Covering four-fifths of the Iberian peninsula, Spain is separated from the rest of Europe by the imposing Pyrenees, and from north Africa by the Straits of Gibraltar, just 14 km wide. While bullfights and flamenco are often thought to capture the very essence of Spain, it is in fact a country of great diversity. The northern coast, bordering the Bay of Biscay, with its perpetual cloak of fine mist is often called the Costa Verde (the Green Coast), while the southern coast is aptly named the Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun). The Moorish Occupation left an indelible imprint on Spanish art and architecture and many of Spain’s splendid cathedrals were built over mosques. Language also reflects the country’s diversity. Castilian Spanish is widely spoken, but the different regional languages are equally important. English is understood in the larger hotels and tourist resorts, though a phrase book is essential if travelling through Spain. With sun and golden beaches in the south, ski resorts, Gothic cathedrals, art galleries and exhilarating festivals, Spain has something for everyone.
Spain has developed out of the legacy of Roman Catholicism and Moorish Rule. The two very different religious cultures have shaped Spain into a proud nation with a people known for their passion. The landscape of Spain is as varied as one can imagine having both skiing in some areas and near desert in others. The ancient cites of Spain hold treasures for the explorer that are unrivaled in many other parts of the world.
Time
During winter, Spain is one hour ahead of GMT. The gap widens to two hours during summer, usually taking effect from the end of March and lasting until October. The Canary Islands are one hour ahead of GMT in summer and follow GMT in winter.
Tourist Offices
Tourist offices can be found in most sizeable towns. In the larger centres, tourist offices are called Oficinas de Información de Turismo. In smaller towns, tourist information is often available at the Town Hall, or Ayuntamiento.
Convention Bureau in Granada
Tel. 34-58-225959
Fax. 34-58-225624
Convention Bureau in Madrid
Tel. 34-1-5882900
Fax. 34-1-5882930
Convention Bureau in Seville
Tel. 34-5-4211091
Fax. 34-5-4218764
Visas & Passports
Visas are not required by European Union passport holders, Canadians, New Zealanders and US citizens, unless they intend to stay in the country for longer than three months. Australians need a visa and may visit the country for 90 days.
Customs
When entering Spain from a non-EU country, you may import, free of duty, a carton of cigarettes, 1 l of spirits and wine, and 150 g of perfume.
Deposits may be required when taking portable televisions, radios and musical instruments into Spain.
Business Hours
Banks usually open during the week from 09:00 until 13:30 or 14:00.
Not everyone sleeps during the afternoon siesta, but most businesses are closed from 14:00 until 17:00, giving time for a leisurely lunch.
Electricity
The electric current is usually 220 volts AC, 50Mhz, but it’s still 125 volts in some places. The plugs have two round pins.
Disabled Travellers
Handicap facilities are not generally available in Spain, except in some of the larger hotels and tourist resorts.
Transport
Air Travel
Spain has a number of international airports, including Almería, Bilbao, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Granada, Málaga, Alicante, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza and Mahón, but most international flights land at Madrid or Barcelona. Iberia and Aviaco cover internal air routes, while charter flights call on the islands.
Buses
An extensive network of bus routes reaches even remote villages. Bus fares are generally cheaper than train fares, but this depends on the directness of the service. Bus timetables are usually available at tourist offices.
Trains
The rail system is fairly efficient, although trains regularly run late and the fare system is very complicated. Regional trains are cheap and slow, but the express trains are quite a lot more expensive. Reservations are a must, although they do not always seem to guarantee a seat.
Both Barcelona and Madrid have efficient underground systems. The underground is usually cheaper than the local buses. Barcelona and Madrid’s subway systems have helpful sites on the Internet that allow you to compute the route to your destination.
Roads
The roads are generally good. The fastest routes, the freeways or autopistas, demand a toll. National highways are identified by the prefix N, while regional highways have the prefix C. These are usually in good condition. Roads without a prefix may be in poor condition.
Safety belts are compulsory, as are a set of replacement light bulbs. The speed limits are as follows: 120 km/h (74.5 mph)on motorways, 100 km/h (62 mph)on highways, 90 km/h (55 mph) on other roads and 60 km/h (37 mph) in built-up areas.
A visitor’s national driving licence is acceptable as long as it is accompanied by a translation stamped by a Spanish consulate. An international driving licence is recommended.
Non-EU travellers entering Spain by car need to have a ‘green letter’ which is basically insurance cover in case of an accident.
