| Spain ((es)/(ast)/(gl)España (it)Espanya (eu)Espainia (oc)Espanha) | |
 | |
| Flag | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Capital city | Madrid |
|---|---|
| Area | 505 911 km² |
| Population | 46 754 784 hab. (2011) |
| Density | 92,42 inhab./km² |
| Form of State | parliamentary monarchy |
| Change | euro (EUR) |
| Electricity | 230 V/50 Hz, European plug |
| Telephone prefix | 34 |
| Internet suffix | .es |
| Flow direction | Right-hand drive |
| Spindle | UTC 1: (CET); Daylight saving time: UTC 2: (CEST) |
| Location | |
 40 ° 12 ′ 0 ″ N 3 ° 30 ′ 0 ″ W | |
| Official site | |
TheSpain is a country ofEurope who shares the Iberian Peninsula with the Portugal to the west and the principality ofAndorra in the northeast bordered by the mountain range of the Pyrenees which separates it from the France. Outside the peninsula they are the Balearic Islands, and in the continent African the Canary Islands and the enclaves of Ceuta and of Melilla. Spain is the country with the second highest number of sites classified in the Unesco heritage after'Italy and the greatest number of cities classified as World Heritage.
Understand
Geography
Spain is the fourth largest country in Europe, after the Russia, theUkraine and the France, and the second from the European Union.
The physical limits of Spain are as follows: to the west, the Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean; to the east, the Mediterranean Sea; to the south, the strait of Gibraltar, which separates it from theAfrica (Morocco); to the north, the Pyrenees, which form a natural border with France and Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay.
The main mountain systems are the Pyrenees, the Iberian system, the Cantabrian cordillera, the central system and the Betic cordillera.
Several rivers cross Spain including the Duero, the Ebro, the Tagus, the Guadalquivir, the Guadiana, the Jucar and the Segura; its relief in many plateaus gives it many coastal rivers including the Bidassoa.
History
Weather
There are three main climatic zones:
- The Mediterranean climate: characterized by a dry and hot summer. It is dominant, with two major nuances: the typical Mediterranean climate, present in the southern part of the country, and in the north-west of Spain, with less scorching summers due to the proximity of the ocean or the sea. 'altitude.
- The semi-arid climate: it is located in a south-eastern quarter of the country (especially in the Murcia region), but also around Valladolid. Unlike the Mediterranean climate, the dry season extends beyond summer.
- The oceanic climate: winter and summer temperatures weighted by the ocean and less pronounced and less regular episodes of drought than in the rest of the peninsula (rainy episodes in autumn and winter). The typical oceanic climate is almost absent in Spain. In certain high altitude sectors in Galicia, and on the coasts asturian and basques, we essentially have the nuance aquitaine, which differs from the typical oceanic climate by the summer heat more important and more stormy than in the north-west of Europe - average temperature of July of 21 ° in Santander against 16 ° in Brest or to Liverpool.
Apart from some wet mountain areas, rainfall is low and water scarcity is a problem in much of Spain.
Holidays
| Dated | French name | Local name | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1st | New Year's Day | Año Nuevo | New year party |
| January 6 | Epiphany | Epifanía | Three Kings Day |
| March 19 | Saint Joseph | San jose | Except in Andalusia, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Valencian Community, Catalonia and La Rioja |
| Holy Thursday | Jueves santo | Except in Catalonia and in the Valencian Community | |
| Good Friday | Viernes Santo | ||
| May 1 | labor Day | Día del Trabajo | |
| May 2 | May two | Back of mayo | Uprising against the French occupation in Madrid (party that Madrid) |
| July 25 | Jacques the Major | Santiago Apóstol | Except in Andalusia, Aragon, Catalonia, Ceuta, Melilla and Navarre. |
| August 15th | Assumption | Asuncion | |
| 12 october | Hispanic Day | Día de la Hispanidad | National Holiday |
| November, 1st | Toussaint | Día de Todos los Santos | |
| December 6 | Constitution Day | Día de la Constitución | |
| December 8 | Immaculate Conception | Inmaculada Concepción | |
| December 25th | Christmas | Navidad |
Regions
 Regions of Spain |
|
Cities
- 1 Madrid
- 2 Barcelona
- 3 Valence
- 4 Seville
- 5 Malaga
- 6 Cordoba
- 7 Grenade
- 8 Bilbao
- 9 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- 10 San Sebastián (Donostia)
- 11 Zaragoza
- 12 Salamanca
- 13 Santiago de Compostela
Other destinations
Gibraltar British dependency located to the south ofAndalusia
To go
Formalities
- See as well: Traveling in the Schengen area
Spain is part of theSchengen area. The citizens of the Swiss and the European Economic Area which includes theEuropean Union, theIceland, the Norway and the Liechtenstein only need a national identity card or a passport valid. They don't need any Visa to enter or circulate in the Schengen area and are generally allowed to stay as long as they wish.
