas like marketing, hospitality, education, social media, business, or nonprofit work.
An internship in Spain can help you:
- Build experience in an international setting
- Strengthen your resume
- Learn how different workplaces and cultures operate
- Improve your Spanish in a more professional environment
If you are the kind of person who wants your gap year to be both adventurous and career-friendly, this can be a great route. Some people focus fully on an internship, while others add one later in the year after they have already settled in.
5. Take Spanish Language Classes
Taking Spanish language classes during your gap year is a brilliant way to enhance your communication skills andIf you are spending a gap year in Spain, improving your Spanish is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
Even if you arrive knowing very little, taking Spanish classes can make daily life easier, help you feel more confident, and open up a much deeper experience while you are there. Ordering food, making friends, chatting with coworkers, figuring out transportation, understanding jokes, it all gets better when your language skills start growing.
You do not need to go all in on an intense academic setup either. There are a lot of ways to learn, depending on your schedule and goals.
You might choose to:
- Take group classes at a local language school
- Book private lessons
- Join an intensive course during a school break
- Mix formal classes with language exchanges and self-study
Spanish classes are one of the easiest ways to get more out of your gap year in Spain, because the more you understand, the more connected and comfortable you feel.
6. Explore Spain Slowly
One of the best parts of a gap year in Spain is that you get time to experience the country beyond the obvious highlights.
You are not limited to one rushed vacation. You can take weekend trips, revisit places you love, and see parts of Spain that many travelers skip entirely. That is what makes slow travel such a great fit for a gap year abroad.
Yes, you can hit the big names like Madrid, Barcelona, The Balearic Islands, and Valencia. But you also have time for smaller cities, coastal towns, mountain regions, and the kind of low-pressure trips that end up being your favorites.
A few great ways to explore Spain slowly during your gap year:
- Plan weekend trips around your work or class schedule
- Use school holidays for bigger trips
- Mix major cities with smaller local destinations
- Leave room for unplanned days, not just packed itineraries
The goal is not to see everything. The goal is to actually experience where you are.
That is the beauty of a gap year in Spain. You have enough time to stop rushing and start noticing things.
Why Teaching English Can Be the Best Anchor for Your Gap Year in Spain
There are a lot of good ways to spend a gap year in Spain. You can volunteer, study Spanish, travel, become an au pair, or build career experience through an internship.
But if you want something that makes the rest of your year easier to build around, teaching English is often the best place to start.
Teaching English in Spain gives you the balance a lot of people are looking for:
- Structure without feeling stuck
- Income without giving up the experience
- A community without having to figure everything out alone
That is why so many people use teaching as the anchor for the rest of their gap year abroad.
With RVF International, you get support through the logistics, help navigating the move, and a placement in a Spanish public school so you can start your year with a real plan in place.
From there, you can build the version of Spain that fits you best — one filled with travel, language learning, personal growth, and a lot of moments you will still be talking about years from now.
If you are wondering what to do during a gap year in Spain, teaching English with RVF International could be the thing that makes the whole year click.
