Information about Spain

Spain Information
  • General information
  • Cost of living
  • Currency
  • Tipping
  • Cuisine

Before visiting Spain we put together this information guide which should help you get a better idea about the country before visiting.

General Information about Spain

  • Form of Government: Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy
  • Land Area: 504.782 km²
  • Population Size: 46.662.000 inhabitants
  • Languages: Spanish is the official language. Other languages are officially recognized in their areas, Catalan (Catalonia, Spain, Valencia - here it is called Valencian). Aranese in the Val d'Aran (Lleida province), Basque in the Basque Country and areas in Navarra, and Galician in Galicia.
  • Capital: Madrid
  • Religion: 80% of the population is Catholic
  • Political System: Spain is divided into 17 autonomous regions.

Cost of Living

The following is a brief overview on prices in Spain for food and lodging:

  • Economical meal: from 10€
  • Upper class restaurant: from 25 to 35€
  • Youth hostel or cheap hotel: 20 to 35€
  • Middle-range hotel: 60 to 100€

Currency

There is no limit to the amount of money you can transfer from foreign bank accounts into Spain. You can enter the country or take up to a limit of around 6000 euros without declaring them.

Credit cards and travelers checks are recommended to pay your expenses. They can be used to pay for different items or to get cash at many banks.

Tipping

Law requires restaurants include tip in the total price. However tipping is common in bars, hotels, restaurants and taxis, depending on the customers satisfaction, usually between 10% - 15%.

Cuisine

The food in Spain is one of the many things the country is famous for. Wherever you go you will find a great variety of dishes from the area. Dishes are made from meat or fish, soups or even the most varied sweets. There's so much to choose from that you will never finish tasting them all.

Among the dishes you'll find the famous Valencian paella, Andalusian gazpacho, Asturian beans, or the always popular bread with tomato.

Drinking wine is very common in Spain. In all regions, you will find a wine that is perfect to accompany your meals. Among them we highlight: Rioja, the Ribera del Duero, Penedes ... among others. Other drinks include the champagne-like cava, and beer, but by far the best known is the refreshing sangria.