Remarks (1) Nationals of these countries need a biometric passport to enjoy visa-free travel. (2) Serbian nationals with passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (residents of Kosovo with Serbian passport) need a visa. (3) Taiwanese nationals need their ID card number (a letter followed by nine digits) written in their passport to enjoy visa-free travel. |
Nationals of the following countries do not need a visa to enter the Schengen area: Albania(1), Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and herzegovina(1), Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, United States, Grenade, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, North Macedonia(1), Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova(1), Monaco, Montenegro(1), New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St. LUCIA, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia(1,2), Seychelles, Singapore, Taiwan(3) (Republic of China), East Timor, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela as well as holders of a passport of Hong Kong SAR, of Macau SAR and all nationals British (including those who are not citizens of the European Union).
- The visa-free travelers mentioned above and not members of theEEE or from Swiss cannot stay more than 90 days in a period of 180 days in the Schengen area in general and, in general, cannot work during their stay (although some countries in the Schengen area allow certain nationalities to work). The counting of days begins once you enter one of the Schengen countries and does not return to zero when you leave one Schengen country for another.
- New Zealand citizens can stay longer than 90 days, but without working if they do not have a work permit, in some countries of the Schengen area, namely Germany, Austria, the Benelux, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland
If you are not a national ofEEE or from Swiss, even if you are exempt from a visa, unless you are Andorran, Monegasque, San Marino or Vatican, make sure your passport is stamped both when entering and leaving the Schengen area. Without an entry stamp, you may be treated as having exceeded your stay when trying to leave the Schengen area. Without an exit stamp, you may be refused entry the next time you seek to enter the Schengen area as you may be assumed to have exceeded the time allowed on your previous visit. If you cannot get a stamp in the passport, keep documents like boarding passes, transportation tickets, etc. which can help convince border control personnel that you have stayed in the Schengen area legally.
Of course, the national identity card remains sufficient to go directly to the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and of Melilla which are located on the African continent. Possession of a valid passport only becomes compulsory in the event of passage through the Morocco.
By plane
There are direct flights to Spain from the majority of European cities and other capitals of the world. The majority of major European airlines (i.e. Iberia, Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa) as well as low cost (Easy Jet, Vueling other lowcost companies) serve Spain.
On a boat
Many maritime links exist to reach Spain ... none however from France.
Since theItaly, it is possible to board at Genoa for Barcelona and the crossing lasts almost 20 hours. For travelers coming from UK, the ports of Porthsmouth and of Plymouth allow you to reach northern Spain via the ports of Bilbao and of Santander after 24 hours of mini-cruise off the French coast.
Travelers from Maghreb countries such as Morocco can easily reach Spain by ferry, the port of Tangier Med is the most used, because the crossings are very numerous and quite short ... this one is connected to Algeciras in Andalusia, not far from Gibraltar. You can also choose to go through the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and of Melilla. People fromAlgeria can embark at Ghazaouet or to Oran to always arrive in Andalusia but this time at Almeria... note that wearingOran is also connected to that ofAlicante located in the region of Valence.
By train
There are direct routes, particularly between Marseille and Madrid (AVE train) Car on Train between Algeciras and Barcelona.
By car
From France
- Paris : depending on your destination, several choices are possible, namely the whole A10 - N10 - A63 and cross the border after Bayonne if one wishes for example to go to Madrid or in Andalusia where we take the highway AP-8 in the direction of San Sebastián, follow the course A71 - A75 (free except on the Millau viaduct ...) - A9 if you want to join Barcelona and the whole of the Mediterranean coast, the arrival is on the highway AP-7 near La Jonquera.
- Lyon : follow the highways A7 and take theA9 at Orange that you have to follow to the border via the Col du Perthus, this allows you to reach by the motorway AP-7 the metropolises of Barcelona and Valencia, beware of summer traffic jams! To reach the Basque Country and the Galicia, always follow the directions of Toulouse and of Bayonne by highways A61 and A64 after Narbonne. We enter Spain via the highway AP-8 at Irun.