Petrol
Petrol is available in 92 octane, 97 octane and 95 lead free. Diesel is also readily available.
Ferries
Car ferries operate between Spain and the Canary Islands, Morocco, Italy, Great Britain, France and Balearics.
Public Holidays
There are a number of regional holidays, as well as the 14 national holidays. However, not all the national holidays are celebrated everywhere.
Over the Christmas period, January 6, the Feast of Epiphany, is the most important day and when children receive their gifts This day is also known as the Day of the Three Kings.
Peak Seasons
Summer is the most popular season as there are several festivals, including the Running of the Bulls, and tends to be quite crowded. The weather is usually fine in spring (mid-March until the beginning of June) and autumn (the beginning of September until the beginning of November) and the crowds are more bearable.
Post & Telecommunications
The postal system is fairly reliable but quite slow. Letters to overseas destinations can take between three and four weeks.
Telephone
Telefónica runs the telecommunications system in Spain. Public telephones, teléfono, accept ESP 5.00, ESP 25.00 and ESP 50.00 coins, as well as phonecards. Telephones which accept credit cards are also available in the major centres. In the larger towns, the public telephones usually have instructions written in English.
Local phone calls cost about ESP 15.00, national calls cost about ESP 100.00 for three minutes. Rates are cheaper between 22:00 and 08:00.
Phone cards are available from news stands and tobacconists, as well as Telefónica centres.
Country codes and international and local enquiry numbers Operator inquiries - 003
International code - 07
United Kingdom - 44
United States - 11 or 14
Australia - 61
Most major hotels offer a fax service.
History
Evidence of Spain’s long history is apparent everywhere, from prehistoric cave paintings to Roman aqueducts and Gothic cathedrals.
While 20,000-year-old cave paintings attest to the fact that Spain was populated from the earliest times, the first known inhabitants were Iberians who crossed the Straits of Gibraltar from North Africa. Around the same time, tribes from Northern Italy crossed the Pyrenees to settle on the peninsula.
The Iberian Peninsula fell under Roman control around 200 BC. The introduction of Latin and a network of roads left a permanent imprint on the region. St Paul is believed to have visited Spain around AD 65 introducing Christianity.
With the fall of the Roman Empire, a Visigothic kingdom was established in Spain during the early fifth century. The line of Visigoths controlled the region until 711 when the invading Muslim armies killed King Roderic. By 714, all of Spain but the mountains in the north had been conquered. The Muslims, or Moors, were to occupy southern Spain for nearly 800 years. During this period the arts and sciences flourished and this had a lasting influence on Spanish culture. The architecture in particular is an obvious legacy of the Moorish occupation, and can be seen in the geometric designs at the Mezquita and La Alhambra
The reconquest or Reconquista began in 722 with the Battle of Covadonga. Over the next 700 years the Christians slowly pushed the Moors out of Spain. During the thirteenth century, Castile and Aragon grew as the two most important Christian kingdoms in Spain. In 1469, the daughter of the king of Castile, Isabella, married the son of the king of Aragon, Ferdinand, and together they were known as the Catholic Monarchs. In 1492, they finally conquered Granada and completed the reconquest of Spain. While their rule saw the unification of Spain and Columbus’s discovery of America, it also saw the establishment of the Spanish Inquisition. Thousands were tortured and executed, and hundreds of thousands of Jews were expelled from the kingdom.
The discovery of the New World fed the Spanish coffers well and, combined with a strategic royal marriage policy, ensured that Spain became one of the most powerful countries on earth. However, competition for foreign trade led to a number of costly wars. In 1588, the Spanish Armada was defeated ignominiously by the English fleet led by Sir Francis Drake. The situation deteriorated further with an outbreak of bubonic plague and interior revolts.
After the French Revolution and the execution of Louis XVI, Spain declared war on France. The Spanish army was defeated, but the population united against the French, and guerrilla war raged on the peninsula for five years until Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo in 1815.
Dynastic problems plagued Spain during the nineteenth century and its overseas empire began to crumble. The Spanish-American War of 1898 marked the end of its colonial power. A series of disastrous naval battles led to the loss of Cuba and the Philippines.
Spain remained neutral during the First World War, but labour strikes and internal rebellion led to the government’s collapse in 1923. A military dictatorship under General Primo de Rivera ruled until 1930. In 1931, the Second Republic was proclaimed. However, tensions between the Republicans and the Nationalists led to the outbreak of civil war in 1936.
