• Holidaymakers can now book their long-haul ferry to Spain up until November 2026
• 16 sailings per week direct to and from Spain allow holidaymakers to swap travel by air for a cruise by sea – with their own car
• Sail direct from two convenient ports in central south and southwest UK plus one in south Ireland to two destinations along the coasts of the Spanish Basque country and Cantabria
• 5 per cent more passengers took the ferry to Spain in 2025 compared to 2024 – with 340,000 passengers choosing sea-travel over air

Ferry operator Brittany Ferries has launched its latest timetables for journeys to and from Spain up until November 2026. So, holidaymakers can now plan for breaks and holidays to the Iberian Peninsula this winter, and into next spring, summer and autumn.

All sailings are available to passengers travelling with their car or motorhome, on their bicycle or motorbike, or on foot.

The long-haul sailings (each one covering 430 to 565 nautical miles and taking 20 to 36 hours – with one or two nights on board spent in an en suite cabin) mean that the ferry can take the strain and stress out of holiday travel, allowing passengers to sit back and relax, and enjoy the facilities, cuisine and cabins on board as they sail to or from their holiday destination. The journey to the holiday becomes part of the holiday, and sailing direct to Spain also means less driving, lower fuel costs, less road tolls, and overnight stays en route.

Long-haul ferry travel has made a comeback in recent years, as increasing numbers of Brits choose sea over air to reach Spain, savouring the joys of slow travel by sea. Brittany Ferries first launched trans-Biscay services to Spain in 1978 with a twice-weekly, seasonal service linking Plymouth and Santander. Things stayed that way until 15 years ago. Due to growing demand, it expanded the long-haul network, adding the ports of Portsmouth, Bilbao and then Rosslare. Today there are four routes to Spain offering up to eight sailings a week in each direction.

Spain is by far the most popular holiday destination for British tourists, and it’s little wonder. It’s a land of thrilling surprises beyond the stereotype of packed costa beaches. It’s a country of vast landscapes: splendid castles, age-old cities and timeless villages. There are gloriously unspoilt mountains, sophisticated resorts and villages steeped in tradition. Spain’s unique fascination lies in its exciting blend of cultures and styles – particularly the historic cities: dramatic Toledo atop a high granite hill, magical Segovia with its fairy-tale Alcázar, or Granada, site of the enchanting Alhambra.  And stretching from the Mediterranean to the Algarve, and from the Atlantic to the Bay of Biscay: mile after mile of golden coastline. And by taking the ferry, holidaymakers can explore all this with the comfort and convenience of their own car.

The newly-published Spanish schedule covers 12 months from Monday 3^rd November 2025 to Sunday 1^stNovember 2026. Overall, in peak season, it offers 16 weekly trans-Biscay cruiseferry sailings linking Portsmouth, Plymouth and Rosslare (Ireland) to Bilbao and Santander in northern Spain. The Spanish schedule announcement follows the launch of Brittany Ferries’ sailings to and From France on Thursday 10^th July, meaning that all Brittany Ferries sailings over the next 16 months are now available to book.