- Marseilles : follow the highways A55 and A54 until Nimes then observe the same recommendations as from the Rhône Valley depending on where you plan to go.
- Toulouse : the highways A64 and A63 via Tarbes and Bayonne will be useful to join the Galicia and Madrid and entry to the territory will be via the Spanish highway AP-8 which serves the entire Cantabrian coast. The Mediterranean coast can be reached by passing through Narbonne (highways A61 and A9...) then AP-7 once the border is crossed. Travelers less in a hurry can follow the N20 through Foix and cross the border between Bourg-Madame and Puigcerdà by the short road N-152 from where it is possible to take the axis C-16 in the direction of Barcelona. The Puymorens tunnel in France and that of Cadí in Spain are tolled but if you want to avoid them, you will have to cross additional passes ... the journey can take up to 6 hours anyway!
Pay attention to the tariffs of the Catalonia which are higher than those practiced elsewhere in Europe.
Nationals of course also link France to Spain but it is good to find out in winter about the closure of the passes. Only the crossing point in Bourg-Madame by the N20 is in principle always cleared so never closed. However, beware of the Col de Puymorens located further north on the N320 whose closure remains frequent from November to March due to snow.
Residents of the Landes and the French Basque Coast can stay on the road N10 who passes by Saint Jean de Luz and Hendaye to enter Spain by Irun, we join San Sebastián by the road OR become GI-636. Since Perpignan, it is possible to win Girona and Barcelona over there N9 then by the N-II once the border has been crossed at the exit of Perthus, another option with a decidedly picturesque route is to follow the N114 via the Côte Vermeille and to cross the border between Cerberus (France ...) and Port-Bou (Spain ...) by the N-260 which allows you to join Figueres and the N-II.
Béarn travelers can get to Spain by road N134 which passes through the Col du Somport ... a free tunnel connects the two countries and allows direct entry into Aragon. Then there are the roads N-330 and A-23 who take over in the direction of Huesca and of Zaragoza to shine towards Castile and the Mediterranean coast. Further east, another road which is the N125 detaches from the highway A64 near Saint-Gaudens and joins the border in the Val d'Aran at Vielha by the Spanish road N-230 which leads to Lleida in Catalonia.
Circulate
By car
Strictly dilapidated and wearing out for travelers of all ranks, the Spanish road network has become one of the best in Europe ... if not globally, thanks to extensive work undertaken over the past fifty years. but also through substantial subsidies paid by the European Union. This financial support has enabled the opening of countless portions of free expressways known as autovías which gradually crisscross the country and ring roads that surround the main towns, sometimes on several belts as in Madrid or now at Seville.
Cross the whole country in one go without ever leaving the "large ribbon»Nor meet the slightest red light on his way, has now become a reality.
The roads and highways are of good quality and well maintained, at least as far as the main roads are concerned. Dirt tracks are now a thing of the past, apart from rural paths linking two mountain hamlets and on a few rare portions of provincial roads in the hinterland. The road signs comply with international conventions, the directional signs are very close to those existing in France but bilingual indications or even in the local language are used in certain regions, such as Catalonia or to Pays Basque and in Galicia.
Two main types of routes exist in Spain: the “Autopistas"Which are generally toll motorways and"AutovíasWhich are freeways for free use.
Be careful because the toll motorways (in Catalonia and the Basque Country in particular ...) charge quite high prices given the distances traveled. But the good news is that the Spanish government is stopping the renewal of certain private concessions concluded a few decades ago: portions of toll freeways are thus becoming completely free for everyone. This is already the case for theAP-1 which serves Burgos and Miranda de Ebro whose toll barriers were definitively dropped in the fall of 2018. In Andalusia, theAP-4 connecting Seville at Cadiz will meet the same fate in 2019 and much of theAP-7 on the Mediterranean coast will follow the same path, but in stages until 2021.
There are also in the region of Madrid some dapper sections of toll motorways say Radials which radiate from the capital to certain localities in the distant suburbs. Although practical at first glance, they will not prove to be of much use because on the one hand, they run alongside expressways that are not necessarily congested and on the other hand, they were built in areas of building sites. whose work was stopped at the start of the 2008 crisis ... you will understand that they remain hopelessly empty and expensive despite everything, the Spanish state has also been obliged to take charge of their operation financially catastrophic because some private companies that managed them simply filed for bankruptcy for lack of sufficient revenue.
