If you’re thinking about travelling to Europe this year, you should consider visiting Spain as your destination of choice. With its incredibly warm climate, majestic mountain ranges, beautiful blue seas, and delicious culinary experiences, this is one holiday experience you would be a fool to miss out on. Still, while you could make like a tourist and spend most of your time on the beach, Spain offers a little more for those willing to go off the beaten track. Whether you are travelling solo or heading out to this beautiful European country with others, we have picked out some of the more unique, and rather bizarre ways to spend your Spanish holiday.

Visit the Chocolate Museum

There is a lot to do in Barcelona, Spain’s second largest city, but one of the coolest places to visit is the Chocolate Museum. While this may seem like something of a novelty, it actually has historical significance. 500 years ago, the conquistadors first brought cocoa beans into Spain, after pillaging the Aztec and Mayan empires in South America. A bit rude of them, of course, but at least you have the opportunity to look back on this time in history with the chocolate sculptures around the museum. Please note: don’t get your own back by pillaging the museum by chomping your way through a chocolate conquistador… you would only spoil it for the other visitors, make yourself sick, and probably get arrested!

Unleash your inner thrill seeker

The biggest thrill most tourists get in Spain is getting a new tan. Be different and try your hand at something a little (or a lot) more exciting. For starters, you could propel your way down the only cross-border zip wire in the world. One moment you are stood atop the eastern Algarve in Spain, and a minute later you find yourself hurtling towards Portugal. Considering the time-difference between the two countries, you will also find yourself travelling back in time by 1 hour. After conquering your fear of heights, you should take a trip to the tiny village of El Chorro and hike across the world’s scariest pathway. Running a meter wide, you do need to be careful, as despite the incredible views, there are moments where sections of the pathway are non-existent. Gulp!

Have a near-death experience

Okay, so if you did hike across that treacherous pathway we mentioned above, you probably did have a near-death experience already. Still, there are safer ways to experience mortality and that is to attend the Festival of the Near-Death Experience. Surprisingly not taking place in El Chorro, this actually takes place in the tiny town of Las Nieves, a place known for its links to paganism and witchcraft. Spain has many crazy festivals, but this is a celebration more solemn than most. Consisting of a long procession, the townsfolk carry those citizens who faced their own near-death experiences during the last year, in coffins, walking up a large hill towards the local church. Morbid? Yes. Fascinating? Absolutely!

Finally

There is much to see and do in Spain, but you have to agree, these are probably some of the more bizarre and unique experiences you can have in the country. Not a fan? Well, you can always pack your sun cream and towels and head off to the beach like the rest of the tourist population!