General Franco headed the Nationalist army, which received assistance from Germany and Italy, while the Republicans were supported by Russia and the International Brigades, a volunteer army of writers, artists and intellectuals. By 1939, the Nationalists had won the war. Over half a million Spaniards died and many Republicans were forced into exile, or executed. Franco imposed absolute control and rigid censorship on Spain, and all opposition was crushed.
Spain was readmitted to the United Nations in 1955, and in 1969, Juan Carlos, grandson of Alfonso XIII, was proclaimed heir to the throne. After Franco’s death in 1975, reforms slowly began to take place. In December 1978, a new constitution was passed. Catalonia and the Basque Country were granted limited autonomy, however a militant Basque group, ETA, began agitating for independence. Basques were granted home rule in 1980, but resistance activity continues.
Spain hosted the Summer Olympics in 1992, and Madrid was declared European Cultural Capital. In March 1996, the long-reigning socialist government lost the general election, and while the conservative Popular Party won, they did not achieve a clear majority.
Population
Spain has a population of 39,887,000, with a growth rate of just under 0.3% per annum. The average density of 78 people per km² is one of the lowest in Europe. The population is concentrated in the coastal regions and cities.
Government
Spain is a constitutional monarchy with Madrid as its capital. King Juan Carlos is the chief of state, with the prime minister being the head of government. A cabinet is made up of ministers designated by the prime minister. The Spanish parliament, or Cortes Generales, comprises the Congress of Deputies and the Senate. Mr José María Aznar López is the current prime minister following the Popular Party’s victory by a small margin in the 1996 general elections. The Democratic Social Centre Party, which lost power in the last elections, is the main opposition. The ETA (Basque Fatherland and Liberty) and GRAPO (First of October Antifascist Resistance Group) have been involved in resistance activity against the government.
The country is divided into seventeen autonomous regions, each with its own parliament and regional government. These regions are further divided into provinces. The transfer of power to the autonomous regions has been negotiated between each region and the central government, with not all regions exercising the same powers. This has led to a number of disputes, especially regarding financial matters. Differences in economic development exist between the regions; while Catalonia is highly developed, Extremadura is relatively underdeveloped.
The provinces and the municipalities have limited powers. Municipalities have a council, a commission and a mayor. They are able to pass local regulations and levy their own taxes.
Spain claims sovereignty over the islands of Ceuta and Melilla, off the North African coast. Ceuta has a population of about 71,000. Melilla has a population of 58,000. While Morocco disputes Spain’s sovereignty, the islands have fallen under Spanish control since the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries respectively, and are considered part of Andalusia.
Language
Castilian, Catalan, Gallego and Euskera are the officially recognised languages. Generally, Castilian is spoken in northern Spain and is the most widely spoken language; Catalan is spoken in Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands; Gallego in spoken in Galicia, and northwestern Spain; whilst Euskera is spoken in the Basque Country. Euskera predates the Roman invasion and is unlike any other European language.
English and French are taught at school in Spain, and English is understood in the larger hotels and tourist resorts. When travelling through Spain, a phrase book is recommended.
Religion
Spain is predominantly Roman Catholic.
Art & Culture
Museums
The Museo del Prado, in Madrid, is one of the most important art museums in the world. Its 7,000 paintings include works by El Greco, Valásquez and Goya.
The Alhambra, in Granada, while not strictly speaking a museum, is one of the best examples of Islamic architecture and art.
In Barcelona, the Picasso Museum and the Museum of Art of Catalonia are well worth a visit.
The El Greco Museum can be found in Toledo, and the Museum of Spanish Abstract Art is in Cuenca.
Local Art
The works of Spain’s many famous artists, such as Picasso, Goya and Dali can be found in galleries around the country.
Flamenco, with its many different songs and dances, is an art form which captures the essence of Spainish passion and spontaneity. The flamenco songs are popular at festivals in Andalusia. In Madrid, flamenco is performed at Torres Bermejas.
Theatres
The Gran Teatro del Liceu, in Barcelona presents a number of operas every year.
The Teatro Real in Madrid is one of the largest opera houses in the world. The building, which is nearly 150 years old, was restored and reopened in 1991.
Food & Drink
Interesting local specialities
Meal times in Spain are later than in most other western countries. Breakfast is usually a light meal, with lunch being the main meal of the day. The custom of siesta provides time for a leisurely lunch, which is eaten during the afternoon. Dinner is eaten late, usually about 22:00 or 23:00, and is a light meal. For the tourist, trying to readjust to this meal schedule, tapas is one of Spain’s most important inventions. Most bars offer these ‘snacks’. The are many different tapas, but typically they include marinated seafood, squid and mushrooms with garlic.
