Spain
“I would sooner be a foreigner in Spain than in most countries. How easy it is to make friends in Spain!” – George Orwell
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Explore
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Getting In
- Spain is a part of the Schengen area. Visas are not generally needed except for on longer periods of time or work related.
- There are numerous ways to enter: air, land, and sea. Major International Airports are found in many cities. There are several land crossings with France, Portgual, and Morocco. Various ferries also operate between coastal cities.
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Money
- Spain is a developed country, and exhibits moderate levels of pricing. Getting out and enjoying yourself will cost a fair amount, but less so than other countries in Western Europe.
- Credit cards are widely accepted across all major cities and most smaller towns. ATMs are also plentiful.
- Spain is a member of the EU and thus utilizes the Euro for all transactions.
$1 USD = €0.85 (Euro)
Mid-level meal at restaurant is €12.00
1 bed apartment rent in city center costs €1000
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Climate
- Spain predominately falls into the standard Mediterranean Climate with a warm to hot dry summers and cool wet winters.
- In the Canary Islands, tropical rainforest and desert climates exist.
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History
Spain has a long history, dating back into prehistory. Initial settlements were made by the Iberians, Celts, and Basques with Phoenicians settling the Mediterranean coasts. The region came under the control of the Carthaginians and later the Roman Empire.
The Middle Ages were characterized by Moorish invasion from North Africa. During this time, small Christian kingdoms began to emerge and had retaken control of the peninsula by the time of Christopher Columbus.
Continuing wars kept the Peninsula in general disarray and civil war up until the second world war. After WWII, Spain joined the European Union and underwent a renaissance of democracy. The nation remains mostly stable, though with pockets of regional interests in sovereignty.
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Need to Know
- Spanish is the primary spoken language by 99% of the country. Catalan, Basque, Galician, and Aranese are also spoken throughout various regions.
- You can expect to get by in major cities, especially tourist areas, with French and to a lesser extent English.
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Warnings
- Be very mindful of your pockets, purses, and belongings – Barcelona is the number one city in the world for pickpockets. Pay particular attention on metro-rail systems.
- Spain has several distinct regions with strong local pride. Civil unrest occurs on occasion and protests should be avoided if possible.
We recommend reviewing safety guidelines by various state departments: – we make no guarantees to your safety!
US State Department – Moderate to High bias, with moderate levels of broad information. We advise checking against other sources to confirm veracity of statements.
British State Department – Low bias, and very thorough information. We recommend checking with the FCO for tourist warnings.
Canadian State Department – Low bias, with thorough information. We advise using as an additional resource for tourist warnings.