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Spain Travel Guide

Explore narrow, twisting streets that lead to lively, heel tapping flamenco bars. Run with the bulls and passionate Toreadors during Pamplona’s hot summers and participate in the local village fiestas devouring an array of delicious tapas dishes. Sizzling Spain never sleeps.

Visit the amazing Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Alhambra palace in Granada and windsurfer’s paradise Tarifa. You can even go skiing in the Sierra Navada Mountains and sunbathing on the beach in Malaga, both on the same day. A mixture of bustling cosmopolitan cities packed full of art and amazing architecture, alluring islands and charming small towns make up the 17 very different regions in the third most popular tourist destination in the world.

Full Name

Kingdom of Spain

Former Name

Capital City

Madrid

Government Type

Parliamentary Monarchy

Area Size

505,988 sq km 195,363 sq miles (includes Spanish North Africa)

Time Zone

GMT/UTC +1 ()

Climate

Temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast

Geography

Strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Languages

Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%; note - Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other languages are official regionally

History

Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986. Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Electricity

220 or 225 volts AC, 50Hz

Emergency Numbers

Ambulance: 061, Fire: 080, Police: 091

Madrid

Weather: Fair (21°C/69°F)
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