Spain is where we spent our first Christmas as full-time travelers, but we had previously visited Basque country on vacation. A friend from the US met us for a whirlwind weeklong tour of Spain, visiting Barcelona, Seville and Madrid. We explored the sights of Barcelona on foot (and learned about their quirky Christmas traditions), sampled local cuisine and hiked to Montjuic on Christmas Day.
In Seville, we wandered the neighborhoods and feasted on tapas. We were in Madrid for New Year’s Eve – the city it touted as one of the top places in the world to celebrate the new year…and we got it all wrong. But, we had plenty of time for sightseeing in Madrid and the weather was nice enough to visit several intercity parks!
We have since returned to Spain several times to renew our love for Espana!
Spain Facts:
Capital City: Madrid
Country Population: 47 Million
Language: Spanish
Useful Words and Phrases: Hello - Hola | Thank You – Gracias
Currency: Euro (EUR) | Current Value
Spain Guides:
Get Inspired for your Trip to Spain
From the north to south and east to west, Spain is an immense and immensely diverse country. Each region is unique in its customs, traditions and food, enticing travelers to make repeat trips to the country just to see what else there might be to discover. As you get ready for your trip to Spain, glean some inspiration from movies about the country - and get a taste of the cuisine, too!
Movies About Traveling in Spain
The Way is a movie set in Spain that has encouraged many travelers to lace up their walking shoes and hike the famous pilgrimage path, the Camino de Santiago. The movie features the gorgeous landscapes – and trials – of the long walk to Santiago de Compostela along The Way of St. James.
The romantic comedy-slash-drama, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, is a film written and directed by Woody Allen. The story is about two American girls who travel to Barcelona for the summer. When they meet a man, a local artist, they become tangled in a love triangle.
Inspiring Travel Food from Spain
One way to prepare for eating an amazing meal in Spain is to push off dining until 10:00pm, the typical hour most Spaniards eat dinner. (However, to be honest, on our trips to Spain, we never acclimated to the late dining hours and simply ate whenever we were hungry.)
Seafood and Sausage Paella is one of the most popular foods in Spain – and it can be made outside of the country with little effort. However, for a truly delightful way to appreciate Spanish dining, we prefer making tapas. We most enjoy the tapas from San Sebastian (but the ones in Seville and Barcelona are excellent, too!) However, a simple platter of Jamon Iberico, chorizo, Manchego cheese with a rustic Spanish bread is perfect!
Spanish Drinks
For drinks from Spain, we also like to keep it simple with a bottle of Spanish wine (which pairs well with the tapas!). However, on summer afternoons, sangria hits the spot. Cava – Spanish sparkling wine – and Vermouth are other popular drinks from Spain that will get you ready for your trip!
Start Planning Your Spain Trip:
For more information, travel tips and advice, jump over to our Travel Planning Page.