For several years now, French motorway companies have been offering electronic toll badges that can also be used on the Spanish toll network. Check with the point of sale closest to you or on the website of each company. To make this type of badge work at the start and end of a toll motorway, go in the lanes marked with "T»Light placed at the top of the toll gates. The "beep»Box validates the payment and clears the passage, exactly as in France.
A new classification system for the road network was implemented in 2005, here is a complete list of prefixes and colors:
- Toll motorway known as "Autopista": AP- (blue) limited to 120 km / h
- Free highway known as "Autovía": AT- (blue) limited to 120 km / h
- Radial toll motorway: R- (blue) limited to 120 km / h serving exclusively the Madrid suburbs but remaining little frequented
- National without road separation: NOT- (red) limited to 90 and sometimes 100 km / h (in the presence of an emergency lane ...)
- Regional, provincial or local roads: letter of the region or the province and variable background colors ... they can also be free or local toll freeways
The speed limit in built-up areas is 50 km / h.
Note: Spanish law requires you to have of them warning triangles as well as a reflective vest (CE standard) per occupant and to keep them in the passenger compartment. In the absence of this complete equipment or its non-use in the event of a stop on the road, the fine is 90 €.
If you are arrested by the police in Spain, they have a translation booklet in several languages of the offense committed. If you are unable to pay immediately, officials have the right to detain the vehicle until payment of the fine. Radars are popping up all over the road network and in town, fines are now reaching offenders even if they are foreigners ... European harmonization requires. Note that speed cameras and red lights are (almost) always signaled on approach by signs.
Monstrous traffic jams form in July / August, mainly due to the influx of tourists and the fact that Spain is a transit zone for Portuguese and Maghreb people returning to the country. In the same chapter, it happens that a few gangs of road pirates hang out on some toll or free highways, especially along the Mediterranean coasts and around Madrid. This phenomenon is tending to fade, however, thanks to increased police surveillance in recent years. You can easily cross the whole territory day and night, without ever having the slightest bad encounter or even having the slightest ulterior motive.
The driving style of the Spaniards is more or less the same as in France, that is to say not always calm and too often in a hurry. Beware of some users who have the annoying habit of changing lanes without warning, even around toll barriers. Drivers are generally courteous but may not forgive your driving mistakes, especially in larger built-up areas.
Beware of the risks of aquaplaning because the water evacuates very poorly on the roadways during rain, do not hesitate to greatly reduce your speed ... even on the motorway!
The network of service stations is widespread along major roads, even on national roads alongside highways where one can often meet a pump every 10 kilometers. The service areas are present every 30 kilometers Around the toll motorways, restaurants and hotels often complete the facilities and sometimes a tourist information point can be found there. The areas set up along the "autovías" sometimes require leaving the axis but their level of equipment is similar to sets on the motorway. Their interval varies greatly depending on the axis on which you travel, follow the inscriptions "vía de servicio" Where "zona de servicio"to spot them. On these two types of roads, most establishments are open day and night without interruption and they are even lively during the late hours ... refuel and drink a good coffee at one hour of the morning. morning, it is quite possible !!!
Almost all refreshment points and hotels and restaurants accept payment by the most common bank cards.
By train
By bus
Many Spaniards use the bus for domestic travel, as it is cheaper than the train and almost as fast on non-high-speed lines. The network of bus lines is very developed.
By plane
The peninsula and the archipelagos of the Balearic Islands and the Canaries have airports allowing domestic and international flights.
On a boat
There are connections from Barcelona and Valencia to the Balearic Islands as well as from some Andalusian cities to Ceuta and Melilla both located on the African continent. Finally in Cadiz, it is also possible to embark for the Canary Islands.
A motorcycle
A usual means of transport for the natives in order to move freely in the city. Rent or buy, scooters and motorcycles have reserved spaces just like cars! Www.cooltra.com (official partner of the Tourist Office)
By bike
The Eurovelo 8 crosses Spain along the Mediterranean coast. It starts from Cadiz (Cadiz), and goes up along the coast (Malaga Alicante, Valencia, and Barcelona) before going up towards the French border. However, its route is currently very theoretical: the specific arrangements are still very limited.
Speak
The most widely used language isSpanish - Castilian (español - castellano).
