Introduction

Spain's population density, lower than that of most European countries, is roughly equivalent to New England's. In recent years, following a longstanding pattern in the rest of Europe, rural populations are moving to cities.

Spain has no official religion. The constitution of 1978 disestablished the Roman Catholic Church as the official state religion, while recognizing the role it plays in Spanish society. More than 90% of the population are at least nominally Catholic.

Educational System
About 70% of Spain's student population attends public schools or universities. The remainder attend private schools or universities, the great majority of which are operated by the Catholic Church.

Compulsory education begins with primary school or general basic education for ages 6-14. It is free in public schools and in many private schools, most of which receive government subsidies. Following graduation, students attend either a secondary school offering a general high school diploma or a school of professional education (corresponding to grades 9-12 in the United States) offering a vocational training program. The Spanish university system offers degree and post-graduate programs in all fields--law, sciences, humanities, and medicine--and the superior technical schools offer programs in engineering and architecture.

Nationality: Noun--Spaniard(s). Adjective--Spanish.
Population (est.): 40 million.
Annual growth rate: 0.3%.
Ethnic groups: Distinct ethnic groups within Spain include the Basques, Catalans, and Galicians.
Religions: Predominantly Roman Catholic.
Language: Spanish (official), Catalan-Valenciana 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%. Education: Years compulsory--to age 16. Literacy--97%.
Education: Years compulsory--10. Attendance--nearly 100%. Literacy--99%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--4.8/1,000. Life expectancy--78 yrs.
Work force (16.2million): Services--61%; agriculture--8%; construction--9.8%; industry--17.6%.

Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references : Europe

total: 504,750 sq km
land: 499,400 sq km
water: 5,350 sq km
note: includes Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco—Ceuta, Melilla, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera

Area—comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Land boundaries
total: 1,919.1 km
border countries: Andorra 65 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km.

Coastline: 4,964 km.

Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast.

Terrain: large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north.

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m.

Natural resources: coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower.

Land use
arable land: 30%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 21%
forests and woodland: 32%
other: 8% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 34,530 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment—current issues : pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification.

Environment—international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification.

Geography—note: strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar.

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History

At the crossroads between Europe and Africa, the Iberian Peninsula has always been a target for invading races and civilisations. The Romans arrived in the 3rd century BC but took two centuries to subdue the peninsula. Gradually Roman laws, languages and customs were adopted. In 409 AD, Roman Hispania was invaded by a massive contingent of Germanic tribes and by 419 a Visigothic kingdom had been established. The Visigoths ruled until 711, when the Muslims crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and defeated Roderick, the last Goth king.

By 714, the Muslim armies had occupied the entire peninsula, apart from the mountainous regions of northern Spain. The Muslim occupation of southern Spain (which the Spanish called Al-Andalus) was to last almost 800 years. During this period, the arts and sciences prospered, new crops and agricultural techniques were introduced and palaces, mosques, schools, gardens and public baths were built. In 722, at Covadonga in northern Spain, a small army under the Visigothic king Pelayo inflicted the first defeat on the Muslims. Symbolically, this battle marked the beginning of the Reconquista, the reconquest of Spain by the Christians.

By the end of the 13th century, Castilla and Aragón had emerged as Christian Spain's two main powers, and in 1469 these two kingdoms were united by the marriage of Isabel, princess of Castilla, to Fernando, heir to the throne of Aragón. Known as the Catholic Monarchs, they united all of Spain and laid the foundations for the golden age. In 1478, they established the notoriously ruthless Spanish Inquisition, expelling and executing thousands of Jews and other non-Christians. In 1482, they besieged Granada, and 10 years later the last Muslim king surrendered to them, marking the long-awaited end of the Reconquista.

Spain developed an enormous empire in the New World, following Columbus' arrival in the Americas in 1492. Gold and silver came flooding into Spanish coffers from Mexico and Peru as the conquistadors claimed land from Cuba to Bolivia. Spain monopolised trade with these new colonies and became one of the most powerful nations on earth. However, this protectionism hindered development of the colonies and led to a series of expensive wars with England, France and the Netherlands.