Spanish specialities include paella, a dish made from rice, seafood, chicken and vegetables; gazpacho, a chilled soup made from tomatoes and peppers; and chorizo, a dish using seasoned pork sausages. Spanish cooking uses a lot of olive oil and garlic. Seafood is a favourite ingredient. Wine and beer is often drank with meals. Coffee is also very popular, but few people drink tea.
Restaurants
Many restaurants offer a type of table d’hôte menu, which allows the traveller an economical way of sampling a number of different dishes.
Vegetarian meals are not always available in the smaller towns.
Entertainment
Spain’s nightlife is renowned for its late and wild nights. Bars are very popular, as are discos in the larger towns. Cinemas are plentiful. While most foreign-language films are dubbed into Spanish, the larger cities have cinemas that show films with their original soundtrack.
Shopping
Handicrafts are popular souvenirs. Pottery can be purchased in Catalonia and Extremadura. Menorca is a good place to shop for leather goods, shoes and costume jewellery. Hand-woven silk is the speciality of the Canary Islands. Steel knives or daggers can be bought in Toledo. The main lace-making areas are Seville, Granada and the Canary Islands. Barcelona has a number of popular food markets; the most central is La Boqueria in La Rambla. Also in Barcelona, an open-air market, known as Els Encants, specialises in bric-a-brac, collector’s items and antiques. It is held in the Plaça de les Glories on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Sport
Bullfighting was the most important spectator sport in Spain until the 1950s when soccer became more popular. Other popular sports include basketball, tennis and motorcycle racing.
The skiing conditions in the Sierra Nevada and the Pyrenees are usually good from November to May. Resorts can be easily reached from Barcelona and Granada.
There are many excellent hiking areas in Spain. Perhaps the best areas are in the Picos de Europa, in the north, and on Mallorca.
The Basque coast has some good surf, although a wet suit is recommended.
Festivals
Most festivals in Spain are religious in origin, but usually nowadays the religious component is secondary to the bullfights, dancing and general celebrations. Spain has dozens of festivals and most towns have their own celebrations are well as the national ones.
Listed below are several of the most important festivals:
January
Reyes Magos, known as the Epiphany in English, is celebrated throughout Spain on January 6. Gifts are distributed and the evening of January 5 is a time of tremendous excitement for children. Floats, bands and dancers take in the streets of the major towns and cities.
Fiestas de San Antonio Abad is celebrated in Mallorca on January 17 with bonfires. Traditionally youths compete over a cock placed at the top of a greased pole, the 'Pi de Sant Antoni'.
February
A carnival is held in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, during the second week of February with fancy-dress parades and musicians. Carnivals are held throughout Spain at Shrovetide before Lent.
Pero Palo celebrations are held in Caceres, Extremadura late in February. The community gathers to share old traditions and legends.
March
Fallas de San Jose is held in Valencia just before spring. Bonfires are built and there's an interesting night-time parade.
Semana Santa or Easter Holy Week is one of the most important festivals in Spain. Processions and concerts are held throughout the country. Seville's Semana Santa is one of Spain's most enjoyable festivals.
April
An April Fair is held in Seville.
Fiesta de Moros y Cristianos, also known as the Moors and Christians, is celebrated across Spain. Alcoy in Alicante puts on an interesting display with battles, processions, speeches, plays and dances. Groups of Moors and Christians drive through the town accompanied by noisy bands. A battle ensures accompanied by fireworks and the ringing of bells.
A spectacular festival is held in Barcelona on 23 April, to honour the patron saint of Catalonia, Saint Jordi.
May
Crosses of flowers set up throughout the village of Cieza, in Murcia, on Dia de la Cruz or Holy Cross day.
A procession to celebrate Corpus Christi is held in Toledo.
June
The pagan festival of Hogueras de San Juan is held in Alicante. The streets are often decorated with branches and leaves, straw effiges are burnt, pilgrimages are undertaken, the herb thyme is blessed and 'sanjuanera' songs are sung.
July
The immensely enjoyable Fiestas de San Fermin or the Running of the bulls is held in Pamplona early in July.
August
On the north coast, Semana Grande is held during August.
