Spain

Introduction:

Spain is a country that is known not only for its language, which is Spanish, is the second most spoken native language in the world, but also for its food and culture. Besides, Spain is also known for some of the popular attractions such as the Royal Palace, Seville Cathedral, Chocolate Museum, La Concha beach, etc.  

Location and Population: – Spain is located in the Southwestern part of Europe. It shares borders with Portugal, France, Gibraltar, Andorra and Morocco. The geographical area of Spain is 5,05,370 km2 

According to the census conducted in the year 2021, the population of Spain is 47,486,935.

Spain’s History: – The history of Spain goes back in the time to the era when it suffered from invasions by various foreign countries like France, Muslim armies, Hapsburg and also experienced expansion of territories during the leadership of rulers like Christopher Columbus, which was later taken away by  Morocco, American territories, Asian territories, etc. Spain has also gone through the times of Dictatorship and Revolutions. Spain experienced rapid economic expansions during those times. Spain also saw the rise of Portugal as an individual country and both Spain and Portugal emerged as independent countries. 

Facts you should know about Spain: – There are various facts that tourists should know about Spain. These are as follows: –  

• Spain is the only country in Europe that shares a land border with Morocco which is an African country. 

•  According to the Guinness World Record, Madrid is home to the oldest restaurant in the world that is the El Restaurante Botín. 

• Did you know that 44 % of olive oil production in the world is done by Spain and not Italy?

• Spain has the highest number of bars in Europe.

• The people in Spain follow certain traditions that are not known by tourists. During New Year, once the clock strucks 12, the locals eat 12 grapes to ensure that they have a good and prosperous new year. 

• Spain is known to be the second-largest producer of wine in the world. 

Culture and Food: – The people in Spain are very caring, expressive and very interactive with the tourists. They prioritise their family over other things and love to have food together. The people prefer to have more coffee and they share a love for football. Besides, the people in Spain have two names and two surnames but the people are addressed by their first name and first surname.  

     Unlike other cuisines, Spanish cuisine has a very unique taste and flavours. It involves the use of herbs, vegetable sauces, seafood and meat such as chicken, lamb, vales, pork, etc. Some of the popular dishes of Spanish cuisine are  Paella Valenciana, Tortilla Española, Cochinillo asado, Pisto, Leche frita, Patatas bravas, etc.

Things to explore in Spain: – There are various things for tourists to explore in Spain in terms of festivals, events and adventure activities that are as follows: 

• Tomatina Festival: – The Tomatina Festival is one of the most popular and fun festivals that is held on the last Wednesday in the month of August in Bunol. The tourists can enjoy this festival by joining the tomato fight and throwing squashed tomatoes at each other.

• Barcelona Beer Festival: – The Barcelona beer festival takes place during the month of May and it is considered to be a meeting point in the Southern part of Europe, especially for beer lovers. The tourists would get to taste delicious beers from various breweries across the city. Besides, it is a three-day event that is held at the Fira de Barcelona.  

• Feria De Abril: – It also known as the Seville April fair is held for six days in the month of April after Easter at the  Real de la Feria. The tourists can get to see the culture of the city in the festival that is in the form of horse parades at the fairground, flamenco dances and much more. 

• Skydiving: – The tourists can do skydiving in Spain and check in their bucket list as they would get to experience jumping from a plane at a high altitude. Some of the places to go skydiving in Spain are Skydive Valladolid, Skydive BCN, Skydive Atmosphera, etc. 

• Rafting: – The tourists can raft in the beautiful rivers of Spain with proper safety. Some of the places to do rafting in Spain are Murillo de Gállego, Alto Tajo National Park, Sierra De Guara, Rafting in Cabriel River, Rafting in Deva River, etc. 

• Zipline: – For all adventure lovers, Spain offers a zipline which is a very thrilling activity, especially the one where tourists enter another country through a zipline. The tourists can visit the Limitezero zipline which is a 720-metre tall zipline that is located in Sanlúcar de Guadiana of Spain and it connects to the Alcotium of Portugal. The zip line crosses the Guadiana River 50 feet above sea level.

Things to buy in Spain: – There are various things for tourists to buy in Spain. Some of them are Spanish Wine, Spanish Cheese, Spanish Hand fans, Pottery, Football jerseys, Saffron, Olive oil, Flamenco dresses, Cava Champagne, etc. 

Best time to visit: – The best time to visit Spain is during the spring season which is between March to May and during the summer season which is between June to August because the climate would be pleasant for the tourists. Besides, they can smoothly explore the outdoor activities of the country.

