Facts and Traditions of Spain

A member of the European Union, Spain is located on the south west tip of Europe. Its total area is 504,030 km² and it is shaped as a bull´s skin. “Piel de Toro”.

Some aspects of the rich Spanish culture are known worldwide, like the Flamenco Dance and the Bullfights.

Nevertheless, it is its incredible beaches and sunshine that make Spain such a popular tourist destination. It is calculated that some 25 million people visit Spain every year, and tourism is one of Spain’s major resources.

The Languages of Spain

Spanish or Castillian is the official language of Spain, spoken by the whole population. Euskera is the language of the Vascongadas provinces and Catalan is the official language of Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands. Gallego is the language spoken in Galicia and has many similarities with the Portuguese language.

Gastronomy in Spain

Being a peninsula surrounded by sea, the Spanish cuisine is very rich in seafood dishes.

The most famous dishes --common to most regions of Spain-- are: Tortilla de Patatas (potato omelette) , paella, embutidos, morcilla, jamo
Serrano, chorizo, migas, caldereta, puchero, mariscada and various kinds of cheese like Manchego, tetilla, bola, etc.

Many dishes use garbanzos, alubias, lentejas or guisantes (chick peas, beans, lentils and peas) as a base. La fabada Asturiana has white beans, pork shoulder, chorizo, morcilla and spices like Azafran.

Amongst typical desserts we find flan (custard), Arroz con leche (rice pudding), Madalenas (muffins).

Like other south European Mediterranean countries, Spain uses Olive oil in its cooking. Older people like to buy their produce from open markets or municipal markets, preferring these options to the hypermarkets.

The Spanish Wine

One of the most famous regions for its good wine is La Rioja, which produces rich full bodied red and white wines. Spain is one of the largest producers of wine in the world. Most families drink wine with their meals.

Religion in Spain

The Roman Catholic Church has been the predominant religious affiliation of Spain for many centuries. There was peaceful coexistence of Muslims, Jews and Christians during many centuries until the reconquista, when non Christians were expelled from Spain. Nowadays there is a fair amount of religious freedom.

Dress code in Spain

Spaniards like to dress well, preferring quality or design clothing versus fashion. More conservative dressing should be considered if visiting a church, so that it is not offensive.