De Vacaciones: How to Talk About Your Vacation in Spanish

Talking about your vacaciones in Spanish is entertaining, and it enables your friends and family to join you in those unique experiences and memories. So, how about practicing your Spanish in this fun and endearing way? 

In this blog post, I break down all the essentials you need to master talking about your vacaciones in Spanish like a native speaker. 

Pack your bags, and let’s prepare you with the necessary vocabulary and details you’ll need to talk about your vacation in Spanish!  

Planning your Vacaciones

Have you decided on a destination? Are you organizing everything on your own or are you going through a travel agent? Are visas required? 

These are a few of the many details you need to consider for planning an unforgettable trip. When it comes to setting up your vacaciones in Spanish, there’s useful vocabulary and phrases that will come in handy. Let ‘s take a look!

Spanish Vacation Terms and Phrases

You may discuss going on a holiday in Spanish in various ways. The following forms referencing your vacaciones in Spanish are widely understood. 

They’re the first thing you should learn before going on the trip of a lifetime. Check out these frequently used phrases about traveling in Spanish.

Voy a vacacionar en un crucero.
I’m vacationing on a cruise. 

Me quiero ir de vacaciones.
I want to go on vacation.

Voy a viajar a Guatemala.
I’m traveling to Guatemala.

Voy a hacer un viaje a México.
I’m taking a trip to Mexico.

Pasaré las vacaciones en España.
I’m going to spend the holidays in Spain.

English	Spanish
passport	el pasaporte
identification	la identificación
tourist	el / la turista
travel agent	el / la agente de viajes
tour operator	la tour operadora
arrival date	la fecha de llegada
departure date	la fecha de salida
hotel / hostel / guest house	el hotel / el hostal / la posada
itinerary	el itinerario
suitcase	la maleta
credit card	la tarjeta de crédito
deposit	el depósito

Talking About Your Plans

Whether you’re planning everything on your own or you want a travel agent to set everything up, these useful phrases come in handy for you to elaborate on what you’re planning and want to do during your vacaciones in Spanish. 

Necesito ayuda planeando mis vacaciones.
I need help planning my vacation. 

Yo quiero hacer un viaje.
I want to take a trip.

Yo quiero visitar…(ciudad, país, o destino).
I want to visit… (city, country, or destination).

Quiero viajar en avión.
I want to travel by plane.

Me quiero hospedar en hotel.
I want to stay in a hotel.

Yo necesito ayuda planeando mi viaje.
I need help planning my trip. 

Voy a viajar por quince días.
I’m traveling for fifteen days. 

Yo necesito tramitar mi visa.
I need to process my visa.

Quiero tomar un crucero con todo incluido. 
I want to take an all-inclusive cruise.

Estoy viajando con mi familia / amigos.
I’m traveling with my family / friends. 

Me quiero ir de luna de miel.
I want to go on my honeymoon. 

Tengo un presupuesto limitado para mis vacaciones.
I have a limited budget for my vacation.

Necesito una reserva de hotel.
I need a hotel reservation.

Necesito ayuda reservando mis boletos de avión.
I need help booking my plane tickets. 

Estoy buscando un seguro de viaje.
I’m looking for travel insurance.

Necesito alquilar un carro / coche.
I need to rent a car.

Tengo que empacar mi maleta. 
I have to pack my bag.

Quiero viajar en tren.
I want to travel by train.

Quiero conocer todos los lugares posibles.
I want to go to as many places as possible.

Mi viaje es para ir de compras y divertirme.
My trip is for shopping and having fun.

Quiero viajar por estudios.
I want to travel and study.

Mi viaje es para aprender historia.
My trip is for learning history. 

Quiero hacer actividades en la naturaleza y al aire libre. 
I want to do nature and outdoors activities. 

Me voy a otro país a un intercambio estudiantil. 
I’m going to another country on a student exchange. 

Getting Around and Enjoying your Vacation

So you’ve laid out what you’re going to do, and you make it to the airport. Your vacaciones are about to begin! 

Knowing how to communicate the expectations for your vacaciones in Spanish is crucial! Let’s dive deep into the vocabulary and phrases to guarantee your vacation goes smoothly.

From the Airport to the Plane, Car, or Train

English	Spanish
checking-in	registrarse
boarding pass	el pase de abordar / la tarjeta de embarque
layover	escala
luggage	el equipaje
round-trip ticket	el boleto de ida y vuelta
customs	la aduana
immigration	migración
exit fees	los impuestos de salida
border	la frontera
flight attendant	la aeromoza / el sobrecargo
going to	con destino a
delay	retraso
pilot	el / la piloto
driver	el / la conductor (a)
airline	la aerolínea
airplane window	la ventanilla
security checkpoint	inspección de seguridad
crew	la tripulación
landing	aterrizaje

Here are some other phrases that will come in handy during the process of reaching your destination:

Quisiera chequear mi maleta.
I would like to check my bags.

¿Cuál es la hora de llegada?
At what time are we arriving?