Places to visit in Spain 

• Madrid: – The city which is the capital of Spain and the most populated city is Madrid. The tourists can visit the Royal Palace which is one of the most popular places in the city. It is the largest palace in Europe and the palace has around 3,418 rooms. The palace is home to the Royal family of Spain and the tourists would get to see various things inside the palace such as the throne hall, the hall of columns, halberdiers hall, gasparini room and much more. The tourists can visit the iconic Santiago Bernabeu which is one of the most popular football stadiums in Europe. It is a place that all football lovers should visit and it is the home stadium of Real Madrid. The seating capacity of the stadium is around 83,000. Besides, the tourists can explore the retiro park which is one of the largest parks in the city. The tourists would get to see the Estanque lake and also go on a boat ride, see statues, palaces, etc. It is a great spot for the tourists and families, especially children, to go for a picnic.

• Barcelona: – The city which is located on the northeastern coast of Spain is Barcelona. The tourists can visit the Font magica fountain which is the largest fountain in the city. The tourists should visit the fountain during the evening as they would get a fountain show with lights and music. The fountain contains 120 skylights and 4,760 light bulbs. The fountain contains recycled water. The tourists can visit the Aquarium Barcelona wherein the tourists would get to see various marine animals in the aquarium as there are 66 tanks that are based in the Mediterranean and tropical themes. Some of the marine animals that the tourists would get to see in the aquarium are Sharks, Jellyfish, Bonyfish, penguins and many more. The tourists can also swim as well as dive with the sharks. Besides, the tourists can explore the chocolate museum which is a unique museum as the tourists would get to see various sculptures and buildings that are made of chocolates. 

• Seville: – The city which is the capital and the largest city of Andalusia is Seville. The tourists can visit the Seville Cathedral which is one of the largest cathedrals in the city. The cathedral is known for its marvellous architecture and the tomb of Christopher Columbus. The tourists can also see the paintings and royal chapel inside the cathedral. The tourists can visit the mushrooms of Seville which is also known as Metropol Parasol. It is a wooden structure that is in the form of mushrooms. It is known for its architecture that was designed by Jürgen Mayer and it is situated at the  La Encarnación square. The tourists should visit the mushrooms of Seville during the evening as it would be well lit with beautiful lights. Besides, the tourists can visit the torre del oro which is also known as the tower of gold. It used to be a military tower that was built during the 12th century by the Almohads. The tourists can get a good view of the Guadalquivir river and the city of Seville from the 36 metres tall tower. Besides, the tourists can get to see a museum on the top floor of the tower that displays sea maps, shipping instruments, scale models, etc.

• San Sebastian: – The city that is located in the bay of Biscay in Spain is San Sebastian. The tourists can visit the La Concha beach which is one of the most popular beaches in San Sebastian. The tourists can do various activities at the beach such as swimming, sunbathing, walking at the beach around the golden sands and admiring the breathtaking view of the sea. The tourists can explore the Partie Vieja which is also known as an old town. The Partie Vieja is a street that is known for various old buildings, restaurants and a good spot to experience the nightlife in Sans Sebastian. Besides, the tourists can explore Monte Urgull, which is a hill that is not only a good trekking spot but also offers the tourists a good view of the sea and the city. The monte Urgull is known for the castle on the hill that was used as a military fortress during the 12th century until the 17th century when it was taken over by the French and later by the British.

 How to reach Spain from India: – The tourists can reach Spain from India through flights but there are no direct flights to Spain from India. There are around 1 or 2 stops depending on the airline chosen by the tourists. Some of the airlines that fly to Spain are Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air France, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa, Swiss Airlines, etc. Besides, the tourists cannot reach Spain neither by road nor by train from India. 

Popular Packages: – Here is a list of popular packages to travel to Spain and it also includes packages to travel to other countries including Spain which are as follows: –

Name of the Package	Duration of the Package	Price of the Package (RS)	Countries
Best of Spain with France	10 Nights / 11 Days	1,98,000	France
Spain with Portugal	6 Nights / 7 Days	99,000	Portugal
Best of Barcelona with Swiss and Paris	7 Nights / 8 Days	1,15,000	Switzerland and France
Best of Spain and Portugal	9 Nights / 10 Days	1,49,990	Portugal

  Frequently Asked Questions:

• What is the currency of Spain? 

Ans: The currency of Spain is the Euros. 

• What is the language spoken in Spain? 

Ans: The language spoken in Spain is Spanish. The locals can speak English but it is advisable to learn Spanish.  

• What are the eateries that serve Indian restaurants in Spain? 

Ans: A portion of eateries that serve Indian food in Spain are Restaurant Rangoli, Tandoori Station, Chutney Gastrobar, Taj Mahal, Jaipur Palace Indian restaurant, etc.  

• What is the national sport of Spain?

Ans: The national sport of Spain is Bullfighting but over the years, football has gained more popularity. 

• Which places are popular for shopping in Spain? 

Ans: There are many amazing places for tourists to shop in Spain such as Family Beer, Portal De L’Angel, El Corte Inglés, Nervion Plaza Centro Comercial Garbera, Calle Sierpes, etc.