When Louis XVI was guillotined in 1793, Spain declared war on the new French republic, but was defeated. In 1808, Napoleon's troops entered Spain and the Spanish Crown began to lose its hold on its colonies. Sparked by an uprising in Madrid, the Spanish people united against the French and fought a five-year war of independence. In 1813, the French forces were finally expelled, and in 1814 Fernando VII was restored to the Spanish throne. Fernando's subsequent 20-year reign was a disastrous advertisement for the monarchy. During his time, the Inquisition was re-established, liberals and constitutionalists were persecuted, free speech was repressed, Spain entered a severe economic recession and the American colonies won their independence.

The disastrous Spanish-American War of 1898 marked the end of the Spanish Empire. Spain was defeated by the USA in a series of one-sided naval battles, resulting in the loss of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines, Spain's last overseas possessions. Spain's troubles continued during the early 20th century. In 1923, with the country on the brink of civil war, Miguel Primo de Rivera declared himself military dictator and ruled until 1930. In 1931, Alfonso XIII fled the country, and the Second Republic was declared, but it soon fell victim to internal conflict. The 1936 elections saw the country split in two, with the Republican government and its supporters on one side (an uneasy alliance of communists, socialists and anarchists, who favoured a more equitable civil society and a diminished role for the Church) and the opposition Nationalists (a right-wing alliance of the army, the Church, the monarchy and the fascist-style Falange Party) on the other.

The assassination of the opposition leader José Calvo Sotelo by Republican police officers in July 1936 gave the army an excuse to overthrow the government. During the subsequent Civil War (1936-39), the Nationalists received extensive military and financial support from Nazi Germany and fascist Italy, while the elected Republican government received support only from Russia and, to a lesser degree, from the International Brigades, made up of foreign idealists. Despite the threat of fascism, England and France refused to support the Republicans.

By 1939, the Nationalists, led by Franco, had won the war. More than 350,000 Spaniards had died in the fighting, but more bloodletting ensued. An estimated 100,000 Republicans were executed or died in prison after the war. Franco's 35-year dictatorship saw Spain isolated by economic blockades, excluded from NATO and the UN and crippled by economic recession. It wasn't until the early 1950s, when the rise in tourism and a treaty with the USA combined to provide much needed funds, that the country began to recover. By the 1970s, Spain had the fastest growing economy in Europe.

Franco died in 1975, having earlier named Juan Carlos, the grandson of Alfonso XIII, his successor. With Juan Carlos on the throne, Spain made the transition from dictatorship to democracy. The first elections were held in 1977, a new constitution was drafted in 1978, and a failed military coup in 1981 was seen as a futile attempt to turn back the clock. In 1982 Spain made a final break with the past by voting in a socialist government with a sizeable majority. The only major blemish on the domestic front since has been the terrorist campaign waged by separatist militant group ETA, which is trying to secure an independent Basque homeland. During 30 years of terrorist activity, ETA has killed over 800 people.

In 1986 Spain joined the EC (now the EU) and in 1992 Spain announced its return to the world stage, with Barcelona hosting the Olympic Games, Seville hosting Expo 92 and Madrid being declared European Cultural Capital. In 1996 Spaniards voted in a conservative party under the leadership of the uncharismatic José María Aznar, an Elton John fan and former tax inspector. In March 2000 he was re-elected with an absolute majority; his success has been attributed to the buoyant state of the Spanish economy, which has experienced 4% annual growth since Aznar came to power.

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Culture

Spain has an extraordinary artistic heritage. The dominant figures of the golden age were the Toledo-based artists El Greco and Diego Velázquez. Francisco Goya emerged in the 18th century as Spain's most prolific painter and he produced some wonderfully unflattering portraits of royalty. The art world in the early 20th century was influenced by a remarkable group of Spanish artists: Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris, Joan Miró and Salvador Dalí. Spain's architecture ranges from prehistoric monuments in Menorca in the Balearic Islands, through to the Roman ruins of Mérida and Tarragona, the decorative Islamic Alhambra in Granada, Mudéjar buildings, Gothic cathedrals, castles and palaces, fantastic modernist monuments and Gaudí's intricate fabulist sculptures.

One of the world's greatest works of fiction is the 17th-century novel Don Quijote de la Mancha, written by Spain's Miguel de Cervantes. Important 20th-century writers include Miguel de Unamuno, Federico García Lorca and Camilo José Cela, winner of the 1989 Nobel Prize for literature. Prominent feminist writers include Adelaida Garcia Morales, Ana María Matute and Montserrat Roig. Spanish films were once synonymous with the work of surrealist genius Luís Buñuel, who spent much of his time abroad. They are now associated with the mad-cap kinky farces of Pedro Almodóvar, who has enjoyed huge international success.

