Spain Travel Tips

Spain or España, found in Mediterranean Europe, is a country of large geographical and cultural diversity. It also has a reputation for great beach holidays, lush meadows in the Northern provinces, snowy mountains to almost desert in the South. The primary language used in Spain is Spanish (español), more properly called Castilian (castellano). French and English are also usually used since these are commonly taught at schools.

Getting Around Spain

You can get around usually by train, Renfe is the Spanish national rail carrier; by bus where most major routes are point to point, and very high frequency; by boat or private yacht so that you can enjoy gorgeous scenery and distance yourself from the inevitable crowds of tourists that flock to these destinations

Currency in Spain

Since 2002, Euro has replaced the Spanish pesetas because Spain is part of the European Union and the Eurozone. Credit cards are usually accepted in most shops and hotels. However, several Spanish stores may still ask passport, driving license or ID card before accepting your credit card.

Spain Dining

The Spanish are known for their special cuisine and great-tasting wine. Spanish recipes are usually light with a lot of vegetables, meat and fish. The Spanish cuisine does not use many spices; it relies only on the use of high quality ingredients to give a good taste.

Typical Spanish dishes such as Mariscos – shellfish; Chorizo — Spain’s most popular sausage made from pork, ham, salt, garlic and pepper ; Gambas pil pil — prawns with garlic and chile; Gazpacho Andaluz — cold vegetable soup; Morcilla — sausages made from pig blood flavoured with anise; and Paella — famous rice dish of Spain, can be found all over the country.

Twenty-two percent of Europe’s wine growing area is located in Spain. The most famous wines come from Rías Baixas (province of Pontevedra), Rioja and from Ribera del Duero. Among the known varieties of Spanish wines are:

• Cava is Spanish sparkling wine. Cava is a quite successful sparkling wine and 99% of the production comes from the area around Barcelona.
• Sangria is drink made of wine and fruits and usually is made from simple wines.
• The wines around Jerez are very high in alcohol and they produce the famous sherry which is known as fino.