4 nights anywhere in Spain

According to skyscanner.com, there are apparently daily non-stop flights from Oslo to Barcelona, Palma (Mallorca), Malaga and Alicante. Madrid is served most days; Bilbao, somewhat less frequently. For me, Alicante would be the clear last choice. All options except Madrid are coastal.

I haven't researched the weather situation but know from earlier trip planning that Bilbao is highly likely to be cooler, cloudier and perhaps wetter than the others. The Basque Country is, based on historical weather patterns, a good place to go in mid-summer to get away from the unrelenting heat you might encounter in most parts of Spain.

One of our regular posters has highly recommended having a car in Mallorca. I plan to go there at some point and travel around by public transportation, recognizing some places may be inaccessible. I'm sure you could easily fill four days without a car. How practical this is would depend on where you will go after this four-day trip to Spain--back to Oslo or somewhere else? This could be a good opportunity to see part of Mallorca without the need for connecting flights. I will say, though, that I will be spending at least a full week on the island when I travel there; it has a lot of points of interest.

Barcelona has so much to see that your 3-1/2 days there would be very busy ones. The city has a number of sights for which you should get tickets ahead of time so you don't have to stand in long lines:

• La Sagrada Familia
• Parc Guell
• Casa Mila/La Pedrera
• Casa Battlo
• Picasso Museum
• Palau de la Musica Catalana (the English tours book up a bit early)

Crowding should be expected at the first five.

Central Spain, where Madrid is located--nowhere near the coast--tends to bake in the summer. Malaga, though farther south, has an average high temperature 3 degrees (F) cooler than Madrid in July.

I'd suggest Barcelona because it has so much to see and do besides the beaches. There's no train from the airport but the Aerobus is fast, reliable, easy, and inexpensive. The city has a good subway system and also local buses. A hotel in the El Born neighborhood would put you between the beaches and the Gothic Quarter (but I haven't stayed in that area).

We added a week in Barcelona to the end of our Scandinavian trip in September 2022, flying direct from Oslo. Barcelona was lovely with plenty or not much at all to do. We spent quite a bit of time on rooftop terraces drinking Aperol spritz and people watching.

Only downside I can think of for Barcelona in July is that the metro gets very hot and crowded.

For three of you, it makes sense to take a taxi to your hotel from the airport. Taxi prices aren't high in BCN. In fact, I took a taxi from the train station a few weeks ago. It was a set price. Does anyone know if it's a set price from the airport, too?

I find questions like these to be unreasonably broad. There are certainly constrains on travel/accessibility, interests, budget, etc that just a bit of primary research could narrow. These forums are great for helping to narrow options when thought has been given to them.

Scudder makes a good point, there could be 100 different worthwhile places in Spain that would fit your description. You may want to do some research of your own to narrow down why you want to travel to Spain? Sun and beach? History and architecture? Hiking and nature?

Only downside I can think of for Barcelona in July is that the metro gets very hot and crowded.

And the city is packed with tourists like a can of sardines lol!