Necesito cambiar de asiento por favor.
I need to change seats please.

Tengo que imprimir mi pase de abordar.
I need to print my boarding pass.

¿Me podrían subir de categoría?
Can I get an upgrade?

Soy viajero frecuente.
I’m a frequent flyer. 

Me mareo en el avión.
I get motion sickness on planes.

Experiencing your Vacaciones in Spanish

You’ve made it to your destination and it’s time for you to fully enjoy your holiday. It’s okay if you just want to sit back and relax or maybe you want to go for a fast-paced vacation. These useful words will have you moving around like a local and discovering as much as you like. 

English	Spanish
single / double / twin hotel room	la habitación individual / doble
souvenir	el recuerdo / el regalo
tourism office	la oficina de turismo
landscape	el paisaje
beach	la playa
museum	el museo
swimming pool	la piscina
concert	el concierto
shopping mall / store	el centro comercial / la tienda
restaurant	el restaurante
bar / night club	el bar / la discoteca
pharmacy	la farmacia
laundry mat	la lavandería
ATM	el cajero automático
bank	el banco
old town / historic center	el casco antiguo / el centro histórico
city / town	la ciudad / el pueblo
guided visit	la visita guiada
tour guide	el guía de turistas
travel guidebook	la guía de viaje

Phrases for Making the Most of Your Vacation

Let’s look at some phrases and sentences you can use in action throughout your vacation. These’ll be of great use for communicating any request or need you may have during your vacaciones in a Spanish-speaking country. 

Quiero ir a tomar algunas fotos.
I want to go take some photos.

Voy a tomar una excursión.
I’m going on a tour. 

Necesito cambiar dinero.
I need to exchange money. 

Quiero visitar la playa.
I want to visit the beach.

Quiero hacer una reservación para cenar.
I want to make a dinner reservation.

Me quedaré en el hotel.
I’m staying at the hotel.

Quiero ir a visitar los lugares turísticos.
I want to go sightseeing.

Quiero aprender a bucear.
I want to learn scuba diving. 

Soy vegetariana / vegana.
I’m vegetarian / vegan.

Soy alérgica a…
I’m allergic to…

Me gusta hacer senderismo.
I like to hike. 

Quiero subir un volcán.
I want to climb a volcano.

Me gustaría salir a caminar.
I’d like to go for a walk. 

Quiero hacer kayak / rafting.
I want to go kayaking / rafting. 

Disculpe, ¿dónde queda…?
Excuse me, where’s the … located?

Necesito direcciones por favor.
I need directions please. 

Quiero conocer gente.
I want to meet new people. 

Voy a tomar un taxi / bus.
I’m taking a taxi / bus.

¿A qué hora empieza el tour?
At what time does the tour begin?

¿Qué debo llevar en el tour?
What should I take on the tour?

Estoy de vacaciones.
I’m on vacation. 

Remembering your Vacaciones in Spanish

If you’ve made it to this point, it means you’re ready to share with your loved ones the many experiences and lessons learned from the true wanderlust of venturing to a new destination. Use these phrases to discuss your vacaciones in Spanish, what you liked, disliked, the best venues, and useful tips you picked up!

Tengo que desempacar mis maletas.
I need to unpack my bags.

Mis vacaciones fueron increíbles.
My vacation was incredible. 

Mis amigos y yo la pasamos muy bien.
My friends and I had a great time.

Me perdí en algunos lugares pero pedí direcciones y todo salió bien.
I got lost in some places, but I asked for directions and things worked out.

Tome muchísimas fotos y videos.
I took many photos and videos.

Mi lugar favorito fue…
My favorite place was…

El hotel era muy bonito y cómodo.
The hotel was quite nice and comfortable. 

La comida más rica que probé fue…
The food I liked the most was…

Mi vuelo aterrizó a tiempo. 
My flight landed on time.

No me gustó…
I didn’t like…

Conocí a muchas personas.
I met many people.

Me dieron la bienvenida muy amablemente.
They welcomed me very kindly. 

Te traje un recuerdo especial.
I brought you a special souvenir. 

Aprendí nuevas cosas.
I learned new things. 

Te recomiendo visitar…
I recommend you visit…

Necesito un descanso después de esas vacaciones.
I need a break after that vacation. 

No puedo esperar a mis próximas vacaciones.
I can’t wait for my next vacation. 

Time to Practice (Even if you’re not on Vacation)!

How are you feeling after studying these phrases and new vocabulary? ¿Estás listo para irte de vacaciones?

Now you have the necessary knowledge and basics for planning, enjoying, and remembering your vacaciones in Spanish. Whether your trip has already happened or you’re setting it up for the future, I hope you come back to this blog post to expand your vocabulary and take your conversational skills to the next level.

If you’re ready for a one-on-one conversation about your vacation, sign up for a free class with us at Homeschool Spanish Academy. Our professional, native Spanish-speaking teachers from Guatemala will improve your fluency and have you talking about your vacations and memories like a pro. 

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