The guitar was invented in Andalucía in the 1790s when a sixth string was added to the Arab lute. It gained its modern shape in the 1870s. Spanish musicians have taken the humble guitar to dizzying heights of virtuosity and none more so than Andrés Segovia (1893-1997), who established classical guitar as a genre. Flamenco, music rooted in the cante hondo (deep song) of the gitanos of Andalucía, is experiencing a revival. Paco de Lucia is the best known flamenco guitarist internationally. His friend El Camarón de la Isla was, until his death in 1992, the leading light of contemporary canto hondo. In the 1980s flamenco-rock fusion (aka gypsy rock) was developed by the likes of Pata Negra and Ketama, and in the 1990s Radio Tarifa emerged with a mesmerising mix of flamenco, North African and medieval sounds. Bakalao, the Spanish contribution to the world of techno, has its headquarters in Valencia.

Spaniards are sports crazy, and football (soccer) is huge; try to see a match, because the atmosphere is electric. Bullfighting is also very popular, despite continued pressure from international animal-rights activists.

While Catholicism is deeply ingrained in all aspects of Spanish society, only about 40% of Spaniards are regular churchgoers. Many Spaniards have a deep-seated scepticism of the Church; during the Civil War, churches were burnt and clerics shot because they represented repression, corruption and the old order.

Spanish food has a deservedly fantastic reputation, and tapas are probably one of the most civilised inventions since cold beer. Paella, gazpacho and chorizo may be familiar to most Western diners, but Spanish cuisine goes well beyond these, with a smorgasbord of rich stews, soups, beans, seafood and meats, all of which have been influential in Latin American cooking. It's a good idea to reset your stomach-clock when travelling in Spain because lunch, eaten between 1.30 and 4pm, is usually the main meal of the day. The evening meal is lighter and is served between 10 and 11pm.

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Getting There & Away

Spain has many international airports, including Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Granada, Málaga, Almería, Alicante, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza and Maó. Bus and train travel are other good options and there are regular bus services to Spain from all major centres in Europe, including Lisbon, London and Paris. Travelling to Spain by train can be more expensive than by bus unless you are under 26 or have a rail pass. Ferry services connect Spain directly with the UK and Morocco. A departure tax applies when flying out of Spain, but this is included in the price of the ticket at purchase.

Getting Around

The only time you might seriously consider flying within Spain is to get out to the islands. From Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante, there are often good deals on charter flights. Ferries regularly connect the mainland with the Balearic Islands, but flying is a better value, considering the time saved. There are plenty of bus routes serviced by dozens of independent companies, and the bus network is more extensive than the train system and cheaper. Walking is the best way to meet the locals.

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Attractions

Madrid (Madrid Hotels & Madrid Resort Reservation Service)

Madrid may not have the glamour or user-friendliness of Barcelona, but what it lacks in style it more than makes up for in substance, with a remarkable collection of museums and galleries, beautiful parks and gardens and wild nightlife.

The most fitting place to start getting to know Madrid is at Puerta del Sol. Sol, as it is known to locals, is not much more than a huge traffic-junction-cum-bus-stop, but it's as central as you can get. Although Madrid is an enormous metropolis, the region which is of most interest to travellers is confined by Campo del Moro in the west and Parque del Buen Retiro in the east. The most exciting street is Gran Vía, but Plaza Mayor is the true heart of Madrid.

Be sure not to miss one of the greatest art galleries in the world, the Museo del Prado, where the main emphasis is on Spanish, Flemish and Italian art from the 15th to 19th centuries. Goya is well represented and you'll find a wealth of paintings by Diego Velázquez. If you haven't run out of steam after the Prado, the Casón del Buen Retiro houses an excellent collection of 19th-century Spanish art. For one of the best art history lessons you'll ever get, check out the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, a private assembly of paintings from Titian to Pollock. The Museo de la Escultura Abstracta, has an interesting collection of abstracts by some of Spain's better known modern sculptors, including Chillida and Miró. The beautiful Real Jardin Botánico, near the Prado, is a good spot to recover from an art overdose.

For the little bit of interior decorator in everyone, visit the Palacio Real, if only as a lesson in what can happen when you give yourself free rein - you'll see some of the most elaborately decorated walls and ceilings imaginable. If you've ever got stuck renovating a house, take heart in the stark and cavernous Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Almudena. It opened to the public in 1992 after only 110 years under construction.