September
For three days during the Festival Internacional de Folklore en el Mediterraneo (International Festival of Mediterranean Folklore) you can experience the songs, traditions, dances, dresses and general folklore of many Mediterranean cultures.
Fiestas de la Vendimia Riojana, also known as the La Rioja Wine Festival, centres around the harvesting of the grapes.
Barcelona's festival of La Merce, patron saint of the city, takes place around 24 September.
October
The feast of El Pilar is held in Zaragoza, Aragon.
Parks & Reserves
On the mainland, there are five national parks and several smaller reserves. In the Canary Islands, there are four national parks.
The Parque Nacional de Doñana is on the Costa de la Luz in Andalusia. Many migratory birds winter in the park, much of which is fenland. The park covers over 75,676 ha (187,000 acres).
The Parque Nacional de la Tablas de Daimiel is situated south of Toledo in Castile-La Mancha. The park, which covers nearly 1,821 ha (4,500 acres), contains many shallow lagoons linked together by narrow channels, which can only be negotiated by punts. The principal feature of the park is its birdlife.
The Parque Nacional de la Montaña de Covadonga o de Peña Santa, or more easily the Covadonga Mountain National Park, is close to Oviedo in Asturias. It covers the western part of the Picos de Europa with an area of 16,996 ha (42,000 acres). The mountains are covered by beech forests. Small predators and eagles inhabit the area.
The Parque Nacional del Valle de Ordesa in Aragon covers an area of nearly 15,782 ha (39,000 acres), is located in the Pyrenees. Ibex are widespread, and fox, badger, and wild cat are also found.
The Parque Nacional de Aigües-Tortes y Lago de San Mauricio covers over 22,257 ha (55,000 acres). It is situated in Catalonia and the area can be called a ‘glacier garden’.
The Parque Nacional de Timanfaya is situated on the north west side of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, and covers 5,099 ha (12,600 acres). The park contains the Mountains of Fire, so named because the earth is very hot.
The Parque Nacional de Garajonay covers nearly 4,006 ha (9,900 acres) and is found on Gomera in the Canary Islands. The park is quite heavily forested.
The Parque Nacional del Teide, on Tenerife in the Canary Islands, is located in an enormous volcanic crater. It covers nearly 12,140 ha (30,000 acres). A cable way takes visitors to the top of Mount Teide.
The Parque Nacional de la Caldera der Taburiente on La Palma in the Canary Islands covers nearly 4,653 ha (11,500 acres). The park is situated in one of the world’s largest volcanic craters. There are many waterfalls in the area, which was sacred to the Guanches, the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands.
Climate
There is a great diversity of climate in Spain. The interior has a continental climate while most of the coastal regions and islands experience a maritime climate.
The central plateau, or Meseta, is enclosed by mountains and has a continental climate. The summers are very hot and the winters cold. The summers are also dry and often accompanied by a heat haze, known as the calina. Rain generally falls in spring and autumn. Thunderstorms occur infrequently. The mountains surrounding the plateau have a higher rainfall and often experience heavy snowfalls in winter.
North of the Cantabrian mountains, the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia have a maritime climate, with cool summers and mild winters. The weather is often cloudy with frequent rainfall.
On the Mediterranean coast, the climate is moderate. Rainfall falls in spring and autumn. Murcia has an almost African climate and is characterised by numerous palm trees. Rainfall is low and the calina, or heat haze, is common during summer.
On the Atlantic coast, the summers are cooler and fairly heavy rainfall occurs during winter. Inland, the summers are hot and the rainfall decreases.
The Balearic islands have a maritime climate, with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers.
The Canary Islands have an even warmer climate. The coastal areas are fairly mild, but the interior, especially in arid areas of Tenerife, can get very hot during the day with cold night. Mount Teide is often snowcapped in winter. The vast majority of rain falls in winter.
Health
Medical care is generally good. Treatment is free to EU citizens, but other travellers are required to pay cash, so insurance is necessary. Tap water is safe throughout the country. Chemists are called Farmacias and are useful for most minor ailments.
Travellers are advised to be careful in the sun. Sunstroke is a very real danger in summer.
In emergencies, dial 091.
Safety
The rate of violent crime is low in Spain. However, theft from cars and pickpocketing is a problem. Visitors are advised not to accept help from anyone except a uniformed police officer, as there have been reports of thieves pretending to assist stranded motorists.
While there are a few small resistance groups, the most active being ETA and GRAPO, their attacks are directed against government and military targets. However, it is advisable not to park a French-registered car in the Basque provinces. |