But it should be borne in mind that some autonomous regions have their own official language: we speak Basque in the Basque Country, Catalan in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, valencian in the Valencian Community, and the galician in Galicia.
It should be noted that there are also significant pronunciation variations depending on the region, Andalusians having for example a different pronunciation from the rest of Spain.
Buy
Spain uses theeuro. It is one of the many European countries that use this common currency. Euro banknotes and coins are legal tender throughout the country.
Countries which have the euro as official currency:
These countries are collectively referred to as the "euro area". |
One euro is divided into 100 eurocents or euro cents abbreviated cents or cents.
The official euro symbol is €, and its ISO code is EUR. There is no official symbol for Eurocents.
.jpg/220px-Euro_Series_Banknotes_(2019).jpg)
- Tickets
- Euro banknotes are the same in all countries.
- Ordinary parts
- All euro area countries have issued coins with a distinctive national side on one side, and a common standard side on the other side. Coins can be used in all countries, regardless of the country of origin of the coin used, for example a one euro coin from Finland can be used in Portugal.
- Two euro commemorative coins
- They differ from normal two euro coins only on their "national" side and circulate freely as legal tender. Each country can produce a certain quantity of it as part of their normal parts production. There are also commemorative two euro coins "at European level". They are produced to commemorate special events, such as the anniversary of important treaties.
- Withdrawal of money
- Cash withdrawals from ATMs are billed at the same price as cash withdrawals in the country of origin for holders of a bank card from an account in a country in the euro zone. Money transfers between two accounts are also considered by banks as a transfer between two accounts in the same country.
Many merchants accept international bank cards (Visa, Mastercard ...) and ATMs are common.Expect you to be asked to present an ID when paying by bank card, because most of the time you sign the ticket and you do not enter your code (unlike in France).
In Spain there are rich areas (for example: Madrid, the Basque Country, Catalonia, Balearic Islands ...) and poorer areas (for example: Andalusia, Extremadura, Galicia ...).
Eat
In summer, to adapt to the heat, meal times can be shifted, especially in the south:
- mid-day meal = 13 h/15 h
- evening meal = 20 h/22 h
Here are some typical Spanish dishes:
- Tapas: Originally, a tapa (lid in Spanish) was a small plate the size of a coffee saucer, placed over your beer or wine glass to prevent flies from going in. This because of the great heat, Spain not having had air conditioning until very late. Subsequently, the restaurateurs decided to put crisps, olives ... to peck on this plate. As it evolved, it turned into a small cooked dish or slice of bread with garnish. Today, this term refers to all kinds of starters and dishes served in bistros in small quantities and at any time of the day or night. Please note that tapas are served free of charge with any drink ordered in most bars in Granada and Leon.
- Pinchos: The pincho is historically a tapa stuck with a toothpick, but we find all kinds (topped slice of bread, omelet, ...) which allows them to be easily pecked on the original plate. from the Spanish Basque Country they are often plentiful.
- The paella originates from the region of Valencia. It can contain meat, seafood (paella de mariscos), or both (paella mixta). But each region has a rice specialty.
- Turron: It is a kind of nougat made from almonds, egg yolk and honey with a light brown appearance and very appetizing. There are several varieties, the best known of which is turron blando or turron de Jijona (a village north of Alicante where this specialty originates).
- Restaurants in Spain listed in the Michelin Guide
Drinks
Sangria is a drink made from red wine, lemon juice (kas, fanta, etc.) and cut fruit.
Calimocho is a blend of coca cola and red wine.
Chupitos: these are small glasses of alcohol, it can be liqueur (kiwi, turron, cherry ...) or mixtures (vodka / lemon, vodka / peach ...) commonly called shoots. are drunk in normal or specialized bars called chupeteria! They can cost between 0.50cts and 1,2 € depending on the chupitos and bars (In Barcelona, count a little more! → 1.80 at the Xupiteria of the port).
Like France, Spain has long adopted a system of appellations in order to guarantee quality and protect winegrowers and their market such as wines from Navarre, Rioja, Duero and Mallorca.
Spain has been divided into 18 production regions, they are simply geographical limits. The wines produced in these regions are entitled to the appellation Vino de la tierra, equivalent to the local wine or to the simple appellation "vino de mesa" (table wine) if they are of inferior quality. do not hesitate to discover La Ceimada! it makes evil witches hunt! ... this region indeed still has astonishing beliefs. There, it is the Brittany of legends, but with 6 to 8 degrees more.