Madrid is the home of the world's largest bullring, Plaza de Toros Monumental de las Ventas, and is one of the best places to see a bullfight (corrida) - if you're so inclined. For something a little less cruel to animals, check out a football match when local favourites Real Madrid or Atlético de Madrid are playing at home. If you're in town on a Sunday morning, snaffle a bargain at El Rastro, one of the biggest flea markets you are ever likely to see. This is said to be the place to go if you want to buy your stereo back, so watch your pockets and bags.

Finding a place to stay in Madrid is never really a problem. In summer the city is drained of people, thanks to the horrific heat, so if you are mad enough to be here then, you may well be able to make a hot deal on the price. At other times it is still worth trying to bargain if you intend to stay a while. The Santa Ana area is one of Madrid's most popular places to stay and it's close to good restaurants and nightclubs. The epicentre of Madrid's nightlife is Plaza del Dos de Mayo, in the area known as Malasaña.

Barcelona (Barcelona Hotels & Barcelona Resort Reservation Service)

If you only visit one city in Spain, it probably should be Barcelona. It's sophisticated, elegant and romantic, but has the energy and raffishness of a port city. The inspiring and unique architecture of Antoni Gaudí is evident in buildings such as the Sagrada Família church and Parc Güell, and its world-class museums include Museu Picasso and the Fundació Joan Miró. There is a fascinating old quarter, the Barri Gòtic, and a night scene that rivals any in the country.

As a starting point, the area around La Rambla, Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol and Plaça Reial is a good place to pick up the vibe of the city. There's a buzz of activity and a constant stream of people promenading and enjoying the scene. There are hundreds of cafés, bars, shops and sights.

In the north of the city, the fantasyland of Parc Güell showcases Gaudí's work. For more modernism, try the Passeig de Gràcia and its surrounds. For one of the best modern art museums in Spain, head to the Fundació Joan Miró.

Barcelona has an imposing Gothic cathedral, where each Sunday at noon crowds gather for the performance of the sardana, a traditional Catalan dance. Just east of the cathedral is the fascinating Museu d'Història de la Ciutat (City History Museum), which features a subterranean walk through excavated portions of Roman and Visigothic Barcelona.

For retail therapy, the markets are great places to shop. The best are Els Encants Vells, a good second-hand market at Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes; the antiques market on Plaça Nova; and the crafts market at Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol. There are also enough chic boutiques to keep the fashion-conscious happy for weeks.

When you're all shopped out, there's always food and drink to pass the time. Barcelona has a seemingly endless variety of bars that are much more than just watering holes. The greatest concentration of bars and restaurants is within walking distance of La Rambla. There are many places to stay in the old city on either side of La Rambla.

Toledo (Toledo Hotels & Toledo Resort Reservation Service)

Toledo is one of Spain's most magnificent historical monuments. It's an intact medieval city of narrow winding streets perched on a small hill above the Río Tajo. The city is crammed with fascinating museums, galleries, churches and castles. Unfortunately, it is also crammed with daytrippers, so travellers wanting to enjoy the city should stay overnight and explore in the evening and early morning to see it at its best. The dominant Alcázar has been the scene of military battles from the Middle Ages right through to the 20th century. The awesome cathedral, in the heart of the city, harbours glorious murals, stained-glass windows and works by El Greco, Velázquez and Goya. Other attractions include the city's two synagogues, the Iglesia de Santo Tomé (which contains El Greco's greatest masterpiece, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz) and the Museo de Santa Cruz. Archaeologists working on Toledo's Carranque recently uncovered a 4th-century Roman basilica, Spain's oldest.

Valencia (Valencia Hotels & Valencia Resort Reservation Service)

Spain's third-largest city, and capital of the province of Valencia, comes as a pleasant surprise to many. Home to paella and the Holy Grail, it is also blessed with great weather and the spring festival of Las Fallas, one of the wildest parties in the country.

One of Valencia's most raved about attractions is the baroque Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas. The facade is extravagantly sculpted and the inside is just as outrageous. The Museo de Bellas Artes ranks among the best museums in the country and contains works by El Greco, Goya, Velázquez and a number of Valencian impressionists. The Instituto Valenciano Arte Moderno (Institute of Modern Art) houses an impressive collection of 20th-century Spanish art. Valencia's cathedral is also worth a visit. Climb to the top of its tower for a great view of the sprawling city.

