Spain is famous worldwide for its flamenco dancers and bullfights and the architecture style. Cave paintings, renaissance cathedrals, Moorish palaces prove the diversity of the country. Spring, fall and early summer are very pleasant here, though summers are hot.   Spain’s capital and largest city are Madrid.

Culture

Spanish is the regional language of Spain. English is spoken there. Over a period of time, Spanish people have become modern in order to gel with the changing times and are no longer conservative. But that hasn’t changed the values, traditions, manners, and customs of the locals. People here have two surnames(last names). The first surname/last name can be used to refer to the person. To greet someone, a handshake will do the job. It’s normal to take a small gift along when visiting someone’s house. Dinner is generally taken very late at the night most restaurants in Spain open late for dinner. People wear casual but not too casual compared to the U.S. most of the time. Men are expected to wear jackets at some restaurants. Swimsuits should be confined to the pools and beaches. Recently a ban has been applied to smoking in public places.

 

Shopping

Shops open quite early in the morning and stay open late in the evening. In the afternoon, they are closed for lunch or siesta. Porcelain and leather goods are famous and they will be good gifts for friends and family members back home. Bills are to be paid along with the service charges, so tipping is a matter of gratitude.

 

Electricity

Voltage is 220 volts and the frequency is 50 Hz

Transportation

IBERIA airline is the national airline of Spain. Many other low-cost airlines offer services in the country such as Air Europa, Wamos Air, Vueling Airlines, and Binter Canarias. There are nearly thirty international airports in Spain, out of which Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, and Malaga are famous. Duty-free shops, restaurants, banks, car hire, and tourism information are available at the airports. There is also railway transportation between Spain cities and nearby countries or Europe in general. Cities that you can get metro/rail system are Alicante, Barcelona, Bilbao, Granada, Madrid, Malaga, Murcia, Palma, Parla, Santa Cruz, Seville, Valencia, Velez Malaga, Vitoria-Gasteiz, and Zaragoza. Underground service also works to transport passengers to their destinations. Buses are available every 15 minutes and trains are available every 20 minutes. Bus fare and schedule and operations depend on the city you are. Taxis are available throughout the day. There is a good network of roads connecting Spain north to south. Toll booths are installed in some parts of the country. Carrying a few Euros will help smooth sailing at the toll booths. If driving one’s private car, it would be better if the travel insurance covers medical costs too. Carrying a medical kit can prove to be of some help.

Duty-Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos 50 cigars or 250g tobacco (300 cigarettes, 150 cigarillos, 70 cigars and 400g of tobacco for EU nationals)
2. 1litre of spirits if exceeding 22 percent volume or 2 liters of alcoholic beverage not exceeding 22 percent volume and 2 liters of wine (1.5 liters exceeding 22 percent and 3 liters of up to 22 percent and 5 liters of wine for EU nationals)
3. 250ml eau de toilette and 50g of perfume
4. 500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract (1000g of coffee and 4000g of coffee extract for EU nationals)
5. 100g of tea or 40g of tea extract
6. Gifts up to the value of approximately €37.26. (the U.S $ 41.58).

Places to Visit in Spain.

1: Barcelona.

Barcelona is my favorite city in  Spain. There are a lot of things to do and a lot to experience in this magnificent city. You can do a lot of things from sightseeing to cooking classes. My  must-see /visit or do while you are in Barca(as I like to call it, and yes I’m a soccer fan) are;

• La Sagrada Familia
• Park Guell
• Las Ramblas
• Camp Nou Stadium(again soccer fan)
• La Boqueria (Boqueria Market)

There is a lot to do, and for beach lovers, there are tons and tons of beaches in Barcelona.

 

2:Madrid

Madrid is the largest and capital city of Spain.  If you like the sound of Spanish guitar, the swish of flamenco this is your place to be. A lot of food, dancing and partying all day and all night in this beautiful city. My pick for must-do/see or visit while in  Madrid are ;

• Prado Museum
• Plaza Mayor
• The Palacio Real
• El Rastro flea market
• Puerta del Sol

There is a lot to do in this city, you can hop on bus tours which they provide a lot of activities to do from wine tasting to cooking classes.

 

3: Valencia.

If you like to be outdoor or on the beaches, Valencia is your place.  You can visit the beach with golden sand and have a  very wonderful view of the Mediterranean.  My pick for Valencia are :

• Mercado Central
• Plaza Ayuntamiento
• City of Art and Science
• Valencia beaches

There are tons of things to see and do in Valencia. In general, Spain is a very beautiful country there are a lot of places to visit such as Seville, Granada, Ibiza, San Sebastian, Canary Islands, etc.