Housing
- Hostels in Spain
- Holiday clubs in Spain
- Homestay (Airbnb, HomeExchange, Couchsurfing)
- Hotels
Learn
- The Flamenco Dance Museum in Seville is considered the official source of flamenco art, typical of Andalusia and Spain. Located in the heart of the historic "Santa Cruz" district, it offers 1,500 square meters of information on this art using touch screens, music and air scent and famous objects to interest the whole family! Open every day from 9 h - 19 h. www.museoflamenco.com tel: 00.34.954.34.03.11
- For study spanish there are several language schools in each major city that offer intensive courses, cultural activities and accommodation options with host families (eg. Babylon Idiomas).
To work
- An association from Haute Savoie, the TELI Club also offers useful information and job offers, internships, au pair for Spain.
Communicate
Internet cafes are numerous and well equipped in all medium to large towns. We will therefore easily find a place to connect. However, it is necessary to take into account the Spanish timetables. Internet cafes open rather late in the morning, but also close late at night.List of Hotspots in Spain
European roaming
Since June 15, 2017, "European roaming" has been introduced. It allows all SIM card holders belonging to one of the European member countries to maintain the same pricing conditions as in the country of origin.
Telephone calls and Internet browsing are valid at no additional cost in all European countries, unless authorized by national authorities (generally minor operators) or when a data Gbit threshold is exceeded, which increases year by year. To use this service, simply activate the roaming option on your mobile phone.
The participating countries are those ofEuropean Union (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary , Ireland , Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, UK, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden), those ofEuropean Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and some Oversea territories (Azores, Canary Islands, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Madeira, Martinique, Mayotte, The meeting, Saint-Martin).
Manage the day-to-day
Health
It should be noted that the visually impaired will be very comfortable in Spain, indeed this handicap was taken into account very early in this country. A lottery is even specially dedicated to them in order to provide them with a means of subsistence, it is common to see visually impaired people selling ONCE lottery tickets along the streets.
European citizens
Citizens ofEuropean Union (EU), who fall unexpectedly ill during a temporary stay, studies or a professional stay, are entitled to the same medical care as in their country of residence. It is always useful to take the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which constitutes physical proof of your insurance in an EU country. However, if you do not have the card with you or if you cannot use it (as in the case of private assistance), you are still entitled to treatment, but you are obliged to pay the costs on the spot. , then you will ask for a refund on your return.
The countries in which health coverage is provided are all those that are members of theEuropean Union (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary , Ireland , Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden), those ofEuropean Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), the Swiss, the UK and the Oversea territories member of the European Union (Azores, Canary Islands, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Madeira, Martinique, Mayotte, The meeting, Saint-Martin).
security
 | Emergency telephone number: All emergency services:112 Police :091National Police; for the urban police, dial 092 Ambulance:061 Firefighter :080 |
- In large cities, it is strongly recommended not to leave any object in sight in the vehicle; even on a busy Barcelona avenue, it can happen that a malicious person breaks a window to steal even a book or a pack of cigarettes. Moreover, it is better to park your vehicle in a car park guarded day and night.
- Pay attention to very frequent flights at airports, in particular: Barcelona and Madrid.
- In Barcelona, leave nothing at all in sight! neither in his car, nor on oneself ... this city's pickpockets are perhaps the most efficient on Earth. Incredulous, sit on a chair on the Rambla and watch!
Government travel advice
.svg/20px-Flag_of_Belgium_(civil).svg.png)
Belgium (Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) 
Canada (Government of Canada) 
France (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 
Swiss (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs)
.svg/20px-Flag_of_Belgium_(civil).svg.png){kind=small}
Respect
The Basque question is very thorny throughout the peninsula. It's not really a taboo, but avoid bringing up the subject with someone you don't know well if you're not into endless discussions.
Likewise, regional languages must be respected, in particular Catalan. If Castilian takes precedence over all regional languages, Catalonia prefers that we use its language rather than the national language. It is therefore necessary to avoid chauvinism or an extreme concentration on Castilian: broaden your linguistic horizons!
Time zones
Mainland Spain as well as Balearic Islands and Ceuta and Melilla use Central European Time UTC 1 in winter and UTC 2 in summer. The Canary Islands use the time of UK UTC 0 in winter and UTC 1 in summer.