Granada (Granada Hotels & Gradana Resort Reservation Service)

During the period of Muslim domination of Spain, Granada was the finest city on the peninsula. Today it is still home to the greatest Muslim legacy in Europe, and one of the most inspiring attractions on the Continent - the Alhambra.

The Alhambra is one of the greatest accomplishments of Islamic art and architecture, and is simply breathtaking. Much has been written about the fortress, the palace, its patios and gardens, but somehow nothing can really prepare you for it. The Alcazaba is the Alhambra's Muslim fortress dating from the 11th century, with great views of the city from the tops of its towers. The Palacio Nazaries is the centrepiece of the Alhambra, and is noted for the intricacy of its stonework. Finally, there is the Generalife - the summer palace of the sultans, set in the soul-soothing Alhambra gardens.

Granada's biggest attraction after the Alhambra is the city itself, which is set against the mountain backdrop of the Sierra Nevada. Simply wandering around the narrow streets of the Albayzín, the city's old Muslim quarter, across the river from the Alhambra, or the area around Plaza Bib-Rambla is a real pleasure. Stop by the Casa del Castril (Archaeological Museum) and Baños Árabes (Arab Baths), and the Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) in which Fernando III and Isabel, the Christian conquerors of Granada, are buried. Next door to the chapel is Granada's cathedral, which dates from the early 16th century. The caves of Sacromonte, dug into a hillside in the north of the city, are another popular attraction.

Seville (Seville Hotels & Seville Resort Reservatoin Service)

Seville is one of the most exciting cities in Spain, with wonderful parks and gardens, Muslim monuments, flamenco, bullfights and a large and lively student population. Expo 92 brought the city into the international spotlight. If you really want to experience Seville at its best, try to come for Semana Santa (the week before Easter) or for the Feria de Abril (in April) - a truly unforgettable experience.

Seville's immense cathedral is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having an area greater than any other in the world. This immense structure is primarily Gothic, though the work done after its central dome collapsed in 1511 was mostly in Renaissance style. The climb to the adjoining tower, known as the Giralda, is well worth the effort for the great views of the city. Check out the Alcázar, a magnificent palace dating from the Moorish times of Spain; and the Archivo de Indias, which houses over 80 million pages of documents dating from 1492 through to the decolonisation of the Americas.

Other attractions are the Parque de María Luisa, which has a maze of paths, garden beds, pretty little patios, fountains and shaded lawns; the Museo Arqueológico, which has an interesting collection of broken statues and bronze tablets; and the rather kitsch Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares.

San Sebastián (San Sebastián Hotels & San Sebastián Resort Reservation Service)

San Sebastián is stunning. Famed as a ritzy resort for wealthy Spaniards who want to get away from the hordes in the south, it has been a stronghold of Basque nationalist feeling since well before Franco banned the use of Euskera, the Basque language, in the 1930s. Donostia, as the city is known in Euskera, is a surprisingly relaxed town with a population approaching 180,000. Those who live here consider themselves the luckiest people in Spain and will not hesitate to tell you so. After spending a few days on the beaches and a few evenings sampling the city's sumptuous tapas and nonstop nightlife, you may well begin to appreciate their unbashful claim.

The Playa de la Concha, and its continuation at Ondarreta, is one of the most beautiful city beaches in Spain. You can swim from Ondarreta to Isla de Santa Clara, in the middle of the bay, and in summer, a number of rafts are anchored at the halfway point to serve as rest stops.

The Museo de San Telmo, in a 16th-century monastery, has a bit of everything - ancient tombstones, sculptures, agriculture and carpentry displays, a wonderful fine arts collection - and the squeakiest floors in Spain. Overlooking Bahía de la Concha is Monte Urgull, which is topped by a statue of Christ and has stunning views.

Balearic Islands

Floating in the blue waters of the Mediterranean off the eastern coast of Spain, the Balearic Islands are invaded every summer by a massive multinational force of tourists. Not surprising really, when you consider the fine beaches, relentless sunshine and wild nightlife. What is surprising is how the islands have managed to maintain their integrity, identity and strong links with the past. Beyond the clubs and beaches are Gothic cathedrals, Stone Age ruins, small fishing villages, and endless olive groves and orange orchards. There are four islands: the biggest is Mallorca, followed by Menorca, Ibiza and tiny Formentera. Formentera is the least developed; Ibiza attracts party animals, gays, hippies and fashion victims - it's one of the world's most bizarre melting pots.

Bilbao (Bilbao Hotels & Bilbao Resort Reservation Service)

Post-industrial Bilbao, the largest city in the País Vasco (Basque Country) is transforming itself with ambitious urban-renewal projects, most notably the marvellous Museo Guggenheim de Arte Contemporáneo. This twist-up of glass and titanium, designed by US architect Frank Gehry and inspired by the anatomy of the fish and the hull of a boat, is the city's showpiece. The contents of this sardine can are no less stunning than its exterior: works by Serra, Braque, Kandinsky, Picasso, Warhol and more line its walls and halls. The Museo de Bellas Artes, just 300m up the road, is also worth a look. When you tire of art riches, wander over to the restaurants and bars of the medieval casco viejo.

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Money & Costs

Currency: euro (EUR), formerly peseta (pta)

Meals

Budget: EUR5-10
Mid-range: EUR10-15
Top-end: EUR15+

Lodging

Budget: EUR20-40
Mid-range: EUR40-70
Top-end: EUR70+

Spain is one of Europe's more affordable countries. If you are particularly frugal it's just about possible to scrape by for around EUR20 a day. This would involve staying in the cheapest possible accommodation, avoiding eating in restaurants or going to museums or bars, and not moving around too much. A more comfortable budget would be EUR40 a day, allowing for a basic hotel room, set meals, public transport and entry to museums. With $100 a day you can stay in excellent accommodation, rent a car and eat some of the best food Spain has to offer.

Travellers cheques can be cashed at banks and exchange offices, and usually attract a slightly higher exchange rate than cash. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted at hotels and restaurants, especially from the middle range up, and also for long-distance train tickets. These days, even small towns have an ATM (cajero automático) where you can withdraw pesetas from credit and debit accounts. Be careful carrying your money, whether it's jingling or plastic, as tourists are a major target of theft - hundreds of thousands of credit cards go missing in Spain every year.

In restaurants the law requires menu prices to include service charge, and tipping is a matter of personal choice - most people leave some small change if they're satisfied and 5% is usually plenty. It's common to leave small change at bar and cafe tables. Markets and cheap hotels are the only places in Spain where you are likely to bargain.

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Facts for the Traveler

Visas : Spain, along with Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal, forms part of the border-free travel zone subject to the Schengen Agreement. US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and Israeli citizens are among those who may enter Spain as tourists without a visa and stay up to 90 days. EU passport holders can come and go as they please.

Time: GMT/UTC plus one hour (plus two hours in summer)
Electricity: 200 volts, 50 Hz AC
Weights & measures: Metric
Tourism: 51 million visitors

When to Go

The ideal months to visit are May, June and September (plus April and October in the south). At these times you can rely on good weather, yet avoid the sometimes extreme heat - and the main crush of Spanish and foreign tourists. That said, there's decent weather in some parts of Spain virtually year-round. Winter along the southern and southeastern Mediterranean coasts is mild, while in the height of summer you can retreat to the northwest, or to beaches or high mountains anywhere, if you need to get away from excessive heat. If you want to make sure you hit some parties, the best festivals are concentrated between Semana Santa (the week leading up to Easter Sunday) and September.

Events

In true Spanish style, cultural events are almost inevitably celebrated with a wild party and a holiday. Among the festivals to look out for are Festividad in San Sebastián in January, when the whole town dresses up and goes berserk. Carnaval takes place throughout the country in late February; the wildest is said to be in Sitges. In March, Valencia has a week-long party known as Las Fallas, which is marked by all-night dancing, drinking, first-class fireworks and colourful processions. Semana Santa (Holy Week) is the week leading up to Easter Sunday with parades of holy images through the streets; Seville is the place to be if you can get accommodation. In late April the Feria de Abril in Seville is a week-long party counterbalancing the religious fervour of Semana Santa.

The last Wednesday in August sees the Valencian town of Buñol go bonkers with La Tomatina, in which the surplus from its tomato harvest is sploshed around in a friendly riot. The Running of the Bulls (Sanfermines) in Pamplona in July is Spain's most famous festival. Along the north coast, staggered through the first half of August, is Semana Grande, another week of heavy drinking and hangovers.

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